Lots of things washed ashore on Obsidian Beach. Some edible and others not, but in Ajax's opinion this was a whole 'nother prize entirely! He dragged the hefty, sodden rope along with gritted teeth, leaving a long snakey line in the sand as he went. It was heavy but oh so chewable, strong and sturdy with intertwined fibres that would make pulling it apart an absolute delight! He couldn't wait to start giving it a good chew, put his growing puppy teeth to use except that- he paused and looked conspiratorially over his shoulder.

There were a lot of pups about, some might wanna take this from him. He didn't mind sharing too much but...he'd found it first, only seemed fair to keep it all to himself.

Except that it soon became obvious such a feat would be easier said than done. He saw two shapes approaching, pups from the Pirate's eldest litter and their eyes were set squarely on the prize. He couldn't really blame them since he'd done the same, gone all bug eyed and eager but...His fox tail flagged high behind him, wagging, sending droplets of water flinging as he muttered out words between clenched teeth. He wasn't gonna let go of this rope so easily, they'd have to make him.

"Iz moine." He declared, ready to haul back at any moment.

Rexx was looking to stir mischief - but that seemed to be his hobby every waking moment. The large boy stalked the obsidian sands of the beach, toes splaying in the soft ground. His tusks were growing every day, even if it seemed so slow for him. It just felt painful to its core - the throbbing in his jaw keeping him up a great deal of the night, and the stabbing aches of his crystal spines growing outwards. Who knew it hurt so bad to just..grow up? Maybe it would be better to stay a troublemaking pup forever. But he knew that wasn’t realistic. He was going to be a troublemaking adult, for sure. But for now he relished in the freedoms - and the not-so-freedoms - of being a carefree child. The familiar figure of the pup he’d met at the Pirates’ meeting came into his line of vision, his long foxy tail with that strange bone blade wagging in the air. Not that it phazed him, his eyes lit up with intrigue at the strange boy. Scald wasn’t far behind - after all, what was better than doubling the trouble? - so he waited for the lanky quilled boy to approach with him. His nub tail wagged as the boy proclaimed the soggy rope in his mouth to be his, and a mischevious smirk lit up Rexx’s maw. "You wanna play a game of tug o’war for it, then?" He said, his voice not quite reaching the timbres of his father, still croaky and childlike. He sank into a play bow, grinning widely and inviting the younger boy to partake in the game with him and Scald. "Whoever wins gets to keep it, fair and square!” Who said Rexx couldn’t play fair? Or even Scald for that matter? But who was he kidding, they were pirates - they didn’t care that much about fairness and all that stuff. "speech"

Double the trouble was always better than being alone, right? And who better to back him up than his burly brother, Rexx? Prowling the obsidian sands with granules sticking between his toes, he lagged behind at a lazy pace. As their legs lengthened and bodies grew, Scald began to realize how much he preferred walking not on sand. Not that the beach wasn't a lovely place to live, but grass and dirt always felt better. With his head hung slightly lower than his shoulders as he watched Rexx ahead of him, his two-toned eyes glanced back and forth. Spotting the fiery younger pup about the same time as Rexx did, Scald's own scowl peeled back blackened lips. There was no need to speak to his brother as he noticed the slowing gait of the bigger pup. Picking up his own pace so that they could stalk toward the youngster, Scald felt the fur along his scruff and spine begin to prickle. Standing beside Rexx as the burlier boy requested a game of tug over the rope, Scald couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Or we could just take it," he quipped to his brother. His eyes quickly darted back to Ajax as his smirk grew into a wicked smile. "Can't stop both of us, can you?" Scald let out a jolly laugh as he jumped forward and grabbed ahold of the other end of the rope. Digging his paws into the sand for some leverage, he began to pull. Scald vs Rexx vs Ajax for Melee Round 1/2 Age: Under 1 Year Size: Extra large Build: Light Mutation 1: Spine Quills - Defensive Skills: Novice Fighter & Advanced Navigator

Someone else might have taken the brother's approach as a threat, gotten all worked up and defensive at the idea of someone stealing his rope! But in little Ajax's eyes it was all just a game, all harmless fun and time well spent with his pack mates. He put on a show of growling as he held on tight, the rumble of his empty threat reverberating down the rope as he dug in his back paws and hooked his spine into an n shape as he tugged, one two three! As hard as he could, he attempted to haul the rope back, following his rhythm of three tugs, rest, three tugs rest!

With his pale toes splaying in the dark sand he allowed his achey tail to arch high, gave him a better sense of balance as he maintained his form. This would not be an easy fight, but it was everyone for themselves. The winner would claim the rope as their own and the others would have to sit back and watch, maybe sulk a little or look for something else to play with. In all, it sounded like a grand old time to Ajax!

Ajax vs Rexx vs Scald for melee
Round 1/2
Age: under 6 months
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Mutation 1: Cat claws - Offensive
Mutation 2: Tail blade - Offensive
Mutation 3: Horns - Defensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Intermediate Hunter

Rexx rumbled a chuckle in amusement as Scald rolled his eyes. "C’mon Scald, where’s the fun in that?" As the boy saw it, a bit of harmless fun was a lot better than just grabbing the rope away. Besides, he thought this fiery kid was cool, from his horns to his tail - and he wanted to play like he did! Finally, a worthy opponent besides his siblings to partake in some fun. It ws every pup for himself, with his brother quickly snatching the other end of the rope. The tusked boy paused for a moment. Hmm. Ropes only had two ends, didn’t they? Therefore he couldn’t grab another end. Time to get creative. A mischevious smirk graced his lips as he eyed the center of the rope, pulled taught by Scald and the other boy. Well, if he couldn’t grab an end, he might have the advantage kf using his strength to tug from the middle. Rexx aimed to grab ahold of the center of the rope, placing himself in the middle of the fray. His nub tail wagged in excitement as in tandem with the two other pups’ tugs, Rexx made his own in the pauses they made, jerking his head left than right in an effort to place the two slightly off balance in his favor. It was all in good fun, though, and in the end he couldn’t say he needed a rope. It was just fun to be with Scald, and also fun to meet someone new! Rexx vs Scald vs Ajax for Melee Round 1/2 Age: Under 6 months Size: Extra large Build: Medium Mutation 1: Tusks - Offensive Mutation 2: Crystal Spine Spikes - Defensive Skills: Beginner Fighter & Intermediate Navigator "speech"

His own playful growls rippled from his throat as he tugged back. Ajax was strong but surely he was stronger! This kid was just a pup after all! Even with his brother not entirely convinced that they shouldn't work together, he was glad Rexx joined in on the fun as well. The idea of winner takes all was enticing to the boy. Continuing to tug on his end of the rope, he pushed his paws into the dense sand. With his tail raised over his rump, wagging furiously in a happy manner over his back, he began to shift away from his brother. One to two steps toward the side, leaning down into a playboy to get better leverage, Scald continued to tug and tug and tug. Scald vs Rexx vs Ajax for Melee Round 2/2 Age: Under 1 Year Size: Extra large Build: Light Mutation 1: Spine Quills - Defensive Skills: Novice Fighter & Advanced Navigator

Oh man this was harder than he'd anticipated, but still fun all the same! The pups yanked back and forth, kicking up dark sand as they dug in, adjusting their footing with each tug. His cheeks began to ache, though he wasn't sure if that was cause he was biting down too hard or smiling too much. Maybe a bit of both? In his mind, if he wanted to beat 'em both and keep the rope all to himself then he needed to do something special, something cool and new-something they'd never see coming. All or nothing kinda deal.

Either it'd work great and he'd win or it'd blow up in his face and make him look like a big dummy.

With a playful growl, he twisted his neck whip quick to the side. Hoping the sudden snap of momentum would loosen it from their grips...that or make him drop it in return!

Ajax vs Rexx vs Scald for melee
Round 2/2
Age: under 6 months
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Mutation 1: Cat claws - Offensive
Mutation 2: Tail blade - Offensive
Mutation 3: Horns - Defensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Intermediate Hunter

Each of the kiddos were doing their damn hardest to gain purchase on their portion of the rope, to tug onto it and wait for that victorious tug that would surely bring one of them the prize of their own. And the other two in the dust..or sand. Same difference, right? Not that the burly boy himself cared for the rope - it was old, antiquated really, the long stale taste of it merged with the sea's saltiness on his tongue as he continued tugging outward, almost aiming to making a triangle formation of the trio. He didn't care for the rope, at all - in the end, the game was the thrill of it, the fun of it. It was all that really mattered to him, and though not quite what you'd call nostalgic, it was certainly a time that'd replay in his head should he ever need to revisit the feelings of excitement, adrenaline, and pure happiness. His own rumble of a play growl climbed up from the depths of his throat, echoing his brother as he saw him lean back into a playbow, forcefully leaning the rope towards him. No, that wouldn't do. Rexx smirked through the soaked tendrils of worn rope, eyes lit with mischief as he braced himself against the red boy's sudden and fierce tug, planting his muscular forelegs into the sand and holding his ground. His neck was getting a bit sore from all the, well, tugging. Not that he cared, though! This was the best tug of war he'd ever played - the first one, actually. And it was every bit as fun as he'd hoped. Rexx chuckled, hoping to outdo them both with a move of his own that'd be somewhat unexpected. He raised his head slightly upwards, aiming to create tension in the rope and jerking it upwards and to the right. If successful - who knows? The rope could fall from one of the other boy's maws, or they'd lose their balances. Either way, he was determined to win. Rexx vs Scald vs Ajax for Melee Round 2/2 Age: Under 1 year Size: Extra large Build: Medium Mutation 1: Tusks - Offensive Mutation 2: Crystal Spine Spikes - Defensive Skills: Beginner Fighter & Intermediate Navigator "speech"

And the winner is...

REXX

SCLAD & AJAX must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Scald: Attack Roll: 53 Defense Roll: 19 Agility Roll: 54 Perception Roll: 93 Total: 219 Attack[53] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 53.00 Defense[19] + 15% Bonus[2.85]: 21.85 Agility[54] + 20% Bonus[10.80]: 64.80 Perception[93] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 93.00 Total[232.65] + -15% Bonus[-34.90]: 197.75 Ajax: Attack Roll: 63 Defense Roll: 29 Agility Roll: 2 Perception Roll: 19 Total: 113 Attack[63] + 35% Bonus[22.05]: 85.05 Defense[29] + 10% Bonus[2.90]: 31.90 Agility[2] + 5% Bonus[0.10]: 2.10 Perception[19] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 19.00 Total[138.05] + -20% Bonus[-27.61]: 110.44 Rexx: Attack Roll: 58 Defense Roll: 62 Agility Roll: 85 Perception Roll: 16 Total: 221 Attack[58] + 15% Bonus[8.70]: 66.70 Defense[62] + 15% Bonus[9.30]: 71.30 Agility[85] + 10% Bonus[8.50]: 93.50 Perception[16] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 16.00 Total[247.50] + -15% Bonus[-37.12]: 210.38