sunshiney day

Red was pleased to see the two young wolves who promptly appeared in answer to his invitation. He hadn't officially met either one of them, though their age and the fact that they resembled each other and smelled similarly enough that he deduced that they were both from the last litter to be born here. "Good afternoon," he returned the young female's greeting. "I'm glad to meet you both. My name is Aodh Ruaidhrí, though I would be pleased if you would call me simply Red - and yes, a fight lesson of sorts, though it will not be particularly physical I'm afraid. More of a lecture, really." His tone was apologetic, but there was a light of excitement in his eyes at passing any sort of knowledge on. He'd always been something of a scholar, and oftentimes as a pup he'd sat through similar lectures, absorbing the knowledge of his instructors to use later. "I know that more often than not you've sparred as part of a fight lesson, but it's as important to cultivate your mind, and to learn strategy in addition to the short term tactics you'll use in a single fight. It's important to learn how to reason before you ever bare your teeth in the sparring circle." He blinked a moment, sidetracked as he wondered if they even used sparring circles, but moved on smoothly as though he hadn't paused.

"Given who our alpha is I can be certain you have at least spent some time around a wolf with mutations," he said with a smile. "But it seems that in your land it is surprisingly rare to see them. You're less likely to have a sparring partner with mutations to practice against, before you actually face someone in a real battle who happens to have them. It's important you put thought into the various mutations and how they will affect a fight you're in against someone who has them. Some are useful, some are not. Others are a detriment to your opponent if you are clever enough to work out a way to use it against them."

"Aurielle and I share one mutation that appears to be the most common one, elongated fangs. There are major differences in the way that mutation has manifested itself in each of us, though, and so the way we use them are very different. My fangs are too long to use efficiently for biting and gripping, so I tend to depend on slashing attacks. Others might have shorter fangs that allow them to sink them in for a grip. Some other useful offensive mutations include different types of claws, different shapes of horns or antlers, tusks, anything that is primarily useful as a weapon. Observing the small differences like that will allow you to predict what style your opponent is most likely to use, and how you can use their tendencies and weaknesses to your advantage."

He took a longer pause here, giving his words time to sink in. He didn't want to overwhelm the pair, but if they were paying attention they should be able to get a good idea of it. "There are mutations that are primarily useful as defenses, as well, like my bristles." He shook the ridge of stiff, hedgehog-like bristles along the back of his neck. "It would be very difficult for me to use these offensively, but if you aren't paying attention and taking note, you'd end up with a mouthful of bristles stabbing you, which is not, let me assure you, a pleasant experience." He smiled wryly - he'd sparred with his own twin often enough to have a healthy respect for that sort of discomfort from not paying attention. "Even if you avoid them, by simply existing that mutation has forced you to change the way you fight against that opponent. However, chances are fairly good that your opponent has learned to rely on that mutation to have that effect, and they may use it as a crutch. Again, it will take some observation and experience to learn when and how to use that against your opponent."

"There is some overlap between offensive and defensive mutations, of course. Spikes, for instance, or quills in some cases. And there are other mutations that aren't useful at all at best, or at worst, can be a major weakness. Aurielle's mane, for instance, could be a major problem for her if an opponent thought to catch hold of it, or pin it to the ground so she can't move her head well. An elongated tail could be difficult to keep out of an opponent's reach. A clever wolf, however, can use even the most innocuous of mutations to their advantage - bioluminescence used to confuse the eyes, or braiding long hair with blades or quills. Though that is true even without mutations, that a clever wolf will find a way to use their own weaknesses."

Though his instructors would have lectured for hours in a day, he didn't think that they were used to that here, and better not to strain their patience too far in one sitting. He smiled at them. "I'd like for the two of you to spend some time this week looking for mutations in wolves and considering your options to counter them or use them against that wolf. I don't expect you to test your theories in a spar against them each time, but I'd like you to put the effort into observing them and strategizing. If you would like to spar against a wolf you know is safe to practice against, feel free to seek me out. I always enjoy seeing students testing creative methods in battle against me, and it would be good for everyone involved. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask, either now or any time you might think of one. In a week or so I'd like to get back together with the two of you to discuss the observations you've made and any theories or counters you may have about them."

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