Nnlya could instantly see that her tale disturbed him. She was right to omit her more recent encounter. Though he managed to smile at her last and she moved to keep away from such grim conversational topics. She nodded and smiled in agreement with his counsel. It is true that they had both lost a sibling, but from his story she gathered that he either did not wish to discuss the circumstances surrounding her death - perfectly acceptable in her mind - or that he did not know exactly what happened to her. In regards to the second possibility, Nnlya was glad that she knew how Onyx had lost his life. It gave her closure and did not permit any false hope on her behalf. His stark resemblance to her brother did not, however, bring her painful memories of his death, but joyous ones of his short life. She was glad to have met someone such as Eclipse. His positivity and honesty were quite refreshing. The fact that, in both looks and much of his personality, he appeared much like her brother only made her feel more at ease with him.

They approached a steep incline, requiring a good amount of their strength to conquer. Her shoulders bulged and muscles rippled as she made herself keep pace with the brute. She wasn't one to tire too easily but to lose him now would mean  more energy spent tracking his scent to the meadow. But the ascent was well worth the energy spent as it plateaued out into a vastness of exceedingly long grass covered in crystalline white snow. They padded quietly to the shade, unwilling to disturb the tranquil silence enveloping them. Her view moved to that of the north, taking in another view of the snow-laden plain. It gradually sloped off, leading back down in to the forest. But the spectacle in the distance was what held her. A shimmering on the horizon that appeared the beginnings of a mirage. Though the heat was not right and her mind not fuzzy for it to be so. On closer inspection she deduced that it was water, though not any body she had seen before. It was too alive, too animated, for it to be a lake or even some strange river. She had heard tell of the ocean, but never ventured far enough to see it herself. What she saw mystified her. This ever-moving plain of blue - with a slight mix of more green than her eyes could ever hold - was the trail to new lands. Perhaps there were other kinds of wolves out there. In lands undiscovered - if indeed the ocean did end somewhere. Or even a kind of wolf that could swim forever, that lived in the depths for the entirety of its life. The possibilities were endless.

Her gaze returned to the meadow around them and the details came rushing to her. A few small, colourful flowers poking valiantly through the snow. The icicles hanging from the trees that ringed the meadow throwing shafts of light upon it. The twittering of little birds nestled in their winter homes, making their distaste for the cold known. She even swore she could see a little fawn grazing in the shadows of some bushes. Its mother, no doubt, on guard nearby.

Her jaws were parted slightly in awe of its beauty and when Eclipse spoke softly, she could do nothing but swallow and nod slowly. The beauty of this place has rendered her speechless. Words could not describe how she felt about this place. She settled herself on the ground, resting her head in her paws as the fur of her stomach protected her from the biting cold. She watched the fawn graze, scanning the trees until she saw the mother. A fair distance away, grazing herself, but always watching her young one. It was beautiful.

Looking around the special place helped to bury the memories of his sister being washed away by the river as it flowed ferociously fast with all its increased energy due to the snow melting that had increased its rate of discharge. Still he did not know whether she had survived or if her final breaths had been taken that day, she could now only be existing in the few dear thoughts to which he clung onto so they wouldn't slip away. Not knowing was the worst of all, as it had given him hope for many months that she could be alive. Eventually he had come to terms with the hard truth that she was likely dead, however much he felt that made him an awful brother. Each moon cycle that passed seemed to cause Eclipse's reminiscence of his family members, and even of events that he believed had been shared with them, to become hazy. It had gotten to such an extent that he couldn't feel nostalgic about the time spent in his natal pack any longer, as he truly was unsure if he was remembering their faces correctly and if some of the happy times were just a wishful illusion of his imagination and hadn't actually happened. Even now, as he stood in the long grasses which were burdened with snow, he tried to imagine his mother and father and Blizzard enjoying the view, but all the little characteristics of them he thought he knew had disappeared from his mind and so he was unsuccessful.

The dark brute sighed softly, coming to accept that he wouldn't have remembered them all forever. His sigh did not seem due to disappointment or sadness however, it merely sounded like he was expelling his breath after smelling the salty sea breeze that wandered over from the cove in the distance. Now he had been in the pack for a few months and saw Helidos as his family. He got along with each wolf he was acquainted with remarkably well despite his normally aloof disposition, including Nnlya who he was currently spending time with. Seeing the fae laid comfortably on the ground, watching every detail in awe, made him smile just a little. It feels nice to bring happiness to others, doesn't it? He rested his rump on the ground beside her, observing a pair of snow hares munching the few remaining flowers at the centre of the meadow. "The cove is a lovely location, you should visit sometime" Eclipse could vividly recall meeting the pack's lead healer there and it had lead to a very good relationship. His smile brightened and his tail thumped the frozen earth quietly, spraying bits of it around as he thought of his dear friend. Creek really was a wonderful fae.

A movement from the edge of his vision made his golden hues shift focus from the hares and onto a young deer as it trotted to its mother by the trees lining the clearing. As his muscles loosened slightly he glanced over to the warrior, noticing she too had spotted the pair. "It looks like a young buck that was born this Spring. He'll be a little confused when his mother mates again this season and he's forgotten about when his sibling is born next Spring". Eclipse's chest bounced as a low chuckle escaped his maw, gathering his paws under him as he lowered his body to the ground. The snow crunched beneath him as his position shifted, and he gazed around with a warm hint to his eyes, a contentment to his features. Slowly he settled his muzzle onto the cold earth between the grass strands, the snow clinging to his chin to create a little white beard. Both of the deer were unaware of the two wolves watching them and that helped to create the peaceful atmosphere. If only they knew they would have spooked and ran away, expecting to be hunted, which would have left the wolves quite disappointed indeed.

Nnlya closed her eyes, dozing softly beside the brute as he spoke. Replying in a calm, almost lazy manner, this place comforted her and put her at ease. I have never seen the ocean. My travels have not graced me with its appearance. Though I should think it a lovely journey and a wonderful sight to behold. She chuckled at his statement regarding the buck. Yes, I suppose it would be a rather difficult situation for the poor creature. Her eyes opened somewhat and she studied the youngling further, noting the white spots on his back and the lighter fur on his ears. He reminds me of a story my mother told. A young fawn born in the spring to a kind mother. He struggled to learn at first but bloomed as he grew. During his first winter, his mother was killed and he left alone. It was then his father found him and took him in. The youngling was cared for and trained, growing up to be the Prince of the forest, like his father before him. He was tall and strong and graceful.

She considered the story for some time. Being older she could understand the meaning behind it a little better. It spoke of how anyone, even the smallest, weakest of your kind can rise through adversity and emerge stronger. She still enjoyed the childishness of the story, as it provided a light-hearted escape from the more depressing aspects of life. She chose then to someday tell the same story to her own pups, along with others her mother had told her, so that she could teach them that the world was a beautiful place and that everyone deserved to experience it. But she would also show them that not all beings are kind, and to respect the balance of nature. But these more gruesome and complex things would only be revealed once they were old enough to understand.

She sighed at the thought of the pups she hoped to one day carry, wanting them with all her heart, but also fearful of the necessary mate who would be half of them. What would he be like? Would he want her if he knew she was tainted? Would she even find him? But she forced such ugly thoughts from her mind and turned instead to the songs and stories of her childhood, beginning to hum a tune her mother had once used to sing her to sleep. The sound reverberated deep in her throat and sent her body vibrating with each new note. She missed her more childish times and regretted having cut short her childhood. But all the same was glad for the little she had experienced.

Sun's glowing radiation of light urged the creatures of the land to awaken and begin the day anew with energy following their night of rest or entire season of hibernation. On this occasion, one particular predator of the forest wished to just remain immobile sprawled across the moist ground, and just snooze. The breeze was light and accommodating of his finer pelt that was still shedding the thicker fur which it no longer required under the current climate. He groaned, flexing out his limbs whilst he flicked open his golden eyes. All of last night he had spent following a scent and his hunt had been reasonably successful, resulting in two hares and a young unsuspecting groundhog to add to the kill pile. Now he had achieved a few hours rest he would be rising again to go and train with Warrior Nnlya. Gradually he huffed and rolled up onto his pads and trotted to the Healer Den located perhaps ten meters give or take from where he had slept. Sniffing at the entrance first, he could smell the Lead Healer within and peered inside the den, smiling as he caught sight of her cream fur amongst the many herbs and plants which held so many healing properties that he wouldn’t be able to ever fathom if he tried. Satisfied that she was secure and okay, he turned, still smiling, and walked away in the direction of the forest.

He pondered as he went, wondering what sort of gift he could take back for the fae whom had captured his affections. A hide for her den? Something to eat? No, it had to be something original. Eclipse frowned as he continued to think, looking to the treetops as if searching them for inspiration. Still nothing. The brute sighed and slowed to a halt by the lively flowing creek, resting his rump on the mossy earth. Birdsong was something he hadn’t heard for a few months and that paired with the rushing noise of the water was a welcome greeting for him, inviting him into the presence of warm days and longer hours of daylight yet again for the following limited number of months. His brown ears, highlighted with blonde tinges due to the sun, swivelled absently at the little momentary sounds of the life around him. Waiting patiently as ever for his friend to aid him on his mission to better his defence and attack skills. What did she have in store for him today? Only time would tell, but he was eager to learn something new which he didn’t get to do in his life as a slayer of prey. To get an insight into the battling of fellow wolves, it was foreign but all the more exciting.

Warrior Nnlya made good use of her time following that first adventure with the Lead Hunter Eclipse. After an impromptue hunt with the Warrior Ace, she finally retired to the pack clearing. Eventually she found the time to make a den of her own. A small, but liveable space nestled deep under the roots of an ancient tree. She had dug a fair way back, allowing a quiet sanctuary of warmth at the very back. However, if she slept closer to the entrance, beneath the thick roots, as she had recently begun as the weather turned warmer, she found she would wake softly as the light of the day fell on her. This suited her well as she preferred to be up at dawn. Some mornings, she would rise when it was still dark and move to a small cliff to watch the sunrise, just as she had the day she arrived in this packs territory.

On this particular morning, she rose in such a manner, stretched her sleep-stiffened limbs and padded her way to the glorious meadow shown to her by her friend Eclipse. Being a high vantage point, it afforded her an excellent view of the packs terriorty and then some. Her eyes always took a moment to study the sea, far off in the distance. She had not yet made the trek, but planned to soon now that the weather was in her favour. The sun rose as it always did, blossoming bright hues of orange, pink and yellow across the sea of azure that matched her eyes perfectly.

But today would not be the day of her trip, for she was already promised to meet Eclipse. He had asked her help, wanting to learn the ways of combat that he might be able to defend his mate and pups. She admired him for his dedication to his family. And often joked that she would be their aunt. She couldn't see Eclipse as anything aside from a brother. And it wasn't just his resemblance to Onyx - may he hunt forever. He was just so carefree and honest. He was funto be around and the deepest wolf she had met to this day.

Nnlya rose from the ground, shaking out her loose fur. The worst part of the change in seasons was the change in coat. The loose fur just collected everywhere. She couldn't curl up comfortably without getting a mouthful. Thankfully her fur was almost back to its thin summer layer. She trotted her wway downhill, making a beeline for the river when she scented that her pupil had already arrived. She found it odd to think of herself as a teacher, but she had to get used to it if she hoped to become Lead Warrior or an Elite someday. Without the snow and typically overcast days of winter, it was somewhat more difficult for her to hide her dark pelt. However, the long grass afforded her some cover. She crouched low, stalking the brute with silent ease. Her paws padded softly into the dirt barely rising a puff of dust. Her tail remained immobile while she watched his own sway gently before her. The gushing sound of the river helped to mask the sound of her breathing. The fae crept slightly closer before lightly bounding to stand before him. Her azure eyes gazed softly into his own amber ones. Good mornin'! She exclaimed, laughing lightly. Surprised you, huh? She sat, curling her tail around her paws, grinning at him. Somewhat evilly, in her own opinion.

Observing silently, the hunter glanced around at the palette of green, blue and brown. His paws began to sink into the mossy ground as he sat there, the area being saturated with water after the snow had all melted. It had also caused the creek to be raging and overflowing with meltwater. Still waiting for the company of his friend and now trainer, he raised each paw one by one and shook the clinging dirt off his claws, then wiped them against the moss. Unfortunately it wouldn't be removed from his furred feet so easily. Yawning, he stood and padded over to the water, taking a long soothing drink as he figured he was going to need to be fully hydrated for his training. Innocently unaware of the one stalking him until a scent flowed to his keen nose. Eclipse turned from the river and looked around, his paw suspended in the air while he wondered if someone was there or not. Ears alert, he still didn't have the opportunity to figure who it was before the fae came hurtling towards him. Instinctively his body began to drop down into a submissive position, saved only by noticing it was Nnlya he relaxed and stood up, "Good morning Nnlya. You gave me quite a fright there".

Shaking out his chocolate stained pelt, he managed to grin. "I suppose I should have expected that of you". The male chuckled and shook his head, "You do remind me of Blizzard" Tail swaying in greeting, he moved forward and licked the underside of her muzzle like he would do to respectfully greet a sibling, playfully hitting her with his tail as he changed direction again and sat perpendicular to her. By her scent and the direction she had come from he could tell she had visited his meadow, the fact making him smile softly. "So what is it we are doing?" His eyes were bright and eager as he looked to her, revelling in the chance to learn something, and perhaps get his own revenge on the fae for his fright in the process.

(OOC - I apologise for the short post. I was in a rush and had a lack of muse)

The brute shook out his inky pelt, stained with chocolate when viewed in the sunlight. His tail swaying, he licked the underside of her cheek in respectful greeting. Nnlya's tail began to drift slightly from side to side as she returned the gesture saying, Just as you remind me of Onyx. They each reminisced for their lost sibling for a moment before sobering and returning to the day at hand.

She noticed the gleam in his eye that promised revenge for her fright and for a moment she was afraid. The fae straightened, standing in the process. Today marks the end of your practicing with balanced logs, attacking bushes and chasing pups. Today you fight a real opponent... She paused for dramatic effect, turning her back to the brute and flicking her tail past his nose. Me. She strode away confidently, grinning evilly to herself as she did. The brute had no idea he was in for a beating. She lead them not to their regular secluded clearing, but to a seemingly random spot in the forest. It was a place she had specifically chosen for the very reason that it would not serve as an advantage to Eclipse. Not once had she sniffed his scent in this place. Not even as the faint hint of a long past passing through. She chose this place in the hopes that he would remember a few minor pointers she had given on using your surroundings to your advantage.

The fae could feel a great tension brewing between Helidos and Erenyx, and it worried her. She wanted Eclipse to be able to defend his family to the best of his ability. If it came to war, if the battle was fought in Erenyx lands, quite frankly she felt he had as much chance as an untrained pup. She wanted to bring him up to speed as quickly as possible, that he might live to see his pups grown. But it was her deepest wish for events not to turn so sour. She raised her tail high, curling it over her back to show dominance as his teacher. This will be a fight to submission. There will be no unnecessary blood drawn. No quarter. No mercy. Prepare yourself Lead Hunter Eclipse. The fae readied into her most lethal stance. She moved slowly and acted almost lazily, standing neutrally with a bored expression. She awaited his reply.

Analytical eyes and ears captured the warrior completely, scrutinising her appearance and voice for any hint of sarcasm or untruth in what she had announced. There was none. Alas, he took account of what she was saying. It had only been a matter of weeks and already he was to be put to a real test? The hunter's cheerful disposition changed in earnest to that of grave sincerity. He mirrored her movement, standing up himself just as her tail teased his nose; to which he responded with a snapping of his jaws to the feathered fur. He paused, mouth agape, and pulled his head away from her tail, his teeth clicking together as his lips once again sealed without making contact with actual flesh. 'Me'. A spar? And with his dear friend? Without a sound from his maw or in the treading of his pads, he obediently followed his teacher as she led the way to the site of their mock fight.

All the while he mused over the important points he had gained and needed to remember for a battle situation. "Keep your emotions level, think like it's an elk, not a wolf. Look around, make note of places to hide for surprise attacks and wherever you can get higher than your opponent for an advantage", he muttered to himself within the secure, though currently quite anxious, confines of his mind. Still his breathing was shaky and he held himself low while he walked behind Nnlya. When eventually she did stop and face him, seeming very confident, as she should be, he looked around. This particular spot he was not familiar with and so he didn't know where the trees were thick and where he could get to higher ground, though he figured that was the intention. Glancing back to Nnlya, Eclipse was fairly taken aback by her dominance, but stayed calm enough to at least hear her words. Focused on her very indifferent expression, he followed her final command, readying himself by raising his tail high, unnaturally so for the hunter. His pupils constricted ever slightly as his eyes steadied intently on her, ears pinning. "I am very grateful for all the time you have dedicated to training me, Lee. But as you know, I have never seriously harmed a fellow wolf before. Take it easy, maybe?" The brute cocked his head and grinned, knowing that she would not do such a thing he was partially joking, but he secretly still hoped that it might stir some sympathy from her. "Alright", he called to her after clearing his throat. In all honesty, he only wished to flee; but he knew better than to turn his back on the fae. "I'm ready".

Nnlya noticed immediately when Eclipse raised his tail unnaturally high. She curled her lips in a snarl, though technically his rank in the pack was higher than her own and it was his right to assert dominance over her. The corners of her mouth raised slightly in amusement at his nickname for her. "Lee" had become a shortened version of her given name to which she had grown rather attached. Though so far only he had the honour of calling her so casually. She almost laughed at his request to "take it easy". But at least he had sense enough not to flee. At any other time his plea might have stirred some small amount of sympathy that would cause her to hold back. But she couldn't afford him any sympathy. Not if he was to learn.

With that final thought she lunged viciously at him, teeth barred and muscles filled with the fire of battle. In an instant she had turned from casual and almost lazy to full warrior. It was in this moment she lived up to her title. She had considered that perhaps if she succeeded in this, she could be well on the way to a rank of Lead Warrior or perhaps even Delta. Her ambition was after all to serve the pack to the best of her ability and a higher status would afford her the means to do so. She could teach the soon-to-be-born pups once they were old enough and even pass judgement on loners wishing access to the pack. The thought was one that made her shiver. Her ability to teach Eclipse would see her path opened or barred to her. Typically she would wait for her opponent to make the first move, but Eclipse had to learn how to both act and react with attacks.

Mere feet from the brute, the fae bunched her fore- and hind-legs together, scrunching her muscles tightly. Her back arched, hackles raised. She was there for only a fraction of a second before her powerful hind legs launched her straight at the male. Her jaws parted, baring deadly points ready to cut through fur and flesh. She narrowed her eyes, zeroing in on Eclipse's shoulder. Her first point of attack.

To his own surprise, a growl rose from his throat in response to the fae, whom he considered to be a sister, when she had so explicitly displayed her annoyance at his action of raising his tail for the sole reason of creating a threatening battle stance. It was instinct, after all, for an animal to try and appear bigger than they truly were in hopes of subduing an attacker before any physical contact has to take place. Though this was not an actual fight, it was a planned part of training. So this was destined to be rather a long exercise. He could tell she found something comical, either in his pose or what he had said, though because there was nothing really incorrect with his stance he concluded it was almost definitely the latter. And with that he also figured that she was indeed not going to lessen her aggression and force in her attack just because he was her friend and had never been faced with a spar or battle before. However, he knew that it was necessary; no real life opponent was going to give him a chance to win just because they hadn't fought him previously. It became more tense each passing moment where nothing happened. As the warrior just stood there, unmoving and clearly untroubled by what was to come. Whereas the brute was dissolving into strife with himself as the many methods of attack she could take rolled through his mind. But it was so difficult to attempt to predict the actions taken in an unpredictable situation. With each breath his muscles coiled tighter, like springs ready to release all the energy suppressed within them. That was one apparent advantage of his training with Nnlya. Although he already had well developed muscles along his jaw and limbs, the long hours spent dragging heavy branches and flipping around in all sorts of unusual dodging manoeuvres had hardened other muscles such as those of his torso. The hunter was beginning to look the part of a capable warrior. Of course, it had all come with much aching and pain, but it was worth it as it also contributed to improving his hunting.

"Come on", he thought. It was becoming too stressful just waiting for her to move towards him. Then she snapped. Suddenly she had transformed from being idle to being just a few feet away from him. All he saw was the flashing of her fangs before he threw himself to the left and out of the way. Ears pinned flat against his head, his own ivory canines revealed as his lips pulled back and snout wrinkled with a low, menacing snarl. This so wasn't like him to show aggression like this, but duty called so to speak. In order to be able to fight Nnlya he imagined he didn't know her, that she was a loner or Erenyx wolf. A trespasser who had invaded with intentions of causing harm to a wolf of Helidos and he had to convince her that he would kill her if she didn't submit and flee. It was time to summon the same guts he had when his mother had viciously attacked his sister, when he'd saved Blizzard by tackling his mother and acquired the scar on his ear from the bite of her jaws. That memory resurfacing made him subconsciously flick the scarred right ear forwards for a second until it rested tight against his scalp again. The female didn't follow up her lunge with any further movement. It was just a decoy of an attack to test if he was alert to her movements. And he was most definitely watching every little twinge of her muscle. But she seemed to be thinking, probably of what she would do next. Her pelt shivered and he wondered what she actually was occupied with in her mind, but he never lost focus or loosened his muscles. Following her lunge he was more attentive to her than before and he paced around her slowly, the fibres which contracted beneath his pelt and moved his legs doing so very slowly so that he moved fluidly without a sound.

Believing himself to have some time available during her thinking time, he glanced around to see what he could use to his advantage. There was a dip in the ground, a long and perhaps four feet deep hollow of sorts where it seemed there had maybe once been a tributary to the creek but it had dried up and there was a dead fallen tree stretching across the top as a sort of bridge. He looked back to the warrior so she wouldn't notice what he'd seen and prevent him from reaching it, but continued to ponder how it could be any use to him. That was when he peered into her eyes and saw the sudden gleam they possessed and she launched herself at him with such a ferocious grace that he was stunned for a fragment of a second until he came to his senses. Eclipse had a very short frame of time to react to her swift leap as she was stood so close, and by the time he had ducked she was already on him. Her teeth sunk into his fur and slightly sliced into the flesh of his shoulder, the impact of her body slamming into him knocked him onto his side despite his efforts to push his weight into his paws and dig his claws into the soil. With her jaws clamped onto him he used that to gain an advantage, twisting up and towards her to push with his gripped shoulder so that she was forced to release his shoulder or else be pushed over. Whilst he did that he turned his head and parted wide the black lips on his extended muzzle to aim to bite her exposed throat much like he did to strangle his prey. The throbbing pain of his cut shoulder fuelled his temper in his attack, so if he could seize her throat he was going to be relentless and try his best to not let go no matter whatever she tried to do, until she submitted. If he was to try and win this then he'd have to act like he was going to kill because Nnlya wasn't so submissive by nature. The current method he was going for: scare her into surrendering.

Her initial lunge had been unsuccessful, as the fae has suspected. She was merely testing him, feeling him out to ensure just how alert he was. But it did not go unnoticed  that he was impatient every time she stopped and considered her next move, standing confidently, almost bored. It was something she could use. As she recovered from her attack, her eyes followed his as they darted around in his head, searching for something he could possibly use to get the upper hand. For a fraction of a second, both of their eyes detected a small diver in the ground that had likely once been a runoff from the river. Laying horizontally across the old riverbed was a fallen tree, acting almost as a bridge.

The fae only glimpsed it for a second, but a second was all she needed, she had to ensure that the brute was unable to lure her down there, where he could attack from higher ground. But she had to do so by keeping his mind occupied with defending himself, so that he had little to no time to formulate a plan. Her thoughts chased each other wildly around her brain and her body reacted instantly. She made a quick lunge for his shoulder, one that was too close and too sudden for him to fend off. Her teeth found purchase there and she held on as tightly as possible without permanently injuring the brute. Scars heal, but a damaged shoulder could see him out of commission for the rest of his life at worst. She had expected the brute to perform a counter attack, but what she hadn't expected  was for him to go for the throat like she was Alpha Steele himself, trying to take Creek. But she was proud of him for it. He was taking this training very seriously and she expected no less from a pupil of hers.

With her jaws occupied in grasping his shoulder and her paws of no use as they scrabbled at the ever retreating ground  for the brute was jostling her harshly, to save herself she would have to give up on this attack and find a new way to force him into submission. Or more likely, perform a death blow without really performing a death blow, but simply state You are now dead. As his thrashing jaws came ever closer her legs tensed minutely, still seeming to scrabble at his sides when unreality they had already gained the purchase they needed. Her maw loosened its grip fractionally on his shoulder.

She breathed, taking a second to slow her heart rate.he second stretched on forever it seemed to her. She had all the time in the world, as time slowed for her in that second, she inhaled and exhaled. She headed the beating of a splendid butterfly's wings as it passed by. She heard the distant running of the river. She heard the heartbeat of a hummingbird suckling nectar from a flower and watched over the brutes bacon, seeing it in the distance as she could make out each individual backwards flap it made to stabilise itself. She also saw the brutes head swing up slowly to meet hers. She released him and as time seemed to return to its usual fast pace, she snapped her jaws over his muzzle and cocked her head sharply to the right, forcing him to the ground and stepping over him. But surely, she thought, Surely this fight won't end here? Surely he knows more than this? As she held him she decided. The current method she was going for: speed.

The first thing he thought of when she had her jaws around his muzzle was that he needed to get her over to the dried river, the second being that things really weren't going in his favour right now. Of course he hadn't expected the fae to roll over and beg for forgiveness, but she hadn't even fallen over like he'd hoped when he'd shoved her with force, nor had he managed to capture her throat. Somehow she'd managed to hold her ground, literally, and now had the 'upper paw'. He was held, seemingly helpless beneath her, his golden hues bearing with an intense glare into her own of sea blue pigmentation. In any other circumstance he would have met her gaze with nothing but admiration and geniality; however that would not occur as she had pulled such a difficult stunt on him. Effectively, with his snout confined to the grip of her teeth he had very little to attack back with. Wolf's claws were useless for inflicting harm, as they were blunt, worn down with the friction they received during his duties each day, for they were not retractable like a feline's. Luckily for the brute his mind was sharper.

Taking a moment to catch his breath as he knew that she was awaiting his counter attack and wouldn't do any more to him yet, his eyes never left hers. Slowly his chest rose and deflated as he took long, deep breaths, calming himself down and formulating his next move. The adrenaline coursing through his veins allowed for relief from the pain in his punctured shoulder but he didn't forget that the holes existed. He could feel the moist soil that he lay upon clinging to the wounded shoulder, glued there by the droplets of crimson that seeped from his skin. Perhaps he'd ask Creek when she was free in the evening to clean his shoulder and any other injuries he might acquire over the following however many minutes. In one quick sweeping glance, he assessed her position. Though she was stood high it seemed there was an easy way to overthrow her.

In a flash he twisted his body around and gathered his rear paws beneath him, his body momentarily held in a play bow position until he dug his forepaws securely into the ground and used his muscled hind legs to propel himself upright and against the force which she used to hold him down by his muzzle. Simultaneously, as he stood he thrashed his head the opposite way to which he had been held so that Nnlya was pushed off a little off balance and lost the strong purchase she had with her paws on the earth. Once he was stood up he reared suddenly on his hind legs, jerking his muzzle out from her mouth whilst creating a few long minor scratches down the bridge of his muzzle.

And with that he aimed to do the one thing that might help him win. Dashing around her so that he was facing the long hollow, he pounced on the warrior, teeth bared. In that instant he forgot about the spar and slipped into hunting mode. He landed heavily on her back and seized her scruff between his teeth as they both fell and rolled. Eclipse wrapped his paws around her sides and purposely rolled them towards his destination. With one powerful kick from his rear paws he released Nnlya and rolled up onto his pads. He had done this a couple of meters away from the drop in case she managed to use his method on him instead or he fell in with her. Whether luck had decided to side with him or not he would wait and see as he stood tall and began panting, hoping the momentum he had added with his kick would make her continue towards the drop. By all means he was trying his hardest, but that wasn't to say she couldn't turn the tables yet.

She waited patiently for the brutes counter attack, keeping a firm grip over his muzzle. Her watery eyes met his flaming orbs and something changed in them something that would turn the tide of this battle for the second time as they struggled. It happened so quickly she had no time to react to it, a feat that was almost unheard of for the fae. She suddenly found the brutes muzzle torn from her mouth and his hulking mass rising up before her. He darted around behind her and kept upon her back like he would upon large prey. He seized her scruff and pulled her to the ground. As the spun and rolled in a deadly dance, she snapped her jaws viciously, and desperately flailing her paws trying to land a mark upon him. Her opportunity came when he forcefully kicked her away. As she slid through the dirt she whipped her head around and swiftly snapped her maw shut around one if his extended hind-paws. Then she lost sight of him as she continued to skid towards whatever he had sent her to.

Speeding into her view came the dried up riverbed. But she had misjudged it as a small runoff and found the drop to be much larger than she had anticipated. It could surely do some good damage if she continued this way. The warrior whipped around onto her belly, digging her claws into the earth. But her efforts were late. She knew if this were a real battle her opponent had her at his mercy. Her hind legs dangled over the edge, scrabbling desperately for a foothold. Loose rocks tumbled below as her rear paws dislodged them. Her forelegs we're desperately clinging to the edge of the drop, supporting the weight of her upper body. Fear flashed momentarily through her eyes as she remembered the story her mother told her. Of a lion who was killed by his brother purely for the sake of title. And it was in this manner he died. Dangling over the edge of a cliff, although her story lacked the trampling wildebeest below.

Here was where her story would deviate from the childhood tale. Her rear right paw found a secure foothold in the bank and with a growl she used it to launch herself over the edge and back onto solid land. Her tail stretched out behind her, he hackles raised and she dropped into a stalking crouch. The warrior continued to growl ferociously as she slowly stalked her way towards the standing brute. Anger flashed violently through her eyes as she was prepared to defeat him. No familial bond. No holding back. No mercy.

(OOC: Sorry for taking so long! I forgot about it >.>)

Through the whole andrenaline thrill of his attack he hadn't really felt the pain that she had caused with her jaws to his rear paw, but now as he stood and put pressure on it the pain burned at the wounded extremity of his body, soaring way more intensely in the paw than his cut to the shoulder had. He yelped and tried to lean his weight onto the opposite side of his body. Compared to his paw, the shoulder injury was just a dull numbness. She sure had bitten him good and proper, but he didn't think any bones were broken. And the worst thing about it was that both wounds were on the left side of his body, so as the shoulder caused his front leg to wobble when his weight was applied to it, the hind paw caused him a limp in the back. Luckily, time was on his side as he watched her scrabble for a hold while dangling over the edge of the riverbank. In any other circumstance he would have run over to help her, but for two reasons, one being that this was a spar and helping the opposition was besides the point and two being that he was physically incapable of running at that moment, he stayed put. His eyes betrayed his dominant stance, tail waving over his back, as they watched her with concern for if she did fall and injure herself. 

A fierce growl soon alerted him that she was up on the level ground again, the anger apparent in her as she stalked towards him. It was fairly frightening to watch another slowly approaching him with the promise of hurting him, and not be able to do anything about it. He could not run with his limp, at best he could throw himself out of the way if she charged or pounced at him. The best defence he had right now was the weapons concealed within his maw. He licked his lips slowly and kept his mouth slightly agape in preparation. His dark fur bristled along his spine and he winced slightly while readjusting his position into a crouch. A whisper in the back of his mind spoke to him "This is really gonna hurt..."

(Ooc - it's cool. It was so close to ending anyways.)


The warrior analysed her opponent carefully, noting which hind paw she had snapped at. Both of his injuries were on the same side, causing an awful, uneven limp that very much hindered his movement. She watched him crouch in preparation for her attack, he did not seem well enough to provide a counter of his own. She needed to end this fight and send him off to his mate for treatment. Her jowls were seeing spots of froth as she continued to growl and snap. In one huge bound she covered the distance between them, her jaws aiming for the small exposure if his throat. Her forepaws held his head down, her canines locked on his neck. She stepped over him swiftly and pressed her full weight into his back. Their similar sized frames made it slightly difficult for her to hold him, but in his condition it would be a futile struggle to fight back. She growled lowly and nipped at his ear, drawing the tiniest trickle of blood. You are now dead, Eclipse. She stepped off the brute and began to help him to his paws. You handled yourself well. But perhaps be more aware of where your limbs are. Come now, we need to get you some rest. Nnlya nudged his good side softly and they moved off back towards the pack clearing.