Now that a promising future lay on the horizon, Xurek had suggested to Uruk that they scout nearby territories. While the knolls provided everything they required as equines, there was much to Boreas that they also did not know. If they were to rise and conquer, they would need more knowledge of the land they walk upon. Leaving Asa behind in the protection of a few trusted others, Xurek wanders at an exploring pace with the stormy coated stallion.

As they cross the dreary plateau and through the shallow river that curves toward a grove of willows, Xurek doesn't hesitate to walk right through the crisp and cool waters. Approaching the willows and their weeping boughs, he enjoys the companionable silence. If there was anything of important to point out, he would be sure to notate it and share it with Uruk. For now, he kept his sense alert and his eyes on the surroundings. Already the sun began to travel westward noting that dusk would soon arrive.

Long shadows cast from the stooping willows hid many animals as they peered at the two titans from safety. Winding streams burbled around them, sometimes disturbed by their hooves as they cross without hesitation. Xurek even reaches out to snag a blossoming branch to snack on for a moment until a loud snapping catches his attention. His ears press forward, eyes widening as he stops, nostrils flaring to inhale the warm breeze that brushes past them.

Before he has time to alert Uruk, a spotted big cat slinks from the upper perches of a wide willow. It bounds with silent leaps toward them with large fangs flashing in their direction. The resounding yowl that follows doesn't deter or frighten Xurek. Did the cat not see the impressive size of himself and Uruk beside him? "This will not take us much time," he jokes flatly to Uruk before charging forward to meet the leopard. Lowering his massive head and tucking his chin, he flings his face forward as claws scrape his neck to send the feline hurdling into the air backward toward Uruk.

Xurek Namorn

table coding by bunni ♥

1/3 explore new land - whistling willows
1/3 fight large predator - leopard

Uruk moved with the quiet confidence that would be expected from someone who'd just killed his father; his stormy gray coat blending with the shadows of the willows as the sun dipped lower in the sky. The rhythmic sound of their hooves, muted by the soft earth and the whispering breeze, accompanied them as they traversed through the Whistling Willows. The place was eerie in its stillness, the drooping boughs of the trees creating a veil that obscured the world beyond. The scent of the damp earth and fresh water filled the air, a start contrast to the dry grasses of the Knolls.

As Xurek moved beside him, the larger stallion's presence was reassuring, a solid force of nature that Uruk trusted implicitly. When the sharp crack of a branch snapped through the air, Uruk's ears flicked forward, muscles coiling in anticipation. He caught the flash of movement, the spotted pelt of a predator, honing in on them from above. The big cat's audacity brought a grim smile to Uruk's lips; how foolish it was to challenge beasts of their stature.

Xurek's words barely registered as Uruk's focus zeroed in on the leopard. The moment Xurek sent the creature flying, Uruk was ready. He pivoted with surprising speed for his size, lowering his horned head in a fluid motion. The feline's body twisted in the air, desperate to grain control, but Uruk was already there. His great horn met the cat with brutal precision, the impact resounding through the grove. The cat let out a strangled yowl, a mix of pain and shock, as it was flung aside, crashing into the underbrush.

"Not much time at all," he agreed, thinking that would be enough to drive the cat away. Uruk straightened, his eyes cold and calculating as he watched the leopard limp as it struggled to stand. It seemed relentless as it readied it's stance for yet another strike against the massive duo.

[ 1/3 Explore new land (Whistling Willows) ]
[ 1/3 Fought a large opponent (Leopard) ]

"Speech"

CODE BY SIN

The willows around them appeared to come to life with the sudden eruption of noise. Vermin scattered to the hills, the ground beneath them trembled, and every eye seemed to turn on them now. Xurek, though intent on scaring off the leopard, also takes a moment to glance around. Would there be more big cats lingering in the shadows? Or was this one the only desperate one? He lets out a snort, sending several birds fluttering to the skies as Uruk slings the spotted feline toward the brush.

Branches sway around them as the wind carries a tinge of blood. Both his and the feline's. Turning to meet the reckless leopard with a lowered head, Xurek is ready to try and scare it off once more. "Do you think it is sick? Or stupid?" He mutters to Uruk with a grunt of a laugh before charging forward. Once more, Xurek meets the leopard with his tusks, the cat this time attempting to claw at his face. Tingles of pain scream across his cheek as he hooks a tusk into the armpit and tosses it against a nearby tree. Though it is dazed and bleeding... It still insists on getting up one more time.

Xurek Namorn

table coding by bunni ♥

Uruk watched as the relentless cat struggled to its paws, bloodied but still defiant. The beast's determination was almost admirable to Uruk, though utterly foolish. Xurek's question hung in the air, and Uruk responded with a low, growling laugh, "Perhaps both."

As the leopard made a final, desperate lunge toward him, Uruk was already moving. He sidestepped swiftly, letting the creature's momentum carry it forward before kicking it with his right read leg, feeling his hoof clip the leopard's flank. He turned around slowly, his eyes lifting to the world around them when birds took to the sky from the nearby willow.

The land surrounding them was hauntingly beautiful, dominated by the towering presence of the willows and their draping branches - it was impossible to see through the veil around them very far. The Whistling Willows lived up to their name, as well - the sound of the branches swaying in the breeze sounding like whistles on the wind telling secrets. The trees were ancient, their bark gnarled and twisted, giving them the appearance of silent sentinels guarding the area and over-watching this fight.

[ 2/3 Explore new land (Whistling Willows) ]
[ 2/3 Fought a large opponent (Leopard) ]

"Speech"

CODE BY SIN

Xurek steps back, watching as the leopard takes a final go at Uruk. It doesn't take much for the other stallion to kick the leopard in the flank and send it careening back toward him. Had this cat not had enough of them already? Stomping his hooves into the ground, he lowers his head once more, charging forward to shove his tusks toward the leopard. At the last moment, the cat spins away, barely missing being gored once more as its blood sprays in an arc in his direction. The cat seems to be wanting to run off but is once more face to face with Uruk.

"Pathetic," Xurek snorts as he turns his own body away from the feline. He expected higher intelligence from such a predator, but to try and take on two herbivores? Ridiculous. Even the animals cowering in the trees seemed to agree with him. Moving away from Uruk who was most likely finishing off the cat, Xurek approaches a small stream that winds it way between the willows. Rinsing his tusks of the blood, he takes a few deep swallows before lifting his blocky head. "This land is not so bad if it weren't for the predators," he muses, eyes still watching their surroundings in case another one decided to come for them.

Xurek Namorn

table coding by bunni ♥

The shrouded stallion took a moment to survey the landscape, his eyes tracing the graceful arcs of the willows. The land, with its serene streams and ancient trees, held a beauty that even he, a creature with a lust for war, could appreciate. The golden light of the setting sun bathed the area in a soft glow, making the grove appear almost peaceful, a stark contrast to the violence going on within it.

The leopard, bloodied and battered, made one final, desperate attempt to lunge at Uruk. Its eyes, wild with pain and fear, locked onto him as it gathered its remaining strength for a last, futile attack. Uruk's expression hardened as he watched the cat, its resilience almost admirable but ultimately foolish.

With a swift, precise movement, Uruk lowered his horned head and met the leopard's charge head-on. The impact was decisive, his horn driving deep into the predator's chest. The cat let out a final, pitiful yowl before collapsing at Uruk's feet, the life drained from its once wild eyes. Uruk stood over the fallen beast for a moment, his breath steady and controlled, before lowering his head to wipe the blood from his horn on the cat's very fur.

Turning back toward toward Xurek, who was now rinsing his tusks in the stream, Urk allowed a faint smile to tug at the corner of his mouth. "Pathetic indeed," he echoed. "But.. this land.. its hold promise. If we can keep the predators at bay, it may serve us well." With that, he took a moment to take a cool drink from the stream, a breeze carrying away the scent of battle from him as they prepared to move on.

[ 3/3 Explore new land (Whistling Willows) ]
[ 3/3 Fought a large opponent (Leopard) ]

"Speech"

CODE BY SIN