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Rabbit gasped as her breath was knocked out of her. She snarled and snapped viciously at Swan's forelegs, trying to get closer to the jugular vein for a deadly bite.
Sandpiper could only watch in horror, forgetting even to cringe. Too many attacks had been made on the Pack in the last few days. Too many. Her mind calling back the images of Falcon and Hawk injured, of Dove leaping onto Rabbit. The smell of the dirty black wolf that Falcon had fought with. The cougars that had killed her family. Dizzy with terror, she collapsed in a faint. Dove didn't even notice, but bunched up close to the ground in preparation for a leap that would again bring her hurtling over Rabbit.
Hawk saw and struggled to her feet, yelping at the pain of her still unhealed injuries.
"H'yeeelp! "
Dove could not see the outside world. Her eyes were latched onto Rabbit and Swan tussling on the ground; she was oblivious to anyone and everything else. Her pups were in danger and her mothering instincts had kicked in - hard. She crouched down low, and leapt in the air ----
Sandpiper jumped from her lying-down state into a foot in the air at the sound of Hawk's yelp. "Stay low," she said brazenly to her. Any other time she would've whined and cringed at the sight of any hunter, but now she nearly clobbered Hawk in the effort of getting her to the ground. It was important that she heal and that only the healthy go after the pup stealer. She prepared to follow Dove, taking a deep breath and shaking her head, trying not to bring her intelligence back.
Rabbit clawed her way towards Swan's throat, growling and snapping at any paws that got in her way. She was outnumbered now, she knew; the only matter of importance was to kill the alpha-female and to get out before she was in the meat pile. That thought alone lent her strength and speed.