JOHNNY BROUGHT A ROCKET TO A KNIFE FIGHT, HE GOT SICK OF PEOPLE THINKING HE'S A GOOD GUY Somehow he had expected to be following the cool weather as it travelled south, but once he crossed the Bifrost it started to warm again. The northern bred goliath was sweltering in the heat of the day, and found himself wondering who he could pay to comb out his thickening winter pelage. Perhaps low lying branches could tease out some of it? As he'd wandered through the ancient oak forest, he'd been leaving behind clumps of celestial fur on every gnarled trunk and cloying thicket. He wasn't particularly worried about someone tracking him down, since he was more than capable of fending for himself. He was keeping an eye out for noteworthy herbs while scraping off at least a few layers of skin in some patches as he tried to rid himself of the thick fur he was amassing. No doubt it would return in spades within a few weeks, just in time for him to inevitably move north to enjoy the hostile climate of winter. The cosmic behemoth paused at the edge of a pond, barely more than a puddle at this point in the southern continent's spring season. He took a long drink from the tepid, borderline stagnant water. Whatever, it would keep him from dying in the heat. He shook a few more tufts free, and dropped onto his haunches to pant for a few minutes. "Fuck me." he muttered. Thankfully, the deeper into the forest he went, the cooler the air became. The gentle ambiance of songbirds and arboreal animals moving about overhead was all he needed right now. He'd been having a hell of a time finding any herbs in Boreas, and suspected the pickings would be equally slim in Auster. Regardless, it didn't hurt to give it a try. Safe beneath the canopies of the immense trees, he slowed his gait until he was lazily plodding through the maze of their trunks in search of entertainment or good foraging. ""

Even though they had lived in the castle in northern Auster for most of a year at this point, he realized that he still had not traveled the whole length of Auster. The farthest north he had traveled was the canyon where they had killed one of the strange mammoths and where he had found Serenity. Anything past that in the southern continent was still a mystery to him. Things around the pack had seemingly calmed into an easy rhythm. The saber cat attacks had seemingly stopped and they hadn't seen any more of the massive larger than life dire wolves since the attack that had ended in Resin's death. The mess of his life with Aranea had ended and now he had fallen into a happiness he didn't know was possible with Eska. The fact that his children were growing older and beginning to find little crushes of their own was a concern in the back of his mind, but in the grand scheme of everything else they had experienced up to now that felt like such a small thing.

Even still, he couldn't get himself to fully relax. He kept thinking about the deadly creatures that had plagued them over the last couple of seasons and he knew he wouldn't be able to completely let go of their existence until he throughly searched Auster to make sure they were gone. It was as good of a chance as any to finish his exploration of Auster and he brought Ezra along with him to spend some time with his son so at least he could justify it for those reasons without feeling like he was being paranoid about predators. As they reached a grove of massive oak trees he split off from Ezra for a moment, curiously moving through the massive, ivy colored trees. They spread out to search the forest for any signs of those saber cats so he made sure he continued to listen just in case Ezra called for him.

As he walked, he happened to catch a glimpse of a tuft of fur caught in some low hanging branches and he looked at it with a tilt of his head. It was brightly colored, a mix blues and purples. With a hum he continued on, but it wasn't even a few steps before he saw more of this fur, seeing white and pink and gold strands mixed in among all the other colors. A male's scent was fresh through here and he made the easy assumption that whoever that scent belonged to was also the cause for all of this shed fur. Sure enough, as he continued to follow the trail the clumps of fur created he ended up finding a very audaciously colored man at the end of it. He was such a stark contrast from his own muted, earth toned form that he couldn't help but chuckle. "New to the warmer weather, huh?" he questioned as he drew closer, picking a tuft of fur out of a near by branch.

Ulric Adravendi

JOHNNY BROUGHT A ROCKET TO A KNIFE FIGHT, HE GOT SICK OF PEOPLE THINKING HE'S A GOOD GUY It was rare for the cosmic titan to encounter wolves larger than himself, and yet here he was. This male, just as scarred and titanic in build as himself, emerged from the woods. There was a brief moment where he pivoted his burly form to keep the stranger in his sight lines, and perhaps in a better defensive position. Muted shades of auburn and taupe, with eyes like gunmetal. There was a sardonic quip about the heat, and a tuft of his fur was freed from a nearby tree. Fuschia eyes rolling halfheartedly, he huffed out an approximation of a snort. He quirked a brow at the stranger, "What makes you say that?" he grunted, and dropped heavily onto his haunches. He shook out his coat, freeing a few more stray clumps of undercoat. "I believe the name for my people in the common tongue is Norse, so I guess one might say I am a bit out of my element." he finally said with a wry twist of his lips. Narrowing his gaze at the strange male, he found himself sizing him up. He seemed to be thriving in this weather, though he clearly was not a native to the warm weather- not with such a plush coat. Perhaps there was a secret he could learn for future ventures into the warmer areas of the continent. "Do you live in the area, then?" ""

An amused grin pulled at his lips at the man's response, chuckling as even more shedding fur flew off of the colorful wolf. He'd be easy to track for miles at this rate. "No doubt about that," he mused with another grin as the stranger explained how he was out of his element. He certainly remembered how he had felt when he first came to Auster back when he was returning his niece to Philomena. The warmer weather and the added humidity in the southern continent certainly didn't naturally fit with a large, heavily coated brute like himself, as he was sure this male was quickly figuring out for himself. But time here had helped, getting his coat to not grow as thickly in the winter and just growing used to the temperatures.

He gave a nod to the question he was asked about living around here and then motioned off in the direction of the pack. "I lead a pack not that far from here - The Hallows. I'm out scouting with my son. We've had a lot of issues with large saber cats attacking the pack over the last couple seasons, but they seemed to have finally faded off now. We're just doing a sweep through the continent to make sure they're gone." He certainly didn't mind being overly cautious rather than sorry later on. It was worth the extra effort to make sure the wolves of his pack stayed safe. "I'm Ulric, by the way. Nice to meet you."

Ulric Adravendi

THE BOY WHO FELL INTO THE SKY, HAD NO ONE THERE TO WATCH HIM CRY Well, at least his struggles were amusing to someone, because it was certainly not a good time for him. "I lead a pack not that far from here - The Hallows. I'm out scouting with my son. We've had a lot of issues with large saber cats attacking the pack over the last couple seasons, but they seemed to have finally faded off now. We're just doing a sweep through the continent to make sure they're gone." the male answered his question with a rather elaborate answer. In truth, the cosmic male had not encountered the sabre cats that had invaded the lands, though he had certainly caught wind of them in his travels. They were usually spotted from a distance, and likely the animals took one look at the man with the tusks and assumed he was a hallucination that wasn't worth the energy of investigating. "I'm Ulric, by the way. Nice to meet you." The celestial giant dipped his head in a curt nod. "Deion. A pleasure." he grunted in reply, never one to outright ignore the niceties of more civilized wolves. Well, at least not recently. He paused for a few moments, considering the information he'd been given. While he was never a religious man, he was well aware that the gods acted in mysterious ways. Perhaps this was a sign, or a nudge from his parents' spirits that he'd waited long enough, and should find something to do with his life. Cherry gaze drifted over to Ulric. "Have you got no capable warriors to aid you, or are you taking the opportunity to escape the demands of leadership?" he questioned with a hint of amusement in his expression, formed by the slight curve of inky lips and a quirked brow. ""

Ulric took note of the man's name with a polite nod. He didn't really have a reason to talk with the stranger, but it had been quite a while since he had met anyone new that wasn't brought to The Hallows for one reason or another and he was generally just a sociable wolf. The question he was asked about having warriors and trying to escape the demands of leadership made him smirk and chuckle softly in response. "I enjoy being out with my warriors rather than pointing from a tower," he explained simply. He just simply wasn't the type to command from the back or have others follow his orders without him getting his paws dirty as well.

It also didn't help that Indigo's departure and Artorias' being away for training with Sirius had left him short two of his most notable warriors, but he wouldn't share all that with a stranger. The number of fighters in the pack still far out numbered the number of healers so had he wanted to send them out to look for the aforementioned saber cats he certainly could have. It just felt better to check with his own eyes. "There's always room for more warriors in The Hallows if that's why you're asking," he added with a curious glance. The man certainly had the build of a warrior if nothing else and if there was an able body interested in their pack then he wouldn't turn them away.

Ulric Adravendi

TIME TO RAISE HELL OR WALK ON BY At least the man had a sense of humour, he didn't take the light jab as an offense. This was an admirable characteristic for a leader, who tended to be rather dour sorts in Deion's opinion. It was part of the reason he could rarely be bothered to seek out a pack to call home, lest he be forced to endure the monotony of chores without any entertainment to be found. A hedonist by nature, that fate seemed far worse than death. "I enjoy being out with my warriors rather than pointing from a tower," the auburn male replied, which proved him to be a cut above the average soldier. Prehaps there was a reason he was in charge, rather than simply proving his might through brute force and dominance. Holding oneself aloft, far superior to the mere underlings who perform the dangerous and strenuous tasks that form the foundation of a pack's survival, was the mark of a leader soon to be crushed in a coup. "There's always room for more warriors in The Hallows if that's why you're asking," and there it was, the man saw through the carelessly executed ruse. A harsh exhale turned to a chuckle, paired with eyes crinkling at the corners. He cast his ruby gaze askance to regard the larger man, sizing him up more thoroughly. Thus far, he seemed a decent man. "I couldn't follow a man whose skills I haven't witnessed, so I believe a test is in order for the both of us." the burly marauder rose to his paws, already loosening his limbs to better disperse his bulk across his joints. "A friendly spar, if you can spare the time?" he questioned, raising a brow. Heavy skull dropped to rest in the space between his powerful shoulders, tusks flashing in the dappled light of the dense woods. Deion Sosicles Aeris vs Ulric Adravendi for Spar Round 0/? Age: 1+ yr Size: Extra large Build: Heavy Skills: Intermediate Healer & Intermediate Fighter Specialty: N/A ""

Ulric chuckled as Deion mentioned a test as he got to his paws, inviting him to a spar as long as he had the time. He considered it for a moment only because he knew Ezra would be looking for him sooner or later, but he figured he could probably spare a bit of time for a spar with a man that seemed interested in joining them. He gave a small shrug, offering the multicolored man a grin. "Sure, why not?" he finally agreed while he began to settle himself into a fighting stance as well. His paws were spaced evenly under him, his head lowered to cover his throat, ears folding back while his joints bents slightly to prepare him for whatever move came first. It was the first spar he had found himself in since the last raid against Ashen, but there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't find himself out on the training field or fighting some predator away from their borders so the only real wild card here was not knowing how Deion fought. He was just as eager to see the man's skills as he seemed to be of him.

Once they were both in place he gave a small nod and then made the first move. He charged forward with long strides and aimed himself at first toward Deion's left shoulder. However, at the last moment he angled more toward the middle of Deion's chest, assuming the male would try to dodge him so he felt like this gave him a better chance to at least hit his shoulder into the other male's if not into the center of his chest. He kept his head low so it would be harder for Deion to get anywhere near his throat and instead when to bite at Deion's left side behind his elbow - nothing hard enough to do real damage, but more of an example of where he would attack had this been a proper fight.

Ulric Adravendi vs Deion Aeris for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Heavy
Offensive Battle Accessory: Spiked leather bracers
Defensive Battle Accessory: Reinforced leather armor
Skills: Master Fighter & Master Intellectual
Specialty: Bard

Ulric Adravendi

JOHNNY BROUGHT A ROCKET TO A KNIFE FIGHT, HE GOT SICK OF PEOPLE THINKING HE'S A GOOD GUY The auburn titan agreed to his challenge, rising to his paws and easing into a stance that seemed to fit him like a glove. This was an accomplished warrior, and one whose skills certainly wouldn't be found lacking. A curt nod, and Ulric kicked off his hind limbs to rush into a bold tackle. A wild grin found its way onto his features, curving the corners of parted lips as he peeled them back from his fangs. Dropping his centre of gravity with bent joints, he spread his hind limbs a bit in preparation for what was to come. Alabaster ripped auds flattened against his skull, vibrant eyes narrowed to avoid wounding them if he caught a stray blow to the face. Plush banner flagged out behind him for balance as he waited the right moment to make his move. A half step forward, and he curled his hind toes to grip the soil. As Ulric charged him, the cosmic giant lunged forward to meet him, pound for pound. While Ulric had momentum on his side, Deion was banking on the power of his hind limbs being well anchored to push back against the blow. Just as the ruddy male was about to hit, he bunched his muscles and reared up. As they collided, the breath was knocked from his lungs in one great gasp, as the point of Ulric's shoulder caught him square in the chest. Deion sought to wrap his powerful forelimbs around Ulric, framing his shoulders with them if he could not get a solid grip around the thick neck of his opponent. He didn't notice the older male's intent to strike until it was too late, and Ulric snaked his head into the right place to land a few solid gashes along his left flank with his teeth. With that minimal grip, he would seek to throw his weight to his left and throw his opponent off balance and force him to stumble. It would involve using his right limb heavily for leverage, bracing the length of it along Ulric's left shoulder to push against. In the same movement, powerful jaws aimed to close on the nape of his neck, lacking any true force to cause extravagant damage with his tusks and fangs, but certainly enough to gouge into the flesh just above his shoulders should the blow land solidly. Deion Sosicles Aeris vs Ulric Adravendi for Spar Round 1/2 Age: 1+ year Size: Extra large Build: Heavy Skills: Intermediate Healer & Intermediate Fighter Specialty: N/A ""

Ulric felt his shoulder land solidly into the man's chest, the boney curve of his shoulder taking the brunt of the impact though he felt like he would probably cause himself a bit of bruising with the hit. His teeth scraped Deion's side with his glancing bite just as he felt his opponent's forelegs hook around his neck, the heavy weight of the other similarly built man leaning into him and putting pressure on him, threatening to throw off his balance. While he was focusing on keeping himself on his feet and readjusting his stance to account for the change in position, Ulric felt the sting of teeth cutting into his scruff, making him grimace with a low growl. It wasn't anything serious, just enough to be an annoyance with a sharp bit of pain to follow it.

With his stance widened to distribute the extra weight and leaning back into Deion to off set him trying to make him stumble, Ulric did manage to keep his balance, though it did limit his range of motion a good bit. In an attempt to use the man's position against him, he tried to make a hard twist of his upper half away from Deion, hoping that either he'd have to give up his hold around his neck or get pulled off of his feet. He could certainly work with either option.

Ulric Adravendi vs Deion Aeris for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Heavy
Offensive Battle Accessory: Spiked leather bracers
Defensive Battle Accessory: Reinforced leather armor
Skills: Master Fighter & Master Intellectual
Specialty: Bard

Ulric Adravendi

JOHNNY BROUGHT A ROCKET TO A KNIFE FIGHT, HE GOT SICK OF PEOPLE THINKING HE'S A GOOD GUY While he did manage to successfully grapple the thick neck of his opponent, and land a swift but merciful clamp upon his scruff, the larger male shifted his stance so Deion couldn't topple him. Instead, Ulric wrenched his body against the embrace, breaking the hold with surprising ease. Rather than fight to keep his hold, the celestial titan pulled back and let his forelimbs fall away from the russet male's neck. Teeth released their hold upon the thick skin and plush fur at Ulric's nape, allowing the larger male his freedom of motion to avoid having them tear any further into the larger man. Toes flexed as they slid away from the autumn-coated man, hoping to catch the skin around his neck and shoulders as they slipped past and potentially inflict some damage in passing. Beyond that, he decided not to push his luck. They had tested their skills upon one another, a brief clash to measure up against a new opponent. Why overstep and seriously harm a stranger who offered him a place to rest his head? The cosmic male dropped heavily back onto all four paws, keeping his head low to protect his throat in the event Ulric turned on him. Joints flexed in the interest of preserving his centre of balance and wide stance, narrowed eyes tracking the movements of the other man as he settled. This had been a good brawl, he felt he may have been getting rusty as of late. Deion Sosicles Aeris vs Ulric Adravendi for Spar Round 2/2 Age: 1+ yr Size: Extra large Build: Heavy Skills: Intermediate Healer & Intermediate Fighter Specialty: N/A ""

And the winner is...

Deion

Ulric must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Deion : Attack Roll: 54 Defense Roll: 44 Agility Roll: 94 Perception Roll: 74 Total: 266 Attack[54] + 10% Bonus[5.40]: 59.40 Defense[44] + 20% Bonus[8.80]: 52.80 Agility[94] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 94.00 Perception[74] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 74.00 Total[280.20] + 10% Bonus[28.02]: 308.22 Ulric : Attack Roll: 5 Defense Roll: 11 Agility Roll: 64 Perception Roll: 26 Total: 106 Attack[5] + 20% Bonus[1.00]: 6.00 Defense[11] + 15% Bonus[1.65]: 12.65 Agility[64] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 64.00 Perception[26] + 25% Bonus[6.50]: 32.50 Total[115.15] + 25% Bonus[28.79]: 143.94