It wasn’t here yet but with each day that passed, Kyren could tell that winter was getting a bit closer.  The bite of the wind was a little more lately and his coat was growing denser in preparation.  His antlers were fully grown in for the time being though their days were limited till they would fall off again.

It was a good day, despite the chill of the wind the sun was present and warmer.  Antlers would be gone soon and he hadn’t spent much time using them and the reindeer felt restless.  Moving into a long-legged stride trot he headed towards where he had last seen Rannoch.  

“Hey kid,” the ‘kid’ was said in a friendly tone, it was just nice having someone younger than him the way Oscar always called him kid.  “How about we have a go at it?” Kyren lowered his antlers and gave them a little shake.  The ‘kid’ was larger than him so one had experience and the other had size.  “Thing your up for a skirmish?”

"Speech"

Compared to the deer of Boreas Rannoch was an incredible stag, he was massively tall with huge antlers. Rivaling any other buck or bull in the Northern reaches. However, compared to most males of his own kind he was still a little baby. His neck looked more like a hind’s than a stag’s. His legs were still long and disproportionate, and his antlers didn’t even have two years of growth. However young he was the young elk was still very much a stag and the season of the rut still affected him. He wanted to fight, he wanted to chase the hinds, but he couldn’t.

Rannoch bottled the natural instincts as best he could, but little things seeped through. He kept to himself a bit more, he pawed at the ground and he sparred with the boughs of the pines. Rannoch tried not to show it when the rest of the herd was around, and he was thankful he wasn’t caught when Kyren appeared.

The affectionate greeting was more comforting than anything, like Kyren was the herdsire and he was welcomed to look up to him. Figuratively, he didn’t look up to anyone physically. When he went on and offered a little spar Rannoch was nearly overwhelmed with relief. He shook his head gently, still trying to hold back as he lowered his head and offered his own set of antlers. This was a proper spar of bulls.

"Rannoch"

Kyren understood all too well the frustration that came with the season. There were trees about that had slashes on them that hadn’t come from the giant child. However, Kyren had a few years to get used to the frustration. He’d also learned how to stare down and fight predators when needed and certainly, the fall and early winter were times many predators at least got his glares if not an outright challenge and charge. It wasn’t the same as fighting other deer but it was something to lash out at.

Kyren looked at the boy’s antlers and snorted softly imagining what a monster the boy would be in a few years as those antlers grew in. Kyren had never fought a deer so large, obviously, it was going to be interesting to see how this worked. Pawing the ground below his hooves enjoying the feeling coming from this. Normally Kyren would imagine he’d need to take it easy on a yearling he had no clue how this would work!

Kyren charged the young giant boy, antlers kept forward, front hooves slightly raised off the ground in his final lunge stride, antlers aimed straight ahead.

Kyren vs Rannoch for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: over 1 year
Size: Large species
Build: Medium
Companion 1: Raven, Male - Battle
Mutation 1: Saber fangs - offensive
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Navigator

"Speech"

He had been too caught up in his own frustrations to really notice the places where Kyren felt just as he did. Taking out frustrations on the trees around them. Rannoch would eventually learn to direct his aggressions and deep seated instincts, but for now he was a victim to his primal self. He was given a glimpse into the reindeer’s similar feelings as he approached, waving his antlers as a stag would to initiate battle.

Rannoch grinned through his determined expression as he lowered his antlers and planted his cloven hooves in the soft earth and pine needles. Though the older deer was smaller, he was more experienced. But even he seemed uncertain as he pawed at the ground and then charged him.

The massive elk braced for impact, tensing his neck and throwing his weight forward as Kyren collided with him. A great clack went out as bone met bone. Rannoch was pushed back but he would return Kyren’s attack with a small toss of his head as he tried to push his opponent back as antlers locked with antlers.

Rannoch vs Kyren for Spar
Round 1 of 2
Age: 1+
Size: Paleo species
Build: Light
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Navigator

"Rannoch"

The sound stirred old memories for Kyren. He remembered the sound ringing all around him during a rut. He’d heard it at other points from watching another herd here or there but it never seemed the same. The pressure of antler against antler was refreshing. His feet moved forward to force Rannoch back but then Rannoch pressed in his own attack.

Kyren felt his feed slide a bit, by choice stepped back far enough to momentarily unlock before lunging in again. This time he tried to be a bit more clever, as he lunged forward he turned his head sideways just a bit, wanting to lock antlers but be able to twist his own head straight once more and thus hopefully make Rannoch’s head sideways so that Kyren might have an advantage.

Sure, Kyren had more experience than Rannoch but not as much more as the reindeer would have liked. He had more practice fighting away predators than battling with his own.

Kyren vs Rannoch for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: over 1 year
Size: Large species
Build: Medium
Companion 1: Raven, Male - Battle
Mutation 1: Saber fangs - offensive
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Navigator

"Speech"

Rannoch had never felt himself focus in like he did once their antlers locked. It was unlike any feeling he had ever had before. The elk felt closer to his kin in that moment since he had the moment they were separated. Determination sparkled in his eye as he grit his teeth and indulged in this battle against the other deer. They pushed and pulled each other, Rannoch acting on instinct as their heads bowed and both bulls took a step back and disengagued.

That wasn’t the end though. Again the stags faced off, but this time Kyrun tried something a little more tricky. Rannoch tried his best to keep the reindeer in front of him, but found his neck bending and only one antler catching hold of Kyren’s two.

Again Rannoch tried to toss his head and toss Kyren back. If he could drive him back maybe he could really win this Anlach spar.

Rannoch vs Kyren for Spar
Round 2 of 2
Age: 1+
Size: Paleo species
Build: Light
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Navigator
"Rannoch"

And the winner is...

Rannoch

Kyren must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Kyren : Attack Roll: 17 Defense Roll: 21 Agility Roll: 35 Perception Roll: 92 Total: 165 Attack[17] + 35% Bonus[5.95]: 22.95 Defense[21] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 21.00 Agility[35] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 35.00 Perception[92] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 92.00 Total[170.95] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 170.95 Rannoch: Attack Roll: 45 Defense Roll: 81 Agility Roll: 47 Perception Roll: 24 Total: 197 Attack[45] + 10% Bonus[4.50]: 49.50 Defense[81] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 81.00 Agility[47] + 5% Bonus[2.35]: 49.35 Perception[24] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 24.00 Total[203.85] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 203.85