so maybe the last time hadn’t been so great, but they’re determined; they’re going to win this one. or at least…try their best to win this one. they need the practice, in any case. but as they trudge through the field, grass stalks brushing against their thighs, a storm starts to pick up. they recognise it as a storm because the wind picks up and the air smells damp, but snow falls from the sky and blankets the ground rather than rain, collecting around their feet. it’s their first real experience with so much snow, and it’s baffling; white, clumpy and cold, falling faster and faster until it’s all they can see and feel, burrowing into their pelt until they don’t even bother shaking it off. it’ll just come back, anyway. planting their feet, Araneae lifts their head and widens their stance, trying to remember the mistakes they’d made with their last fight. icy wind slaps their face and snow blows into their eyes, but they squint through the flurry and scan their surroundings for an opponent. they’re overwhelmed, for a moment, with the assault on their senses…but they’re not ready to leave. not until they find someone willing to help them test their skills, even if it’s in this torrid weather. “speech”

Wylan had snuck out of the family den, and into the storm. He was chasing the snow, giggling as he leapt up, wings splayed out either side of him, prancing and catching. He held out his tongue, trying to catch errant flakes of snow on his tongue. This was a wonderful, if cold world to explore. It made the woods that he had grown up in fresh and new. He couldn’t barely even recognise the landscape around him.

In fact, shortly into his walk, he was completely and hopelessly lost. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so turned around. Perhaps in his first few weeks of leaving the den, when everything had been brand new to him.

He didn’t mind that he was lost, he was a happy pup, and he knew his family would come looking for him if he was out here long enough. The wind picked up, tossing the snow more wildly around him. Obscuring his vision. He didn’t realise there was a familiar wolf in front of them until he almost walked into them. Once he was almost close enough to touch, he stopped. His expression lit up. “Spider!” he said, his eyes darting over the other wolf, and he realised they had set themselves into a stance. “Oh, are you training with someone?” He asked, his eyes glancing this way and that, trying to see another wolf through the haze of falling snow.


WC: 246
Total: 458/1500

"Speech"

Wylan’s winged body appears through the snow, and Araneae perks up at the sight of their friend. ”hey, Feathers!” they call, a big grin taking over their face. ”it’s been a Wyl.” they chuckle loudly at the pun, poking out a cheeky tongue. at Wylan’s question, though, they straighten up and try to look stoic, nodding importantly. ”yup. i’m waiting for someone to come fight me.” they squint through the storm, urging someone to come along, trying to will an Armada wolf into existence - when something occurs to them. tilting their head, they swing their gaze back to Wylan and give him a considering once-over. ”hey, you’re here now.” they waggle their brows playfully, a teasing lilt to their voice. ”wanna spar? you can pretend i stole your prey or something, and we’re fighting over who gets to keep it.” “speech”

wc: 604/1500

He grinned as Spider recognised him, though not surprised. After all, how many winged wolves could they know? Even with the snow falling heavily around them, and creating a haze through their vision. Wings were pretty distinguishable. His expression was warm and welcoming as he cheekily raised a wing and held it lightly over Spider. Blocking some of the elements for a moment. The wind was tricky however, blowing the snow almost at an angle.

He rolled his eyes when he heard Spiders joke, and poked his tongue back at his friend. He noticed however when Spider straightened and looked serious. Taking his cue from the other pup, he straightened as well. Bringing his wing back over to his own side.

“That’s my Rabbit!” he suddenly cried out, his voice outraged. “Give it back, or… die!” He declared, his serious expression breaking as a grin peeked through, and then he was throwing himself at Spider. He attempted first to bat his wings across the other pup to distract them. The move spun the snow around them, and the wet mush at his paws was slippery.

Total: 795

Wylan vs Spider (Araneae) for Dominance
Round 1/?
Age: Under 6 months
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife
Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers
Companion 1: Male miniature polar bear, 25" - Battle
Mutation 1: Wings (Defensive)
Mutation 2: Saber fangs (Offensive)
Mutation 3: Cat claws (Offensive)
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Expert Healer
"Wylan Fatalis"

Araneae giggles at Wylan’s theatrics, then lets their mouth fall open into a dramatic moue of shock. “how dare you,” they squeak, planting their paws and bracing themselves. “it’s mine now - and i’m never giving it back!” despite the claws they sink into the snow, they stumble backwards as Wylan launches at them, slipping and sliding on the churned up ground. their vision is obscured by his wing beats, and for a moment they turn their head to and fro, blinking rapidly. momentarily overwhelmed, they hastily bat a paw at the left wing and use that distraction to slip beneath it, skirting around Wylan. should this be successful, they’d then pounce on his back, trying to tackle him into the snow. all the while, snow batters at their face and throws flakes into their eyes, hindering their aim rather skewed - so it’s likely not a very accurate tackle. Wylan vs. Spider (Araneae) for Dominance Round: 1/2 Age: Under 1 year Size: Extra-small Build: Light Offensive Battle Accessory: Small dagger in hilt set in front leg bracer Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Novice Hunter wc: 945/1500 “speech”

“You’ll pay for that!” he roared in a playfully, mocking tone of anger. He was quite happy and eager to get into character and play the game that Spider wished to play. The imaginary rabbit wouldn’t stay in Spider’s paws for long! He loved to spar, and learning to fight was one of the most exciting things of his young life. When he attacked, he saw that his first move was working, he was blinding and confusing Spider. Now he just needed to make use of the opening! He wasn’t intending to hurt Spider, so his bats were aimed only to confuse, not injure. But they certainly made a flurry of the falling snow, and made everything harder to see.

He lunged at Spider, flaring his wings to the side as he attempted to grab at the other wolf - but Spider was suddenly gone! He stumbled forward, his attack hitting empty air as he struggled to understand what had happened. Not realising the other pup had slipped under his wing, Wylan was temporarily confused. The little pup had used Wylan’s own wings to slip out of view, and the flurry of snow hadn’t helped matters any. It was so thick around them now that everything was white. Maybe Spider was right in front of him, but buried under the snow? He started to shuffle his paws through the snow, trying to find any sort of suspicious lump.

Before he knew what was happening, Spider was leaping at him from behind. He realised immediately that he had been had. Spider had come up behind him! Wylan threw himself flat to the ground, rucking his wings to keep them safe as he attempted to roll. He was hoping to pin Spider to the ground - he was bigger than the double-eyed wolf after all.

Total: 1248

Wylan vs Spider (Araneae) for Dominance
Round 2/2
Age: Under 6 months
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife
Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers
Companion 1: Male miniature polar bear, 25" - Battle
Mutation 1: Wings (Defensive)
Mutation 2: Saber fangs (Offensive)
Mutation 3: Cat claws (Offensive)
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Expert Healer
"Wylan Fatalis"

Araneae’s attack sends Wylan to the ground - or seems to, anyway - and in a fit of premature triumph they don’t realise what’s happening until the winged boy has them pinned beneath him, his weight making it virtually impossible to wriggle out from underneath him. they squawk in surprise, mouth falling open in a comical approximation of shock. snow falls in swift clumps, obscuring their vision and furthering their confusion as they kick out a hind paw at Wylan’s underbelly, panting from between clenched teeth. flakes collect in their fur and land in their eyes, and they blink furiously, trying to dispel the stuff from their lashes. it’s not the first time they’ve been pinned in a such manner during a spar and it likely won’t be the last, and Araneae scowls to themselves in genuine frustration. it seems they’d have to come up with a different strategy during future spars to ensure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. so far it seems their small size is being used against them, but perhaps they can utilise their slight stature to slip beneath larger opponents, turning an apparent weakness into a strength. unfortunately, such introspection won’t help now. after several useless moments churning their hind legs, Araneae pauses to suck in an exhausted breath, trying to think. carefully, they lift a hind paw and attempt to hook it around Wylan’s hind ankle. then, using this as leverage, they aim to flip themselves onto their stomach and buck up into Wylan’s belly with their shoulders, hoping surprise more than anything will shift his weight off of them. Araneae (Spider) vs Wylan for Spar Round 2/2 Age: under 1 year Size: Extra small Build: Light Offensive Battle Accessory: Small dagger engraved w/ "Spider Fatalis" Skills: Intermediate Hunter & Intermediate Fighter wc: 1,506 “speech”

And the winner is...

Wylan

Araneae must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Araneae: Attack Roll: 21 Defense Roll: 49 Agility Roll: 15 Perception Roll: 82 Total: 167 Attack[21] + 15% Bonus[3.15]: 24.15 Defense[49] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 49.00 Agility[15] + 15% Bonus[2.25]: 17.25 Perception[82] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 82.00 Total[172.40] + -5% Bonus[-8.62]: 163.78 Wylan: Attack Roll: 26 Defense Roll: 89 Agility Roll: 31 Perception Roll: 36 Total: 182 Attack[26] + 45% Bonus[11.70]: 37.70 Defense[89] + 40% Bonus[35.60]: 124.60 Agility[31] + 5% Bonus[1.55]: 32.55 Perception[36] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 36.00 Total[230.85] + -20% Bonus[-46.17]: 184.68

Wylan yelped in surprise as he felt a paw hook around his hind leg. He battered his wings down in that direction, hoping to dislodge Spider before they could pull themselves up. At the same time, he playfully grabbed at Spider’s fur with his teeth. He made mock growling noises and shook his head from side to side as he did so. He didn’t aim to dig in however, and did nothing to actually hurt the other pup. “I’ve got you Spider! You're going to give up that rabbit now, right?” he asked, his tail wiggling behind him so fast that you’d think he planned to use it for lift off.

"Wylan Fatalis"