The boy was anxious, nervous system already seeing to a tremendous amount of adrenaline pumping through his veins. It was enough to set him on edge, and leave him trembling - ready and desperate for action. He hadn't fought once in his life, but he knew it was high past time he did. This Frino man, he would be a difficult opponent. He had years of experience, where Maverick had none. The Prince was not frightened, though, he knew all he had to do was try his best. If anything, he would lose honorably and his father would see to it he was trained properly. There really was no way for him to lose, at least not in the long run. When his father said they could go about their friendly sparring, Maverick set lime eyes upon the man as he shifted into a position a few yards away from the bigger group. Everyone would spread out accordingly. The young Prince examined the ground here. It was covered in soft grasses, and would certainly provide for good traction for both he and his opponent. He set himself so that the sun would not play any part in lessening his eyesight, and then began to figure out just what sort of stance he should take. He'd heard everyone had a different method to fighting, the boy wondered what his own would turn out to be. Offensive sounded like a good plan, but he knew a fight wasn't all offense, there was a fair amount of defense required as well. Maverick hoped he could find a happy medium between the two. And so, the boy waited for Frino to come and for the battle to commence. "speeeeech"

What did Frino expect? Did he think that the red prince would suddenly back out when he was faced with the oh so intimidating opponent known as Frino of Ludicael. No, Frino was not particularly intimidating, and he did know that. So he didn't totally blame Maverick for not backing off. Still, as much as he wouldn't mind ending up in Marvel's den, he didn't really want to end up disfigured for the rest of his life. "If you wouldn't mind, Prince, I would like to establish a rule? I would like to avoid any attacks designed to disfigure." Perhaps scars could not be avoided, but Frino intended to minimize them. He liked his body just the way it was, thank you very much. "And you may decide how long this fight will last as well." Ears twitching, Frino took a moment to turn his turquoise eyes on Maverick once more. "With that out of the way, however, I would like to wish you luck, Prince Maverick." Frino rumbled cheerfully enough, shifting his weight onto his hind legs with those words out of his mouth. He would wait for a little bit here, giving Maverick time to respond and react as Frino tried to form a strategy in the back of his mind. He would try to move quickly and utilize his smaller size by making it difficult for Maverick to pin him down in one location. Of course, Frino had never sparred before, so this would be an interesting thing to witness. The small male would take a moment to prepare himself then, taking a deep breath as he curled his tail slightly in the air behind him. A swift twitch of his tail hinted at annoyance to anyone who truly understood Frino's backwards actions, and after a long moment of remaining still, he launched himself forward, hoping that he would surprise Maverick and enable himself to land the first hit. To do so, Frino raced straight at the male, snapping his teeth at the skin of Maverick's chest. He hoped to get a small chunk of flesh and fur, leaving only small lacerations. As soon as he bit, however, Frino leaped back, regardless of whether or not his teeth closed around air or not. His tail straightened out to offer him a little more balance as Frino flattened his ears against his skull, his teeth baring as he crouched low to the ground, hoping to protect his vital organs in this manner. Round --- Injuries: None so far Attacks: Ran straight at Maverick and aimed to bite at Maverick's chest. Defenses: Leaped back from Maverick as quickly as he could after attacking, and he is crouching down so that it's more difficult to reach his vital organs. Speech

It didn't take long for the man to separate himself from the group and join Maverick in their 'arena' of sorts. Maverick hoped this would be a relatively quick and painless spar, though he imagined the latter was not likely. What good was a spar if some minute amount of pain was not inflicted? "Fine by me," the Prince would retort. Pleasantries had been left behind him, this was no time for courtesies. Maverick got to decide the length. The boy pondered for a mere moment. "Four rounds each." The Prince nodded, four rounds was long enough, but short as well. They could do enough damage in four rounds to determine a winner - he was sure. "Good luck to you as well." The Prince would offer, as his face melted into a serious mask. The boy was done talking. He'd never done this before, but he assumed there was no better time to break in his sparring gloves than the present. This man seemed pleasant enough, and perhaps he would be a worthy opponent. Of course, he might not even be the warrior Maverick imagined him to be, for all the prince knew he was a healer or runner. In fact, that would make more sense due to the fact that Frino had been the one to request no disfigurement. As Maverick pondered this, he allowed his ears to pin back protectively, head aligning with his spine simultaneously. His tail snaked out behind him for balance, and his paws set firmly upon the earth. Russet lips curled upward into a menacing snarl, though no sound was emitted from slightly agape jowls. The man raced for him, a direct attack had not been expected. The level of his head and the direct approach of the attack left Maverick assuming that the man intended to bite his face or chest. Instinct told him to move, to jump, to leap, to back up, anything to avoid the jaws approaching him at a rapid pace. His mind told him otherwise, and so - the boy braced. Fangs snapped shut on the flesh of his bosom, breaking the skin and leaving two gashes in their wake. Lime eyes narrowed in pain, but he would make no sound. Instead, his own fangs serpentined for the skin on the back of the man's neck - seeking a tight grip upon the loose flesh that lay just in reach. He moved forward as he did so, hoping to follow the male's backpedalling and still get a grip on something. Round 1 : 4 Attacks - Fangs seeking Frino's scruff Defenses - Paws set, fangs bared, ears pinned, tail flagged Injuries - Two medium vertical gashes on his chest near the breastbone "speeeeech"

Frino was pleased with himself. His attack had landed on this wolf, and though it had not done a particularly large amount of damage, it had landed and that was what was important. It meant that Frino had made the first attack, and drawn the first blood, and that was good, right? Of course. He was going to win this. Maybe. Well, he would try, the male figured as Frino tried to twist aside from Maverick's attack. Instead of getting away, however, Frino bit back a snarl of pain as Maverick's teeth closed around flesh, the male's forward motion allowing him to catch Frino even as the smaller male tried to slide away. Damn! Frino hissed internally, tail twitching in irritation. His immediate reaction was to twist and try to escape Maverick's teeth, beginning to straighten his legs as he did so, and as Frino attempted to break away from the fangs of the other wolf, Frino snapped his fangs in the direction of Maverick's throat, hoping to get a grip on the vulnerable flesh that could be found there. He was, in fact, aiming for the windpipe, but Frino would take what he could get. Frino's defenses remained rather minimal as the careless wolf made his attack. His tail was extended for balance, and his claws were digging into the earth to make it difficult to knock Frino off balance. He was now mostly relying on his smaller size to protect his vital organs from Maverick's attacks, and that did leave him more vulnerable. Round 1/4 Attacks: Trying to bite the underside of Maverick's neck, aiming for the windpipe. Defenses: Pretty minimal. He's got his tail extended and his claws are dug into the ground so that it's harder to knock him off balance, but he is relying entirely on his smaller size to protect the more important parts of him. Injuries: Two gashes on the back of his neck from Maverick's teeth. Speech

In all honesty the boy knew very little about what he was doing here. He hadn't had any specific warrior training, he was just trying to do the best he could with common sense and a bit of luck. He wasn't sure how long that luck would last him, but his courage was overflowing. Perhaps the courage would take up the slack that no experience had left behind. The metallic taste of blood trickled into his maw as he successfully ripped through Frino's flesh atop his neck. Maverick tried desperately to keep his grip, but as Frino pushed upward with his paws it was nearly impossible. Releasing his hold on the man's scruff, Maverick felt seeking jaws beneath his throat. A shiver flickered up and down his spine as he realized how much danger he was in. If Frino managed to get the right hold, Maverick could die. He knew that this spar wasn't meant to go that far, but the fear was all the same. In a flash the boy reeled, backpedalling as fast as his limbs could carry him. The result was a single gash that followed his bottom jawline. The area burned like fire, but Maverick was just happy to be alive. Suddenly finding himself enraged, the Prince would jolt forward. In a sudden pulse of energy he would shift his body weight and pivot on the spot, aiming to thrust his left shoulder upon Frino's face and aim an attack with agape jaws on the man's left shoulder. Of course, this left the side of Maverick's face in quick reach of Frino - but that was a risk the boy was willing to take. They'd promised no serious disfigurement, hadn't they? All four paws set themselves firmly on the ground as he made his move, jaws hanging agape and ears pinned tightly to his head. He was not about to lose an ear in this battle. His tail flagged out for balance and quick turning skill. Round 2 : 4 Attacks - Thrusting his shoulder in front of Frino's face and simultaneously reaching around with his jaws for a hold on Frino's left shoulder. Defenses - Jaws agape, ears pinned, tail flagged, balance set on four paws. Injuries - Gash on jawline, two vertical gashes on chest near breastbone. "speeeeech"

Okay no Frino was not going to be impressed if he had deep scars. He didn't want to be ugly! He was attached to his appearance, thank you very much. Frino breathed a sigh of relief, however, as soon as Maverick released his grip on the back of his neck. Finally! The male hissed internally, huffing in irritation as the Prince twisted away from his attempted attack, leaving Frino grasping at air, and leaving only a thin injury on his jawline. Nothing too bad, nothing that would ensure he would win, but hey, Frino wasn't dead set on winning. In fact, right then, getting out of there seemed like a damn good idea. Maverick's body was moving swiftly, like a flashy (and handsome) fish, moving to level him with a powerful shoulder, with fangs flashing as well. Damn. Um. Frino tried to duck out of the way, but appreciating Maverick's appearance had delayed him enough that the shoulder slammed into Frino's face, causing him to stumble slightly and become dizzy him, as well as leaving him confused for a short moment. The sudden stabbing pain of fangs closing upon his left shoulder cleared up the fuzziness quickly enough, however, and Frino reacted instinctively, his tail flicking in the air behind him as he lashed out, aiming to snap his fangs in the air close enough to the left side of Maverick's face that it would distract the male from the subtle shift of Frino's weight. As his fangs closed, aiming for nothing but air (hey now, he wasn't rude enough to scar a wolf as handsome as this' face), Frino aimed to push his left shoulder against Maverick, hoping to throw the male off balance, though he doubted he had much of a chance at that. Even as he moved, however, Frino tried to plant his paws more firmly in the ground, tail coming back out straight behind him. Ears flicked flat against his skull, unconsciously mirroring Maverick's defenses. Frino was not very good at remembering to defend himself, however, and he did not even move to escape from these close quarters or place anything more protective than these mediocre at best defenses. But hey, winning had never exactly been his goal. He had wanted nothing more than Marvel's attention. But he was absolutely not going to think about that right then. Round 2/4 Attacks: Aiming to snap at the air on the left side of Maverick's face, and trying to shove his left shoulder into Maverick, in an attempt to throw him off balance. Defenses: Trying to plant himself more solidly against the earth after Maverick knocked him offbalance. Frino has his tail extended for balance and his ears pinned, and that's about it. Injuries: Potential bruising in his face where Maverick's shoulder hit, fairly deep bite wound on his left shoulder, and two gashes on the back of his neck. Speech

The boy truthfully had no clue if he was doing a good job or a bad one. He was just doing what came instinctually. In his childhood, he'd been attacked numerous times by his brother, sister, or sometimes both. It had all been in good fun, but Maverick had learned quite a bit about defense through it all. He'd never been the biggest offensive fighter, as usually he was pounced upon and had to try to wriggle free, but he supposed offense would come with practice - whereas it seemed defenses came naturally. Here in this tussle, he was learning more about who he was, and he liked it. He'd never experienced anything quite so exhilarating as this in his whole life - save for perhaps his dates with Epiphron ( though this wasn't the time to be thinking about such things). Maverick felt his shoulder collide with the side of Frino's face, jarring the brute - if only slightly. A look of triumph boiled on the prince's face. It didn't last long, however, as his shoulder screeched in protest of his recent maneuver. Though he had grown into his full sized form, the boy had yet to put on the necessary muscle to pull off an attack of brute strength. He'd have to remember that, and something told him that the throb in his shoulder would be a lasting reminder. Jaws snapped shut violently upon Frino's shoulder, digging into the flesh that surrounded the joint. He sought for purchase, but knew that he couldn't hold on for long. The Prince flinched involuntarily as Frino's jaws snapped shut on nothing but air near his face - flashing back to the moment when Syrinx had done a number on the very same cheek. The Prince froze in his tracks, unable to remember or - more importantly - do anything for a split second. The instantaneous shove Frino gave was enough to jar the boy considerably, but it also did wonders to snap him back into focus. A snarl ripped from his larynx as one of his front paws lost it's traction upon the earth. For a moment the boy had the sensation of falling, and then there was a thud upon the earth. He felt the wind leave his frame momentarily before slowly trickling back in - offering him gasps of air as he took them. The pain was undeniably real. He should have been more prepared, should have foreseen the odds that Frino would bump back into him. Maverick's only instinct screamed incessantly in his ears, protect your belly!. And protect it he did. The russet and white Prince of Seracia had landed on his side, but with ease would wrap his paws protectively around his underside, fangs snaring up and out to deflect any oncoming attack or possibly inflict damage upon Frino if he was still nearby. He might be down, but he was certainly not out. If he could hold off an attack by Frino for a moment, Maverick would prepare himself to get back up onto all fours. Attacks: Fangs seeking any part of Frino that might be near or attempting to launch an attack. Defenses: Paws curled around belly to protect his underside, ears laid back, fangs bared. Injuries: Bruising on his right shoulder, bruising on the left side of his ribcage, gash on jawline, two vertical lacerations on chest near breastbone. "speeeeech"

Frino was confused when Maverick came to a stop, the other male freezing as Frino's jaws closed around nothing. He had not intended for it to do . . . whatever it had done. Hmm. Still, the male continued as planned, and was pleased to see Maverick go sprawling. Maverick hit the ground with a solid sounding thud, and Frino cringed internally as the other male gasped a little, feeling . . . guilty. And this was not something he should have been feeling right then no stop it. This was a spar, not a lovefest! He needed to get a grip on himself. However, that didn't mean he was going to go for Maverick's stomach. It had been bad enough when he'd aimed for Maverick's throat. Nothing life threatening, remember? Snorting, Frino made a lunge for Maverick's front legs, appreciating his smaller size for only a moment. His jaws would close for only a moment, but that was a moment too long; Maverick's jaws closed around flesh as well, sending pain shooting through Frino's body. As soon as he properly processed what had hapeppened, Frino was leaping backwards, baring his fangs as he crouched low to the ground, ears pinned to his skull. His tail hung loosely behind him, however, and was not exactly extended for balance. An amused growl rumbled in the male's chest as he waited for Maverick to make a move. He would give the male time to get up before he made any other attacks; after all, what was the fun in sparring a wolf who was lying down? And that certainly wasn't going to get Frino injured any more than he already had been. Round 3/4 Attacks: Took advantage of his smaller size and attempted to snap at Maverick's front legs. Defenses: Leaped back after attempting to lash out at Maveick. After landing, his ears are flattened flattened, and he is crouching low to the ground so that Maverick won't try to snap at his legs. Injuries: One more shallow bite wound from his attempted attack on Mav's legs, potential bruising in his face where Maverick's shoulder hit, fairly deep bite wound on his left shoulder, and two gashes on the back of his neck. Speech

On his back wasn't exactly the position he wanted to be in, but he would have to make the best of it. Paws continued to serpentine around his delicate undersides in attempt to deflect any attacks that might target that area. It was only acceptable for Frino to attack there, though Maverick hoped he might hold back if he did. The underside of a wolf was far less protected than the dorsal side and would not hold an attack as well as his back could. Lime eyes sought teal in an attempt to stare down the opponent, but it was too late. The boy flinched slightly as Frino's jaws snapped shut momentarily upon a single russet front leg. From the stinging sensation in his right, he would assume that it was the affected limb. Incisors would part and release the limb from the attacker's jaws as Maverick drew the bleeding leg closer to his frame. Puncture wounds formed two nearly-parallel lines on the front and back of his leg. With a growl he watched Frino retreat slightly, giving him just enough time to stagger to his paws, right front limb held slightly above the ground in hopes of lessening the pain. Jaws clicked shut as he tried to calculate just what would be an appropriate move. Drawing his head down in line with his spine, his ears would remain flat against his skull as once more the prince rushed at the man. Pain ebbed in his wounded leg as paws furiously drummed against the earth, carrying him to the right (Frino's left) in an attempt to wound the already injured shoulder a bit further. Jaws would fly open, snaking for the bleeding shoulder in hopes of finding purchase or otherwise casing Frino to shy away from the blow. Round 4 : 4 Attacks: Jaws seeking Frino's previously injured left shoulder. Defenses: Head in line with spine, jaws open, ears pinned. Injuries: Two lines of puncture wounds on his right front limb, bruising on his right shoulder, bruising on the left side of his ribcage, gash on jawline, two vertical lacerations on chest near breastbone. "speeeeech"