Fern finds herself wandering away from the castle. The stress and fear of losing the joy she has found drives her legs forward even as her mind keeps turning. Thoughts tumble and turn, surfacing for a moment before disappearing again. Paws carry her onward, even when her mind is not focused on the movement. Eventually she looks up and realizes that she had been so lost in thought she did realize how far she has traveled. Paws stop as her eyes take in the area, remembering the first time she was here and how the fireflies had led her to Rudy.

More than anything, Fern wants to make Rudy proud and become a strong fighter. With a sigh, she realizes she can’t outrun her fears forever. The noonday sun hangs in the sky and Fern’s stomach rumbles, reminding the gray girl that she had forgotten to eat breakfast. Sniffing the air, she finds the scent of boar on the breeze. Eagerly, Fern moves toward the trail, following her nose and signs of trampled grass. When she sees a group of three boar and one straggler off to the side, Fern hunkers into the bushes and waits to see what the animals do.


"Speech"

Kotori had hunted plenty of deer at this point but he would never learn to be a great hunter if he only killed deer.  When he scented the boars his spirits perked up.  This would be perfect.  The horned wolf was silent as he moved to find to hide behind some brush.  There wasn’t as much here on the rocky terrain but in some areas, the rocks themselves offered hiding opportunities.  Kotori had never imagined pigs to be nimble creatures for the rocks but then again some hooved animals really were so why not?

Kotori peered out between rock and grass to spot another wolf farther past him on the opposite side of the boars.  Raising his head up to get her attention he glanced from her then to a specific boar and back at her.  Waiting to see if she showed sign of understanding the suggestion to work together on the boar he had pointed out.  It was fat and tasty looking with unwanted tusks but he had smelled a bit of dried blood on it.  

Three wasn’t a large number for boars so was this a small group or were some hidden out of sight?  Regardless that big fellow would be good sport and good meat.  Hopefully, this other wolf knew something of hunting.  Surely it wouldn’t be hunting alone if it didn’t know what to do?

"Kotori Fatalis"

Aqua eyes watch the small group of boars, realizing they are a family unit and that the straggler appears to be injured. Fern spies some blood on it back left leg and notices how it makes the boar slower. They are moving toward the land bridge between Boreas and Auster at a very slow pace, trying to allow the injured pig time to keep up. Suddenly, a brown, horned head pokes up from behind some rocks and grass trying to catch her attention. Eyes round as she watches the head motion to the injured boar and she gives a slight nod. She inclines her head toward the group and places a paw on her chest before hunkering down and preparing to chase off the group.

Looking back to the waiting wolf, Fern dips her head slightly, waits a moment and then rushes out for her hiding place, making a ruckus and snarling all the way. The gray girl moves toward the group, snapping at nothing as the pigs squeal and try to run toward the injured boar. Fern moves to hold them off, corral and drive them away while the brown wolf hopefully sets to working on injured boar.


"Speech"

The other wolf clearly got the idea, good.  It wasn’t like Kotori would mind attempting the hunt alone but he was well aware the odds were better with two.  He crept up slowly and smiled grimly when the other wolf charged the group of boar.  Kotori runs in expecting to have to chase the one boar away from the others but notes how the girl already is getting that under control.  Instead of chasing the injured one away from its friends, she chases the other two away.

That worked for Kotori! He moves wide about the healthier pigs and Fern, chasing the pig a bit farther from its friend.  Kotori snaps at a shoulder, swerving away when the pig tries to turn its head, aiming to slam its tusk into Kotori.  Since the pig was also trying to run away it couldn’t get a good aim though and Kotori easily dodged the attack and kept following.  Kotori got far enough besides, snapping at legs, trying to turn it so they weren’t running too far away from the other wolf.  Another snap aimed at the pig, this time for the shoulder.

"Kotori Fatalis"

They make a good team. Fern chases the bigger boar and the younger one away, separating the healthier pair from the injured. The big one squeals in frantic rhythm, trying to get its mate to answer but, every time it moves to try and rush the brown attacking wolf, it is met with teeth and growls. The duo grows agitated, trying to rush the gray girl and slam their tusks into her flesh. She is able to sidestep their frenzied attacks effortlessly, slowly but steadily getting their line of site off the injured boar. A loud, panicked squeal sounds from behind the trio and the large boar tries to charge Fern one last time.

When he gets close, Fern moves slightly to the side, avoiding its tusk, while leaning down to latch her jaws onto the boar’s nose. It pulls away, tearing its muzzle open and coating the delicate tissue with fresh blood. Fern growls, flesh dangling from her mouth, blood coating her lips and lunges toward the two boar. That does it. The pigs turn tail and flee, knowing this fight has been lost. Fern spits out the flesh and licks her lips before trotting back over to the brown wolf and their kill.


"Speech"

The grey wolf seemed to have a good feel for what they were doing.  Kotori would tell her good job about the bite but that’d wait for later.  The first boar Kotori had fought recently he’d used his teeth on and it had taken a few rounds.  This time Kotori was going to try a technique he used to fight predators at times.

The wolf lowered his head, slamming his horns into the pig's shoulder then raking up to tear a large gash in it.  The moment the pig's head turned to him Kotori’s jaws were ready, biting into the pig's snout above the tusks, crushing down on it, and leaning his weight in.  Sure, the pig was well muscled but with the injuries it already had, it was enough to knock the pig over.  It would give Fern a great opportunity to kill it off fast.


Kotori Fatalis

 

Fern is just in time to see the brown wolf use his horns to rake the shoulder of the pig and clamp down on its nose. The pig grunts, falling onto its side with the brown wolf still holding its muzzle. Looking to the wolf, Fern understands her task and quickly darts in to latch her teeth around the vital veins and artery in its throat. Warm blood leaks from where her teeth puncture skin and the boar gurgles as the liquid fills its perforated throat. Never one to draw out pain, Fern steps back and rips the pig’s throat free from its body, swallowing the chunk of meat quickly as her stomach grumbles in hungry protest.

The pig’s life quickly fades as its life blood pours out, staining the rocks and grass it touches. Looking to the brown wolf, Fern dips her head and says, “You are a good hunter. Thank you for stepping in. My name is Fern. Care to share a meal with me?” She asks the last part as she is moving toward the pig’s belly, readying herself for the feast to follow.


"Fern"