Far more than ever before, Artur found every moment in pack lands unbearably stifling. He begrudged every minute that he needed to spend there that took him from his search for Geoffrey, but the volcano had quite efficiently erased any trace of his brother's trail and he had found no new traces since. It was maddening, but the tantalizing possibilty that he was alive continued to draw Artur obsessively back to his search. Had he not had three siblings still clearly alive in Valhalla's lands he might not have returned at all without finding Geoffrey, but it was what it was, and he found himself conatantly torn between finding his brother and taking care of the other siblings. If he had insisted on staying close to Geoffrey to protect him, he wouldn't now be lost. Likewise, if he continued to leave Caelia, Cairo, and Viviane unprotected, might not worse befall?

He paced near the stone circle, unperturbed by the occasional tremors. It seemed like hardly any time at all since he and his siblings had received lessons from their mother here, but the fact that she lay buried here put the lie to that. Still, he found himself obliquely soothed by the memories, and the reminder that she had done her best to ensure that they could protect themselves when she was gone. Perhaps it was that reminder that made him lift his muzzle, a long low note calling for Caelia.

Despite the fact that Valhalla hadn't been directly effected by the volcano's eruption, at least not quite as much as so many of the wolves that had claimed lands closer to it, it still felt as though it had made everything come to a standstill. Nothing was happening, though Caelia knew that was partially her own fault. Since Geoffrey's disappearance it was growing increasingly hard to feel motivated to do anything at all. Like Artur, she too was torn to search for him, but likewise knew leaving her other siblings, as well as Aurielle, wouldn't do them much good either. A sigh fell from her lips as she wandered through the moor. It'd been awhile since she'd truly connected with any of her siblings, and she wasn't quite sure where to begin.. but when she came across Artur's scent she decided to trail after it, even before he called for her. His call only forced her to increase her pace, slowing when he came into view. "Artur," she greeted him sibling, letting the faintest wisp of a smile touch her lips before it drifted away again.

Artur remained motionless as the echoes of his call faded swiftly in the deadening mists, but hardly a moment passed before Caelia appeared through them, prompting him to believe she'd already been close by. He stayed silent a moment, regarding her neutrally with cool blue eyes even after she'd greeted him. Finally, he inclined his head to her. "Caelia," he greeted in return. "I wasn't sure if you'd come, or if you were busy training with Aurielle." His tone was very carefully neutral, so very devoid of any trace of bitterness that it was obvious that he was, contrary to what might have been thought, indeed very salty. "Of course, I'm happy that you are able to get training," he continued smoothly, seating himself on a rock that retained some semblance of warmth from the spring sun and graciously gesturing an invitation to join him. "Is it going well? Has she moved beyond what Mother taught us when we used to spar here as pups?" Despite the fact that he was, clearly, still bitter about Aurielle taking her and Cairo as apprentices and leaving him out in the cold, Artur was genuinely interested to hear if Caelia's training was going well. He'd been concentrating so much on seeing to his own training, and that of Geoffrey and Viviane, that he had simply assumed that Caelia would already be getting training of her own, and he was forced to admit that was a foolish assumption. He needed to know, to assure himself that Caelia was as capable as he was.

They'd grown distant, even moreso after their mother had passed, and while Caelia wished she could blame Artur for that distance she knew she was equally at fault. Or perhaps blaming the circumstances might be more fitting. Either way, it was hard to pretend that it wasn't there, even more glaring in the way he assessed her with a neutral stare that she was almost unnerved by. Almost being the key word. She remained equally as passive, slowly moving to recline to her haunches as the two regarded one another for a moment that seemed to stretch on for all of eternity. "I wasn't sure if you'd gone off on another adventure without me, either," Caelia replied, keeping that same cool tone despite how badly she wanted to be snarky with him over it. The truth was that she'd been a bit irked to know that Artur and the others had gone somewhere without her. She didn't know why, and had no clue that her training with Aurielle had harbored a sort of resentment within him... except it suddenly seemed much more clear to her. "But no, I haven't been busy training. I haven't been doing much of anything. Things have been dreadfully boring lately," Caelia admitted, rolling her eyes in a way that was clearly exaggerated. In regard to their training, Caelia shook her head slowly. "Not really. Most of what we've talked about has to do with leadership, and pack relations. Not sparring," she admitted, finding it difficult to keep the sharp edge of bitterness from creeping into her voice. I rue the day Valhalla is ambushed, she thought quietly to herself, knowing they were deeply unprepared for anything like that.. though she had a feeling Artur was far more ready than she was. Despite her mixed feelings on what they were discussing, she nodded in appreciation of his invitation, moving to sit alongside him.

Artur stamped hard on the irritated response his sister's words engendered. It was counterproductive. Where was she getting the idea he was going out on adventures without her? Unless Viviane hadn't been able to keep a secret after all. He kept his tone, and his face, calm and free of annoyance. "You aren't obliged to stay in pack lands. You could go out on an adventure any time you want to. If you wanted to go with me when I go out, you only need ask me."

He frowned, though, when she detailed what her education had consisted of. "I'm sure that will be useful for you in the future," he allowed slowly, "but she is wasting the skills Mother taught us if she isn't helping you to improve your skills in battle." Well. The situation was worse than he thought, if Caelia wasn't getting properly trained either, even with a mentor. He wished he had known sooner - then they could have both gone to find training, together. Was Cairo getting no real training either? For that matter, he couldn't think of the last time any of the other warriors in the pack had gotten guidance in fights... since his mother was the lead warrior, perhaps.

He tilted hos head to regard Caelia thoughtfully as she joined him. "I apologize for not seeking you out sooner, then," he said, though the words itched at him. He did not enjoy being wrong, and even less needing to admit it. "You are right, we should have been training together. If I had known you weren't getting trained either..." He gave a short, sharp shake of his head. "Well, there is no reason for us to not remedy that lack ourselves." He had sought out training for Viviane and Geoffrey, there was no reason he could not do the same for Caelia, and the fact that it was one in the eye of Aurielle gave him more than a little satisfaction. "We could spar together, if nothing else." Though, he fully intended to convince Caelia of the need to do more than simply spar on thrir own to sharpen their skills.

"I don't stay in our packlands," Caelia replied smoothly enough, though her voice had already lost its more bitter edge. Mostly she sounded tired - they'd both experienced far too much thus far in their lives, even if their losses were mainly centered on a single, life-changing experience. "I'd like to spend more time with you, though, wherever you go," she admitted, taking a bit longer to make that confession. It was hard to shake the tension between them, at least entirely, though Artur's stiff personality - coupled with her own slightly aloof one - made it difficult for them to truly connect in the way part of her had always wanted to. "I have no doubt I'm lacking in my skills there. Though it's not like we have many options for proper training." Now that she was getting older, no longer a yearling, the thought of seeking out unaffiliated wolves to spar with was sounding more appealing, but she hadn't fully gotten there yet. Training, and bettering their skills, seemed even more imperative now that Geoffrey was gone - and it was starting to feel more dire as Artur spoke. "A spar's a good start. Show me what I need to focus on," she agreed. She wasn't quite sure about sparring her brother, wondering if he'd hold back or not. Caelia wasn't at all confident in her own abilities but in her brother's presence she had no worries about failing; she needed to know what she needed to improve upon before she showed her weaknesses to someone less forgiving.

Her words made him pause for a long moment. It was strange to think that anyone would want to spend time with him just to spend time with him. He wasn't a personable sort, he'd never tried to fool himself or pretend otherwise. So for Caelia to say she wanted to spend more time with him - his first thought was a suspicious one, that she was trying to manipulate him to get something... training, or something. It didn't make him angry, so much as his assumption was that everyone of worth would try to manipulate those around them to better their own life. It was the logical thing to do. But the thought didn't seem to quite fit, and he blinked at her with faint puzzlement. "All right," he said cautiously. "We can spend more time together."

He shrugged his shoulders sharply, dismissing the thought for the moment. "We don't have many options here. There's no reason we can't learn from other sources. Other packs, or loners. Or just sparring at the battlefield. Aurielle - " invoking her left a bad taste in his mouth but if it helped his argument it was worthwhile " - says that Valhalla wolves should be going to the battlefield together to witness one anothers spars. That's an option for us. Practicing together will get us experience as well of course, and that is something we can begin right away, if you're willing to spar right now." He tilted his head to the side, studying her with his brows raised in a silent question, though his tone said that he had no doubt she would be ready. After all, he was always prepared for a fight so why would his sister not be the same?

Artur's surprise wasn't at all lost on her when she spoke, though she didn't pay much mind to it. Despite their values being similar enough, she knew that she and Artur were very different wolves - but to her, the fact that he was family, her blood, meant more than everything. She had no ulterior motive; she wanted time with him regardless of what he did or didn't do for her. Strengthening their bond with him would be more useful than anything else she could come up with when it came to him. "Good," Caelia replied simply, unsure what else she could say on the topic. He agreed, and she was content with his answer - maybe it would help ease some of the tension she felt between them.

"You're right," she responded thoughtfully. Even if they couldn't get a lot of proper training here besides what Aurielle could offer them, they did have options..  they just had to be careful in considering how to go about things. Watching spars in the Battlefield sounded like it might be useful, but to what extent? It was hard to imagine basing most of her fighting knowledge on mere observation. And while she hadn't exactly expected him to suggest a spar right now, she shouldn't have been all that surprised, either. She had no doubt he had a thing or two he could teach her. "Why not?" She replied rhetorically, head tilting as she regarded him, widening her stance slightly as if to prepare. "Show me what you know, brother."

Caelia seemed to accept his assertion that she could get training elsewhere thoughtfully, and he let it sit for now. Maybe soon he would invite her to the battlefield with him, so she would feel more comfortable with the whole idea of it. For now, though, just let it sit.

She wanted a spar too, and Artur flashed her a grim smile. Show her what he knew? "Its all about practice at this point," he assured her, standing and stretching before moving to the clear area their mother had used to train them in. "The more you fight, the more the basics we learned as pups become second nature, and the more you do the more you'll find a style that suits you." Anger burned in him that she had a mentor who had completely ignored that aspect of her training, but he put it aside. Deal with it later.

Squaring up with Caelia, he considered his options. He didn't want to go too hard on her when she was out of practice, but he wanted to push her to the limits of her abilities too, make her work for it. No one ever got better if they never had to try. Hold back enough to not discourage her, but not too much.

His defenses set, he dug his claws in, gave her a curt nod of warning, and then used that extra grip to throw himself forward at his smaller sibling. He aimed to slam chest-to-chest with her with the intention of throwing her back on her heels with his greater weight. His head turned towards his left as his jaws snapped as well, a solid bite aimed to grip the top of her muzzle between his jaws.


Artur vs Caelia for spar
Round 1/?
Age: 1+ years
Size: Extra large
Build: Medium
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Intermediate Intellectual

There was a lot for her to think on, regarding their future and their training... or lack thereof, depending on how you wanted to look at it. Her conversation with Artur had prompted a few more trains of thought, ones she'd likely need to reflect on properly later. For now, she was focused on Artur's offer to spar right now, wondering just how hard he'd try to push her. She had no doubt he had more experience than her, and given his size could likely overpower her easily... but did he want to? Or would he want to see what she was capable of, too, before seeing how hard he wanted to push her?

Either way, she appreciated his interest in a spar. "Makes sense," Caelia replied easily to his explanation, his smile considerably warmer than his. Sparring with him was an opportunity she didn't get often and she wasn't going to let her pass this chance up. Her gaze followed him as he too squared his position before throwing himself at her. His larger weight wasn't a surprise, and she readied herself for the charge as best as she could, though no amount of preparation could fully withstand the force of his body barreling into hers. Not only did he charge, but he also landed a bit to the top of her muzzle, a feat made easier due to how much taller over her he stood.

Unwilling to go down so easily - letting Artur thing she didn't have a single fighting bone in her body would be downright humiliating - she did her best to hold her ground, pushing back hard into his weight. But managing to withstand his grip on her muzzle wouldn't be quite so easily, though she hoped by deftly pulling down she could free herself from his grasp, twisting beneath him to aim a bite of her own at the scruff of his neck, just to the side of his throat.

Caelia Blythe Adravendi vs Artur for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: 1+ Year
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Skills: Intermediate Intellectual & Beginner Fighter

Caelia braced against his charge and held steady, so Artur switched gears. He didn't stop shoving into her, but he shifted his weight slightly to lift his left forepaw and attempted to hook it around her forelegs, seeking to drag them both to his right, towards his chest, as he shifted his weight to attempt to shove her towards his left as well his forward push, in the hopes that he would pull her legs out from under her and throw her over sideways.

She'd squirmed out of his grip on her muzzle, but he didn't immediately try for another one, instead just slamming his forehead down towards her sensitive nose in an attempt to deflect the bite she was aiming for him and maybe bloody her nose in the process.

Artur vs Caelia for spar
Round 2/2
Age: 1+ years
Size: Extra large
Build: Medium
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Intermediate Intellectual

As Caelia tried to pull herself downward and out of Artur's grip, he reacted too fluidly for her to adjust her positioning properly. He shifted and lifted his left front paw, moving to hook it around her own front limbs. He succeeded, at least mostly - she was knocked nearly completely over, stumbling onto her side and scrambling to keep her footing rather than fall over completely, sure that if she went down that this would spell the end of this fight in Artur's favor.

The bite she'd tried to land on his neck gave her enough balance to not fall completely over, though she was surprised to feel his forehead coming down on her muzzle. The sharp pain that rippled through her face alone was enough to cause her to stumble further, the force of his much larger body was too much for her to withstand... though she'd make one final attempt to bring him down with her, shifting her head to the side and hoping to grab onto the center of his front left forelimb and hang on for dear life as she spun to the ground.

Caelia Blythe Adravendi vs Artur for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: 1+ Year
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Skills: Intermediate Intellectual & Beginner Fighter

And the winner is...

ARTUR

CAELIA must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Adjusted rolls: 63 92.4 53 61.6 ARTUR'S total is.. 310.5 Adjusted rolls: 94.5 30 71.4 22 CAELIA'S total is.. 217.9