While she had arisen with the day's goal being tracking herds as they shifted for the autumn, it was now the distinct tang of blood on the wind that had her jogging quickly away from the heart of her mountain territory. Frankly, she did not know what to expect yet and moved even faster once it became strong enough to practically burn her nose.

What she found was evidently the aftermath of something ugly. Blood, and a sleeping mystery wolf, her hackles prickled at the sight. Stranger, she barked as she strode purposefully closer to the sleeping, obviously wounded male. While her favorite healer had not been seen in a handful of days now (another cause for worry for the dark Rikudou), but she was not overly eager to extend the help freely to him just yet.

One look explained plenty and inspired even more questions all at once. Somehow, her thoughts glanced fleetingly to Ferdie; had the same happened to him? Her sharp eyes traced the angry injuries and silver fur matted by blood while she sniffed at him, willing him to awake with enough coherence to answer her -- all while hoping that the culprit of this was not lurking just beyond the mountain's reach. Her guards were up accordingly.

She didn't know if he heard, but he came to not long after, so this was bound to progress forward. However, as soon as he went scuttling back and she heard him almost form a plea, her ears slicked back and she showed the tips of her teeth. She was unsettled by his immediate reactions. Do not.. what? she asked and edged a few steps closer. You should stay still, lest your bleeding worsen, Ame warned cautiously. He had likely lost a lot of blood, and could not be feeling well at this point, but he then offered apologies anyway.

The second she heard cougar, she tried not to tense outwardly. Somehow it made too much sense. Her eyes narrowed and she worked not to growl. Did you come from that way? she gestured towards the pocket of land where Jace and Summer had tracked the beast and smelled Ferdie's last trace with a swing of her muzzle. If so, the problem was evidently more glaring that she had first realized. Just Ferdie was bad enough. If this same cat had laid into the both of them, it just may have a troubling penchant for wolf flesh.

Do you have a pack? Or any home? she asked. There was a possibility the cougar would still be lurking nearby, or was tracking him down to finish the job once he had weakened further. But she didn't know if they even did that. Amekaze really did not have extensive knowledge of cougar hunting habits, beyond the fact that they were strong, stealth predators. Such power and unknowns together truly made them formidable.

She didn't ask any further and decided that his answer was good enough. So, she nodded just a little. This only served to reaffirm what she had said earlier -- that he should try to be still when he could, to let his bleeding slow and clot until she could figure out what to do with him. If he was seeing things, then all the more reason to do as she had said..

There have been some.. trails, in that direction, she explained stoically. And several weeks ago I ran off a ghostly cat.. one pure white with red eyes. So they lurk, she said and wondered if it had been that cat in particular. If it had been, she was sure he'd share that detail. An albino cougar was certainly not commonplace.

Nevertheless, she listened and was satisfied that he answered her without complaint -- despite literally bleeding out on her borders. I see, she grunted softly in quick understanding to his somber words about never having a home. Simply put, she knew that it was not necessary to pry deeply into that matter right now either. Now was not the time and it was far from the most interesting topic at hand here. But his offer, admittedly, intrigued her.. and all their own tracks had led them nowhere. Maybe they needed someone new on the case. Perhaps.. the dark Alpha breathed. You may just be too easy to kill right now, she deadpanned and dared him to prove otherwise. I would not want to finish what a cougar started anyway. she smirked. Her humor was her own, but really, she believed he was too wounded to even make for a challenging fight.

While she wasn't fanciful of the trespass, she sensed he may possibly make for an ally.. what with a common enemy between them already. And I would much rather see all feline terrors within a stone's throw of my mountain dead.. but you are surely not in any shape to be tracking anything right now? What is your name? she asked.

Although she measured her reaction carefully, she knew her eyes grew a little sterner as he answered. While not surprised to have her suspicions confirmed, she was angry that cat had opted to stay around.. although it evidently hadn't made a habit of lurking too close to the Sunspire. Them, with their eyes peeled for Ferdie anyway, would have spotted it.

She nodded grimly and kept the information for later. Did you at least manage to scuff it up any in exchange? she asked, having felt last time that its eerie white pelt would look better shredded. That, and she wanted to know if perhaps the cat would be tending its own injuries. Knowing the enemy was valuable, after all.

Hm.. a lengthy title, she smirked and tilted her head subtly. There had to be some meaning in it, and likely some curious heritage to boot. Wolves born from nobodies didn't get names like those. I am Ame, she breathed, with surname barred as was customary for her. This is the Sunspire, she gestured towards the peak with a quick sweep of her muzzle. You may stay, assuming you are useful. I would suspect that without injuries, you are a capable wolf in more ways than just cougar hunting, yes? He had led her to believe such, and without his injuries, he did not look to be in sore shape for a wolf without a family. Young, probably robust, she knew she had met him at a bad time.. considering he looked like he had quiet literally been chewed up and spit out here.

While she debated whether she would prefer to call him Vale or Leo, she was pleased to hear the cat did not go unscathed. Good, she chuffed with a small swish of her tail. It would have long since healed from anything she had done several weeks back when it had hunted on the base of their mountain, so she took solace in knowing it suffered again. She knew they were too powerful for their own good, and just one wolf up against a cat was far from matched, but anything was better than nothing.

Ah. Even better, then, she added as he rose to stand. She had seen the scar on his face and did not doubt he had seen uglier in some time and place, perhaps even battle or war, or maybe just squabbles among other wolves. His tenacity was noted quietly and while he was hurt, she was suspecting that he would not prove to be a burden on them, despite this strange start. There are good creeks for rinsing your wounds off not far. Also, if you begin to suspect a fever in hours or days to come.. I can help remedy it somewhat, as she had watched Aleera decently enough to know the basics, and she also knew where her and Akita's medicine stashes were. However, Ame was not quick to pressure him towards remedies without a formal medic around to pawn him off onto. He may not need them.

When he thanked her, she had begun to turn towards the aforementioned creeks with plans to lead him in their general direction. She responded with a nod and soft hm sound; it was noted. This way, she said, curious to see how he fared in motion with his wounds. I suppose this is your formal welcome. So take it for what it is worth.

You are welcome, she eventually replied. She would not be sparing him any major energy on seeing to his healing, so she did not actually consider him a huge weight for the pack to carry. So long as he did heal, with time, and return what he owed (maybe even more, if he could help destroy cougars and bolster the pack's strength), she wouldn't necessarily think of him as a burden for long. It was the mountain that could give him a place. She was just its keeper, and until he earned a modicum of her best graces, her watchful eye would be the minimum at times.

She spared him a lingering look to his apology. It was up to him if he became one for any length of time. You will heal in time, and the mountain is still plentiful. Winter loomed, but she intended to uphold this pack's strength and nurture it into the coming months. Settle in and rest, was what she offered in means of a farewell after she had led him along far enough. The mountain was at his disposal, and she would now oversee him from a distance before getting to know him better.