The scream that came from the Sumerian came with a wave of power that had the fur on Bast’s back lifting. Literally. Because the second she felt the rage wash over her, she half-shifted into her feline form, a form that she’d used most frequently when she was still a defender of kings, the form that ended up carved on walls. It was not the sand cat that she preferred when she fully shifted to an animal form, but rather the head and chest of a large cat that very closely resembled a lion. It was the form that allowed her to fight best.
Because this was no longer about getting Dio to settle down. They were obviously past that point. Dionysus had lost his mind, and apparently Ninkasi had followed him down the rabbit hole. It wasn’t even about the argument that had started over a hashtag any longer. No, this was now about keeping these two insane deities from hurting anybody that didn’t deserve it. In Bast’s world, that boiled down to one person right now: Hermod. He might not be a king, but he was the son of one, and it might be a mostly vestigial role for her these days, but it was one of her responsibilities. So defend she would.
Ninkasi was not the only one that knew how to use ancient blades, and with a thought Bast was holding a khopesh in one hand—a gift from Sekhmet, actually—with a small shield balanced on the other arm. Gone was the low cut top and skinny jeans she’d worn out for a night of drinking, replaced with armor woven with precious stones embedded in the chestplate. If the Sumerian wanted to go to war, then war she would get.
Bast took half a step back to take up a defensive, balanced stance when she heard the voice at her back. If there was a voice she didn’t want to hear besides Hermod’s, it was that of her brother. Ancient and powerful in his own right, most of the time, she wouldn’t have given a second thought about Anubis’ safety. But with Ninkasi acting as she was, with the addition of the crazed and feral Greek, this was not where she wanted him. So her half step became a full step and a spin, as she used the shield in her hand to move Anubis. As gently yet swiftly as possible, she pushed the shield up against his torso, keeping the center of balance low. Then, she shoved. Hard. Hard enough to push him back out of harm’s way.
That accomplished, she turned back to the crazy pair, and pinned her ears back. Her mouth opened, and she let loose with a roar. It was the only warning they would receive. Either they would stop, or she would stop them. She would not allow Hermod or Anubis to be hurt. She would defend them. At all costs.