Kotori wasn’t sure how the hell he always found predators.  Admittedly most of the time he enjoyed it and maybe, just maybe, he put himself in spots he knew they would likely show up.  Not this last time though.  Last night the stupid tiger had just wanted to tick him off and appeared in the deep grass.  The fight had worked out in the end but after the fight and a night of traveling, Kotori had to admit he was a bit tired.

He could smell the scents of the many flowers and followed them to the gulley.  The horned wolf had been here a few times but now it seemed all the nicer.  The wolf's intention was to find a spot to just rest for a bit.  There was still quite the hike to make to go see his sister.  Lying down amidst some plants he recalled having healing properties the wolf let out a sigh, relaxing his muscles.  Kotori remembered names for a number of plants and knew some of these that were good versus bad but which ones did what or how to apply was long gone from his memory if he’d ever even learned of them before he gave up on learning to be a healer.

Healing was boring.  Finding plants and doing stuff with them was boring. Let boring wolves handle that and he’d just cause damage.  The scars on his muzzle his neck and the more hidden ones under the jaw attested to how he was doing at causing others damage a while back.

"Kotori Fatalis"

Calico Jack had not planned to cross over the border today and he, definitely had not expected to be running for his life. The day had started like any other, the sun appeared, signaling to the growing pup that it was time to go meet his friend. It had been the same as every other day, except for one, glaring thing. Nico was not at the meeting spot. Calico had tried to wait, he really had, but as the minutes stretched on and the coyote pup did not appear, Jack began to, nervously, toe the invisible barrier. Would the world end if he stepped over? He paced and thought and the minutes turned into an hour.

Finally, Calico takes a deep breath, squares up to the border, and stepped over. The pup flinches, eyes slamming shut in anticipation of something happening. However, the world did not end and, as his eyes flutter open, it doesn’t appear that anyone noticed. A smug smile appears and Jack trots onward, determined to find and, if necessary, help Nico. Not too far into the flower strewn land, the wide eyed, awestruck pup heard a rustling from nearby. Jack turns, full expecting Nico to appear and laugh at him for worrying.

However, when a loud roar fills the air, a heavy rock sinks itself into the pup’s gut. The loud thundering of paws greets his ears as a grizzly bear bursts onto the scene and the small, terrified Calico Jack turns to run. This is not good! The bear chases the pup as he starts to race away… only to trip and tumble over the paws of a huge earthen wolf. He ends up on his back, between the stranger’s paws, staring up with dismay. It all happens within a split second, the grizzly appearing, the pup turning to run and ending up flat on his back between the stranger’s front legs. Mouth pumps as Jack squeaks out, “Uh… little help?” Another roar pierces the air as the grizzly gets closer.


"Calico Jack"

Kotori smelled the trouble before he saw it.  The specifics weren’t there of course but soon enough he saw the lines of a bear.  As Kotori started to stand a colorful ball rolled at his feet, a young pup.  Kotori would help, and the first way he helped was using a back foot to nudge at the boy, a silent suggestion he move further away.  Kotori worked his jaw a bit with a drawn-out sigh.  Glancing at the lad then turning to focus on the bear, snarling.

Sure would be nice if Tove were here.  Too bad he’d told Tove to watch the rapids instead of coming with him.  Ah well.  The bear and Kotori sized each other up.  Kotori’s face wasn’t as intimidating at the moment unfortunately and the bear talked forward.  

Ah hell.  There was a kid and it was an unwritten law to not let bears eat kids.  Kotori snarled again and rushed the bear.  A few times he’d been injured he’d started off with more wary cautious attacks and attempting to use just his horns.  There was a kid this time.  Kotori ran straight at the rather surprised bear.  It started to rear up to threaten and Kotori leaped up, slamming his teeth into its sensitive muzzle before dropping off and backing up a few strides.  Kotori wasn’t about to admit how much that hurt him.

The bear was slower now, more cautious realizing the injured wolf was more of a threat than it had known.

"Kotori Fatalis"

Calico Jack lays between the stranger’s front paws, blinking up at him with wide, owlish eyes as the grizzly runs toward them. This guy has a lot of scars! Maybe he is too hurt to fight the bear. As these thoughts pass through the young pup’s mind, the unknown wolf stands and Jack rolls over so he comes to rest on his stomach. The stranger uses a back paw to nudge the patchwork pup a little further away from the attacking predator and Calico almost scoffs at the implied suggestion. No way he letting this wolf take on the grizzly alone!

The earthen hued male moves to size up the grizzly and Jack swiftly makes it to his paws, shuffling away in a grand show of obeying the strangers silent order. Eyes slide over the tall green grass that is almost taller than him. The wolf and bear crush many of the colorful flowers as they move, sending petals and pollen into the air. As the unknown wolf rushes in to attack the bear, the small pup seizes the opportunity and races in to join him. The pup slips under the tall male and leaps up at the bear’s soft belly, giving it a sharp, painful bite with his sharp needle like teeth. The beast roars but whether it is from Jack’s attack or the stranger’s the pup does not know.

Small form blurs out from under the angry grizzly, racing around to stand beside the stranger. Icy blue eyes dart up to the male and a smirk tugs at the pup’s lips. No matter what, they are in this together and Calico refuses to let the wolf get hurt any more.


"Calico Jack"

Kotori never told the pup he could join the battle.  Actually, he’d nudged the pup back to try and make the point clear.  There wasn’t any real time to discuss it and the pup wasn’t his child nor in a pack with him.  Well, would that really matter?  Gritting his teeth hurt so Kotori forced himself to stop as he ran back at the bear, mostly ignoring the child.  If the shrimp wanted to fight Kotori would just have to work that much harder.  Damn.

The bear didn’t try to slam into Kotori this time.  As the wolf charged back at him the bear swept a meaty paw at him.  Maybe it didn’t want him near its muzzle again?  Kotori felt smug even as he crunched down on the paw, drawing blood but not nearly enough damage.

The bear jerked its paw back and Kotori jogged around to the side, slamming his horns into its thigh, dragging them out.  The bear spun trying to attack the wolf but Kotori kept pace with him, staying just out of reach of its other paw.  The muzzle came near him again, the bear planning to bite him assuredly.  Kotori opened his mouth in a threatening motion, the bear hesitating since Kotori had managed a bite to the muzzle once.  Kotori slammed his horns to the underside of the bear's jaw.  It was a quick motion before he continued running around behind the bear as it lumbered after him with a hateful roar.

"Kotori Fatalis"

Calico Jack follows the big adult, moving in time with larger male as they attack the bear. Maybe the stranger is annoyed at the prospect of a pup helping but Jack doesn’t care… he is having fun! Fear is the last thing on his mind as the pair move around the hulking grizzly, the adult doing damage to paws as they swing at him. Since Cal is much shorter and his teeth do not do much damage, the pup decides try and get the bear’s attention. Small body darts in, avoiding anything dangerous as he leaps up at the beast’s soft belly again. It roars but Jack does not retreat, attacking over and over until he feels the grizzly’s form shift. With that, he races away, out from under the creature and back to where the large wolf is, shooting him a grin before preparing to drive off the grizzly.

The beautiful land catches the pup's attention again, pulling his gaze over to the paradise that surrounds him. Icy blue gaze catches the movement of fleeing deer, the graceful creatures bounding away from the fight. They barely disturb the flowers as they pass, their presence not leaving a mark upon the land. Eyes snap back to the bear, teeth bared and he sees all the crushed vegetation they had caused. Sadness tugs at his heart as he works to drive off the grizzly.


"Calico Jack"

Kotori approved of kids wanting to learn how to fight and face challenges bravely.  Still, there was bravery and idiocy.  He should be fighting smaller predators till he had more experience than he appeared to have now.  Size and muscle build would also be good as well.  Even if the pup was in good shape there is a difference between that and a warrior's body.  It was getting lucky so far though.

Kotori showed his fangs to the bear and then ran towards it again, another head-on attempt.  The bear seemed ready to push its luck.  Maybe it had remembered it was bigger and stronger?  Kotori had something in his favor though.  There was a kid to save and there is nothing as vicious as one protecting younglings.

Kotori focused on the bear’s movements, waiting for the bear to take the lunge up with the intent to crash on top of Kotori.  The wolf turned away deftly only to realize the kid was in the way still of the bear's attacks.  It wasn’t ready to move as fast or know Kotori’s planned feints.   Shit.

Kotori pivoted again, getting between pup and bear, grabbing at the kid’s scruff and lunging in an attempt to get out of the way.  It wasn’t far enough.  Kotori snarled as he felt the rake of the tip of a bear claw along his hindquarters  Kotori moved a few strides away and gave the boy a ‘stay put’ glare.  He could feel the blood under his coat.  It wasn’t flowing too fast nor felt too deep but that was damn close to a permanent loss of fight.

Kotori gave the bear a look of sheer hate and ran back at it again.  He ran for another frontal assault, pivoting wide at the last moment and pivoting tightly to attack the face from the side.  His teeth found the bear’s eye.  He crunches into it before letting go.  The bear’s muzzle comes towards him and Kotori lifts up his head, the underside of the bear’s jaw cracking against Kotoris's horn a second time. The bear roared in a pain Kotori knew quite well.  Hell, hopefully, it was feeling a lot worse than Kotori’s jaw had.

 The earthen-hued wolf wasn’t done as he then followed up to bite at the throat.  He moved fast, attempting to keep the bear on the defensive as Kotori made attack after attack.

Kotori loved killing the predators but this time he’d be fine with the bear fleeing.

"Kotori Fatalis"