Getting this far east had been a task in and of itself. No matter which direction he went he felt as though he had to skirt around a packs borders, watching each step in case he intruded. As an Ashen wolf a misstep wouldn't have proved to be too much of an issue, but it was frustrating all the same and he wondered if this was the new normal. Whether everyone in this region, loners and pack wolves alike, just had to get used to this. Rolling his shouldered, Hattori soon found himself atop a looming cliff top, with the ocean waves crashing beneath. The cool autumn breeze rustled the long grass, tickling his ankles as he paused upon noticing a gathering of hares ahead. They hadn't noticed him yet and were bounding along, kicking at the air with their hind legs as though they were in the throws of some sort of game. Not the sort of game he hunted, since he preferred to prey on larger creatures but he supposed they could provide him with a challenge. A means of keeping his skills sharp.

C l o u s e ➶ A r c h e r Clouse and Scully had been on a hunt earlier, where the youngster had managed to startle their prey and cost them the game. Per usual, his cousin had been exasperated with him and swore off tutoring the kid on the matter altogether. Clouse hated to ask Avella for things though, he felt she did enough basically having to mother the both of them. So after bandaging up his injured pride and steeling his determination, the Archer decided to try his paw at hunting rabbit. He didn't want to get his hopes up, at all, but it would be awesome if he could for once get it right and triumphantly take home a fresh kill. Scully would have to respect him for that, maybe even apologize for giving up so early in the day. ... a kid could dream. He'd chosen to hunt amongst the wildflower field, staying far inland at first in order to steer clear from the cliffside; that was not a fall he wanted to take. However, failure after failure, Clouse found he had to work closer and closer to the sea to find prey not yet scared off by his antics. That was what brought him within sight of the wolf who Clouse could not be sure was actually a wolf. The boy froze in his tracks as his grey eyes realized that yes, those were horns, and the vivid orange throughout his pelt was the fur's color, not some sort of pigmented coating. Along with those unfamiliar features, the guy was simply huge, several inches above Ellery even. "Ho-holy hell..." he whispered, posture instinctively reflecting submission to the creature that could most certainly eat him for dinner. Had he sensed Clouse yet, was there still time to get the hell out of dodge? Word Count: 295

Hattori paused, quickly distracted by the dark blur in the corner of his eye. Beyond Ashen's borders it wasn't out of the ordinary to encounter loners but this was about the third time he'd met one that looked at him as though he was some sort of freak of nature and whilst he didn't care for public opinion, he had no interest in it becoming a running trend either. On that note he didn't really care for the show of submission either. Back home he was used to the formalities, of all the rituals and tedium that came with his status but here he was simply a shinobi. Hattori flicked his tail, gesturing for the pup to stand at his full height and then pointed at the hare with his snout.

The pup was young and no doubt inexperienced, but that was not a mark against his character. Everyone started at the bottom, even Hattori.

"Do you know how to hunt?" Though before the pup could even respond, Hattori continued. He'd made up his mind and wouldn't be swayed.  "Come. Now stand here and tell me how you would hunt those hare."

At first he would gauge the child's knowledge before starting the lesson.

C l o u s e ➶ A r c h e r The foreign man's pale eyes locked onto the youth, dissipating all hope within Clouse that he might go unnoticed. The boy swallowed with difficulty, clearing saliva that suddenly felt sticky on his tongue. The adrenaline had kicked in but he'd yet to give his body an outlet for it, simply staring back at the horned wolf and waiting for him to decide for Clouse what would be next. The man gestured before he spoke, and while the imposter Archer did not stand any taller, his gaze followed the stranger's bidding. He blinked owlishly at the rodents. Clouse flushed at the question, presented in an accent unfamiliar to him. Is... is it that obvious? he sweated internally, and it took another forced gulp before he could summon what little courage he'd been gifted; not enthusiastically, Clouse decided to act on the assumption that this odd stranger was kind. His posture lost it's frigidity and fearfulness as he walked to the other wolf's side, but still it was clear that he did not act with much confidence. The noise made was minimal; wind moved the grasses often in fields and the rabbits were used to shuffling here and there, Clouse knew that much. What he didn't realize was that his undetected presence was also thanks to the fact that he and his company stood in a spot that allowed for the wind to advantageously carry their scents away from their prey. This lacking knowledge got him caught while trying to get the jump on small prey many a time. "I... I mean I'd, be super quiet, try to go at one of the, like the outer ones? And just... hope I'm fast enough," his voice fell in volume with the last sentence; he was already doing so poorly and they weren't even hunting yet. Word Count: 302

The Shinobi remained statue still, his breathing slow and steady whilst his blinks were few and far between. He was in no rush, the hare didn't seem to be going anywhere, but he couldn't help but wonder why the child was so flighty? As far as Hattori could tell he hadn't stepped out of line or acted inappropriately, leading him to believe the pup was just a bit of a scaredy cat. Perhaps not ready to leave the comfort of his mother's soft furs, wherever she was. No matter. Whilst on the slow side, the pup soon got into position and regarded his question with a slight hesitation, as though in doubt. His uncertainty was holding him back, of that Hattori was certain. A hunter had to be swift and decisive, sure in their actions and intent.

Hattori thought for a moment.

"Tell me what direction the wind is blowing?" He paused only long enough for the child to respond before continuing. "If you approach downwind they will not be able to catch your scent. Hare are fast, much faster than you or I. If they get a head start there is no chance of you catching one." Hattori leaned back on his haunches, watching. Waiting."Remember that your prey's senses are just as sharp as your own, but they're not absolute. Find their weakness and strike."

The hare continued to frolic with their backs turned and their keen sense of hearing muffled by the incoming breeze. With a wave of his paw, Hattori encourage the pup to make his move. Even if he failed it would be a learning experience.

C l o u s e ➶ A r c h e r Another question, right off the bat. Clouse hesitated for a second before tipping his snout upward, feeling the wind against his whiskers and fur. It was pulling each strand backward, away from both the wolves and their prey. The boy gestured over his shoulder with his muzzle and looked expectantly to see if he'd given the right answer. No sort of admonishment followed, as often did when dealing with Scully, and so Clouse assumed he'd answered correctly. Not that it had been a difficult query, but the small Archer was always anxious he would misunderstand or be misunderstood and a big scary stranger, even a so-far helpful one, only exacerbated that concern. Clouse pulled his gaze off the man and tracked the rabbits instead, while his ears listened and his mind sparked with new connections. Downwind, he stowed the word away into his memory once his mind pieced together what it specifically meant. The wind needed to be moving behind him, away from his prey. It made sense now why his habit of circling until he found an angle he was satisfied with wasn't very reliable... It was a leg up but he wasn't so sure he was ready to just go for it. What if they all went underground and were too smart to come back up? It could be one shot and done, couldn't it? His lips parted, and he almost asked the other wolf to turn around instead of watching him mess up, but realized in time why that would be a dumb request. So instead, he took a deep breath, and slipped forward. He moved in a straight path, veering only for a few particularly nasty tangles of brush and minding the direction of the wind every way. The gently breeze held up, and Clouse found himself atypically close to his prey. Their little noses twitched and their ears swiveled but none of them seemed to realize that he was there and drawing closer every moment. Still, every step nearer caused the boy to think more and more laboriously on what he was doing, rather than allowing instinct to take over and trusting in his own body. It was his hesitation that left him in place too long, and a grazing hare happened to look up and realize what that darkness between the grass blades really was. Clouse took after his prey with ready fangs but he was still seconds too late; the rodent escaped underground and when he looked up, he did not immediately see any others. Promptly, his tail and ears fell, and he did not turn to face his impromptu mentor; he probably looked super disappointed. Word Count: 443

Hattori knew it could all be a little too much for a young mind to take in, but he himself had  been taught in the school of hard knocks and dropped headfirst into the deep end without armbands. It wasn't exactly a kind way to learn, Hattori would admit that, but it'd been awfully effective. Still, he suspected that such an approach wouldn't work on the boy, he already too flighty and nervous. Harsh words would likely cast him adrift in a sea of fears and concerns, clinging onto what ifs as though they were all that kept him afloat.

The Shinobi leaned back, watching as the boy sunk low and made his approach. His approach was fine and Hattori believed the boy stood a decent chance, only to be foiled by a turn of bad luck. One glance in the wrong direction was all it took and the hare were scattered like leaves on the wind. The boy could have at least made an attempt to make chase but he remained where he was, shoulders slumped and gaze downcast. Hattori exhaled sharply. Getting to his paws, he made his way to the pup's side, no sharp words or reprimands left his tongue, his tone remained stiff but not unkind.

"Hunting is often a matter of trial and error. If you do not succeed go again and again until you do." Perhaps with repetition he would grow more sure of himself. "You did well, for a boy of your age. Do not be disheartened. You will learn and improve in time."

C l o u s e ➶ A r c h e r Clouse could feel the man's approach behind him, and he tried not to let it show that he was bracing himself. He peeked over his shoulder, sleet-gray eye taking the brightly-colored wolf in as he walked before dropping to the ground again when he reached Clouse's side. While there was nothing comforting about his tone, the words the stranger spoke were reassuring. Clouse tipped his head back to look up at his teacher. "... thank you." He hadn't needed to spend the time on someone else's child at all, much less be much more supportive about it than his own blood. The boy was genuinely grateful. Still, the hare weren't coming back, and it almost frustrated him to think the lesson was already over. Clouse stood and took a few steps forward, testing the air and scanning ahead with his colorless eyes. "Um, what about, like, tracking?" he braved to ask, looking back at the man hopefully. His tail even gave a few expectant wags. "How do I keep trying after I've scared 'em off?" If Clouse couldn't see or smell them, he didn't really know how to find prey or even tell if he was looking in a smart place for clues or just wasting his time. Word Count: 207