She arrived at the battlefield once more, her new familiar in tow. The little raccoon dog had been saved by her previously in the week, and he expressed a desire to share in her journey. With her blade on her back in its covering, she rang a challenge in her vocals to the air itself. She wished to see her familiar in action - it was both an opportunity and a desire to believe he was doing better now.

"We wait" she tells the creature, lowering her skull to look at him. The raccoon dog gives a nod. "I aim to please, m'lady!" he barked in response, giving a sweeping bow at his words. She giggled at his gesture. "one will come to make us battle. This one hopes they are a worthy foe." Sayuri added seriously, a fierce glint in her eyes. There was always something to be done, and she would make sure she was perfect.

Tojo-Kai expected and deserved nothing less.

"Speech"

Sayuri vs (opponent) for SPAR
Round 0/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Lotus pin dagger
Companion 1: Raccoon dog, Male - Battle
Skills: Expert Healer & Advanced Fighter

Collected, calm… Those are the words that best described the woman as she took some of the first steps back into Boreas. She had gone her separate ways from Florian, giving him a meeting point, and promised within a couple of days she would come to meet with him once more. Her brother, while the smallest of their family, was no longer a baby even if she tended to baby him. To the monochrome woman, her family was her everything. Without them, there was no light, and though they had lost a sibling due to the cold, cruel hands of fate, Ngurulivu remained strong. It would have been what Faolan had wanted of not only herself but the rest of their siblings as well. In due time they would hunt for Clair, but, for now, she found it important that they familiarize themselves with Boreas and those within it once more. Her aim was to meet with the different wolves and socialize, but for a greater purpose than simply mingling as her brother so liked to do. While Florian was intent on the interaction, Nuru was intent on what she would learn from them. Whether sharpening her skills or simply gaining a useful piece of information the woman would not falter. She drew in a breath, ears perking forward as she stared at the borders of the battlefield. Was it strange, she wondered, to desire to fight after losing Faolan in battle? No, she scolded herself a moment later. It wasn’t strange at all… but rather the right thing to do, really. If she was to continue to survive and be strong for her siblings, then she needed to sharpen her skills. Gargoyle was a strong beast in battle in his own right, and for a wolf who primarily dabbled in healing her brother did alright for himself. Nguruvilu had always promised herself she’d never settle for anything less than her best anyway. A call from within the battlefield rang out across the land and Nuru’s head lifted slightly in response. A wolf requesting a sparing partner, how ironic… and perfect. Nguruvilu set off with purpose, well-muscled legs carrying her forth. She knew not the sort of wolf to expect when she decided to answer the call, but Nuru would not stand down from a friendly challenge. Before long, the source of the howl became clear. The woman was pretty, marked in the pattern of the koi fish she’d seen once. She also had a raccoon dog at her side, a bit of an odd choice in companion to her, but then again her mother had had her a bird after all. Maybe it didn’t matter what beast came to your aid, so long as they were loyal. Her blue eyes swept over the woman again, taking note of her frame and smaller size. She looked even smaller than Florian. Not that size was necessarily the determining factor of a fight. “You want a sparing partner, you have one.” She flicked her gaze back to the woman. “Ngurulivu Ancora-Desrosiers. Show me what you’re made of.” She widened her stance as she spoke and distributed her weight across her limbs before digging her claws into the earth. She had never fought a wolf with a companion before, so this would be a challenge, but one that she welcomed. Ears fell flat, eyes narrowed, and Nuru’s fur raised to give a buffer against bites before she had decided that was good enough in the manner of defenses. She flung herself headlong at her opponent, seeming to desire a head-on slam as was fairly common for larger wolves taking on smaller opponents. But Nuru had a plan, and it wasn’t a direct frontal assault. She shifted her positioning, rotating her ankles ever so slightly so that she started to move off to her left as she sought to close the distance. Her narrowed gaze never left her selected target, the koi woman’s right shoulder. Once she felt the gap between them was shrunk enough Ngurulivu parted her jaws and suddenly shifted her weight to her right side. Leading with her own right shoulder she sought to slam the point into the bit of flesh between her opponent’s right shoulder and neck. Furthermore, she sought to swing her head around, keeping it lower, to snap at the woman’s side. While she didn’t want to hurt her opponent heavily she aimed to cause minor lacerations with her fangs to her opponent’s upper belly should she manage to slam into the other successfully. It was time to see what this pretty lady and her companion could do. "Talk, 'Think.'

Nguruvilu vs Sayuri for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Extra large
Build: Heavy
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Hunter

"We shall!" squeaked Akira before the battle began. Sayuri noted the straightforward way the girl spoke and gave a gentle bow of her own. She spoke nothing, allowing her actions to do the talking for them. The koi woman didn't need to bark an order to the raccoon dog, though. He jumped upon her back as she took her blade in her jaws. She unsheathed it this time.

The other would fling herself headlong, turning at the last moment to pivot. Sayuri swung her blade directly at the woman. If Ngur-whatever-she-called-herself (Sayuri was not going to remember such a primitive name!) was going to be blunt, she might as well honor her foe with it back. Ngur would aim for her shoulder, slamming into her. Sayuri placed the blade between them and if Ngur would not back off, it could cut her shoulder.

Akira, however, took the time to bounce off Sayuri's neck and attempted to land on the other's back. They were close together, so the companion had a fair shot at this. He sought to bury his own little fangs into the woman's exposed neck. Gently. She wore no armor, nothing to protect... He did not wish to harm her.

"Speech"

Sayuri vs Ngur for SPAR
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Lotus pin dagger
Companion 1: Raccoon dog, Male - Battle
Skills: Expert Healer & Advanced Fighter

Ngurulivu found she already liked the companion's spunk. While she has nothing of her own to aid her in terms of weapon, armor, or companion Nuru would not falter. Even though it was a spar she took the task seriously as the skills and knowledge she gained here were, well, important. A stepping stone to growth. The woman looked forward to seeing how the koi-marked woman and her companion carried themselves in this fight and found it curious, not that she had time to dwell on it, that the companion moved with his wolf counterpart without instruction. As for her pivoted motion, there was a mild success, at least until the glint of the blade was noticed. While Nuru was not afraid of injury, finding wounds to be part of the process, she would rather avoid going back to her brother so soon for treatment. The blade, while thin, had the potential to slice deep and Nguruvilu wanted no parts of the weapon against her. Another pivot on her paws, a reflex to avoid getting struck, was made before Ngurulivu kicked against the ground with force to give herself a boost forward. She would be parallel with the woman now with her rear closer to Sayuri's head than her own head was to the woman's own rear end. At least for a couple of precious seconds. She had avoided the blade, true, but the weight of her companion hit Ngurulivu's back and the woman immediately made the attempt to rear and dislodge it. Her forepaws came off the earth as her weight shifted into her rear legs and back half, a twist to the movement as she sought to swing back around and face her opponent. She did not wish to bring the companion harm and hoped with her angle it would only serve to unbalance the creature who, hopefully, had yet to get any grip on her fur and cause him to roll harmlessly off to the side. She only went about half as high as she could have because of this, also not wanting to risk jeopardizing her balance. Low-cost fight or not, she did not aim to make it easy to best her. Just as she hoped they would challenge her she aimed to challenge them. "Talk, 'Think.'

Nguruvilu vs Sayuri for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Extra large
Build: Heavy
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Hunter

Akira-sama had done as he set out to do.

It was to distract the woman so Sayuri could go in for the proverbial kill. She rushed in, taking advantage of the situation as she neared. A sharp swat with her blade against the stomach was attempted. The slice was shallow at best, and she held herself back by refusing to draw a deep wound. If it connected, the center of the stomach would feel a slight pressure. It was clear the koi woman knew how to wield her sword to the best of her ability.

With Ngur reared, Akira tried to cling and flailed desperately. He slipped from the woman's back and landed on the earth, scrambling to get out of the way of his lady's attack. Sayuri had stepped closer to properly swing, and she would raise her blade if Ngur actually crashed down on her. The intention was to make the other recoil and step back, flailing herself. Akira scuttered around the fight, waiting for a clear opening again. He would try to see if he could nibble an ankle or something.

"Speech"

Sayuri vs Ngur for SPAR
Round 2/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Lotus pin dagger
Companion 1: Raccoon dog, Male - Battle
Skills: Expert Healer & Advanced Fighter

And the winner is...

NGURUVILU

SAYURI must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: NGURUVILU Attack Roll: 13 Defense Roll: 92 Agility Roll: 86 Perception Roll: 39 Total: 230 Attack[13] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 13.00 Defense[92] + 10% Bonus[9.20]: 101.20 Agility[86] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 86.00 Perception[39] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 39.00 Total[239.20] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 239.20 SAYURI Attack Roll: 48 Defense Roll: 15 Agility Roll: 21 Perception Roll: 38 Total: 122 Attack[48] + 25% Bonus[12.00]: 60.00 Defense[15] + 20% Bonus[3.00]: 18.00 Agility[21] + 5% Bonus[1.05]: 22.05 Perception[38] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 38.00 Total[138.05] + 15% Bonus[20.71]: 158.76

"You have won."

Sayuri conceded defeat. She was strangely not upset about it, bowing her head respectfully to the young woman. Akira scrambled back to his lady, mimicking her movements with fluidity. He even added a bit of a paw flourish to the other wolf. "This one is glad for the experience" she continued, grabbing her belongings and making to exit "we should hope to meet soon, for payback!" She added cheekily over her shoulder, wagging her tail and raising a brow.

"Until next time, miss!" Akira said, scrambling after Sayuri's departing movements "thank you for the fight!" And with that, the pair were gone. Sayuri would lick her wounds on her own time, in her own den. Akira tended to her by fetching herbs, no doubt. The pair were still new to each other, but thankful for their budding friendship. In time, their actions would be as one. Until that happened? Practice made perfect! /exit

"Speech"

She won. The other woman conceded defeat. Ngurulivu drew in a breath as she took a step back before dipping her head to the koi-marked woman and her companion. She had been unsure which of them would be the victor in the beginning, but she felt a small flurry of pride that she had done well. The woman spoke, her accent different, but at least Nuru was able to understand her. She said she was glad for the experience and the monochrome woman nodded in agreement. As was she. Friendly spars were the cornerstone for a fighter to improve and be ready when the time came to face a much more dangerous or volatile opponent. At least the koi-marked woman didn’t seem to mind admitting a loss and even wished that they’d meet again, for a revenge match. Ngurulivu grinned at this. “I look forward to the day. Maybe next time a certain pretty lady and her companion will have me admitting defeat.” She winked. Well, it was true, the koi-marked lady was rather pretty. But Ngurulivu didn’t expect anything to come of her flirting. Not every female had a preference for ladies like she did. She turned on her paws, heading off for her next destination with a light feeling in her heart. /End "Talk, 'Think.'