Walk | "Talk" | think

Kotori was playing with the cat his dad had got him.  The young snow leopard and Kotori were tussling, rolling all through the deep grass. The occasional cat growl sound and mock snarls could be heard as the two got into their tough acts.  It wouldn’t be easily seen but further off a small mongoose was roaming the grass hunting.  It had no interest in getting in a tussle with the two.

The mongoose was the only one who was paying attention to the surroundings and it suddenly sat up tall watching the scenery closely and then spotting the threat.  He ran to the two and snapping at both of their flailing paws.  They both gave a growl and were about to turn on the little guy when his glare silenced them.  

Kotori stood up, looking about, and was surprised to find the mongoose yanking on his tail to go back in the direction of the den.  What was wrong?  Kotori’s ears finally picked up the sound of something larger pushing through the grass.  No, several somethings.  There!  A coyote was approaching and already close!  Even worse would be Kotori heard the grass moving farther off on either side.  Oh Shoot!  How did they sneak into the pack land?

Kotori backed up, heart thumping as he snarled at the first coyote as it grew closer.  The cat let out its own roar, his rump near the pup but facing away to a different patch of grass.  Where the heck had Fang the mongoose gone?  Kotori let out a howl calling for help.  Coyotes, there were coyotes nearby!  Kotori didn’t dare run, they would be faster and it would give them a chance to strike from behind.  Would he be able to keep them at bay long enough for the adults to arrive?

Farther off to the right he heard the surprising sound of a coyote yelp then saw a small form go flying in the air and land a bit further off in the grass.  Fang had snuck up and bit one in the paw but had then paid for it.  That one certainly wasn’t fleeing but it gave Kotori a bit more confidence.  How could he be scared when Fang had dared to attack despite his tiny size?

There was always a pair of eyes on his kids. Someone watching from a distance, ensuring they didn’t get into any trouble they couldn’t handle. They were not spies, from the day to day mischief, little was reported back to the Warlord. But sometimes, trouble came running towards his offspring. In times like that, a warning was given.

With an air-shattering snarl, the Warlord charged towards his threatened boy. He did not stop until he was over Kotori, and then, well… then this became a lesson, and not a threat. “you take the right, let none past you” he ordered Kotori, snapping at a coyote to the left. He lunged forward as it tried to dart away, and his elongated fangs broke a delicate paw in a single bite.

Kotori was going to learn some self defence, well Sirius was there to keep him from getting into too much trouble. As he snapped and growled at coyotes to their left, he let his son get a chance to fight for himself. Prepared to step in at a moments notice.

Walk | "Talk" | think

Kotori had been backing up, showing off his fangs as intimidatingly as possible at the coyote facing him but it didn’t seem to be concerned.  Perhaps it was only having the cat with him that had stopped the coyote from pouncing at Kotori prior.

If the coyotes had wanted their meal they should have been faster.  Even as the one in the left charged in dad was suddenly there and he fixed the brute good. "Dad!"  These coyotes were in for it now! Kotori had expected he was going to hear he had to wait and play it safe but the thrill in his little heart at being told to help was about as excited as it could get.

Kotori turned his attention to the one on the right.  Funny how it seemed less inclined to charge in now that dad was there.  Kotori stalked towards it even as it seemed undecided between the potential meal walking towards it and the deadly threat so close.  However, a hungry belly with winter ahead can make one reckless.  The coyote decided to try and get a fast snack before running and lunged in towards the pup.  

All those fighting lessons suddenly came to fruition as Kotori jumped out of the way of the teeth.  The coyote hadn’t thought that its meal might fight back and lowered his head to snap at Kotori.  There was fear in his heart, there was no way to lie about it but as he saw the teeth coming in he reacted turning away from the teeth but instead of backing off he went in to try and bite at the creature's leg.  

The coyote twisted its head to bite at the pup but suddenly it had a new problem.  It had forgotten the cat which leapt out of the grass to slash at the coyotes rump.  The coyote backed up to keep the two both in front of it, determined not to be tag-teamed again. It was hardly done with its attack, only pausing to verify that Sirius was still busy.

Sirius trained his kids young. He knew that in the end, that was how to keep them alive. He could keep eyes on his little terrors around the clock, but something would always sneak past him. The only way to truly keep them safe, was if they could hold their own.

As he kept coyotes away from Kotori’s other side, he also kept watch over the boy. Watching the fight play out, prepared to leap in and snatch his boy away. Bast crouched in the shadows of the long grass a distance away. Blocking off the coyotes exit. If any managed to grab the boy, they would be sandwiched between dire wolf and leopard. Dead before it saw the danger.

Sirius snarled at a coyote that looked inclined to join in the fight against the boy. Sirius would not let it become any more then Kotori and companion on one. The coyote whose leg he had broken was dragging itself away from the bloody scene. The Warlord placed a paw on its back, pushing it into the earth, before nipping at its neck. Coyote’s were the only bastards without a single iota of sense, willing to die for a mere attempt at the Armada borders. Vermin.

Walk | "Talk" | think

If Kotori hadn’t been paying attention when he thought it was safe he was certainly making up for it now.  Kotori was watching every movement his adversary made well aware of the size difference, including in the difference in the size of teeth.

The foolish canine lunged in again for the pup who backed up.  The coyote got his head away just in time to miss cat claws from the snow leopard dad had got him.  He sure appreciated it now!  The canine was getting angry now.  It lunged in to attack the cat who leapt backwards with an angry snarl.   As the coyote started stalking the cat Kotori ran forward and bit the back of the coyote's leg.  The boy planted his feet, grinding his teeth together.  Unfortunately, he didn’t have the same jaw strength as his parents, it definitely wasn’t having the same effect.  It did enough.

The coyote spun around to snap at Kotori and it found the cat latched onto its shoulder trying to get a bite into its neck.  The creature had never expected this meal to be such a challenge!  It spun around fast and the cat leapt off but another warning hiss.  Kotori’s tail started to wag slowly as his mind connected how teaming up with the cat on different sides was working so well.  

The canine had backed up from both cat and pup, less certain that it been before.  It was hungry and this should be easier than it was!  Kotori was starting to feel pretty dang good about this!  He tried running at the coyote but it was too much of a direct attack and the coyote stretched out his neck seeing its chance.  The young snow leopard tried the same tactic of leaping at the coyote but this time the creature simply moved his body to one side while keeping his head facing the pup.
He’d get his meal and then he’d flee.

Bast, hiding in the grass, tensed when she saw the coyote going for her young son. The young snow leopard had some training with fighting, all of her kids did. It was their legacy, to defend the line of Fatalis.

Sirius had, by now, scared off or killed the other coyotes. Perhaps the one fighting Kotori thought itself lucky, avoiding the Warlords wrath. Or perhaps it was too blind, intent on its prey.

Sirius settled on his hunches, playing referee over the fight. The coyote didn’t know it yet, but everything was stacked against it, and either way, it would not make it off this pack land alive. “That’s it Tor! Cripple him, it’s the only way to keep it from playing its chicken tactics”

Walk | "Talk" | think

Fear had faded with excitement.  He was taking on a coyote all by himself! Ok, all by himself not counting his new companion.  Well, and he might have been in more trouble if not for Fang.  Still, this was his fight!

Kotori barely got out of the way in time from another attempt at the coyote to bite.  At the same time, the snow leopard took on a new tactic.  It got alongside the coyote and slashed across its thigh, a good solid strike the bloody claw marks were easily seen.  The coyote did quite the impressive tight turn attempting to repay the cat who hopped back with a hiss and showing off its fangs.

Kotori was about to aim for a leg again and saw a chance!  The coyote's head was lower to the ground as the beast crouched.  Kotori picked up speed and leaped to slash and bite at the face of the predator.  Didn’t they always say to keep your ears down? Kotori sunk his teeth into the coyote's ear found the sensitive skin easier to dig his teeth into.  Apparently, it did hurt.  The coyote shook its head, pawing and snarling to get the pup off.
The young snow leopard was back and snapped a solid bite into the back leg again, scratching at the rear at the same time.  The coyote had enough, it finally got Kotori off of him, but it now had a bit of its ear missing for the trouble.  It’s legs were both cut and injured and it was done.

The coyote turned to run.  The snow leopard tripped it up and went for its throat.  When the coyote went down Kotori rushed in, biting at the sensitive paw pads.  The coyote could have escaped if it hadn’t tripped.  It could have escaped after the trip if it hadn’t been already injured.  To its horror, it found two young animals were slowly but surely making it so it couldn’t flee.

It wasn’t a fast kill, and it wasn’t always the best tactics.  However, they had won and it was only a matter of time.  An angry Fang came in to help at the end.  It had shaken off being thrown about and proved one good tactic.  The mongoose fearlessly bounded in, up the animal's muzzle, and bit directly into the coyote's eye.  

The Warlord stalked the child, cat, and coyote. Circling them, creating a ring with the pads of his feet as he wore a line in the grass. He did not intervene, he simply washed. Prepared to strike if things took a turn for the worst, but content to let Kotori learn how to take down prey that fought back. To take it down, and learn the best, softest parts to sink his teeth into. It might look bloody, but it was the best learning method for a young wolf. Kotori took his time, thought it through, and did very well with his first fight. It wouldn’t be long before the boy was patrolling Armada borders, and taking down anything that moved. The Warlord couldn’t help but grin with pride, coming to a halt as the coyote fell. It wouldn’t be getting up again, the threat was neutralised. He let Kotori play with it for a little bit longer, and then - “Alright, end it son.” "Speech"

Walk | "Talk" | think

The presence of the coyotes had at first been a thing to inspire fear.  Here, in the end, it was a thrilling event.  Victory over something that had him labeled as prey felt great.  There was no doubt the boy would have still been dead of dad hadn’t come to help and make it one on one.  Ok, admittedly more like two on one when you considered the young snow leopard joining in.  Um, 3 if you counted that Fang the mongoose had bit it twice?

When Sirius called for him to finish it off Kotori the boy acknowledged there was no way for the coyote to survive now.  It was damaged to a point it couldn’t escape or fight back.  The boy went for its throat and found the thing wasn’t putting much effort into resisting, its energy was spent and its attempts more half-hearted with defeat in its one good eye, blood from the one Fang had bit.  Kotori stepped in and bit at its throat.  Clenching his jaw down hard, feeling blood spilling out and with effort crushing down harder before letting go and witnessing its lifeblood flowing out.  What signs of life had remained in the coyote faded after a few moments.

The coyote's life was over.  Kotori had a long great life ahead.

Looking up excitedly to Sirius, “I killed it!” The boy ran over to Sirius, “You saw?  I really killed it!” Of course, dad wouldn’t have taken his eyes off him during the fight.  The boy had no doubt dad saw it but he was excited and flowing with the energy of a great achievement completed.

Kotori didn’t hesitate to follow orders, obeying when Dad called, and finishing the creature off. His jaws closing on its throat, a good, clean finish to a messy fight. Kotori came running at him, and he lifted up a paw, grabbing Kotori and pushing him over onto his back, to growl and playfully bite at his throat. Nipping gently at the fur there. “You did fantastic Kotori, i’m proud” he promised, once he’d released his pup and ruffled the fur between his ears. He surveyed the boy critically, he was covered in coyote blood by now, cutting the neck could be a good way to get drenched, if you weren’t careful. He pulled Kotori close again, and began cleaning his fur. Running his coarse tongue over the blood in a forced cleaning session. "Speech"