she perhaps thought she was going through a growth spurt but for skills instead. Heloise had never trained so very hard in her life thus far. she always got by on the skills she had been taught and never sought to better herself. the cougars were a wake-up call, and Winterfell's ambition for a festival was another. if they housed people from other packs so close to their own, the alabaster wolf was going to make sure she was prepared to handle trouble should a situation arise. nearly everyone in this land was far more skilled due to their longevity here. as a foreigner, Heloise had to work twice as hard. she knew no other way. she had no one to hold her paw and tell her all was well. a fight was what she needed, was sure of, and that would never end. cold fire burned in her eyes as she scanned the battlegrounds. she saw no one yet, so she lifted her head to call for an opponent. above, Kresnik - the name she had gifted her gyrfalcon - soared. he let out a shriek to call prospective sparring partners for his mistress. "SPEECH"

art + code by Kara

Back at the battlefield, the titan was hungry for further bloodshed. He was a glutton for punishment, and dealing out pains of his own. He knew that the only way to keep his skill was to fight, and fight again. He needed to keep his body limber, and in practice, to dull his senses of pain so he could ignore all but the most dire of wounds. Never again would he let himself fall in battle, as he had that day he had fought to protect Deathbelle, when his mistress had thought him dead from his wounds. With Marshall in the air above him, he moved across the barren territory and towards the sound of the call. He found the pure white wolf, with eyes like winter blues, as she sought out an opponent. Marshall’s attention was already on the much smaller, but faster bird, as Sirius stopped before the wolf. “You are after a spar?” not that he needed to clarify, why else would she be here? "Speech"

Heloise was getting used to the vast majority of titans ruling this land. the man who appeared was larger than most she had seen, yet she was not scared of him. it would be good practice to match mettle against a large opponent. her head curtly dipped, already attempting to see where an opening may be as she eyed him. his own avian companion was larger than Kresnik, which suited him considering his size. it would look quite awkward to have a small familiar for a large man. "I am" she replied at last, politely gifting the man her name "my name is Heloise cel Mare, of Winterfell. you may have the first attack." why else would he appear if not to spar? she hoped he'd open himself up if he moved, for the man appeared to be made of bricks. a steady wall that no doubt could shield most. at times like these, Heloise wished she was larger. if only to protect those she cared about better. shifting into a battle ready position, she waited for the man to make a move. "SPEECH"

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“Well meet, Heloise Cel Mare, I am Sirius, vessel to the Empress of the Ashen Empire” he rarely gave out his title. But it seemed suiting after Heloise’s lofty name. “As you wish” he agreed. Looking to the smaller wolf, he looked to Marshall, but his soldier would know what to do. She watched as Heloise prepared herself, and then unleashed himself towards her, heading at a dead run as he aimed to collide with her left shoulder. His head he would turn as he ran at her, aiming to grab her by the back of her scruff, attempting to get a grip on her there with his fangs. If he did so, he would attempt to wrench her head back. Marshall was already in the sky, and came towards them with a shrill cry, baiting her companion. Sirius versus Heloise for Spar Round One of Two Size: Dire Wolf Build: Medium Companion: Extra large companion, Battle Vulture Mutation: Fangs Fight Skill Level: Advanced "Speech"

The man rushed her after his own introduction. He went for her shoulder, bashing into her. Heloise felt herself swing away from the blow, quickly ducking his attempt to grasp her neck. She was shorter than him, so it was not hard to evade his attacks by merely lowering her body to the ground. The ivory woman could easy duck underneath him if that was her intention. He would flail to grasp her but he could also flatten her. She resisted attacking his stomach instead going for a combo between wolf and bird. Kresnik was not so easily fooled by the larger bird. Instead, he went at the dire wolf’s face when Heloise ducked, screeching at the foe and trying to claw him at his face with his talons. The Winterfell squire was not a weak young woman anymore. She had the skill now and was quite eager to show off. Throwing her head up with force against the dire wolf’s chest, she wished to make him back off and wind him. With the gyrfalcon’s attack done, he swept back to allow his mistress her continued assault. Whether Sirius attacked him back, he’d try to get away as quickly as possible so not to trip Heloise up. Sirius versus Heloise for Spar Round One of Two Size: Medium Build: Light Companion: Large companion, Gyrfalcon (50" wingspan) Mutation: N/A Fight Skill Level: Advanced "SPEECH"

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He watched as she braced for the impact, and ducked her head out of reach from his grasping fangs. She was fast, and he took that into account as he set himself against her. She lowered herself, and because of this, he attempted to throw his paws over her body, to trap her beneath the upper half of his body. He would take advantage of her dropped position, assuming it would slow her down now that she wasn’t standing fully. If this succeeded or not, he would still attempt to bite her nearer her back rather than her head, using his height advantage to reach for it. He ignored the bird when it came for him, because Marshall was already there, and if the smaller bird didn’t get out of the way, it would be a pile of feathers from Marshall’s dive-bomb attack. His bird shrieked a battle cry as he flew, but Sirius’s attention was only for the wolf before him. Sirius versus Heloise for Spar Round Two of Two Size: Dire Wolf Build: Medium Companion: Extra large companion, Battle Vulture Mutation: Fangs Fight Skill Level: Advanced "Speech"

It was black and white, strength and speed. His paws pressed on her from above, and she lowered herself more until she was on her stomach. Not one to allow this to hinder her, Heloise rolled immediately on her back, exposing her stomach briefly and continuing to roll to the side. His jaws would grasp thin air, seconds away from where she originally had been. Untangling herself from his grasp, she sprang back to all fours. Kresnik, meanwhile, shot away as the vulture dove for him. He hovered nearby, watching the other bird and his mistress equally. Now that she was away from Sirius, Heloise would think quickly her next attack. She was smaller and speedier than him, had her gyrfalcon to assist her, but she knew most of the assault was by her hand. She’d shoot toward the dire wolf, raising herself to her back legs and aiming a series of strikes against his face. She did not aim to blind him and was careful of nicking near his eyes. Her focus was entirely on his jaws and above the bridge of his snout. Still, she left some distance between herself and Sirius as she struck at him. Just in case he attempted to trip her while she was balancing. Sirius versus Heloise for Spar Round Two of Two Size: Medium Build: Light Companion: Large companion, Gyrfalcon (50" wingspan) Mutation: N/A Fight Skill Level: Advanced "SPEECH"

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And the winner is...

HELOISE

SIRIUS must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Sirius: 316.54 Heloise: 342.3

however, he countered and however she ended it, the fight was won. in her favor, which did surprise her. perhaps training was not so pointless as she had come to think. Heloise never would have thought she could win against a dire wolf with her compared meager size. perhaps it was because she had been quicker - though that was not fair to either of them. Sirius had found well, valiantly even, and she'd lower her body back to the earth and face him now. "thank you for the practice, Sirius of Ashen" she would reply formally and politely with a dip of her head "I hope one day to re-match against you and your familiar. good day to you both." with that, she made her leave. she would smile briefly to him before turning and walking back north. "SPEECH" /EXIT & thanks sea!

art + code by Kara