There was no reason for Levi to have to stick so closely to the Armada any more. He wasn't a kid, a baby that needed to be huddled to his mother's bosom and protected from the rest of the world. And yet that's the only thing Hanako seemed to want to do these days, to kiss and fuss and make him feel even smaller than he already was. It was so dumb, his eyes in a near constant state of rolling whenever he was around his towering family. Was he going through a grumpy teen phase? Yes. Was he always going to be like this? Probably, yes.

He stalked along the riverside, brows furrowed as he took in the blurred sight of his reflection. Waving and bobbing, shimmering at the edges like a mirage. He paused when he noticed movement along the other side of the river, that closest to the Ashen territory. He'd never gone out of his way to meet anyone from that pack, but he knew they were sort of like family, that Sirius had his paws in many pies. So to speak. If that's how he wanted to run the Armada, then whatever, Levi had his own goals and ambitions. Things he'd do one day, sooner or later.

But maybe an Ashen wolf would provide a sense of challenge, everyone in the Armada was slow. Barely even competition.

"speech."

Sitri didn't go far from Ashen and most certainly not without one of his three parents or his father's companions training behind. This time it was the snow leopards that were right on his tail as he just barely stepped out of Ashen's protected borders to walk along the river. Sometimes he tried to see if he could out run them or hide and see if the keen cats caught on to his absence, but he always ended up in trouble after his dad found out and the last thing he wanted was to get grounded. All he had to do was get through this winter and then he'd be a year old and he could start exploring more like his older cousins did—or at least that's what he was promised the last time he got scolded for venturing too far.

As he was walking along the river he happened to look up and spotted another boy that was mostly gray and orange in coloring, almost like fire and soot all mixed together. He also happened to be much smaller than himself, maybe about the size of his sister Seere, and Sitri wondered if he was a young pup or just a really small adult. It was kind of hard to tell especially from the other side of the river. Even still, he hadn't run into anyone else yet today and he certainly was in need of something exciting. "Hey!" he called to the other boy, saying, "Wanna race? I bet I can beat you to the next bend in the river! Down there by that big tree!"

"Sitri Abraxas-Destruction"

Levi's ear twitched as a voice called out to him, bright and chipper, matching the energy of his siblings. He turned slightly on the spot, brows furrowing as he took in the sight of the red pelted stranger. His coat was an interesting one for sure, dappled with Klien white splodges all over the place with no rhyme or reason. He was pretty tall too, easily taller than Levi despite the obvious age disparity. Whatever, longer legs didn't mean he was faster and the little Fatalis did always like a challenge.

"Sure." He agreed easily enough, nodding as he took in his challenge and the petametres. To the river bend, just by that tree.

Rolling his shoulders, Levi glanced to the other side of the river, as his opponent readied himself too. He dug his paws into the dirt and waited a moment before starting his countdown, slow and steady, predictable so that no one could claim he was cheating.

"On three. One. Two. Three."

And go!

Levi vs Sitri for Race
Round 1/2
Age: over 1 year
Size: Extra small
Build: Light
Skills: Master Fighter & Expert Navigator

Sitri grinned when his new acquaintance agreed to his challenge and the terms that went along with it. He knew his father's snow leopards would probably rat him out later for going even farther from the pack's territory when he wasn't even supposed to go past the border, but ah well. It was worth it—especially if he won. He readied himself, glancing across the river at the other boy. He couched slightly so he could get a running start right off the bat and waited, coiled and ready as the fire and soot boy started counting off. One... Two... Three!

With that Sitiri bolted down the river bank, kicking up dirt and grass as he went. He ran as hard as his legs would carry him and didn't dare look away from the path in front of him to see how his opponent was doing even though he was very curious to see how he was stacking up to him. He felt like he was running so fast but it was kinda hard to tell. He was really, really tempted to see how the stranger was getting on, but the last thing he wanted was to look away for even a second and end up tripping over something. So he kept his blue and lavender gaze facing forward for now and just hoped he was keeping up.

Sitri vs Levi for Race
Round 1/2
Age: Under 1 Year
Size: Extra large
Build: Medium
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Navigator

"Sitri Abraxas-Destruction"

Nothing was better than this, the feeling of the wind rustling his fur, carding its fingers down his spine as he rushed along. His steps were feather-light, barely touching the ground as he sprung along, keeping his path straight as possible as he dashed over roots that laid under paw. The terrain was challenging, harder to navigate than the flats of the beaches back home but he liked a challenge and the brief glance he shot his opponent's way made him think the Ashen wolf liked it too. He also liked that they'd kept it simple, didn't waste time with small talk and just got on with it. That it would be over soon enough, the finishing line blurring into view as they charged along. One on either side of the river.

In the end it wouldn't really matter who won or lost, but it was a matter of pride. Proof to back up the confidence both of them clearly harboured for themselves.

His sides began to puff out, breathing coming fast as he strained his neck forward, propelled himself the last few steps as the ground blurred green beneath his paws. But was it enough? Had he won?



Levi vs Sitri for Race
Round 2/2
Age: over 1 year
Size: Extra small
Build: Light
Skills: Master Fighter & Expert Navigator

Sitri was breathing hard as they neared the finish line, but he still tried to put his all into this last little stretch of the race. He knew there wasn’t any real high steaks or anything like that tied to this, but if he was going to do something he wasn’t going to do it half way! He nearly tripped a couple of times over the various bits of rough terrain, his large paws that he was still growing into a bit more clumsy than he would have liked, but he did manage to avoid eating dirt so that felt like a win in of itself. He stretched forward, reaching his paws out in front of him as he ran, daring to look over toward his opponent to see who won right at the very end.

Sitri vs Levi for Race
Round 2/2
Age: Under 1 Year
Size: Extra large
Build: Medium
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Navigator

"Sitri Abraxas-Destruction"

And the winner is...

LEVI

SITRI must give up Totals: Levi: Speed Roll: 86 Stamina Roll: 88 Balance Roll: 77 Total: 251 Speed[86] + 15% Bonus[12.90]: 98.90 Stamina[88] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 88.00 Balance[77] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 77.00 Total[263.90] + 20% Bonus[52.78]: 316.68 Sitri: Speed Roll: 69 Stamina Roll: 9 Balance Roll: 32 Total: 110 Speed[69] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 69.00 Stamina[9] + 10% Bonus[0.90]: 9.90 Balance[32] + 5% Bonus[1.60]: 33.60 Total[112.50] + -15% Bonus[-16.88]: 95.62