It was the first time the Warlord had caught a predator scent in the Col since they had taken it over. The woods, with its great expanse open to the world, was one thing. But the Col? He growled as the scent reached his nostrils. Sniffing the air as he attempted to determine where the mountain lion had come from. It had climbed, it had to have. He looked up at the rocky expanse around them. He needed another wolf with climbing, before the mountain lion got any braver.

He raised his head and howled an urgent call to his Champion, before making his way up the first light point to see if he could find where this bastard was hiding out.


"Speech"

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Azure's head lifted sharply as the call of alarm rang out. While back at their plains he might have dawdled on his way to respond, he knew they did not have that same luxury in the Col. The area was too new, the caverns still in progress of being fully mapped out, and the scent borders lacking the half-a-decade of presence the tall grass plains once had. The echo of his father's call was... frustratingly new, but after a few careful tips of his head and the process of elimination, Azure was able to distinguish from where the alarm had come. Making his way swiftly yet cautiously across the cliff face, he met the other alpha upon what would one day be a well-travelled watch post.

"Cougar?" He questioned as he arrived, wasting no time as he trotted up alongside his father. It was a common predator - and one many of his wolves could handle - though he could understand why exactly Sirius had not delegated it. How did it get here? The positioning of the Warlord's frame gave the Champion a sense of where his thoughts lie, and Azure placed his paws upon the mountain's face to squint up into the rocky heights. Fun.

With a grunt of both acknowledgment and annoyance, the bear-pawed man began his ascent. "Careful, old man." He ribbed.

"Speech"

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HIs Champion arrived on short notice, and the Warlord nodded his head towards him. He didn’t need to say anything, Azure caught the scent of their predator, and his thoughts ran along that of the Warlords in no time. He watched as Azure placed a par against the mountain side, and grunted in acknowledgement. Looking for all the world like a grumpy old man until Azure’s words rang out.

Seer grinned, work or not, this might just be fun. “Careful yourself, young buck” he shot back, and leaped up the first lunge of the mountain. He wasn’t as nimble as a goat, but digging in his elongated claws helped to pull himself up ledges that other wolves might have trouble with. The harder part would be keeping the scent of the cougar in his nose as he found the best path up. “Keep to the right, perhaps we can flush him out” he suggested.


"Speech"

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Climbing the unstable rock face was much different than anything Azure had practiced, his oversized paws grasping hard against the stone as the weight of his frame threatened to dislodge the ground beneath him. There was no fear in the young alpha's face, mostly a look of determination and annoyance as he scaled higher, attempting to keep pace with his father. Sirius was older, yes, but had years longer to practice climbing. Azure had successfully scaled the gnarled limbs of trees, but it was a different technique when your claws could not find purchase wherever they might fall. The instability of the terrain was a factor as well, and occasionally he'd place a paw down only to find the pebbles beneath it would shift, and Azure would be forced to recalculate.

"Hey, I've imagined throwing wolves off cliffs for lesser insults than buck he taunted in reply, his breathing less stable as he warred with the exertion. Azure Fatalis, relegated to the status of herbivore. He shook his head, but the ghost of a smile pulled at his maw. "Do you think we're getting closer?" He called up to his father on the higher ledge, unable to keep the scent as the dire wolf Warlord's paws kicked up dust and shards of stone.

"Speech"

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“Do you think you could manage it?” he asked with interest, looking down the cliff behind him. You’d think he’d have some fear of heights, after falling and breaking his leg a few years past. But he liked the freedom of heights. He liked it more than the enclosed space of a cave. Not that he let that slow him down, either.

“I’m getting a musky scent. He’s marked here recently.” he agreed. Reckless creature they were chasing, marking so close to a wolf pack. Was this a trap? “Keep it down, I think we’re close” He murmured softly, pausing and turning towards his son as he said this. He slowed his own steps down. Pulling himself up required more muscle as he used less momentum to get him there. Showing the strength in his old limbs. When he found a small warren up the cliff face, he indicated towards his son to take the right path towards it, as he moved left. After they killed the lion, they would need to collapse this den. Wouldn’t do to give anyone else ideas.


"Speech"

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At Sirius' returned taunt the Champion gave a dry bark of a laugh. "Fuck off." He replied conversationally, wishing he could afford to free one paw to give the man a properly obscene gesture of his toes. It wasn't much further up the cliffs before the scent strengthened, his father shushing him as they neared. Azure did not need further instruction, nodding silently as he was bid to come up on it from the right. Climbing silently was even more difficult it felt, but before he knew it he'd heaved his heavy frame up and found all four paws upon solid 'ground.' Glancing over his shoulder at the distance they'd come - and the one they'd fall, if they fucked up - he blew out a soft exhale.

Ignoring the potential impending death, he stalked forward. The sheer size of his paws and elongated claws made walking stealthily a harder habit to come by than most other wolves, so he was forced to walk slower to account for it. By the time he'd reached the right side, his father was already in place at the left. He met the other man's eyes and nodded, signaling he was ready.

"Speech"

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The Warlord almost choked on a laugh as he tried to bite it back and keep quiet. Clearing his throat and sparing a moment, he turned and looked at his son. His eyes filled with amusement. He didn’t say anything more however, turning his attention back to the hunt. He made his way to the left and settled in to wait, he watched Azure make the same climb.

It seemed his bear-styled claws didn’t offer him the same advantage as the Warlords. Though neither of them had found the climb to be easy. He kept his silence as Azure settled into position, and could see the nod to indicate Azure was ready. Certain the lion would have no escape from them, Sirius threw himself around the corner, teeth bared as he found the lion. It let out a roar of surprise itself and lunged at him. The Warlord grappled with the creature. Taking its momentum turning, attempting to throw the mountain lion at his sons waiting jaws.


"Speech"

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The warlord charged on cue, barreling around the corner and immediately into the space of the interloping feline. Azure mirrored his father's charge from his own side, arriving at the threshold of the warren just a beat after Sirius had crossed it. He steadied himself and lowered his center of gravity, posed and ready at the mouth of the den. Azure had no interest in allowing the cat to leave here alive - especially when the thing could likely beat either of them at climbing back down.

His father's assault was swift and practiced and before Azure knew it, the thing was flying in his direction. He lifted his oversized forepaws, using them to assist his jaws in catching the flailing body and subsequently slammed them back down with the beast below them. The crack of bone echoed throughout the small stone space, but the cat still flailed. Whatever he'd broken, it wasn't the damn thing's spine. It's flailing became more frenzied and difficult to keep hold on, though Azure had no intention of putting his jaws nearby it's own to go for the clean kill. Kicking out with his forelimbs, he watched the cat writhe across the floor back towards the warlord. In the moments of recovery, when it would attempt to right itself, perhaps his father could find an easy opening.

"Speech"

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The two equal sized wolves made for quite a sight. They moved almost synchronised as they charged from each size. Father and son, so similar in many ways at least in the heat of the moment. The Warlord managed to execute his attack without any issue, grappling with it and shoving it in his son's direction.

The younger Fatalis grabbed it with his bear-like paws and managed to slam the cat to the ground. The sound of cracking bone and tearing skin spoke of the devastation of that blow. Then Azure was kicking the flailing cat back at him. Keeping it moving and unable to react. The Warlord knelt with a sudan, heavy motion and his knee fell down on its neck. Just missing a scrap from its teeth with its flailing motion. He pressed down harder, cutting off its air as it struggled beneath him. There would be no tomorrow for a predator in the Armada’s territory.


"Speech"

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