Ludovic stood in a clearing near his parents' den, his fiery red and stark monochrome fur making him quite the obvious target in the snow for any… particularly… rowdy sibling… a raven's kraw sounded above, drawing his attention away from a path of paw prints. His mismatched gaze followed the birds as they soared gracefully overhead. He noted the patterns of their flight, the way they wheeled and dived, trying to understand them as well as his mother. Trying.

The ravens cawed, their calls echoing through the trees, and Ludovic's lips curled into a roguish smile. There was a certain freedom in their flight, he wondered what it would be like.




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Dark red hind legs gathered in for a spring, and white paws kneaded the snow. She was just around the corner, her dark flame pelt pressed into the rock, her golden eye peering just slightly out of the corner at her brother. Her bright white baby teeth shone against her deep inky black maw in a mischievous smile.

His eyes went up, his nose followed. Heh, the crows were distracting him for her! Or warning him, or both, she didn't care, she waited just a moment longer...

Then "HAH!" She called out as she leaped around the corner and toward him, intending to grab his head and drag him down. Rake her claws over his neck and kick him with her feet.

Ludovic's mismatched eyes flicked from the ravens to the snow-covered ground, his nostrils flaring as he caught a whiff of a familiar scent. His sister…? His muscles tensed in anticipation as the name flashed through his head, his mind calculating the possibilities. Araxina. He knew what would come next. The ravens' caws seemed almost conspiratorial now, either aiding or betraying her presence…

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Araxina propelled from her hiding spot. Her shout was met with his own, “Aye!” Ludo had barely a moment to react, but that was all he needed. He threw himself sideways, hoping to avoid at least some of her attack; which only really resulted in getting grazed by her claws and losing his footing – sending him tumbling to the ground with an oof. But the boy would not stay down for long.

“Nice try! Better luck next time! ” He huffed, his voice a cocky and teasing drawl even as he rolled back to his feet. He crouched slightly, muscles coiled and ready as he puffed out his chest, tail lashing behind him. Daring his sister to come at him again.

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She huffed as he barreled away. She wanted more than just a graze on him!
She laughed, as she found her feet under her, scrambling at the snow. She was still developing her sense of balance and coordination. That's what this was about, wasn't it? Honing their skills on each other? She lashed her own ebony tail, they could have been nigh twins if the white hadn't encroached on so much of his face.

"Next time's now!" she said announcing herself before her attack, her golden eyes gleaming with delight. She pushed herself forward to tackle him to the ground again. She went to crash her chest into his shoulder, to bowl him over with all her puppy strength, even though he was bigger than her. Her sharp teeth went to grab his cheek, her paws pushed to pin him down.

Ludovic grinned as Araxina scrambled to her feet, her laughter mingling with the raven's caws. The boy watched her, eyes gleaming amusement and challenge, bearing his teeth at his sister as his ears flattened against his skull.

She declared that next time was now, earning a bark of laughter from him, her golden eyes gleaming with delight as she launched herself at him with all her might. She crashed into his shoulder, trying to bowl him over. He felt the impact, her sharp teeth going for his cheek, her paws trying to pin him down. The world spun in a blur of white and black and fire.

Ludo would try to twist his body as they rolled, trying to use his size advantage to counter her momentum. He aimed to grab her scruff with his jaws, paws grappling at her body, trying to scratch and kick at her in tandem.

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Her needly puppy teeth snapped snapped snapped at his cheek, trying to reach it but he twisted his face over hers to grab at her scruff. She clamped down with her molars hopefully on his cheek just as he clamped on her scruff and the pain both from his teeth and of his heavier legs buffeting hers made her mouth open with a SQUEAL of undeserved pain!! Sending the cawing ravens higher and higher at the disturbance. Probably showing their mother where the two baby combatants were.

"LULU LET GO!! OWWWW" She cried with her screams of protest splitting the air. Her legs buffeting him back. She twisted around trying to get him to let go, squealing even after he would.

How dare he!!! He hurt her!! She was only training like daddy said they should!! Ugh! He'll pay for this!!

Ludovic felt Araxina's needle-sharp puppy teeth snap at his cheek as she struggled against him. He twisted his face over hers, grabbing at her scruff with a firm hold. Just as her molars clamped onto his cheek, he clamped onto her scruff, the pain searing through him. He kicked and kicked, clawed, whatever he could – the backdrop of their puppy growls and screeches being the cawing of ravens.

Araxina's screams made Ludo halt his attack, even release her. He wouldn’t get in trouble for teaching her a lesson in challenging him!

With a low growl, Ludovic stepped back, his eyes narrowing at his sister. “Don't call me that, Xina! Or I'll give you more to cry about!” His voice was a mix of irritation and the lingering pain from her bites and kicks. A warning nonetheless.

He shook off the snow that clung to his fur, his mismatched eyes flashing with annoyance. “You're tougher than that, remember? Dad said we're training to be strong. Mom said strength is everything. So suck it up and come at me again if you've got the guts!”

His tail lashed behind him, the challenge clear in his stance. The game was far from over, and despite the pain and irritation, he was ready for whatever his sister would throw at him next.


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She shook her fur out when he released her and snarled at his retort.
"I'll call you what I want, Lulu!" She spat back at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" She sneered as if she hadn't just squealed loud enough for a parent to at least look in their direction. Her squeals had got him to release her, she won that match in her own eyes.

"I got plenty of guts and I don't have to prove it!" Xina stuck her nose up in the air, obviously too important to get all ruffled up over some petty squabble! The nerve of him! He'll ruin her fur! A sly look was all he would get as a warning as she picked up a paw full of heavy snow and launched it right at his face. She dashed back towards the den and their parents, looking all innocent.

Ludovic narrowed his mismatched eyes, a low growl rumbling from his chest as he shook off the snow that clung to his fur from Araxina's surprise attack. His irritation was visible.

“Xina!” He muttered, wiping the snow from his face with a paw. “You brat!” He watched as she dashed back towards the den, her sly look not lost on him. For a moment, he considered charging after her, but he knew better than to start another brawl right in front of their parents. Instead, he took a deep breath, trying to shake off the remaining irritation.

“You’ll never win anything with that mouth of yours!” He called after her, anger and challenge in his voice as his chest puffed out against the cold wind. “Crybaby!”

He straightened up, his tail lashing behind him as he moved to follow her at a slower, more deliberate pace.


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