The aroma of blood and herbs attracted him to the scene. Serem was battered, struggling with tending to her fresh wounds. Were he a kinder, more empathetic man, he'd offer to help. But he wasn't, so Black Hat stepped closer with the urge to quench his insatiable thirst for knowledge. He could smell the captive on her pelt, rough and angry.

What happened? He asked the question without a trace of urgency or worry in his voice. Whatever happened was clearly done and over with; he simply sought to be caught up on the news.

It was jarring to hear the passive Serem so utterly pissed off, justified as her fury was. Through the venom, she did answer his question, which was appreciated. He didn't care too much about the boy's escape, but the man was reason for concern. What of the man? Came his follow-up question.

Turned loose? In their ranks? I sure fucking hope not! Look what he's done to you. And I'm sure he wants my head on a bloody stake, He thought aloud, more than displeased at the prospect. But Serem wasn't sure of this, so he did take it with a grain of salt. Well, we'll just have to see what happens. Losing his head even metaphorically wouldn't do him any favors.

Serem made it crystal clear she wasn't keen on the ex-captive becoming part of the family. And other than Vengeance, who was? What a mess. She asked him a question about combat, which prompted him to take a seat.

Sometimes it just can't be helped. If it bothers you that much, a hit-and-run style of fighting might be more up your alley — get in, land a hit, and get out. I personally try to redirect hits to my shoulder because it gives me access to the opponent's face and neck, which is a good trade on my end, He suggested with ease.

It was his turn to shrug. If you're fine with your other shoulder being bitten, sure. Ideally, you persuade the other wolf to let go of you with a bite that's worse than theirs before they can do any serious damage. The neck is left wide open if you're latched onto someone's shoulder, which makes a grip on the shoulder rather undesirable. Maybe Serem was just tired of getting beaten up, but not being bitten on the neck or shoulder wasn't a luxury a mercenary could often afford. He'd suggest brushing up on her skills so she wouldn't be left battered at the end of every fight, but Black Hat was trying to be tactful here.

Black Hat was surprised to see her stand and ask to practice. I can give a demonstration, He offered, standing in turn. If you grab onto my shoulder, He started, bringing his right shoulder closer to her. Once she presumably grabbed on, he continued. I have several options to choose from: your neck, ear, and snout. He mouthed those areas as he listed them off, teeth only grazing each spot to prove his point. See? Shoulder bites can be a massive advantage for you, you just have to take the opportunity.

Good. If you want to spar sometime once you've healed, just give me a call. But for now, we should watch our backs. If Serem had nothing more to add, he'd take his leave.