Nico was hanging out on the beach once again with Jack.  He had brought a present with him to show off to Jack.  It was a nest from some sort of pheasant.  Inside it, there was still one egg remaining.  Nico had helped himself to two other eggs.  There were also two real long wing feathers stuck in with the nest twigs.  

Lying the nest on the beach he grinned at Jack.  “Got ya a present.  I’ll let ya have the egg in it but if you want the nest and feathers inside ya gotta beat me in a spar!”  A fight was much more fun if there was something to gain, right?

Nico actually wasn’t sure which of them would be the better.  Nico sure hoped he won but how much was Jack wrestling with his siblings?  If he fought more regularly he might catch up in skill fast enough.  Nico hadn’t played with his siblings in forever.  Forever being a couple of months which seems like a lot if you are only nearing six months.

“Calico Jack!” Nico said all imperiously and trying to sound serious for fun effects, “Do you accept the challenge to a spar with the prize of a bird's nest?”

"Niko"

Calico Jack folds his haunches, sitting down on the black sandy beach as Nico appears with a present. The pair have been mostly inseparable since they met and Jack comes out every day to invite the coyote pup into the pack lands. Some of the adults give them sideways glances but Jack doesn’t see anything wrong with being Nico’s friend so he ignores them and invites the pup in whenever he can. And being the coyote pup’s friend pays off in the form of knowledge and now… PRESENTS!

Tail lightly thumps the sand, as Nico gently puts the strange thing down and his eyes round as the pup inspects it, his tail thumping harder as the coyote pup offers the egg to him. Calico’s gaze roams over the strange thing, noting how the brown things seem to be twisted together and built in layers. He attaches the name ‘nest’ to the thing before adding ‘egg’ to the oblong object. Jack has so many questions, like what he is supposed to do with this ‘egg’ and why would he want a nest? Ah, but his friend calls out his name, pulling the pup’s attention back to his friend as Nico lays down the challenge.

Now, Jack might not know why he would want a nest or what to do with an egg but, if Nico is challenging him for it, the patchwork pup cannot turn him down. Eyes flash with delight as the pup says, “Alright Nico, I accept your challenge. But, when I win, you have to tell me what an egg is good for.” A smirk tugs up a corner of his mouth as he steps away from the nest, moving away so that it won’t get squished under their bodies. Squaring up with Nico, Jack drops his front end in a play bow and says, “I’ll even let you have the first attack!” Tail wags high in the air as Calico Jack prepares to spar with his friend.


Calico Jack vs Nico for Spar
Round 0/?
Age: Under 6 months
Size: Extra large
Build: Light
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Navigator

"Calico Jack"

What would Jack have ever done without Nico?  How could you manage to go through life and not know what a nest is?  Not know what an egg is?  Again, it doesn’t matter how young Jack is or the fact he can only roam about so far right now, he should just know these things!  Not that Nico minds, it makes him feel all the more special for knowing more.  

“If you win I tell you what to do with an egg.  If I win you get to see what to do with an egg.” Niko grins letting the wolf pup wonder why the distinction.  Maybe Jack would have a hard time focusing on the fight if he had questions nagging in the back of his mind!

Fight attack huh?  Nico lowered himself to the ground, muscles coiled watching as his friend stepped further away from the nest.  Nico stalks slowly towards Jack as if he was some prey Nico was hunting and there was actually brush to obscure him from view.  Nico imagined how cool he probably looked in the position.

Right before attacking though he quit worrying about appearance.  Now it was time to win.  “Alright, you asked for it.” Nico took two strides to get closer to Jack then leaped at him, all his feet going in the air as he attempted to knock Jack over.  At the same time, the coyote would attempt to bite the colorful wolf on his cheek, snarling confidently.

Nico vs Calico Jack for spar - nest ownership
Round 1/2
Age: under 6 months
Size: Small
Build: Light
Companion 1: Magpie, Male - Flying
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Intermediate Hunter

"Niko"

The patchwork pup is truly amazed with everything Nico has to teach him and, the pup realizes, this nest must be very important if they are going to fight over it! Calico’s friend agrees to tell him what an egg is good for if he wins or show him what to do if he loses. Eyebrows lift in silent question, as Nico grins and Jack is left to ponder what is so special about the egg. Small body moves away from the nest, so it doesn’t get squished and Calico Jack lowers his front in a play bow. Tail slowly wags as he offers Nico the first strike and his friend accepts.

The coyote takes a couple strides toward him then suddenly leaps forward, all the pup’s paws leaving the ground in an attempt to knock over the smaller Jack over. Calico Jack sees the attack and counters, front end lifting up and off the ground in an attempt to ‘catch’ Nico in mid-air. Front legs aim to wrap around Nico while his teeth seek to bite anything and everything that comes within reach of his jaws.


Calico Jack vs Nico for Spar – Nest Ownership
Round 1/2
Age: Under 6 months
Size: Extra large
Build: Light
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Navigator


"Calico Jack"

Two pups end up crashing to the earth to bite at each other on the black sand. Jack’s front paws wrap about Nico to hold him in place.  That could be a problem if Jack thought to try and fully pin him but it seems like his attacks are chaotic.

Nico is still just a child as well and with limited experience but he has another advantage over Jack!  Nico has focus and will put thought into his attacks!  There was a good thing to Jack’s attack including wrapping his paws around Nico and that was putting his bite target close.  The black coyote snapped his teeth around jack’s neck, shaking his head with snarly growls. Of course, he isn’t trying to tear flesh, just act viciously and prove himself the best fighter!

Nico vs Claico Jack  for spar - nest ownership
Round 2/2
Age: under 6 months
Size: Small
Build: Light
Companion 1: Magpie, Male - Flying
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Intermediate Hunter

"Niko"

Nico leaps off the ground and Calico raises up to meet him, the slightly bigger coyote pup’s body slamming hard into the patchwork pup’s chest. Teeth rattle in his head as they crash to the ground, Jack’s ‘hug’ succeeding as he manages to wrap his forelegs around Nico’s back. He strikes, randomly, franticly, excitedly, nipping and releasing before looking for another place to bite. The patchwork pup growls with all the ferocity of a happy puppy playing with his friend.

Suddenly, Calico feels a sharp pain in his neck as Nico bites him. Shock, despair, betrayal! The audacity of it all! With a squeal of only a tiny bit of pain but mostly, laughter, Jack unwinds his legs from around the coyote pup and brings all his legs up between them. With his back legs, he aims to push on Nico stomach and shove the attacking pup away while, at the same time, his front legs swing out in an attempt to smack his friend in the face. He does not want to hurt Nico but, with his inexperience in fighting, the patchwork pup may come off as a little too rough.

But it is all in good fun! Laughter fills the air as Calico Jack spars with his best friend.



Calico Jack vs Nico for Spar – Nest Ownership
Round 2/2
Age: Under 6 months
Size: Extra large
Build: Light
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Navigator


"Calico Jack"

And the winner is...

CALICO JACK

NICO must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: nico: Attack Roll: 73 Defense Roll: 44 Agility Roll: 55 Perception Roll: 41 Total: 213 Attack[73] + 10% Bonus[7.30]: 80.30 Defense[44] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 44.00 Agility[55] + 10% Bonus[5.50]: 60.50 Perception[41] + 10% Bonus[4.10]: 45.10 Total[229.90] + -30% Bonus[-68.97]: 160.93 calico jack: Attack Roll: 98 Defense Roll: 78 Agility Roll: 86 Perception Roll: 97 Total: 359 Attack[98] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 98.00 Defense[78] + 5% Bonus[3.90]: 81.90 Agility[86] + 5% Bonus[4.30]: 90.30 Perception[97] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 97.00 Total[367.20] + -20% Bonus[-73.44]: 293.76

The friend’s play, their fight turning into a free-for-all as Calico Jack uses his back legs to shove Nico away from him. Short front legs slap out, his paws bouncing off the ground and his friend’s body alike. Suddenly, Jack gets a brilliant idea and with a squeal of laughter that rips apart the peaceful morning, the patchwork pup begins to roll. He tucks his legs close to his body and sends his momentum to the side causing black sand to fly up and out as the pup’s small body roll. The granules force Jack to close his icy blue eyes and the pup blindly continues on, laughter following him as he goes.

Without warning, Jack feels a bump in his path and adds a little more power to his roll, feeling something soft and squishy yield underneath him. A soft whoosh of air from small lungs alerts Calico to the fact that he has found his friend and his body finally comes to a stop as he blinks open his icy blues. Jack cranes his neck so that the pup’s noses touch and he grins happily at his friend. With a joyful, sing-song voice, the pirate pup says, “Do you give up?” Tail wags as he grins at Nico, bright eyes shining with unvoiced laughter as their noses continue to touch, the patchwork pup refusing to move until Nico admits defeat.

"Calico Jack"

The two fight in a majestic and vicious battle.  The main proponent was surely both of them having fun.  Admittedly Nico put up quite the appearance of a vicious fighter but it was still all in good fun.  What the heck though?  The fight turns somehow into Jack rolling over on him?  The coyote finds himself fully pinned to the ground by his colorful friend.
“Alright, alright you win!” Nico waved a paw at him, “If you want to know what you can do with a nest and an egg you gotta let me up.”

Once allowed up he’d head back to the nest.  “This is a nest.” The words were made in his best teaching lecture voice a kid could manage. “Birds make these!  See all the twigs and grass stitched together?  Birds actually do it all!” Echo had told him about how birds actually make these crazy nests. “This inside it is an egg.  Baby birds come from eggs.  They break out of the hard shell at some point.  They start off as goey yummy stuff first though and then magic happens and there’s a bird.”

Nico rocked the egg back and forth in the nest, “the gooey stuff and the baby bird are both yummy.  So you crack open the shell and get a surprise meal.”

"Niko"

Calico Jack lets his small body lay on top of Nico, effectively pinning him, until the coyote pup admits defeat. Then, as the black and white pup waves a paw at him, Cal nimbly springs to his paws and moves away from Nico, allowing the defeated party to stand. Together, the pair return to the nest and, like a dutiful student, Jack settles in to listen. Wide, excited eyes look to the nest as the coyote pup begins, nodding along while cataloging the information away in his mind. Mouth rounds in a reverent “O” truly amazed that birds could build such a thing!

Next, Nico talks of the egg and Cal scoots a tiny bit closer so that he can lay his eyes on said egg. Head tilts in curiosity as his friend speaks of the gooey stuff inside and how baby birds are in there which has the pup’s dark brows furrowing in question. Why are baby birds in there? Are pups born like this too? Questions swirl inside the patchwork pup’s mind but he bites them down in favor of lifting a small paw to tap lightly on the shelled meal. Hmm. It seems like his friend really likes these egg things and he has no clue what they taste like.

Icy gaze moves to the two long, jet black feathers that stick up from the nest and an idea forms. Tapping the egg carefully, Jack thoughtful hums before turning his gaze back to his friend and offers him a grin. After a moment, Cal rolls the egg toward Nico, casually saying, “You know, I’ve never had one of these but it seems like you really like them. You fought well today, Nico. Here take the egg, but I really want those feathers!” Paw leaves the treat in the nest for Nico while moving to deftly snatch up the two raven feathers.

Gently holding them in his paw, Calico Jack, slowly tilts his paw to watch the way the feathers glimmer in the sunlight. It looks like an oil slick and Cal is completely taken with them. Looking to the wise Nico, Jack says, “Hey, you think I can make these into something? Maybe to wear when I go into battle?” Eagerly the pup waits to see what his friend thinks.


"Calico Jack"

Nico really did enjoy making himself sound smart when telling Jack about things the pup didn’t know about.  Seeing the focus and surprise on Jack’s face about the nest just helped swell that inner ego.  Then of all things, Cal surprised him with being more interested in the feathers than the eggs.  Well, each to their own.

Nico clearly thought about his stomach a lot.  With Jack’s suggestion the pup takes the egg in his mouth, flips it in the air and when it comes down easily snaps it in his mouth, cracking the shell in between his teeth. “’s still gooy’sh.  Goo turnin into birds is so weird n cool.”  Another two chomps and the egg, shell and all, was gone.

“Uh, sure.  Maybe take some of that net-like stuff and make a strip of it to wrap around ya?  Put the feathers on that.  So like your paw or neck?” Nico scrunches his forehead considering the suggestion, “net is too thick though.  Can you use skinny vines to ma—” an idea occurs, “oh oh I bet I can find some vines on a bush that’ll be really small and the bush vines also grow more smaller vine near the big vine that maybe you could use to keep the feathers on it, uhm, somehow.  We could figure it out.”  Nico wasn’t sure how but hey there were always more feathers if they messed up the first one.  "Echo can probably do it, he can make nests like the other birds after all."

"Niko"

Nico really did enjoy making himself sound smart when telling Jack about things the pup didn’t know about.  Seeing the focus and surprise on Jack’s face about the nest just helped swell that inner ego.  Then of all things, Cal surprised him with being more interested in the feathers than the eggs.  Well, each to their own.

Nico clearly thought about his stomach a lot.  With Jack’s suggestion the pup takes the egg in his mouth, flips it in the air and when it comes down easily snaps it in his mouth, cracking the shell in between his teeth. “’s still gooy’sh.  Goo turnin into birds is so weird n cool.”  Another two chomps and the egg, shell and all, was gone.

“Uh, sure.  Maybe take some of that net-like stuff and make a strip of it to wrap around ya?  Put the feathers on that.  So like your paw or neck?” Nico scrunches his forehead considering the suggestion, “net is too thick though.  Can you use skinny vines to ma—” an idea occurs, “oh oh I bet I can find some vines on a bush that’ll be really small and the bush vines also grow more smaller vine near the big vine that maybe you could use to keep the feathers on it, uhm, somehow.  We could figure it out.”  Nico wasn’t sure how but hey there were always more feathers if they messed up the first one.  "Echo can probably do it, he can make nests like the other birds after all."

"Niko"