Elijah
Ruby circles once, testing reach and Darius snaps too early and commits to a line he can't fix. She feints left, darts right, and bites his shoulder to persuade, not tear. He yelps and whips around but she keeps moving. He tries to pin her against a rock, and she climbs in two quick jumps, pushes off, and drops behind him. A s***h across his rear leg makes him stagger. She could press but she doesn't. She gives him one more chance to choose sense.
He doesn't. He lunges and she meets him halfway, bleeds his force along her side, and clamps his neck without breaking skin. She holds for proof, not bluff. He goes very still and she waits him out. He whines, low and angry. She lets go, steps back, tail high, eyes set in case pride wins.
He shifts in fits, half up, half down, t
