Walk | "Talk" | think
Rudy was now a master of hiding in one spot and waiting, at least in his own mind.  It was harder to sneak up on someone when they are in a spot before you.  Rudyard had worked at that plenty already but he still wasn’t good enough.  It wouldn’t be good enough till he could confidently sneak up and surprise both his mom’s.  Today’s target was more humble though, Arty.  It was his duty to try and sneak up on Art for his brother’s sake.  Art had to be kept on his toes even when he was training and clearly, that was the main reason by choice of target.  

Rudy found a pool that could be deep when full but currently it was only half filled and it had a small ledge partway in a careful pup could climb onto.  It was not in the water at this particular moment, though the ridge was small enough his tail ended up in the water and his legs were pressed tightly together.  Tail in water didn’t count as playing in the pool, right?

Art would be walking up and down here for his exercise.  Rudy waited in his spot, listening for Art to pass by.  Paw steps were heard and Rudy waited for them to pass.  Waiting taught him a lesson about choosing your hiding spot.  His muscles felt cramped and it was so hard not to move and make noise to loosen them up.  The steps went past and Rudy counted a few seconds before peeking his head out to spot Art.  Perfect!  Slowly he climbed from his spot, his now soaked tail offering a sure story of where he had been.  Crouched low he tried to stay low and silent so he could close the distance to be in proper pouncing range.

As had become his daily routine at his mother's instructions, Artorias had his training regiment down to a science. Every morning started with his patrol with Resin. After that came strength training with the rocks around the Hallows lands. Then came stamina training with his marches up and down the hills surrounding the falls. In the past months since he'd started his training, he could already notice a difference within himself. The rocks became easier to push as his muscles developed, and the hills that had taken him ages to climb were taking less and less time and less energy with each lap. But Art did not let these small victories go to his head or get lax with his training. If he wanted to be the greatest warrior since his parents, he couldn't ever give up on his training. He would make his mother proud.

Today, Boreas was much colder and cloudier as the lands prepared to receive winter. The sky was a thick blanket of clouds that obscured the blue sky and sun. Most of the trees were bare at this point, and the once lush and colorful land Artorias had been born into was fading away into greyscale. The boy glanced up at the heavy clouds and the empty branches of trees that had once been painted in the colors of fire. The pine trees retained their evergreen needles, but as far as he could see, Boreas was changing seasons in full force. Artorias marched past the pools near the mid-tier of the falls, able to complete his exercise with his equipment more easily now that he'd had some time to get accustomed to it. As he walked past one of the pools of water, the wind rustled by, bringing along with it a familiar scent. The dark-furred boy paused mid-stride, glancing over towards the pools of water—and spotting Rudyard creeping up on him from behind. Amber eyes went wide with realization. Ambush!

Artorias spun around with a jump, reaching for his sword—and then remembered what Resin had taught him. If Rudy didn't have a weapon as well, he shouldn't use one against his own brother unless it was a proper fight. Instead, the boy fixed Rudy with a stare and a warning growl, though the corners of his mouth were turned up into a playful smile. "Sneaking around as usual, Rudy? You trying to come for me or something?" he teased.

"Speech" | Thoughts | "Corbin"

Rudy had been so quiet!  So careful! A moment of irritation crossed his face, but it was more for himself than Art and was a fleeting thing as soon a playful vicious growl had to be returned to Art.  Slipping into the position mom-Tam had helped him with, keeping his feet squared.  Rudy took a slow step forward, tail twitching in a half-wag to show the playful side while trying to seem intense. “Oh, no.  Never.  I was just taking a nap.” On a tiny ledge, right next to the water and at a time he tended to have lots of energy.  Rudy couldn’t hold a serious face as he imagined how bogus it sounded, grinning at his brother. “So, Art,” more words generally follow a statement like that, but Rudy charged in that midway spot in an attempt to surprise his brother.  It was always harder to surprise those who knew him well.  Too much expectation of pranks or surprises and certainly Art knew him well, so Rudy had to keep trying to find new means of surprises.  A half-finished sentence wasn’t much but it was what Rudy had thought of in that second since a jump attack wouldn’t work. Rudyard vs Art for spar Round 1/2 Age: under 1 year Size: Large Build: Medium Defensive Battle Accessory: Caiman hide armor Companion 1: Tasmanian devil, Male - Battle Companion 2: Red-tailed hawk, Female - Flying Skills: Beginner Fighter & Intermediate Hunter Specialty: N/A "Rudyard"

Artorias eyed Rudyard with suspicious caution when his dappled grey brother tried to feed him some lame excuse about him taking taking a nap. As if his dripping wet tail didn't give away what had actually happened. Rudy had been waiting by one of the pools to sneak up on him like he had tried doing to everyone. Art was wise to the boy's attempts at learning to be stealthy and sneaky, and he wasn't going to let his guard down around him when he was in play attack mode. Just as he had expected, Rudy tried to take a few slow steps closer to him. Artorias just shifted his paws into the fighting stance he'd learned from Resin and perfected over his lessons with her, muscles tensed and ready to spring into action. No sooner had he assumed his battle stance, Rudy lunged at him. It was an expected move, but it still surprised him, especially given that his brother liked talking so much.

The dark-furred boy held his place, waiting until Rudy was closer again. Once he was closer, Artorias lunged forward to intercept his brother's charge, aiming to throw his body into Rudy's. If they made contact, Artorias would then try to wrap his paws around Rudy's neck in a grapple. If he could get his brother in his control and pin him fast, then the fight would be over before it began. Since Art couldn't use his sword, he wanted to get Rudy down on the ground and subdued as quickly as possible.

Artorias vs Rudyard for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: Under 1 year
Size: Extra large
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Wooden sword
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather harness armor
Companion 1: Common raven, Male - Flying
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Navigator
Specialty: N/A

"Speech" | Thoughts | "Corbin"

Rudy needed to put more time into training to fight if he wanted to keep up with Art.  The problem was time for fight training was time not put into hunt training, spy training, or helping Tika to train.  The young boy was getting stronger but Art was surpassing him.  Hide and pounce was always what Rudy's instincts suggest first but he could go another route.  The pup had less tactical strategies in comparison to Art but that was fine as Rudy had something special also; sharp instincts! The two boys collided, Art’s stronger body against Rudy’s. He nearly dodged when he saw Art moving to try and wrap his paws around his neck but decided to go offensive instead of defensive.  Art wanted to go high then he would go low.  Rudy squat down lower and like a spring tried to lunge up with his teeth going for the bottom of Art's neck. Rudyard vs Artorias for spar Round 2/2 Age: under 1 year Size: Large Build: Medium Defensive Battle Accessory: Caiman hide armor Companion 1: Tasmanian devil, Male - Battle Companion 2: Red-tailed hawk, Female - Flying Skills: Beginner Fighter & Intermediate Hunter Specialty: N/A "Rudyard"

Artorias saw Rudy go in for an attack instead of trying to dodge or defend against him, something he had expected Rudy to do. His brother was, if nothing else, predictable. Rudyard had not been taught the finer points of strategy or tactics when it came to battle, choosing to focus his efforts elsewhere. Art did not chide him for such things, but it did put the dappled grey boy at a disadvantage. Since his brother had not stopped or blocked him, Art managed to get his paws around Rudy in a grapple, dipping his chin to cover his throat so Rudy's attack glanced off. Although not successful at meeting his mark, Artorias did feel his brother's teeth grab him by where his neck and shoulder met, wincing against the stinging of puppy teeth in his skin. Unwilling to be outdone, Artorias growled and pushed with all his weight and strength against Rudyard, hoping to overpower his brother and grapple him to the ground in a pin on his back. From there, it would be an immediate game over.

Artorias vs Rudyard for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: Under 1 year
Size: Extra large
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Wooden sword
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather harness armor
Companion 1: Common raven, Male - Flying
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Navigator
Specialty: N/A

"Speech" | Thoughts | "Corbin"

And the winner is...

RUDYARD

ARTORIAS must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: RUDYARD Rolls: 85, 99, 65, 84 Adjusted rolls: 106.25, 113.85, 65, 92.4 Total: 320.88 ARTORIAS Rolls: 14, 59, 74, 81 Adjusted rolls: 16.1, 67.85, 74, 89.1 Total: 234.70

Walk | "Talk" | think

Uh oh.  Rudy was concerned the bite to his brothers neck might not have connected deep enough to win and he had the problem of Art already having his paws over him.  This was an awkward position that would be easy to lose in.  Art was certainly correct in Rudy having less planned strategies than him.  

Rudy’s labeled his own abilities in instinct and doing the unexpected!  Doing the unexpected was a bit harder with Art since his brother knew him so well.  Rudy imagined backing up would secure Art’s win and help him get knocked down.  Rudy kept his head low and charged under Art! The boy hoped to surprise Art enough to unbalance him.  Once he got a shoulder under Art’s front leg he shoved up to knock Art off balance.  With Artorias unstable on his feet it should count as a victory!

He had won! Hah!  Grinning at his brother with tail wagging high and proud. “I won!” Odd’s had been against him and that made the victory all the sweeter.

His plan had been sound and his technique had been executed without flaw. But fate had other ideas, and as Artorias pressed his weight forward, so too did Rudyard, going low while he went high. It was the perfect combination to get Rudy right below his center of gravity, and when his brother pushed forward, Art's back paws lost their footing and he went tumbling to the ground. As soon as he hit the earth, Rudy was standing over him, declaring victory. It was annoying having to accept defeat, but Artorias was nothing if not gracious in his loss—after all, if he was to lose to anyone, he was glad it was one of his family members. "Okay, okay! I yield, you win!" he exclaimed from his back, a disappointed frown on his face, but the wagging of his tail betraying his happiness for his brother's triumph. He rolled back to his paws, shaking the dirt and grass from his fur. "You got me good, Rudy! You might not have been able to sneak up on me, but you still surprised me there!"

"Speech" | Thoughts | "Corbin"

Rudy stepped back even as Art got up, his own tail high and flagging proud.  Rudy took a seat as Art congratulated him on winning, “Yah, but you know, you did good on spotting me.  I mean I know its obvious where I was hiding when you saw me,” glancing towards his soggy tail then back at Art, “but I was pretty confident I wasn’t easy to spot where I chose, and I know I wasn’t making noise.  So did you smell me?” It had been a factor in losing more than one rabbit and Resin had pointed it out to him before.  It was the hardest thing to hide apparently. “Also, I really thought you had me.  It was a super close match.” Rudy didn’t need to press the point of his victory on Art.  They both knew that in the end Art was the better fighter and would win more often than not.  Rudy wasn’t terrible though and this time he’d gotten lucky in the last second.  “I guess I need to work on hiding better again.” There was only so much time in a day though! "Rudyard"