Thunderous footfalls announced the incoming pursuit far before anyone would have caught sight of the mottled brute chasing down the nimble caprine. Its cloven hooves caught the craggy terrain easily, but the mountain dwelling titan was just as sure footed in the descent down the slopes. Each twist and turn was met with a heavy thud as the massive wolf leapt after their prey, sending showers of early winter powder and loose pebbles raining down the mountainside. Ibex were notoriously tricky prey, even the big cats didn't spend much time chasing them. Yet, the wolf had endurance and sturdy constitution on their side, and weren't about to let the massive ram escape. Those long, curved horns made excellent knife handles and drinking vessels when broken up. The meat would preserve well to feed the clan through the winter, and the hide had more uses than could be named. Almost offhandedly, the giant found themself noting that they were running out of mountain. The floor of the valley, padded with an every growing layer of snow, was rearing up faster and faster. With a frustrated snarl, they stepped up their pace as much as they could, just hoping to be able to reach out and trip the ibex. If it tumbled the rest of the way down the slope, maybe it would be winded enough to give them the upper hand to strike a fatal blow. Thick haunches bunched on the edge of a narrow fissure that snaked between two young mountains, and the giant sailed over it after their prey. Massive paws skidded and slipped until their claws found purchase on the stone beneath the snow, and the chase resumed. Finally, the monochrome wolf could practically taste the shuddering muscles that lay beneath the dun fur of the ibex. Snapping teeth grazed through flesh and sprayed hot blood across the snow, and the caprine stumbled. That was all they needed. Latching fangs into the muscles of the thigh, a quick shake of the head sent the ibex tumbling down the mountainside. They were sturdy creatures, no doubt it would still be able to regain its footing at the bottom. Spinning on their heels, the brute slipped and slid their way down the foot of the mountain after their quarry. ooc. up to you if the chase continues at the bottom or if you want the finishing blow <3

The Warlord had been poking his head along the caves, exploring and examining the lay of the land as he made mental notes of what he found. Azure was around, through not in the immediate vicinity of the Warlord. Doing his own exploring for the moment. Perhaps he had gone back to look at the woods that had entranced him so much at the beginning.

What the Warlord did not expect was the sudden appearance of a mountain goat as it half fell off the mountain not far from him. Stumbling, and bleeding. The thundering wolf behind it making his way down the mountain. And here the Warlord had thought this territory had lain utterly vacant. He would need to capture this wolf's attention and get the story of why they were here. With luck, they would just be travelling through.

As the goat got back to its hooves, the Warlord lunged at it. Surprised when it skirted away from him, and began to leap and climb up a side of the mountain the Warlord would not have considered climbable. With great reluctance, the heavy set beast began to make his way up after it. Angling himself to come at it from the opposite side of the stranger, and drive his prey back towards him.


"Sirius"

Well, here was a grand surprise! An unfamiliar wolf, dark as the night was long, came meandering into their field of view. Just in time to spook the skittish ibex while it clambered to its hooves, and sending it leaping up the slope back from whence it had came. In fact, it was barreling right towards the charcoal mottled giant as they slid their way along the snowy slope towards the ground. Digging their claws into the rocky terrain beneath the snow, they leaned as far back onto their haunches as possible. The skidding slide turned into a spray of small pebbles and snow as they wheeled around to cut the caprine off before it could scale the slope any higher. A heavy collision of shoulder and haunch knocked the ram back off its hooves, and earned the brute an awkward kick in the ribs that sliced through the fatty portion of their flank rather than breaking their ribs. In the edges of their vision, the dark shape of their impromptu hunting companion made his way up the slope. His gait was not quite as sure as a member of the clan might have, but it was certainly enough to get him moving up the slope. Pearly whites nicked and tore at the thick hide along the ibex's flank as they hooked a paw around one of its front legs to pull it off its footing again. The pair slid a few feet backwards in the struggle, leaving messy tracks of bloody, churned earth in their wake. With a hard shove of their shoulder against the caprine's haunch yet again, they pushed the ram back off its feet and sent it sliding in a desperate scramble back towards the dark furred male. "Look out below!" they called with a grin, already pivoting to come charging down the mountain after the goat. The two of them would be able to hold it in place long enough to get a fatal blow in, and maybe getting the ibex back on flat ground would be easier. For the kill at least. Hauling the carcass back up the mountain? Not fun.

The stranger was quick to realise what was up. Cutting off its escape with an agility on the mountain the Warlord might be able to emulate, if he was a few years younger and had spent more time traversing rocky territory. As he encountered an especially tricky but of climbing, the Warlord dug his feline-like claws in, letting out a grunt of effort as he pulled himself higher - and then the man's words warned him to look up.

Swearing, the Warlord released his grip, falling back down to the next ledge as he prepared to take on the ram. Injured and afraid, it came barreling towards him. The Warlord stood his ground as the long-horned goat barrelled towards him. Just as it reached the Warlord, he pivoted to the side, avoiding the sharp antlers as the mountain goat lowered them. Instead, the Warlord snagged an elegant, long horn in his mouth, dug his claws hard into the earth, and used its forward momentum to spin the goat around in a quarter arc, before slamming head first into the mountain at the Warlord's back.

It fell in an uncerminoial heap at the Warlords paws, and Sirius placed a paw on its back. Holding it down if it gained enough wherewithal to attempt to get back to its hooves again. “Yours?” The Warlord asked shortly, attempting to bury any hint of winded breath the difficult climb had left him with.

"Sirius"