tooth and claw

Pestilence was doing her best to spend as much time as possible away from Ashen's new homeland while still staying below the radar and not incurring the wrath of her elders who might think she'd run off again. She knew she wanted to find a training partner who had new techniques and methods, but she also was well aware of what response her family would have if she snuck of to the battlefield by herself. She'd hardly make it there before someone would show up to drag her home, and so instead she asked her Uncle Hari to take her under disguise of training. He was always a very reasonable adult, and Pestilence was glad to have a close bond with someone who didn't mind if she tried to shed her Abraxas name every chance she got.

When they'd arrived he'd given her a brief rundown on how the whole thing worked, and Pestilence knew now was when she was supposed to howl and summon an opponent. A part of her was very very worried, what if a huge titanic alpha showed up to pummel her into the dirt for fun? There was no guarantee that the mysterious stranger who arrived would be keen on sparring with a kid, but Pestilence was determined to get her training in to one day earn the Warlord rank she coveted. Plus, she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that Uncle Hari was watching and surely he'd not let anyone seriously hurt her.

After a few moments of cautious deliberation, Pesto tipped her head back and howled out a soft song of summons. It was squeaky and unsure, displaying her lack of confidence for all who might be listening. She didn't let it go on long, and after cutting it off began to stamp her feet nervously in the blood-stained dirt.