He had just one objective today. He was going to test himself, and he sought one opponent in particular. He wanted to meet with Hera, the orange-marked wolfess who always seemed so self-assured. Every time that he'd seen her, her eyes seemed to size up the wolves around her. She was always looking for a challenge, it seemed. He wouldn't hesitate to take up that challenge, and today he was ready. His paws splashed through the clear streams surrounding the willows as he sought a space that would be suitable for a spar, where their movement would not be impeded by the vines from the willow trees, nor would they be clashing amongst the tree trunks. At last he found a piece of land that was wide and plain enough to accommodate he and his opponent. Xephyris tilted his head back, letting loose a rough, gravelly howl that called to Hera. He hoped that she would come soon, and that he would not be disappointed. By the look he'd seen in her eyes as of late, he had the feeling that he would be in for a satisfying challenge. It mattered little to him who came out on top - he was just glad to know they were on the same team should an enemy ever threaten Myriad. But he was certainly curious to see if Hera's intense glaring eyes matched her personality and fighting skill. "Talk" "You" Think

Hera's pale ears twitched at the rough howl that called for her, a slow smirk pulling across her lips as she listened. She imidiately turned to head toward the male in question, her steps eager as they carried her across the wet, tree filled landscape. She had been uncertain about joining a pack at first when Riv had first asked her, but now that spars seemed to be growing more and more frequent she certainly couldn't say she was bored. She found the silvery male situated on one of the larger stretches of dry land between the willows and she shot him a grin as she slowed to a stop about four or five feet in front of him. "Well then, feel like a bit of fun today, hm?" She asked with a chuckle as she began settling into her defenses. She wasn't particularly one for pleasantries, not when there were fights to be had. She felt very much the same way that she had when she had faught with Riv the first time. She felt a bit more respect for wolves that had the guts to step up and fight with as much enthusiasm as she did.

Her paws spread out evenly under her and her toes spread to grip the soft dirt under them with her claws. Her knees bent just enough to give her a better range of motion and a bit of give to absorb the impact of his attack. Her shoulders rolled forward and her scruff bunched up around her neck as it fell level with her spine. Her tail joined that even level with her back as well while her chin tucked down over her throat. Her ears fell flat against her skull, her silver eyes narrowed, and her lips curled into a snarl. She gave him a challenging glare and chuckled softly while her tail lashed behind her. She was so ready for this. Since he called this little party she would let him have the first move, waiting eagerly to see what his first move would be.

Hera vs Xephyris for Practice
Round 0 of 3?

The woman with interesting orange markings did not make him wait long. As she made her appearance, his brows pulled together as he focused his silver eyes on her, meeting her own silver gaze. His lips pulled back in a toothy grin when she spoke, stopping about five feet in front of him. He nodded just once. "I had a feeling you'd be eager," his deep voice rumbled like thunder, tail lashing once. And indeed, she looked more than ready as she began to position herself into a defensive stance. She shot him a challenging glare, and at that point he knew it was on. Her eager chuckling was contagious, and he found himself chuckling along as well. This was going to be good. -Fight begins here- He was so ready. Bending the joints in his legs for flexibility, he spread his paws in a wide but even stance, while his toes fanned out and nails bit into the cold ground. His head lowered to align with his spine and chin tucked to protect his throat; his tail would also quickly align with his spine, held out straight behind him. Hackles bristled from the nape of his neck all the way down his shoulders, spine and rump, providing a thick buffer of hair to protect against his opponent's fangs. His gray ears pinned back, lips curling up in a snarl to bunch the skin around his face and eyes, while silver eyes narrowed for safety. Now he was prepared to make the first move. His hind legs kicked off, propelling him straight toward her as he attempted to close 5 ft. gap between them. He'd veer just slightly to his right. His first move would be to thrust his left shoulder toward the front of her chest, hoping to dig the front of his shoulder blade into the front of her chest for a moderate bruise. Then, his forepaws lifting off the ground and weight shifting to his hind legs, he'd try to bring his forepaws up around her neck, hoping to lock her into his grip. His left foreleg tried to snake around the right side of her neck, while his right foreleg attempted to reach over the left side of her neck, his nails trying to dig into the nape of her neck. If he could achieve this, he hoped to restrict her movements at least temporarily. And while he did so, with jaws wide open his head whipped to his left, his teeth seeking the left side of her neck, close to where her left jawline met with the side of her neck. His upper teeth sought her scruff right near the jawline, while his lower teeth aimed just a few inches lower, hoping to grip a mouthful of flesh that he wished to moderately puncture. Hera vs Xephyris || Spar || Round 1/3 "Talk" "You" Think

And the winner is...

Xephyris! Due to Hera not posting in the allotted time, the fight has been defaulted in Xephyris' favor. Hera must forfeit by submitting, passing out, or fleeing.