Evening was settling, deepening and darkening, so accordingly, Ame was coming truly to life about now. Her prime hours always came a ways after dark. This was the habit she was in lately. The nighttime seemed to attract her attention all the more. With so much going on recently it was not always easy, though.

She was busy familiarizing herself with some of the newer scents around the Sunspire, those of wolves she had yet to meet so that when she did encounter them, she would know a little about them. Her nose was low and her gait was relaxed -- as there was no reason to hurry. Amekaze was certain she would encounter them soon. If not by chance, by sniffing them out herself. While she trusted Ferdie and Jace's judgements on what wolves could reside here, she still wanted to check them all out herself. But instead of Sunspire wolf, even a new one, a glaring problem offended her senses.

The scent was fresh and she was swift to a run. She could waste no time on a pursuit for although she had questions, there was a pressing matter at hand here.

The Swiftcurrent wolves were insistent on trouble. She grew tired of it but.. to find one seemingly alone, she wouldn't let this chance pass her. Gaining speed across her familiar turf, she knew she was nearing and had already gathered which Creek wolf was responsible: probably the one next to Fox she'd expect, one that had made an appeared at all three of the encounters Ame herself had been to. She had no name to call her by but the Eta's eyes were readied to catch glimpse of a tan hide. Frustration boiled her blood and her silent approach drew closer.

When she saw her first, Ame began to arc a path at a sprint, to intercept the wolf from the side if she could. She wondered where she was going exactly however it was bound to end here. Without a word, she turned her own path, veered, and lunged teeth first for her shoulders or side with all the momentum she had mustered. The message was clear. Leave.

If she could halt this wolf's invasion, that would be a start. Already she had traipsed too far onto their mountain and for this, her patience was nonexistent. Ame was tired of it.

In other interactions with Swiftcurrent wolves, she had not seen to them alone or been the first one to encounter them. This was a little bit different than what she had come to expect from their lot but she would greet it all the same. Loosing a low rumble of a snarl as she knocked the other off her feet, she pressed forward imposingly with her tail up high and teeth showing.

The Creek wolf wasted no time with retaliation. Ame lunged back at her, so not to make for a stationary target and met the brash, head on charge with one of her own. With teeth aimed at her face, she only dodged narrowly to keep them close together and not be forced to derail her own offense significantly. An angry mark smarted across her cheek already and she bent her head down low afterward. She snapped her own jaws for the other female's chest, or tops of her legs, hoping to use her withers and raised hackles to deflect further attacks for now, while she pressured the Creek female's balance.. in theory.

Pain prickled from her shoulders and she bit back a wince as she lunged into motion so suddenly. She gathered her stance quickly and the Swiftcurrent wolf was keen to keep her on her toes. Amekaze bristled, and looked to read the motions before it was too late. There was little time, so she went reeling around the intruder in an arc. Let her get close and let her have it, the Eta braced for what was sure to be painful.

This would have to stay brief and something would have to give soon. Endurance would wane quickly in the company of such sacrifice, but Ame saw it as the most effective way. They were well-matched here yet this wasn't enough; she needed to seize the clear-cut upper hand. This was her turf, and her pack. For it, she would bleed.

Teeth sunk into her ribs and she did all she could to mirror the motion with enough force, jaws aimed for the other female's side to dig deep and wound purposefully. If lucky enough, she might unbalance her or perhaps even force her away violently, but Amekaze's strength would wane soon (especially if she became more bloodied) -- this couldn't go on forever.

She hoped to rip and tear whatever she could, and the tangy taste of blood burned onto her senses. Ame snarled through her own grimaces; she knew her she would have an ugly slice to deal with on her own side, too. What she didn't see until he was on the scene was Ferdie's sudden arrival, which negated her need for major defense the second he barreled into her opponent. She had been too wrapped up in only Danica to see him coming.

Amekaze steadied herself, and then remained bristled as she spat the stray hairs from her mouth. The Swiftcurrent wolf did evidently possess some shred of good sense, for she did not engage the two of them together and instead took off. Relief followed, but she could not yet glean any satisfaction; they'd been well matched, and Ame was not without her own wounds to remember this by.

Doing her best to ignore the smarting ache in her shoulders and the wound carved into her side, she jogged after the fleeing wolf, just to ensure she made it all the way past the borderlands and beyond. Amekaze couldn't muster a full on pursuit, not one that she could hope to accomplish anything with, so would at least see her out. She shot Ferdie a stormy look, one compelled by the rush of the fight, and was curious if he would chase. The dark female doubted their unwelcome visitor would linger after that though.

She pursued, too, but not with the same energy Ferdie did. Ame jogged along after him in case the wolf decided to make more trouble and didn't raise her voice any, instead opting to stew angrily as adrenaline began to fade from her bloodstream. This made way for tiredness, although she tried to will it away for now.

The intruder did not return and instead, faded into the horizon past their boundaries. Amekaze slowed herself and huffed tiredly. The scent and taste of the Creek remained, much to the dark wolf's displeasure, and she decided she could go for a good long drink and rinse then rest after this. Although, she had yet to take a look at her side.. knowing she didn't really want to.

Ferdie moved to her side and she let him without objection. She accepted his affections and normally, might have been a tad more eager to return them in some way. Instead she fought the desire to lean some of her weight onto him and rumbled tiredly in response. Mm, fine.. she murmured in an effort to soothe his worry. Her shoulders and her ribs ached most of all but she would survive. I need a drink, she declared with a wince and a wrinkle of her nose; the taste of Swiftcurrent was troublesome.

I do not know what she intended to do, but I only caught her.. sprinting on in... she growled as she delicately stepped forward, wincing again thanks to her shoulders. Amekaze intended to seek the nearest creek but figured Ferdie ought to know the circumstances here, not that they were full of details.

Ame stayed quiet, trying not to fuss any when he cleaned her wounds. She knew this would feel much worse come tomorrow, which she was already not looking forward to. To his thanks, she nodded a small nod. The caches were among her concerns as well although she did not suspect her to have successfully tampered; her paws weren't dirtied, but that was not to say for certain. One of their trouble-makers, yes. She came with Njal, but I do not know her by a name. Amekaze would be remembering her face for a great span of time to come. The wounds served a grim reminder, too.

She made her path towards the nearest water source dutifully, comfortable in the silence spanned between them even with her careful, aching gait that showed her present weakness -- which this alone may have prompted her to shoo many others away from her at a time like this. She did not like being this way, wounded and worn, but he was a clear exception. Ferdie was officially the companion she'd had the longest, and maintained any sort of bond with over the months that passed. Others she had met (and liked) as a loner, like Akhlut and Xi'nuata, had long since gone away. He remained.

Or, was it that she remained with him? She glanced sidelong at him briefly, but the scent of nearby water drew her attention away.

Ame reached the source, took a long drink then dropped her haunches tiredly to the dirt at the creek's shore. Water dripped from her muzzle and she angled her head to look at her side, sighing at what she saw, bloodied and marred. Then, she peered to Ferdie. You know, it may have turned uglier had you not arrived.. she was a decent foe, although she leaves worse for the wear.. she grumbled and grimaced, knowing she would spare no mercy. It was kill or be killed. What will.. you do now? she asked and fought a yawn; he surely had better, more productive, places to be than with her. I may be staying near here. I tire.. she added in a quiet voice, looking away from him then.

She licked her lips, still a little thirsty, so moved to get another drink. All the while, she listened. There was blame on his words. It was practically tangible. Ame's ears splayed. 'Smart' and 'Fox' hardly belong in the same sentence, she replied, but it was what she hoped to have happen too: for Fox to give herself over in exchange so they may have their rightful captive, instead of these.. pups she had ditched here. However she remained skeptical. As you said, we are doing all we can.. time will only tell, she sighed. The days that followed were bound to unfold in curious ways.

She settled next to him with a soft huff, and reclined to set her head on her paws. She would work on tending to her injuries later on. Right now, she didn't have the motivation. Of course, she answered softly. Ame wouldn't deny his company. If collecting himself here was what he needed to do, then so be it. She provided her silent support, and wished there may be more she could do to help. If he needed quiet, she would give it. If it was an ear to listen, she had that too. Whatever it may be. Collect away. I will be here.. all eve, she said and found the taste of the Creek finally having faded was a relief.

She didn't want to think about Fox, or the Creek she had once been a part of, or any of her lackeys with their penchant for trouble and apparent fondness for terrorizing those of the Sunspire. She just wanted to forget about them, if only for a little while. Her eyelids were heavy and body too tired to care about them, or even much else at the moment. She had time to consider them and everything else later on when she was much more alert and vigorous; tangling with Danica had taken it out of her for now.

Nevertheless, to Ferdie, she rumbled a quiet mhm noise and while her agreement was not very verbal, she didn't make any effort to move away -- so it was clear in that way instead. Amekaze settled, shifting herself until she found the sweet spot of most comfortable. Here against him, she would relax quickly, despite the achiness. There was nothing to worry about.

For however long she could manage, she would lend him her ears if he had anything to get off his chest. If not, silence was fine with her. The green-eyed female remained unaware of his innermost struggles, or what weighed most heavily on his mind regarding his alpha duties, but for whatever it was worth, she was here for him now.

She eventually let her heavy eyelids fall shut and would doze off in time, leaning slightly onto him as tiredness dredged her down.