Kotori traveled with Tove to the rapids, the land he hoped to claim as his own.  While they could have a proper tour of the land at a later time, for the moment Kotori was interested in hunting again.  He had scented a mule deer and wanted to work with Tove again on hunting, this time in a different setting than the mountains.  Tove wasn’t a Fatalis or Ashen or any quality bloodline Kotori knew of.  She’d need to work extra hard to prove her abilities.  She had proven to be good enough to be let in the pack but how good was she?

Kotori headed to the water’s edge and spotted the deer on the other side of the water.  He turned to follow the rapids to the north.  “We’ll cross farther up, there’s a good spot to hop over and then have a fun little chase.”  

Sure enough, there came a nice spot to leap from one end of the bank to the next and turn back in the direction of the deer.

"Kotori Fatalis"

Tove is following after Kotori again, the older woman catching on that the young leader wanted to see the breath and width if her abilities. They to the rapid flowing water, a cluster of mule deer greeting them across the river. Kotori speaks and she meets his gaze, offering him a sharp dip of her head in understanding before falling back into step behind the young leader. The spot Kotori had spoken of soon appears and the taller male crosses first with the nebula-clad woman quickly following after.

White-dipped paws hit the opposite bank and Tove is quick to scent the air, nodding to herself when she finds they are still downwind. Quickly the pair make their way toward the deer, the older wolf crouching low the closer they get. They stop some distance away and she looks to Kotori for direction, ready to start this hunt.


"Tove Baade"

Kotori slowly moved towards the deer thinking over the setup. “We’ll do this together, run it down.” They had already done a hunt where she brought the prey to him so this would be a different setup to test her abilities.  “I’ll take the right side,” which would have him closest to the water's edge. “You take the left.”

He kept the instructions simple, once more aiming to see how well Tove could determine what to do without further advice than a basic breakdown of the concept.  Kotori slowly moved closer to the deer, his large frame crouching down but eventually, the deer ran and he chased after, staying on the right side as agreed upon.

"Kotori Fatalis"

The pair creep closer to where the mule deer grazes, stopping some distance. Tove looks to Kotori and dips her head in agreement to his plan, shifting to take the left side as indicated. They move closer, crouching low until the older woman suddenly springs forward, surprising the deer and kicking off the hunt. Legs churn as she races up next to the fleeing prey, separating the healthy buck from any possible escape route and hemming it in between her and Kotori. Paws pound the ground as the trio go, the older wolf snarling and biting when the buck gets too close to her. Tove waits for the moment the deer hits the ground, ready to rush in and end it.

"Tove Baade"

Kotori ran alongside the deer’s back legs at first but then moved up beside its front shoulders.  It tried to turn towards him and Kotori gave bit at its leg forcing it back in between them.  A few more strides to get in perfect tune with the buck before he takes another bite at the leg, causing it to kick out but strike neither wolf.

A few more strides and jumps up to its head, biting its muzzle, letting gravity pull him and the deer’s head towards the ground, craning its neck down and the deer’s front hooves stumble as it wobbly tries to stay on its feet.  Kotori bit into the muzzle, twisting his head and therefore the bucks head at a side angle, keeping it off balance and that neck stretched for Tove to easily get a solid bite in, or break a leg first if she chose.

"Kotori Fatalis"

The mule deer is forced to run between the two wolves, Tove hemming it on the left while Kotori works the right. As the young leader moves up, the older wolf does as well but only to the deer’s midsection. She bites at it, herding it onward. Ko bites it and it kicks out, the nebula-hued wolf easily dodging the errant hoof.

Then the moment comes, the taller wolf jumps at the buck’s head, grabbing at the deer’s muzzle. The chase grinds to an abrupt halt as the earthen male, pulls at the mule deer, working to get it off its hooves and onto the ground. It is stubborn, trying to counter the wolf that holds its face without thinking of his partner.

Silently, Tove moves in, the way that Kotori pulls the buck’s head sideways, reveals the pulsing veins and arteries that lay just below the skin. She strikes with precision and speed, jumping up to rip open all the vital things before landing to grab its left front leg. She pulls the leg and the weakened deer crumbles to the earth, legs trying and failing to strike the creatures that have stolen its life.

She pins its shoulders until the ground is painted with its blood and it shudders one last time before falling still forever. Only then, does Tove step away.


"Tove Baade"