Kotori had taken Seere out to the hot springs this time.  It was another great spot to find bears that would hopefully be waking up in number now.  Spring was around the corner and the bears would be hungry and while some were assuredly snoozing it seemed there were a few early risers out.  

It wasn’t a bear the two found thought but a tiger who had stopped at the water's edge for a drink.  The tiger’s tongue pulled back into its mouth as the large striped cat turned around.  For a moment cat and wolf stared at each other before the tiger roared and ran at them.  No time to discuss it with Seere.

Kotori ran to meet the tiger, turning about feeling as much as seeing the tiger’s body twisting about to keep up with him.  The great cat raised up with front paws in the air with plans to just grab Kotori, its mouth open ready to sink fang into him.  Kotori stepped back quickly so the tiger missed, stepping back to bite the side of the cat’s face in return, a snarl buried deep down in his throat.

There was no time to hold on though as the tiger was returning his blow again with claws and teeth aimed at Kotori.  The wolf leaped away, feeling claws striking his shoulder for a burning pain in its touch.  Thankfully as Kotori got out of immediate striking range he could tell the wound wouldn’t be too bad.  He was certainly bleeding but for the most part, the tiger had missed and the damage was a bit more than some spilled blood.

"Kotori Fatalis"

Another new land! Seere looks around the hot springs with huge, awe-filled eyes. Kotori had wanted to find more bears but it seems they have found something more… feline. Mismatched eyes look to where Ko rushes off to, finding a tiger running to greet the taller wolf. Small legs move, racing the monochrome girl in a wide arch around the tiger, watching the twisting bodies in a bid to find her own opening. Kotori releases a snarl as he bites the cat’s face and Seere changes course, rushing in toward the large feline. Mismatched eyes watch as it strikes out with claws, hitting the earthen male that is her friend.

A monochrome flash of fur is all the tiger sees before Seere is launching herself up towards the tiger’s face. However, she does not seek to bite a cheek or the lips… no, the girl’s mouth closes around one of the cat’s eyes. Snapping her jaws shut a sickening pop followed by a horrible, slimly ooze filling her mouth tells Seere that this feline has one less eye. Teeth cut jarred scars as she falls back to the earth, paws swiftly moving her out of danger as soon as they touch the ground.


"Seere Abraxas-Destruction"

Kotori saw Seere running in to do her part.  She was getting bolder all the time with a willingness to attack the cat’s face.  Well, he had done his job it seemed.  When he did leave Ashen he would be leaving with a few wolves more skilled than when he had first showed up.

Kotori was running back in to attack and while he saw Seere going for the face he didn’t get a close enough look to see her specific target for the eye at first but as the tiger’s head turned he got a good look at the damage.  Kotori lowered his head, slamming his horns into the tiger’s shoulder, slashing up to open a wound and a heartbeat later his teeth sank into the torn wound he had just caused.  It was on the side where the tiger could still see but with wolves on either side of it, the tiger hadn’t been fast enough to stop the larger wolf.  

With the tiger’s focus back on him Kotori gained some distance with a pleased look on his face.  The animal was already badly injured.  Kotori imagined this wouldn’t take them much longer.


"Kotori Fatalis"

Seere takes the tiger’s eye, racing away while spitting viscous fluid from her mouth. Making a face, she turns her paws to pull her back in toward the feline, smiling as Kotori opens a wide wound on the feline’s shoulder. Monochrome form launches upward as the girl leaps atop the tiger’s back. The cat is so focused on the earthen wolf that is doesn’t notice her light paw steps on its spine. Standing on its shoulder’s Seere tosses Kotori a wink before leaping on top of the cat’s head. This does two things; first, her weight forces the tiger’s head to bow slightly as it tries to adjust and two… it allows Seere to pivot her body to slide down the cat’s nose. The feline opens its mouth to bite her but instead yowls in pain as the small girl takes its other eye on her way down to the ground.

"Seere  Abraxas-Destruction"

Kotori rushed in as Seere hopped onto the tiger’s back and started towards the head.  The head was a great place to fight if you enjoyed danger or just wanted to make sure someone else could fight a bit safer.  Standing on the head seemed a far worse idea.  Seere took out the other eye and that was great but shse was one head shake and chomp away from getting bit and the teeth in the cat could do deadly damage if it got in a solid bite.

Kotori couldn’t claim personal attachment but he had a job to do, a responsibility to meet, and instincts as well that sent his adrenaline and heart pumping as each tic of time was another second closer to Seere risking being a meal.  Kotori clamped his teeth into the tiger’s neck thrashing, paw slapping its shoulder, and his snarls were positively menacing.

The tiger was blind, scared and in a rage to strike at whatever was in front of it but only so much as it could try and get away.  Kotori did all but hug it with how close he shoved his body into it, making sure Seere would not be the target of its wrath.  It was the wildest and most vicious the wolf had ever fought with a need to save the kid from the maddened tiger.  Maybe she would have gotten away just fine but maybe not.  He wouldn’t have a child dying on his watch and have that eternally over his head.

In the end, the cat turned to try and run away, “get it,” a shaky Kotori ordered Seere.  It was blind, it was trying to run and bleeding out at the same time.  Kotori shuddered as his heart started pumping towards a more normal pace.  Maybe she would have been fine, maybe.  Now she would be.  Glancing to his shoulder Kotori gave it a cautious sniff, licking at a bit of his blood that had opened a bit more in his frenzy.  He’d be fine but it was time to rest for the day.

"Kotori Fatalis"

Seere takes the other eye and suddenly Kotori is a flurry of action. The girl will never know how close she may or may not have come to death that day but, after she races out of harm’s way, she wheels around to stare agape at the vicious wolf. Slack jawed, Seere watches this strange new Ko rip and shred the poor unfortunate tiger. In the end, the blinded, wounded, probably dying cat turns to flee and she looks wide-eyed at Ko. He shakily orders her to get it and Seere snaps her still open jaw shut and gives the taller male a firm nod. Rushing off after the hobbling, uncertain, bloody cat, the monochrome girl easily catches up to it and lunges toward its throat of the kill. Teeth tear open its throat and arteries, mercifully ending the tiger’s end in quick order. Cautiously, Seere returns to where Kotori awaits, curiously inspecting the adult in an attempt to discern if he is angry with her.

"Seere  Abraxas-Destruction"