ooc: I'm looking to wrack up some points so if we can keep the 3 day default time that'd be good : )

Frost clung to dead leaves and grass that stained the battlefield several shades of reds, browns and yellows. Birna overlooked the battlefield, her breath spilling from her lips in a gentle fog as she lifted her head to howl for an opponent. With new pups in Imperium Birna, pups that were growing on her despite herself, the bear woman felt a sudden growing need to improve her skills and to move up the ranks within Imperium. She wanted to wield more power within the pack that she could use to help the ruling pair establish order and protect the young lives that would need to flourish wihtin the pack. Yet to do so she had to get stronger. Birna was displeased with her performance in the siege. She'd gotten sloppy and complacent in a crucial moment. Ever since the escapade into Sonticus she'd gotten over-confident and vain in her power but now it was time to take a step back and ground herself. After all, now she was fighting for something more than herself. Birna vs. ?

The male strolled casually through the battlefield, cream-colored, muscular shoulders rolling and powerful haunches swaying. Ebony paws scuffed through the fallen leaves, a crisp crackling noise made with each step. Ehrgeiz had come looking for someone to introduce himself to through bloodshed. The eager howl of a fighter caught his attention, causing his black tinted ears to perk. So, somebody else also wished to test their fangs and claws on the flesh of another? It seemed he would be getting to know someone up close and personal fairly soon. Adjusting the direction which his paws carried him, he would head toward the location of his soon to be opponent.

At last he would see her in the distance; she was a hefty female, quite a bit larger than himself, but it wouldn't dissuade him. He prowled toward her head on, his tail lifted high, a clear sign that he would be her challenger today. He stopped 20 ft. in front of her. The man's singular blue eye would meet her gaze with a hard stare, pink tongue swiping over black muzzle. "I want to know what your blood tastes like," he growled, the steam of his breath swirling around his teeth, "You'll know my flavor soon enough." Then he would shut his jaws, beginning to ready himself for the fight. His head lowered, chin tucking to protect his throat and ears flattening against his head. Lips curled back to reveal his fangs, skin wrinkling up around his face and eye narrowing. His legs spread evenly to distribute his weight, joints bending to lower his center of gravity, toes splaying and talons gripping the earth. He began to stalk forward slowly as the hair rose along his back, shoulders rolling forward to bunch up his scruff. "Ladies first," he taunted with a sneer, pausing as he waited for her to make a move.

Birna vs Ehrgeiz || Spar || Round 0/?

Birna took a few deep breaths, seeking to clear the fog of thoughts from her head so that she might fight clearly.  Her ambitions had blossomed, her eyes setting upon the rank of Praetor within Imperium and she knew she still had work to do before she could reach that rank.  Every fight was crucial and she could no longer afford to let herself slip up.  Icy blue eyes fixed on a large ivory male that was stalking toward her, tail lifted high.  Well, well, now what was this?  Her eyes narrowed as the man's single blue eye started at her, his left one completely gone.  Scars ran down his face and it was clear to her this man had seen several battles.  Something about the man seemed… off, unstable, she could feel it in her gut but she refused to show fear, her appearance being one of stoic calm as cold and indifferent as winter herself.

However, as he spoke she would grin.  Birna was a violent creature in her own right and she could sense they at least had that in common.  This was an excellent chance to cut loose. "Very well, then I expect you to come at me as if you intend to destroy me.  I will do no less to you." Defenses fell quickly into place.  Skull and tail lowered to align with her spine, chin tucked slightly and neck scrunched back as her shoulders rolled forward, pushing fur and fat over her vitals.  Hackles rose sharply as limbs spread equidistant apart, bending slightly to lower her center of gravity as well as evenly distribute her weight.  Toes splayed as claws dug into the earth.  Jaws parted, eyes narrowed and ears pinned tight to her head.

Powerful limbs beat into the ground as Birna launched herself forward, attempting to close the distance between herself and Ehrgeiz.  Birna attempted to approach the man nearly head on but a few inches to her own left so that the front of her right shoulderblade would align with the underside of the man's neck, a few inches above the sternum.  She sought to drive the front portion of her right shoulder blade in the man's trachea with the intent of severely bruising the trachea and crippling the man's breathing for the remainder of the fight.  Birna also attempted to thrust the exact center of her chest into the front of Ehrgeiz's upper right shoulder, exhaling as she did so to prevent her own breath being knocked from her.  Her goal was to try to use her weight and momentum to shake her opponents balance and cause the other wolf to stumble.  It was a gambit for sure, for she knew she'd receive bruising in return if her attack was successful.

Nearly simultaneously her neck would curve to her own right, head tilting to to her own left and slightly down, to make up for her superior height as well as to partially shield her throat, as her upper fangs attempted to shred into the man's right ear and her lower fangs sought to pierce his right eye.  She wanted not only to cause him serious pain but to obtain a solid grip on his face.

Birna also attempted to shift her weight evenly to her front right leg and both hind legs as she tried to lift her left forepaw with the hopes of bringing it down on the man's right forepaw, hoping to shift her hefty weight forward, in conjunction with her shoulder throw, to sprain and maybe fracture some of the delicate toes.  

-- You Can Bury My Body But I'll Never Die --
Birna vs Ergheiz for Spar Rd. 1/?

Ehrgeiz saw the large woman's expression change as he spoke, his words causing a grin to spread across her pretty muzzle. She seemed pleased with his violent intentions, and responded with enthusiasm. So, she wanted to get serious! How exciting! "As you wish," he replied, claws digging eagerly into the ground, "I don't like to play nice anyways." He hadn't had any intention of holding back on her. He'd hate himself if he lost to a woman, especially if he didn't get even a taste of her blood. His muzzle wrinkled up in a nasty snarl, skin bunching up around his face and eye narrowed as he prepared to fight.

He watched as she charged toward him, lowering his body further by bending his knees and elbows, legs spreading apart evenly, toes splayed and nails gripping the earth for traction. Ears remained pinned, head low and chin tucked, while shoulders remained rolled forward and scruff bunched up protectively. His hackles were spiked up, tail flagged out behind him, ready to act as a rudder for extra balance. When she was within 5 ft. he would start to move. He shuffled his paws so that he would side-step to his left and forward, his hind end swinging out further to the left, his weight shifted primarily to his left foreleg. His new angle and lowered stature would cause her right shoulder to miss its target, barely brushing the upper right side of his neck and leaving no damage. The front of her chest would slam into the middle of the side of his right shoulder, right in the meaty part, leaving a moderate bruise and knocking him several paw steps back and to his left. His left forepaw beared some of his weight, claws digging into the ground as he slid back a little, while his hind paws side-stepped quickly and in tandem, as sure-footed as a tarantula, to keep himself from falling. His right forepaw would lift and move to where his left forepaw was, and the left forepaw would move out further to the left, avoiding her paw slam. With this movement, he hoped to put just a small gap between them, no more than a foot.

Her lower fangs would scrape over the top of his head, missing the eye and leaving mild lacerations from his right eyebrow to the base of his left ear. She would not get the grip she'd been seeking, but there would still be blood. His left ear would take damage as her jaws closed on the upper third of his ear, leaving severe punctures on the fragile skin, blood spurting out. No matter. He would get her back. From his lowered position, her massive frame towering over him, he would crane his neck to his right and angle his head upward with jaws parted wide, attempting to grab a hold of the lower front part of her neck where it met with the front of her right shoulder. His lower fangs sought to dig into the nook where neck met shoulder, dangerously close to the major artery, while his upper fangs sought to close on a thick, fleshy chunk of her lower scruff along the edge of the bony shoulder blade. He intended to grab deep, hoping to leave severe punctures and obtain a solid grip.

As his jaws sought out their target, his hind legs coiled and prepared to shift his weight forward. His right forepaw would strike out toward her left forepaw, hoping to pin it down and fracture the toes. His left forepaw would lift and reach toward her right foreleg, trying to wrap his paw around the middle of her foreleg, hoping to drag her into his jaws and interfere with her movement.

[b]Ehrgeiz vs Birna || Spar || Round 1/3

ooc:  Thanks for your patience!  I appreciate your flexibility.

Ehrgeiz would shift to his own left and displace Birna's attacks.  Her right shoulder would brush the upper right side of his neck without leaving the damage she desired.  Her chest slammed into the middle of his right shoulder leaving moderate bruising on him and causing light bruising to blossom in the middle of her chest from the impact.  Her left paw slam missed his right paw and her jaws left light lacerations from his right eyebrow to the base of his left ear but her jaws managed to snap over the tip of his left ear leaving a severe injury as she tasted his blood.  Now it felt like the fight was really beginning.  With her paws all back on solid ground she quickly reset her defenses.  Fur and hackles remained raised as did her ears pinned tightly to her head.  Sky blue eyes narrowed as her hungry jaws parted, chin tucking as she lowered her head and tail to align with her spine.  Birna's shoulders rolled forward her neck scrunching back.  Her legs bent, spreading equidistant apart to lower her center of gravity.  Birna distributed her weight evenly across her limbs as her toes splayed, claws digging into the earth.

As Ehrgeiz would shift to his left Birna would turn her upper body to her right in an attempt to bring them almost back into straight-on alignment but with her body still slightly farther to his right rather than perfectly straight on, her natural inclination to follow her target and attack once again.  Somewhere within her the berserker awakened and as he attacked so did she.  In a brutal gambit Birna attempted to throw the front of her right shoulder blade forward and down, her legs coiling sharply as she sought to throw the bony spur right into Ehrgeiz's open jaws.  She knew she'd receive severe lacerations from this but she wanted the pain and she felt the reward was worth the risk, she hoped not only to break some of the mans teeth but to also sprain his lower jaw and weaken his future attacks.  

In addition her head would tilt to her left as her jaws dove down her fangs seeking to shred the flesh of the mans brow her upper fangs seeking to land just above his right eye her lower fangs just above his left.  She wanted to obtain a grip and cause the mans blood to drip into his eyes, perhaps temporarily blinding him as well.  She felt his left paw wrap around her right foreleg equidistant between the wrist and the elbow and she shifted her weight evenly back to her hind legs, tail flaring back as she let him pull her into his eager jaws for she desired the same thing.  Birna's left forepaw would lift once again, his right forepaw just missing hers as she sought to throw her left forelimb over the back of the mans head, just behind his ears with the intent of throwing her hulking weight onto his neck and forcing him down to the ground as well as make it a bit more difficult to escape from her questing jaws.

-- You Can Bury My Body But I'll Never Die --
Birna vs Ehrgeiz for Spar Rd 2/3

EDIT: Forgot the rounds omgosh >< Change observed by Nyx, Eve and Arin xD

OOC: Omgosh I'm sorry for the major delay here, I will try to get the last round done much faster!!!

Her flesh would meet with his teeth much faster than he'd expected, and not because he'd succeeded in grabbing her foreleg to drag her in. She had chosen to propel herself into his jaws, causing his fangs to sink through her pelt and into the skin of her right shoulder blade, leaving her with severe lacerations. He would try to clamp down, but the force of her shoulder thrust parted his jaws, overextending his lower jaw and causing him to lose his hold. His teeth remained intact, the padding of her flesh enough to absorb the impact. However, his neck was also jarred slightly, the muscles strained mildly.

His left forepaw let go of its grasp on her right foreleg, placed back on the ground. He would quickly reset his defenses, spreading his legs equally for balance and to keep his center of gravity low. His toes splayed for grip, claws digging into the frosty, leaf-strewn ground. Ears remained pinned back, eye narrowed and muzzle wrinkled up to protect his face and expose his now blood-stained fangs. His head was lowered in alignment with his spine, as was his tail. Hackles stayed spiked up, while shoulders rolled forward to help protect his neck and chin tucked slightly to cover his throat.

As soon as his body was braced, he felt her teeth come down on his head, gaining the grip she sought and causing moderate punctures. He winced as her fangs dug in, blood welling up from the wounds. Quickly following was her left forepaw coming up behind his head, striking his neck right behind the base of his skull. She was trying to force him downward, but Ehrgeiz would lock his elbows and draw his hind legs under him, muscles coiling and weight shifting to his rear. He would toss his head sharply upward into her jaws, deepening the punctures to severe; at the same time he would raise his front end forcefully, balancing on his hind legs. With the angle she had grabbed him with her teeth, he hoped to strain her neck with his upward thrust and get her on her hind legs, as well as trying to dislodge her grip. Both forelegs would come up, the middle of his upper right foreleg trying to come up under her left elbow in hopes to force her upward and knock her paw off the back of his neck. His left forepaw struck towards Birna's outer right shoulder, hoping to leave a mild bruise on the muscle.

Lastly his head would tilt to his left, again hoping to angle her neck awkwardly enough to encourage her to let up her grip (if she was still hanging on). His jaws had parted wide, aiming toward the lower part of her neck, slightly to the left of the mid-point where the neck met with the front chest. His lower jaw intended to meet just to the left of her windpipe, his upper jaw looking to grab a big scruffy part of neck flesh. He hoped to inflict moderate punctures and obtain a fierce grip, so hopefully he could deepen the wound later by holding on and pulling or shaking.

[b]Ehrgeiz vs Birna || Spar || Round 2/3

I am sorry as well!  *flails*  we're almost there though ><

Clarified with Shadowed that Ehrgeiz is tilting his head to his left and is aiming for the right portion of Birna's neck.

They'd collide in brutal bloodshed, both thirsting for the violence. Birna had walked away with barely a scratch from the siege. It was not the release she'd wanted, it wasn't like this fight, this brutal pain that threatened to make her vision blur as her right shoulder blade would dive into the waiting jaws of her opponent, the mans teeth digging deep and tearing severe lacerations, send splatters of her blood to decorate the ground. The man would release her right foreleg and she'd quickly place it back on the ground, biting back the pain her adrenaline was barely managing to keep in check.

Her fangs dug deeply into the flesh of the mans face, upper fangs above his right eye and lower fangs above his left as she intended. Her left forepaw would also drape across the back of his head, just behind his ears, aided by her height however the man would lock his legs and she was unable to force him down to the ground. His head would toss sharply upward into her jaws causing his wounds to worsen but succeeding in forcing her to relinquish her grip for fear of over-extending her own jaws. Her fangs and jaws were her most brutal weapon and she didn't want to risk damaging them. The middle of his right foreleg would come up and strike her under her left elbow and her left leg would be knocked aside but she would not incur any damage due to the height he had to reach to bat her left arm away. Birna's left forepaw landed on the ground and with all four feet now solidly planted she would shift her weight evenly over them.

So close to each other there really was no dodging, only furious gnashing teeth, blood and writhing, battling bodies. Ehrgeiz's left forepaw struck out and nailed the front of her outer right shoulder leaving mild bruising and thankfully missing her lacerations however the blow still sent a jolt of pain erupting through the limb that caused her to lean heavily to her left, her weight shifting evenly over her left foreleg and hind legs as she sought to bring her weight off her ailing right forelimb. Her toes and claws dug sharply into the earth, tail aligning with her spine and streaming out stiff behind her as her abdomen tensed, seeking to keep herself balanced in case the man sought to use her three-legged stance against her.

Birna's teeth grit together in further pain as the mans jaws tore into the lower right side of her neck his lower fangs tearing into the flesh in the lower front of her neck, a few inches from the outside as his upper fangs pierced the flesh on the lower right side of her neck, obtaining a solid hold and leaving moderate punctures. Her sudden shift to her left to take the weight off her right shoulder had displaced his attack but had not moved her far enough to escape his grip.

Birna quickly checked her remaining defenses. Her skull moved to align with her spine as her chin tucked and her neck scrunched back, seeking to bunch fur and fat as her shoulders rolled forward. Her hackles remained on end, knees and elbow bent to lower her center of gravity, her ears remaining pinned to her head, her eyes narrowed as she moved to return the assault.

With her weight shifted evenly over her front left leg and hind legs Birna sought to lance the front of her left shoulder forward into the groove where the man's right shoulder met his chest, seeking to moderately bruise the tender area and distract him as her neck twisted slightly to her right, open jaws diving for the exposed upper right side of the man's neck a few inches back from his jaw line. Her upper fangs sought to pierce deep into the flesh an inch below his left ear where the carotid artery lay, her upper fangs seeking to pierce the flesh of the lower left part of his neck, a few inches behind the corner of his left jaw. She hoped to get a solid grip that she could worsen if the man did not release his own grip. Simultaneously with her bite and shoulder thrust Birna also sought to throw the center of her chest forward into the right side of his chest, legs bunching tightly and uncoiling as she sought to give force to the blow with the goal of causing bruising as well as maybe forcing him to stumble back or possibly over onto his back if his forelegs were still raised.

-- You Can Bury My Body But I'll Never Die --
Birna vs Ergheiz for Spar Rd. 3/3

Ehrgeiz vs Birna || Spar || Round 3/3[/font][/align]

They were both becoming soaked in blood. It was just what he wanted, to taste her on a intimate and passionate level that was deadly, lacking in warmth and affection. It was most chillingly delightful. He admired her savagery; there was good reason she was on the battlefield. Still, he couldn't just let her win. Licking the blood from his lips after digging deep lacerations in her shoulder, he snarled with rage as her fangs sunk deep into his upper brow before he was able to dislodge her. At last he would get her off of him, knocking her left foreleg from the back of his neck and landing a strike on her right shoulder. As his opponent placed all of her paws back on the ground, so did he, having no need to stay upright on his hinds. His jaws connected approximately where he'd intended, leaving moderate punctures on the right side her neck. He clenched his jaws, intending to grip tighter and toss his head, hoping to worsen the wound; however his jaws were quickly growing weary from the earlier over-extension, and he wasn't sure how much more damage he could do.

He quickly reset his defenses, placing each paw equally apart and bending his knees and elbows to balance his center of gravity. His toes spread and talons dug into the ground, tail whipping out behind him to align with his spine. Hackles remained spiked up, ears flattened against his head and eye narrowed. His face remained scrunched up in a snarl, the skin wrinkling around his face. His shoulders rolled forward, bunching up his scruff for added protection of his neck.

Within such close range, Birna's attacks would quickly strike him. The front of her left shoulder drove into the groove of his neck, on the right side where his shoulder met with his chest, leaving a moderate bruise and causing him to rebalance himself, shifting his paws to move with the momentum of her forceful shoulder thrust. Her jaws would meet their target a few inches behind his jawline on the right side of his neck. With his scruff bunched up, she would grab a mouthful of fur and flesh, her teeth digging moderate punctures into the thick skin that protected his vital points. Still, pain seared through him from the bite, enraging him, adrenaline flowing wildly through his veins. Blood stained them both, flying from their angry jowls and pulsing from wounds. The red liquid began to pour down his face from the wounds above his brow, the drops dancing across his lashes and spilling into his one good eye. Blinking furiously did little to help, but with a thunderous, determined growl, he knew he did not need to see to keep fighting her.

Lastly the midpoint of her chest would collide with the right side of his chest, leaving mild bruising and shifting him backward once more. However, since he had placed his forepaws back on the ground, he would remain with all four paws planted firmly on the ground, claws digging in as he skidded backward. Shifting his weight to his hinds to take the brunt of the weight off his forequarters, the muscles in his rear legs tensed, readying to thrust forward. Still maintaining his bite grip, he awkwardly tried to thrust the front of his left shoulder, the bony part, straight into the lacerations he'd left on the front of her right shoulder blade, hoping to inflict greater pain and moderately bruise the area. It may leave him with a mild bruise as well, but it would be well worth it. With most of his weight shifted now to his front left leg, he would lift his right forepaw, attempting to strike her left forepaw. He hoped to fracture some of the delicate bones and make her withdraw. She was a vicious opponent, so worthwhile, and he couldn't let her ride away from this on a horse higher than his own.

Ehrgeiz vs Birna || Spar || Round 3/3

BIRNA vs EHRGEIZ for SPAR ROUND ONE Birna CLARITY - All clear. Total: 10 POWERPLAY - None seen. Total: 10 DEFENSES Head aligned with spine, tail aligned with spine, chin tucked, shoulders rolled, hackles raised, limbs spread equal distance apart, weight evenly distributed, toes spread, claws in ground, eyes narrowed. Total: 10 ATTACK + 2 slam to neck + severity + 1 chest slam + 4 bite to ear and eye, + for severity and grip + 2 paw slam + severity Total: 9 INJURIES - First round! Total: 10 Total for Round One: 49/50 Ehrgeiz CLARITY - “As his jaws sought out their target, his hind legs coiled and prepared to shift his weight forward. His right forepaw would strike out toward her left forepaw, hoping to pin it down and fracture the toes. His left forepaw would lift and reach toward her right foreleg, trying to wrap his paw around the middle of her foreleg, hoping to drag her into his jaws and interfere with her movement.” You didn't make up his balance for rearing up, or attempt to rear up at all. You shifted his weight to the front, so in my mind he should be laying flat out on his neck. -2 Total: 8 POWERPLAY - There is a lot of movement in your second paragraph. Like, a TON of movement. You have to give your opponent enough time to react to your initial movement, but you changed your position just about three times in just one paragraph. You've got to be careful with that, that's a big no no. Try to think about it like a turn based video game fight, you can only move a certain amount before the enemy gets a chance to attack. No button spamming in fighting. XD -3 Total: 7 DEFENSES Legs bent, legs spread equal distance apart, toes spread, claws in ground, ears pinned, chin tucked, shoulders rolled, hackles raised, tail aligned with spine. ('head low' wasn't specific enough to count as aligning the head with the spine) Total: 9 ATTACK + 4 bite to neck + severity + 1 paw slam – points for clarity + 0 leg grab – points for clarity Total: 5 INJURIES - First round! - (Moderate bruise to right shoulder) - (Severe punctures on left ear) - (Mild lacerations on top of head) Total: 10 Total for Round One: 39/50 ROUND TWO BIRNA CLARITY - “She felt his left paw wrap around her right foreleg equidistant between the wrist and the elbow and she shifted her weight evenly back to her hind legs, tail flaring back as she let him pull her into his eager jaws for she desired the same thing.” Did her paw leave the ground? If so is she now rearing up? You did shift her weight to her back legs, but there is no mention of trying to rear up a bit. That makes me think that her limb is just sliding forward, but I'm unsure. -2 Total: 8 POWERPLAY - None seen Total: 10 DEFENSES Hackles raised, ears pinned, eyes narrowed, chin tucked, head aligned with spine, tail aligned with spine, shoulders rolled, legs bent, legs spread equal distance, toes spread. Total: 10 ATTACK + 2 shoulder into jaws + maim attempt + 4 bite to forehead + severity + 1 arm wrap Total: 7 INJURIES - 1 Mild bruise to chest - Severe lacerations to right shoulder (damage pending) Total: 9 Total for Round Two: 44/50 Ehrgeiz CLARITY - “...he felt her teeth come down on his head...” Where on his head? -2 Total: 8 POWERPLAY - None seen Total: 10 DEFENSES Legs equally spread, toes spread, claws in ground, ears pinned, eyes narrowed, head aligned with spine, tail aligned with spine, hackles raised, shoulders rolled, chin tucked. Total: 10 ATTACK + 1 neck strain + 1 leg wrap + 1 paw slam to shoulder + 4 bite to neck + grip Total: 7 INJURIES - 1 Mild muscle strain in neck - 4 Severe punctures on head Total: 5 Total for Round Two: 40/50 ROUND THREE Birna CLARITY - All clear. Total: 10 POWERPLAY - None seen. Total: 10 DEFENSES Weight evenly distributed, claws in ground, tail aligned with spine, head alined with spine, chin tucked, shoulders rolled, hackles raised, legs bent, ears pinned, eyes narrowed. Total: 10 ATTACK + 1 shoulder slam + 1 chest slam + 4 bite to neck + grip Total: 6 INJURIES - 4 severe lacerations to right shoulder - 1 mild bruise to right shoulder - 3 moderate punctures to right side of neck Total: 2 Total for Round Three: 38/50 Ehrgeiz CLARITY - All clear Total: 10 POWERPLAY - None seen Total: 10 DEFENSES Legs set equal distance apart, legs bent, toes spread, claws in ground, tail aligned with spine, hackles raised, ears pinned, eyes narrowed, face snarling, shoulders rolled. Total: 10 ATTACK + 2 worsening damage + 1 shoulder slam + 2 paw slam + severity Total: 5 INJURIES - 1 mild bruise to right side of chest - 2 moderate bruise to right shoulder - 3 moderate puncture wounds to right side of neck Total: 4 Total for Round Three: 39/50 Totals: BIRNA 49/50 + 44/50 + 38/50 = 131/150 Ehrgeiz 39/50 + 40/50 + 39/50 = 118/150 And the winner is... BIRNA Ehrgeiz must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Damage: BIRNA - All healed by now Ehrgeiz - All healed by now Notes: Tips for writing and some suggestions. (no points are deducted here): LUNARCAT7 There isn't ever much to tell you, haha. Good fight! SHADOWED Good job! You really surprised me with this fight, you did VERY well! Just need to watch being more specific on some points. - By [Evelyn]