word count: 224

Kaizen was- he didn't feel strong enough. There was just so much that he didn't know, couldn't understand no matter how hard he tried. Frustration had him gritting his teeth as he stalked out across the fog, the haze a thick red as the autumn dried grass brushed against his ankles. He wanted to do something, needed to fix the situation, but how? Everything was changing and he hated it, barely felt like he could cope, his sense of normality and routine had been ripped out from under him and Kaizen was struggling. Hurting.

Ahead through the thick fog he saw a shape ahead. He was far from the normality of Tojo; but even the thick walls of bamboo couldn't keep the red out. Nothing was right, even home felt wrong. Coming to a standstill, his ears flattened against his skull- he had heard talk of sick strangers, infected who attacked others unprovoked. No rhyme or reason, just rage.

Kaizen was not a violent boy, but he felt his hackles raise, the silver of his eyes narrowing as he struggled to even make out what sort of beast lay ahead. Its scent was vaguely feline, but not like the cats his siblings had chosen for companions-something much larger, dangerous. It was approaching, its steps thudding, the weight of it clearly greater than his own.

Stretching for seemingly miles before him, the prairie lay low. Grass hardly wavered beneath the dense coating of fog. Antelope made themselves scarce and so did the rabbits. No movement. Not even a bird soaring through the whispering drafts of air above him. Instead, he is met with a hazy maroon that masks even his best senses. How was he to hunt here if the looming danger crept closer and closer every day? Almost suffocating.

Prowling, Raumr kept low. His body slunk, long legs stretched and tail twitching slowly behind him. Amber eyes scanned the territory. He loved the idea of this being one of his future territories, but not now. Not while the threat of death lurked behind every passing second. His intent had been to hunt today. See what prey lived here that would be best suited to nurturing a pack full of felines. The world around him had other ideas.

Canine-like steps sounded off toward his side, and they were not the friendly kind. On alert, the massive feline turned. Soft thumps of his massive paws inched him closer. His ears began to flatten, lips pulling up into a silent snarl. He would not be taken by surprise - even in the worst of conditions. Closer and closer he moves until he can somewhat see the dark shadowed figure standing in front of him. It would be hard to surprise, but at least the fog helped. Tinges of fear and animosity cloud his nostrils, eagerly seeping from the individual. His new opponent.

In a swift leap, Raumr blindly aims to tackle the boy to the dusty ground.

Raumr Regalus, the Third

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wc: 270 + 224 = 494 / 1500

word coutn: 293
total: 787

Kaizen knew that cats were stalking hunters, that the feline no doubt held the advantage in these conditions. He squinted, struggling to keep its silhouette in sight only for- he sucked in a breath, it was gone. Where the hell had it gone? He tensed, talons digging into the earth, his ears tipped forward, senses keen enough to hear the rustling of grass, the slight shifting of the dust. The cat wouldn't have the element of surprise, but Kaizen took little comfort in that, especially when- and silence fell. A split, stagnant and silent moment and Kaizen just knew-

The pair collided hard, a growl tore it's way out of Kaizen's throat as they tumbled, the yearling unable to take the brunt of the lion's weight. He kicked out, imagined the feline would do the same with its own retractable claws. His were bigger though- not that he was the type to compare. Being this up close and personal, it didn't really matter that he couldn't see, though it certainly would have helped, would have been nice to know what was actually attacking him. The longer fur from the beasts mane brushed against him, the tell-tale snarls were of a very big cat and that was about enough information for Kaizen to put two and two together. A lion. A large one at that.

But was it infected? And if so how could he tell? He sucked in a deep breath through gritted teeth, unable to catch nothing but the lions scent, strong and potent, healthy. Kaizen couldn't tell if that was good or bad news, didn't have much time to consider as he strained beneath the lion's weight, neck tense as he snapped his jaws, trying and failing to gain a mouth-hold.

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Raumr could not quite explain why he had attacked the boy. In a sense, he understood he was already territorial over the prairie. Having spent some time here, he had it in the back of his head that this would be as good as any place to claim as home. He wasn't opposed to wolves either. Actually, enjoyed their company from time to time, but this one... Raumr couldn't place it. Something about how the boy walked slowly, quietly, carefully across the prairie as if expecting someone to jump out at him. Expecting the sick and infected to attack. Yet, he wasn't one of those, no.

He'd seen those that were sick. Had smelled their rotting scents. This boy didn't smell like that. Could scent him clearly as their bodies collided and went scrambling across the dirt. Atop the boy now, he felt those talons sinking into his skin. Canine body writhed and struggled, but the fog, it was oh so dense, it was hard to even see in such close proximity. What was that glimmer upon the boy's face? That didn't seem right. Was he sick and hiding his scent?

Extending his claws, Raumr swipes at the boy's shoulders, attempting to get him to slow, to stop his own frenzied attacks. A yowl leaves him as a talon drags over his side. Rolling away to avoid another swipe of those nasty talons, Raumr makes space between them, but now the tinge of blood makes it harder to see the boy. Where would he go? What would he do now that his weight wasn't upon him? Lowering into the grass, Raumr waits, patiently, silently, to see what the boy will do.

Raumr Regalus, the Third

table coding by bunni ♥

wc: 281 + 787 = 1068 / 1500

word count: 190
total: 1258

The scent of blood filled Kaizen's nose, though the adrenaline coursing through his veins made it difficult to tell if it was his or the lions. Maybe both. He'd feel sore after this either way, though all things considered Kaizen had gotten off quite lightly, though for all he knew things very well might go from bad to worse. So much worse. But instead of doubling down as he presumed the lion would do it- it pulled away, rolled to the side and quickly found its paws again. Perhaps because it had realised Kaizen wouldn't be a quick and easy kill?

He felt like that went without saying but - he sucked in a breath, righting himself as well, the tension never leaving his shoulders.

Kaizen could barely make out the lion's outline, but it prowled nearby, low and slinky, no doubt waiting for another chance to strike.

"Try to kill me, you might even be able to. But I won't go down without a fight, do you truly think it is worth it? " He asked the fog, the common tongue clunky to even his own ears. Unnatural, out of practice.

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Raumr hesitated as the adrenaline dropped. Suddenly, he could see clearer, and understand better as the boy spoke in a choppy common tongue. Was it worth continuing to attack the boy in the fog? When they were both limited in their skills and could potentially harm the other? He couldn't deny the slight wrinkle of fear running through his thoughts. Everyone was getting sick. There was a chance this wolf was sick too.

Tensing, he continues to prowl around the wolf. "It would not be a death worth dying if you did not fight," Raumr replies, deepened honey tones breaking the tension between them. All he could see was an outline. The boy was indeed large and could pack a punch, but he was larger, stronger, and had a jaw full of teeth strong enough to crush bone. Would it be worth it to the boy to do anything but run?

But he wasn't like his father. He was merciful and kind, lawful and righteous.

"If you are not sick, I will leave you be." Raumr stands then from his hiding spot in the grass. Towering over the wolf, he looks down upon the male. Through the fog, he attempts to see, to look for the infection. Stepping forward, closing the distance, he remains tense. Blood still tinges the air between them from their scuffle, but the scent of rot does not overpower it. Fortunately, for the wolf, he would live to see another day. Still assessing, still wary of the situation, Raumr does not move for several minutes. His tail flicks behind him, back and forth, waiting to see if the wolf will attempt an attack or run. He was no devil, but he was always ready to dance.

wc: 290, total: 1548

table coding by bunni ♥