He'd begun to explore Boreas, rippling outwards from that eerie meadow scattered with spires taller than he could see. It was expected of them to return to the bamboo grove they called home, but he'd gotten used to this extended jaunt on to the mainland and hated to turn away without seeing as much of it as he could. The nearby lands were still bathed in the eerie half light of a red sun, but the rest of nature seemed to carry on as intended. Katsurō had been drawn here by the pleasant sound of frogs and that loamy, boggy smell that came with still water. Occasionally deep pools like this held delicious fish, left alone to spawn and grow to large sizes. The scent of an unknown pack crept at the borders just out of reach. It certainly seemed like they were flexing their influence here, possibly expanding their reach, but as far as he could tell this land was still free and clear. At once, the smell of rotting fish assaulted his nostrils. Kat's nose flared and he raised his head, spotting a particularly fat jaguar hunched over a pile of old and fresh fish carcasses. The cat met his gaze over the feast before it and curled its lips in a snarl. His eyes widened and he tensed, preparing to fight or flee, when the cat made the decision for him and leaped over its bounty with claws outstretched. "speech"

Kaizen hadn't really gotten the hang of travelling and frankly with the red sky and tremors he wasn't really sure if he ought to. Home was safe and familiar, the world could burn down around them and Tojo would remain. It was his sire's mentality that had been foisted upon him, yet the thought was reassuring in a way, that not everything had to change. That the ground was solid beneath his paws.

Kaizen had hoped his siblings would all return back home, as he'd intended to do himself but...He couldn't stand the thought of leaving any stragglers behind. Katsurō had made himself scarce and Kaizen had spent the last few days tracking him down, only to stumble upon his brother being cornered by an angry jaguar. He wasn't even annoyed, no withering sigh or growl beneath his breath, it felt typical. Like he was stupid for not expecting any less. Maybe that was too harsh, maybe Kaizen was just in a bad mood.

His focus narrowed in on the cat, forgoing the pile of fish as he rushed to his brother's aid. Head slamming into the cats side as it leapt, horns jabbing between the feline's ribs.

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Katsu was crouched and ready to make his final stand when Kaizen came barreling in from the side, aiming his horns right between the jaguar's ribs. The cat let out a loud yowl as they tumbled towards the ground - it sounded like those horns had probed right between the ribs and into the cat's tender bits. Kat gritted his teeth and tried to quiet his thoughts - embarrassing. Foolish. Idiot. He'll tell father, and they'll both think you pitiful. You are pitiful. His thoughts were a quick current, impossible to calm or assuage by any normal means. The boy sucked in a quick breath and sprang at the rolling pile of cat and his brother, darting in where he could to snap at the cat while avoiding its wheeling claws and teeth. Finally, his teeth caught purchase on the loose skin at the back of the cat's neck. Katsu bit down hard and dragged the beast backwards, trying to separate the jaguar off of Kaizen. Blood flooded his mouth and spilled down his chin, coloring his white front the same as his mane. "speech"

At a glance it was hard to say where Kaizen began and the jaguar ended, a tangle of flailing limbs as the yearling realised maybe this wasn't the best approach. Hattori wouldn't have jumped in without a plan, but at the same time he couldn't just let his brother be attacked like that. It wouldn't have sat right with him to just do nothing. Choice, meet consequence; Kaizen grimaced as he felt a claw catch against his shoulder, knew full well the worst of the pain was yet to follow- only for the cat to be dragged back, it's grip on him slipping as his brother hauled the Jaguar off of him.

Kaizen shook off his confusion as he quickly kicked himself to his paws again and threw his weight down upon the cat, aiming to help pin it down. The jaguar wasn't particularly large as far as some felines went, but it was all muscle beneath its sleek, black coat, coiled and tense. Really really pissed too. Grabbing a hold of its scruff, he shoved it down with his front paws, talons digging into the meats of its shoulders.