A lot had been on his mind recently. He had an apprentice now and the rigors of his job kept him hustling. Odysseus had been busy and that was a very good thing. He was the sort who suffered when still. It did him no good to be left alone with his thoughts. This morning Odysseus had found himself stuck inside his own head. His thoughts had been firmly stuck on the years behind him and the kind of man they'd made him. He'd had this same train of thought many times before. Some days he took stock of his life, figured out his worth and decided he was a good man. Other days... Odysseus had recognized where his thoughts were headed so he'd decided to head them off and focus on something a bit more constructive. It was for that reason he now stood in a clearing at the water's edge. Somewhere overhead Olafur was picking through the trees, but his companion's whereabouts were of little concern to him at the moment. He'd picked this spot because he thought it a good place for a spar. A fight was just something he needed today. His low voice filtered through the trees and rose effortlessly over the dull roar of the river as he called to those who called Abaven home. His request was simple: come and fight me.   "Odysseus" and "Olafur"

Shaye Destruction Shaye paused at the border, tilting her head as she heard the cry of her Lead Diplomat. She smiled and looked to her Raven companion, who had taken to scouting from the air a few strides ahead. Having seen a lot of fighting wolves wearing armor these days, Shaye had built her bracers, molded off Rhyme’s design and dyed white. She was growing slowly accustomed to moving and fighting with them, and had been trying to get in practice where ever she could. Not one to turn down a challenge, the Alpha made an easy pace towards the larger man. It had been simple to follow his gruff call to the Rapids, and find the dark toned wolf there. “Ody. Not worn out keeping our troublemaker in line?” she teased him with a smile, still grateful the gruff, no-nonsense fighter had agreed to take on the pup who had begun to show bully-tendencies. She set herself a body length from him, and fell easy into a fighters position. Hours of drilling with Rhyme kept the position familiar as she spread out her weight, and tucked in her vital areas. “Ready?” she asked the challenger. "Speech"

It was Shaye who answered his call. He was pleased with the chance to spar with her; Odysseus had seen her play many roles, but he had yet to see her fight and was curious to see how she played that particular role. He chuckled and shook his head. "Not yet." The boy was promising. If raised and trained right he could be a force for good, but his anger, it seemed, was trying to lead him down a meaner path. Odysseus could only hope he was able to make a difference with the boy and turn him permanently towards good. Shaye set her defenses and Odysseus did the same. He didn't mirror her stance completely, instead choosing to flatten his ears, hold his tail level with his spine for balance and lower his head enough to align it with his torso. He was bigger than her, both taller and heavier, so his priorities were a bit different. "Ready," he confirmed firmly. She hadn't said she was letting him go first but he took her query as a prompt for him to make the first move so without further ado Odysseus charged forward. He was much too heavy for finesse so he went for an attack that was a straightforward and no nonsense as he was. The giant sought to slam the whole of his chest into Shaye's while simultaneously using his left foreleg to try to sweep her forelegs out from under her. To complete his attack Odysseus also sought to grab Shaye by the neck just below her jawline. He meant no real harm; instead seeking only a grip that would give him control of her head and keep her from biting him. Shaye versus Odysseus for Spar Round ONE of ??? Size: Extra Large Build: Heavy Fight Skill Level: Intermediate   "Odysseus" and "Olafur"

She appreciated Ody’s towering strength and support in Abaven, often times a quiet one, but he was always there when she needed him to be. Add that to the day they met - which included him saving her life, proving that he had many talents, both in fighting and healing.

Shaye was accustomed to using a heady-set attack, but Ody had her bet there, which was unusual for the tall girl. She braced herself for his onslaught, tilting her legs both to brace for impact, and to ensure the spikes in her braces where facing outwards and up towards him.

He was like a titan, and hit her hard, and she felt the shock wave of him flow through her system as she fought to keep her balance. As he moved to swipe her legs, she ensured her bracers where in the way, and if he wished to go ahead with the attack, he would lose some skin on their spikes.

She twisted her head, and if his attack still landed, it would place more on her scruff below her ear then her jawline, and she would twist in an attempt to grab him by the ear in her jaws.

Shaye vs Odysseus for spar
Round 1/2
Size: extra large
Build: medium
Offensive Accessory: raven braces with spikes
Defensive Accessory: raven bracers
Companion 1: battle Raven
Companion 1: squirrel monkey
Fight Skill Level: expert

Had he seen the bracers there still wouldn't have been time to change his attack so his foreleg struck Shaye's legs full force. The inside of his left wrist was suddenly awash in unexpected pain and Odysseus recoiled out of instinct. He wasn't sure what had happened at first and his thoughts went to a broken bone. Immediately he shifted his weight away from the leg and tried to make Shaye carry the bulk of it by attempting to rear up and throw his right foreleg over her back while leaning into her chest. It was a small "attack" but holding someone else's weight was tiring. He managed to get a grip on her neck. It was placed a bit higher than he'd been hoping for, but it was a bite all the same. Immediately he tried to use it to his advantage. Odysseus jerked his head backwards in the hopes of countering her attempted bite. Since he had more scruff than neck he was hoping that by dragging her scruff towards him it would take away the slack that allowed her to try to twist around and bite him. Shaye versus Odysseus for Spar Round Two of Two Size: Extra Large Build: Heavy Fight Skill Level: Intermediate   "Odysseus" and "Olafur"

She felt him connect to the spikes on her bracers, and felt she may have drew blood, and she regretted hurting him. She had a feeling he wouldn’t sweet it, and pushed past her concerns as she concentrated on the fight. Ody threw his weight over her with the leg she had injured, and she took his weight with a grunt.

Ody immediately pulled against her scruff, and her teeth clicked shut on empty air. She tried to buck her back in an attempt to unlodge the leg he had wrapped around her, and swiped at him with a spiked bracer, aiming for the right foreleg he still had placed on the ground, her own teeth went for his neck, which was easier to reach with her tightened scruff. Winter screeched not far above them, in the hopes of distracting the titan with sound.

Shaye vs Odysseus for spar
Round 2/2
Size: extra large
Build: medium
Offensive Accessory: raven braces with spikes
Defensive Accessory: raven bracers
Companion 1: battle Raven
Companion 1: squirrel monkey
Fight Skill Level: expert

And the winner is...

SHAYE

ODYSSEUS must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Odysseus: 258.84 Shaye: 319.26