Bylgja needed to work. She wanted many things: to find an axe, to find the materials to make one, to do something worthy for her new pack. All of these things itched underneath her skin and she could not slither away from them. There came, now that she was accepted, a sense of ... restlessness and ruthlessness. Bylgja dealt with it well enough, picking through the territory, exploring it thoroughly. Here, there were stones that jutted out of grass. She stuck her head down and sniffed, looking for a rabbit's den, perhaps.

Looking for something.

Her tail twitched, and Bylgja heaved a sigh. A herb would be good to find. Or another packmate, one that she could test herself against. After all, they all understood one another; they were equals in strife and struggle. Bylgja pinned her ears back and gazed across the horizon, tail swaying slightly as she closed her eyes a bit to take in the wind. And then she called, a long, low howl: "Packmates!" Not too far. Her call wouldn't extend across the whole territory. It would only alert those who were in the immediate area, within that key healing range. "Join me!"

The weather was lovely. It would, Bylgja decided, be a shame to miss out on a chance to bond in this prime hour. "I wish for a spar, or a hunt! Come, shield-kin!"

Packmates. The surly Thrall wasn’t entirely certain that title belonged to him. But he also didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to practise. Improvement was the only thing that was going to get him out of this predicament. Skill, knowledge, and practice. He put aside his crafting supplies, and made his way towards the caller.

It wasn’t a voice he recognised, but that didn’t surprise him at all. He hadn’t spent any time mingling with the wolves of Heiðinn. First, because he had not intended to stay long. And second, because all his free time after he had decided to give this a go had been spent with Delphi. He trotted into view, his cold eyes glancing across the colourful wolf. "Vill du slåss?"


"Speech"

Bylgja's ear flicked sharply as she heard a voice -- ah! Yes. Excellent. Her head swung. The large woman turned amicably to face the youth that approached her. She'd not seen him prior to this particular meeting, mind, but Bylgja didn't seem to care too much at all about that. If she knew his rank, she certainly said nothing about it. Why would she? She had, after all, called her packmates, and a Thrall was still a packmate despite their position. So! As the boy approached, Bylgja lowered her head and spread her front paws, lips twitching up into a pleasant but broad smile. The weather was nice. Nice for a fight. "I wish to battle!" The assertation comes from her, bold, strong. Bylgja drags a paw in the grass and dips her head to him, just a little. Enough to let him know that he's got first move. She wants to see what he's got, and she wants to have a good time, and that's about all she's thinking of. "Bylgja"

Bylgja vs Astraios for Spar
Round 0/?
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Intermediate Healer

He didn’t have much going for him height-wise. Not yet, anyway. He knew his fighting style would change as he grew, but for now he had to plan carefully. So far, any fights he had taken on against adults hadn’t gone in his favour. Certainly the fjándi, Vidarr had wiped the floor with him multiple times already.

He stared back at the pack wolf as she inclined her head at him. Giving nothing away, before bunching his muscles a split second before he surged forward. In that first step, he extended his elongated claws. After closing the distance between them, he raised a paw to swipe at her right foreleg as he aimed to continue past it. Opting for speed and agility against his larger foe.

Astraios vs Bylgja for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: Under one
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Small dagged with sheath
Defensive Battle Accessory: Protective bracers
Companion 1: Snowy Owl, Male, Battle
Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Male, 25"
Mutation 1: Cheek Bone Spurs (Defensive)
Mutation 2: Retractable Claws (Offensive)
Skills: Expert Fighter & Advanced Hunter

"Speech"

Her opponent wasn't too big yet, but Bylgja could tell that he would be, soon. She eyed him curiously as he looked at her. The boy looked rather strange, didn't he? Not that she was judgemental of him, though. All that meant was-- Ah! Her opponent moved. Astraios closed the distance, and his claws caught her, alright. Bylgja didn't so much as think. As he scratched her, splitting her skin, sending blood against her coat, Bylgja turned with him. The boy's charge carried him past, and he tried to use his agility, but Bylgja swung to follow and lunged for his rear, aiming to catch his tail within her teeth and gain control of his positioning that way. This was precisely what she'd been looking for. Bylgja felt exhilarated. A new opponent, with additions she had never seen before! Yes, that was just perfect, if one was to ask her. And sure, the tail was a small target, but maybe she'd overshoot and just bite his ass, you know? She couldn't be sure until it happened. She's not really thinking at all, in the moment: just focusing on the delight of having found something new. "Bylgja"

Bylgja vs Astraios for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Intermediate Healer

Astraios felt the satisfying split of skin beneath his claws as his initial attack struck. He had little time to savour his victory, before he felt a tug that brought his retreat to a sudden stop. He let out a snarl of pain at the pull on his tail - most of the pain coming from his own momentum.

He turned his head, digging his claws into the earth for leverage as he attempted to scrap his bone spurs across the side of her body. The light blue spikes protruding from his cheeks had gotten him out of trouble many times. At the same moment, he used the leverage of his claws to attempt to propel himself forward. If the shock of his spurs biting her skin gave her any surprise, he wanted to use it to free himself from her fangs.


Astraios vs Bylgja for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: Under one
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Small dagged with sheath
Defensive Battle Accessory: Protective bracers
Companion 1: Snowy Owl, Male, Battle
Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Male, 25"
Mutation 1: Cheek Bone Spurs (Defensive)
Mutation 2: Retractable Claws (Offensive)
Skills: Expert Fighter & Advanced Hunter

"Speech"

Bylgja wondered if he felt the same sense of appreciation at the fight as she did. Maybe he did -- the kid seemed to have a fighter's spirit, at least, which was uplifting to say the least. The woman huff-laughed against his tail as he was jerked to a stop, skidding with the force of momentum. Huh. Maybe that hurt more than she thought it had. But she wasn't sure.

When the kid spun around, Bylgja did indeed release him, but the noise she made as spur contacted her cheek was not an angry snarl. It was, instead, a whooping cry of satisfaction at having discovered yet another strange thing about her opponent. Her tail wagged, but the wagging tail didn't stop her motion. Bylgja lunged forward to try and catch the boy by his back right leg before he could sprint away, relying on his own motion once again. Sure, he'd scored a hit, but Bylgja figured she could at least snap her jaws down on his leg and toss him over on his back in the snow.

"Bylgja"

Bylgja vs Astraios for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Large
Build: Medium
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Intermediate Healer

And the winner is...

Bylgja

Astraios must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Bylgja: Attack Roll: 80 Defense Roll: 51 Agility Roll: 79 Perception Roll: 51 Total: 261 Attack[80] + 5% Bonus[4.00]: 84.00 Defense[51] + 15% Bonus[7.65]: 58.65 Agility[79] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 79.00 Perception[51] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 51.00 Total[272.65] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 272.65 Astraios: Attack Roll: 19 Defense Roll: 21 Agility Roll: 67 Perception Roll: 77 Total: 184 Attack[19] + 65% Bonus[12.35]: 31.35 Defense[21] + 20% Bonus[4.20]: 25.20 Agility[67] + 5% Bonus[3.35]: 70.35 Perception[77] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 77.00 Total[203.90] + 20% Bonus[40.78]: 244.68

Predictably, but annoyingly, the larger and older wolf won. He reflected on that as he found himself on his back, looking up at the sky. He wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened. He found pressure on his leg as she had grabbed it - and the next thing he knew, half the breath was knocked out of him. Strai was yet to beat anyone older than him, and was frustrated with how slowly he was growing. The world was an awful place, and he needed to be big enough to face it now not in some distant future.

He relaxed his stance with a scowl, and nodded his head to his opponent. “The match is yours” He said, glad that there had been no terms set for the fight. At least he had seen her fighting style, and hopefully learnt something new.


"Speech"