Well, this was something. Bylgja had certainly not expected this to be on the table; she'd just wanted to take her boy down to Auster, because Bylgja was curious, and the weather was right, and she had not thought about the change in climate, nor the difference in weather. She'd certainly not thought about this: the wind that battered their faces and whipped around plants. Of course, Bylgja was never one to let such things stop her. The wolf shook out her coat and grinned toothily at her boy. "Well, this is new, yes?" Her voice carried, even now in the storm. "This place is messy! Is loud!" But -- well, Bylgja didn't seem to mind it much. "Heh! Small wolf just get carried off, I bet!" She could see it now. With a snicker, she led Strai along the little land bridge, watching the sky churn above them. "Bylgja" & "Strai"

Strai didn't mind letting Bylgja lead him away, even if it was rather a long hike. He relished the chance to better explore this world. Traveling with her was surpringly easy. He didn't feel the need to prove himself, nor protect himself. He simply… existed beside her. It was oddly refreshing. As they reached the bifrost - the land Bridge that separated the two largest pieces of land - they really started to encounter the weather. It was bitter and cold as it blew off Auster and assaulted them.


Strai felt his lips twitched in amusement as he looked at the wolf who had adopted him. Winter was not a stranger to him, nor was snow and wind. He had been born to a harsh landscape, and if anything it felt a little more like home. He closed his eyes and lifted his head to the wind. Letting it assault his sensors, and scream past his ears. As she spoke, he leaned closer towards her so her words wouldn't be snatched away. Finding shelter in the curve of her body. “If your talking about me, I'm not little anymore!” He shouted back at her. He felt a desire to pick up the pace as the wind started to leech away their warmth.

Bylgja heard her son hollering against the wind, and she began to form a bit of an idea.

Here in the storm...

She raised her head and howled, deep, bassy. "Strai!" Bylgja turned from him, twisting to create distance, to shake out her ruff, to wag her tail once more, her head lowering. It was clear what the woman was about to say before she said it, but she had to say it-- just in case. "Come at me!" The warrior tossed her head back, slamming her paws against the land bridge. "Is learning opportunity, yes?" But-

-- well, it'd probably be obvious that Bylgja simply wanted to tussle it out with her son in the storm, for the sake of the experience. It felt-- thematic to her. Appropriate. It felt like they were back in some kind of homeland; the places of legend, with their daring creatures and hungry storms. Her eyes were bright. How many legends had she heard of such fights?

More than enough!

Bylgja vs Astraios for (Spar)
Round 0/?
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Metal Rune Axe
Companion 1: Female Tahr, 24"
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Advanced Healer

Strai startled a little as Bylgja turned suddenly towards him, putting a little distance between them. Immediately, he started to turn, gums pulling back over lips as he sought the threat. The reason she had turned suddenly…  before reason caught up with him. Her posture wasn't that of a threatened wolf, but a friendly one. One that was… ah, looking for a friendly spar. A match where the world itself was against them. He started to grin. He'd wanted to warm himself, what better way? He relished the chance to pit himself against her. Knowing every time he did, he got a little better.


It also felt a little like home. Energy and delight coursed through him as he let his posture develop into a fighting one. One designed to counteract the storm as he let his toes dig into the sand bar. His ears slicked back, and his eyes narrowed. He tilted his head downward a little, turning it so that part of his face was sheltered from the wind. This wasn't his first battle in a storm. She hadn't voiced her thoughts, but he agreed. It felt right.


He waited a moment to ensure she was ready, and then launched himself forward. He knew he had to pay attention to the direction of the wind, and knew his hearing was impaired because of it. He aimed to smack his shoulder into her, attempting to push her, and turn her face into the storm. At the same time, he went for an attack against her inner neck, near the shoulder. Letting her own body shelter him.


Astraios vs Bylgja for Spar

Round 1/?

Age: Over 1 year

Size: Dire wolf

Build: Light

Offensive Battle Accessory: Small dagged with sheath

Defensive Battle Accessory: Protective bracers

Companion 1: Snowy Owl, Male, Battle

Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Male, 25"

Mutation 1: Cheek Bone Spurs (Defensive)

Mutation 2: Retractable Claws (Offensive)

Skills: Expert Fighter & Expert Hunter

Bylgja could not -- would not -- try to hide the way that her posture showed a primal sort of delight. This was perfect. This was the way! The two of them faced off, paws digging into the sand bar, letting the wind burn against the both of them. Perhaps other wolves, weaker wolves, would have shied away, but this was perfect for the two of them. Harsh worlds made harsh survivors, after all, and though the two of them were certainly loving with one another...

Well, their pack was hardly a friendly one, really.

Her ears snapped forward. Her boy lowered his head, bracing himself against the storm, readying for a lunge, and Bylgja cracked her neck. When Strai ran at her, Bylgja waited until he got close and bulled forward, attempting to use shock and force to knock the boy off of his feet. Of course, since he had his teeth in her fur, this meant that if she succeeded, he'd take some of her fur, but Bylgja didn't care. Astraios did push her head into the storm, and Bylgja let out a whoop of delight at the cold against her flesh.

Bylgja vs Astraios for (Spar)
Round 1/3
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Metal Rune Axe
Companion 1: Female Tahr, 24"
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Advanced Healer

Strai wasn't one who would turn away from hardship, or take the easy route. He knew the importance of honing his body and his mind, and keeping it prepared for any danger. His life had taken an unexpected turn lately. He was sheltered, and fed. He had warmth, wind companionship. But he knew how cruel the world could be. How easily he could lose everything. His own body and strength would be the only thing keeping him going. If that meant fighting the wolf who adopted him on a little strip of sand in the harsh, cold wind. He would do it, and he would do it with delight. Loving how much Bylgja was enjoying herself, how easily she challenged him. Trusted him to deal with the situation without babying him. This was why he trusted her.


As he lunged for her, she charged forward. Rattling his teeth with the force of her momentum. Her impact pushed his head back towards his neck awkwardly, forcing him to release his grip on her neck and straighten. He grimaced, trying to shake out his neck as he lunged a leg forward. Attempting to grab behind her knee and drag her leg forward. At the same time he turned his head so his cheek quills were facing towards her to defend himself if she chose to attack his face. As he did so, his muzzle parted lightly in a wolfish grin. He was loving every minute of this, loving the rush of the wind across his coat and howling past his ears.

Astraios vs Bylgja for Spar
Round 2/3
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Small dagged with sheath
Defensive Battle Accessory: Protective bracers
Companion 1: Snowy Owl, Male, Battle
Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Male, 25"
Mutation 1: Cheek Bone Spurs (Defensive)
Mutation 2: Retractable Claws (Offensive)
Skills: Expert Fighter & Expert Hunter

She didn't expect to win this one, in truth. That she'd won their first was, if you asked her, a fluke of destiny, but such things often happened! This was the way of the world! The way of fate! If she lost, she could simply challenge him again! This was their way, their truth, and Bylgja laughed as Astraios was rattled back by the force of her charge. "Hah!" Of course she laughed! How could she not!

Bylgja felt the boy latch onto her leg with one of her own, and she snickered, before dropping her weight onto her forelimbs and kicking back, trying to essentially donkey-kick whatever she could reach with the strike, and maybe she'd cut herself on his cheek spur, but she wasn't too worried about that. It'd heal in time, and the move seemed natural to her at the moment, and so it was what she went with.

Truly, coming here had been a blessing, and she had been so unsure at first.

Bylgja vs Astraios for (Spar)
Round 2/3
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Metal Rune Axe
Companion 1: Female Tahr, 24"
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Advanced Healer

Strai found her enthusiasm contagious, laughing along with her. He could feel himself warming, both from adrenaline and from the sheer thrill of the fight.Though much of the sound he made was snatched away by the wind. As he attempted to grab at her leg, she kicked out at him. Her legs hitting his chest. He dove forward, attempting to grab at her by the waist and bring her down while her balance was compromised by her kicking manoeuvre. He was mindful of the sandbar, the wind, and the positioning of the sea. Having no desire to send them both over the edge into the frigid waters during a storm. "Bylgja" & "Strai" Astraios vs Bylgja for Spar Round 3/3 Age: over 1 Size: Dire wolf Build: Light Offensive Battle Accessory: Small dagged with sheath Defensive Battle Accessory: Protective bracers Companion 1: Snowy Owl, Male, Battle Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Male, 25" Mutation 1: Cheek Bone Spurs (Defensive) Mutation 2: Retractable Claws (Offensive) Skills: Expert Fighter & Expert Hunter

As they fought, they warmed; there was the rush of blood, the huffing breath, the gale winds. Perfect. Bylgja made another loud whooping noise as Astraios tackled her to the ground; his body hit down on her own and Bylgja figured she had an easy enough solution to the problem-- the woman tried to loop a limb around Strai's shoulder or neck, and to grind her paw down against the top of his head. Yes, it was essentially an attempt at a wolf-style noogie, but that doesn't matter, does it? Bylgja couldn't help herself. As she did this, she tried to wrestle over to flip the both of them over, so that she could have a better grip to heckle the boy. But all of this aside, the wolf was beaming ear to ear, sharp-toothed and delighted. Hell yes. Bylgja vs Astraios for (Spar) Round 3/3 Age: Over 1 Year Size: Large Build: Medium Offensive Battle Accessory: Metal Rune Axe Companion 1: Female Tahr, 24" Skills: Advanced Fighter & Advanced Healer "Bylgja" & "Strai"