Kotori had claimed a land of lush grass, and flowing water with an ample supply of fish within it.  It was the sort of thing that could easily tempt the more foolish predators to try and step on Valta land.  Kotori didn’t just patrol his border but tended to roam outside of it at times, hunting for anything that came too close to his pack's land.  Predators in the mangroves or in the hot springs that seemed to be traveling in Valta’s direction were dealt with.

However, he also roamed to simply see what was happening in lands beyond his pack, to keep an eye out for potential new pack members, and to just stretch his legs.  There was always plenty of work to be done in the pack but it was important to take time out to see what else was going on in the near region.

Scented the ground he caught no whiff of any recent bear or large cats in his area.  Those were the main animals to test how far they were allowed near his land.  The steam from the hot springs did a good job at hiding scents a short ways off though with its own strength.   Kotori’s gaze moved to the tree line, considering if he should hunt as long as he was out here.  The wolf’s muzzle showed scar marks from slashing teeth, and the fur around his ear and neck region seemed a bit less dense from where another solid bite had occurred.  Any other scars were less visible but the horned wolf certainly appeared to have been in some good battles.

"Kotori Fatalis"

Though she was tired and beginning to wear thin, the creature was relentless. Sanna had come so far, why stop now? This was a new land, filled with possibilities and... well, and whatever else. Predators, from her last few encounters. Not that she cared much. Not that it would slow her down or, fuck forbid, stop her. Nothing was going to stop her, not at this rate. Sanna wouldn't let it. She'd come too far to only come this far, and all. Capable on her own feet. Still, it didn't mean she was entirely unscathed.

A run-in with a lynx hadn't really gone her way. Sanna was bleeding from a wound along her shoulder, the cat taking a good shot at her before finally falling. Blood caught in her fur, as well, and she realized that the scent of it on the wind was the most dangerous notion of all. Grumbling to herself, Sanna tracked in the direction of the hot springs. She'd seen it a few days before and she supposed that she was better off taking a bath.

To one of the rather deep pools, the woman tracked carefully. She wouldn't be alone here, but Sanna could only hope that whoever else was around would move on quickly enough. Judging the depth with a careful paw, she finally stepped in. At least it was warm.

"Speech"

Kotori scented the female before he saw her.  It wasn’t just the scent of the wolf but blood as well.  Kotori quit thinking on hunting and instead made his way quietly to spot the wolf that was coming near his land.  He scented no pack he knew of on her and his curiosity grew.  The wolf was a variety of many shades, with a lean body.

Kotori stepped forward,  confident air with an almost prance to his stride.  The horned wolf had been a master of showing off his arrogance as a young prince but lately, it was enough to stride with this confidence in his own power and expectations for respect from others.

The wolf moved to where he was only the length of two wolves from the pool, “How bad are your injuries?” The question wasn’t one of concern so much as a practical assessment.  “What happened and did you win the battle?”  Did she start the fight or stuck defending herself?  Did she kill the attacker or flee in shame?

"Kotori Fatalis"

Sanna figured she wouldn't be alone for long, but did he have to show up that quickly? A soft sigh to herself, the girl set about scrubbing the blood from her coat. It was clear the scent had attracted some sort of... predator. Or whatever he was, coming along to strut and showboat himself. The prance that he seemed to take up, it was all Sanna could do to not roll her eyes. At first, the medic considered pretending she hadn't seen him at all. Maybe it would work against her in the long run, but she's never been one that's friendly with strangers.

He speaks. Her ears pin to her skull for a moment, before Sanna was able to catch herself and arrange her expression into something a little more friendly. Still, the suspicion rang clear in her gaze as he inquired on the extent of her injuries. She was clearly alone out here, and to have this strange man asking too many questions? It was more than enough to put Sanna on guard. "What's it to you?" Defensive, maybe, and certainly cold. This man could spell danger if she played her cards wrong. Between her minor injury and his horns, she wasn't liking the odds.

"A lynx decided to come between me 'n my lunch." Sanna continued to scrub at the bloodstain on her stark coat. "Was the last one he'll ever make." She doesn't look up, but maintains the stranger in her periphery. What was it to him? Why did he ask so many questions?
"Speech"

Kotori’s brows arched a bit at the wolf jumping so close to her wary attitude toward him.  Not the friendly sort it seemed.  Was she just defensive due to her injury or was this her normal disposition?  Kotori watched the wolf as her expression shifted across her face.  “I have no interest in attacking an already injured wolf unless given a reason.”  The words were calmly stated in case it helped her feel better.

“As to why I’m asking, you are near my pack land.  There are healers in my pack and if you wanted I’m sure one could take a look at your injuries.  I’m keener to help out fighters over cowards so I wanted to make sure you hadn’t simply fled from a battle.” Kotori was curious, albeit mildly, to see if the information of his nearby pack influenced her behavior at all.

Kotori nodded up and to the north, “My pack, Valta is north of here.  We claim the sunset falls as well as the rapids just beyond it.”  She wasn’t in his pack land, she was free to roam but an injured wolf close enough to his land seemed perfectly worthy of Kotori’s interest.

"Kotori Fatalis"

Unless given a reason. Sanna allowed her disposition to soften ever so slightly, ears flickering forward from where they'd previously been pinned. Just a bit less tense than she had been moments ago, but it's enough to be marked. Noticeable. Though her guard was far from down, some of the actively defensive attitude ebbed away. "Cowards don't last long where I'm from," a sharp, humorless laugh and a toss of her head. The girl weighed her options, in regards to both showing him the wound and accepting his help.

On the one hand, being in debt to a pack didn't sound like a good idea. On the other hand? It would only get colder and harder to survive out here. If she was in the good graces of at least one pack around these parts, Sanna might stand a better chance of making it to spring. That, and the wound was in a spot that she was having a hard time treating on her own body.

Still uncomfortable with the amount of vulnerability she was about to show, but deciding it was her best option, Sanna carefully climbed from the pool. It's only then that it strikes her how much larger he is, the eight inch difference in height enough to give her pause. Still, the nasty gash on her hind leg was fairly clear against the paler parts of her coat. "Normally I'd treat it m'self, but it's a tough spot to reach," a trained field medic, Sanna would never admit to being embarrassed that she couldn't patch herself up this time. "If you're offering, that is." Leaving no room for ambiguity, her gaze locked on the stranger's.
"Speech"

Kotori nodded at Sanna’s words, accepting her logic for being no coward.  “There are some packs that allow for cowards to live in them.  They will protect the cowards and never demand they become more that.”  Kotori hadn’t been in every pack of course but he had seen weaker wolves realize it had to be true.  “Valta does not allow for weaklings.  Not everyone is a master of fighting skills but they either can all defend themselves or are learning how to do so.  Such wolves have other ways to prove their worth, like healing.”

Kotori nodded up to the north, “C’mon, you can follow me to my pack.  You will be offered temporary admittance to be treated. The cost of this treatment,” Kotori turned a sidelong gaze back at Sanna, “is once you are sufficiently healed you prove to me what you said of not being a coward.  We get enough predators testing our borders.  You can help me kill one.”

Kotori stepped away a few paces, regarding Sanna, “I assume you aren’t the sort who wants to be in debt to another?”  Kotori waited to see if she did indeed just want free handouts on help and if she didn’t then he’d see what sort of skills she had.  Was she worth offering a spot in his pack?  He wouldn’t let in just any wolf that happened to pass by.  No weaklings, no wolves who wanted easy lives with no effort, they could go elsewhere.

"Kotori Fatalis"

She listened carefully as he spoke. Proving one's worth, proving that they belonged, proving themselves. It all seemed so ceremonious. Foreign as it was, maybe this was how things were done here. "Shit is simple where I come from," there's a hint of a humorless laugh on her tongue. "You're tough or you die." She'd made it this far. She had to be tough-- that was all.

The idea of being indebted to anyone, let alone the strange man with the horns, was something that didn't sit well with Sanna. An unsettling thought. One that she wouldn't be able to sit with for long, or really at all. Once sufficiently healed, the woman bristled at the phrase. "You haven't even given me your name." The words were gruff, green gaze fixing on the stranger. She didn't move to follow him, not yet. An abundance of caution, what if he had other plans for her? Being on her own for so long, she wouldn't squelch the caution in her system. It was the caution that had kept her alive.

"I can fight now, not like it's a dire wound." If they could find something on the boarders that needed dispatching now, then her obligation would be cleared before aid was rendered. That, and maybe Sanna could actually relax some. "I don't deal in debts, shit gets messy." Loyalties, debts, things bought and paid for-- Sanna's independence came at a price, and it was one she'd been paying for a damn long time now.
"Speech"

Kotori nodded to Sanna’s words as they felt true enough.  Either you could care for yourself you die, at least that was how it should be.  Her irritation at not stating his own name had Kotori’s lip twitch, mild amusement that she spoke of the irritation and that he hadn’t actually given his name sooner.  “Kotori Fatalis,” he responded pride in his own name evident.  

“No, its not a dire wound.” Kotori could scent the blood but it was hardly pouring out of her.  “However, what one can do when needed versus practicality when available are different things.  We will compromise.” Kotori started north, glancing at her again.  “We will get someone to treat the injury and once done go find something worth killing.” The horned wolf watched Sanna for her reaction, “agreed?” Would her pride have her demand they fight nor or would she accept his plans?  

Sanna had shown no interest in joining Valta but Kotori was still quietly determining if she was worth inviting into his pack.  Those who were weak, foolish, or overly prideful without reason were not needed in his pack.  Only those that possessed the right qualities would be admitted into his pack.  Training would be required and there was no reason to waste time on those unfit for it.

"Kotori"

He could have been lying, sure. He could have been telling un-truths in an effort to lull her into a false sense of security. Still, it was the best chance Sanna had at the moment. No major red flags... fine. There was no reason not to, and there was strength and safety in numbers. Maybe she could allow herself to be sidelined for a bit, as long as the debt could be paid off quickly enough. Quickly, quickly. "Sanna." She hadn't taken a second name-- where she came from, bastards never did. Was it the same here? Was this some sort of high-born son, this Fatalis man? Sanna would only be able to learn about this land and its people in time.

At his compromise, she relents. It's the best solution to her current problem. Though Kotori has mistaken her caution for pride, there are some things lurking below the surface that he may be more spot-on about. That was fine, though. Carefully, the woman steps in his direction, following the lead he had attempted to take moments ago. Not easily won over, and hesitant to trade her freedom for security, but here she was... here she was. So far, he'd gotten farther than most. Though the man may think highly of himself, she's a stranger in a foreign land. "Agreed," she nodded once.

Though she was not one for small talk, Sanna had questions about this place, about the land, about all of it. So many questions, but where to start? "How far away is your home?" Autumn had dragged on and the days grew shorter. They had time, sure, but how much? With every step, Sanna dripped with savage grace, doing her best to portray herself as anything other than a hare stepping into the den of the fox. Anything other than how she was feeling toward the whole thing.

"Speech"