"Fighting Tooth and Claw" - 9 x 12 inches - Copic markers and multiliners on Bristol board

The idea from this piece stemmed from a weasel world created by Vultur-martes, where anthropomorphic weasels roam the land and have established their own society. Vultur-martes proposed the idea of gathering some weasel artists together to publish their work for a furry book that features the weasels of this land! I was drawn to the idea of the weaponry and attire of these weasels.

A tranquil sunset overlooks Aleutia as she stands cornered against a precipice with enemies closing in. She has been battling long and hard for her life, but is left with hardly a scratch. The same cannot be said for the enemies. Her final moment to prove herself as a warrior to her village has come as she faces her enemies to fight to the death.

The dress for Aleutia is inspired by traditional mustelid costume of the land, which incorporates various belts and accessories. Typically a hat is also worn, but Aleutia has no time or patience for hats, not when enemies are attacking! Her weapon of choice is a mace with claws. This weapon has direct influence from the Zhua, a chinese staff with claws. The deadliness of this weapon comes from its ability to swipe out shields, then it has a clear shot to the face of the helpless victim. Aleutia's intentions are less for blood lust and more for protecting the ones she loves; however, don't under estimate the weasel. Never under estimate the weasel.