It wasn't often that he requested his cousins company but there they were, the pair of koi wolves venturing beyond Ashen's borders in the dead of night. It  was dark and cold, the sky starless and the scent of blood lingered heavy in the air. If it had just been a faint trace, a tingle in the back of his nose, Hattori wouldn't have thought much of it. But the scent was thick, choking, like an invisible hand gripping his throat and dragging him closer. His footsteps were quiet, careful and slow as he padded along, unsure of where his nose was leading him. Something was hurt, badly, but he heard no sounds of struggle, no whimpers of pain. It was quiet, far too quiet. The terrain beneath his paws was hilly, coated in a mounting layer of snow with gentle slopes covering both corners of his eyes. He continued on, his cousin by his side when they rounded the corner and- ah. A cougar and it's dinner. The cat whipped around with a snarl, clearly taken by surprise as the fur down the length of it's back prickled up into spikes. Hattori imagined the cat would cut its losses and skitter off into the hills but it must have been starving, there was a ravenous look in its eyes as it hissed, intending to defend it's kill with all it's might. Normally Hattori wouldn't have deemed it worth the time or effort but food was scarce and the more they could add to Ashen's stores, the better. Nodding to his cousin, Hattori stepped forth and didn't back down. If the cat wanted to eat in peace it would have to make them leave. Not that it would be easy. Lunging forward, Hattori arched around the side and slashed at the cat's thigh with his talons.

To say Raijin had been shocked when his cousin had asked him to go with him late at night on a patrol would be an understatement. Honestly, the dappled man had momentarily looked up to the sky to see if pigs were flying. When he saw nothing, he wondered if Hattori had gotten a screw loose during the raid, but he wasn’t in the business of questioning it much. Instead, he’d gotten to his paws and followed after eagerly, ready for whatever trouble awaited them because, honestly, trouble always seemed to follow them when they were together.

They’d hopped and skipped (at least Raijin had) across the archipelago, taking a shortcut to get to the fern gulley. His auds perked when the overwhelmingly pungent scent of blood and death permeated the air, his golden gaze peering to the side to catch his cousin’s reaction. Of course he’d scented it too and then they were off to investigate, the smell growing stronger and stronger until they were upon it. Well, them and a puma. The cat whirled around, its black ears flattened to its head and its lips pulled back in a hiss. The saber-toothed man’s hackled rose, gaze narrowing into slits as he looked to the Shogun. The nod was all it took for the men to fall into a well-trained rhythm as easily as slipping into sleep. He wasn’t sure what it was about him that he kept finding himself in situations where big cats were present, but he supposed finders were keepers and he was willing to say they’d as good as found the kill.

While Hattori swept to the puma’s side, Raijin went to work distracting it. He snarled and made a show of his saber’s, dipping in and swiping at the animal’s face before slipping just out of reach. He knew his cousin was bigger than him, and with those talons of his he could do far more damage. All Raijin had to do was keep the animal’s sights on himself and try not to get maimed by those needle-like claws.

Talking, Talking in Italics means he's speaking Japanese

The puma didn't really stand a chance, not against two Iga wolves. They fought as one, wordlessly and seamlessly, Raijin acting as the bait whilst Hattori scored his first hit. His talons ripped in deep as Hattori leaned the bulk of his weight into his front limbs, shredding a line down it's thigh as the cat whirled around with a shriek of pain. Hattori pressed the attack and barrelled forth as he rammed into the cat with his shoulder, knocking it off it's paws. It was down but certainly not out. Rolling onto it's back, the puma took on a typical fighting pose, claws flailing as it defended it's vulnerable spots. The Shogun knew better than to get too close, he'd get shredded for his efforts and so instead he focused on it's tail. Grabbing a hold of the tip, he dug his talons into the snow and heaved, offering his cousin an opening to deal some damage of his own.

His cousin rammed his bulk into the puma, knocking it off its paws and onto its back. Its paws flailed out wildly, trying to protect itself in its vulnerable position. Hattori leapt forward, his teeth grabbing onto the predator’s tail eliciting a hellish shriek from its jaws that made him wince and pin his ears to his head. God, it sounded horrible. They’d have to shut it up, he decided. If it were a larger predator, killing the thing would be nearly impossible, but the puma was significantly smaller than them. It was a good thing they were outrageously large for their species. Tonight they’d be bringing home a puma and a deer.

As Hattori grabbed its tail the puma reflexively curled in to try and swat at him, turning its back on Raijin. The man took this moment to lunge forward and sink his sabers in the back of the animal’s neck with a snarl. The predator yowled, beginning to thrash around in an attempt to escape but he held on. He needed his cousin to try and keep it steady while he worked his jaws to try and snap its spine so that he wouldn’t end up losing an eye from the big cat twisting its flexible body around.

Talking, Talking in Italics means he's speaking Japanese

Hattori could take a hint. Releasing the cats tail, he spat out a mouthful of fur and rushed in to pin the cat down. He stood atop it's sides, paws braced against it's shoulder and thigh as he held it down with all of his weight. His talons dug into his flesh, streaking blood against the tan of it's fur as it wriggled and writhed, trying with all its might to dislodge both of it's attackers. Hattori had to agree that the noises it was making were most unpleasant and his ears remained firmly pinned to his skull as he shifted his weight forward when he realised the cat was attempting to curl up, shield it's throat from Raijin's grasp. Just like his cousin, the Shogun's focus flickered briefly to the prizes they would be bringing back to Ashen. In his eyes it was a night well spent, or at least it would be once they killed the damn thing.

Ever the practiced team, Hattori knew what to do as soon as Raijin managed to sink his teeth into the cat’s neck. It spat and yowled, unresting birds from their nests and certainly causing other prey animals to scurry to their hidey holes. He grunted as it tried to pry its neck from his grasp, but it was no use. His saber teeth dug in and held tight, ensuring he’d ensnared his prize. He began to swing his head wildly, deep growls reverberating in his chest as he worked to sever its spine. It took a few moments, but eventually a sickening crack filled the air and it went still, unable to move from paralysis. It wasn’t, however, dead, and its eyes looked up at them in a mixture of anger and terror. He stepped back, his tongue dragging over his pale lips to remove the blood that clung there before reaching down and sinking his teeth into the animal’s throat. With another crunch and a gurgled breath, the puma’s life passed from its eyes.

Once that bit was done, the cousins each took a kill, Hattori the puma and Raijin the scavenged deer, and began the trek back to Ashen with their prizes, pleased at the success.

Talking, Talking in Italics means he's speaking Japanese