Mortis had heard from their father that Asla had decided to be a fighter. That made sense to him, his sister was small, but she had always been a scrapper at heart. He didn’t doubt she would be up to speed with the other fighters in no time. Surpassing them, even. She did like to be strong, their little Asla.

He smiled at the thought of her, she would always be cemented in his mind as the one who helped him out of his shell, when he didn’t know how to be. He still sought her out, hunted with her often, but they were real to have a real training fight. Since she hadn’t expressed an interest in fighting in the traditional sense, he hadn’t thought about it.

Raising his head to howl out her name, the young, winged boy, made his way down to the beach. His favourite spot to train, the hot sand beneath his paws had begun to feel familiar and right. He paced by the water, waiting for his sister.

When the call from Mort came, Asla wasn't far at all. She was determined to learn all that she could about fighting. What better place to learn than at the place where all of the training happened? Recently Asla had been picking her grandmother's brain about the art of battle and she'd learned some interesting things. The girl couldn't wait to try them out.

Sliding down from one of the stone slabs at the far end of the plain, Aslatiel made her way towards where Mort stood in the warm sand. The warmth made her feel a little relaxed and tired, but she tried to shake the feeling off. If he was calling her here for a spar, she would have to be alert.

Coming up to her winged brother, Asla gave Mort a kiss on the cheek accompanied by a winning smile. "Whatcha doin'?" The small wolf tilted her head gently, dark ears flicking forward.

His sister arrived in short order, and Mort suspected she had already been on the sandy territory. He grinned at her, and was surprised when he ended up on the receiving end of a cheek kiss. The gesture so like the ones he loved to give those in his family. He broke out immediately into a sunny smile, “Hey Asla-cat” he said fondly, reaching up to brush a paw across one long, tawny Asla-ear.

“I was thinking we could practice sparring together, if you like?” He had, at this point, heard that Asla had been chosen to go in the raid. As the slots had begun to fill, he had decided(With some strong hinting from dad) to sit out the coming raid. It bummed him, but he knew it was the right decision. His dad only intended to take ten of their warriors. He would stay at home, and guard the base. He wouldn’t let it get to him. But, in the meanwhile, he wanted Asla to absolutely kick ass, and he was happy to help her get into fighting shape.

The term of endearment made Aslas grin widen. She was kind of like a little cat, wasn't she? There were the claws of course, but she also liked to slink around quietly and climb trees. Asla-cat. She liked it.

As Mort stroked one big grey ear, the small girl laughed softly, purple eyes twinkling. It was kind of him to think of her and she said as much. "Thanks, Mort. I'd love to practice with you. Have to get ready for that raid." She hoped that their opponents would take her seriously. Most wolves didn't. Yes, she was small, but her size made her fast. She could deliver several blows before a larger wolf finished making one.

Moving a few paces away, the girl set her stance, phases digging into the sand. "Ready?" She was nice enough to give him a bit of a heads up. It was more than she'd done for Indigo during their spar. Without another word, she rushed forward. The small wolf carved to the side at the last minute, dipping low. Jaws opened wide as she attempted to sink her sharp little teeth into Morts knee.

Aslatiel Sirin Fatalis vs Mortis for Spar
Round 1/3
Age: under 1 year
Size: Small
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Kudu Skull with antlers
Defensive Battle Accessory: Porcupine Armor
Companion 1: Snow Leopard, Male - Battle
Companion 2: Bat, Female - Flying
Mutation 1: Cat claws - Offensive
Skills: Advanced Hunter & Advanced Fighter
Specialty: N/A

She grinned at him, and his own only grew, did she like that nickname, did she? He would remember that. “Exactly! Those Aerie wolves won’t know what hit them” he agreed, shaking off any lingering doubts about his own decision not to go. It was done. “Aye!” was barely out of his mouth, and Asla was charging at him. He never stopped grinning, he had truly grown to love spars. She moved quickly, darting towards him. Lucky for Mort, he had done most of his practice fights with a small, quick wolf. Not that that meant a great deal, since he always lost them... He spread out his wings, expecting her to go around him, and wanting to slow her down. Instead, she went for his knee. He let her take the hit, hissing as her teeth sunk into his skin. He brought his other paw up, attempting to lash at her thick furred shoulder with his cat-claws. "Speech" Mortis Fatalis vs Asla for Spar Round 1/3 Age: under one Size: Dire wolf Build: Medium Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers Companion 1: Snow leopard, Male - Battle Companion 2: Kea, Female - Battle Mutation 1: Saber fangs - Offensive Mutation 2: Feline claws - Offensive Major Mutation 3: Wings - Offensive Skills: Master Fighter & Expert Hunter Specialty: N/A

Her very first attack against Mort had been successful and she couldn't stop her maw from lifting in a grin even as her teeth were latched into his knee. The winning move and the self- congratulating distracted her enough that Morts own attack landed as well. Claws swiped through the thick fur at the edge of her ruff, grazing skin. The girl hissed as hot welts raised on her flesh.

Morts spread wings didn't phase her. She saw him all the time. She knew he had wings. Dropping to her belly, she intended to duck under the wing. If successful, Asla would throw herself onto her back and give Mort a kick to the gut with all four paws.

Aslatiel Sirin Fatalis vs Mortis for Spar
Round 2/3
Age: under 1 year
Size: Small
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Kudu Skull with antlers
Defensive Battle Accessory: Porcupine Armor
Companion 1: Snow Leopard, Male - Battle
Companion 2: Bat, Female - Flying
Mutation 1: Cat claws - Offensive
Skills: Advanced Hunter & Advanced Fighter
Specialty: N/A

Asla released his paw, and he released her shoulder as well. He was weary as to what her next move was, but also being somewhat careful. She was, and always would be, his little sister. Even if sometimes she seemed the elder, he was most certainly the larger. He had always been careful not to step on her. That same caution emerged in his fighting, and allowed her to duck under his wing unchallenged. She kicked out at him, but he cheated. He arched his back, putting his stomach out of the reach of her short paws. His maw twitched in an unexpressed grin. By the gods, she was a tiny thing. Were her paws really that small? No time to tease her, he had a battle to win. He threw both his wings up on either side of her, like a raptor hiding its feast from the eyes of other predators. Trapping her, or at least slowing down her escape, with his fangs, he lashed forward, attempting to dig them into her ruff, the opposite side to where his claws had found her earlier. "Speech" Mortis Fatalis vs Asla for Spar Round 2/3 Age: under one Size: Dire wolf Build: Medium Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers Companion 1: Snow leopard, Male - Battle Companion 2: Kea, Female - Battle Mutation 1: Saber fangs - Offensive Mutation 2: Feline claws - Offensive Major Mutation 3: Wings - Offensive Skills: Master Fighter & Expert Hunter Specialty: N/A

Asla gasped as Mort pulled his shaggy stomach upwards and out of her grasp. A squeal of rage squeaked from the tiny wolf's throat and her eyes flashed. She was furious. Why did they always have to remind her that she was small?!

As Mort cut off her escape with his sins, Aslatiel growled, kicking out towards the feathered appendages with her claws. She saw Morts jaws coming for her. Rather than dodge, she let him have her shoulder. It put him in prime position for her to sink her fangs into one ear and the top of his head. Unless he managed to somehow dodge, of course.

Aslatiel Sirin Fatalis vs Mortis for Spar
Round 3/3
Age: under 1 year
Size: Small
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Kudu Skull with antlers
Defensive Battle Accessory: Porcupine Armor
Companion 1: Snow Leopard, Male - Battle
Companion 2: Bat, Female - Flying
Mutation 1: Cat claws - Offensive
Skills: Advanced Hunter & Advanced Fighter
Specialty: N/A

Oh yeah he was going to pay for that one later. He he could hear it in her voice, and see it as murder in her eyes. Shaking, not from fear, but laughter as the fight continued. She lashed out at his wings, and he winced as her sharp claws cut through feathers to flesh. He hissed out his next breath, but let it roll over him. Despite his age, he was already well-scarred from rough practices. His teeth found her shoulder, but hers found his ear. He yelped, for they slid neatly into his soft flesh. He lashed out, almost blindly, kicking at her with his front paw. Softening the blow at the last moment, and only just. For, despite his pain, he would not forget his commitment to not hurting her. "Speech" Mortis Fatalis vs Asla for Spar Round 3/3 Age: under one Size: Dire wolf Build: Medium Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers Companion 1: Snow leopard, Male - Battle Companion 2: Kea, Female - Battle Mutation 1: Saber fangs - Offensive Mutation 2: Feline claws - Offensive Major Mutation 3: Wings - Offensive Skills: Master Fighter & Expert Hunter Specialty: N/A

And the winner is...

MORTIS

ASLATIEL must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Adjusted rolls: 104.4 5.5 42.9 95.7 ASLA'S total is.. 248.5 Adjusted rolls: 136.9 33 66 45 MORTIS' total is.. 308.99

Though her strike landed and she bit into her brother's ear, his strike also landed. Mort lashed out, his big paw connecting hard with her stomach. The air was knocked out of the girl and she instantly released her hold. Dropping back, she took a few steps away and coughed profusely, trying to suck in great mouthfuls of air.

Dammit! Mort had clearly won this battle. He had incapacitated her with a punch to the gut. She could tell that he had been trying to hold back, too. It was wrong and it infuriated her. Once she was able to breathe again, the girl snarled at her brother, teeth flashing as lips pulled back. "I'll never learn anything if you keep treating me like a baby." Turning, she stalked away. She needed to kill something and she may or may not pretend for a minute that it was Morts face on the poor creature.

Mortis froze, realising how his usual silly nature would show to Asla. She wasn’t Malalia or other people he had fought, assured of their own strength (and more likely to kick his butt) she was entering into the warrior pool fresh and new. She was taking his style as an insult. He felt a mixture of sadness in his gut. Feeling the gulf between them enlarge, for she did not understand him, and he had not understood her. He would have to do better. Dad had always told him not to use his fangs and claws for training spars, and he had seen for himself how Sirius avoided doing so as he tested his recruits. And then, fighting with his superior size had offended Alsa. What Asla was saying, was that she wanted him to fight in a totally different way. To bth, not treat her like a baby, but also not fight like he was a bigger wolf that could pick her up? It made his head dizzy. “I’m sorry Asla. I put on a silly front a lot, even when I fight. I didn’t realise… I should have. I should have realised how it would look to you. I want to try again, please?” [b] [b]"Speech"

He followed her and she growled, but when he started to speak, she instantly felt bad. He was Mort. He was silly and sweet and she didn't want him to change, but she did want him to take her seriously. She wanted them all to take her seriously. She turned to confront her sibling who was so clearly confused about the whole ordeal.

"Mort," she began. "I have something to prove. You and Az were chosen by our parents. You were chosen. They know what they want from you. I have to fight for everything. I have to show everyone that I'm worth considering too." She released her frustrations upon him. Just like Mort, she had traits that they wanted her to change. She was looked down upon as well. They were on opposite ends of the spectrum, but in this regard, they were the same.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you." She came close, pressing her cheek against her winged brothers wide chest. "If I don't learn how to fight against someone that's your size, what am I going to do when I'm in an actual battle against someone as big as you? They won't treat me like I'm small. They won't worry about hurting me." Wrapping her small leg around one of his much larger ones, she gave him a squeeze. "I need to learn."

He looked across at her with his blue puppy eyes, lost, and hurt by her rejection. Then, Asla did something just like old times. She explained it to him in a way he could understand, and made it better. She pressed against him, and he folded a wing across her, pulling her in close. Kissing the fur behind her ear. “Your right. It’s important you know how to fight. It’s like Papa and Mama, she is smaller than him but he made her learn, so she could defend herself. That’s what you're trying to do. It’s important for you that I take this seriously. That’s going to be a learning curve for me, to go hard on you. If you're willing to be patient with me, and help me learn how, then I want to keep training with you. Help you learn how to beat up wolves my size.” he offered her a lopsided grin, extending the verbal peace flag to the sister of his heart. "Speech"

Mort kissed her behind the ear and tears welled in her big purple eyes. She hated that she was so emotional. Especially when it came to her brothers. The girl squeezed him tighter and nestled into the protective wing that wrapped around her. Part of her wanted to be protected by her brothers, but a larger part wanted to be the one to protect them. Her size didn't matter to her in this. She was fierce. There was no doubt in her mind that, with the proper training, she could protect everyone that she held dear. "I'll help you if you help me." She admitted, sniffling and refusing to let the tears fall. She'd do what she could to help Mort if he needed it. It was the same that she would do for all of them. "Speech"

He wrapped his second wing around her, crouching down so that they were nose to nose, with her wings holding her close to him, like a hug. He leaned his head into her neck, and breathed in the familiar scent of his sister. She was sniffling, emotional, and he had to admit that he was too. He hadn’t meant to offend her, and seeing the anger burst out of her had hurt him. Hurt him, because he knew that he had hurt her. “Deal. We’re in this together. Always.” he swore to his sister. He would help make a badass warrior out of her. Everyone better look out, anyone who dared hurt their loved ones would have three fierce honey-badgered natured wolves on their tail. "Speech"

If she could have squeezed Mort any harder, she would have. As he brought his nose close to hers, she placed a soft kiss upon it before resting her muzzle atop his. "Thanks, Mort. I feel a lot better now." She kept everything bottled up inside until she exploded. It wasn't a good way to deal with emotions and stress, but that was how she was. Morts statement about honey badgers brought a bit of laughter from the girl and she grinned. "That's us, eh? Three honey badgers and a giant purple kitten." They all knew that the way of the warrior wasn't for Indigo. Not his true path, anyway. It was okay. The three of them could go get beat up and Indy would be there to heal their wounds upon their return. It was the perfect match, she thought. "Speech"

He chuckled softly as she pressed a kiss to his nose, and then rested her head on his. “I’m glad, me too.” He whispered softly to her. He had felt a little alienated from his siblings lately, but this had helped draw him and Asla back together. To an understanding. She didn’t want to be treated with kid gloves, and he respected that. He treated everyone like he was a goof, and hadn’t meant to offend her. She understood that. They were who they were, and they could appreciate and love each other for it. He hadn’t realised he had said his thoughts out loud, but he was glad he did. Asla chuckled at hearing it, agreeing that that was exactly what they were. Indy was definitely a cat, with his thick ruff and feline like claws. He was a fighter too, but he seemed to find his passion more easily in healing. “That’s us.” he agreed with her. "Speech"