-open spar- The white and red vixen found her way to the battlegrounds. It was a place filled with memories that sickened her stomach and mind. Not for the first time she would wish that she could just forget all that had happened in her brief three years of life. Unfortunately the world was not kind enough to grant such wishes, so Azalea was forced to her best on her own. Already Azalea was no longer bound by her family. The woman was a Regium wolf, a Tortugan. Her family would throw a fit if they knew! However, Azalea fully believed that if her family had cared where she was, they would have sought her out already. It wasn't exactly like she was being a recluse. She had attended the Ebony festival among other things. Life was once more flowing in the feisty dame and she was ready to get back to being herself. It had taken a long time to build herself back up after being morally struck down by Isardis. She needed redemption for everything that has occurred. She needed to prove to the world that she was more than someone's bitch. The ranks of Regium were hers for the taking, Roman had told her so. With numerous opportunities before her, Azalea had chosen to be a hunter for now, to be useful in the best way. In addition to hunting, however, Azalea planned to practice her fighting skills, to continue the path that had long been her passion before two litters of puppies wrecked her body. Azalea fixed her paws into loose slightly rocky soil,taking in the slopes of the landscape around her. It would be here that she would spill stranger blood in the name of bettering herself. No doubt, she would likely spill some of her own blood as well. The pretty little she-wolf let out a brief howl, calling to whoever else might be stalking these lands.

It had been some time since his paws had carried him here, something he had not particularly wanted to do again; and yet as his children grew bigger every day and more and more curious he had thought more and more about this. It had been some time since he had practised much and now more than ever he felt the need to make sure he could handle any physical threat upon his family. On a subconscious level the meeting with Apollo had jolted him in the right direction for this decision though he would not admit it, even to himself.
Russet paws carried the man across the uneven terrain. Helios was no titan, and his form had become a bit leaner since arriving in these lands; life of being a leader giving him little chance to do much training, that would have to end starting today. A call for a challenger reached him, and the man loped easily in the direction of the call eager to beat any other lurking wolves.
As the Olympus drew up before the white and scarlet female he slowed, red eyes sizing her up automatically. The girl was younger than him, though considering his own age that could work in either of their favor, hers if she ended up being faster than him, his if she did not have much experience; at least he hoped. Though it was hard to tell as she was standing on a slope slight above him but he also believed her to be only slightly shorter than him. Good, he?d like a challenge.
The man stopped before her, and gave a polite dip of his head before speaking, the learned voice of an alpha pouring from him. " I take it was you who called for a challenger?"


"Speech"

Funny how a challenger never seemed far away in this land that felt so empty, even when it was packed with wolves. The wolf was an odd looking brute, brown with a tint of red. He had a dark line that marked down his back. His eyes seemed to melt into his coat, as though they lacked pigment like an albinos would. He was not albino and in fact his eyes were only slightly darker in color than his pelt. She raised her head, ears pressing forward. This wolf seemed to be only a couple inches off from being as tall as she was. His build was wider though where Azalea had always had a very average female build. "I take it was you who called for a challenger?" She nodded with a sly half smile, stepping forward now. "I did, let's begin," With that Azalea would loosen her posture, legs bending slightly to lower her center of gravy and lend to better balance. Her ears pulled back tight against her skull to try and avoid being ripped off. Her hackles raised making her look deceptively larger than she was and to offer an added barrier between tooth and flesh. A snarl twisted her beautiful face, skin rolling and bunching on her muzzle to protect the bone that sat so close to the surface. She moved her shoulders forward, bunching her neck and dipping her chin, blocking her neck as well as could be managed. As she claws dug into the ground, her tail aligning with her spin, Azalea would spring forward without hesitation. She toward him, slightly to his right. Her jaws parted as she neared, faking an attempt to bite at his face it would seem as she let herself get shoulder to shoulder with him before she put on the brakes. Her back paws dug into the ground as her front paws lifted, pushing her weight into her left shoulder as she sought to collide with the male. Shoulder to shoulder. Her teeth would also strike then, grasping for the skin just past his ribs looking to bite and tear. As this wold was a stranger, nothing was off limits to Azalea. She came here to test her abilities and that was just what she would do. Azalea v Helios for Practice Round 1 of 2/3? (up to you) Attack: Azalea moves so they are shoulder to shoulder, parallel, before dropping into him looking to slam into his shoulder while at the same time attempting to grab the skin just past his ribs

Little time was wasted, she clearly eyed him over as he did the same before indicating he had been correct and giving a verbal cue to begin. Instantly they shifted, he would bend his knees for a more stable position, tail flagging straight out behind him and toes splaying. Ears would pull back against his skull, eyes narrowing and hackles bristling. With one smooth movement he lowered his head over his neck, shoulders hunching forwards.

She was quick, her form lunging towards him. Her feign caught him off guard, as he suddenly pulled his head back only to realize that she was now slamming her shoulder into his own. Pain splintered through his right shoulder as bone collided with bone. His mind was kicking into gear then, and as he registered the woman dropping her head he attempted to make a few quick moves of his own. Tilting his right shoulder down slightly he angled his rump away from the woman, hoping to jam his shoulder into her head.
As he did this he opened his jaw, neck craning as he angled his head down with the intent of catching her left shoulder in his grasp.

Azalea vs. Helios for Practice
Round 1/3
Defenses:
Bent knees, tail straight, toes splayed, ears back, narrowed eyes, hackles raised, head lowered, shoulders rolled forwards.
Attacks:
Angling his backside away from Azalea (thereby swinging his chest/shoulders towards her) and trying to use that momentum to hit her in the head. Hoping to use the momentum to swing his head downwards and grab hold of Azalea?s left shoulder.
Injuries:
Light to moderate bruising on his right shoulder.

"Speech"