"They can," Portia replied with a shrug, "I think they're typically much more docile." Her tail held steady, but she smiled at the thought of their own species. They too worked together as a family and fought to help keep one another safe. Surely otters didn't work exactly the same way, but it was nice to think that maybe it did move from species to species. "I wouldn't worry," she added to reassure the girl.

"Good," the Skayona nodded-- but only because she was still winded from the unexpected sprint downstream. She didn't really mind what the child decided to do, and would be completely fine if she'd chosen to attack right at that moment, but was perfectly content sitting and staring... she needed to catch her breath still. She made sure her breathing didn't scare off the otter, her breathes controlled and hushed-- but her heart thumped regardless.

"What do you notice?" Portia asked the child. 

Portia nodded. "We can either scare it and chase it, or kill it and find where its scent is most concentrated... I doubt it lives far, we're right here at the water," she offered with a shrug. There were probably other, better ways to handle this, but Portia was not a skilled hunter. This was the best way she could think to do it.

Though the first steps were often quite fast, Portia lacked the endurance to be a true chaser. She was a killer, her grace and accuracy rather astounding. "Killer," she said, and maybe it didn't register with the child, but the statement might've caused a laugh in one of her fellow adults. Portia seemed far too dainty and docile to be a killer-- her sharp tongue was the only mean bone in her body. 

"You think you know what to do, hun?" she asked, watching Freyja curiously. 

"Not at all," Portia said, smiling, pleased with Freyja's plan. "You go, I'll wait here," she added, and lowered herself to the ground, gathering her body and preparing herself to spring-- even though she knew it'd be a hot minute before that happened.

The pup seemed agitated, and at first Portia was confused, but after Freyja reexplained she let out a breathy "Oh," realizing that it was her who had made the mistake. "I'm coming, I'm coming," she said, standing up quickly and following after the girl. She understood what was going on now, and was ready to catch this damned otter.

As Freyja set off, Portia moved into position. She was hidden behind a boulder just short of the top of the hill, her freckled face peering out, her nose twitching, and her ears cupped forward as she waited for any signs of Freyja and the otter. Then, she would strike. Her tail wanted to wag in her excitement, but she held it still-- she knew better.

Now, she waited.

Her stomach churned with child-like excitement, something normally only brought out in the elegant woman by children themselves... Freyja lived up to the generality. She could hear the thumping of feet against the earth, the otters scent getting closer... and closer... and there it was!! 

It's brown little face poked over the hill and after it came it's weasely body, but almost immediately it was struck down by the mighty Portia, who had no hesitations. It died almost instantly, her jaws crunching down on it's fat little neck. It fell limp in her jaws and she let it fall to the ground, letting out a quick bark for Freyja to come see what she had helped catch!

"Indeed!" Portia exclaimed, returning the kiss to Freyja's head. The pair settled and shared the otter, Portia happily reminded of it's fishy taste and taking this time to explain to Freyja the fur of an otter! It was so thick that they could swim even in the winter without getting sick, she also explained that a beavers fur is so gosh darn soft that the beaver never actually got wet! Portia was overjoyed to share this information.

When the pair finished eating, Portia nosed her and stood. "Ready to find out where this little guy came from, hun?" she asked.

Portia shrugged. "I mean, yeah, hun, you're right... but otters are different than wolves. It's possible they do live in the water," she told her. She wasn't certain, but it was a possibility. There were no visible dens nearby... who knows. She watched as some sprawled out on rocks, others hanging onto one another as they laid on their backs. Such strange creatures.

Portia nodded. "Maybe, you should ask her next time you see her, hun," She said, smiling at the child. Wildfire knew a lot, it wouldn't surprise her to find out that Wildfire was an otter expert.