Kotori had been watching the buffalo, pondering the notion of trying to take down one of the massive animals and how many it might take to do so.  Hard enough to take one down alone but they came with friends.  However, the thought was put off to one side when a lion showed up, also looking towards the giant prey.  The lion seemed a bit gaunt in the sides, its jaw and rump showed it had already taken some damage from someone else.  Another lion? A different predator?  Who could say and who cared?

Kotori snarled at the lion and the moment the large cat roared back Kotori took it as an invitation to fight.  A part of his mind noticed how the buffalo didn’t seem worried about their presence at all.  It would apparently take more than one wolf and lion fighting to cause them any worry.

The maned mail seemed to still have a good amount of muscle but it wasn’t as fast as a female lion Kotori had fought back in his past.  As it came around to his left Kotori spun around it, getting a nip at its haunches but not a chance to do any real damage.  

"Kotori Fatalis"

The girl is wandering further south, the impending change of season giving her a new boldness to explore beyond the borders of the pack. Gentle rolling hills are home to numerous prey animals, including huge beasts with shaggy fur. A large buffalo (their name is unknown to her) lifts its massive head from the green grass that pokes out of the patchy snow to snort a cloud of steam her way. Andy stares in silent awe, feeling a stirring of humbleness within her chest when the roars of a cat and wolf snap her attention away.

Without a sound, Andromeda moves towards the fighting, finding her older sibling locked in battle with a large feline. With a smirk, the pup races toward the maned lion, moving in to jab her kudu horns into the cat’s side. It grunts, swinging around with surprising speed and ripping open a larger wound as it goes. A paw swings at the girl’s face and she back peddles quickly to try and avoid the attack. Heart sinks as she realizes she will not get clear in time.

"Andromeda Fatalis"

There wasn’t a lot of time to focus on who the young pup was that had come to assist Kotori in killing the lion.  Someone young who both smelled of the armada and his own Fatalis blood.  While the back part of his mind acknowledged this was one of his siblings he wasn’t bothering to focus on those minor details right now.  The girl had managed to injure the lion and was about to get her face scarred in return.

Surprise.  Kotori’s horns struck under the shoulder joint, twisting his head as he pulled back.  He’d been on the opposite side of the lion as Andy and that had done a perfect job at getting the lion to stop its forward motion and in fact caused the large, maned cat to stumble hard on the paw it had been about to use to scar up what Kotori assumed was a younger sister.  She had the right colors as one he’d seen when smaller.

"Kotori Fatalis"

The paw flies toward her face and Andy instinctively squints while tucking her chin down and away from the incoming claws. Body braces for an impact that never comes as the lion is suddenly forced to stumble sideways and the girl darts a glance toward the earthen male that has saved her face from the sharp claws. But that is all she can spare him since the stumbling feline still needs to be dealt with.

With her chin still tucked, the girl lowers her head and charges at the lion, connecting with the leg opposite of the one the stranger had hit. Sharp kudu horns enter at the cat’s elbow and, as they sink into the flesh, the girl tosses her head back while rising her front end off the ground. The result is two wide, deep gashes on the feline’s shoulder that causes the lion to grunt and stagger as it now has trouble putting weight on its front legs.

It won’t have to worry about walking since it will be dead soon enough.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

The child injured the lion’s other front leg and the large cat’s ability to balance was damaged further.  Kotori would give the cat a bit of respect that it was still standing with pride still.  The animal would die but apparently not as a coward.  Kotori slammed his shoulder into the lion, making it stagger though surprisingly it didn’t fall.  

The beast was well-muscled and the stagger was in itself proof of its poor state.  The lion snarled, turning his head to bite at Kotori while he was so close. Kotori tucked his chin down, horns pointed out and proceeded to jerk his head sideways, slashing the big cat’s nose open even as he hustled back a few paces, grinning.  Kotori lowered his head, showing off his horns again and getting the cat's full attention.

Let the pup have the kill if it dared to take it.  The lion was fully focused on Kotori with two front lame legs.  Whatever Andy tried Kotori would bite or whack the lion enough to keep its focus on him.  This was a good chance to teach in a controlled environment.

"Kotori Fatalis"

The purple pup smoothly pulls back as the stranger grabs the lion’s attention, showing off his horns in a threating gesture. A grin tugs her lips, as Andy uses the huge opening that the male has provided her to rush up and under the feline’s neck and grabs its throat. A growl and several twists are made she pulls back, causing blood to paint the ground by the bucket full. Luckily the pup is quick and is out and away from the beast in the blink of an eye. It slumps to the side and with its front legs lame, the mighty lion crashes to the ground but it continues to struggle.

After several moments, the death throes cease and the lion’s life slips away. With the end of the predator’s life, the girl shakes her head, the lavender pup turns to the earth wolf and says, “Thanks for the help. My name is Andromeda. Do you… often get into trouble with predators mister…?” Andy draws out the last part, opening it up for him to offer his name and have a little conversation with her. Seems only fair since this is now the second predator they have killed together.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

Kotori kept a careful eye on the lion until it was down, watching for the life to leave it.  The moment it was down that should be the end of it but there was always a chance of one desperate last action some could muster in those final moments. The lion finally died and his gaze drifted up to the child.  She didn’t rush off this time but instead asked him a question.

Kotori grinned brashly, “I don’t get into trouble with predators.  I do frequently get to have some fun killing them though.  This one,” he nodded to the lion, “looked at me wrong and we both agreed someone had to die.”  That seemed a satisfactory answer in Kotori’s mind.  “I’m not ‘mister’, I am Kotori Fatalis, Sumatar of the Valta pack.  You didn’t tell me who you are but by scent, you are part of the Armada and my family.  Am I right?”  

The kid needed to learn how to fight better and Kotori had just helped with that.  Now Kotori would give her a small reminder on basic tact.  There was no sting to his words, just a mild reminder of the teacher to student.  “You can’t be that old, it was brave of you to help take on a lion, and a polar bear.” Just as he would expect of any true Fatalis but there was always the chance of another embarrassment in the family.  

"Kotori Fatalis"

Andy looks up at the taller male, speaking to him in her normal, soft tones. He grins and the purple pup offers him a small smile followed by a chuckle as he talks about the lion giving him the wrong look. Shaking her head, the girl decides that he is either very reckless or very sure of his skills. From what she has seen, the pup decides it is probably a little bit of both. He then introduces himself and the lavender girl’s brows lift as she nods at his assessment of who she is. While she had given her first name, the pup decides a formal introduction is in order. Bowing her head in respect, the pup says, "Andromeda Fatalis, Princess of the Armada.”

Straightening up, Andy gives a small wince as she says the word Princess, feeling that the word has lofty tones with little expectations. Looking to Kotori, he says she was brave and the girl immediately waves a paw through the air to dispel the thought, “Not brave. I saw you needed help and that is what I did.” Honestly, she had acted hasty because she had seen that a wolf was in trouble. A thought suddenly tugs at her mind and the pup’s face falls into an expression of pure sadness as she softly asks, “You… know about mom?” She really hopes he does because, if no one has told him, it means that the family is really bad at communicating and she will have to break the bad news.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

Kotori nodded approvingly to Andromeda’s bow and gave her full title instead of just a first name.  She even earned a grin as she said what she had done wasn’t bravery and simple necessity.  “Not all wolves assess matters as you do.  There are cowards that would see the action and decide it too dangerous and leave a wolf to fend for itself.” Kotori hadn’t been worried about if help had come or not but he wasn’t about to tell her that.  She had done well with both the fight and her logic so he’d do nothing to have her question it.

Kotori hadn’t expected her next comment and what else he might have said was put aside for later.  She was still a child and the loss of their mom would be harder on her.  Really, Kotori imagined it had been harder for several of his siblings.  He’d never been a very emotional wolf and hadn’t spent enough time with mom s a child for the strong bonds others had built up. “I heard.”  The response was somber but no real hint of how he felt about it in his tone.  Kotori imagined he should say more to her question but what? “I imagine it feels strange for you, that’s she suddenly not there.” He’d already left so it really hadn’t changed much for Kotori’s day-to-day even if he had a closer relationship with her.

"Kotori"

As her brother nods in approval at her introduction, the lavender pup offers him a small, grateful smile. She doesn’t like to us the title Princess but, it is her rank and she accepts that. As he speaks, Andy blinks in surprise at the thought of leaving a wolf to fend for themselves and she offers him a shrug of her slim shoulders before saying, “Well, guess we aren’t cowards then.” Being born a Fatalis meant that she was expected to help anyone who needed it and she knows that Kotori understands that too. They were taught that they are strong wolves and those who are strong are meant to help those in need.

The talk shifts as she brings up the news of mom and the somber tone that Kotori adopts has her solemnly nodding her head. Ko’s next word have the pup tilting her head as she tries to think of the right way to respond. Since they are family, Andy decides to answer him truthfully, “Yes and no. We were young and it just felt like she is on a trip more than she is gone forever. Part of me knows that mom is gone, gone but that she is also healthy wherever she is. And, for that, I am grateful. Honestly, the whole situation is just so… surreal.” Shoulders shrug as she tries to put into words what she has been feeling all along.

Pale blue eyes search her older siblings face to try and see what he is thinking as Andy continues on, “It… has been harder on dad than us… or so it feels. He is angry at, well, everything. Sure, mom is gone and it hurts but dad is physically here and yet he is… not.” A shake of her horned head is offered as a sigh rolls past her lips. Waving a paw to dispel the emotions that rise in her chest at the mention of her father, the purple pup swiftly changes the subject, saying, “Hey, you have your own pack… right? Can I come visit you and see what it is like? I’m turning one soon and want to learn more.” A smile breaks across her face like a sunrise after a dark, scary night and she wags her tail at the thought of learning from her successful brother.


"Andromeda Fatalis"