**Takes place before Fall, Year 17 seasonal**

The place is quickly becoming Tove’s least favorite in the world. So far all she has seen are predators! Each time she ventures down something with big teeth and crazy eyes tries to eat her. Is she just that tasty looking? She had come down the cliffs again (bad life choice), to search for the large herds of prey animals she spies from above. Maybe if she is really stealthy… A loud roar tells Tove that she is unsuccessful yet again. A golden maned lion rushes toward her and she ducks under its paw. Turning to face the large cat, Tove grumbles, “Can’t I just find prey in peace?!” Snarling at the cat, she asks for help before charging straight at the feline.

"Tove Baade"

Kichi is learning to love this location for how predators seem aplenty.  It was becoming a daily endeavor to come and hope for something to fight.  Kichi was improving!  With every sore muscle, every new cut on his body, and really those things didn’t matter.  The grey wolf had enough scars to testify to the beatings he’d taken in his past.  What was a bit more?

Hearing the roar and Tove he came rushing in, stalling for a moment as he’d never seen a lion before.  Oh well.  Kichi picked up speed again and as the lion is attacking Tove the grey wolf latches his teeth into the upper thigh of the lions back left leg, thrashing his head to tear the flesh and get the blood flowing.  The lion was going to have to fight this battle now already starting lame.  The cat spun to face Kichi and he backed off with a snarl.

"Kichi"

This lion is having bad day. As Tove rushes toward the feline, the familiar gray streak of fur catches her eyes and she smiles. The young male attacks from the rear and she goes right for the face. Her fighting companion strikes first and the feline’s attention is pulled away from her. Big mistake. Teeth latch around the soft tissue of the muzzle and she tosses her head, ripping ragged wounds as her teeth go. The cat yowls in pain, uncertain who to face and Tove takes the lull to backup. Shooting the wolf a wink, Tove rushes forward again, aiming to pull the cat’s attention to her and give the other wolf an opening.

"Tove Baade"

Kichi grins toothily as the cat shows indecision instead of simply attempting to attack either one of them.  Kichi swings around to the opposite back leg, snapping his teeth into it, this time being more specific to bite along where the artery of the leg appeared to be.  Dark red blood flowed out and Kichi continued to bite down until the lion had to give up his desire to fight the wolf who hurt his face to the one who had dealt the damage to his leg.

The leg slid out as the lion turned, the lion started to get back up but Kichi ran in to bite at the neck before it could get up.  The mane got in his way through and then there were the teeth.  Kichi backed off but he’d held the lion on the defensive towards him, leaving Tove a big opening onto the rear end.  Kichi noticed she had done a work on his muzzle, very well done.

"Kichi"

The lion yowls as the gray wolf opens a large wound in its back leg, blood quickly flowing down to pool under its paw. Its dead and it doesn’t even realize it. It turns to face her fighting companion, the feline showing considerable pain in every small movement. Tove backs up a few paces, allowing the male to fully capture the lion’s attention before she runs forward. The gapping wound on its back leg pulses out blood and she goes for it, grabbing the leg at the joint and crunching down. Bone snaps and the cat goes down with a grunt, the loss of blood taking its toll on the dying creature. Tove pins the feline’s back hips as she waits for the gray male to end the beast’s suffering.

"Tove Baade"

Kichi keeps the lion busy for a moment of distraction spotting Tove’s plan. At the sound of the crunch and the lion falling down Kichi runs in well aware it was dying. Kichi attacked from the side where the angry lion lay. Instead of going for the well-protected maned neck, or aiming for a leg or belly, those vital areas Kichi instead goes for an ear. The lion’s in bad shape to defend and Kichi shreds it.

Call the ear a strategy if you want to imagine it being another of blood loss but Kichi really just wanted to shred it. After that, he went to the muzzle of the weakening cat. Sure the lion showed off its teeth threateningly but it was slower. Kichi beat into the muzzle and dragged his teeth along and out it. Kichi bit into the skull, finding a good grip upon the skin and pulling up to tear a chunk of skin off the tiger’s face.

This wasn’t aiming to quickly kill, this was causing it pain while it was dying.


"Kichi"