Kingsfall shape up or ship out

@Kjors - Patrol thread!

The person that you’d take a bullet for is behind the trigger

The guardian was determined, eager to set things right with the dragon, or at least try to, over a small hunting party to make sure the creature which had injured their leader received the proper justice that it deserved. He knew his uncle could handle it, just as he had back at the River when Maksim had fallen ill, so there was little doubt in his mind that the Baranski man would be just fine. After all, what was Hearthwood River without him at the stead, guiding them all? He was a good leader, and because of that, Karpos held a respect for him that he wasn’t sure he understood himself.

Karpos felt tension in the air, though it was quite possible that this was in his mind as the scarred man spoke, soft words. “I can smell the blood; we’re getting closer to the scene. Are you ready, Kjors?” He asked with a quick glance towards his partner for the event. Whether or not he was ready was actually completely irrelevant just as Karpos’ own feelings were, because this was their job as members of the pack, and they would be damned if they didn’t get it done… right? The chocolate youth doubted that the creature had stuck around: if there was one pack wolf, there would be more. But then again, the creature might not have been all that bright, so there was a chance.

It had been rather startling to have been invited on this patrol, with Karpos no less. Things between them had been nothing less than tense on the best of days, all resulting from the dragon’s own desire to rise to glory. It had been a bit clouded by his own ambitions mixed with a certain fear of failure, but neither of these things were items he was willing to reexamine now that the case was long cold. The pair of males had seemed to come to an unspoken agreement to avoid one another – Kjors did not bother the Slayer any longer, and he did not often find the swarthy youth in his presence, either. It was a livable situation, if not agreeable.

But here they were, trucking away from their injured alpha in search of his attacker.

That he was on a witch hunt did not bother him in the slightest. Kjors was no healer, and once Maksim had been settled into a more comfortable position, really had nothing to offer the gathering crowd outside of taking up space. It had been a relief, to alleviate himself of the emotional situation, and he dogged between Karpos with only a length between the pair of them. Allowing the silence to blanket them, he made no attempts at conversation until the younger wolf did.

“‘course,” he answered gruffly, shoulders slung low as he glided over the earth. “We’ll make ‘em pay through th’ nose. Can smell its cat stink, c’mon.”

<3

The person that you’d take a bullet for is behind the trigger

Karpos was ready, tracking the bobcat scent with the fullest intentions of giving it hell just as it had caused the wolves he called family. Kjors let out a abrupt response to his question, stating he was ready to take that feline back to hell where it belonged, and that was a good enough answer for him as he continued forward, his tail starting to lash as he crept through the forest, listening as Kjors said he could smell the creature as well and that the both of them were going to make it ‘pay through the nose’, a strange saying in his mind though he pushed it away.

Red, the blood of angry men. Black, the dark of ages past. He wasn’t going to forget any of it as his fangs barred, the scent becoming eternally closer before he could have sworn he had seen the tawny nuisance lurking around just outside of their territory, irritation at the creature’s audacity rose. The man gave a swift nod to Kjors before making his presence known, a snarl and a charge at the already injured, presumably by Maksim, creature, teeth prepared to latch onto its throat, though it responded with an equal amount of ferocity. It was for that reason, Karpos brought backup.

No plan. No nothing.

Karpos simply acknowledged the dragon had joined him, was willing to pursue this creature that had brutalized the alpha so violently. While the older wolf might have preferred they go into this with some sort of idea how they’d take the animal down, he did not speak up. There was no point – the young guardian was already moving forward with a snarl at the injured cat.

Idiot, Kjors thought, breaking into a canter after the lad. They had no idea how or why this creature had attacked in the first place – any wolf worth their salt knew an injured animal always fought harder than those healthy, but what if it had kits of its own nearby? What if it too had a mate that might come to its assistance? Maksim might have landed a blow that weakened it considerably, an advantage they would have been able to exploit had the other wolf not charged into the situation blindly.

Instead, the male was forced to act as backup. When Karpos lunged for the big cat’s throat, the smaller wolf snaked around the side, keeping the cougar on his left and in his sight. He moved for a hind limb, seeking to distract the animal enough for Karp to land is blow – he was going for the pointy end of the beast, after all.