Boartusk Heights pardesi mere yaara, vaada nibhaana
Morningsong
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All Welcome 
backdated to 06/26 - could be a hunty or fighty thread for someone!

he had fled the white woman's fangs, her emotion that had seemed to turn on a dime, only to be faced with a new challenge.

aditya's nostrils wrinkled as the reeking boar stared him down, slavering jaws revealing those sharp tusks. there were females, too, nearby; the man was ostensibly protecting them from the wolf that had encroached upon their home.

he had never been much of a fighter, and he backed away now, his shoulders tense. he dare not utter any sort of sound or word—not that the boar would understand—lest he draw the other's ire.

it mattered not. the boar started toward him at a trot, a quick-clip, lowering its head to clip aditya's shoulder—

a sidelong blow, it turned out, for he dodged well. but the creature would attack again.
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the han was well fortified and as such, required less attention along the byways.

it was for this reason satsu became lost in her wandering; climbing a rise which was, by happenstance, not within kyn-dono's control.

drawn forth by urges, some which satsu did not yet understand; she discovered within herself a new physicality as she ranged up the naked hill.

there came a strong smell, a clattering—
as satsu reached the precipice of one rise or another, she saw.

the wedge-shaped creature, low-slung, toothy in a way she had never seen before; nearby it, an elder wolf rounding away from it.

panic beating in her breast for the man.
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he sucked in a breath, low and sharp, feeling pain rack his shoulder. he was not as young and impenetrable as he once was—but, luckily for him, still more nimble than the brawny beast. he leapt up upon a rock, then another, finding himself staring down at the boar—

and then, across a small gap, staring at another wolf.

enjoying the show? aditya asked dryly, though his tone lacked much punch, being winded and all. his chest lifted in a deep exhale, flanks still heaving from the effort. bastard took me by surprise. i suppose it was my fault, not paying enough attention to his scent nearby. . .

he glanced down and was surprised to find no blood, nor even much loss of hair. it really had been a sidelong blow, bouncing just off the bone and muscle. i got lucky.
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the agility of the man shocks her. he could have served her father as niwaban in another life; or perhaps in this one, previous to her knowledge. yet the way he speaks shows he is as foreign as the other nanban.
impressive.
satsu does not know what to do, how to help.
what is it? she calls to the man—her eyes on the beast that paces below, frothing and brandishing thick teeth.
she would keep herself high and away from it, though its eyes are fixed upon the elder.
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a boar, aditya explained, eyes shifting from her down to the creature, still frothing at the mouth. hopefully, with luck, he'd turn his attention back to his women and leave the wolves be. makes for a great meal. . .if you can avoid those tusks.

he cocked his head, looking at her once more. her scent was barely perceptible over the rank odor below, but— do you know a large white woman with yellow eyes? he asked, finding a note of familiarity there.

so far, so good, if so—she hadn't yet chased him off. perhaps they all weren't bad around here, or maybe the boar's charge had just thrown her off her game.
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boar. it is a blunt sound for a blunt creature, flitting from the man's lips quickly. he did not miss a beat as he evaded the tusked beast.
out of reach, as she was.
satsu watched the creature pace and grunt. it held a threatening aura much like the saints, moving with a challenge in its eyes, reminding the girl of the red wolf (war) who demanded she fight; or any of the giants, really.
who --? she almost missed the question but as she sucked in a breath, gave a nod.
my superior. yes. it seemed a strange place to gossip, a thought which shone in the confused expression upon her face.
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his lips clamped tightly shut. your superior, he managed, with a frown. even here, they were chasing him. although, it seemed, the boar was even more determined. still, he didn't trust her, now that she had revealed this juicy bit of intel.

i do not know whether more to fear the boar or you, aditya remarked, with a half-smile. the white witch had exuded such great power, after all. 

he took a step back, golden eyes flashing as he sought the beast. good meat, for the two of us, if we should take him down, he remarked, shaking his head. he didn't think the pair of wolves had it in them. one orb shifting, regarding her.

no. lithe, like himself. no match for an animal like that.
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watching the beast, satsu missed the look which crossed the man's face. she only looked back at him for his ensuing comment - her ears shafting sharply back against her head with some surprise.

fear me? i... why? but as she asked, she knew. the scent of the saints was strong upon her. the giants had a way about them that had earned them some notoriety.

the boar paced, coughing guttural threats between the wolves who stood unmoved. satsu doubted she could be of use here - even if the elder accepted her help. she was no lowly hunter.
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his remark had taken her aback; he hadn't intended that, but he understood. she attacked me, not far from here, aditya explained. apparently i strayed too close to your pack's territory. am i. . .too close, now?

the half-smile grew wider. if i was, i'd think you would attack me, too—boar be damned.

something was happening within the sows. aditya heard them squealing—perhaps an internal squabble. distracted by the noise, their alpha male trudged away from the wolves to see to whatever was happening there. he cast the woman a grateful look, happy that the danger had maybe passed.

i'm aditya, he introduced himself, realizing he'd neglected to do so before (though no one could blame him, in this case).
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news of this nature should not have surprised satsu. it had not yet been taught to her that the saints were a fearsome sort, only that they were humongous creatures that naturally intimidated her; at this point satsu had not thought of how they might be perceived by those around them.
she thought of who he could mean and imagined nyra almost immediately. a shallow feeling of shame spread through her, darkening her eyes as she looked away - thankfully at the same time the boar moved off from them.
when the elder introduced himself satsu nodded her head and answered, i am ushiyo satsu. would... would an apology from me make any difference, for the actions of my superior? likely not; satsu did not have the power to do much among the saints and as an unforgiving lot, an apology was far from their realm of normality.
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he took her name in and then grinned, admiring very much her effort to apologize for her leader. i do not hold it against you, ushiyo satsu, he promised, dipping his muzzle. i only wished to understand. not to mention this she-wolf was much different from her packmate.

he was relaxing, now that the boar had departed. with a deep inhale and a bunching of muscles, he crossed the gap toward her, taking in more deeply her scent.

one of the saints. . .but her own, as well. she was pretty. aditya's eyes lingered for a moment upon her frame before returning to her eyes.

thank you for keeping me company, he murmured, mouth quirking. i should go.
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with the boar gone, the only threat that remained would be satsu.
it pained her to think that this old man was a victim of the saints; these beings she had pledged herself to, whom were so powerful yet so negligent with that power. if only she could correct whatever mistake they had made with him - !
she did not understand the true saint any more than he did, though.
his murmurings were met with a nod, a fleeting sorrow to her spirit.
be careful, she answered, watching as he found his footing.