Set a little bit east of Salsola borders.

There was no smile to determine the brief wave of satisfaction that had settled together with his silence, but it was there, beyond the strict mask of emotionlessness. He had been played well. Sirius was a king worth following, though everything in this world was temporary and fleeting. Everything was so fragile, but most of all the silvery songbird that nestled in salt and ashes. Did she exist where she was now?

This was not his first summer, but the building warmth that rose to greet him with the rich smell of fauna every morning was not something he could remember. The velvet coat with the crest of the family that had cast him out proved too hot for him, and had been abandoned for the season. It was foolish vanity that had led him to the preference to use clothing to some degree, but no creature was without fault. Ignorance had killed the young rabbit beneath his crouching form. It was unfortunate that it would not have the chance to learn from its mistake. The youth pulled the hunting knife from its sheath attached to the tan belt embracing his slender waist.

Twisting the knife slowly, the coywolf removed one eye from its socket. Balancing the blindly staring eyeball near the tip of the knife’s sharp edge, he brought it to his mouth, chewed. An explosion of sensation clasped his tongue, and for a brief moment the family member closed his eyes as he revelled in the taste of death.

--

Blood tickled out from the empty socket, and the young optime’s fingertips wiped at the blood and licked at the blood on his finger. Itachi was not a wasteful creature. Blonde, hybrid ears swivelled sharply at the sound of an approaching animal, though he did not turn to fully acknowledge the sound. Not yet. Four hooves, the characteristic breath of a horse, no doubt broken, for details hinted there was great weight on its back. The ways of the Family were clear, but he was not a nervous being. Others were to be treated with suspicion, but as so often, Itachi did as he pleased.

His meal was interrupted with the vocal greeting from the luperci atop the horse. With the taste of scarlet lingering on his tongue, he turned his face to take in the one that had decided to intrude on his solitude. Sunset eyes peered with relaxed curiosity, for he had never seen a men dressed in plates in such a way. A warrior, no doubt. The flawed Prince returned the stained knife to its sheath, though never taking his eyes from the stranger’s face.

They did not know each other, and he didn’t find a reason why they should. Rising slowly with the dead animal in his hand, he turned from the man and his steed and moved to leave, peacefully.

--

He had not taken time to investigate the slight change embracing the stranger’s face before he had turned away. Eyes did not quickly forget what they saw, and as he quietly stepped with his eyes stretching out across the scenery before him, he could just as easily see the fine appearance of shock found on the still picture of a behemoth face in his mind. The other knew something that Itachi didn’t, and it was soon made clear by the same voice. The Lykoi’s pace slowed down to a natural halt. How could he walk away with a question of such a nature hanging in the air between them? The young male tilted his head slightly as gaze slowly fell to the ground, watching memories with the sickly sweet odour of wet red.

”You insinuate that he is no more,” the quiet voice mused, wondering if his father’s subordinates had been so quick to accept their leader’s disappearance. Itachi knew truly little of the man that had started life inside his mother, but he had learned much using his name only. The young man turned, lifting to again settle on the face of the strange man dressed in metal, on top of a horse. The rabbit’s blood was cool now, and beyond his focus he could hear the soft sound of heavy drops against the forest floor. A shame. But the older brute had obtained what he wanted; the flawed hybrid’s quiet attention.

--

A broad shouldered beast on top of a horse was a dangerous thing, but the flawed Prince was not delighted to see him dismount. The darker man took his time addressing the question, but it was not unnerving. There were fiercer predators to be found out in the wild, though he was wary of underestimating creature he encountered. Itachi seldom took the time too look into

"Perhaps," the younger male answered, addressing the behemoth's first sentence only, pupils unchanging in seas of bleeding sunsets. The Lykoi had to wonder what made the stranger draw such conclusions. Only Eris had seen the face of Conor’s killer, and something had struck fear into her eyes as she had crushed the man’s liver in her hands, still warm from being retrieved from the recently deceased body.

What had become of the body afterwards, he didn’t know. Perhaps it had been found and buried by a mourning friend. ”What is my father’s name?” the soulless creature asked, demeanour unchanging. There were no secrets too big to hide from those who lusted for knowledge, but Itachi seldom gave anything for free. He found this man’s questioning methods rude, and the Family member didn’t particularly like those who did not possess manners to suit his taste.

--

His burning gaze remained with icy hues, and wondered if what he was witnessing was contempt. Emotions did not run richly through the lanky, lean youth, and it limited his comprehension. He was an observer, but targets were difficult for him if they owned wolfen appearances. Then, slowly, yet so quickly, violence was about to break lose from the large optime’s conscience. The boy’s emptied eyes watched feet give him speed, and how the oversized hammer found life in the man’s hands.

Blonde ears slammed against dark, golden locks as the young fiend’s reflexes spurred hectic life into his muscles. It was not the first time the young Prince had been met with violence. The enemy’s suspicion was likely correct, though it would be hard for Itachi to guess how he had managed to obtain such opinions from so little. But there was no need for talk now, and the dark furred man did not wish for answers, for his actions spoke for him now, boldly. Sunset eyes shifted to focus on the dangerous tool coming for him.

The blonde’s feet swiftly shifted under him, and the his back ached backwards, tugging the Salsolan’s upper body further away from the crushing weapon, though for a moment jeopardized his fine balance. Blood roared within sensitive ears, and he found it strange how the adrenaline surge made him deaf to everything but the sped up pulse of his heart. He could feel the suction of air brushing against his face as the hammer passed without the rewarding taste of its target. Itachi knew that life most likely would be over if the giant managed to get in a hit.

Already, the short hunting knife’s blade was clutched in his palm, but he could see his odds with ease. Two perfect rows of white teeth glinted behind dark lips in an instinctual response to the threat before him, though he, as his grandfather, moved with silence in his throat. Evasion was key until the path of his own move was clear.

It's possible I misread your post :C Anyway, Itachi is making an attempt at moving into close combat the moment the hammer passes.

He could hear and feel the heart’s leaping rhythm vividly; the quick yet heavy punches from within his chest, and the echo of each beat reaching out all the way to his fingertips. Gravel and dry grass crunched beneath the soles of his feet, and helped to remind that the world was surely moving on in the same pace, even now when he was close enough to feel death’s breath. The fingers clutching the blade’s wooden handle tightened visibly, though it was not a sign of a stressed creature taking a leap of faith. He had to remain cool and apply patience before his own strike.

The dull hammer came at him again, a bulldozer charging in an upwards arch that drove the younger optime further back from the weapon’s malevolent master. The blonde’s muzzle lifted up towards the dull, silver lit sky as well as the weapon passed once again without a destructive taste of its desired prey.

Itachi let no moment pass before he broke into sharp movement; now rushing towards the man and his deadly tool. The Salsolan put trust in his enemy’s weapon’s weight, and knew that agility was the only possibility of an advantage he could hope for in this setting. Bleeding sunset eyes stalked along the metal armor protecting its bearer, and noted weak spots where even a small blade could slide in and manage to do damage. Beneath the glorious piece of metal shell protecting the black nightmare’s chest and abdomen, the bottom of the giant’s belly lay bare and exposed. Itachi’s knife let a hopeful stab target the location, his other arm rising in defence for whatever would come next. Perhaps closeness was the right path to take.

--

The short blade in the youth’s hand tasted the first drop of canine blood, though hardly more than that. But luck could favour both parts, and he was not facing a certain loss until his body lay crushed and broken on a bloodstained ground. Heavily blushing eyes did not leap down to observe the shallow damage he had caused. The dull weapon, teeth and claws could still ravage the blonde if he acted without great care and cunning. And other surfaces. The metal suit was a newly discovered weapon as well.

The youth made a sharp turn of his head, and evaded the spiked elbow that so craved to pierce his head. Pale feet moved instinctively; attempted to follow the hammer’s direction to limit the speed and power if it was to rise again. It was a heavy weapon, and even this giant needed a little room to gain access to the optimal blow.

A warm miniature stream of red rolled down his cheek, but he couldn’t tell the exact spot where the metal could have hit. No time to think about insignificant damage. The small knife in his hand was not allowed to remain active either, and continues to stab against the exposed area of the abdomen, though he knew needed a better tactic than this.