Two days had passed. Two days of being alone, two days of fending for herself. Though weaned, that was… that was basically all. Hazel could be glad that the nights were warm. She could be grateful that she had the hot springs to sleep beside, chasing the chill from her bones. There were even enough small (very small) prey animals to keep her from starving. Still, Hazel felt stuck. When you go from being protected to being… not… the world can be big, and it can be scary.

The girl, made purely of rust and stardust, had tucked herself beneath one of the trees that bordered the hot springs. Maybe if she made herself as small as possible, she’d be safe until they came back. Until they came back… Hazel knew that they weren’t coming back. Her parents had simply left without her, deciding they simply no longer wanted to be parents. Apparently that was a decision you could just make.

Above her head, the midday sun shone high in the sky. Hazel was grateful for the cover of the trees, but she was starting to get hungry. Her brilliant eyes fluttered open as she fully woke, and she began to stretch her limbs carefully. One big yawn, ending in a sort of woof combined with a grumble, and a head to tail kind of stretch… she’d rise to her paws in a moment. Probably.
"Speech"

The pup went shooting through the long grasses, muffled laughter in his throat as he tore after his prey. The squirrel was fast, so fast! And the clumsy pup was struggling to keep up. He was losing ground with every step, but that didn't stop him. He was determined. So much so that he didn’t even hesitate when it leaped over the small stream. He went ploughing after it, water splashing across his legs, and then suddenly he was in the hot springs territory.

The squirrel scampered up the nearest tree and Bas stomped over to the base of it. Huffing, laughing, and grumpy all at once. Shaking his head, he started to turn away when he realised… There was a shape under the tree. Another squirrel? He shuffled closer, wondering if this would be easier prey…


"Basilisk Fatalis"

Lazily, the girl stretched and then flopped back over on her side. Sure, she was hungry, but was she really that hungry yet? Maybe it would be time to climb to her paws soon. Still, the sun hung so high in the sky, and it cast such a funny glare on everything. Maybe a few more minutes of rest wouldn't hurt. Hazel's eyes remained open, but she was so comfortable curled up here. The ground was soft, and the tree supported her back just right. Moments continued to pass, and Hazel's stomach grumbled loudly. She huffed to herself, finally uncurling her legs from beneath her body.

Another large yawn, and she shook herself to her feet. Hazel scowled for a moment, shaking the dust from her coat. Maybe she did need a bath, or at least maybe she would soon. When was the last time it had rained here? Had to have been a couple weeks, and it left the earth parched and cracked, dust collecting in the pale parts of her coat. She'd been more and more alert being out on her own, and she caught the long shadow of something... something stalking her? Hazel was suddenly on guard, dashing to hide behind the tree she'd just been sleeping under.

One heartbeat. Another. One more. Carefully, the girl peeked out from behind the tree to see just what (or who) had been coming closer. A soft whine in her throat came before she hid her face once more.
"Speech"

As he crept closer, the figure bolted from its little nest by the tree trunk, and was slipping behind the great big tree itself. The boy wrinkled his nose in confusion. That had looked almost… wolf like in shape. But what would a wolf even smaller than himself be doing out here alone?

As he watched, the creature popped their head around the tree, and low and behold. It was a wolf. The scar markings that ran down one side of her face was very similar to the Fatalis line, but he didn’t have any more pup-family around, right? “Hello. Are you a Fatalis wolf?”


"Basilisk Fatalis"

The footsteps came closer. They were... they were big footsteps. Hazel didn't know what to think, and didn't know how to feel. She could smell him... had to be a him. That certainly smelled like boy. The breeze kicked up, playing in the longer parts of Hazel's coat. The curiosity was getting the better of her... she'd steal one more glance. Just one. She popped her head around it, gaze settling apprehensively on the blue and black boy. Okay, that was enough looking. Should she threaten him? No... no he hadn't threatened her yet. Hazel thought for a moment.

But she thought for a moment too long, and he'd seen her. Hazel's eyebrows knit together as she looked to him, green eyes settling on his face. Are you a Fatalis wolf? the question came. A what? "A what-wolf? I'm just Hazel." She slunk around the tree, looking up at the boy. "Are you a... that-wolf?" She couldn't quite remember what he'd said now, something about being fatal? Was he dangerous? Maybe that was why his teeth were so big. She looked openly at the boy, studying him. She'd never seen anyone quite like him, but maybe that was because he was young too.

"Is a fatal-wolf dangerous?" If he was one of those, and they were dangerous, she should get that out of the way now. It was a lot of questions to throw at the boy, but hopefully he'd at least know how to answer some of them. Hazel watched him at a careful distance, considering her options. Hmm. Well, this was the first time in two days that anyone had even noticed her, and she wasn't really willing to give that up yet.
"Speech"

A what-wolf? the stranger was asking him, and Basilisk wrinkled up his nose in confusion. How could she not know what a Fatalis wolf was? Everyone knew the Fatalis wolves. Everyone knew who he was before he even knew their name. He was accustomed to being known that her confusion threw him.

“Fa-ta-lis” he corrected her, a hint of amusement in his tone. “Fatalis. The Fatalis line rule the Armada” he explained, smugness entering his voice. “Well… I guess they can be. My Grandpa and my dad never lose their fights” he said, confident and incorrect. “If you're not a Fatalis wolf, how come you have markings over your eye like that?” he asked. Lifting a paw and mimicking what he meant across his own face.

"Basilisk Fatalis"

The girl took one more step towards him, head cocked to one side and then the other. It was a slow tilt, trying to figure out just what the boy was insinuating. Fa-ta-lis, each of the syllables in turn. Hazel plunked down on her haunches, watching him curiously. "Fa-ta-lis," she repeated, rolling the word around on her tongue. It tasted funny, Hazel decided. The way the syllables fit together, the way that it felt in her mouth... hm. It was foreign to the small girl.

"What's an Armada?" One of Hazel's ears popped up as she tilted her head. "Are they going to hurt me?" It was a careful question, watching the boy. If they were dangerous... hm. "Are you?" It wasn't even accusatory, it was more conversational. Really, the pup was just curious about what the day was going to hold. Was she about to get the snot beaten out of her unceremoniously? If they were dangerous, maybe the son-grandson would be dangerous. "Do you ever lose your fights?" It was a lot of questions, but she wasn't necessarily interrogating him. Really, there are just things that Hazel wanted to know.

He asks about the marking over her eye. Hazel shrugged. "I dunno, I was born like this. My mom and dad didn't have them though, none of my siblings neither," her tone was frank, nonchalant. "They all had these though," the girl held up her paw, the markings like rings across her toes. Hazel was still studying the boy, curious as ever.
"Speech"

Basilisk wrinkled his nose again, but settled down on his hunches as the woman took another step towards him. “Why do you think everything’s going to hurt you?” he wanted to know. “The Armada is my pack, my home” he explained. How did she not know that, either? Didn’t everyone know about the Armada? It was such a central point of his life, that he couldn’t imagine anything else.

“I’ve had two spars, and I’ve won them both” he said, puffing up his chest, pleased. His dad had sure been happy about that. “I’m Basilisk, by the way” he said, since she clearly didn’t know who he was. He glanced at her paw when she held it up. Stepping closer towards her and glancing at her toes curiously.


"Basilisk Fatalis"

He wrinkled his nose, and Hazel gave a small but slightly exasperated sigh. "I gotta ask because you said they were dangerous... I just wanted to make sure it was okay," the girl explained, feeling like that should have been obvious. "It's not that I think someone will hurt me, but if something will hurt me I want to be ready to fight back." She tried to straighten her posture, tried to look more confident over her paws. Still, Hazel was a gangly pup and not the most imposing yet.

The Armada was his pack. Hazel nodded once, thinking about his words. "I don't have a pack or a home," her tone was matter of fact, just keeping up the conversation. "Nice to meet you, Basilisk." She wasn't entirely devoid of manners, after all-- only mostly. "I want to learn how to fight for real. My siblings were a bunch'a cowards so they weren't any fun." Hazel tossed her head, grinning. As he stepped closer to look at her toes, she held them up a little bit farther. The girl's tail wagged softly, looking up for his reaction.
"Speech"

He couldn’t help but grin as the other wolf let out an exasperated sigh. “Scared I was going to chomp you?” he half teased, half boasted. He already knew he was the pride of his litter. There was little he couldn’t do. If he wanted to chomp her, she would be Bas-food. Luckily for her, she probably tasted stringy.

The other wolf straightened, trying to make herself look bigger as she spoke of fighting back. Oh yeah? Bas figured he could take her on. His cocky grin grew, but he said nothing about her posturing. “Oh yeah? I bet I could teach you. I’m the best fighter” he boasted. “What's your name, anyway?”

"Basilisk Fatalis"

Hazel stretched upwards, taking a closer look at Basilisk's teeth. Her gaze was a bit apprehensive, expression curious. "With those teeth? I'd certainly be worried about gettin' chomped." The pup could be reckless, but she wasn't dumb. She had a pretty good idea what danger looked like, and teeth like that could certainly be it. Still, her curiosity got the best of her... and if things came to it, Hazel probably was stringy.

At his grin, the girl smiled back. Her tail wagged at her haunches, and she could feel an excited fire starting to grow in her chest. "The best?" The girl doubted that, and she did have a competitive streak. "Teach me, show me." Hazel looked up at the already taller pup, making eye contact, front paws lifting in an excited steps. "I told you," the exasperation coming back for a brief moment. "I'm Hazel." Her tail was wagging though, and the exasperation (and sass) coming through more as teasing than anything else.
"Speech"

He nodded sagely at her wise words. She should worry about getting chomped. His teeth were designed specifically for chomping. Well… all teeth where. But his especially so! He was surprised that she would be so bold as to stretch forward to get a good look at them, but he lowered his head obligingly. Letting the shorter wolf see his fangs. He also shifted his shoulder, letting her see the spikey points on his elbows. After all, Halo had been pretty impressed by those.

“Yeah! I beat all my siblings, and dad said I’m the best” and his dad knew a lot, so it had to be so. Granted, his dad meant the best of the litter but no need to tell Hazel that. "Teach me, show me." she said next. And if anything ever sounded like a challenge to him…

He grinned even wider. “Oh, yeah? Lets see what you can do then” he said, setting his ready stance in front of her. His tail sweeping behind him as he invited her to attack him with a wiggle of his brows.


"Basilisk Fatalis"

Bold, and certainly Hazel could be. Fortune favored the bold after all. She carefully sniffed at Basilisk, examining the fangs first and then his elbows. Curiosity got the best of her, reaching out to poke one with her nose... it really was solid. "Your elbows have teeth," it wasn't a judgement, just an observation. Hazel was curious in the way that she assessed the boy, thinking carefully as she did. Would the things he tried to teach her only apply for someone bigger? Still, all practice was good practice, and there had to be something useful anyway.

"Well I beat all my siblings too, that's why they stopped letting me try fight them," what Hazel wouldn't mention is that she was the second biggest in her litter, and that her larger brother had no interest in fighting. What a pussy. Anyway. Her tail wagged wildly, and Hazel bounced once on her feet. The girl was psyching herself up, and she had to consider her attack for a split second. Gotta avoid the teeth, gotta avoid the pointy elbows.

Hazel bounded toward the boy, tail high-- confidence. The smaller girl wanted the point where his neck and shoulder met, though she couldn't keep her tail from wagging as she did. Though her teeth were snapping, gnashing, it wouldn't be harder than a pinch if they found purchase. Her paws were clumsy, but Hazel played it off... fake it until you make it.

Hazel vs Basilisk for spar
Round 1/?
Age: under 1
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Skills: Beginner Hunter & Beginner Fighter
"Speech"

She touched his bone spur with her nose, and he held very, very, still. For all his words on chomping, he was careful not to hurt her vulnerable snout. He did shake slightly with a laugh as she told him his elbows had teeth. It was a colourful description. He liked it.

She beat her siblings, too? Well! Maybe she would be something of a challenge for him then. She claimed strength and confidence, but there was something about her movements that told him she didn’t have the daily, rigorous training he did. No Azure keeping her in line, and snapping at her to pay attention.

She came at him, her teeth snapping at the scruff above his shoulder. He responded by reaching around in an attempt to hook his right paw behind her left. Attempting to knock her balance as he attempted to grab at an ear with his fangs. He, like her, was holding his punches.

Basilisk vs Hazel for spar
Round 1/2
Age: Under 1
Size: Paleo species
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Shoulder Spurs
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather Faux Wings
Companion 1: Peregrine Falcon, Female - Battle
Mutation 1: Bone spurs - Defensive
Mutation 2: Elongated fangs - Offensive
Mutation 3: Feline claws - Offensive
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Intermediate Hunter

"Basilisk Fatalis"

He did fight fair, and for that, she was grateful. If the boy had wanted, he could have poked her in the muzzle, or gone after her... but true to his word, he did not chomp. That was good, they were off to a good start. Bas laughed, and Hazel giggled back... laughter was infectious, after all. The red girl was in good spirits as she drew back, and the spar took them over. It was true, she lacked training... really of any sort. No one had taken the time, and she was still young yet. No one had taken the time, and they'd left her behind before she could really learn anything. The scrapes with her siblings had been won on sheer ferocity and force of will alone.

Hazel could feel the balance beneath her paws shifting, and she stumbled. There was the chomp, the girl figured it was fair game because they were sparring after all. His teeth were a pinch at her ear, and she couldn't help but offer a yip of surprise. It didn't really hurt, but Hazel was wrapped up in the spar and wouldn't keep the sounds to herself. As she regained her balance, the girl did her best to maintain it. She pushed off with her hind legs, rearing up with renewed ferocity. There was a fire to her, something competitive but also wildly playful. Though Hazel hadn't been formally trained, she had enthusiasm, and that had to count for something... right? If successful, she'd crash down into Basilisk's shoulder with her full weight, attempting to throw him similarly off balance. She had to be mindful of his elbow teeth and not cut it too close. Hazel's reach was for his shoulder or side, mouth open, teeth flailing indelicately.

Hazel vs Basilisk for spar
Round 2/2
Age: under 1
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Skills: Beginner Hunter & Beginner Fighter
"Speech"

The reddish girl giggled back, and Bas couldn’t help but grin a little wider. His siblings were always so serious, this seemed like a nice change to the Fatalis boy. His teeth found her ear, and he heard her yip! He couldn’t help but lessen his grip, just a little. This was only for fun, after all.

She felt the girl push against him then, rearing up with all her might. Having loosened his grip already, he lost his hold on her ear entirely as she rose up. He dove forward then, hoping to knock her off balance, but she was already falling onto his shoulders. Her weight supported him. He was laughing again, huffed, amused chuckles as he aimed to push his own two paws up, attempting to grab her around the middle. If he succeed, he would attempt to toss her to the ground.

Basilisk vs Hazel for spar
Round 2/2
Age: Under 1
Size: Paleo species
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Shoulder Spurs
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather Faux Wings
Companion 1: Peregrine Falcon, Female - Battle
Mutation 1: Bone spurs - Defensive
Mutation 2: Elongated fangs - Offensive
Mutation 3: Feline claws - Offensive
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Intermediate Hunter

"Basilisk Fatalis"

And the winner is...

Basilisk

Hazel must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Hazel: Attack Roll: 44 Defense Roll: 64 Agility Roll: 51 Perception Roll: 33 Total: 192 Attack[44] + 5% Bonus[2.20]: 46.20 Defense[64] + 5% Bonus[3.20]: 67.20 Agility[51] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 51.00 Perception[33] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 33.00 Total[197.40] + -30% Bonus[-59.22]: 138.18 Basilisk: Attack Roll: 83 Defense Roll: 78 Agility Roll: 51 Perception Roll: 91 Total: 303 Attack[83] + 60% Bonus[49.80]: 132.80 Defense[78] + 20% Bonus[15.60]: 93.60 Agility[51] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 51.00 Perception[91] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 91.00 Total[368.40] + -15% Bonus[-55.26]: 313.14

Hazel could feel Bas as he moved against her. There was something so exciting about the way they fought. He loosened his grip on hear ear and the pain let up immediately. Between the two of them, this was all play. Still, neither of them would know their true strength, at least not for a while. The red and pale girl couldn't help but laugh, letting the sound bubble up in her chest. Though they were in combat, her tail wagged. She was happy, and truly so. Truly and immensely... all was so wonderful. As Bas took her around the waist, the girl wriggled and laughed. Still, his grip was strong, and didn't give. Damn, okay, Hazel wasn't getting out of this one. He tossed her to the ground, and she rolled. Never once did the girl stop laughing, tail wagging happily. "Okay, okay, I give! I give!" The girl righted herself, shaking some of the dirt from her pelt. "But I'll get you next time," green eyes glimmering, Hazel really and truly was enjoying herself. Hopefully she would get him next time... or maybe the time after that. "Speech"

His grappling worked, and he managed to toss her to the ground. Rolling on top of the other pup, mindless of how heavy he might be. “Na na na na” he taunted, but all in good fun as he rolled off and offered a paw to help her back to her paws. She was up in a moment, shaking dirt from her coat. Bas didn’t bother to do the same. “It looks the same as your coat anyway” he teased her.

“You’ll have to grow bigger first” he laughed, taking a few steps away from the rusty girl as he sniffed about the hot springs. He probably shouldn’t be out of pack lands too long, but this was fun. He didn’t want to leave his new friend behind.


"Basilisk Fatalis"