He missed the cold comfort of his knife. His mother had gifted it to him on the day he brought down his first predator. She had given mead as well, and it was one of the happier memories of his childhood. He had felt his mothers approval, her merriment. He had gotten utterly drunk, and been miserably sick but that hadn’t taken away from his achievement. Not that knife was in the paws of the Nidhogg. But Strai was very good at two things. Breaking the rules, and stealth.

It was late at night when he crept towards Vidarr’s den. But he had seen the Nidhogg leave, and he had looked very busy doing it. Strai reckoned he had at least some time before he and his partner came back. He had rubbed himself all over with mud, obscuring his scent and dampening the bright glare of his coat.

He made it inside, he found the storage shelves, and there among Vidarr’s things, was his blade. Still in its sheath. He eyed it hungrily, before grabbing it with a paw and bringing it to his mouth. He had done it, now he just needed to make his exit. Turning, he started to slink out of the den.

"Speech"

Delphi had no good reason to be out that night. She had been getting into enough trouble lately that she didn't need another encounter with Vidarr to add on top of it. But... there's always that but, isn't there?

But she and Aji were out of weed and unfortunately, the only place she knew where to readily get it was Vidarr's place.

Now, luckily for her, she knew that the old man and Tenshi snuck out quite often to the top peak of the mountain. For what reason? She didn't dare ask. Some of the things she had heard them whisper to each other made her want to hurl. So tonight, as she slipped from the den she shared with her siblings, Delphi pressed against the walls of the mountain and made her way to Vidarr's den. It was easy for someone of her size to hide. She barely needed to do much except hunker down ever so slightly.

Not really caring about her scent (because her scent was always in there anyway), Delphi approaches the doorway. As she is about to slip inside, she is met face-to-face with an all too familiar face. Nearly running right into him head-on, Delphi lifts her lips in a snarl and jumps back out of the way. Both ears fall flat against her head as she stares at Strai. "What were you doing in there?" She hisses, heterochromatic eyes searching his body to see what he had stolen.

The whole ordeal was surprisingly easy. He was leaving no scent behind, and the only thing missing was his dagger. If he was lucky, Vidarr wouldn’t think to look for it for weeks anyway. By then, maybe the old demon wouldn’t even care that the pup had taken it back. Or, maybe by then Strai would be big enough to fight for the right to keep it. He was practically drunk on victory when he moved around the corner, and almost ran head first into - of all wolves - Delphi. He hadn’t bothered to strap the dagger’s sheath around his leg, so he was carrying the dagger and sheath all in his mouth. It looked a little suspicious, and he knew it.

He ignored Delphi’s snarl, having jumped back a little himself. His heart rate had kicked up, and he could feel it hammering in his chest. He growled at her from around the dagger. “Keep this to yourself, Toxic, and we won’t have any problems” he threatened her. Because going straight to threats was always the greatest idea, right?

"Speech"

In the middle of the commotion of them nearly running into each other, she hadn't noticed the dagger in his mouth. As her heightened heart rate settles and her eyes fall back on his face, she sees it gleaming in the moonlight. Her eyes narrow as he hisses at her, calling her Toxic. How could he possibly think she would keep this to herself? He was stealing from Vidarr, her favorite. Another growl rolls up her throat as she widens her stance, prepared to take him on.

"You're a filthy thief. There's no way I'm letting you out of here with that," She is seething through her teeth as she bares her fangs at him. Both ears are flat against her head as her fur begins to bristle. Unfortunately, Binti had stayed back tonight so it would be just herself and Strai to duke it out.

He bristled at her words, growing a little more at her. “Yeah, then what were you doing sneaking in here?” he asked, realising the only reason he hadn’t seen her was because she had been creeping. Like the thief she was claiming him to be. He backed a couple steps away from her, even though that put him further into Vidarr’s den. He really didn’t want to get caught here if that Old Demon came back earlier then he predicted.

“It’s mine. I earned it from my mother. He has no right to it!” He added, his eyes narrowing, and he was almost vibrating with anger. The theft of the dagger was not something he let go of easily in the first place. He didn’t care that Vidarr had taken it from him because he was a slave, and because he had found Strai attacking that weird kid of his that first time he had trespassed. It was his.


"Speech"

It didn't take long for him to ask what she was doing here as well. At Vidarr's den... Fuck. She had to say something other than the truth. Of course, she could tell him the truth. She'd smoked weed in front of him before, but for him to know where she got it from. No, no way in hell would she tell him that piece. Thankfully, before she could answer his question, he was stepping backward, farther into Vidarr's den. Was he scared? Of her? Her smirk grows.

Stepping forward, she lowers her head slightly, raising her lips further to snarl even more. Oh, she was getting enjoyment out of this! Especially when he exclaims outwardly about how Vidarr had no right to the dagger. Delphi had no idea why Strai was here, what he had done to become a Thrall, but that wasn't important. What was important was that Vidarr owned him. "Actually, he does. Put it back," she snaps her teeth in his direction as she presses closer to him. "No one has to know either of us were here if you just put it back," Delphi demands, her fur continuing to bristle as she snaps again.

He bristled more at that, taking another step back. Not because he was afraid of her, but because he needed room to work. He bent his head down, snapping the strap around his wrist as fast as he could, expecting her to attack him at any moment. But she was stepping closer, bristling at him, telling him to put it back. “I won't” He swore, not after he had come all this way. His fur was still black and stinky, he would have to take a freezing winter swim to rid himself of the dry mud. The knife was right there, the taste of it still on his tongue. He wouldn’t give it up again.

“Over my dead body” he snarled at her. He didn’t back up any further. Not now that dagger was strapped to his leg. Where it fit perfectly, as if it was made for him. Funny that. He didn’t start the fight, he wouldn’t be the one to do that, but he wouldn’t walk out of here empty handed, he would rather die than give up this last piece of his heritage, his life again.


"Speech"

Oh, he was asking for it now. Surely he valued his life more than he valued that stupid dagger. "I can make that happen," Delphi says with her smirk widening as she prepares herself for what she is about to do next. It didn't matter if he was larger or better or whatever it was that he was, she was going to get that dagger back for Vidarr. She didn't care. Suddenly lunging forward, Delphi aims to jump up and grab ahold of his muzzle. Whether it be her fangs or dull claws, she didn't care. Any hold she could get on his body, the better.

Delphi vs Astraios for Retrieval of Dagger
Round 1/?
Age: Under 1 year
Size: Extra small
Build: Light
Companion 1: Male Binturong, 22” - Battle
Mutation 1: Saber fangs (Offensive)
Mutation 2: Spicy blood (Defensive)
Skills: Advanced Healer & Beginner Fighter

He wasn’t entirely surprised when she came at him, prepared to ‘make that happen’ but it did leave an odd sour note in his mouth. A sense of… disappointment. He shook it off, prepared to fight for what was his. If that meant tossing this toxic bitch down a mountain, then so be it.

Snarling at her, he left the dagger strapped to his leg and turned his muzzle to the side. Hoping to catch her first attack with the spurs that sat in his cheeks. Nasty things, they were. At the same time, he raised a paw and attempted to grab it behind her leg. Hoping to pull her leg out from under her, or do something to compromise her balance. Whatever he could do that didn’t involve digging his teeth into her scruff, really. He’d done that twice already so far. "Traitor" He hissed at her

Astraios vs Delphi for keeping Dagger
Round 1/2
Age: under one
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Mutation 1: Cheek Bone Spurs (Offensive)
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Intermediate Hunter
"Speech"

She really had to start thinking smarter if they were going to keep fighting. Why she didn't expect him to use his cheek spurs to his advantage would make her the fool in this situation. When he turns his head, her teeth strike those spurs and she stumbles backward. As she tries to right her balance and go back in, she feels his paw hook around her leg and pull hard. Suddenly, her always wobbly balance is swept away and she is falling backward. In the process, Delphi tries to strike out at him with a hind paw before she hits the ground. "You're the traitor," she growls back at him as she begins to pick herself back up off the ground.

Delphi vs Astraios for Retrieval of Dagger
Round 2/2
Age: Under 1 year
Size: Extra small
Build: Light
Companion 1: Male Binturong, 22” - Battle
Mutation 1: Saber fangs (Offensive)
Mutation 2: Spicy blood (Defensive)
Skills: Advanced Healer & Beginner Fighter

He felt her slip, but at the same moment felt the impact of her own hind paw strike him. He didn’t launch himself at her when she landed on the ground, and was pulling herself back to her paws. He wasn’t an honourable fighter, and he didn’t give a fuck about this stupid toxic girl in front of him. So why he gave her those moments, he couldn’t and wouldn’t say. But he did, squaring off with her as she got back to her paws. “Don’t give a fuck about your Vidarr. He stole my freedom” He growled, his low, menacing voice sound like it was dragging across hot coals.

“Doesn't make me the traitor” If he didn’t give a fuck about Delphi, but considered her actions a traitor, what did that mean? Meant nothing. Just words. Just trying to distract her, that was all. Once she was on her paws, he lunged in again, aiming to swipe at her with a forepaw. He didn’t use his teeth, he was smarter then that.


Astraios vs Delphi for keeping Dagger
Round 2/2
Age: under one
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Mutation 1: Cheek Bone Spurs (Offensive)
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Intermediate Hunter

"Speech"

And the winner is...

Astraios

Delphi must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Delphi: Attack Roll: 6 Defense Roll: 34 Agility Roll: 17 Perception Roll: 14 Total: 71 Attack[6] + 20% Bonus[1.20]: 7.20 Defense[34] + 25% Bonus[8.50]: 42.50 Agility[17] + 15% Bonus[2.55]: 19.55 Perception[14] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 14.00 Total[83.25] + -15% Bonus[-12.49]: 70.76 Astraios: Attack Roll: 31 Defense Roll: 47 Agility Roll: 55 Perception Roll: 19 Total: 152 Attack[31] + 30% Bonus[9.30]: 40.30 Defense[47] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 47.00 Agility[55] + 5% Bonus[2.75]: 57.75 Perception[19] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 19.00 Total[164.05] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 164.05

The Thrall lunges for her as soon as she is on her paws. Unwilling to allow him to swipe her again, Delphi dashes to the side. As he lunges past her and through the doorway, she twirls to watch him. He had escaped and she had allowed it to happen. Fury builds in her as her ears flatten even more and her eyes narrow into slits. A growl builds and rumbles from her small body as she hunches her shoulders and steps toward him. "Get lost Thrall," she seethed through clenched teeth as she raised her lips in a snarl. Why wasn't she going after him? Why was she letting him go? She wasn't sure.

"If you don't get out of here now, I'll make sure Vidarr gets that dagger back," Delphi's voice is poison as she takes another step toward the doorway to keep him from coming back inside.

Of course he won. He always won against Delphi, but that she would even try burned a hole through his heart. He snarled at her again, his anger rising. He had trusted her, when he trusted no one. This dagger was important to him. It was his heritage, and no one but him deserved to possess it! Delphi had tried to take it from him, and he would not forget it. Never mind that he had stolen from her the very first day they had met. Never mind that he was a Thrall, and Vidarr had won it by right of might. His want for the dagger was selfish, and transcended logic.

“Toxic jävlar!” he hissed at her, he clutched his dagger a little tighter, and turned. Racing away from Delphi, from the den, from the hurt resting in his heart. He was so mad at her!

-exit?-

"Speech"