Winter. Vetis hated the winter with as much passion as he was capable of. The bitter cold nipped at his ears, his nose, and his toes. The pads of his feet were brittle from the cold. Though any who knew his true nature would not think it possible, the cold made him even more bitter and cruel than was usual for the devious male. He had spent what had remained of the fall getting to know his surroundings. He had slithered silently into all territories belonging to Erenyx, and those that no pack lay claim to. He felt entirely confident that he knew these lands inside and out, and that he considered an advantage. Now it was time for the next step in his game plan, though this part he liked the least. It was time to gain the trust of those around him. From what he had seen thus far from Erenyx, they were not a happy go lucky, chipper cheery, irritating wolves that most were. They were a collection of misfits; misfits with a temper. Most of them were quick to snap and he would not find himself surprised in the least should they turn on one another. This fact, and this fact alone excited him. With such short tempers and a generally toxic air about the lot of them, he was certain he would be able to have a great deal of fun here.

The place within which he found himself today was one he had visited several times now. He found himself taking somewhat of a liking to it, or at least what could pass for him having any sort of positive feelings towards something. Winter had yet to take its full grasp, though snow did cover the rocks in a light dusting. The edges of the water were frozen, though the ice came to jagged stops but a few inches inward where water still flowed freely. Soon enough the waters flow would be consumed by the ice, and though it would appear calm and solid on the surface, the dangerous flow would sweep beneath the ice undetected. A slight grin tugged at the corner of his lips at the thought of this, for that was exactly as he intended to do. Create the illusion of stillness on the outside, while his vile plans raged on within him, his victims falling prey to his traps one by one. Despite the precarious footing around him, he moved across the snow covered rocks with a ghostly elegance. His every footstep carefully placed, and his movements effortless. His bi coloured eyes looked out into the distance. It was time for the games to begin, all he needed now was his first player; one whom he would anxiously await here in the silence.

A slight black frame slipped in between the rocks and ice, exploring the caves that surrounded her with quiet ease. The wolf slithered and coiled in and around obstacles, light pawsteps eased and unhurried, as her head and tail were raised over her torso, though not by much. Her ear twitched, unusual golden eyes sweeping over the horizon, silver flecks in them twinkling like a single crystal reflecting a beam of sunlight, making them sparkle. They held mystery and no emotion, remaining passive an unreadable, as they normally stayed. Few got to observe them when their usual dull state flickered into odd interest, shining with a mist of curiosity residing in them, brightening. Long, streamlined, yet considerably strong legs stretched out, carrying her over the snow at a leisurely trot - she was in no rush. A gentle breeze tore her fur away from clinging to her body, cold with the winter frost. Her claws were automatically sunk into the terrain though they hit rock after only centimeters, paws planted firmly should an attack be thrown her way, as many beasts lurked in these territories in seek of wolves like her. Her tail flicked behind her, dancing as a cat's would as thoughts flitted through her mind, as she ignored most of them. She focused on the new scents she had detected when venturing in the neutral territories, as well as new territory markings. She could identify them as the only Desmond's scent marks, concluding that the Rogue had begun a pack of his own, creating a place that could either be Erenyx's ally, or yet another enemy. She preferred the former, as even the strongest needed some on their side. Or perhaps they would just be neutral, one they could meet in normal territories, without having to tear their tails off.

However, ties were broken, undoubtedly both Erenyx and Helidos will have lost good warriors, and the Delta would simply have to wait to see how many problems the severed loyalties would cause. Her heartbeat resounded in her ears, creating a rhythmic tone as the cold clung to her, but did not push through her coat, surrounding her, attracted by the heat her body generated. Her eyes slowly roved to the bubbling river that flowed through a dip in the ground, partially covered with ice, though in some parts it moved too fast to fully freeze over, creating a gurgling sound as it occasionally splashed over. The vix's jaws would widen, revealing sharp fangs as she stretched her mouth open until she heard the satisfying crack and pop she was looking for, fangs clicking shut. Her feet strayed away from the water, she knew the consequences of losing her focus and stepping on the precarious ice - as she had seen what had happened to Hunter Yuki. Suddenly her attention was drawn to the smell of yet another wolf of her pack, a male at that. 'No matter where you go, a wolf will be there. There is no peace in a pack.' She ignored the thought, turning to the he-wolf, who sat ghostly still, his light coloured fur blending in and creating the allusion, an interesting scene indeed. "Greetings, male. I am Delta Ariste." She introduced herself, with the acknowledging nod of her head. Her gaze flitted over his frame, until they fell on his peculiar, bi-coloured eyes, observing them with slight interest. She knew of only one other brute with such eyes, the only remaining male of the late Steele that reside in Erenyx, Samael. They were an unusual thing to find, and quite curious at that. She awaited a response from him, holding herself in a relaxed, yet tensed position, shifting her weight before taking a seat a few feet away from him.

Clouds shifted overhead to allow the suns blinding rays to pierce through and onto the snow covered landscape below. The blinding whiteness it created prompted several choice words from the villain as he forced his eyes half closed. Such intense light more often than not gave him quite the headache. He found it quite comical that one such as he should shy from the light and find comfort within the shadows and darkness. Thankfully, it was not long before the clouds resumed their veil over the blinding orb and a grey cast fell back across the snow. He picked up a paw with the intent to move onward downstream but stopped immediately when the scent of another wolf filled the air. A sinister grin slipped across his face. Perhaps his first player had come sooner than he had expected. He could tell quite easily that it was a female, and while he believed females to be entirely useless in more ways than one, they did tend to make wonderful pawns. They were driven my emotion, and thus easy to manipulate. A charming grin, some disgustingly complimentary words and they were like putty in ones paws. Willing to do and say whatever one could imagine. And while Erenyx females held a rather hostile reputation about them, they could not run from the truth of what they were; females.

Delicately he placed his paw back down, fitting it perfectly back into the indentation it had originally created. He did not turn to look at her just yet, but rather waited until she was nearer him. His ears flickered at the crunch of the snow beneath her paws. When she was but a few feet out, he cocked his head ever so slightly over his shoulder. Darting eyes took in her form and the way she carried herself, studying her, though doing so inconspicuously. Simply from the way she carried herself he could tell she held a rank though none so important as Beta or even Elite. Perhaps Delta, or a Lead of some sort. The sheer number of ranks within these packs was far more than Vetis had ever encountered before, but it was of no true importance to him. She nodded a silent greeting to him before words left her mouth. He could see that she too was looking him over, her golden eyes not lingering over anything for very long until they reached his eyes. Intrigue was a common reaction to his eyes. Bi-coloured eyes was rare among wolves, and he knew very well that his were a sight to behold. The combination of icy blue and deep emerald green quite often cause the females to swoon though he cared not for their affections and rather found it disgusting. But he supposed he could not complain for it made them far easier to manipulate if they took a liking to him. The raven fea introduced herself as Delta Ariste. Both name and rank were stored to memory in conjunction with the colour of both her pelt and eyes.

With a court dip of his maw he spoke, "And so I meet the newly appointed Delta at last." he began, his voice void of the toxic tones it naturally held and instead dripping with a sweet honey tone. "It is a pleasure to make your aquaintance Delta Ariste. I am Warrior Elijah. What brings you here on a day such as thing?" he enquired. He noted the slight tension in her posture as opposed to the entirely relaxed nature of his own. He would put the female at ease, he would gain her trust, and cross this one off his to do list. One by one they would fall victim to his lies, though they would be none the wiser until it was too late.

Metallic-hued luminaries would observe the male with a blank gaze and an expressionless maw, ear flicking with the chirrup of a winter bird, perhaps a cardinal. As he spared a slight glance in her direction, she was able to see his face fully, and took note of any markings, though it would be foolish to mistake him for another, with his unique eyes. Her long, silken tail curled around her hip, strands of fur being dampened by the snowy terrain it lay across, cooling it. Raising it slightly and shaking the water off, she draped it across her onyx paws instead, to keep it from becoming soaking wet, and then freezing. Eyelids would lower as the sun cast their obnoxious glare, which reflected silver unto the snow, before it disappeared. The fae would raise herself from her seated position for a moment, keeping her ear twisted to listen for any movement from her current company, stepping closer to the river. She tested each step, shifting considerable weight on it, before deeming it safe, sturdy rock, as opposed to false, fragile ice, the liked to pretend it could sustain weight, before betraying you and collapsing in on itself. She was careful not to allow that to happen in this precarious territory, as she did not depend on the Warrior to rescue her, should it happen, and would not want him to either. She cast another, affirming glance over her shoulder, to gauge his distance, steadying her paws and planting them firmly, claws digging in so she would not fall.

Her neck and head would dip to the growling ravine, nose almost touching the liquid, before her mandibles would part, tongue snaking out from between her jaws and lapping at some of the crisp, cool water, letting it run down her throat, quenching her thirst, and wetting her nose. When she had finished, she stepped away from the danger of the water, turning back to the male before her, focusing most of her attention on him for the moment as formed his words with a sickeningly sweet voice. Surely he had not fallen prey to false hopes and foolish thoughts of just any she wolf, especially her becoming his mate? She hoped not, as no male's charms or looks would woo her into an ultimately disastrous relationship. She did not care for affections, and she was not one to cater to a male, nor go out of her way to attract one, so any brute would be sorely crushed in thinking that she would bow to them simply because they were opposite genders. "What brings me here? My paws, and a semi-distracted mind. When I am off duty, or have nothing to tend to, they tend to lead me to many different places. And you, brute? What brings you to this potentially dangerous territory?" She answered, completing her sentence with a inquiry of her own. She padded, this time further away from him than before, for her own personal space, flexing her muscles and remaining tense as she once again seated herself and kept her head high, portraying her message clearly.

The tone which so took with him, was a rather indifferent one. So much so that it nearly prompted a chuckle from the trickster. She was quite blunt, and in no mood for a chipper conversation, which he was secretly grateful for. If it weren't for the end result in all of his games, even the thought of being as polite and courteous as he was when interacting with his paws was enough to make him gag. Though, for the sake of quality entertainment, he did what he had to. Her answer, however short was enough for him to work with and he carefully examined the rigidity with which she walked as she stepped but a few more paces from him before taking a seat. She was not afraid of him, which wouldn't do him much good, but she was weary. "But of course your paws brought you here. One would find it rather unusual for a wolf to sprout wings and fly now wouldn't they? Though.." he said with a pause, and took a delicate step towards her, placing himself next to, but not too close to the Delta. "A distracted mind, even one only partially so, is a dangerous thing miss. All sorts of trouble can be found when one isn't careful." he added nonchalantly as not to cause her any farther unease.

"As for what brought myself here, well that my dear would be none more than curiosity and intrigue. Both as equally troublesome as that of a distracted mind. But perhaps some trouble, or at least a challenge of some sort would do me well. It has been some time now since anything has truly been testing on myself." His eyes flickered to the water before him as an idea was brewing in his head. Depending on how she reacted to what was just said, he would challenge the Delta to a spar. There were few things better for giving one false hope and a false sense of their abilities than allowing them the upper hand in a spar.

(sorry for the wait and it not being as long as others. Been busy and not feeling well but I was really excited for this one so I am determined to continue it!)

The Deltess would watch with appraising eyes for the brute's response. Her eyes followed his movements, ears flicking towards him as she gained a reply to her sentence. She paused, inwardly chuffing at his literal taking of her words, which was only her own fault. Such a response was stored away in her mind, for a time in her future when she might need it, to remind herself to keep careful orbs and a sly tongue on her words. At his second verbal thought, she opened her own maw in reply. "True that is, but it is a times good to be distracted with ones own thoughts, if only to organize them, and declutter their mind for a time when they shall need pin-point focus." She spoke, with a small mental shrug, pulling herself from her own head as she said that. She blew a quiet snort out of his nostrils as he moved, placing himself slightly closer to the female in his company, mentally narrowing her golden orbs, but no physical change appearing on her face. Either he was far too persistent for his own good, or he was playing some sort of mind game, trying to throw her off her paws for a moment. Her muzzle tilted slightly, and she met him head on, not backing down in her all her lifetime's years.

"If it's trouble you're looking to find, you'll find it should you not move yourself." She warned for the first and last time, her tone eerily soft, quiet, but with an edge as sharp as a cougar's claws. There was no need for shouting, if her point had not gotten across without the use of howling in his ear, that was his problem, not hers. Her only problem would be the minor inconvenience of putting him back in his place. "I assure you, most any of this pack's members would be willing to spar with you, or train you, should you be looking for a challenge, though you should not go looking for something more trying than you can handle." She said evenly, nostrils flaring as as they inhaled the frozen air, breathing it back out in a small puff of crystallized smoke. Her ears would straighten, turning frontwards and resting alert on her cranium, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Her tail flickered slightly, twitching on her paws, as her fur was ruffled when a tinge of a breeze ran its chilly fingers through her hair. She looked much like a statue, unmoving, flawless posture, as if standing guard, until of course her ears would swivel, tail would move, or she would shift her position, otherwise holding still as she met Vetis' gaze icily.


((Don't worry about it, and don't stress over replying, I can wait.))

The devilish brute ignored her comment about decluttering ones thoughts. His own mind was quite focused indeed as he did not have time for such trivial things as worries about love and life and what one might accomplish. He simply had one thing on his mind at all times, and that was his games. He supposed him mind may be far more busy than that of the average mundane wolf, he was constantly logging away bits of information about his players and constructing plots and plans about how to best use them towards the end game, but, he was never distracted. His attention was drawn immediately to her reaction at his getting closer to her once more. Though calm, the words that came from her mouth were most recognizably a threat. One that, though he so desperately wished to push and test, he would heed...for now at least. He did not wish to outright fight the Delta. No. That would be a foolish move. Not for the reason that he did not think himself capable of taking on the female, but for the fact that he would more than likely be either banished, or given the lowly rank of omega, and while he did not much care for rank and title, being an Omega would be of no benefit to his cause.

And then, there it was. Just what he had been looking for. She had brought up the subject of a spar, the mention of which prompted a grin to tug at the corners of his ebony lips. "A spar you say? Now now. There's a novel idea. Been some time since I dabbled in the art of combat." he began, his voice teeming with false intrigue as though the thought of sparing had truly not crossed his mind though it most certainly had. His bi-coloured eyes twinkled as he cocked his head ever so slightly, "Say now. What say you to a spar with little ol' me dear Ariste? I shouldn't think it difficult for a Delta such as yourself to take on a measly warrior such as myself. Not to mention of course I would far rather learn from someone of importance than just any other Warrior." he questioned, hoping she would take the bait. He couldn't imagine she would turn down the opportunity to "put him in his place," especially since she was clearly none to pleased with his proximity to her as it was.

Ariste's inhaled and exhaled slowly and evenly, her breath haunting the air around her as the cloud of frost hung in the air for a few moments, before dissipating into nothingness, its components scattered among the wind. She remained in her place, surveying the male in front of her with vague interest, not in his words, but in the character himself. Among the many wolves she had met, she already held something akin to respect for him. Not the respect one would be expected to show to an Elder canine, or their superior or sire and dam. No, the respect for one she could tell was intelligent, could recognize the pattern of his words, how they were fashioned to get as he pleased, to slither under one's skin and the intoxicate their minds. It was something very far from earning her worship or other such fanciful thought, but it piqued her interest and held it in place, prompting her to see just how far this wolf would go, rather than simply leave him there with his twisted thoughts and motives. Through this whole thought pattern, her body language remained the same, what he was saying being heard and stored in her mind, but its acknowledgement a beat after she had sifted through her own thoughts, weighing her decision of how to respond to this proposition. On one hand, it was quite appealing, to flex her own claws with how her training had fared her, and to test this new wolf's skills. But on the other, the last thing she required was a weakness, an injury to keep her from properly achieving her duties. However, putting confidence, not pride into her abilities, she would give a small nod of agreement.

Her tail would unravel from being wound tightly around her ankles, and pressed to her side, slithering out as a snake awakening from slumber. A familiar spark of adrenaline appeared in her gaze, but was smothered by the look of dull appraisal. As always, her eyes would now do a double take of her environment, rechecking everything she had already looked at, and calculating which to avoid, and which to make her friend. Rocks could always be useful, but they could also be useful to her opponent, so she intended to keep them on her side. The water was, of course, the largest hazard, but the largest gain if she could lure him to the edge of it, and as she rose to her paws with a low, raspy chuckle that bordered on predatory, she would move away from such icy rapids, onto drier lands. "I did not earn my rank by underestimating my opponents. For all I know, you were an Alpha in a previous pack, and I do not intend to make the mistake of foolishly expecting you to miss valid opportunities." She said, her voice unwavering and dull, but something wavered deep beneath that tone, like a disturbance below a calm lake, invisible to those above, except for the slight movement of the water. It was something of hope, hope that he would indeed live up to her expectations, and would not be another wolf that was all bark and weak bite, as she had been herself when she had first come to this pack. She had quickly learned just how weak she was, and instead of sulking, gotten to work on fixing that, thus ending up where she was now.

Shifting her paws, she slipped them into the snowy Grotto bed, her tail danced behind her, waying left and right as she pinned her ears, rolling her shoulders forward and in front of her neck. She would regulate her weight, making sure she didn't tilt too much to either side of the scale, on front of back paws. Brilliant yellow eyes glinted, much like shards of gold with a glaze of silver reflecting off of them, as her features fell back into a neutral appearance. Dipping her head slightly, she watched for tells of his first attack. "Your move."

Like a spider idly waiting for its prey to crawl into its web, so too did the cunning he wolf await for the Delta to be lured into his trap by none more than a carefully chosen vocabulary. He sat in silence, the innocent mask of curiosity still held on his face, unwavering in the silence. It did not take long for Ariste to make up her mind and give him a nod to confirm that she would indeed take him up on his offer of a spar. Perfect he hissed inwardly. What a fool. A determined fool, but a fool none the less. She was so very far from help out here, and the dangers around them were plenty, though the biggest danger of all sat patiently before her, his bi-coloured eyes looking over her with a false weariness as if to imply that he was taken aback by her agreement. Eyes shifted quickly watching her every move as her tail unraveled from its place across her paws and her eyes gave a quick flash of excitement though it was quick to dissipate. Her eyes then took a quick survey of they land around them. His own eyes stayed glued to her as he had taken the time to learn the lay of this land quite well once before, and again before her arrival. Rising to her paws and giving a low chuckle, he almost couldn't help but laugh at her words though knew far better as it would destroy the illusion he had created of himself. His shoulders sunk and his ears flickered to half mast as she spoke. She claimed she would not underestimate him, which was a good plan, in theory save for one little fact.. She already had underestimated him by agreeing to spar.

Her paws shifted beneath her to get a better footing and she readied herself for the spar to begin. He rose to his paws finally, his movements, far unlike his normal, unnatural grace were stiff and seemingly poorly calculated, his paw even "slipping" off of a rock beneath the snow causing him to grunt and clench his jaw. The more nervous she thought him to be the better. He would need her to think she had already won so that when the opportunity presented itself, he could turn the tables on the Delta and show her what a horrible mistake she had made. His tail, unlike hers, hung dead still behind him. He dropped his head so that is was level with his shoulders and widened his stance beneath him. At seeing her dip her head slightly and tell him that the first move was his, he huffed, a billow of white smoke filling the air before him. "May the odd's be ever in your favour Delta Ariste." he snapped and lunged forward.

His ears lay flat against his head as he jolted forward making a blatant attempt to snap at her front legs with his jaw. The move itself was foolish, but it needed to be. She needed to truly believe him to be a useless fighter in order for this to work.

Assessing his every motion, the fae stood, poised in a defensive position, eyes staring at the male as she awaited some words. Most likely wishing her good luck in the fight, as most wolves did before a spar took place. She was, indeed, correct in her assumtion, as the alabaster, onyx flecked male joined her in standing, moving to a place across him. Oh the irony, as if the white King and the black Queen on a chessboard, 'Elijah' had made a fatal mistake, his very first attack putting him in so-called check. As if a switch was flipped in the vixen's mind, everything appeared to slow down, in her perception, as she gauged what her best reaction be and took in as much information as possible without losing focus. She could, of course, attempt to knock him over and pin him down with her paw, and then reach for a throat hold, but three factors made her rule that out quickly. One, the male, although shorter, was likely the same weight, or heavier than her, as males typically were. Two, attempting to pin him would put her in an awkward position, having to twist her neck and putting herself in a vulnerable position to reach his throat. And three, if she did that, he could likely simply reach for her hind braces, and easily bring her down and gain victory effortlessly. No, the fae knew much about the consequences of actions, and that wolves who seemed innocent, were not always as they seemed. Instead, in the split second of reaction time she was given, she skittered to the left, pulling up her paw, but a moment too late. She felt sharp fangs clip her front right paw, and through it wasn't deep, it was enough for pinpricks of blood to for on her paw.

The girl didn't flinch, even as she set the paw down and a burning sensation spread in her ankle. The pain of her broken ribs had been far worse, and easily she shoved the thought of the pain in her leg into the back of her mind, only leaving the fact that it was now a weakness in the forefront. Swiftly, her defense stance transitioned into taking on an offensive tone, not intending to leave her opponent time to recover. Twisting, she also took a couple steps forward, before turning, this leaving her on an angle, facing the back of Vetis' head, her left shoulder closest to him. Instead of going for his scruff, she charged, mouth opening to reveal jaws filled with sharp teeth, as she swung her head to dig into the place where his shoulder and neck connected. Her ears still lay pressed tightly against her cranium, paws flexed to brace for potential impact, tail still not taking refuge, but without curve under her belly, or over her back, simply neutral. If the brute should reach back to try and grab her by the neck or scruff, she would release her hold, or abandon her attempt, depending on whether or not she succeeded, and instead make a snap at his face, more specifically, the sensitive nose on the end of his snout. But until then, she would try to go through with her original plan, golden luminaries honing in on their target, shoulder shifting forward, set to attack

In the midst of a fight, it was as though time itself slowed. Every move, every sound, every sight was in slow motion. His bi-coloured eyes taking in everything they possibly, could. As he lounged towards her, he would see the whirring of possibilities in the Delta's eyes. She no doubt knew she held the height advantage, but perhaps she too thought herself to be at a disadvantage for weight. This could very well be true as males generally did carry more bulk on them, but the actual truth behind such a guess would show itself soon enough. Snapping jaws reached for her foreleg, and while she was quick to snap herself out of the way, she was simply not quite quick enough. Sharp teeth clamped down on her right front paw. It was not enough to do serious damage of course, but the salty taste of blood grazed the tip of his tongue as she pulled away. Like a drop of blood in the ocean to a shark, that small hint of life's most valuable liquid was enough to put hi on edge. His eyes widened, and a sickening grin fell on his face as he heard the Delta charge towards him, coming from an angle behind him.

He had a few options here, but he knew exactly what he wished to do. Shrinking his neck, he pulled his head and shoulders as close as he possibly could. If her fangs met his neck this way, instead of finding valuable bone and muscle, they would only meet skin. It would hurt, but it was necessary for what the demon had in mind. He could have turned and attempted to snap back at her, but that would put his face in jeopardy, and while he was more than ok with a few scars on his muzzle, he was not about to leave his eyes vulnerable to a set of lethal teeth. He kept his tail safely beneath him and braced for the impact. He felt the sting of her teeth clasp against the skin on his neck, piercing the skin and allowing blood to trickle down his shoulder, staining his dusted coat a dark red. But he was not done, the second he felt her connect with him, he dropped his shoulder in an attempt to use the force with which she lunged to send her body toppling forward over him in purely a defensive move with no attempt to come at her again. He wanted her coming at him again, he needed her to make the moves so he could get her just where he needed her.

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Attack:None
Defense:Ears pinned, tail tucked, neck shortened, legs braced.
Injuries: Bite on the scruff of his neck.

The Deltess was not pleased at all when she found herself grasping a mouthful of skin. Sharp canines pierced through, hooking on as crimson blood steadily trickled into her awaiting jaws, but it was not what she had planned, and did little damage. Of course, she wasn't actually trying to hurt him too badly, but she wasn't focused on making sure she didn't injure him too much. If the princess couldn't handle that, he sure wasn't fit for Erenyx. She was set to slacken her jaw, releasing him, when she noted his muscles tensing, and suddenly felt his weight  shift as his shoulder dropped, creating a sort of ramp. Her momentum didn't allow her to stop, despite her being taller sending her stumbling over the brujo. Tucking her legs in, then sticking them out, appropriately so that she didn't injure her vital limbs, she stopped herself, and within a moment was on her paws again in a wide stance, expecting an attack. However, none came. No, as her gaze quickly fell on him, she found him to be in another defensive position, seeming as though he were only interested in defending himself, and not actually getting any hits on the fae. Her eyes narrowed - he was faking. No wolf could ever survive as a loner with such pitiful fighting skills, she was sure a rabbit could do a better job defending itself, or a kit even. But if he was not faking? Well, if he were not playing tricks on her, even a Helidos pup with even mild training could tear him to shreds. She would not deny it - she was curious. Curious as to what made him tick, why he was either playing damsel in distress with her, or why he was truly such a pitiful fighter. She genuinely wished to know, which wasn't a very common event. Shifting her shoulders forward once again, she pricked her ears, before they swerved around backwards, pressing themselves firmly against her cranium. Her mind wandered back to the hazards she had observed, and swiftly, she calculated her distance away from the rushing river, one even she would be unable to fight if the current picked up, carrying even the strongest of wolves out to their death. The cold surely didn't help, making it more difficult to focus on moving one's limbs. As she mapped out a plan in her mind, with fleet-footed speed, she was once again charging at Vetis. But, this time it was more of a driving charge. She wanted to back him up closer toward the edge. She didn't have the intention of pushing him over, however, but she knew once one of them was teetering, the other holding the power to nudge them into the freezing waters, it was game over. So, opening her jaws, she prepared for a clash, him pushing forward against her to avoid such a fate, targeting his neck. She made sure to angle herself in a way it would be the most difficult to flip her over his back like moments ago, and straight toward the liquid depths. To some, it may seem brash and stupid, but she knew, even if he attempted to swing her around so she was beside the water, she could keep a tight hold if she landed her fangs in his pelt, dragging him with her.