Sirius made his way to the stream, stepping into the shallowest part as he washed free the blood from his paws, and dipped his snout into the water, scrubbing it gently. Once the water ran clean around him once more, he moved out of the water, a little more quickly than most. His inability to swim, and his heavy build, made for a wolf that sunk easily. His fear of water was one that only very few knew about, and not something he was keen to advertise. He shook out his coat on the bank, alone, since both Marshal and Bast were keeping an eye on the wolf he wished to possess. Midday had become afternoon, and the shadows began to stretch out before him, and the spots beneath the large, sweeping trees, was cool and damp. He needed a touch of exercise to warm his cold bones, and shake out the last of the water from his coat. He made his way back to where he had left Dove, and Bast appeared from the woods, to lead him to where the stray had wound up. He found Dove, walking closer, with Bast at his side. “Well. If your not going to find your safety within my pack, can I at least give you a few practice spars to keep you ready?” and to test the man's fighting ability. "Speech"

D O V E W H I T E

He was standing in the mangrove forest, where he'd veered to as Sirius went to wash himself in the banks on the coast. He'd noted the bird above, though he was unsure if it was monitoring him or the area surrounding. Sirius was back a few moments later, Bast at his side as seemed to be where she preferred. He was still studying the small feline when Sirius spoke. Incredulity caused his eyes to widen somewhat, sudden discomfort causing him to shift his paws anxiously. As quickly as he'd been relieved of this sensation, it rushed back at the mention of combat.

Dove took a step back, putting further distance between he and this man who could not possibly understood what he asked of him. Confusion, unwillingness, and caution swirled in his lavender gaze, a motley concoction to top off the tinge of fear that touched him -- which he shoved down, deep into the recesses of his mind. There was nothing to fear here, he told himself. Yet..

"Why?" he asked, the wariness clear in his voice.

He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.

There was fear in the man, and the worrying thought that had entered the Warlords thoughts only increased. Did Dove even know how to fight? He stared at the scarred man, unmoving, relentless. He got no closer to the man when he spoke, asking him for his reasoning behind it. Sirius sighed, a soft, drawn out noise, and one that didn’t compromise the strict expression on his face. “Because if you don’t, I won’t believe you are capable of defending yourself out here.” he let the words hang between them, the threat evidence. Prove yourself, learn, or lose your freedom. He was going to fight Sirius today, no matter what, and it was up to Dove if it was a friendly spar, or a force claiming that there was no going back from. "Speech"

D O V E W H I T E

Dove stiffened at the man's words, anger swiftly rearing like bile in the back of his throat and sweeping the fear, the anxiety aside almost entirely. "I was unaware that I had to convince you, Sirius," he spat, his tone (if not his words) making it clear what he thought of that. Their's had been a backhanded meeting as Sirius switched, not only the intent he perpetuated, but also the way he dealt with Dove frequently. His breath came in breathy gusts as tension settled on his shoulders, and he danced on anxious paws, invisible walls circling him as they slowly closed in.

He shoved the panic down with ferocious impatience and met Sirius' gaze defiantly. "And what will you do if I refuse?" he queried. The menace in Sirius' words hadn't missed him, and he understood the silent meaning behind what was said. But by the gods, he wanted to hear Sirius say it. He'd been left in the cold, so to speak, by the other wolf's words and actions, and the least the man could do was give him a straight answer.

Dove had been forced to endure a lot in his life, primarily due to decisions being made for him, and he didn't take kindly to another wolf deciding to take over where his family had left off.

He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.

Sirius let out an angry, gusty breath through his nose as he stared at the perplexing, frustrating wolf in front of him. “I didn’t mean to, but I’ve started to care for you Dove. What kind of Alpha would I be, yours or otherwise, if I left a wolf who’s clearly running from their past, out here alone with no protection? Not even that of their own teeth and claws?” he snarled angrily, his temper, which had never been a stable thing to begin with, bubbling over. He stalked closer to the dark pelted wolf, eyes blazing with frustration. Dove had deflected him at every turn, refused to be his, and shown himself to be just broken enough to convince Sirius that taking him would not benefit either of them. And yet! And yet, he showed no inclination to defend himself, goddammit! He pushed the Warlords hands, demanding to know what he would do, and Sirius stalked closer yet, close enough to swipe a giant, oversized cat paw at the smaller wolf. Sirius proceed to do exactly that, showing just how much of his cool he had lost. And there was no Zee around today to reel him back. “I would protect you. Protect you from yourself, by gods, don’t make me prove it Dove! Prove yourself to me so I don’t have to.” he snapped angrily. "Speech"

D O V E W H I T E

This, he considered grimly, has escalated rather quickly.

Sirius' words were met with a scoff and pinned ears. Hackles stood suddenly and fiercely as the emotions raging through him, and Dove shook his head. "Care for me?" he scoffed. "You've known me for but a day and have somehow convinced yourself that I need protecting." The wind was still now, as if sensing the volatile tempers in its midst, and Dove couldn't help deciding that gone was a better place to be than where he currently was.

The other wolf was clearly in straits as dire as Dove's own, and usually, that would have caused him pause. But the man was daft if he actually believed that Dove owed him this. "You have no idea what you ask of me," Dove retorted, horror dancing in his vision as memories surged forth, of his brothers, his father constantly backing him in a corner and forcing him to fight his way out -- only to be allowed out after hours of being unable to overpower either of them. Beyond that, his father never cared for close quarters with his youngest son, unless he needed a scapegoat for his rage; his brothers, thoug-- Pain screamed in his right shoulder as he crashed back into the present, backpedaling wildly until there were feet between he and Sirius.

Fear, his own, permeated the air, and the shudders he'd been attempting to suppress wracked his body. His hackles still stood, despite the presence of both rage and fear, and his ears were pinned tightly to his dome. He kept himself tall, but his tail, which had previously been stiff behind him, tucked tightly as he bared his teeth and snarled. His gaze landed on Sirius with a glare. Blood, his own, soiled the ground between them, a testament that he should have initially listened to his instincts as he had his entire life.

Bitterness coated his words, and he spoke in a hollow tone. "You're just like them," he spat, eyes meeting the other wolf's icy gaze. He knew Sirius wouldn't know who them was, even if he could take a vague guess.

Never again. It thumped in his head, an intonation that he would never again be where he found himself just then. And it was like a tonic had been sent through, clearing his mind so he new what was needed. He lowered his stance, head coming down to hover above the ground. He didn't want to fight. He had never wanted to fight, and for some reason, so many, too many, wrought judgement upon him because of it. But what else could he do with this rage? Where else could he put it? Who could he give it to? Because for the first time since he'd left the kingdom, he was so very tired of being angry.

Part of him knew the reason that he didn't want to fight was because he did not know how. The 'lessons' he'd been given, if one could call them such, had only left him battered, bloody, and bruised. And once his siblings had become old enough to understand that Dove would not, could not, fight back, they had been relentless. "Fine," he said tersely, knowing he would likely lose anyway. It was a brutal truth. But Dove had never been the warrior his father wanted, craved even though he had two elder sons fit enough to do the job.

He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.

The man's reaction didn’t calm him, if anything it was fuel to the fire. It was a reminder of the wolves Sirius had hurt in his lifetime. Of wolves he had used and abused at the behest of masters. Maybe the real reason he gave in so easily to Zee was because this was an atonement for Sirius, a way to make up for some of those wrongs, even if his execution needed a little work. When the wolf recoiled from him, as through Sirius was a monster, it reminded him that he had been, once. He saw red, as he had only a few times in his life, as he lost all trace of his common sense. He roared angrily, barely even hearing the agreement of the other wolf. Too late, whether Dove wanted this fight or not, it was coming. Sirius charged, large paws thundering heavily against the earth as he made no effort to conceal their sound. His feline like claws were out, clipping and scraping against the earth with each heavy trod of his giant paws. The titanic beast didn’t slow, as he sought to drive his weight into the smaller wolf. It was all the wrong emotions. After all, it wasn’t Dove that was the problem, it was Sirius. Sirius was the monster, the boogeyman under the bed. Sirius Fatalis vs Dove for Right to chose where Dove lives Round 0/? Size: Dire wolf Build: Medium Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers Companion 1: Black Vulture - extra large - Male - Boosted Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Female - Battle - Boosted Mutation - Offensive: Cat claws Mutation - Offensive: Fangs Skills: Master Fighter & beginner Hunter Specialty: Weaponsmaster "Speech"

D O V E W H I T E

Sirius came before he'd even finished speaking.

He was barreling at Dove with speed unexpected, and Dove took the hit, giving no resistance even though it knocked the very wind from his sails. Anticipating how Sirius would move was not an option, and even if he could have, Dove's reaction would have been too late anyway. There still was rage, though, eating, consuming, his mind even as the fear in the air thickened, and Dove gasped to catch his breath. He was tail-over-snout for a few precious moments as he tumbled ungracefully, kicking up dirt and foliage as he went, and he felt the bruise growing on his neck and chest, unforgiving even though it could have been a broken bone instead. He scrambled awkwardly for a moment to get to his feet, pushing passed the pain that was not the worst he'd ever had and sought out Sirius, to face him before he came at him again.

His defenses were few, and the ones that were present were sloppy. His hackles still stood, the swirling brew of emotions keeping them there. His tail was tucked and his legs were spread, ready to take another hit of similar nature or move, if he could anticipate Sirius' next action quickly enough. He didn't know, couldn't understand, if Sirius were coming at him with intent to maim, kill, or simply out of anger for what was said; there had never been a difference with his siblings to be known. Dove ignored the pain in his shoulder, ignored the fear pouring from him like water from a cliff, and tried his best to track Sirius' next move.

Dove White vs Sirius Warlord for Right to be Trained
Round 0/3
Age: Over 1yr
Size: Extra Large
Build: Heavy
Offensive Accessory: N/A
Defensive Accessory: N/A
Companion 1: N/A
Companion 2: N/A
Mutation: N/A
Disability: N/A
Fight Skill Level: Beginner
Specialty: N/A

He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.

Sirius just wanted an outlet for his frustration. He wanted to tear something apart until he no longer felt the black hole in his gut. He wanted to wipe away Dove’s fear with an angry swipe of his paws, as through that was going to fix anything. He wasn’t going at getting out his anger at frustration in a way that wasn’t physical or violent. It’s why half of his and Zee’s couplings had come in the form of epic battles. His hit landed, and Dove tumbled forward. Sirius’s momentum brought him past the wolf, who had done nothing to defend himself. The lack of guard had caught Sirius unaware, unbalanced him, so he didn’t get a chance to give another pashing swipe as he went. Instead, he would turn, facing the man again, breathing heavily from anger rather than exhaustion. Sirius stood there, facing him, anger written in every crevice of his expression. “Defend yourself, you fool. Roll your shoulders, brace yourself.” he snapped, some of his anger sapping at the sheer lack of retaliation, even as it exasperated and frustrated him. He moved forward, aiming to shove his right shoulder into Dove’s right, putting their faces close together. “Take a bite at something fragile, like an ear, or my snout” his angry, snapping instructions would continue Sirius Fatalis vs Dove for Right to train/choose home Round 2/3 Size: Dire wolf Build: Medium Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers Companion 1: Black Vulture - extra large - Male - Boosted Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Female - Battle - Boosted Mutation - Offensive: Cat claws Mutation - Offensive: Fangs Skills: Master Fighter & beginner Hunter Specialty: Weaponsmaster "Speech"

D O V E W H I T E

Dove's eyes landed and Sirius, and he shook -- with rage, fear, anxiety, or all three, he couldn't determine. He knew Sirius wanted something from him, but it was something that he couldn't give, not right then. Perhaps, eventually. But right then, there was no fight to be had. Dove's only aim was outlast Sirius in this fight, and he wasn't certain that he could do even that. If all else fails, at least I know how to take a beating, he whispered to himself. He shoved the thought down, lost in himself, so lost that he missed the looks Sirius gave him and couldn't read his expression, if he tried.

He crashed back into reality when Sirius shoved into his right shoulder, the one he'd marred before this mess had started. "I--" he began but snapped his maw shut, breath heavy in the midst of the tension running through him. "Are you just going to let me maim you, Sirius?" he asked in disbelief. He leaned his weight in, not worried about the repercussions since the other wolf wasn't charging at him this time. Sirius was taller than him, and while that certainly made him more than a little imposing in Dove's skewed gaze, he knew that he outweighed Sirius and could, at the very least, handle his weight.

Dove White vs Sirius Warlord for Right to be Trained/Choose Home
Round 2/3
Age: Over 1yr
Size: Extra Large
Build: Heavy
Offensive Accessory: N/A
Defensive Accessory: N/A
Companion 1: N/A
Companion 2: N/A
Mutation: N/A
Disability: N/A
Fight Skill Level: Beginner
Specialty: N/A

He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.

He braced himself heavily against Dove, staring him down, clear blue eyes looking directly into the lavender of his opponent. His enemy, his friend. There was very little space between them, and he could read much into the expression of the other. The surprise, fear, disbelief. “If you manage it, then you deserve to leave a scar” he responded, voice still gruff and heavy with the remnants of his anger, though much of it had bleed out.

He would have rather found himself against an opponent that fought back, to work out his aggression, but sometimes you just had to work with the cards you were dealt.

As he stood there, waiting for Dove to attack, he raised a paw, claws sheathed, and aimed to jab it into the toes of his right forepaw, just to make sure he was paying attention, and to see if he would do anything to defend himself.

"Speech"

Sirius Fatalis vs Dove for Right to train/choose home
Round 3/3
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife
Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers
Companion 1: Black Vulture - extra large - Male - Boosted
Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Female - Battle - Boosted
Mutation - Offensive: Cat claws
Mutation - Offensive: Fangs
Skills: Master Fighter & beginner Hunter
Specialty: Weaponsmaster

D O V E W H I T E

The bleeding from the claw marks on his right shoulder was probably adequately staunched by now with the pressure of Sirius' weight leaning into him. He felt blood soaked into his fur and didn't doubt that it would quite possibly stain Sirius' own fur, though Dove doubted that bothered the other man as much as it bothered him. Dove's disbelief only become more apparent when Sirius responded, bleeding into the cacophony of emotions riding him. His chest expanded in breathy gusts, the effort and exertion of holding Sirius' weight mingling with the anxiety that had far surpassed what Dove could handle in a heady, exhausting mix.

Dove opened his mouth, another exasperated, desperate response on his lips, when Sirius stepped on his paw.

Really and truly, it was the smallest offense he'd committed of the ones on his plate that day, such a small and petty thing that before this moment, before Sirius had initiated this talk, Dove would have ignored it completely. But that was the straw on the failing camel's back, Dove decided, as he frowned, brows sinking suddenly low over his eyes, and lunged as he had for the deer not so long ago, and just as instructed, he aimed his lunge for the closest thing to him -- the other wolf's snout.

Reckless abandon clouded his thoughts. Dove wanted this over something terrible, and if marring the man would accomplish that, if that was what Sirius wanted, then so be it.

Dove White vs Sirius Warlord for Right to be Trained/Choose Home
Round 3/3
Age: Over 1yr
Size: Extra Large
Build: Heavy
Offensive Accessory: N/A
Defensive Accessory: N/A
Companion 1: N/A
Companion 2: N/A
Mutation: N/A
Disability: N/A
Fight Skill Level: Beginner
Specialty: N/A

He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.

He was about ready to dust his hands of the man and leave him to his fate. Sirius couldn’t save anyone that didn’t want to be saved, and nor could he afford to feel any attachment to a creature that would expose his throat and wait to get ripped apart by any even slightly stressful threat. The wolf came for him then, lunging, mad, and finally ready to show a shred of self- preservation as he went for Sirius’s muzzle. He caught him so completely unaware that he clamped his fangs right over Sirius’s soft snout before the Warlord realised what happened. Even as he moved, bracing his weight, and shoving his body to the side, even as he shoved against Dove’s chest, unbalancing the man and crashing him to the ground, the Warlord was laughing. The teeth of the man had pulled free of his muzzle measly, leaving bits of flesh hanging from the bridge of his nose, and his breathing was suddenly loud and the scents of the world muted. But he was laughing, because Dove hada done it, crazy bastard. He looked down at the wolf, and offered him a friendly shoulder up. “There we go. I knew you had it in you” he said, tipping his head downwards so blood could not run into his eyes. "Speech"

D O V E W H I T E

It didn't register, to Dove, that he'd managed to sink his teeth into the soft flesh of Sirius' snout until he'd fallen on his side, the breath kicking out of him as he released his grip on the other wolf's snout. He laid there, breath harsh in his lungs as he panted heavily. It did nothing, however, to cool the man's anxiety or his temper. Sirius bent to help him stand, and Dove was still silent in the face of his laughter and the words he couldn't hear over the roaring in his ears.

"You had no right," Dove whispered before turning suddenly, stress and pure, undiluted rage pouring from him in a shout, "You had no right!" His temples pounded, and his hackles still stood, no matter that the spar had ended. He was still there, like a rat in a maze, tail no longer tucked, but flagged out behind him as he finally stopped fighting the anger that befell him. To be backed into a corner, only shortly after Dove had allowed himself to be lured into a false sense of security, convinced that even if Sirius was no friend, he was no foe, at the very least. He'd been wrong, and as he'd been taught harsher lessons in trust, he should have known better.

His lips parted, ready to lay into the other wolf when he noted the blood not only dripping from Sirius' snout but the blood he tasted on his tongue as well. As suddenly as it'd come, the renewed rage died out, leaving only anxiety and fear in its place. Dove skittered backwards a few steps, his tail, hackles, and ears dropping as though rocks weighed them down. His tail didn't tuck completely, but it dangled between his haunches. "Sirius, I--," Dove swallowed the lump in his throat. I didn't mean to would be false because, in the moment of rage and desire for the situation to be swiftly concluded, Dove had absolutely meant to score as he had.

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask the Sirius to turn tail and get the hell away from him, but guilt lanced through Dove, bitter and all-consuming, chasing away the last of his anger but leaving the anxiety and the fear behind. Dove shook his head again, turning away from Sirius. "Are you happy now?"

---

Note: Permission to PP Dove given.

He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.

Keeping his head carefully angled to stop the blood from flowing into his eyes, he would survey the mess of them both. With Dove bleeding from his shoulder, and the Warlord from the skin that flapped loosely in the wind across the bridge of his nose. They were, at this point, a little bit of a mess. Sirius sighed softly as he considered his options. He could bring in Io, but he had a strong feeling his sister would not let this sit easily. She would get involved, and he didn’t think he wanted that to happen. Too easy would it devolve into Sirius being the bad guy, and he didn’t want to lose all chances of winning Dove over. He still had hope. Dove was still angry at him, accusations flying wild, but Sirius wasn’t really listening, he was trying to think who he would trust to bring in to this without all the questions and problems that might come about. He did flick his gaze back to the slightly smaller wolf when he asked his last question are you happy now he was tempted to grin, and say yes. Dove had shown he did possess a spine, and lash right back at the Warlord. It had pleased him immensely, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t be the answer the man was looking for. Instead, he sighed softly. “I regret the lengths I went to to show you, you can fight” he said softly, before taking a few steps away from Dove, and raising his head to call for Deathbelle. He would send Bast ahead to tell his Empress that he wished no questions asked. Deathbelle would understand, the two had always been there for each other. She owed him much, and he owed her more. "Speech"

D O V E W H I T E

Had Dove realized he'd been ignored, he might have lashed out again -- as it was, the guilt ate at him, a shivering, quiet man in the place of the rage that had been consuming him. He danced on his paws, anxiety evident as he squeezed his eyes shut, willing the ghosts he found there to leave and never grace him with their presence again. Sirius' words filtered into pinned ears, and Dove scoffed, the sound bitter and dry as it fell from his lips.

"Yes, Sirius, I have teeth and I can kill things, should the need befall me," he retorted. "I am aware of this, just as you should be so fresh after our hunt." He shook his head, astringent, tart words falling from his lips as he continued. "Did you think, perhaps before your ludicrous plan took shape, did you think to consider that I might have found you eventually for this exact purpose and been a willing participant?" Dove was as mentally unkind to himself as his sisters had once been, though not exactly in the same way. He was aware of what he lacked, when it came to battle, and he was under no impression that he could learn what he needed to learn to defend himself from himself. There was always the possibility that he would have gone to Sirius himself, after that initial greeting, and sought the help he needed.

But it was only that: a possibility. There was no guarantee, Dove thought, that Sirius would have been the teacher he chose. And while that didn't make the other's actions right by any stretch of the imagination, Dove supposed he could understand.

He clenched his eyes shut again, chagrined words on his lips, when Sirius howled. Dove's eyes snapped open, and he looked at the man with horror blatant on his features. "What have you done?"

He walks. "He speaks." He thinks.

She heard Seer’s call far in the east, not where she would normally expect her once bodyguard. The message was simple enough, come find me i need aid. Though she heard no urgency in his tones the Empress quickly gathered up a few of her supplies and started that direction. Of course it would take time to get from the islands all the way to the mangrove, and she hoped her big oaf didn’t bleed out in the time it took her pregnant form to make it there. She was just barely showing this time, and hadn’t cut back on any of her duties. The exercise was good for her, but her hand maiden would have her work cut out for her when the Empress returned.

Eventually she’d find the man she adored, his face bloodied and bruised. Bast warned her not to ask any questions, so she would remain silent of them. For now. Her bright lavender eyes fell on the stranger and she sensed the tension that was thick in the air. He seemed equally tousled.

Deathbelle returned her attention to Sirius, her ivory splashed form moving closer to him as her keen eye took in the injuries he’d sustained. ”What can I do for you, Sirius?” She asked curiously, her tail swaying at her hips as her eyes shifted between the warlord and dark pelted stranger.

As he directed, Bast ran ahead, and found the Empress before she could find them. The cat would rub against the pregnant woman with a loving purr, and an exasperated expression. As they walked, the cat was quick to explain that Sirius had found himself a mentally scarred man he wanted to look after and then gone about it in all the wrong ways. Her paws danced across the earth and her whiskers twitched as she kept herself at an angle so Deathbelle could read the words of her movement. She would add in, with a touch of exasperation, that Sirius didn’t want questions asked. She fell silent as they arrived, and would pad back into the shadows, ready to help the Empress fetch and carry as needed. Meanwhile, Sirius would look to Dove, and sigh. ”I brought in a healer, I would say you can trust her, but I have a feeling my promise carries little weight to you.” he said, and then turned to Deathbelle as she and Bast arrived. “Some healing, please, Death, for my friend, Dove” he said, indicating the slightly smaller wolf with the banged up shoulder. He sat then, wondering if Death would keep in her questions, and knew that he would owe her one after this. "Speech"

Bast led a woman into the mess the day had turned into, and Dove noted with concern that she was pregnant. He didn't know how to feel about that, but the shudders that had overtaken him when he'd beheld the damage he wrought upon Sirius were slowly dying now. Anxiety still pounded in his temples, and fear still permeated the air, and Dove glared at the other man. And who's fault is that? he wanted to say fiercely, That my trust has been rescinded before even it was given? Instead, he shook his head, tossing it in Sirius' direction. "He's worse for wear," Dove said stiffly, taking another step back and shifting on anxious paws. "He needs your care much more than I." My fault, he thought, tail swishing behind him, clearly unsettled. Dove wouldn't meet Sirius' eyes or that of the stranger's, gaze locked on a tree close to him. His mind was quiet now and his chest hollow, as turmoil, unbidden, roiled within and left an unfeeling wolf in his place. "Speech"

Deathbelle was amused that she had been reduced to a simple healer as Sirius introduced her. The change was refreshing, and she wouldn’t be the one to reveal her true identity as of yet. Bast had mostly explained what she was coming upon, but being forbidden to ask the real questions did bother the woman. Hopefully the mysteries would reveal themselves in time. For now, Deathbelle was eager to help the man she once loved pick up his messes.

”Hello, Dove.” She said softly, trying to prove Sirius’s words that she was indeed trustworthy. The star spangled man denied her help, and insisted that she see to the Warlord’s wounds first. He was obviously nervous, and though she didn’t move towards him he backed away from her. ”Maybe he’s worse off but I’m sure he deserves to wait a few moments.” She stole a teasing look at Sirius before she tried to approach the flighty man.

”Will you let me see to you?” She asked permission to approach, and had no desire to push him too hard.