On more than one occasion Valkyrie had gone abroad in search of a sparring partner. Doing so enabled her to get a better feel for what the Boreas wolves had to offer. But Valkyrie recognized there was more to be gained from training with her bandmates. She was going to make a point to spar with her friends in between her ventures abroad.

Today she wasn't going to single out any one person in particular. No, she'd decided to throw the offer out there and see what came of it. Her wolves had been rather quiet lately. Each seemed to be doing their own thing - which was fine with her, she had promised them freedom between raids - so she was wager to see who would take her up on her offer.

After stopping in a clearing Valkyrie threw back her head and howled out an invitation to spar.

"Talk"

Loneliness wasn’t an emotion the aging she wolf felt often, but with Thorne having gone missing her heart felt the hole. While she wasn’t one to get attached her age was showing on that, she was reaching the end of her prime. Or would have been if she let the negative emotions affect her. Valkyrie’s call would prove to be the perfect distraction.

Eisleif lingered on the island most days, and was getting rather adept at navigating its paths. Her dark paws were quick to carry her where her band leader had called from. Eis wore an eager smirk, wanting to test herself. She was in danger of letting herself go soft, and she could have that.

”My dear niece, might I have this dance?” She teased as her marked form halted before the younger Finnvi.

Her call was answered almost immediately by her aunt. The arrival of the elder Finnvi brought a smile to Valkyrie's lips. The woman was a capable ally and Valkyrie was proud to call her family. Eisleif made her long for the clan she left behind. Someday she would have to make a point to go home and recruit some of her young cousins.

"You may," she said with a smirk. "Ready or not..." That was all the warning Eisleif would get. Valkyrie charged forward suddenly. She stayed low to the ground as she approached her aunt head on. After a beat when she thought she could act without giving her opponent enough time to react Valkyrie leaped forwards and upwards with her forelegs held out. Her aim was to slam the top of her chest into the lower portion of Eisleif's chest while wrapping her forelegs around the base of Eisleif's neck.

Valkyrie intended to lift her aunt's front end off the ground and use her forward/upward momentum to throw Eisleif over backwards.

Valkyrie vs Eisleif for Spar
Round 1 of ???
Size: light
Build: extra large
Fight Skill Level: advanced

Eisleif didn’t hesitate to mirror her niece’s smile as she easily accepted the challenge. She drew herself up, feeling those familiar tinges of eagerness as battle awaited her. ”You may,” Eis’s grin widened as Valkyrie made the first move. The older woman had no intention of allowing her niece to get close enough for the intended attack. She moved as Valkyrie did, the younger girl coming at her from head on. Eisleif shifted to her right, aiming to keep two feet between them.

As Valk raised up to grasp her aunt’s neck the older woman aimed to position herself parallel to her band leader. Eisleif’s chest to Valk’s chest and vice versa. Eis attempted to shift and slam her silver shoulder into her niece’s hips as her teeth aimed to grasp at the base of her tail. Her own stub wagged eagerly in amusement.

Eisleif v Valkyrie for Spar
Round 1 of 2
Size: large
Build: medium
Fight Skill Level: novice

And...suddenly there was nothing but air in front of her. Valkyrie quickly brought her front legs down and aimed to follow her aunt's movements, but she wasn't quite fast enough. She was in the middle of swinging her hips away from Eisleif when her aunt's shoulder glanced off the back of her thigh. Eisleif's teeth missed her tail completely.

In a move that almost mirrored her aunt's, Valkyrie attempted to slam her right shoulder into Eisleif's right hip. At the same time she swung her right forepaw out as far as her shoulder would allow (hopefully under Eisleif's torso) and then swipe it in towards her left forepaw. Her goal was to grab her aunt's left foreleg at the ankle with her claws and drag it out from under her.

Valkyrie vs Eisleif for Spar
Round 2 of 2
Size: light
Build: extra large
Fight Skill Level: advanced

Valkyrie’s shoulder slammed into her aunt’s hip and caused Eisleif to spin around enough that her niece was unable to grab hold of her leg. Eis didn’t let up yet, she reared onto her hind legs and aimed to slam her chest into her niece’s chest and wrap her up in a big hug as she aimed to grab hold of the girl’s muzzle with her jaws. Her nub of a tail wagged excitedly behind her as the blood pumped heavily in her ears. Her lips drawn up from her teeth and her silvery hackles raised. She looked like a half lunatic but she was having the time of her life, sparring with Valkyrie made her feel half her age.

Eisleif v Valkyrie for Spar
Round 2 of 2
Size: large
Build: medium
Fight Skill Level: novice

And the winner is...

EISLEIF

VALKYRIE must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Valkyrie: 226.36 Eisleif: 230.55