Like a soldier marching to war, he found himself marching towards Abaven. Well...not to Abaven directly, but nearby. He wanted to talk to Corvus. With everything he'd been feeling, he needed to know the truth of his own feelings. Ignis had been feeling unhappy and not his usual self since the raid. Since his fight with his best friend. His head and his heart hurt considerably, and the fact that he felt pain in such an unusual way confused him so much...his companions tried to talk to him. Even his usually boisterous cockatoo had tried to reason with him, but Ig refused to listen to either of them. Alone he marched towards the East, leaving behind the whipping winds of the North. He didn't tell his uncle where he was going...he didn't feel like he had to. After all, how could he explain his feelings to his uncle when he didn't even know how he was feeling himself? The whole way, his mind remained occupied. And it wasn't until he heard the distant crashing of waves against rock did he finally stop and realize where he was. The crimson male walked to the edge of the cliff and stared down at the water, his blood-red reflection staring back at him, making the water look like it was stained with blood. He still wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to tell Corvus...and he wondered if he would even show up. With unusually high nervous energy, he tilted his head back and called Corvus to meet him. "Speech"

Corvus was admittedly feeling a bit weird himself after the raid. He hadn't put up a real fight, not like some of the other warriors in Abaven, but he'd still won in his own way, he supposed, which was really what mattered. Part of him regretting going after Ignis in the first place. He was his friend, wasn't he? It hadn't been fair of him to be annoyed, especially when Ignis had warned him of Acere's plan to raid Abaven, before he'd even sent a messenger here to explain what was going on. Theory had even reminded him what a nice gesture that was, and he agreed.. but why did he feel vaguely annoyed over the whole thing still? If Ignis was here still, if he'd never left Abaven, things wouldn't be this way - he was sure of it. But there was no changing the fact that Ignis was part of Winterfell and not Abaven, no matter how much he wanted things to be different.

Though his mind hadn't been directly on his friend when his call arrived, all at once he felt his attention shift directly to him. He wasn't too far from here, judging by the sound of his call - just north of Serpent Plains - and he didn't hesitate in heading toward the sound of his voice. He wasn't quite sure what Ignis wanted, but his nerves were audible in his voice, something that only exacerbated Corvus's own nerves. Why was he nervous, anyway? He was embarrassed about how he'd lashed out at him, but likewise felt as though he might be too stubborn to apologize. He felt his head spinning with thoughts as he trekked to the cliffs, only slowing when Ignis came into view. Swallowing hard, he loped towards him. "Oh, hey," he greeted him, feigning a kind of relaxed demeanor that he just wasn't capable of feeling at the moment.

He was restless as he waited. His highly nervous energy was unable to be contained so he paced back and forth as close to the edge as he could without slipping. He didn't know what this meeting would bring. Didn't know how Corvus would feel seeing him or if he'd even show up. But Ig couldn't let this go. He had to get it off his chest. Otherwise, he felt like it would continue to eat away at him...but he also didn't want to lose his best friend. Why did shit have to be so damn complicated!? He kicked a stone in his path and he briefly watched as it went flying over the side of the cliff and into the water below. The water wasn't terribly far...he felt like he would survive a fall if he accidentally slipped. But he had no doubt the water would be freezing cold. Probably colder than the blizzards that had been ravaging the north as of late. "Oh, hey." He whirled around at the sound of Corvus' voice, and when he looked at him, his...friend...seemed relaxed just about. Far from what Ignis was feeling. "Oh, "hey?" Is that all you have to say?" He didn't forget how Corvus spoke to him during their fight. "I know you were mad about us raiding, I heard it in your voice when you seemed to blame me for it! You have no fucking idea how my family has struggled with the decision on whether we should have or not! You and your alpha both I'm sure." He spat. But that wasn't entirely why he was here. "Either way it doesn't matter to you guys, does it? You just see a betrayal, but not the struggle. But that's not why I came to see you. There's something I need to get off my chest, and it's about you." "Speech"

Corvus had noticed that Ignis seemed uneasy, even kicking a rock over the edge of the cliff. Just how close he was standing to the edge definitely made him nervous, but he hoped that by feigning nonchalance around his friend that everything might somehow be... magically fixed? It was a long shot, but avoiding certain feelings was how he'd gotten through life thus far, and he hoped this scenario would be no different. But it became quickly apparently that he couldn't fix whatever had come between them so easily. Ignis turned quickly and didn't hesitate in grilling into him. Corvus visibly winced at the harshness of his words. "I'm sorry, I just - fuck - everything is just..." Hard. Everything was hard, remarkably hard, and figuring out how he felt about the raid and Ignis's involvement was too hard for him to even begin to express out loud.

He couldn't get his words out. Ignis kept talking and he felt his tongue grow heavy in his mouth, felt his heart beginning to hammer in his chest, and not in a good way. It was hard to sympathize with Winterfell's decision when it just felt wrong to him, and the fact that Theory no longer wanted to associate with Winterfell felt oddly painful - at least when it came to Ignis and his friendship. It wasn't like they couldn't still talk, or even be friends.. hell, Theory had mentioned something about encouraging true friendships, but had she meant just to warn them in case Acere made another decision that might not favor them? It was hard to really know just what she meant, or what he ought to do with that information. He let out an audible sigh - defending himself felt impossible, and though he was still frustrated, he felt hurt now in a way he didn't know how to express. Ignis said that wasn't why he'd called him though, which didn't make much sense. "What is it, then?" He asked after a moment, trying to hint the annoyance from his voice... but he was still here, facing Ignis even though it was uncomfortable, and even though he didn't know what to say to him at all anymore.

"I'm sorry, I just - fuck - everything is just..." Ignis managed to mostly reign in any harsh words he might have responded with, but instead he just muttered a "Yeah no shit," under his breath that wasn't loud enough for Corvus to hear him. All of a sudden he could feel the stress slamming down onto his shoulders, and he briefly wondered if this was the kind of stress his uncle felt everyday. Or at least, until the debt with Hjarrandi was paid. He tried to shake off his nerves. Tried to calm the shaking he suddenly felt in his limbs and the painful hammering of his heart against his chest. He suddenly felt like he wanted to just get out of there and never say anything at all but...he knew if he didn't get this out now, it would keep eating him up. He couldn't help it anymore. He kind of hated how Corvus seemed to act nonchalant about this, but he also kind of felt like he was just as nervous and uncomfortable as Ig felt now. "What is it then?" Shit. Now that he was here...now that Corvus was standing in front of him, Ignis wasn't entirely sure what to say. His legs and tongue suddenly felt like lead. Like he suddenly couldn't find his voice. He felt cold all of a sudden, too. Which was...unusual since it wasn't really cold. His stomach felt like it twisting up in knots, and even as he tried to swallow, it was almost as if he was about to choke. The anger was still there...but the thought of what he wanted to tell one of the very few people he had ever trusted made him extremely nervous and scared. And anyone who knew him knew he wasn't the type to really get nervous or scared. Anger? sure. Sadness? Of course. But frightened or nervous? He couldn't recall when he'd felt that way. This was new to him. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself, but it didn't work. He felt like the pair of them were standing there forever suspended in silence, but it was likely only a minute or two before he forced himself to talk. "Corvus...I don't really know how to say this, so I'm going to just go ahead and spit it out." He swallowed again, only for him to feel like he was about to choke...again. And despite his tongue feeling dry, he forced himself to continue. "A lot of shit has happened in my life, and you're the only other one I trust outside of my family. I didn't know if I'd be able to trust so quickly and easily, but somehow...you managed to bring that out, and probably without realizing. When Abaven caught fire and you showed up at Winterfell's border, I told you how worried I was. That I was even willing to risk myself to come and find you just to make sure you were okay. You were there when my...when Elias...showed up to my older brothers challenge and you heard the things I said to him. You were the first real friend I ever had..." There was a lot more, but in his anxious state, he couldn't think about every single thing right now. Corvus had seen a lot of sides of him that he hid from nearly everyone else. With the exception of his uncle and sister, of course. He started to fidget a bit as he struggled to say what he wanted. But nothing made sense anymore. "I-I think about you a lot. I worry about you all the time. I know you can probably take care of yourself just fine, but...after the fire...I couldn't stop thinking about you. And when you came to Winterfell and I tried to patch you up in my den...just having you so close was comforting..." That was when his feelings about his friend grew significantly. When his confusion grew just as much. "I didn't want you to leave...I...I wanted you to stay...with me..." His gaze slowly rose to meet Corvus' eyes. "I didn't understand it yet...and I've never felt this way with anyone else but...I...I think I love you, Corvus..." "Speech"

Corvus felt so uneasy. He'd never really been uncomfortable around Ignis, but suddenly he felt completely at a loss for words.. and for what to do at all, if he was being honest. The feelings that had welled up inside him at the raid had returned, against all his attempts to quell them, and left him feeling even more confused than he had before. The words Ignis muttered under his breath made him flinch. Was Corvus being unreasonable? Maybe. But was Ignis even attempting to understand where he was coming from? He felt his head spinning as he tried to figure it out, physically biting his tongue to keep himself from saying anything stupid, in spite of his frustrations.

When Corvus asked why he'd called him, Ignis seemed to pause. Corvus couldn't help but fear the worst. Was he so mad at how he'd acted at the raid that he didn't want to be friends anymore? Maybe that was what he was about to say? Fuck. His worries seemed to make his stomach drop, like he'd tripped and fallen over a steep dropoff; but all he could do was stand awkwardly and wait for Ignis to tell him - and if it was something bad like that, he'd be ready to break down and apologize and beg for his best friend to forgive him.

Ignis started talking, but he didn't say what he was trying to get out right away. He mentioned being worried about him, after Abaven's fire, about how Corvus had shown up at that one fight. Corvus nodded in understanding, appreciating his words. He worried about Ignis a lot too. He'd been busy lately with Twig and other things within Abaven, but he thought of his friend in Winterfell often. He cared a lot.. that was why seeing them come to raid had hurt so much. Corvus recognized that now, even if putting those thoughts into words was much more difficult than he hoped. But Ignis went on, reminding him of how close they'd been when Ignis had helped clean up his paws after the fire. The thought made him feel faint. He'd felt safe there and going back home to Abaven had been quite difficult, to say the least. What was his point, though? Firstly he thought Ignis might be asking him to stay in Winterfell, and he decided he really didn't know what he'd say to that, but he continued on.. admitting he... loved him?

He fought back the instinct to admit that he loved him too. Ignis didn't mean like a close friend, or like a family member. He was reminded suddenly of the meal Twig had so cleverly prepared for him, and her nervous admission after, that she wanted to be with, that she loved him. This was... what Ignis was saying, wasn't it? He felt a million things all at once - a wave of relief washed over him, relief that Ignis wasn't trying to tell him they weren't friends anymore, that he wasn't yelling at him. He felt like his head had been taken out and shaken up until it was completely rearranged. Felt like he might throw up, right then and there, and he was grateful when he didn't. "Ignis, I..." Why hadn't he admitted this earlier? At the raid, even? Everything would be so much easier. He was reminded of Twig, in all her sweetness, and thinking of her - something that normally brought him a lot of joy - suddenly made him feel even more sick. Corvus was forced to avert his gaze, surprised to find tears stinging at his eyes and threatening to fall.

He suddenly felt torn between what he was feeling and what he was supposed to be feeling. Was this love? Wasn't he in love with Twig? Fuck, fuck, FUCK. He wished so badly he could stop the sudden barrage of thoughts that seemed to be stampeding through his head. "Ignis, I have.." He needed to tell him, about Twig, but more than that he wanted to make sure he was alright. His friend looked nervous as hell and he wasn't used to that. Comforting him seemed like a natural thing to do, and after a moment of hesitation he moved to touch his nose to Ignis's shoulder. His scent was comforting - it reminded Corvus of home, even though he smelled nothing like Abaven anymore - and without thinking he realized he was burying his nose into his thick red fur and breathing him in. "..I have ...a girlfriend," he finally choked out weakly, but made no effort to pull away from him.

His stomach felt all twisted up and his head was swimming. He really just admitted to his best friend that he loved him. But...for a while now, Ig had been thinking about him beyond just best friends...he really, truly loved him...even though he'd felt incredibly confused about it for weeks on end. Months even, but he just didn't know it then. Like Corvus, he felt like he wanted to throw up. But the choking feeling he had wouldn't go away so he doubted he'd be able to even if he tried. He didn't move as he waited for Corvus' reactions. Or words. Or anything. "Ignis, I..." For a moment, his ears perked slightly and his gaze grew hopeful. Did Corvus feel the same way? Was he about to say that he loved him back? His heart fluttered in his chest and the world seemed to fall away, leaving just him and the one he loved. "Ignis, I have.." He...what? "I have always loved you..." That's what he thought he was about to hear. He prepared himself to accept and give the love that they both deserved, and he really, truly thought those would be the words coming out of Corvus' mouth. Especially when his friend moved towards him to touch his nose to his shoulder. Ignis' stiffened body nearly instantly relaxed, and before he knew it, Corvus had buried his nose into his fur. Ig craned his neck over the earthen males, taking in his scent as he closed his eyes and tried to immortalize this moment in his mind. If there was anyone in the world who was the best at comforting him, making him feel at home and making him feel like the world would be okay, it was him. It always had been. He just didn't know it then. He could stand like this forever with him...and he was about to speak again, but before he could... "..I have ...a girlfriend," He almost didn't hear it. Or rather...thought maybe he heard wrong. But slowly and surely, the words began to sink into his head. He opened his eyes then, "W-what...?" Did...did he just hear that right? He took a step back. And then another. And another. His world went from feeling elated and happy in the brief moments of being so close to Corvus, to feeling like his world had suddenly shattered. Corvus...had a girlfriend? Confusion and disbelief were clear in his eyes as he tried to make sense of what he'd just heard. And while Corvus' words were straightforward and clear as a bell, Ignis had been too wrapped up in the emotions he'd been feeling to really make sense of it..."Did...did I hear you right? You...you have a...a girlfriend?" His stomach dropped as he said those words. His mouth went dry again and his chest hurt. He suddenly felt incredibly anxious...confused...hurt...upset...and a plethora of other things he couldn't quite sort out just yet... "Speech"

Art by Naiterion

What was happening? Ignis's confession had happened so quickly, and had been so far from what Corvus had feared he might say. Was this love? Wasn't how he felt toward Twig.. wasn't that love? Part of him had always felt like love would be this easy thing - this thing that was so black and white that he couldn't possibly mistake it for anything else - but he realized now just how wrong he was. Was it possible that he loved Twig as well as Ignis, or was he just confused? It'd never really occurred to him to really sit and figure out what kind of wolves he was attracted to in the first place; he wasn't the type to really thing much about those things until they happened. Even now he didn't really know what he wanted, but he knew that he was torn between this... this thing he'd never realized he'd wanted until now, and Twig, sweet Twig that he'd already promised himself to. It really was a miracle he hadn't made himself sick yet just trying to make sense of it.

Luckily for him, he wasn't able to see the hurt in Ignis's eyes at his admission. He spent what felt like both an eternity, and hardly any time at all, pressed against his shoulder. Has he always smelled this good? He remembered how comforted he'd felt when he'd trekked to Winterfell with his burnt paws and he remembered how leaving had been harder than he'd expected. They hadn't quite spent the night curled up together as he might with Twig, but they'd slept closer than he tended to with anyone else.. right? Or was he just making things up? God, this was confusing. He relished in the moment for as long as he possibly could before he choked out his words, words he wasn't even sure he wanted to say.

Ignis reacted slowly, but Corvus felt a void where he'd once been, now pulling away. Being physically removed from someone had never hurt quite like this. He felt his heart hammering loudly in his chest, echoing in his head and making him feel like he could barely hear his own thoughts. "I mean.. I guess? I don't know... we haven't really... decided anything..." His words trailed off weakly. Did the ambiguity of what he shared make things any better? He spoke as if trying to convince himself as well as Ignis, but he wasn't so sure now. "I didn't know you felt..." What would be different, if Ignis had told him sooner? It was hard to even tell how he felt, let alone try to predict how differently things could have gone. "I've missed you," he concluded finally, even more softly now. Being close to him, in a different way, had felt so good - and despite Ignis's hurt and his own confusion he found himself wanting more. "I'm really sorry I was a dick at the raid. I think I just... I missed you, and seeing you like that... it was a lot. Not seeing you all the time really sucks." He probably sounded like an idiot. Words had never been his forte, and now he found himself struggling even more than he'd expected to. Why couldn't they just yell at each other? That would certainly make things easier than this...

It was needless to say...Ignis didn't know how to feel. He didn't know what to think. He wanted to be happy that his best friend had found someone but...he also felt like he couldn't quite accept that. He loved him. Corvus was supposed to be his to love...but maybe he'd been too late in confessing his feelings. His words hung in the air for what felt like an eternity before Corvus answered him. "I mean.. I guess? I don't know... we haven't really... decided anything..." Slowly, Ig's gaze rose towards Corvus' face but he couldn't quite look him in the eyes. He could smell her on him...and he fought the anger that started to rise, pushing it down with the hope he had. He didn't want the pain to show...but it was getting harder by the minute to keep it under control. He had confessed his love for him...admitted to the one person he cared for most in the world...it wasn't too late...it couldn't be. Corvus would accept him, right? As more than a friend? He was just...confused. Yeah, that was it. Corvus was as confused as Ignis had been, but if he was able to admit his love, then Corvus should be able to as well, right? Corvus' words trailed off, and Ignis remained hopeful still that the next words would be "I love you too." But instead..."I didn't know you felt..." Surely the words he wanted to hear would come...? "I've missed you," The hope kept growing in his chest. And he felt himself grasping to the words and the high hopes he had that Corvus loved him back just the same. Maybe even more. He took a hesitant step forward, a mixture of hope and desperation in his eyes. "I've missed you too," That much was obvious, wasn't it? So much in fact that he made sure he would be the one to cross paths with him at the raid...and he loved him too much to hurt him, so he had pulled his punches. "I'm really sorry I was a dick at the raid. I think I just... I missed you, and seeing you like that... it was a lot. Not seeing you all the time really sucks." He nodded in understanding. Or...perhaps it was just the desperation clawing to the surface of his mind. "It did suck! I wanted to visit you but I figured with the tension between my pack and yours, I mean...I didn't want your pack to think I was coming around to spy or something. But that's over and done with now, that means we can be together...spend more time together. We...we wouldn't have to miss each other anymore." Please... "Speech"

Art by Naiterion

Corvus didn't know what to think, let alone what to feel - even more so he didn't know what to say to make things better. Maybe saying nothing was easier than saying the truth? That he loved him too, even if he loved Twig. That he didn't want to hurt her... or him, for that matter. He felt the hot sting of tears threatening to reach the surface of his eyes but he fought them back, wondering when he'd turned into such a crier. He'd never been much of one, but why lately did he find himself feeling so emotional? It was almost as if years of angst had build up and now threatened to overflow, and holding back his emotions was feeling harder and harder. Even harder now that Ignis looked so hurt. He felt a similar kind of desperation building, and seeing some of the light come back into his friend's eyes gave him hope that maybe he could somehow fix this. Somehow, he had to.

He had to just... keep speaking, even if he wasn't saying the right things. He was pretty sure letting silence fall over them would destroy all of this. "I know you wouldn't spy on us. Even Theory, after the raid, kind of applauded you for telling me beforehand about the raid. Reminded me how important friends like you are..." And Corvus had almost ruined it by being a dick to him, by being frustrated and not knowing how to handle his emotions properly. Things like expressing himself, saying what he really felt and wanted, had always been difficult for him. But now that he'd started speaking, he felt them continue, even though he felt like he should stop himself. "I want to see you more though. I have a lot to do in Abaven, with my rank and everything, but... I can visit you sometimes, and I'm sure you can visit me too. Whenever you want," he explained a bit hurriedly. "I think I love you too, Ignis, but I don't - I promised -" He'd told Twig he loved her. He'd promised himself to her. And he did feel that way, truly, but why did he also feel like... this? Fuck, this was all a lot to try to understanding and he wasn't sure he could even begin to.

The more he stood here with him, the more he felt his emotions rising. Everything he heard so far confused him more and more, and it seemed Corvus felt similarly. Still, he longed to hear the words and just...wanted Corvus to be with him by this point. The swirl of anger and nervousness and hope was enough to nearly knock him over, but he kept himself grounded as best he could. "I know you wouldn't spy on us. Even Theory, after the raid, kind of applauded you for telling me beforehand about the raid. Reminded me how important friends like you are..." He held back the urge to scoff at that. He didn't care what Theory thought. She didn't care much for facts, or at least that's what he saw when it came to the whole complicated deal between his pack and the band. But he didn't focus on that for too long. He could care less about her, and his main focus was Corvus. "I want to see you more though. I have a lot to do in Abaven, with my rank and everything, but... I can visit you sometimes, and I'm sure you can visit me too. Whenever you want," He looked at him again with hopeful eyes, heart pounding hard against his chest. He was already interpreting it as this might be something they could do. Leading a life together, that is. But then..."I think I love you too, Ignis, but I don't - I promised -" He heard the words "I love you" but he could see and hear the uncertainty in him. And...he had promised her? "Y-you promised...her? B-but you and I have been through way more together! W-we've known each other longer!" Corvus had seen him at his worst before, or at the very least...close to it when he confronted his sire at the battlefield when everyone else and their mother had been there. At this point, he was probably starting to get a little irrational. He was insistent he and Corvus could be a thing. Certain that Corvus would leave whoever he was seeing to be with him. How serious could it be anyway? While he didn't know how long Corvus and his...girlfriend had known each other, he told himself that this would work out...one way or another... "Speak"

Those same annoying tears pricked at his eyes, and despite how hard he tried to keep them in, it didn't seem to matter. He tried to explain his feelings, but it seemed like words were suddenly the most difficult thing in the universe. Not that he was known for being all that good with them anyway. He'd been frustrated with Ignis, mostly because their friendship was put in a weird position due to their respective packs. Ignis had been a good friend in warning him, and he should've... should've what? Been more grateful? Been more anything, anything other than frustrated and childish. Even now he wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to feel, let alone what he was supposed to say - and now he was crying, tears streaming stupidly down his cheeks and he was effortless to stop them.

They only came harder at Ignis's reaction. He looked hopeful, almost happy, but Corvus kept speaking until Ignis looked crushed. "I didn't... I didn't k-know," he started, stammering slightly from his nerves and the emotions that were suddenly bubbling up. "Didn't know you... felt this way." Corvus hadn't known that he felt the same way, either, until Ignis told him. Just as he hadn't quite realized how he felt about Twig until she told him. They were different feelings, but so similar at the same time that it almost made him feel sick. Was such a thing even possible? Fuck, he had no clue what he was supposed to do. Especially with Ignis living so far away. If he was living in Abaven, things would be easier... or maybe he'd be even more confused than he was right now.

"I'm sorry," he finally mumbled after a moment, instinctively reaching to lay his head in the crook of Ignis's neck, breathing hard as he tried to quell his tears. "I really do love you, Ignis," Corvus added quietly. Now he wasn't even quite sure what love meant, or what kind of love he was even capable of toward Ignis, or Twig, but he knew that in the moment he just wanted to comfort Ignis and make sure he knew, despite everything, that he did truly love him.

He was torn. Torn between the love he felt for Corvus and the hurt that this information brought him. He was too late in claiming his best friend's heart. Someone else had taken it first. He wasn't sure how to feel about this. But even when the tears started streaming down Corvus' face, Ignis couldn't help but tear his gaze away and stare at the ground. Like a light switch, his emotions shut off. He couldn't think about anything. His mind shut down and it was like everything fell away like a blanket falling off. He loved him...and though Corvus said he didn't know that he felt that way about him, Ignis still didn't know what to say. He didn't know the full extent of how he felt either until recently...but he felt like he was too late. "I really do love you, Ignis," He felt himself stiffen when Corvus touched him. He breathed in his scent for a moment, eyes closing against the warm touch that he felt. He steeled himself from leaning in though, but he knew that if Corvus had done this a moment prior to their conversation, he wouldn't have hesitated at all. Maybe he hadn't thought this through. He knew that they were in different packs, but he had been under the illusion that they'd be able to make it work if...well...if they did. Hell, he would have left Winterfell to be with him if he had to. He'd move heaven and earth if Corvus asked him...but there was someone else in the picture. Why hadn't he known about her before? Did Corvus not want to bother him with that information? If he really cared about her, why did he not come running to tell him the news? His brows furrowed as so many different things intruded in his mind, but...eventually, it all fell away until it all went quiet. Thoughtless. "But not enough to be with me." He finally stated. He felt his muscles tense. His heart pounding painfully against his chest. The blood roaring in his ears. And like thunder, his mind exploded with the sudden feeling of wanting to hurt him. Before he knew it, Ignis was in motion. His jaws opened up as he aimed to bite and grip the side of Corvus' neck, his left foreleg coming up as he sought to bring it over Corvus' shoulder along with shoving his weight into him in an effort to throw him to the ground. His mind wasn't his own at the moment. All he could feel was pain and rage. He wanted the one he loved to hurt as much as he was hurting. Ignis Praetor vs Corvus for Minor maim (scarring on the side of his neck) Round: 1/? Age: Over 1yr Size: Extra large Build: Heavy Offensive Battle Accessory: Skull helmet Defensive Battle Accessory: Bone breastplate armor Companion 1: Palm cockatoo, Male - Flying Companion 2: Wolverine, Male - Battle Skills: Expert Fighter & Beginner Healer Specialty: N/A Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Ignis moved away from him after a moment of hesitation, something that relieved him as much as it hurt him. What if he hadn't pulled away? How could he begin to make that choice, between Ignis - who he'd known since he was a kid - and Twig? Somehow Ignis made the decision easier, though he didn't have long to wait before things shifted rapidly. He watched carefully as his friend moved away from him, speaking a single sentence. 'Not enough to be with me.' Corvus felt his chest sink, almost enough to make him regret saying anything at all. Maybe things would've been less painful if he'd just said nothing at all about his own feelings,  but.. it was too late to take it back now.

Before he could react, Ignis lunged at him. Corvus had half a second to stiffen, trying to spread his limbs to keep his balance as Ignis charged him. He only had long enough to steady himself, certainly not enough to try to avoid his suddenly parted jaws. He tried to jerk away, but to no avail, and he felt Ignis bearing down on his neck as he shoved roughly into him. A growl suddenly ripped from his throat, not from anger necessarily, but.. surprise. He felt betrayed. What the hell was wrong with Ignis? Corvus didn't understand why he was reacting the way he way he was. Although he didn't want to hurt Ignis, he likewise was intent on standing his ground. He kicked off hard with his back legs, trying to shove his full weight into Ignis, hoping that he could somehow lift himself and loop a limb over Ignis's shoulder and get him to release his bite.

Corvus Aadar-Destruction vs Ignis for Maim (defending against)
Round 1 / 1
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Extra large
Build: Heavy
Offensive Battle Accessory: Spiked helmet
Defensive Battle Accessory: Badger pelt front leg bracers
Skills: Expert Fighter & Advanced Hunter
Specialty: N/A

And the winner is...

CORVUS

IGNIS must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Ignis' maim failed! Totals: Adjusted rolls: 108 69.6 34 52.8 IGNIS' total is.. 317.28 Adjusted rolls: 108.75 25.5 62 86 CORVUS' total is.. 338.34

He was filled with rage. Pain. Some form of betrayal. Though the latter was extremely confusing for him because he knew in reality, Corvus had done nothing wrong. He was simply living his life the way he wanted. But for some reason, he just couldn't accept it. He felt like he'd known Corvus forever, and the fact that someone else had his attention seemed too much for him to bear. Was he being selfish? For a long while, he had never thought about Corvus being more than his best friend. But as time went on, and with each interaction they had, Ignis kept getting stronger feelings for his earthen friend. Now that Corvus belonged to someone else though, Ig felt like Corvus was being stolen from him even though he wasn't his to begin with. He lunged. Corvus stiffened and held his ground. Through the fire in his eyes and the fog in his mind, he knew what he was doing wasn't okay, but he couldn't stop himself. It wasn't until his attack was thwarted when Corvus got his limb over his shoulder and threw his weight into the crimson male that he then tried to jerk back so he could rear up on his hind legs and try a different attack. But then Ignis realized a little too late he had completely compromised himself. He was off-balance. He hadn't taken into consideration the location of this fight. Although he was bigger than Corvus, Ignis' weight worked against him as Corvus shoved while he was rearing. The fact that he was also so close to the edge of the cliff did little to help. Before he knew it, the ground beneath one of his feet crumbled a bit and Ignis was thrown completely off balance. He started falling backward, the male unable to catch himself in time to keep from falling. He made a desperate attempt at grabbing onto anything he could, though his teeth fell short of Corvus' bandanna, and down he went. He fell silently. The starry sky above and the cold water below. He felt like he was falling forever, and it was only when his body broke through cold water that he felt like he could breathe. Only when he did that, he sucked in a mouthful of water. Panicked, he clawed his way back to the surface until his head broke free, lungs burning from the cold air and the saltwater he had inhaled. He wasn't too far from the shore. And he realized he had barely missed the rocks at the base of the cliff... Using all his strength, he swam to shore and didn't stop until his feet touched solid ground. His eyes squeezed shut as his body ached, heart pounding painfully against his chest and the adrenaline quickly started to wear off. His mind was still feeling foggy, but he knew he'd lost that fight. He swallowed. His throat burning from the water he had swallowed and the lump that had formed from the emotional turmoil he was feeling. He stood there for a moment as he tried to compose himself, though he dared not look up the cliff face to see if Corvus was looking down on him. "This isn't over..." He growled to himself before quickly fleeing the scene to make his way back home... -Exit Ignis- "Speech"

Everything happened so quickly. Corvus reacted out of sheer instinct - the desire to protect himself against whatever rage had suddenly built inside Ignis was stronger than the confusion that swirled like a storm inside his head. He moved quickly enough that his friend - could he even call him that anymore? - let go of where he'd been holding on to him, his own weight forcing Ignis down and backwards. He couldn't anticipate how close to the cliffs they had gotten, and before he could react Ignis had stumbled backwards and over the cliffside. His reaction was to help him, despite his unpredictability, and Corvus lunged forward to try to grab hold of him, but it was too late.

Corvus felt panic welling up inside his chest. His fall seemed to go on forever, a flash of red fur eventually disappearing into the sea before. He felt his heart clench painfully as he watched and waited. He hadn't killed Ignis - he hadn't even started this fight - but all those thoughts fled when he saw his red coat appear again, climbing back to shore. Any guilt that had started accumulating on his shoulders lifted. Ignis was alive. Possibly not well, but he was moving and Corvus knew he just needed to go back home. Ignis wasn't thinking right and staying here would only risk one of them going off the side of the cliff.. for a second time. He couldn't help but still feel worried as he cast him one last glance before starting the trek back home, hoping to somehow unburden himself of these worries by the time he got back.

-exit Corvus-