Ouroboros Spine you always want to watch

This place stunk.

Riddled with the stench of markers placed by bigger beasts. Still he skirted their borders, not yet feeling brave enough to cross over them. He figured...maybe he'd get luck out here. Find some food they hadn't yet stashed away. Maybe something old and stale from a hunt.

So he moved slyly. Sly as a...fox. Obviously.

If it was a bust here, he'd just go pick a raid on somewhere else.

The scent of fox crossed over the irregular line of wolf markings that Raimo had been working to upkeep. His scruff bristled slightly upon his discovery of the pest's presence, but he was confident in his ability.

Having already culled one fox and gifted its furs to Kukutux, Raimo knew he was capable of hunting them. He did wonder if it would appear to him with its red coat or white.

Focused, he began to prowl among the trees.

He kept up along the stinky trail. There was still nothing to be found. No partial eaten carcasses left strewn about or any caches unattended right outside the border. These beasts seemed far too careful for that sort of luck to be bestowed upon him.

Which drew him into some sort of impatient stamping of his front paws against the earth. As if that might summon something from below, straight into his hungry stomach.

For the time being, he remained unaware that someone else also prowled these woods nearby.

The sound of something touching upon the ground, like a drum beat or the staccato tempo of something running, drew Raimo's attention. He could not mistake the way the fox scent grew thicker, the musk rivaling the heavy aroma of pine common to these reaches.

The pounding of the earth sounded as if it were in one place. It was not something running — but what creature would be so mindless that they would invite a wolf's attention?

He moved with more fervor then, seeking the sound, winding from shadow to shadow.

Then he stopped.

Had he heard something? Entirely possible, he often heard things. Not to mention these woods were clearly inhabited. He had been the one stupid enough to come sniff around their borders in search of an easy meal.

Hesitantly he'd back up some in an uneven gait. Tried to watch the land in front of him while also traversing the land behind him.

The sound stopped, but the scent remained. It was strong. Raimo paused to listen and heard something moving about, so he moved to intercept it—at first quietly, across the path he knew, and then with more surety in his gait. He saw a flash of white-orange between the trees, where a gap allowed some winterlight to illuminate a patch of forest.

Raimo launched himself from his hiding place with the intent to drive his weight down upon the shape, but the fox was coiled in such a manner that he missed his initial dive; the irregularity of the pest's movements aided in its avoidance. Still, Raimo's head came down very close to where the fox stood and he snapped his jaws, a tendril of saliva flinging from his teeth.

AAAAAAAAA! He screamed in high-pitched shrilled tones. He deserved this, entirely. However that did not mean he had to enjoy it.

Without concern for what the path behind him might be like, he back peddled as quickly as he could and sought to turn himself so that he could actually move properly. NONONONONO. Another series of screeches that he...actually had no clue if the larger canine would understand. DON'TEATMEEEEEE.

He would try to run off with tail between his legs, but he was wholly unsure if he'd move fast enough.

The screams of the fox, shrill by default, stabbed at his ears with such violence it was as if someone had run up and boxed Raimo on the side of the head. He winced and his eyes squeezed shut for a moment, long enough for the fox to volley itself away; it was quick and it was loud, worming its way between the trees haphazardly.

Raimo felt a ringing in his head that slowly abated as he gave chase, but try as he might the disorientation of the fox's yammering had given it enough of a head start that the wolf could not make up the difference.

He charged after the glint of orange when he did spot it, but it would not be enough.

up to you if the chase continues! :)

Maybe the larger beast did understand, maybe he was simply caught off guard. Either way he would not look this gift horse in the mouth. Slobbery, drool flying mouth.

His screaming would cease in his escape, lungs more devoted to taking in and holding the air for proper use. He hoped all of his efforts would be enough to carry him far from here. He had learned his lesson and would surely not be upon their doorstep again.

Anytime soon, at least.

Breathless; the ember slipped away, the shrieking gone from the woods. Raimo tried to follow after it but he could not make up that difference. As the quiet descended upon the spine he grimaced and wheezed, then turned to drag himself in the direction he thought the fox had gone—grim in his defeat.