Serenity could feel over the last few weeks how out of shape she had become. She liked to blame the strange moon and creatures that kept her inside the castle walls, but there was a small thought in the back of her head that made her feel like being part of The Hallows, a pack, it had made her lazy. She did have her own little perch up on the castle walls where she spent most of her time, all her time she wasn't patrolling or hunting. But she pretended that this wasn't the case, being lazy that was.

She went to the training grounds of the castle, scoping out the few dummies that Ulric had set up. But it wasn't what she had in mind. She gave out a gentle call inside the walls, looking for a spar partner. She hoped she hadn't made herself dislikable with how unnoticeable she was.

"Serenity"
Base By WatermelonCreature

The plague was over now. Avantika was glad, although she still wished that she'd been able to figure out where the event had come from. Maybe it was just like the sun and stars, phenomena without explanation that had simply always been there. But something about the ooze had felt different. It had hurt her. It had hurt the people she loved, too, and that was more important. Avantika would die for her people. Audra still only had one eye, and the whole pack was recovering from their own ordeals. Wasn't she entitled to some sort of why?

But she couldn't stop and think for too long. Time moved on and Avantika would be damned if she'd let herself slip and fall behind. Her skills were pushed to as close to perfection as she could get, but she knew Art wanted the other members of the pack to sharpen theirs as well. She could train them.

She only had to wander around for a few minutes before a call rose out, asking for exactly what she wanted to provide. Serenity was the woman's name. She didn't know her well, but it would be fine. She didn't need to. Arriving, she'd greet the woman, voice friendly, "Hey."

"Speech"

He Knows She's Moving It, Knows She's Using It Now He's Losing It, She Don't Care ________________________________________ She had glanced as the young woman entered the training grounds, but didn't keep her awkward eye contact on her for long other than a few glances up to her and back down to the ground. She smiled gently as she greeted her, dipping her chin slightly with her own, "Hey." There was certainly an air of awkward tension at least around herself. It had seemed like an age since she was out and among the other pack wolves instead of up on her perch or in the infirmary. And the results and effects of the last weeks or months had built up this new found anxiety she never knew existed in her. She probably seemed much different than the last, and only time the two of them really met face to face. "You've come for the spar?" She questioned quietly before awaiting her approval, stepping back so they could each prepare themselves. She had squared up, curling her scruff in slightly with her paws spread evenly around her. But she didn't push forward to start her attack on the woman, instead lifting one of her paws to mention giving her the first move and then placing her paws back where they belonged. She was after all out of practice herself. Walk "Talk" Serenity vs Avantika for Spar Round 0/? Age: Over 1 Year Size: Extra Large Build: Medium Skills: Advanced Fighter & Expert Intellectual Specialty: N/A

Serenity seemed faintly nervous, but she smiled and greeted Avantika with friendliness anyway. Avantika had never been the best at telling what other wolves were feeling unless they told her or were painfully obvious about it. She tried to be empathetic, but she had to think herself into it. It wasn't natural to her. Still, to her, nervousness was a well-known friend she would know with her eyes closed, so she could tell that it was here. She didn't remember too much of the last time they had met, as they had been fighting coyotes at the time. She did remember that Serenity had been at least competent in that fight and wondered why she was so nervous now.

She nodded to confirm what she was here for and settled into her fighting stance, lessening her typical glare of getting-into-character. If she'd established that Serenity was nervous, then she didn't want her to be more than she already was. Avantika liked to feel ferocious and scary and she also didn't want to forget to throw up the mean mask when she was in a real serious fight, but she wasn't aiming to hurt anyone here. Her aggression was only pretend.

The woman gestured that Avantika should make the first move, and she was more than happy to oblige. Her eyes scanned Serenity's tall frame and physique, which was similar to hers. They were well matched in body type, so it would all come down to skill and luck. Avantika had skill. She knew her own abilities, even if she didn't know her opponent's very well. Plus, she had Kaata and her armor mask. She had the advantage. She confidently charged forward, using her jaws to grip Serenity's neck just below her chin, her own head parallel to the ground. She would not draw blood with that grip. It was too dangerous of an area.

Avantika vs Serenity for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Defensive Battle Accessory: https://www.ardently.org/showthread.php?tid=35204
Companion 1: Sharp-shinned hawk, Female - Flying
Skills: Master Fighter & Master Intellectual
Specialty: Tactician

"Speech"

He Knows She's Moving It, Knows She's Using It Now He's Losing It, She Don't Care ________________________________________ She may have almost not even known better. Though she was ready for Avantika to attack, she wasn't expecting a grip to her throat. Though she was expecting some sort of impact so when Avantika moved forward, she wouldn't exactly grab hold of her target. Her teeth would come farther down Serenity's neck as she moved slightly to the right. Avantika's attack would land still underneath her but on her scruff between her throat and the front of her shoulder. Serenity was not really used to fighting and it may have shown well. She was able to defend herself but the only reason she called for a spar to begin with was because of her duty to the pack. Otherwise, life on her own she would have never truly prepared for such a thing, just took everything as it went. With Avantika slightly under her, Serenity aimed to grab a bite on the top of her scruff, almost aligned with her left shoulder. If a bite was successful, she pulled only slightly enough to show what she could be capable of, but not to harm her pack member. Walk "Talk" Serenity vs Avantika for Spar Round 1/2 Age: Over 1 Year Size: Extra Large Build: Medium Skills: Advanced Fighter & Expert Intellectual Specialty: N/A

Avantika managed to get a grip close to what she'd wanted. That was plenty good enough. If she were trying to kill Serenity, she would have liked to get exactly the right artery to spill out her life's blood as quickly as possible. But this was so far from a death fight. If there were any sort of resistance, the slightest hint that she might end up actually drawing blood, Avantika would instantly let go.

She knew that Serenity would probably do the same, and so when her packmate got a bite on her scruff, Avantika let go of her neck and pulled away herself, slow enough that Serenity would know what was happening and let go. She wasn't exactly in the mood to get hurt today, although she didn't mind a rough spar every once in a while.

Avantika vs Serenity for spar
Round 2/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Defensive Battle Accessory: https://www.ardently.org/showthread.php?tid=35204
Companion 1: Sharp-shinned hawk, Female - Flying
Skills: Master Fighter & Master Intellectual
Specialty: Tactician

"Speech"

He Knows She's Moving It, Knows She's Using It Now He's Losing It, She Don't Care ________________________________________ With Avantika backing up, Serenity found her steps forward into her. If she could push her backward and off balance, that would give her just the right upper hand to win the fight. All she could hope for was not to stumble over her own paws. Avantika was a much more skilled fighter than she was, even though Serenity was taller. It was certainly a lesson in itself if she lost. But it wasn't lethal or harmful luckily. Just a pat on the back and a good luck next time. She thought more highly of any of her pack mates to think otherwise. Walk "Talk" Serenity vs Avantika for Spar Round 2/2 Age: Over 1 Year Size: Extra Large Build: Medium Skills: Advanced Fighter & Expert Intellectual Specialty: N/A

And the winner is...

Avantika

Serenity must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Serenity: Attack Roll: 78 Defense Roll: 13 Agility Roll: 54 Perception Roll: 78 Total: 223 Attack[78] + 5% Bonus[3.90]: 81.90 Defense[13] + 5% Bonus[0.65]: 13.65 Agility[54] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 54.00 Perception[78] + 20% Bonus[15.60]: 93.60 Total[243.15] + 15% Bonus[36.47]: 279.62 Avantika: Attack Roll: 92 Defense Roll: 1 Critical fail! Agility Roll: 3 Perception Roll: 93 Total: 189 Attack[92] + 5% Bonus[4.60]: 96.60 Defense[1] + 15% Bonus[0.15]: 1.15 Agility[3] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 3.00 Perception[93] + 65% Bonus[60.45]: 153.45 Total[254.20] + 25% Bonus[63.55]: 317.75