There was a lot to be done, too much to warrant Kuroki sitting around on the beach and picking at his claws. If Ashen was gonna claim the Grande as their own then he'd have to bull his weight too, sweep through the territory with a few pack mates to ensure the area was clear. That no other predators had claimed it as their own, leaving it free for the Empire's taking. Maybe a quick scrap would do him some good, dust off the cobwebs and get him moving, thinking instead of just being as he was. Stagnant and still. The black sheep. Moving at an easy pace, his tail wagging behind him, Kuroki paused to sniff the air as a scent wafted to his nose. It was at the cross-section of the rivers, lots of foot traffic, but this smell was more recent than most. Musky too, like someone had just taken a piss right up against that tree there. Sure enough, upon closer inspection he noticed deep scratches gouged into the tree, up real high as the beast had stood up on its hind legs. If he had to guess he'd say...some sort of cat? Either way he turned to his little entourage. "Think there's a cat about, big one. But I- oh shit." He couldn't even finish talking before he saw a shadow amongst the trees. A pure black tiger, like he'd never seen before. Massive too, fed by the constant supply of fish it seemed. "Yup there it is." Time to kick its ass. Leaping into the fray, Kuroki threw caution to the wind as he dropped a shoulder and aimed to ram into it. What was the point in fighting if it wasn't a little fun?

Remus had been pretty quick to volunteer when he heard that a group was going to be going out to scout the new land that Ashen was looking to take over. Anything he could do to make himself useful to his new pack and get to know some of the other wolves here was certainly a benefit. Plus, it was being led by one of Ike's brothers so it would at the very least get him some time with some of her family. Once the group had all assembled he quickly realized that they were all actually relatives of Ike with two of her younger cousins rounding out the group of four. Now that they were all together they made their way out to the river and started to scout around, looking for any traces of predators that would need to be run off.

Eventually they found the tale-tell musk of some sort of big cat and Kuroki said as much as he pointed out that fact. He didn't get a chance to finish what he was saying though as he spotted the big, black cat in question. Oddly enough, he was pretty sure it was a tiger even though he had never seen a tiger in all black like this before. Remus quickly turned to take the predator that had been lurking and stalking them, quickly getting ready for some kind of fight. Kuroki wasted absolutely no time getting right to that so he didn't either. He was right behind the orange-flecked male as he rushed the tiger, but as Kuroki went to shoulder slam into the big cat Remus darted a bit to the side, aiming for its back, right limb instead. He turned his head so his horns were facing toward the tiger's face just in case it tried to twist around and bite at him as he did and he went to leave a strong bite in the front curve of its thigh.

"Remus Armada"

It felt weird to be outside the pack lands but she had come to that age especially with some of the older members of the pack. She was so used to staying inside the palace with her mother and on the off chance Seere or one of her brothers coaxed her out. She didn't hate being outside so much, she was just taking advantage of her lazy days for as long as she could. She liked being with her mother and learning from her when given the chance. But it seemed those days would be numbered here soon.

She followed her cousin along with her sister and another man she didn't know out into the grande for a scout on predators before they could claim the land for Ashen. It would be a good lesson for her, and she was sure for Seere too. Watching the two older and maybe more experienced wolves fight of the predator and giving their own attacks too under the safety of them. She only watched as Kuroki scented the air and observed the claw marks on the tree, giving them the idea of what was nearby. Not a second after was the large black tiger up behind them, and they all sprung into action to take it on.

Saia glanced to Seere for a short few seconds with a small smile, as if her sister could read her mind. While Remus went after one of the back legs of the beast, she was hoping that Seere would help distract it with her on the other back side of it. That way they wouldn't be in range of it's teeth and still be able to divert from the bigger and older wolves here with them. Seere was smaller than she was so she knew they could manage a leg together. Unless Seere went with her own plans, she wouldn't be disappointed at least.

"Saia"

The small monochrome girl trots happily alongside her sister, tongue lolling out of her mouth in happiness as the group makes their way into the pack’s new land. Officially, it isn’t theirs yet but it will be soon! As they go, Seere keeps glancing to Saia, checking in to make sure that her sibling is okay. Her older sister has taken after their mother, preferring to stay on pack lands and around the family. It isn’t a bad thing and the monochrome girl finds no fault in it; she just wants to make sure Saia is comfortable being so far away from their den.

Their cousin, Kuroki, who is leading this little expedition, soon calls the group’s attention to a nearby tree and points out the deep claw marks that mar the beautiful bark. A tiger’s musk hangs heavy on the air and Seere glances up to the other, tall gentleman that accompanies them. She gives him a bright grin and easy wag while making a mental note to talk to him later and find out exactly who he is. Kuroki’s voice pull’s the small girl’s attention back to him and, in the middle of his sentence, the tiger they have been looking for, finds them.

For a second, Seere marvels at the beautiful pure black tiger as the bigger, older wolves lunge in to attack it. She casts her mismatched gaze to Saia and finds a small smile is on her sister’s black lips. Being the smallest of the group, the monochrome girl knows that she cannot attack the front like the guys and it seems that Saia wants to join her on the cat’s backside. A bright grin is given and a small dip of her head before she sprints away, leading Saia in a wide arch around the fray so that the girl’s come up behind the tiger.

With as mighty a snarl as she can manage, Seere begins to peeper one of the creature’s back legs with sharp, painful bites in a bid to grab the feline’s attention away from the wolves who can do the real damage to it. She is in her element, working to distract and annoy while avoiding any danger that might come her way.


"Seere  Abraxas-Destruction"

Kuroki ought to be responsible, keep an eye on the youngsters as they all fought, but it was hard to be smart when he was having so much fun, you know? He grinned all the while, ducking and weaving as the cat went to claw at him, only to whip around, distracted by the other wolves that attacked from all angles. It was having a hard time working out who to focus on, whipping this way and that as the Ashen wolves quickly put it on the defensive. Kuroki laughed as he saw the younguns harass and nip, doing great work to be painful menaces. It meant the two big lads could do some real damage, drive it out and claim the river for Ashen. Grabbing the cat's neck scruff, he raised a limb as he attempted to shove all his weight atop the beast, aiming to pin it down with his body weight. Dog pile? Yes, dog pile time.

Saia was brave, but she wasn't dumb. She would do her best to help the older wolves with their task, and keep her sister safe. And she'd be pretty proud of herself. But she wouldn't jump into the line of fire as if to get some silly fame out of it. She knew her place, or just the way she could help. She wasn't alone, so she wouldn't have to drive all her energy into killing the black tiger.

With Seere there following suit after her, Saia bit into the tiger's back leg and thrashed around, letting go when the tiger went to move towards her and then back in for another distracting bite. It wouldn't be long that the group of wolves had the ropes on the large beast. Saia wasn't equipped with horns or anything like that like the two young men with her, but that didn't matter. She'd know what to do. As Kuroki grabbed hold of the cat's scruff and threw his weight on it, Saia went to shoulder the beast's back leg from under it in order to make it fall easily. They'd be able to get this over with quickly.

"Saia"

The smaller girls bite at the tiger’s back legs, harassing and annoying the large cat. It tries to swipe at them and they move. It turns to attack the males and they return to biting it. This tiger is not having a good time but Seere sure is! Small body ducks and dodges, causing paws and teeth to miss her every time. A laugh falls from her lips as she darts back in, peppering the leg she is attack with even more, sharp bites.

Suddenly, the dynamic changes a Kuroki grabs the huge feline by its scruff and forces it toward the ground. Saia moves in, shouldering her leg to try and force it out from under the tiger. Seere’s eyes round and she moves to her leg, getting in front to throw all of her body weight against it. When she feels it give, the girl quickly races out from under the falling cat to avoid being squished. Moving to stand next to Saia, the smaller girl pants and smiles happily at her sister. This is so much fun!


"Seere  Abraxas-Destruction"

The group of wolves he was attacking with all fell into their own role in the fight easily and it kind of surprised him how easy it was to work together with them. He wasn't used to being with larger groups like this yet and the last time he fought with more than one other wolf was with his family, but he had always just kind of assumed that they had gotten on well together just because they were family. It seemed like maybe he just needed to find other like minded wolves to be with to get the same effect. The two younger girls found their niche in faster attacks that were more irritating than damaging, but that gave him and Kuroki plenty of opportunities to really dig in and do some damage instead.

Eventually Kuroki bit into the tiger's scruff and went to push it to the ground and he leapt in to lend his own weight to the cause. He briefly peeked Saia and Seere going for its legs to pull of shove them out from under it and with him throwing his shoulder into its side and shoving hard it was easy to topple the feline and throw it onto the ground. He jumped on top of the dark cat with his front paws pressing down onto its hip to keep it from being able to wriggle back up from under them while still avoiding the flailing, dangerous paws. He wasn't sure what Kuroki had planned as far as how much damage he was planning on dealing to the tiger so for now he just held his ground and kept the tiger pinned under their combined weight and let the orange-splattered man decide what to do from here.

"Remus Armada"

With the help of the others, they about managed to pin the cat down. To remain on top despite how much it was wriggling and thrashing about, desperate to get free. And maybe they would let it go, if it agreed to play nice, to get the hell out of here... If not maybe the Empress might like a shiny black tiger pelt to add to her collection. He figured he ought to let the tiger decide its fate, some wanted a warrior's end and others weren't so stuck up. "So here's the thing, kitty cat, as far as I see it you got two choices." He leaned down, making a show of getting comfy as he pinned down the space between its shoulders. Cats were liquid, but not enough to slip free. "You either run from here with you nice 'n long tail between your legs and never even think of returning. Or, we rip you apart and turn your pretty coat into a rug." He turned to his cousins and pack mate, offering them a big and toothy grin. "Seems fair, right guys? So what'll it be?"

Now that they had the big, black tiger pinned—despite its wriggling and attempts to get away—they just had the question to answer of what they were going to do with it. He had kind of left it up to Kuroki to decide since he was leading this little expedition, but in the end the cheeky horned male posed a question to their predator captive. Either they could get out of their new land and could stay gone or they were going to turn them into a pretty fur rug. Remus chuckled and smirked at the proposition, throughly amused at his pack mate's way of approaching the situation. He could feel the tiger struggle harder for a moment before seeming to understand that they weren't going anywhere any time soon. Their struggles slowed and began to stop with a begrudging acceptance of their failure to beat the group of wolves. He was actually a little surprised it could understand what he was saying, though he wondered if it was less about exactly understanding what he said and more about understanding the context and the fact that they weren't murdering it right away. Remus slowly started to loosen his hold on the tiger a little bit and shifting back, glancing to his compatriots as he quietly gave their opponent the chance to run off if it wanted to while fully preparing himself to jump right back into the fight if he needed to.

"Remus Armada"

The black tiger goes down and Kuroki and Remus pin the huge cat under their combined weight. Not wanting to be left out, Seere jumps up onto the feline’s back and flops down, reclining quite comfortably on the struggling cat’s back. She growls as her cousin talks, trying to show this tiger that mean business! The choice is given and she looks to the two tall males of the group before shooting her sister a glance. Happily, the small girl pipes up, saying, “Yeah! And if you come back, we’ll be waiting!” Remus looks to them and the monochrome girl gives a small nod, slowly shifting backward to remove her small form from the pinned cat. Once safely on the ground, Seere waits for the tiger to be released so they all can chase it off their land.

"Seere  Abraxas-Destruction"

As the two adult males pinned down the cat, Seere too also hopped on as if her weight would help. And maybe it did, but Saia stayed back behind the tiger, ready to pounce onto one of it's legs had it gotten free.

As Kurkoi had given the massive black tiger an ultimatum, Saia found herself scowling and nearly disgusted behind her pack mates. She was all about protecting her pack and her family, and she would defend them with her life and the life of others including this tiger. But the way Kuroki spoke to it, the way Remus and even her sister snickered and hollered to chase it off, Saia wasn't pleased with any of them. Once Remus backed off of it, the tiger slipped out and away from their soon to be new land. Saia's face held a straight, very well serious face once while the others turned back towards each other and would be heading back home to report. It would be stuck on her mind, but she wouldn't speak what was floating over her.

"Saia"