Sleekwing's first training lesson hadn't been exactly what I had expected. He'd prefaced the trials to come with words meant to test the will of those present and then we'd....gone out on border patrol? Sure, he'd shown us some important facets to the job, expressed the importance of how we were the first line of defense in the pack, and more, but it had been a little bit of a letdown. But, there was always the next part, that would surely prove much more interesting - the spars to come. Whether I would face the other boy that had been there that day, or Sleekwing himself, I was determined to be ready for the trial by combat. And what better exercise regimen than the one my uncle had used for so many years to keep him fit?

I jogged along the northern edge of Spirane, recalling the lessons Sleekwing had imparted on us about the border that we shared with Taviora. Though it had never presented any threat in the past due to our friendly nature with Taviora's founding family, no alliance had been brokered with the newest King in the Forest. If, for whatever reason, someone connected to him wanted to wage war against us, what better way to infiltrate our home than through the open back door? Not on my watch.

Alright so maybe it was a bit of a farfetched possibility - Hyrule didn't have any reason (that I was aware of) to aid others in a war against us - but I needed something of interest to keep me moving along the borders. Alert to scents and sights that were out of place, I continued on my way. Knowing how important patrolling the borders was didn't keep me from growing a little bored of it, and I had only made my way partially along the northern border. How did Sleekwing do this every day? But the thought only lingered for a moment, my interest renewed as I heard the short howl of someone nearby. Grinning to myself, I set off at a lope to greet whoever had come calling from the forests.

I spotted his white form, splashed with black in the front and red in the back, waiting among a stand of trees that was shared by both packs. Making my way towards him, I began to slow my pace as I closed the distance between us. My lips parted to bark a greeting, but my rust rimmed mahogany eyes suddenly grew wide and a warning call came out instead. "Look out!" I called, putting on a burst of speed to close the distance, ramming my shoulder into his and knocking him out of the way just as the cat that had been creeping up from behind him lunged. Apparently I wasn't the only female in the vicinity to hear his call.

The tawny bodice of the cougar missed us both, but I felt the air rush through my fur as her claws just missed slicing open my shoulder. Swinging my hindquarters around so that I faced her head on, my head lowered and lips peeled back. A snarl rose in my throat, warning her that these mountains were not her hunting grounds and she would find no prey in the wolves that called it home. She crouched down low, as if to pounce again, but lingered there. It was in those moments that I was able to get a better look at her. Ribs protruded obviously from her lackluster coat, and she was very small besides her underweight condition. Was she just as young as us? Us! I made the foolish mistake of glancing to my side to look for the guest I had come to greet, and that was when the young mountain lion lunged.

ooc: feel free to powerplay nym and bend the kitty's actions to your will! c: