Kotori had chosen to meet the grey wolf he had met a few days back at this spot once again.  They had found both prey and predators here to sharpen their skills and take food back to their packs.  With Fern close to him they both searched by scent and sight until their next prey to take down was found.

Kotori had never hunted a bighorn sheep before and that made things that’s much more exciting.  The more species he learned to hunt the more skilled the horned wolf would become.  The animal's horns curled in a way that he didn’t expect to get jabbed but he bet if they hit it could break ribs.

Kotori memorized their scent then glanced at Fern, “I’ll get above it and chase it in your direction.” He had decided that while Fern showed an aptitude to hunt he didn’t think she had as much experience.  He had no problem with that but expected that hunting from above and quickly getting down without either falling or becoming a target if the prey decided to attack might be a trickier thing.  So long as Kotori got the sheep to run towards her things should go well.


Kotori Fatalis

 

The brown wolf had met her at their prearranged spot at the decided upon time. Fern’s tail wags lightly as she walks with him, testing the air and looking for signs of prey. Kotori catches the sheep’s scent first, guiding the gray girl to peer up at the rocky ledge walls. Aqua eyes widen, not trusting her balance and coordination enough to try and chase the sheep down the cliff. Luckily, Kotori sizes up the prey and rock wall, quickly glancing over and announcing he will chase it down toward her.

Letting out a relieved sigh, Fern nods her head and says, “I will be ready when it hits the ground.” Turning toward a large boulder, the gray girl readies to move toward it, planning to hide the bulk of her form behind the rock. Hesitating a moment, Fern looks back to Kotori and adds, “Please be careful. And watch its horns.” With that she is off, crouching behind the boulder and trying to blend herself in with the rock. Her gaze follows Kotori’s ascent, holding her breath as she watches his brown paws move assuredly from small ledge to small ledge.

When he is in position, Fern readies her body for the chase. She waits for Kotori to kick the party off.


"Speech"

Kotori nods as she agrees to his plan.  The earthen-toned wolf dances up the rocks, sometimes careful walk, occasional leaps, and trotting depending on the individual rock.  He’s aiming to make it look easy but the truth is he has to pay a lot of attention to each step.  Not only does he not want to fall but he’d rather not have too many rocks skittering about to call attention to himself.  It takes a little while but he does go wide and still climb up the rock face.  Then it's jogging back so he is straight above the sheep.  

If up was tricky down was worse, having to use his hind end as a brace and he soon gave up on stopping rocks from sliding.  Ah hell, slow was boring.  His job was going to be getting it down to Fern first and since when did that require going slow and cautiously.  Kotori grinned, looking to where Fern was mostly out of the way, and quirked his eyebrows at her with that mischievous grin.  That should be warning enough of what he planned. Kotori lunged forward and skidded, leaped, and made a lot of flashy moves, some were intended, some were just managing to stay on his feet when the grit and rocks slid out from under him.

One thing was sure, a wolf jump, sliding and slipping down the face got the goat running and thanks to where Kotori had started the chase it was going straight towards Fern.  Kotori unfortunately didn’t feel like he could even snap towards it for a few moments.  As it was going in the right direction Kotori just took a few seconds to regain stable footing.

"Kotori Fatalis"

Fern’s muscles are taut and she feels like a cobra ready to strike. Kotori’s mischievous grin earns him an amused smirk before the gray girl turns her attention back to the sheep on it perch. With a lot of noise and falling pebbles, the brown wolf initiates the hunt, startling the large, horned sheep and driving it down toward her. Aqua eyes track the animal, missing the flashy, sometimes frantic, descent of Kotori. It comes closer and closer, until…

Cloven hooves strike the solid rock floor, ready to dash away from the charging wolf and straight toward the waiting Fern. Gray form springs out from her hiding place, startling the horned sheep and causing it skid to a stop and roll its wide eyes around wildly as it tryies to find an escape route. Fern darts in, causing the sheep to raise up on its back legs, lowering its horned head to attack. Sharp teeth bite deep into the creature’s back right leg and the gray girl feels a thrum of excitement sound through her. Until the sheep’s head comes down.

She has been so focused on hobbling the animal that Fern missed the way the sheep had squared its horns with her body. It isn’t until there is a sharp crack and blinding pain surges through her right hip that the gray girl realizes she messed up. Stars dance and spin in her vision as Fern works to regain her senses and finish the hunt.


"Speech"

Kotori finally reached the normal ground and in one piece.  He took one second to make sure he’d fully found his balance and then started running towards Fern and the ram.  She had its leg and if she managed to lame it then the battle was over.  Kotori almost called out as he saw the ram spin about but, there was no time, the ram had already struck her.

Kotori charged in with a soft snarl.  His teeth bit into the top part of the neck on the ram, pressing his weight on it till it hit the ground.  The injury to the ram’s leg hadn’t let it balance well enough once Kotori’s weight was on it.  Kotori snapped at the back leg as well, making doubly sure the injury would stop it from escaping.

“Can you still fight?” She’d been injured so he’d let her make the kill if she wanted.  Payback to their meal.  It was trying to leave but it was clumsy and slow.  If Fern said she didn’t want to make the kill it wouldn’t take long for Kotori to catch it.

Kotori Fatalis

 

The dazed gray girl quickly shakes the stars from her eyes to find that Kotori has the ram pinned. He asks if she can still fight and Fern nods, standing and testing her hip. It stings but nothing feels broken. Making her way over to the brown wolf and soon to be meal, Fern grumbles out, “Gonna have one hella bruise.” Flashing a Kotori a tired smile, the gray girl moves to the ram’s throat. With deft, quick movements, Fern reaches in and ends the sheep life. Horned head sags as the life leaves its body and she sits heavy, putting most of her weight on her left hip.

Looking to Kotori, Fern says, “Those horns really hurt. But it is good experience.” Turning her gaze to the dead ram, she adds, “I guess.”


"Speech"