The little pipsqueak had managed to evade her mother's capture, but there were questions begging to be answered. In Calliope's mind, trespassing to bring a potential enemy a bag of herbs seemed... idiotic. So why had the guy done it? Why hadn't he stood up for himself? Her mother wouldn't have hurt him. As much as some think she isn't the best mother, Calliope doesn't mind her. She's there when she needs her and that's all that mattered. So why run? It wasn't like her pack was the one who decided that maiming children was a good idea. Especially when her father was practically friends with their alpha... Well, not friends, but you know, on good terms.

Running as fast as her long legs can take her, she is hot on his tail. Thankful that he is far smaller than she is, it doesn't take much to catch up. Nearly breathless, Calliope lets out a sharp bark to catch his attention. "Oi! Tiny! Let up, will ya!" She calls out, a growl in her chest as she gets frustrated by how much endurance he has compared to her. "I ain't gonna hurt ya! Just wanna talk! Swear!" Calliope calls out again, hoping he'll believe her because for once, she's being honest.

"Speech"

Fear had given way to tears of frustration. The tiny boy didn’t understand why the woman had tried to push him down into the sand, but he resented it. The tears flowed down his cheeks, coughs leaving him as he pushed himself into the land of the gulley. He hated being small. Others could just scoop him up and force him down because he was too small to prevent them from doing so. Even his own family was guilty of that… he hated being so small! Was… was that the real reason the calico male hadn’t fought him? Was it pity? He slowed, coughing, just as a voice reached his ears. He spun around, fur bristling as his widened green eyes fell on a colorful girl. Oh no… was she going to try and prevent him from leaving too? He hunkered down, wings puffed up to make him seem just a bit bigger as she approached. Her words barely registered to the racing mind of the yearling. He just wanted to leave now… why were any of them still following him? His attempt to help had backfired… which added to the negative feelings he was feeling. He was embarrassed… They probably just thought he was some dumb pup. A wolf who didn’t belong… and that time no one had been there to save him. Had… had even really “helped” Dusk when they were attacked by predators in the Hallows? Would he have been killed if it wasn't for her? He sniffled, the girl drawing close before a whine left his lips. “W-what do you want…? I don’t want trouble…” His ears were laying flat against his head, his whole display a bit on the pathetic side. Sure he had learned defenses, but when it came to actual fighting he had limited experience… and… and he wasn’t sure he necessarily wanted to hurt others either. "Speech," 'Thought.'

The whine slipping from his lips entices a feeling in her she can't quite explain. Something about the wolf being small and vulnerable makes her skin itch in a good way. If he were any other stranger, things would be going differently, but not this time. No, she wanted to ask questions and answers he would give her.

Out of breath, panting, sides heaving, she finally comes to a stop, nearly running him over. Her paws dig into the soft dirt and her body lurches forward as she finally teeters backward and plops herself onto her butt. If it were anyone else, it would be comical. Giving him a good, hard stare, she pauses a moment. His stuttered statement of not wanting trouble has a cackle practically bubbling in her throat.

"Ya asked fer trouble the momen' ya stepped paw on that beach," Cal comments, her tone dry as she gives her head a little shake, that smirk still playing on her lips. Pushing her paws forward until one is on either side of him and her belly is resting in the grass, she allows her muscles to relax. Kid could run fast for someone with such short legs. "I wan' some answers, honestly," she lifts a paw to her chest before setting it back down. "Why even try to make peace wit us, huh? We don' mean nothin' to yer pack so what's the point?" Her head cants to the side, pale eyes blinking a few times as she continues to stare rather awkwardly at the boy.

"Speech"

It seemed the girl was just as out of breath as he was. She nearly falls onto him, and Gav huddles closer to the ground as she comes to a rather… rough stop. His widened green eyes don’t leave her, not sure yet if he can trust that she won’t try and use her size to her advantage and toss him around. He is questioning things, but her laugh has him frowning deeply. He had been asking for trouble when he stepped on the beach? That wasn’t his intention! He slowly sat up, body giving a shiver as his gaze shifted to his paws for a moment. He… really didn’t understand what all this was about. Why there was a conflict between the packs at all… But… she wanted answers. He supposed for wolves that didn’t really know him the behavior might be odd. Their packs clearly weren’t friends… but… “I…” His brow knits together, trying to figure out how to best put into words what he’d been doing. “I don’t know if it was necessarily making peace… I know you guys came to our pack in the middle of the night and everyone was super angry and fighting…” He let his gaze lift to hers, sadness in his gaze. “I was away from the main area it was taking place… I… I don’t know what we needed to fight for.” Gavroche confessed. The calico guy had mentioned their chickens… but why was the other pack so interested in taking them? “I was told your Raid King needed our chickens… he… maybe he didn’t realize he could have asked, and we would have helped you guys get some…” Gavroche shifted on his paws. “There is enough trouble with other predators… wolves should help each other. We all bleed the same, have emotions…” The boy’s gaze fell. “One of your wolves… wouldn’t fight me. I guess he might have felt bad about potentially hurting me, cause I’m so small…” A sigh left him. “A friend showed me defenses… but I’m… not really experienced with fighting yet... And I… I’d rather help get rid of pain, not cause it.” His nature as a healer, and as a wolf who valued life, came through even in his reincarnation. “...and with everyone fighting, I figured you guys would get hurt too. My mom and uncle can take care of things there… but…” He lifted his gaze back to the rainbow girl. “I… I don’t want anyone to hurt… even if they’re not in my pack.” He had repeated himself, but it was as simple as that. His heart was pure, and even for those he didn’t know… it ached. But was that really a bad thing? To feel compassion for other wolves…? "Speech," 'Thought.'

Calliope watches him silently, her eyes calculating every twitch and movement the boy makes. He was so...squirmy. Like the mice she would catch and keep stuck with her paw upon their tail. Was every little wolf like this? Unsure of themselves? Even so, as she questions his submission nature, his words aren't making sense in her mind. Peace? What was that? Angry? Fighting? Of course they would fight! It was healthy to brawl every now and then. Spill a little blood for the heck of it. The anger part is lost to her as well. Why his pack was even upset in the first place didn't make sense. Their leader hadn't seemed upset at all...

She can't help but interrupt slightly a laugh. "Ask for the chickens? Where's the fun in that?" Cal retorts, another shake of her head, a slight widening of her rigid smile. But then he says something that causes her fur to bristle. Ah, yes, Jack. The traitor. The one who thought he could avoid fighting. For what? To piss off Gilgamesh? It wouldn't do. He didn't deserve to be titled a raider with that sort of behavior. Cal can't help but scoff, her paws tensing, nails gripping the ground. The boy was still blathering on though and it gave her a moment to settle.

"It makes sense for yer pack to be upset in response to our attack. But pain is pain, one should delight in feeling it," her voice lowers a notch, muzzle reaching out until she is mere inches in front of his face. "Don' ya like feelin' alive?" She's whispering now, her voice breathy with a hint of danger. "Avoidin' pain ain't nearly as much fun as watchin' the blood pour outta wound," Cal's head cants to the other side, one brow raised, anticipating his reaction. She knows it'll scare him, she doesn't care.

"Besides, yer pack ain't got no responsibility makin' sure my pack is in good shape. We got our healers fer that," she scoffs again, keeping her proximity, begging to know why he cared so much if others felt pain. Didn't anyone else enjoy inflicting it just as much as she did?

"Speech"

Her question causes Gavroche to flinch, and her response stirs something else within the young winged wolf. Fun? His gaze flicks back to her. He listens, and he finds his muzzle twisting in disgust at her suggestion one should delight in feeling pain. She gets closer, and to his surprise the yearling finds anger stirring in his belly. She might have anticipated fear… but Gavroche can’t abide by the idea that someone would hurt others for fun! He gets to his paws, body shaking. But it's not from fear. He resists the urge to bear his teeth at her. Not like he would win a fight against someone of her size anyway… but her logic baffles him. Much like his own baffles her.

“Taking pleasure in causing others pain is wrong.” To his own surprise, he growls out the last word. “There are enough beasts in this world trying to hurt us without actively tearing each other apart.” His gaze narrows. “The wicked hurt others for fun, to take what isn’t theirs without asking, when they would give you what you needed if you just asked.” He steps back, anger radiating from his small form now. Her words hit a nerve, like flicking on a switch. He bristles all over, his fur standing on end like an angry cat.

“I can live just fine without choosing to hurt others. And enjoy life too!” He huffed. “...and… and maybe it's not my responsibility to care! But I do care! And… and I’ll stand up to anyone who wants to hurt others!” At some point he had started to cry again, tears pricking his eyes once more. He swallowed hard, taking in several breaths. It wasn’t like him to lose his cool like that. He let his gaze fall again for a moment before lifting it back to the colorful wolf.

“My name is Gavroche Kedieo, and I’m going to prove your way of thinking wrong.” The next time that they met, he was sure of it, she would see a different wolf. One that could be strong and kind. One that would help others no matter what. And she would see that was real strength.

"Speech," 'Thought.'

His sudden reaction of anger leaves her giggling. Oh, he was cute when he was mad! All fluffed up and feathery! Her smile widens and tail begins to wag against the tall grass that she lays in. She even patters her paws against that soft ground as he continues to babble on about how only the wicked hurt others for fun. If only that had asked, they would have been given what the wanted. Again, where is the fun in that!?

When he makes distance between them, she raises both brows. Did he want a fight? The look on his face was screaming fury and hatred. Was he not as nice as he claimed to be? Another giggle leaves her as she stands to all four paws, suddenly looming over the tiny boy who is actually older than she is. Her wide grin shows every tooth, nearly dripping drool over him. Taking over step closer, she leans her face once more toward his.

"I think now is the time to prove me wrong, Gavroche Kedieo," Calliope seethes, her teeth clamping shut, lips pulling up into a snarl. As her ears fall back against her head, she quickly raises her right paw. Bringing it forth with as much power as she can, she aims to strike Gavroche against the shoulder and hopefully send him sprawling across the field.

"Speech"

Calliope vs Gavroche II for Dominance
Round 1/2
Age: Under 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Skills: Expert Fighter & Intermediate Intellectual
Specialty:

Gavroche couldn’t recall a time where he’d ever been so angry. Even when he had been scooped from Ethne’s land by a hawk, and almost made a meal of, he hadn’t felt this sort of fire in his belly. But looking at this colorful girl, listening to her giggle and mock good deeds and kindness to just… hurt and do what she wanted, made him feel sick. Her views were eye opening for the yearling, of the way others might think, of what others might do to his pack and family. In his eyes Ethne wolves were good, the sort to help anyone if they just asked. If they were seen as weak for that, and wolves would still try to hurt them, then he’d join his pack in standing up to bullies like this! His green cat eyes narrowed, the pupils sliding into slits. It seems his own declaration has angered the girl in front of him as she stands and towers over him.

Gav doesn’t flinch. He lifts his gaze, ears pinning flat against his skull as some of her drool falls in front of him. She is confident, cocky, but Gavroche won’t give her the satisfaction of some easy victory. He wasn’t lying when he mentioned not having much in the way of fighting skill… but he would do what he could to make her think twice about her ways! The girl before him swings and Gavroche lurches forward in the same breath. Even as it comes crashing down on his back, sliding over his wings and rump, the yearling pushes through the pain with a grunt. It causes him to stumble, pain radiating through his back end. She hit pretty hard! He was going to feel that later… but for now… that doesn’t matter. Gavroche is trying to dip under her.

Gav keeps his wings close to his body, his dexterous paws gripping at the earth below the bigger girl. Head turns upward as his fangs seek to clamp down on the soft flesh between her left foreleg and belly. He wants to clamp down and hold, much like he did to that dumb bear, in hopes that she’d jump around squealing in pain just as much as he had.

"Speech," 'Thought.'

table coding by bunni ♥

Gavroche II vs Calliope for Dominance
Round 1/2
Age: One year
Size: Toy size
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Steel dirk
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather collar
Mutation 1: Wings (Defensive)
Mutation 2: Cat eyes (Perception)
Mutation 3: Dexterous Paws (Offensive)
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Beginner Healer
Specialty:

Flurry needed a break, or better yet to retire somewhere nice and warm where she could have all the men and women she wanted without having to do so much goddamn damage control. Calli hadn't been out of her sights for that long... Had she? And yet when she finally spotted her sister. (It was hard to miss already the girl was nearly as tall as Flurry was and stood out even amongst all the colours of the gulley.) But she could already see the telltale tension in her sister... Fuck. Maybe this time she could do more than watch anxiously though and maybe, just maybe, she'd have the element of surprise. Flurry swung wide aiming to put herself parallel to her sister before she turned and lowered her head and charged. Hoping to get her horns jammed into Calli's sides, maybe bowl her over, give the kid an actual fucking chance. Despite the sharpness of her horn's points they curved in such a way she knew she wasn't about to stab her sister in her charge, she doubted their father would be too happy to find out Flurry had gored her sister in an attempt to make sure she didn't tear the poor kid's wings off. "Sorry about my sister." Flurry said as she drew close enough to be heard without shouting. "We keep trying to teach her manners but she's decided to be an asshole instead. Isn't that right tiny?" That's what she'd called Calli in their first fight, this time there would be no backing down until Calli did. Flurry and Gavroche II vs Calliope for dominance Round 1/2 Age: 1+ Size: Extra large Build: Light Companion 1: Maine Coon, Female - Battle Mutation 1: Water Deer Fangs - Offensive Mutation 2: Pronghorn horns - Offensive Skills: Beginner Intellectual & Expert Fighter "Speech"

Art by Honrin

Her paw hits his rump and she feels him rushing forward between her legs. Placing her paw upon the ground, she lets out a rumbling growl. Lowering her face, reaching out with opened jaws, Calliope isn't missing any beats. Even though she can see he is trying to jump to reach her armpit, she won't let him get away so easy. Snapping at Gavroche, wherever she can manage, she doesn't notice Flurry barrel toward her.

When the impact of her older sister collides with her side, she lets out a yelp of surprise. Stumbling to the side, hoping to kick Gavroche in the process, she turns to face Flurry. Ears still flattened against her skull, tail now raised over her haunches, she flashes her teeth at her sister as she listens to the words spoken. "You know me so well, Fuzzy," Cal snarls back, a smirk replacing the snarl as she lunges forward. Forgetting all about the kid (he's not actually compared to her, but size means everything, right?), Cal aims to wrap her legs around Flurry's shoulders and grab ahold of anything.

Calliope vs Gavroche II & Flurry for Dominance
Round 2/2
Age: Under 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Skills: Expert Fighter & Intermediate Intellectual

Gavroche hadn’t expected aid, and certainly not from one of the raiders. He feels fangs scrap across his back, pain stinging the boy as her teeth cut through flesh. But then his opponent is slammed into, staggering, and he catches his leg in the process. The wind is knocked from him, the yearling stumbling himself. He huffs. Well, if this was Raider was nice enough to help and listen instead of trying to grab or fight him then he would be happy to accept the aid and talk to her when all was said and done! “Appreciated!”[ He barks to the newcomer before moving again. If the colorful girl is focused on the other raider, then her back legs were a free target! Gavroche kicks off the ground, charging for the back left one. Close enough, he leaps with parted jaws in an attempt to clamp down his teeth around her ankle. He might not be tall and able to reach much, but he wasn’t to be underestimated!

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Gavroche II and Flurry vs Calliope for Dominance
Round 2/2
Age: One year
Size: Toy size
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Steel dirk
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather collar
Mutation 1: Wings (Defensive)
Mutation 2: Cat eyes (Perception)
Mutation 3: Dexterous Paws (Offensive)
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Beginner Healer

Bullseye! Flurry managed to ram her sister and she danced back slightly as Cali pivoted and adjusted herself. She kept her gaze on her sister, but grinned in response to the smaller wolf. "I would hope so, I've known you your whole life." Her tone was teasing, but she wasn't about to underestimate her sister, younger she may have been but she certainly wasn't unaware of the girl's aggression and she assumed her sister probably wasn't too pleased to find her own sibling coming to the defence of an unrelated wolf. Calli's foreleg swung onto Flurry's shoulders and she felt her sister's jaws coming in. More on instinct than anything else Flurry ducked, feeling her sister's fangs snagging on her scruff. Oops. Flurry would just have to work with the position she'd put herself in. The woman attempted to step in, ducking her head even further. Then she tried to swing her head up and hopefully into the jaw of her sister. Did she forget she had horns and had simply been going for a normal headbutt? Yeah, she had.   Flurry and Gavroche II vs Calliope for dominance Round 2/2 Age: 1+ Size: Extra large Build: Light Companion 1: Maine Coon, Female - Battle Mutation 1: Water Deer Fangs - Offensive Mutation 2: Pronghorn horns - Offensive Skills: Beginner Intellectual & Expert Fighter "Speech"

Art by Honrin

And the winner is...

Gavroche II + Flurry

Calliope must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Flurry: Attack Roll: 26 Defense Roll: 42 Agility Roll: 36 Perception Roll: 100 Total: 204 Attack[26] + 25% Bonus[6.50]: 32.50 Defense[42] + 5% Bonus[2.10]: 44.10 Agility[36] + 5% Bonus[1.80]: 37.80 Perception[100] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 100.00 Total[214.40] + 20% Bonus[42.88]: 257.28 Gavroche II: Attack Roll: 54 Defense Roll: 12 Agility Roll: 44 Perception Roll: 78 Total: 188 Attack[54] + 20% Bonus[10.80]: 64.80 Defense[12] + 20% Bonus[2.40]: 14.40 Agility[44] + 15% Bonus[6.60]: 50.60 Perception[78] + 10% Bonus[7.80]: 85.80 Total[215.60] + 15% Bonus[32.34]: 247.94 Calliope: Attack Roll: 4 Defense Roll: 54 Agility Roll: 20 Perception Roll: 69 Total: 147 Attack[4] + 15% Bonus[0.60]: 4.60 Defense[54] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 54.00 Agility[20] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 20.00 Perception[69] + 10% Bonus[6.90]: 75.90 Total[154.50] + 5% Bonus[7.72]: 162.22

Her efforts are useless. Battling two opponents was something she had never experienced before, that much was clear. Stumbling over her footing and falling away from the entanglement of the two wolves, Calliope catches her breath. Letting her gaze linger not on the smaller wolf, but on her sister, she lets out a growl. "You're lucky you had the pipsqueak to save you," she sneers, her ears flattening against her head. "Not worth my time," Cal spits, her lips pulling back before she turns and leaves. If Flurry wanted to waste her time saving the enemy, then so be it. If she got in trouble for this, fuck her family. Nothing mattered anyway.

- exit calliope -

"Speech"