Silver paws carried the bulky boy across the water to the large island. With the ocean on both sides of him the wind played roughly with his fur and blew up sprays of salty water. Oxide allowed himself to enjoy the travel, the freedom of solitude. He was young, and had little drive in his life save to be where he wasn’t. He didn’t want to acknowledge his roots, and instead of being forced to remain stationary he would see everything.

The young Nightingale started in the east, his attention grabbed by the massive island. The land bridge sealed the deal though, and he wasn’t sure he’d have been willing to make the swim. Rust marked form touched paw to the island’s shore and Ox found his garnet gaze taking in the mountains that filled the backdrop of the lush island. It seemed the lack of rain in the east hadn’t caused much effect on this place.

To his right mostly beach lay sprawling out before him and to his left a strip of beach but mostly woodlands. For naw he would make his way around the westward side of the island, he’d had enough of the afternoon sun already. The ocean breeze continued to ruffle his fur as his heavy form started towards the forest.

// Tucked away on his oasis of an island, Reaper had seen little company. No company, as a matter of fact. No one to curb his violent impulses for, nothing to hide from. It showed in the way he decorated his small crop of land, the place he called home. It was on the western side of the island, tucked in at the foot of the mountains and shrouded in shrubbery, a small cavern that was perfect as a home base. The lack of rain had not bothered him, or his make-shift home, though it did cause for some drop in the amount of food for prey. Reaper had noticed the decline in the wild hogs and rabbits, but as one of the only resident predators, there had been plenty for him to survive the drought on. A small inland lake supplied his fresh water for drinking. Truly it was quite the set up. Skeletons of boar, deer, rabbits and even smaller rodents hung from low branches on the trees, spreading the scent of death on the air.

// Cutting through his favorite scent was one that was hated, abhorred, one he wanted irradicated. Male. Young male. A threat to his dominance, a threat to his tenuous claim on this place. Immediately, the savage was on his paws and on the move, covering ground with a calm trot. His tail raised high behind him as he followed the cloying scent of male on the air. Hopping effortlessly over fallen trees and navigating the deer trails through the underbrush, Reaper didn't stop until the silver and rust colored boy was in sight. The beast announced himself with a snort and looked the male up and down. The boy was young, but that would not excuse him from Reaper's aggression. With a tree full of skeleton ornaments behind him, and the afternoon sun dipping below the mountains, Reaper issued only one small word. His voice was a horrid, deep growl as his stiff steps took him closer and closer to the rust and silver male. "Leave." He would force the male away from his home, away from the prey that hung in the trees, away from his orchard of skeletons. It was all his, his, Reaper's! No wolf would walk in his home except him.

// Reaper speaks, Your words, Walk, Think, Salem talks,

Large silvery paws made deep prints in the sands of the beach, the winds shuffling along eagerly as he did so. He walked with a natural grace, his head held aligned with his spin as his tail waved behind him like a banner. Oxide’s stride was confident if not a little slow as he began to explore the massive island. At first he hadn’t noticed the smell of another wolf taking up residence here, nor did he see the macabre decorations hung in the shaded branches of the trees until he was closer to the edge of the forest.

Deep garnet gaze traveled the trunks and branches as he tried to identify the different remains. He slowed as he looked on, rusty ears perked towards the forest when the sound of pawsteps drew his attention more fully. The wolf he had scented earlier, a fully mature man roughly the same size as Oxide. His markings were somewhat similar in color, though the stranger was alabaster where Ox was silver.

The nightingale boy felt his hackles raise at the obvious aggression of the stranger. ”Leave.” the words left the ivory wolf’s lips, likely Oxide’s only warning. The boy was young and cocky, full of himself and overconfident in his ability. He felt the hair raise along his spine as he lifted his rusted lips to show off his pearly canines. Ox lowered his head, rolling his shoulders forward as he evened his stance.

”And if I don’t?” Ox knew there was no need for decorum here. If he didn’t do as he was told, and he never did as he was told anymore, there would be blood drawn. There was no doubt about that.

The male knew the signs of opposition, watching the boy get defensive in his stance and challenge his command. The white spots on his brow came together as they furrowed, rage twisting his expression. The boy was cocky, fearless, and his challenging tone made Reaper's head spin with the instinctive need to extinguish the threat. Another male challenged him and Reaper wasn't one to back down. Dropping his darkly crowned head and pinning his ears, Reaper charged for the rusted silver male, his heavy white paws thudding heavily on the ground. "I SAID LEAVE!" Reaper roared the words and aimed his body to slam into the other's, hoping to find his snapping jaws full of fur and skin so that he might violently twist and shake his head in a punishing grasp.

The aim was to teach the younger boy a lesson, to bring his hubris to its knees and crush it. Reaper felt only rage and the need to punish, unexpectedly there was no wish to kill the boy. It could have been his bravery that spared him the death verdict, but Reaper saw him differently. He admired the boy for standing his ground, even if he was enraged by the same. Perhaps he had made his purchase and would only have to shake the boy dizzy and make him bleed a little. Perhaps not given the kid's attitude.
-----
Reaper vs. Oxide for Dominance
Round 1/2
Height: 36"
Build: Heavy

Oxide’s features twisted up into an amused grin as the man didn’t hesitate to charge at him. The boy kept his defenses, his silvery tail flashed out behind him as hackles rose and he narrowed his gaze. He tucked his chin and revealed his sharp teeth as he pulled back his rusted lips into a snarl. Ox showed no fear, besides a season or two longer on the earth the man had no advantage over the Nightingale boy. He mirrored his opponent’s movements, unwilling to allow this aggressor close enough to land a hit.

Oxide shifted out of the way of the brunt of the attack aimed for him. With his own massive body Ox aimed to throw his left shoulder into the man’s gut, aiming for his left side. He’d want to drive the air from him as Oxide opened his jaws and reached for the stranger’s spine. He too would aim to shake his head if he caught hold, he wanted to draw blood but maybe damage the spine with his powerful jaws as well. Lastly Ox wanted to wrap his right paw around his opponent’s left hind leg and pull it out from beneath him.

Oxide v Reaper
round 1 of 2
Build: Heavy
Size: Large