Atreides just grinned as the male introduced himself as Trei's uncle. Too bad no one had warned this uncle how welcoming Trei had been the last time someone introduced themselves to him as uncle. Still he'd grown up a bit since then - maybe - and was beyond silly grudges - probably. His dim recollections of the male didn't really impress anyway, a vague knowledge of things he shouldn't have been listening to as a pup. An usurper and a failed leader was the impression he got, though no one had explicitly said so. Hadn't he run away after he had pups or something? Atreides just grinned though, and said nothing as the uncle set his defenses.
He set his own defenses as well, his sturdy body dropping easily into the stance he'd been drilled in since he was a pup. It made him think again of Drashiel, as it did every time he settled in to fight, and he hoped that his father was watching him. His rugged legs spread into a wide, even stance, his joints going loose for free movement, then bending slightly to lower his center of gravity. He centered his weight evenly on all four limbs, though he was prepared to shift his weight as needed. He spread his paws wide, wiggling his toes as he tested the surface beneath him, then dug his nails in for traction. He let his naturally high head carriage droop, bringing his neck and skull level with his spine, then brought his usually relaxed tail up to the same level to make a line. He wiggled his shoulders to loosen them, then rolled them forward to bunch up his scruff. His ears he made certain were flattened to his head and, with a wink and a nod to Vereux's blind eye, carefully narrowed his to protect them. Wouldn't do to have his pretty green peepers looking as mangled as Good Old Uncle Vereux's. He raised his hackles and, with one last glance towards Valentine, tucked his chin down to protect his throat. Though he was careful, his defenses were actually instinctive at this point and near instant, so only a moment passed as he settled them in place, and he was ready.
Vereux began, as Trei had invited him to, with a rush towards the younger male. Rather than take the impact, Trei sidestepped to his own left, bringing his shoulder out of range of Vereux's attempted collision. Vereux's teeth still raked along the top of Trei's right shoulder blade, though, leaving moderate lacerations there. As he did he shifted his weight off his right foreleg and sought to hook it around Vereux's right foreleg in the hopes of tripping him in his charge. As he did he dug his remaining three paws-worth of claws into the dirt and attempted to slam the outside of his right shoulder sideways into the center of Vereux's right shoulder as well, where the upper arm met shoulder, hoping to knock Vereux sideways. He arched his neck to point his muzzle towards his right, tilting it sideways so the right side was up, and tried to gain a grip on the top side of Vereux's neck about a quarter of the way down from the skull from which he might be able to control his uncle's movements.
ATREIDES vs VEREUX for SPAR
Round 1/2
|
