Kotori jogged along the river's path, a memory of running along this lake when he was younger.  He’d been by the rio grande when the eternal night had first started showing its signs.  He had seen a boar that seemed to glow and all the fireflies.  He had also met Ikigai further down the Rio Grand.  Kotori grinned as he recalled her indignation at their first meeting as she had expected a more humble hello.  Kotori was arrogant now but he’d been even worse then.  

With his thoughts on memory lane, it was more instinct than a prepared response that had him leap away from a lunging tiger.  It was a good hunter and kept its scent hidden and the brush had given it the necessary foliage to cloak its presence.  The large male tiger had made the first attempt at an attack but Kotori fully intended to land the first successful attack, indignant the cat had managed to surprise him.

The tiger was attempting to be on the offense, lunging in to bite for Kotori’s neck.  Kotori dodged, pivoting into its left side, snapping for its upper shoulder but not staying in place long enough for the lash back.  

"Kotori Fatalis"

His stroll down the river was interrupted with the sound of fighting and as he picked up the pace in his steps he soon spotted what was becoming a familiar face as he went off against a tiger yet again. He didn't know what it was about Kotori but the man really seemed to attract attacks from other predators. It was almost funny how often he had come across the Valta alpha fighting a bear or a tiger. Always willing to lend a paw, Remus leapt in to help and gave no hesitation as he charged forward, biting down around the tiger's back ankle and beginning to trash his head a bit to deepen the wound in the moments before the tiger was able to recalibrate its movements enough to spin around toward him. Remus narrowly avoided a swipe from the tiger's large paw and he stumbled back a couple of steps to get out of the way. He glanced toward Kotori, giving the spotted man a grin. "We've gotta stop meeting like this!" he called over to him with a laugh as he dodged another swipe from the large feline.

"Remus Armada"

The tiger was distracted when yet another horned wolf appeared and bit into the tiger’s back ankle.  Kotori didn’t waste the chance to lunge in, slamming his horns into the shoulder before jerking his head to the side so his horns slashed deep into the shoulder muscle.  The tiger was finding its footing and going for revenge at Remus.  “Why’s that?  Best way to meet if you ask me.” One nice thing about horns is that they left his mouth free to respond.

No chance for another free slash though as the tiger had turned its attention to Kotori soon enough.  The striped feline was lunging in with mouth and paw.  Kotori avoided the paw, stepping sideways, and as he could feel the tiger’s breath next to his muzzle, and the cat’s teeth closed on empty air Kotori bit into the tiger’s ear, shaking his head, ripping the ear so that it was mostly torn off, part of the bloody flesh left dangling.

"Kotori Fatalis"