The koi wolf's paws were slick with morning dew as he padded along a narrow ledge, his amber eyes narrowed against the biting wind that swept through the fjord. The towering walls of the cliffs were like intimidating, their jagged edges cutting into the sky, creating a harsh and unforgiving landscape. His breath was at a pant, each exhale a testament to the exertion that left his muscles trembling with fatigue. But Keito pressed on, determination in his heart as he knew he had to make it back to Tojo-Kai, back to his family.

Every step was a test of balance and strength. The rocks beneath his paws were treacherous, slick with moisture and as sharp as broken glass. The inclines were steep, forcing Keito to dig his claws into the ground for purchase as he climbed higher. His ears twitched, alert to every sound around him, aware that this rugged terrain was home to more than just the wind and the sea.

As he rounded a bend, the sharp scent of sweat and musk hit his nose, and Keito's muscles tensed instinctively. He knew that scent - mountain goats. Sure enough, a trio of them stood perched on a rocky outcrop ahead, their eyes locked on the young wolf with a look of challenge. Their coats were thick and white, yet still somehow they looked natural against the rocks around them, but their eyes gleamed with the fire of creatures that had survived this harsh environment for generations.

Keito crouched low, his instincts urging him to stay submissive and mostly hidden, but it was too late. One of the goats - a large, burly male with twisted horns - let out a bellow that echoed through the fjord. It was a challenge, a warming, and Keito felt his hackles rise in response. That was the only threat signal the goat needed.

With a sudden burst of energy, the goat charged down the slope toward Keito, hooves clattering against uneven stone with ease. Keito braced himself, his eyes wide with fear as he watched the herbivore attack him - something he had never experienced in his short life. At the last moment, Keito leaped down from the ledge he was on to another stone below. He landed hard, his paws skidding on the loose gravel, but there was no time to recover. The other two goats were moving now, their eyes as they joined the fray.

Keito's heart pounded in his chest as he darted forward, teeth bared. He aimed for the smaller of the two goats, hoping to separate them from each other, but the beast was quick, and nimble despite its size. It sidestepped Keito's lunge and delivered a sharp kick to his side. Pain exploded in Keito's ribs, yelping as he would attempt to retreat again.

The goats pressed their advantage, forcing Keito back toward the edge of the cliff. His paws scrambled for a foothold, and for a terrifying moment, he felt himself slipping. But - then his claws found purchase on a patch of moss and he pulled himself back from the brink, eyes wild with his fear and adrenaline.

[ Fighting Seasonal - Spring Year 21 : 520/1,500 Words ]

"Speech"

CODE BY SIN

This place was... not ideal. Especially for a titan of his size with slick hooves that, while not encased in shoes, still troubled for purchase. Horses were not meant for such terrains. Not like the herd of mountain goats that he spied lingering along the topline of the fjord's ridge. Their beady, aggressive stares did nothing to bother him, but their intent was there. This was their territory, their fjord, and they would not allow anyone to overstep. Thankfully for Xurek, he was also considered a prey animal. His teeth, aside from his curving tusks, were meant for plants, not rending animal meat so for now, he was safe. They would keep their place upon the higher reaches of the fjord while he trailed along the small river at the bottom.

Listening to the clatter of his hooves against flat stones and the stirring of water as pebbles slid past the surface, he figured he was having a fine time of exploring this wretched place. There wasn't much foliage aside from moss and some deciduous trees which annoyed him to an extent. How was he to snack on moss? Did the goats truly enjoy such a meal? Speaking of such creatures...

Xurek's attention is suddenly drawn to a concerning noise. Pausing his trek along the slippery stone, he turns his chin upward toward the commotion. Not far off, practically dangling from a cliff, a splotchy colored wolf hangs in the balance of life and death. A single brow of his raises as he watches the three mountain goats hone in on the predator. Instinctually, Xurek wants nothing to do with this mess. The wolf would either run off and escape or meet an untimely death. He felt no particularly good feelings toward wolves. Not after a pack had decimated his herd and ruthlessly killed his sister, but something about the aggression in the goats perturbed him. This fjord was no more theirs than it was anyone else's.

A resolving snort escapes him as he takes a few steps forward, ears pinning back to his skull before he's changing direction. Making a beeline up the slope, his hooves have trouble finding purchase. Rocks slip from beneath his massive weight, forcing him to slide backward once or twice. With the help of the sturdy moss patches and spindly trees to grab ahold of, Xurek is able to make it up to the honestly unfair fight between the territorial goats and the youthful wolf. Tucking his chin and peeling his lips back in a sneer, he stares the goats down, charging forward and stomping his hooves in their direction.

If they were smart, they would see they had no change against him. One tusk to their neck and they would be tossed from the cliff to meet their deaths. The goats see this, notice the imposing figure now standing between them and the wolf. Yet, they stand their ground. The largest one with the curling horns charges forward, intent on bashing into his knees or chest. Irritated now that the goat as such audacity, Xurek bends his head down and meets the goat with a tusk, goring it in the eye and pushing it back toward its buddies. The screaming sounds of pain from the goat wrench through the air causing the other goats to reel backward.

"Do you wish for a meal, wolf? Now is your time," command Xurek, one ear flicked back toward the splotchy wolf.

Xurek Namorn

table coding by bunni ♥

word count: 575
total: 1095 / 1500

Keito's eyes widened as he saw the massive figure charging up the slope toward him. For a moment, he was certain it was another enemy, something even more dangerous than the goats! But, as the massive creature drew closer, the details sharpened in his vision - a giant horse, unlike any he had ever seen before, towering over him with tusks that gleamed like curved blades. The wolf's heart pounded, but this time it wasn't just from fear. It was awe, pure and unfiltered, as he beheld the power and presence of this new arrival.

For a moment, Keito was frozen, his mind trying to grasp the sheer size and strength of the horse that now stood between him and the aggressive goats. The sound of the goat's pain-filled scream jolted him back to reality. The large herbivore had made quick work of the leading goat, its tusk having been used in brutal efficiency. Keito's fear shifted into something else, an intense respect, almost reverence, for the creature that had saved him.

When the horse spoke, Keito's ears twitched in surprise. The voice was deep, commanding, and left no room for hesitation. The offer was clear, and though Keito was astonished by the fact that this beast had chosen to help him, he wasn't one to waste an opportunity.

"Arigatō-- Thank you!" he barked, his voice laced with a mix of his youth, gratitude, and adrenaline.

Keito's amber eyes locked onto the goat that had kicked him, the pain in his ribs a reminder of the humiliation he'd suffered. His fear melted into focused aggression. With a snarl, he lunged forward, targeting the smaller goat. The creature was still reeling from the sudden shift in power, its confidence shaken by the sight of its leader falling to the massive horse.

This time, Keito did not aim to separate them - he aimed to finish the fight. His teeth found their mark, sinking into the smaller goat's neck with a satisfying crunch. The goat thrashed wildly, but Keito held firm, his jaws clamped down with all the strength his young body could muster. He could feel the pulse of life in his grasp, the frantic beat of the goat's heart as it fought for survival. With a powerful shake of his head, Keito tore through the goat's flesh, blood spraying onto the rocks as the creature's struggles grow weaker. The thrill of the fight, the taste of victory, surged through him as the goat finally collapsed, its life ebbing away. The other two goats were quick to retreat, and Keito had no interest in chasing them down.

Keito dropped the goat and stepped back, his breath heavy, but his heart light. He turned to look at the giant horse, a new understanding in his eyes. He had been saved by this.. colossal creature.

"Thank you," he repeated, more calmly this time, his voice steady as he dipped his head in respect. "I owe you my life."

In that moment, atop the looming mountains of the fjord, Keito realized that the world was much larger, much more complex than he had ever imagined. There were creatures out there, both friend and foe, that could change the course of his fate in an instant. With this horse's help, he had survived another day. And he would continue to fight with the fearlessness he had seen displayed here today, continue to grow, until he could stand tall just like this giant.

[ Fighting Seasonal - Spring Year 21 : 1,578/1,500 Words ]

"Speech"

CODE BY SIN