The pup looked hopeful as he agreed to her command, still feeling the small bite of guilt in her chest as she heard the curt tone in his voice. The vessel was not pleased with her demands, she could tell. But he'd do them anyways and that made Pesto feel more powerful and strong then being told she was a god ever did. He thought she'd want to do it herself and she shook her head, unsure. "No, I'm not stupid enough to throw my life away like Dad did." She grumbled, her heart clenching hard as she spoke badly of her father. "The Abraxas have followers supposedly." Archon had told them how mortals devoted themselves to the Abraxas wolves and pledged their life and limb to their heavenly cause. Pestilence was pretty sure she wouldn't make it to a real Abraxas at all if it came to a fight just her and them. "Okay, well. Until I'm old enough to fight them I need you to train me." She looked up at him expectantly. "So I'll find a den here for the night, you can go home, and then maybe you can come back here once a week and give me lessons?" "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

“Just mine?” he asked her, as she told him she would not throw her life away, as her father had. He saw it in a similar light, that the fool had gotten himself killed, over… he wasn’t even sure what. Finding on the edge of the volcano had been foolish, even if it hadn’t erupted in that moment. Of course, he also agreed with her, that she was too precious to lose, but it would do no good saying that outloud. He would train them, train all her siblings, to give them the strength to live and to be whatever they wished to be. He thought that was the best way to protect them. “Oh no, i’m not leaving. I can train you, but your stuck with me, I told you that. It would be very easy for a wolf or another predator to come in here well you are alone. Only a foolish wolf dens alone.” of course, he had been that foolish wolf many a time. “If you think you are strong enough to stay here alone, you will have to prove it.’ he warned her. He would follow her orders, and give her so much, but he would not let her throw her life away, as she had just promised she would not. "Speech"

It hadn't occurred to her that she was asking Sirius to throw his life away for her, and her ears fell against her skull in shame. She didn't think he was possible to beat, to kill, but then again she never expected to lose her father either. She sat like that for a moment - head hung low in self-disappointment - before pulling herself back together to reply properly after he'd spoke of proving her strength to send him away. "You're right." The pup admitted with a hint of tease in her tone. "You're not strong enough to help me without risking yourself." She flung herself at him quickly, her tiny form moving to zoom around his massive stature and bite at his back toes. Toes, toes, privates, toes, what else was she told to go for? Pestilence blanked, she had no idea besides toes and private parts and Sirius was too tall to reach the latter. She resigned herself to trying to simply gnaw with all her strength on his paws and hopefully show him how strong and fierce she could be. Pestilence vs Sirius for Dominance [To send Sirius to Ashen without her] Round One of ? Age: Less then 6 months Size: Extra-large Build: Light Fight Skill Level: Intermediate "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

“Oh really?” he asked, a hint of teasing in his voice as she said he was not strong enough to help her. He didn’t lose battles often, but he was at least glad she was considering the ramifications of her words. Better she knew what she was asking before she started order deaths around her. She took his words to heart and shot towards him. He was gentle, but he was also playing to win. He had no intention of letting her stay here alone. “If you win, I go home. If I win, you have to give me something in return.” he warned her, though he had not decided exactly what yet. Consequences, she had fought because she had something to gain, what she fight if she had something to lose, as well? He moved to swipe at her as she went for his toes, aiming to kick out with his back legs to knock her off balance, and if that worked he would push her over with a front paw. Sirius vs Pesto for Dominance Round one of Two Size: Dire Wolf Build: Medium Companion One: Extra large companion, Battle Vulture (plus 10%) Companion Two: Snow Leopard (plus 10%) Battle Accessory (Offensive): Bracers Battle Accessory (Defensive): Bracers Mutation: Fangs Fight Skill Level: Master Specialty: Weaponsmaster "Speech"

Pestilence barely got a nibble in before he kicked out with his hind legs and caused her to fall. She hit the ground on her side and saw the forepaw headed for her. An idea came over her, and she moved to meet the paw as it came to push her. She wanted to wrap her forelegs around his wrist and bite down on his toe-knuckles, hopefully hitching a ride on the massive paw at the same time. If she managed, she'd lift her back paws as well so that his paw was entirely supporting her weight. Maybe she could kick out with her back legs and scrape the hell out of his paw while she hung on for the ride. The tiny pup growled like a fierce kitten, imagining that she was a massive wolf who could drag the titan down by his paws and collapse him onto the ground with her brute strength. Pestilence vs Sirius for Dominance [To send Sirius to Ashen without her] Round Two of Two Age: Less then 6 months Size: Extra-large Build: Light Fight Skill Level: Intermediate "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Peto meat his paw as it flew towards her, grabbing it in two of her own, she clung to him but he couldn’t stop his momentum, and when his paw hit the ground he hoped he didn’t knock the breath of her too badly. He raised his paw, checking on her quickly before going for a gentle nip on her scruff with his normal-sized fangs. His elongated knives he kept well to the side, for fear of truly hurting her. He knew he could beat the small wolf, it was just a matter of doing so, in a way she understood she had been beaten, and not doing any real damage to her. He was intent on allowing her these lessons of life, of being outside of the pack, and getting a chance to grow lonely. He would not, however, leave her alone. Sirius vs Pesto for Dominance Round Two of Two Size: Dire Wolf Build: Medium Companion One: Extra large companion, Battle Vulture (plus 10%) Companion Two: Snow Leopard (plus 10%) Battle Accessory (Offensive): Bracers Battle Accessory (Defensive): Bracers Mutation: Fangs Fight Skill Level: Master Specialty: Weaponsmaster "Speech"

And the winner is...

SIRIUS

PESTILENCE must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Pestilence: 128.44 Sirius: 376.94

Pestilence was brought to the ground with the movement of his paw, a heavy huff tearing from her chest as the wind was knocked out of her. Before she could re-steady herself the titanic direwolf had her scruff in his teeth. "It's not fair!" She yelled, thrashing her body so he would let her out of his light grip. "Just because you're big and I'm small doesn't mean I can't take care of myself!" The small pup's hackles raised and her fur puffed angrily, tiny teeth baring at her guardian in a snarl. She remembered before their fight Sirius had decided that if she lost she needed to give him something. It hadn't occurred to her until now that she didn't know what he expected of her. Perhaps if she made herself fierce and vicious he might forget to impart her consequence on her out of fear and confusion. "Just go home!" Her voice became strained as she began to desperately beg to get her way. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

The fight was over quickly, and well Sirius tried not to let it seem like an overwhelming defeat for the small pup, it was soon quickly clear who the winner was. The small bundle of fluff didn’t have much in the way of advantage yet, and Sirius had too many. As he folded a pw over the pup, he had to be extra careful, lately his paw pads had been itchy to the point of excess, and he had dug gouges in the earth that in the past had been beyond me. His claw where changing, and occasionally he felt as though he could draw and sheath them at will. “Pestilence.” he said, his voice soft, with a gentle rebuke in the tone. “A deal is a deal, and honour has to mean something. Who do you wish to be? Someone who keeps their word, even when it doesn't suit them, or someone whose word is assured as a rocky cliff? he asked the girl, he wasn’t fooled by her tiny fit, nor distracted. He would always be imparting lessons on these little bundles of fluff, as often as he did as they wished and obeyed their whims, he would do it with lessons in mind. They would not be mindless fanatics, but noble, strong rulers, powerful enough to hold their own. "Speech"

Pestilence didn't like the way he'd said her name and her face contorted into an angry glare. He talked to her like she was a stupid child, and his unending patience was getting on her nerves. Sirius spoke of honor and keeping her words and the pup scoffed, rolling her eyes skyward. She didn't intend on breaking her word, she just hoped he'd forgotten about it. Besides, he hadn't told her what was to be his wish yet. "Fine." The girl huffed, angry. She sat upon the ground and curled her tail around her paws, arching her back and lifting her head so she might look taller and more respectful in her pose. "Tell me what you want me to do and I swear on my name as a Klein that I will do it." She left out the second part to her name, as her swearing on her godling blood would only make her want to break her promise more. Bright eyes focused upon Sirius as she waited to hear what he wanted in return for winning their battle. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

The angry little spitball was making him laugh on the inside. He was careful to keep it off his face, which he showed to her as natural, and expectant, as she grumpily took a seat in a huff. She set herself into a delicate pose, as though she was a prim creature on display. She asked him what he wanted from her, and he considered her for a long moment. He wanted to teach her a touch of humility, she who spoke of spending blood so easily, without consequence. “I want you help Zee in her chores for a week, once we are finished camping out here.” He said, and grinned. That was likely to set the backup on both participants. Ee would have a fit, having a royal princess helping her with slave chores, and perhaps Pesto would learn a thing or two. He could only hope. "Speech"

Pestilence's lip pulled up at Sirius' words, a small snarl creeping out from her throat at his chosen punishment. She'd already promised him that she'd do whatever he asked, she couldn't take it back. Her eyes narrowed at him and she spat her response. "Fine." The grumbly pup's word sounded pained as it came out, and her glare intensified. The latter part of his sentence didn't escape her notice- once we are finished camping out here - he had said. As if she didn't intend to stay. Or rather, he didn't intend on letting her stay. The fanged direwolf's solemn promises were beginning to matter less and less to the princess and she wondered as if there was anyone left in the world on her side. She needed a way to recover her dignity, to take back the control that she felt fading away. Her father was dead, her escape attempt had been thwarted, Sirius had won their battle and now he had her doing slave duties. The princess growled under her breath again. "I'd like to leave now." Her small voice came, doing her best to keep it level and calm like her mother did when she gave instruction. "Come." There was no doubt in her mind that the direwolf wouldn't allow her to make the journey back alone, but now she had commanded him and so in her mind the power was back with her. She lifted her head away from him and did her best to regain her sense of direction before beginning to set back off towards home. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

The moody child looked to him with distaste and anger, her words formed in spite when she made them. He might have won the battle, but no hearts had been turned in the doing. He looked at her solemnly, and he could see her desire to end this camping trip solidify in her mind. Alas, one battle won, another lost. “As my Mistress Commands” he agreed, toeing the fine line between servitude and teacher, as he gave her a deep bow, and fell into line behind and beside her. The guard walked in silence, offering no input as she searched for the path home. He kept a vigil eye on what was happening around the, and acknowledged Pestilance’s salty attitude at losing - instead of trying to better herself, she would crawl back home. He felt a little drop of disappointment in his student, but he would not let it show. He would be here, regardless, and when she found her fire, he would teach her. "Speech"