Janine managed to follow the scent trail until she ran upon a small clearing with various kinds of bushes. Berry bushes? Janine walked up towards one of them and inspected it. No, no berries, so that wouldn’t be something that would mess her up - but they were fragrant in a sense, so that was something to consider. But there were a few of them. Sighing with slight frustration, Janine padded up to another bush before spying something moving inside it. She slowed down immediately, crouching low to the ground as she crawled to the moving shadow inside. When she was close enough, Janine hissed as she lunged forward, startling the creature inside.

“Gotch-AH!”

Janine hissed in surprise as she was suddenly jumped by a squirrel. She flailed around as she tried to get the smaller creature off her, falling to the ground while chomping at air trying to get the squirrel. The little squirrel scurried off Janine’s large body and rushed to the closest tree, taking the advantage as Janine hurried to get on her feet. When she got up, the little snack was already up the tree; it irritated Janine, though she showed it with a laugh. She walked up to the tree, watching the squirrel as it looked down at her from its perch in the branches.

“That’s why your mama was so fat that the other squirrels couldn’t tell if she was just another acorn or not!” Janine hissed. The little creature chattered before it leaped to another tree.

With that little business done with, Janine resumed her search. She could feel that Raban was close, but where was he? She sat down with a huff, irritation flowing through her as she flicked her tail. Where could Raban be? She inhaled through her nose, ready to snort the air back out, when she caught that stench again. With a hiss, Janine forced the air back out, her tail rattling rapidly in tandem to her irritation. Why was she catching that scent? Sure she smelled the other scents, but that one was the strongest for some reason. It was as if she was just tracking a nasty pile of animal crap. The wind was blowing it all sorts of ways, so she couldn’t tell which way was the proper way.

“Raban if you can hear me, damn you for rolling in that shit! When I find you, I’m going to bite you, then we’ll see how fast you can run!” Janine yelled as she circled the outer rim of the clearing. A shiver spread through her body as the wind blew against her back, reminding her that this wasn’t a nice warm day in the middle of summer, but instead a cool, borderlining chilly afternoon in the beginning of autumn. She growled softly as she stared at the invisible air, feeling as if the wind was mocking her for her sensitivity to the temperature it controlled. It somehow made her more determined to find Raban, if only to find someplace warmer for the day.

“I wish the wind would just stop already,” Janine hissed to herself. Almost as if it was responding to her, the winds picked up for a few moments, only to slow down and gradually still. Incredulously, Janine lifted her head as the forest quieted as far as the wind was concerned. The forest was still alive, but the air was dead at that moment in time. At least down here. Up in the taller trees, Janine was able to see the upper branches sway in the wind, while the air closer to the ground was still.

Great. Fucking great. Now the air was stagnant. What did that mean for her tracking? Hesitantly, Janine sniffed the air, trying to pick up a scent. She barely caught Raban’s scent, but it didn’t seem to lead anywhere. A surge of anger welled in Janine in the form of a sudden roar and a fierce swipe of a paw against a tree. Bark flew as her claws left marks in the trunk, her frustrations getting the better of her. Scales flexed as Janine sat on her haunches, trying not to get too worked up over a game. It was supposed to be fun.

She was supposed to be having fun. How did Raban keep his enthusiasm up? A bit of movement caught Janine’s eye when she looked up. It barely caught her attention, but it was enough for her to get up and move towards the largest bush in the area. When she got close to the object of her attention, Janine placed a paw on it before laying down. A cute piece of fluff. From the squirrel? Her tongue slithered out of her mouth to flick itself around the ball of fuzz. It had two familiar scents on it. One was Raban’s, and the other was something else. Not the squirrel. But something that she’d detected and encountered before. Seeing this as a sign, Janine decided to focus on the wolf’s scent, lifting her head to take in what the stagnant air had to offer. When she opened her mouth, Janine hissed in surprise.

Raban’s scent was stronger here. Around her. Here. So he was close, closer than she’d hoped.

Her hope and enthusiasm slowly rising again, Janine got up on her paws and searched the area once more, determined to find Raban. Even so, the newest scent was throwing her off. It was probably her subconscious trying to piece together every bit of information that her senses were picking up, which, while often helpful at times, was distracting her right now. She knew that smell, but she couldn't place where or why. She felt as if she should be wary or cautious - something in her memory or instinct told her so. She sighed while circling the largest bush for no real reason.

'Focus. I have to focus. Or at least filter the scents I have,' Janine urged herself.

Sitting down, Janine forced herself to do… something. Focus. She stared blankly, until a shift in the bush ahead of her caught her attention. She was curious, but wary - it made her want to stay out, but she wanted to see what was in the bush. So Janine tried to do something along the lines of squinting, even though snakes couldn't do such things. She tried her hardest to see the darkness within the bush, focus her senses on whatever little movement was taking place, to catch the animal within the bush with her sights only.

After a minute or so Janine felt something shift within her. Her vision. It blinked… or something blinked. Startled, Janine rose to her feet, hissing nervously as she began backing away into the forest. What is happening now?! The forest was soon changing color: greens and browns all became bluish in color. Janine stumbled, her eyes having switched her entire world in seconds. She happened to glance at her body, which was a blend of orange and red.

'What the hell is this?! What happened to my normal vision?'

Janine looked at the forest and noticed the trees being somewhat discernable from the rest of the world. They looked more defined in a sense. She put a paw on a tree trunk and stroked it - it felt normal, it just didn't look normal. Slowly, Janine got to her feet and looked around. There were animals she saw in the trees - birds and squirrels. They still have their shapes in a sense, but they were various shades of brighter colors. So did the brighter colors mean animals?

She looked down to the large and strange pile of orange and red that stayed in that bush, and felt something familiar again. Something inside her told her that she was on the right path. She slowly stalked the bush from a distance, trying to make sure that she didn't bump into any trees as she purposefully walked behind them - which was harder said than done. Another whiff of Raban caught her tongue, further suggesting what she was fiercely trying to prove. That seemed to satisfy Janine. Sitting behind a tree, Janine struggled to get her vision back to normal. She strained and tried to think about her normal eyes, and how the forest looked before it changed. Eventually, the world went back to normal, relief washing over her as she looked towards the bush in the distance. She couldn't tell which way Raban was facing, but she'd eventually find out.

With excitement beginning to flow again, the young demon circled the bush to find his backside. When she found it, she made sure she was silent, low to the ground and slow as she could without stalling. She inched closer to Raban, using the thick bush as her cover after leaving the trees, tongue flicking and tail twitching, but not rattling. She lifted a paw in preparation to strike, and in that last moment, her tail rattled.

"Found you!" Janine hissed harshly. She lunged forward... but she completely missed the fact that thorns coated the bush as if it was its fur. Her snout and paws were completely surrounded by prickly brambles. A hissing-roar of surprise bombarded the immediate air around her, forcing the serpentine demon to reel back in pain as her tail thrashed near the bush. She found some of the prickly thorns on her paw, but she couldn't let herself be distracted. Forcing herself to fight the pinching pain, Janine faced where she had found Raban, hoping to have trapped him somehow.
 
Ears pricked at her yelled words that bounced off the tree trunks and bushes. He had to grin satisfied that his experience with using multiple scents, particularly shit, was throwing her off track. Perhaps not completely but it was enough to irk her, clearly. Question was whether she would give up or carry on with determination. He could not foresee someone as stubborn as Janine giving up on this chase. He would be disappointed if she did; her stubbornness matched his own and he found an equal in her that he had never had before.

Raban shifted carefully, trying to ignore the smell of the shit he had rolled himself in. He was longing for a bath now and wondered if the smell of wet dog would put her off. Doubtful. The scent of 'wet dog' was distinctive and he wasn't a good swimmer. Perhaps once she caught him then... well, if she caught him.

If was good.

The air slowed in its own stead and he tilted his head slightly. That could aid him or provide him a hindrance. These things were never foolproof and the claws to his feet dug slightly in the earth in little furrows, ready to break into a full run. He would have one shot to run free if and when she found him. He knew her predatory reflexes were just as good as his own when she had faith in herself and she had been doing that a lot more lately. He was proud of her for that. Incredibly proud.

The wolf heard what sounded like wood being separated from itself and he flinched just slightly and then frowned. His flinch could have given away his position if she was watching the right spot. He was itching with excitement but he had to be patient and bide his time suitably. The hardest part was always the ambush and the waiting involved. He lived more for the chase, but this part of the game was just as important.

His ears flicked, he could hear her and he knew she was close. He couldn't see her but for him he relied more on his hearing and smell more than his sight. He grew tense, the sense of danger making his hackles rise and he was ready to spring. It was a torment keeping himself like this, he wanted to run but to do so now would be just too soon.

Rattle.

His ears snapped on the sound with a pinpoint accuracy that told him she was right upon him. He heard her triumphant exclamation followed by her hissing roar. He howled and used the distraction that the thorns had provided him to dart out from his hiding spot. He wasn't free of thorns himself and left behind a few tufts of his own black, sleek fur on the bush as he sprung out like a freed coil. It was not as fast as the strike of a viper but fast enough to provide him a decent head start.

He did not fool himself into believing his tactic had won completely. She was a predator who also excelled in the chase. She was no true snake that was too slow to follow such a beast like himself. She had the speed to match his own. perhaps even better. She had the advantage of youth whereas he had the advantage of more years under his proverbial belt. He ran on his fours, it was faster and more convenient as he bounded through the trees.
 
The moment Raban leaped out of his hiding spot, Janine felt herself grow excited again. Yes! The chase was on again! And this time, she wasn’t letting him out of her sights. She snapped at his feet, but missed as he dashed off. Without thinking, she placed her weight on her feet, forgetting the prickles that were still attached to her pads, and hissed with the sudden pain.

“Damn you!” Janine snarled as she claws them off with her free paw. When they were gone, she leaped over the bush to race after him, his black body still in view despite his head-start. Her heart pumped as she zipped through the trees, watching Raban as he made his way through the forest. There was no way that she was going to lose him this time! The pain in her paw had faded to the background, allowing Janine to run at her full potential. She was thankful that the pain didn’t bother her as much as it could’ve - she had more pressing matters to deal with.

As she ran, Janine thought about how to get close to Raban and tag him. Maybe the answer would come to her? No, no time to let things stay as they were! She couldn’t let Raban have time to think about escaping! With a hiss, the young serpent demon searched for paths that would make the gap closer. Or… Maybe she could flank him! She noticed that Raban wasn’t good in sharper turns when it came to running, so any kind of turning he’d have to do would have to be from a distance. And yet, at the same time, she had to be careful not to get overzealous in her pursuit. Even though she had the advantage, she was still larger - the thinner trees of this part of the forest were closer together than the pine forest earlier - it would be hard for her to make reckless moves as well.

With that in mind, Janine weaved through the trees, the gap between the demon and werewolf getting steadily shorter as the chase drew on. Even so, she kept her distance on the chance that he’d try something.
 
He felt the rush of air behind him but he paid it little mind. The focus now was running and keeping ahead of her as he surged through the forest looking for ways to put more distance between them. She wasn't happy, Raban heard the frustration and irritation from the thorns and he could imagine she was going to give him a piece of her mind when she caught up to him. He probably deserved it, but in his mind it was a valid hiding tactic. Not every creature was willing to hide in thorns or bother trying to seek something hiding in thorns that might do them damage. Sometimes it was worth validating whether a kill was worth the effort or risk.

Raban skidded around the bend of an oak tree, the claws on his feet enabling him to keep traction with how fast he was travelling otherwise he would likely have skidded and possibly crashed. He didn't fancy the indignation of that, it was bad enough he stank of shit. He might have to chance going through water to confuse her sense of smell again, she'd track the smell of him easily enough now. He leapt to a tree, bounding off the trunk half way up its height to land and bound off another. He did this across several trees before he landed on the leaf dirt again, sending a spray of leaves behind him.

His triangular ears remained pricked to detect where she was around him. He had to anticipate how she would chase him just as she would have to anticipate his own. Flanking would be the likely choice and one he would have gone for too. Flanking would allow her to make the opportune choice of when to close the gap and hone in on him. His tail flicked with a flash of sleek fur.

Raban opted to remain within the tree line. This was where being large was a hindrance unless you were stocky like a bear. It was insane the speed at which bears could gain on you. He had learned to not underestimate their bulk. However, she was far more lithe and taller. The trees weren't going to be her greatest ally. So when he noted the tree line thinning out, he turned back in course corrected, leaping upwards to a tree branch. Like an overgrown, short-tailed squirrel, he leapt from branch to branch hoping to outrun her. Out leap her? He huffed, all he had to do was keep running, keep going and use his endurance against her but she had proved she could go very quite some time.

This was getting interesting.
 
The chase was going to be a bit more difficult this time. Janine knew that Raban was more experienced with chasing than her - all she had going for her was her basic knowledge of hunting, and her thoughts, which she didn't even know would even apply properly. Playing tag with a werewolf was not the same as playing with a child. To be fair, this whole game of tag wasn't traditional to begin with from beginning to end.

Even so, being chased was something that Janine felt she could capitalize on better, not chasing. There were a lot more things to pay attention to when one played like beasts. After this game, she'd have to ask Raban to help her hunt better. Her eyes were constantly shifting between Raban and the trees as she ran past them at fast speeds, though her peripheral vision assisted her rather well.

She didn't even realize that they were running back out of the forest again, until the last second when Raban shifted course. She hissed in frustration when she slowed down, barely able to take notice of the opportunity that was snatched before it was realized. She had no time to react to it though - Raban was already leaping through the trees and gaining distance again.

She turned her body with almost the same amount of speed, legs propelling her body forward as she now has to look up in the trees while Raban jumped through the trees like some squirrel.

"I've had enough squirrels for one day Raban!" Janine hissed irritably. Considering where he was all that time she was looking for him, he had to have seen her little tussle with the tree rodent. That would've made her embarrassed if she wasn't so focused on the task at hand.

Raban was jumping and hopping through the branches above her, and while he was strong and able to keep an even pace, she knew that all that energy in making such leaps between trees was bound to slow him down - unless he was some sort of speed demon or had some sort of swinging technique to make him faster, leaping in the trees wasn't that much of a faster method than running on the ground. Her gaze kept onto Raban, but she was trying to figure out how to get him down. Common sense would tell him to get down the moment she'd climb the trees after him. She wasn't powerful enough to knock trees over, so that wasn't even an option.

Janine hissed irritably, realizing that her best bet was to keep her pace a little slower, which was risky, but it prevented her from running ahead and losing him if he ever decided to stop in a tree. Her mouth was open for most of this chase, so she was constantly licking up scents that floated in the forest. One of them was something that made her mouth water. She subconsciously swallowed her throat, the cool and fresh scents floating to her head and filling her mind with visions of swimming.

Water! Were they near some sort of water source? Hopefully another lake or maybe a river. The sheer possibility of water being nearby gave Janine an idea. She had to flank him to ensure that they both were going the same direction.

And that meant going in the trees.

With a huff, Janine looked up, making sure she knew where Raban was. She just hoped that the winds didn't carry the scent of water up there with him. Seeing where his general direction was, she ran faster, actually going ahead of the wolf as she did crude calculations of his leaping positions. She practically ran up the tree, propelling herself up with the assistance of the sturdy branches until she was up to Raban's tree level. Turning around, she saw Raban running towards her, and when he was close, she leaped at him, hoping he'd panic and change his course. Of course, if she tagged him, that would be fine as well. With a snarl, Janine leaped after him through the trees, though she was now several feet underneath him to make sure it wouldn't be easy to descend completely to the ground level. She made sure they were going towards the water, no matter how far it would be.
 
Raban focused as he ran, his padded feet and claws gripping branches as he branch-hopped from tree to tree, being careful to avoid broken stems as he went. He had learnt that the hard way when he first started racing through the branches. Raban did not like falling from trees as much as leaping through the trees felt amazing. Hitting and smacking into branches on the way down coupled with whatever he slammed into at the end was not a fun experience.

He had to pace himself after a while and paused briefly to catch his bearings. There were deer nearby but there was also a faint whiff of ursine on the same breeze. It was sorely tempting to diverge from the game and catch a deer for them but it would rob Janine of her turn to catch him and defeat the point of this exercise. He licked over his nose with regret before he continued on. He hadn't gone that much further when he suddenly saw Janine ahead of him. Yellow eyes widened as he bounded off in another direction away from her.

Raban knew he had been anticipated and wasn't dismayed by this. He welcomed it. He made longer leaps and almost missed a leap at one point, gouging bark with his claws. The air grew musty but he wasn't paying attention to that. With every course correction he tried, she was there to make him go back the other way. She was proving to prove herself an annoying not-so-little tick, yet it was working.

She was in the trees below him now as well following and heading him off. He stopped for a moment before racing onwards again. The breeze picked up, grew stronger and made the leaves and branches rustle. It was a cacophony of noise about his ears and it wasn't helping him with directions of what lay where. It made being aware of the world around him harder to focus upon. He squinted, there was something he couldn't make out as he ran on. He couldn't stay put for too long, it would only invite that tag to land on him so Raban knew he must keep moving regardless of where she was now. She was hot on his hocks.

The canopy grew thicker, more noisy so he had to opt for lower branches to aid vision and calculating jumping distance between the branches he was leaping on and off. One false calculation in the space of seconds and it would all be over before he would realise it. He sniffed, no, she was still there hounding at him, forcing his direction and his level in the trees. Where was she herding him to? Now that he came to think about it, she was treating him like a wayward sheep from its flock. The irony wasn't lost on him in his analogy, yet that was exactly how it felt. Raban gave out an amused snort, one she likely heard but he didn't have to worry about being quiet at all

The trees were slowly thinning out and more light filtered through the trunks of the trees in rays. At its zenith], the sun was almost blinding and he blinked. He was a creature of the dark, not of the light, and thus the moments he took to blink caused him to not comprehend where she had been driving him till it was too late. He could make no calculation for a leap and the river was too wide for him to fully leap across it. It was clear that there had been rains at the river's source fairly recently. It was flowing with some good current behind it. Raban flicked an ear.

"You know what, Little Wolf? I like her more and more,"

He huffed irritably to the bemused voice in his head. He had mere moments to make his decision and he had no idea how well she swam by comparison. Raban was not the strongest of swimmers, even in human form. It wasn't that he didn't know how, just that he was slow and the smell was horrible. Movement caught his attention to force his decision from him. It was fight or flight, and he wasn't about to fight Janine. This was a game of chase after all and if he fought her, it would just make it easier for her to get what the point of their game was.

With a howl, he leapt away from her and the tree and landed in the flowing river below. His leap from the tree was graceful in every lupine way of imagination, his landing, however, was the complete and total opposite of finesse. Raban landed and splashed into the river with an upward spread of water before he was carried down the current.

"Heh, how embarrassing for you."
"Shut up... "


He was vulnerable and he disliked that feeling, intensely. Perhaps this was how she felt when it was cold with winter.

Damn you, Janine. Well played, but damn you.
 
Janine smiled in her head as she leaped across the trees. Her plan was working! She could only imagine Raban's frustration as he was being led through the forest, oblivious to her plans of trapping him. Or maybe she wouldn't trap him and he was a very good swimmer, which would be annoying, but from this high up, getting in the water would be troublesome to say the least.

The scent of water grew stronger and stronger, making Janine proud of herself that she was able to track down a random source of water. She hoped it would be a lake - she could rest at the banks while Raban struggled to stay away from her in the water. But as they got closer, the sounds of rushing water dashed away that hope. No matter, water was water.

The light in her eyes made Janine flinch as well, and she slowed down to avoid the direct sunlight that shone through the canopy. She heard Raban react to the new territory as he paused - this made the serpent stop completely, panting heavily as he took in the sight of his trap.

'Ha! Gotcha Raban!' Janine thought with pride.

In her mind he was as good as tagged, and it was just a matter of touching him to seal the deal. But as she climbed a tree to get at the same level as him, she noticed that his hesitation accelerated his thoughts, and she hurriedly made a lunge to get him. A howl was all she got in response as she slammed into the branches that just held the wolf, a gasp exiting her mouth as she watched the grown wolf leap into the cold water below.

"No way, he actually did it," Janine breathed as she stared at the flowing river. Even for her, this was a bit of a distance for a jump down, but in the face of danger, you never know what you would do.

Even so, this got even more amusing and fun. Janine hurried herself as she climbed down the tree, running on the ground to keep pace with the flailing wolf in the water. He may be in his wolf form, but she expected him to at least use human tactics to swim around. Janine didn't worry though - she was too busy teasing Raban, who seemed to be struggling the tiniest bit.

"Hahaha! Hi there Raban! Lovely day for a swim, yes? Finally taking your bath I see?" The serpent teased as she ran along the bank, hopping and running around boulders and logs and bushes.

"That'll teach you to roll around in filth! Make sure you get behind the ears," Janine hissed with great amusement.
 
Raban was aware she had tried to tag him before he had leapt from the tree he had previously been clinging too and part of him felt sorry for leaping away but the rest of him knew that if this was a real life situation, prey wasn't going to be that obliging or making it easy for anyone to get them. So, he wasn't going to benefit her by making it easy for her to achieve her mission of catching him by doing that. This was giving them both valuable experiences as well as play.

He blinked as water went over his head, limbs flailing for a moment before they strove to control his body through fast flowing water. This current was strong, just enough to make it more difficult for one such as himself who struggled with good swimming. He wasn't graceful as he swam. It was a weird mix of doggy paddle and frog style/breaststroke.

Raban had gone under a couple of times , his triangular head reappearing, with his ears laid flat against wet fur of his skull. He had to reach the side, at least before she decided to find a crossing point or join him in this fast flowing water. His fur felt heavy and horrible, even underwater, more so above water.

He heard taunts though he knew they were not malicious in nature. he felt Chestnut's laughter ring about hi ears. He was pretty sure she was neighing aloud as well in her amusement of the situation he was now in. At least Janine had made a step up the ladder of who Chestnut liked. That was something. Raban made a mental note to try and find a ticklish spot later in reply as he huffed. It did nothing for him, he ended up taking a mouthful of water.

Spluttering somewhat, he was carried further down the river. It was deep enough so that he couldn't stand, his claws barely could grab purchase on any stones below him. He wondered just how much rain had fallen recently to have been the cause of this current. He growled as something bashed into his leg. It was enough of a distraction that he didn't immediately hear the rush of water that was coming towards him. There was a waterfall lined with some boulders worn by the water over time.

"Careful Little Wolf!"

The words of alarm rang loud in his head. Chestnut had heard what he had missed and knew the meaning of it. He saw the lip of the waterfall coming closer and closer and gulped. Well, that was unsettling. He didn't have much time before he would meet the lip of the waterfall. Well, at least Janine was finding this funny but he hoped she wasn't letting herself grow distracted.

With the knowledge he wasn't going to reach a riverbank in time, he readied himself for the strike and fall ahead, protecting his head for the most part. The rush of water got louder and louder, it almost got too painful to bear as he was then smacked into the boulders that lined the lip of the waterfall's edge. Hard enough to be painful, make him take a lungful of water on and he knew he would have bruising later. It was then he was sent tumbling over the edge of the waterfall, in almost a comical catapult of arms and legs.

He landed into the water below with another loud and painful smack and didn't come up straight away. After a moment though, he fought through pain and fought to break the surface with his head. It was then he realised she might have panicked and come to get him, but he knew it was also a chance for her to tag him.
 
Janine was enjoying herself thoroughly as she watched Raban swimming in the river. Even his growling made her laugh - it reminded her of a begrudging dog that was forced to have a bath. Even so, she saw him struggling a little, so she ceased her taunting and teasing and decided to help Raban, for his lack of proper form made her question whether he knew how to swim.

"Paddle with closed hands! And you have to kick your legs downwards on the stroke. The back legs are one of the most important things for swimming!" Janine hissed. She followed him with no rush until she noticed the water being more rough. She frowned, concerned but not showing it until he went underwater. At this point, she grew nervous; where was this river leading to? When would it calm down? She wasn't liking how this scene was turning out, and she began hopping several feet ahead of Raban to try and find a place to help him get back to land.

Instead, Janine found herself just before a cliff - and a waterfall to her left.

Oh no. A waterfall?!

"Oh shit! Raban! Raban, swim over here!" Janine cried out as she climbed over a boulder and ran a few feet into the water. She quickly backed away, realizing that she herself would be swept away before she could even help. She felt panic rising in her chest, panting as she backtracked, watching helplessly as the werewolf slammed into boulders and was forced underwater multiple times.

Janine roared as she ran back in the water, being just at the cusp between being swept away and staying anchored to semi solid mud. She stretched her neck out, hoping to be close enough to at least touch Raban, but to no avail. With a whimper, Janine turned back around to the bankside, anxiety driving her forward until he finally went over the falls. She craned her neck over the edge of the cliff as she watched Raban freefall into the pool of water below.

"Raban!" The young demon cried before she ran down the slanted cliff side that allowed her to descend relatively safely to the forest below. Panting with worry, Janine ran between trees and over logs and tree roots, ignoring the damp mosses and grasses that lay on the forest floor as she frequently switched her gaze from where she was to the werewolf in the pool. She had to be slower in her descent, lest she trip and hurt herself, but she was impatient with concern for Raban. When she got to the forest below, she watched as Raban splashed around, though he didn't seem to be so eager to get to dry land.

It occurred to Janine that maybe he wasn't able to swim anymore, and she stepped into the water to go after him, only to be stopped by how cold the water was. She looked down, hissing at the water that pooled at her feet before looking at her own body. Oh yeah, she had gotten in the river upstream. With a huff she ignored the temperature of the water as she leaped in, knowing that she'd eventually get used to it. While it didn't look like it, her hare-ish legs were powerful propellers in water as well as on land, and her large feline paws only aided her endeavor to reach Raban.

When she reached him, she hissed as she swam around him, trying to find a proper side to grab him. She dove her neck under his arm, hoping he'd tighten it around her, and swam back to the edge of the bank with Raban in tow. When she was satisfied with where Raban was placed, she circled him, breathing heavily as she scoured Raban's body.

"Are you okay? I saw you hit some rocks before going down. Were there rocks underneath the water? Are you hurt?" Janine asked as concern and worry saturated her tone.
 
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Raban could hear her instructions from the banks of the river. Her amusement and teasing seemed to switch to something with more concern as time went on. He huffed even as he tried to oblige her instruction much in the same way as he was already doing half of what she was saying. The rush of the current was strong, the water was above its banks and it was proving difficult to swim either with or against it.

In that moment he saw the boulder coming for him and wet ears flicked, vaguely aware she was trying to get to him. This time, he didn't mind at all if she did, the game was forgotten by now. This was something he hadn't anticipated for despite his decision to make the jump was justified in many ways. Sometimes you had to take such risks to survive.

This was going to hurt, he mused, seconds before he slammed into the first boulder and then the next one, and another one after that before he felt the fall. He supposed the upshot of all this was that he would no longer be covered in leaves, flowers and shit but he wasn't looking forward to the bottom. He winced heavily, his maw baring teeth as he felt the impact of slamming into the water's surface. Raban blinked and then recollected in that moment that this was the first time he had experienced this.

It was an effort to swim, the impact of falling had driven much of his air out of his lungs and he felt disorientated, dizzy and uncoordinated. He knew he had probably gone under a few times as he fought to keep his jaws above water, a black snout glistening to mark his position every time he managed it. The water was churned by the waterfall and it was not super clear from what it had dredged along the way from its source.

Raban wasn't conscious of time or how long he was struggling down here but after a while he felt something push upwards into his frame. After a start, he realised who it must of been and clung to what he realised was her neck. The water was cold so he knew this couldn't have been an easy decision. He would not have blamed or minded if she had left him to his own devices. He couldn't die from drowning although it would remain an unpleasant experience. Still, he was grateful that she was not willing to leave him struggling.

The wolf clung tighter, she clearly had a stronger mastership over swimming than he did. Raban knew how and he could do it but he wasn't the best swimmer. Even a human could outswim him. He disliked being in water, the way his fur or hair felt and the weird sense of bouyancy that seemed entirely counter intuitive. It was disturbing.

She brought him to the bank, returning him to sense of grounding him back with something he preferred. He was breathing heavily and he shifted heavily to his fours. Maybe he looked pitiful or pathetic but he didn't care. Raban was happy to be out of that water. Had he realised how fast the water was before jumping, he may not have made the decision he made... but he couldn't change that now. He flopped to his back, a flat stomach riding the breathing out as he fought for air.

Raban's eyes slow blinked as she spoke and eyed him over. He bore new cuts where the sharper edges of rocks had struck him but he knew he was going to feel the bruising more in time to come. The cuts looked superficial and unimportant.

With effort, he transformed back to his human state knowing if he didn't the scent of 'wet dog' was going to fill the air around them. 'Wet Dog' when it came to werewolves was not a pleasant smell at all and often got the wolf involved into a land of stink; possibly another reason he disliked water. Made it easier for others to track them by. Raban wasn't concerned with modesty, if she was put off by it, she would have shown that by now.. His chest expanded and fell in quick succession before eventually evening out. Without the fur to hide the cuts, they were now more evident on his body. His arms and chest had taken most of the punishment.

"Not-Nothing that won't heal quickly," he knew it took nothing away from how much it had hurt though. He might not be able to die from something like what just happened, but he still felt it as if it were happening to its fullest.

"I-I'm all right... Truly. Yeah, plenty... Don't recommend... hitting into those..."

He looked towards her and snorted after a moment, "Guess this means you got me... Nice work with the herding, by the way." Raban nodded and after a moment, he sat himself up, feeling one spot on his arm which had taken the first strike from the rocks. It wasn't broken but he knew he'd be black and blue come the next couple of days.

"I enjoyed that... Good game..."
 
It was worrying, seeing someone going down a waterfall. Janine knew it could’ve been worse, but it was bad enough for her to see Raban down that waterfall by itself. She looked back up the waterfall that thundered down the river water, water dripping down her legs and fur as she stood. She shook herself, water flying everywhere as she tried to expel as much as she could. She couldn’t afford to let too much moisture linger on her; if she did, the temperature would end up working against her. Her body was still capable of producing its own heat, and she was very tolerant of the hotter spectrum for temperatures, but in the cooler temperatures, it was more of a balancing act than just tolerating it.

The wind blew against her body, and she couldn’t help but shiver at the feeling. It was uncomfortable, but she didn’t want to focus too much on herself. Just when she was about to turn around, a voice broke the silence she had been so used to. She turned around with a small gasp, and was face to face with Raban in his naked, human form. His lighter skin revealed the cuts that had been made from the rocks he bumped into, and he was holding his arm as if it was hurting.

"Raban? You changed back," the serpent said in surprise.

He mentioned that he was fine, but she didn’t like the way that it looked. Even if he was able to heal quickly from his cuts, she couldn’t help but feel as if it was her fault. She just wanted to trap him, not force him to swim in fast flowing water. His words brought her back into the conversation for a moment - he mentioned her herding skills and the game. Oh. She had completely forgotten she was playing tag with him.

“Oh… Oh yeah. Good game,” Janine hissed sadly. Her head bowed down to see his cuts easier. “I’m sorry, Raban. I didn’t expect you to jump in the water. I just thought you’d just try to climb down the tree, or give up, or something. If the water wasn’t so fast, I’d have saved you sooner,” Janine fretted. She shivered again, but she shook her fur again to ride it out. She hoped her body could hold out until the water dried up. “Maybe I should’ve gone in anyway? I just… Don’t like the cold water,” Janine hissed hesitantly.
 
His eyes remained closed for a long moment. Had Raban been alone, he wouldn't have remained in such an open place like this. However, there was no one else here but them and their horses and he was comfortable being himself around Janine. There were so few people who could understand him without a need to explain why or how for. Being on his back and eyes closed reflected his trust in her with his life, it was an otherwise vulnerable position for anyone, never mind a supernatural predator.

Janine commented on his change and he quirked a smile, nodding, "Not sure I'm up for another chase today."

He just focused on his breathing. Once he had a handle on that, everything else was made easier. After he sat up, he loosely wrapped his arms around his knees. He looked towards her again and saw the worry and concern in her eyes and posture. Raban hoped she wasn't blaming herself or anything, he had meant it when he expressed enjoyment at the game. It might have been a child's past time but it had presented some very useful tips and practices. It had benefited them both and that was what was important.

"Don't apologise, Janine. What you did was a perfectly viable tactic and one I'd recommend you do again if the situation arises. More you can keep control of a chase, the more it goes in your favour," he smiled, clearly at ease with his own words.

"I made a choice. A risky one, certainly, but sometimes a situation calls for such decisions. My aim was to avoid you whereas yours was to catch your prey, or tag as we were playing. I had little time to calculate all the risks involved, only that I was faced with either jumping in and putting distance between us or risk you tagging me if I chose to escape via the trees. If anything, the fault lies with my choice, not through your actions," he relayed calmly now that his breathing was back in his control. He glanced to one of the larger cuts he now bore, a diagonal slant on the arm that had taken most of the brunt, blood seeping from the wound. He carefully wiped that clean with absent thought as he sat there with her next to him, her head low as if eyeing his wounds over. He smiled to himself, feeling a 'mother hen' vibe coming through but he didn't go as far as to voice what he was thinking.

"No... No I think you made the right call to have entered the water when you did, Janine. You can't help others unless you're safe to do so or the risk ratio is more to your favour. That current was very strong, must've rained up in the mountains recently." he reached out to cup her jawline, his thumb stroking in such a fashion as if he was emulating a squeeze of the shoulder before he returned his arm to around his knees.

"Let me know if you are too cold though, Chestnut can offer some warmth, or body heat is also a thing," he said, knowing she didn't cope with the cold very well. He hoped the water hadn't been too cold for her. Raban didn't want her slowing down or getting a chill or worse. He had seen those die with pneumonia and it wasn't a pleasant way to go. The wolf had a strong interest in keeping his friend alive.
 
It was hard to not feel guilty. All Janine was doing was thinking on her toes, but her choices led to Raban jumping into the river. At least in her mind. Janine hesitated, even as Raban explained why it happened. She looked down with a growling hiss, more to herself than anything. But after he finished, Janine mulled it over. Of course, Raban was right. She wanted to tag him, and he didn't - that was the whole idea of the game. He was to make sure that he wasn't tagged to win the game, and he chose to jump in the river to do so. She mentally smiled, figuring that deep down, she'd have probably done the same thing if she was dedicated to the game. No, she'd definitely have done the same thing, especially since she was a far more superior swimmer than Raban. She may have not known before today, but now that she did, she will have to keep that in mind for future reference. Future games.

Her eyes shifted when Raban brought his hand up to her chin and tightened his grip a little, sensing a sort of supportive meaning behind the touch. It wasn't anticipated, but she liked it very much.

Raban then offered to help her warm up, making her feel a flush of heat as she backed away. "Thank you Raban, but you don't have to do that. I think I might be able to ride this out," Janine said as she turned to walk to the water pool to get a drink, something she had been desiring all day. She lowered her head, halfway submerging it in the water so she could open her mouth and used it as a scoop to take as much water as she could. When she raised her head back out, she gulped the water down, relishing the cool water as it went down her throat. She did this until she was satisfied, then stepped back out of the water to shake the water out of her paws.

Looking towards Raban, she reminded herself that he healed faster than humans. It made her a little bit better - she would’ve felt a lot worse if Raban wasn’t able to heal as fast as he did. But she wished that she could prevent the bruises that were surely going to form on his body. Walking up to the man, Janine lowered her head to the cuts on his arms and chest and sighed. She spied small streaks of blood that Raban missed and licked them away, avoiding the glaringly open cuts that were visible to her eye.

"Don't worry about my venom. I haven't flexed my fangs, so I haven't leaked any of it. You don't have to worry about being paralyzed. I'd carry you to the water for a drink, but I know you aren't a helpless baby," Janine said in a reassuring voice before she lifted her head back up. "I'm happy that you're fine, I just worry so hard so easily. At least for my mom… and you."

The young demon laid down next to him, tail flicking as she looked in Raban's eyes. "I'm not used to worrying for anyone other than my mom and myself. Before meeting you, I've been determined in our own survival. Caring for another was too dangerous, too impractical. And besides, I never really bothered to know anyone, even within my brigade. If anyone did anything stupid that got them hurt, I'd possibly help, but I wouldn't really care. But then I met you and things just happened. All at once. At this point, if you did the same thing, I'd just start panicking before getting irritated at you. But I'd be concerned. That in itself is irritating - suddenly being concerned for another's wellbeing," Janine hissed as she turned her head away. After a few seconds, she turned her head back with a soft hiss.

"But I will gladly deal with it if caring makes something meaningful. It's… fulfilling," Janine said as she looked down at her paws. "You know.... Thanks to your little stunt, I never got the chance to officially tag you," Janine said with a small hiss. She sat up, her tail twitching as she cocked her head to the side. "And now that we're out of the water, I think it's safe to.... tag you!" Janine shouted with a burst of energy. Her large paw slapped Raban's leg before recoiling as she jumped back. "There! You've officially been tagged. Game over. Next time you decide to leap into a river, I will personally turn it into a swimming lesson. Your forms are atrocious," Janine teased with a giggle.

With that out of the way, Janine took notice of the cuts on his body and settled down. She shifted her paws together nervously, claws pricking on the ground and her own fur simultaneously as she tried to sort out how she felt. Something else was swirling in her body, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was. It made her feel warm inside; but the warmth was emotional, not physical. Not that it didn't feel good, she just didn't know what to do or say about it, unfortunately. She felt her face get warm again, and opted to get on her paws to reposition herself so she would be behind Raban. Her tail laid in front of his legs, and her body supported his back. Her neck and head were on his other side, her gaze focused on the waterfall as water fell into the pool.

"I-I'm pretty sure that you're feeling a little beat up. I don't know how long it'll be until you feel up to moving again, but we can wait here until you're good to go. We could continue with our adventure after that..." Janine said as she made a quick glance to Raban. "Or… you can decide what to do… Just take it easy for a moment." Janine turned her head away slightly, hoping that Raban wouldn't see how pleased she felt inside.

~~~~~~~~~~​

It was a short while after the young demon settled when the breeze began to pick up again. Janine was half aware, but it was just enough to make her shift in response to the cooler air. She fought to ignore it though, until the breeze carried in a familiar scent.

"Hmmm. There goes that smell again," Janine hissed as she lifted her head. She sniffed the air, her tongue flicking out of her mouth. The scent was mostly masked by the scent of the water, but it was still detectable. "I smelled it when I was looking for you, but I couldn't figure it out. I have smelled it before, but I don't remember what it is." The serpent got on her paws as she stared straight ahead. There were a few large bushes blocking the rest of the forest view, so she decided to go and investigate. But before she did so, she wrapped her tail just under Raban's arms, got on her paws and climbed the tree behind her. She gently sat the man down on a branch, making sure he was as comfortable as he could before she went back down the tree again.

"I'll be back, and don't you move!" Janine said as she padded off where she thought the source of the scent was. She soon disappeared behind some shrubbery after jumping through them.
 
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He silently nodded as she spoke and moved away to get a drink. He watched her for a moment before he looked ahead again, enjoying the feeling of the breeze against his skin and the sounds that now emanated from the forest. They had been almost quiet before, as if they knew that two predators were chasing each other in a game of glorified tag and didn't wish to be tagged themselves. This was calming and restful, allowing worries and concerns to slide off the forefront of his mind.

Before he realized it, she was right by his side again and he gave a small start at the touch of her tongue. He looked towards her but when he realized she was licking off what he must have missed before, he relaxed again, smiling to her with gratitude. Some of them he couldn't have reached by himself either, so he appreciated those being cleaned... it made the healing process that much easier to manage without globs of coagulated blood getting in the way. He didn't like scabs; they itched and made him inclined to scratching as if he had fleas.

Raban looked at her and smiled in thought, "Would be curious to see if your venom had an effect... Might be useful information for you. After all... Not all my kind are like myself..." he mused this aloud wondering if she had similar thoughts to if would effect them. His kind had their own venoms, primarily it was what passed on the curse of lycanthropy but the curse did offer them a lot that they could resist. Whilst he was vulnerable to Wolfsbane and Silver, he never seemed to fall ill to things like flu or other diseases humans were susceptible to. It was a useful boon of being what he was. He knew little of what diseases or illnesses supernatural beings were prone to and when they did, it was very select things, like Vampires with Silver or Garlic essences.

"But thank you. I'm not like cats... I'd have to use human methods to reach my back," he flashed a small grin, unafraid to make humours about himself.

Janine shifted and his eyes followed her movement curiously before he listened to her speak. The place was calming and tranquil, and he felt they could take about anything that they wished to here without worry of judgement or eavesdroppers. Raban knew and understood her reasons behind her words, because he shared many of those same concerns. He might not have a mother to worry over any more or cared about a father, but he did have an adopted father he once worried and cared for and he had Chestnut and he had to mind himself around civilians and others of the Order. They both had a worry about people finding out about what they truly were.

He smiled and inclined his head, "Worrying for others is a natural course of life... I've not had to worry for or about anyone since Cadfael's death, only for Chestnut and my own survival... Until you came into my life. I worry for you as well as much as I know you do for me now. I saw and felt your anger when Greaves had me in that chair... I know Chestnut cares for me... but it's not the same level as what I read from you that day." His words were low, thoughtful and understanding. "It felt good to be worried and cared for... That sounds weird..."

Raban gained an thoughtful expression briefly before her movement caught his attention again and cocked his head to the right as she spoke of his stunt and he smirked, shrugging. He had figured she had gained her tag regardless when she had pulled him out of the water but it seemed she had not considered it counting. His ear twitched as she shouted and spun out in a sudden flash of energy, and he raised his brow before she slapped a paw against his leg. He hadn't quite expected it and half tumbled to the side before his hand caught himself. He laughed, grinning as he right himself upwards again, ears picking up on the talk of swimming lessons.

"I know how... Hrm, I'm just not over fond of being in water. It's an end to a means," he shrugged, amused, "Can't promise I won't be making a repeat of what I did... So, I guess you'll haven to sharp your teaching skills, nay?" he grinned at her, brushing dirt off the side of his leg. He smiled at her, his stomach felt weird and he wasn't even sure why that was. With Janine, he was safe to be himself and he didn't have to worry about hurting her when he lost control, they could talk about things they could never discuss with a human that wasn't related or didn't understood who or what they were, they could do things no one else could. He wondered if Cadfael would have approved of her, he rather hoped he would have.
It was a series of feelings he hadn't had access or security to do before but now they were here... it didn't feel wrong to him at all. They were safer together than apart.

Raban felt her shift and enclose herself around him moments after she had done it and instinctively lent back slightly. It was something Chestnut often did when they were travelling or when he had come out of an unwilled transformation. The feeling of warmth or contact was something that gave him security of presence and mind. It was a reminder he wasn't alone with what or who he was, that someone was there who understood. It was something he appreciated.

He smiled softly, "Rest a little longer, at least enough for me to close these cuts... It's peaceful here. It's very soothing," he breathed, leaning more against her, hoping she didn't mind in the least. "Maybe we can go for a walk later, once I find where I left my clothes."

~~~~~~~~~~​

Raban had dozed off in the time they remained sat on the grass together, soothed by the breeze, her contact and the sounds that filled the air. It was almost heady. It was moment or two before he realized she was disturbed by something his senses weren't clued in on. She shifted, settled and then shifted again which roused him to full awareness. He blinked and peered towards her somewhat confused by what she meant.

She must have read his confusion as she soon explained her meaning. He frowned slightly, he couldn't recall smelling anything he hadn't expected to find in a forest. Birds, mammals, lizards, some amphibians too... But then again, he had been focused on escaping her tag and on the chase at the time. "It's close-by, whatever it is, you think?" he asked, not sure what scent it was she was meaning but he sniffed the air too. There was something he did not recognize but she had the lead on this.

Raban was clueless and blinked when her tail wrapped around his chest, his hands instinctively holding on the thick round of muscle as she lifted him off the ground and began climbing. "Huh... Janine.." She sat him down again, his legs hugging the branch somewhat, his hands stabilising him as she shifted him on the branch from her hold. "Janine... what..."

She bid him to stay where he was and was off like a shot after whatever scent it was she had detected. He hoped it was nothing dangerous. He wondered at what it was that behind this strange new scent but his senses, knowledge and experiences were not telling him anything behind it. He had to trust she would be careful. He could transform again if he had to but they did require a good amount of energy each time he did it. Raban would come if she called for him, but he understood she was just as fiercely keen on her independence as he was.

He sat back against the bark of the tree trunk behind him.

"Naked up a tree... There's a new experience for you, Little Wolf,"
"Technically always naked up a tree as a wolf, you know, but as a human... yes, I think you're right there. Wonder what she's after?"
"I don't know... Just me and Venus here. I put your clothes with the saddles, by the way."
 
Janine half heard Raban, but she was switching her attention to the scent she was tracking to fully listen. Why did it smell so familiar? Nosing through the bushes, Janine felt all the branches poke and prod at her sides, making her hiss uncomfortably as she moved through. The sunlight signaled the end of the bush, and Janine slowly snaked her head out with a curious tone within her. It was that same scent from that tuft of fur that she had found when she was looking for Raban earlier. But it was also mixed with something? Or was it just a different version of that scent?

Either way, Janine was going to find out. She continued further into the forest, cautiously looking around for anything that would give her clues to what she was searching for. Perhaps she'd get lucky and find another clump of fur? She sniffed the air again, finding the scent to be closer than before. And a bit muskier than she expected.

'What is that?' Janine wondered as she rose on her hind legs. There was not much to see or hear… Until a voice echoed throughout the forest. Puzzled, Janine focused her attention from the scent in the wind to the sounds in the distance, wondering who was out there. The faint voice was accompanied with what she assumed were instruments, whose harmonies seemed to help carry the beautiful wordless voice across the land. The female voice was really pretty - pretty enough to try and follow. As it harmonized, there was a pull in the back of Janine's mind, beckoning her to follow the sounds and find the mysterious woman behind them. She made one step, then two, then four.

"Such a beautiful voice," Janine hissed in awe, senses growing dull as the music swirled in her head. The voice was so beautiful, not even the roar was able to take her voice away.

Wait. Roar?

The ground was then filled with unless thudding, the vibrations dancing all around her paws as something rushed towards Janine. Another roar bombarded Janine's ears, overshadowing the voice of the forest and snatching her senses back.

Just not in time to avoid the violent jerking of her body as something body slammed her into the ground. The wind was knocked out of Janine as she hit the ground, vision blurred as she was shaken around like a toy. All of the senses came rushing back like a flood, and the first thing she felt was fear. What was on her back?! It was biting the back of her neck! Her legs sprung into action as the assailant tried to get a hold on her. Janine hissed as she rose to her feet, picking the beast up off the ground with her, and sprang into action, legs flailing and kicking as if Janine was a bucking horse and her attacker was the rider.

In one movement, the animal's body went under her paws, and Janine quickly stomped on the beast's chest with them on the way down to the ground. The animal roared after she had detached from the jaws of her assailant, and turned to see what she was fighting. Her eyes widened as she was face to face with what looked like some sort of mix of a Horned Bear and a mountain lion. But the beast looked bearish still, like it was a slightly longer and skinnier bear. Its long tail flicked behind its large body, slightly smaller than her, but still big enough to dare tangle with her. She quickly saw the animal's hide, riddled with scars, and assumed that it had fought many times to get where it was at that moment. Startled, Janine leaped into the closest tree, trying to establish distance between her and the other animal. It growled and rushed to her tree, as if it was going to hurt her down, but stopped as it sniffed the air.

After a few seconds, the animal turned and ran off, probably looking for an easier meal. The young demon sighed, relieved that she wasn't going to fight the beast and sat in the tree for the moment. She watched the animal run off and disappear into the bushes. Wait.... Wasn't that where she had come from? Just as she was putting the facts together, the beast was roaring again, but this time, she heard an actual yell.

Janine's heart sank in her stomach. Holy shit, how could she have forgotten about Raban?! The serpent made a mad dash out of the tree, running like she was playing tag with Raban again, and didn't stop until she saw the same beast on the tree she had placed him in, halfway climbing the tree to reach him.

"No!" Janine roared as she rushed the animal. With a hissing-roar, the demon lunged at its back, her weight startling the animal as she dug claws into its back, allowing her to drag the beast off the tree and throw it aside. There was no hesitation in her thoughts or actions as Janine stood between the beast and Raban, tail rattling and fangs bared as she tried to intimidate the animal.
 
Raban shifted, peering over the edge of his branch of the tree Janine had placed him in. He did not know what it was that Janine had smelt but as he sniffed at the air, there was undeniably something in the air. He scratched his head, unused to sitting on the sidelines like this. There was usually always something to do as a wolf or as a Knight and yet, for the moment, he could do neither.

That was irritating but that was just how things worked. Everything came at a price. Even magic. Even dragons. One dragon's weakness was one city's respite. Raban knew that other horrors had a chance to surface whilst an apex predator chose to stay away for warmth reasons. Vampires, Werewolves, Pixies and Ghouls... The Supernatural world was filled with things that could go bump in the night. Raban sniffed indignantly, at least with Vampires, you weren't going to lose that many people. He had found one Vampire in his lifetime and he hadn't the heart to make a killing of it. Vampires were extremely careful, choosing victims that would have died anyways. If people realized a Vampire lived amongst them... it would make life difficult for the Vampire. There were few exceptions of course. Young ones tended to be more rash, not as choosy or perhaps a older one lost its care.

Raban blinked, realizing he was losing himself to a supernatural thought list whilst he was alone, naked up in a tree far from his horse or Janine. He didn't know where she was or had gone. There was no birdsong. That was enough to make the hackles on his neck rise up against his skin. The lack of song was always enough to make him nervous.

He would be a fool if he couldn't admit he felt felt to a situation he didn't know but fear was a two-way beast in itself. You could either let you fear be your master, or remind fear of its place in life. It was useable just as much as knowledge, experiences or rage. Raban focused on his sense, quelling the fear in his gut at the unknown factors of this situation extrapolating what he did know. There was no birdsong... That typically meant a fear of one or more predators hunting in the area. Birds didn't want to attract attention beyond the warning calls. He had missed those if any sounded. Insects continued their diverse range of sounds, so they didn't seem bothered.

DANGER!

Then it came. A roar that he had never heard before. It sounded big, angry and it sounded almost as if it was staking a claim to territory. The forest perhaps. With the big dragon gone to a warmer climate to recuperate, it would leave a vacuum for other beasts to make a claim. Raban supposed he could have aided that somewhat being what he was but he had no interest in such politics much in the same way he wasn't too enamored with the politics in Amastad.

That roar was somewhat close and if that was what was behind the scent Janine had picked up, it meant she was nearby and possibly in danger. The roar was indicative of a large predator or even an omnivore... Bears, after all, were known to typically indulge in meat, fish, fruits and foliage but it was coming up to winter. A time when bears also typically hibernated which was why they indulged in calorie rich diets to last them through their months of fasting. This then was likely perhaps something similar but different in its own way. He didn't like it. Not an ounce.

Raban shifted from his seat on the branch he had been set upon, crouching low, trying to read what his senses were telling him, which wasn't much. A loud roar screamed at his hearing, almost deafening him completely and slammed into the tree he was hiding in. He gave an involuntary yell as he almost fell out of the tree. His hands shifted enough for claws to stop him from falling off completely. Then he saw it, it was catlike but also bearlike but also something else. Raban had never seen the like of it before as he watched it climb up the tree with clear familiarity. Growling, he got himself back up on to the branch as Janine appeared out of nowhere, making her challenge known.

His head cocked to one side as it was surprised by Janine but it didn't seem entirely put off by her either. Raban sat in a crouch on the tree limb and knew immediately that he was more vulnerable and a liability as he was in this situation. "Guess that answers that question," he muttered, staring at this creature. It was so much like a bear and a cat and then something else that it seemed odd. It was new.

He backed up somewhat, allowing Janine more space to move before he growled, letting his curse take hold. "Hold it off... whatever it is... " he breathed. He hadn't anticipated so many transformations today but life had a frequent habit of raising an ugly reminder that you couldn't rest on your laurels. Life was all about testing your mettle and making sure you had what it took to survive. He was going to sleep like a log tonight, that much he knew but he had to worry for the now. With Janine offering a healthy mouthful of intimidation, he had the time to change back to the black-furred lycan he was.

The strange 'bear-cat' like beast roared again, clearly angry that it was robbed of an easy meal as it landed and then spun to face Janine. It looked from the quadrupedal demon to what it thought was easier prey... but this prey was doing something odd, as if this creature hadn't known what a werewolf was either.

Transformation complete; he stood on the branch, dragging his claws into the bark of the tree as he did so before his back arched inwards and his head shot upwards as he howled into what now drawing towards the afternoon of their day of freedom. All he had wanted was to relax and not be pestered by things that wanted him or those he cared about dead and he was done with that. Energy aside, this beast, whatever it was, chose the wrong day to mess with the wrong pair.
 
The strange beast snarled at Janine for interfering with its attempt to have at Raban. No way she’d ever let that happen. She glared at the beast as it paced back and forth, only shifting her head slightly to look at Raban as he told her to keep it back. She nodded - it didn’t have to be said, but she understood either way. She wasn’t anticipating him to change, but at the same time, she wouldn't have expected him to stay defenseless in the face of danger either.

The moment she heard Raban howl, the serpent opened her mouth and roared at the same time, showing that she wasn't alone in the declaration for engagement. Keeping eye contact, Janine leaped down to the ground with a snarl, slapping her paws onto the ground repeatedly as an intimidation technique. The strange bear-cat did the same, even going as far as lunging forward to make it look as if it was going to attack. Well, she would do it better.

Janine hissed as she rushed forward, mouth agape as she went for the beast's body. The animal roared and backed away, keeping distance until it stood on its hind legs to make itself bigger. Janine met the posturing by standing up herself, using her tail as a weight to keep upright. The feline-esque animal yowled and tried to push Janine, which honestly startled her as the animal threw a decent amount of its weight around. It lunged its head forward to bite the base of her neck, forcing a roar of pain out of Janine's maw as she was then forced to switch from offence to defense as she struggled to stay upright.

She dug her claws into the sides of the animal again before leaning backwards, using her weight to bring the beast with her so she could put her feet under it. With a powerful push, her legs lifted the beast over her body, the force prying fangs from flesh, and forced it several feet away from her. Despite the heavy landing, it quickly recovered and ran around the snarling serpent, making wide girth as it tried to circle around and get to Raban, no matter the strange turn that became of him as its prey.
 
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Raban wanted nothing more to finish this day out off than a walk, perhaps talk some more about things either with themselves or about their situation back in Amastad but fate, it seemed, had other ideas. The wolf bared his teeth, upper and lower canines glinting with saliva as he watched this bear-cat try to intimidate Janine.

Good luck with that, he mused.

Whatever this beast was, it didn't seem put off by the threat it was facing. A werewolf or a demonic serpent alone was enough to deter some, never mind a tag-team of them. He crouched, his body ready to leap down at this beast as soon as it gave him an opportune moment. Raban waited as Janine tussled with it, her roar of pain stirred something in him akin to anger and indignation and the need to protect. She was a part of his pack now and he was going to make sure his pack, as small as it was, remained wholesome.

When it was violently pushed away and it rose as if Janine needn't of bothered, his ears flicked backwards and yellow, angry eyes focused on his prey. He saw it coming for him. Perhaps it thought him less dangerous of the two of them. Raban snarled indignantly. it would know the measure of their worth, he could promise it that. He leapt, rebounding off another tree before he collided into this creature.

It was bulky and well muscled just he might expect of a bear or from a big cat and it moved with the agility of both. It didn't put him off as he fought, claws aiming to gouge out its flesh before he sunk his teeth in. The pair of them spun, his long legs shifting constantly to make sure it didn't get the advantage but it succeeded in removing his jaws from itself, tossing him aside roughly and roared back.

Raban skidded along the leaf litter before he stopped and turned, his body crouched and ready with yellow eyes looking hotly back. Raban snapped his jaws in short angry barks before he charged again, tag teaming it with Janine. If they could divide its focus, it would make defeating it a much easier task. It was big enough alone to take either of them on by itself so Raban was utilising his own speed and agility now. Dart in, bite or scratch at it, dart away again, rinse, repeat. At least until it twigged.
 
Janine quickly got up as she watched the feline go after Raban. She snorted irritably, with an air of an emotion that was mixed with amusement and anger as the beast thought it would fare better with Raban than herself. Yeah, like a werewolf would be any easier. The animal probably thought that he would still be a better target on the account that he was a bit smaller, and therefore the better choice. But they both knew that he was no pushover in any sense of the word.

She stalked around the werewolf and bear-cat creature as they both tussled in the ground, like how wolves would do when they were surrounding prey, waiting for the moment where she would have an opening. She shifted into an attacking stance as it threw Raban back; she had to admit, the animal did have guts to fight them both, and the strength to back it up, but she wasn’t about to let this animal get the better of either of them.

After Raban attacked again, Janine went in shortly thereafter, making the beast whirl around to attack her. She hissed as she backed away, narrowly avoiding the claws that aimed at her eyes, soon to see Raban lunge in after the beast before backing away. She picked up on what he was doing, and decided to go along with it. The old tactic of short attacks and backing away to distract an enemy. Simple, but effective when done correctly. Janine scratched a leg, making the beast turn to snarl and swipe down, but it missed her as she jumped back.

The beast hissed and snarled as it was suddenly fighting two enemies on every other side. It roared angrily as it bristled its fur, fangs bared as saliva dripped down its jaws. Janine hissed with the same fervor, fangs flexed as they dripped with venom. The large beast retreated by running into the large bushes Janine had run into earlier, Janine in short pursuit as an extra measure. When it disappeared, Janine hissed loudly, as if telling it to stay away for good.

She panted heavily, tongue hanging uncharacteristically as her lungs burned from the exertion. The demon shifted a few feet away from the bush, staring at it before looking to Raban.

"Well, that was… fun. Are you okay?" Janine asked as she turned to tend to Raban again. But just when she took a few steps away from the bush, something black shot out of the bush, yowling with teeth bared. It was the beast again, and it managed to shove Janine to the ground before she could even react. The animal got itself into a wrestle with Raban, only this time, it used its surprisingly long tongue to wrap around his muzzle to prevent him from snapping back. It forced him to the ground, trying its hardest to bring Raban's muzzle into its own maw.

"Let go of Raban!"Janine cried out as she frantically got up, running as fast as she could at the beast to attack from behind.

The creature flattened its ears and bristled its fur, raising its long tail to defend itself. The fur on the tail bristled even more than expected, but Janine figured it was because it was threatened. She lunged at the beast's backside, only to be thwacked by the tail - that was as prickly and sharp as a porcupine. Janine let out a yell of surprise and pain as she went down, stabbing sensations emanating from her neck and shoulder forcing her to leap away from the beast's tail as it pinned down the fighting werewolf.
 
Raban bit hard every moment he was able to knowing that unless this beast was some sort of supernatural with accelerated healing like himself, lots of gashes and cuts would slow it down over time from blood loss. If he or Janine could bite out an artery, it would get the job done a whole lot faster. It was just a matter of finding one before it had a chance to wear them both down or do too much damage. Tomorrow was going to be a fun day to hide.

Darting in and out was proving effective, it was struggling to contend with attacks coming on both fronts. he was happy that Janine had seemed to realize his tactic, attacking when he disengaged. If this had been an Order training exercise, he doubted Kiegel had much he could find a fault with.

He growled as they played a tag team with this beast, whatever it was, before it disappeared into a set of large bushes. Raban's teeth bared, his frame was crouched with the pads of his fingers only just resting on molding leaf litter. His chest expanded and contract deeply as he stood, wondering, wary as to where it had gone. His ears stood erect, swiveling at the slightest sounds around him that he heard. No birds, no insects, so other signs of life except Janine's panting and his own.

Raban's eyes shifted, looking towards Janine when she spoke, an ear shifting towards her words moments before his triangular skull had even moved. He nodded to indicate he was all right but he had barely done so when he saw Janine suddenly being shoved aside and the massive beast sped towards him. He scowled; the beast had tricked them both. Snarling, he sprung forwards, jaws open, ready to engage this beast once more but it did something Raban hadn't expected.

His snarling maw was cut short with a snap of closing teeth and he couldn't snap back at it. He realized its tongue was long and apparently just as prehensile as its tail. That was problematic. His charge lost much of it advantage as his feet switched to a suddenly back peddle. He tried to gain purchase, pushing backwards as his clawed hands half scratched the beast's neck and half pushing it back, trying to free his mouth. It was clear it was stronger than he was by force. His frame grew more splayed, he realized he was being forced downwards and that this thing was trying to pull its tongue back.

Crap.

He could hear Janine exclaim nearby, even as his hinds scrabbled in the dirt, making violent sprays in the dirt. Damn this thing! What even was it! It wasn't making it easy to breathe. The tongue was getting tighter, like a snake coiling muscle.

Raban heard a yelp of pain from the other end of this beast and knew somehow Janine was hurt. This angered him intensely. No, he was not going to became some overgrown bear-cat-thing's meal. He growled vehemently and shook himself vigorously. His brain was growing fuzzy but a will to live and protect made his fight on. His hands grappled at the beast's mouth till his claws found the squishy muscle.

Got you!

He stabbed his claws into the muscle, gripping as much as he could. It yelped and the coil loosened. It was enough for him to draw his head back with a sudden movement. Snarling, he snapped at the tongue, shaking his body and head like a dog with a chew toy. Blood filled his mouth but he paid it no mind as he wrenched and tore at this beast's tongue.

Well, his maw was free and this beast's tongue might now be mangled but it sure didn't like it. With a sudden forward movement, it surged on him, flipping him to his back, using its forelimbs to pin him down. His hinds scratched and flexed beneath its bulk.
 
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