Cairo had first told her of the battlefield when she had met him, and while she had not had the fortune of running into him once more after their encounter, she found herself taking his words to heart. It had been formative for her, learning to battle wolves in armor, and she had been working with Carlys almost daily to teach attacks so she could assist in the fight. There were new rules and the two of them were adapting together as they always did. The raven hovered near her shoulder as she traipsed her way carefully through the battlefield, eyes peeled for a challenger.

Cairo had also destroyed her, though his armored body had the advantage to her plain one. It was time for her to shake the rust off and practice so she could get to the level she used to be at. She stood, stance widened as tail wavered from side to side, just waiting for the right moment. “Are you ready for whoever we find, Car?” She asked her friend as she glanced at her, the bird looking in her eyes with a silent response of yes before she took off, hovering around Rhaegara’s shoulder but a few feet in the air.

"Rhae" "Carlys"

For so many changes, it seemed the Archer-Lyall was taking it all in her stride. Outwardly at least, in her heart she sometimes screamed. Giant wolves, wearing things to protect their hides, cat claws and huge fangs and wings, as well as animals that fought alongside them. It was easy enough to put on a brave face in front of others, but it was still an adjustment. Her strategies would need to change.

Her own coming upon the battlefield was more an accident than anything else. She spotted the raven before noting the earthy hued wolf that lingered beneath it. Her own tail waved in a wide arch, head lifting to offer a chuff as she bowed. The itch of heat crawled under her skin yet, and she needed to blow off some steam. If the stranger returned her bow, what she had always equated as a universal sign of lets play rough, but no hard feelings, then she would move to close the distance between them.

[quote="Rhaegara" pid='192146' dateline='1595817294']

A form came into view, and instantly Rhaegara started to break it down: no armor, that was good meaning they had a fair fight. The woman was larger, carrying about three inches above Rhae herself and was heavier, built to withstand and pack a punch in a fight. It would be speed that would be Rhae’s saving grace, if she had to guess. She offered the woman a bow as well, seeing mutual terms for the spar, eyes narrowing as she made the first move. She lowered her body closer to the ground, keeping her center low as she lunched for the shoulder, aiming to push up a the last moment to slam into the woman while going for a grip on her shoulder as well.

Carlys descended, beak first as she dove in an attempt to grip the woman’s other shoulder with her claws and nip at the fur both in an attempt to distract the other woman but also in an attempt to scratch it. It was, after all, what they had been training for all the time. Words were not necessary as they moved in unison.

---

Rhaegara Ravyne vs Sedna Archer-Lyall for SPAR
Round 1/3
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Medium
Build: Medium
Companion 1: Raven, Female - Battle
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Intellectual
Specialty: N/A

"Rhae"  "Carlys"

If she had to guess, she would say that her size wouldn’t help her much in this one, the other woman charging towards her shoulder while her bird swooped down from above. A hard grin was set on her face, baring teeth as adrenalin began to course through her veins. Two on one would suit her just fine, though she was unlikely to snap towards the bird for fear of breaking fragile bones. Killing someone’s pet was no way to go about making friends.

She would set her paws wide, bending at the knees to absorb some of the shock of the other wolfs blow. Her jaws were open wide in an attempt to grab hold of the thick fur over the other woman’s neck or shoulder, throwing her weight into the blow to try and push her down, though she doubted there was enough of a difference between them to push the other all the way to the earth.

Sedna Archer-Lyall vs Rhaegara Rayvne for SPAR
Round 1/3
Age: over 1 year
Size: Large
Build: Heavy
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Healer
Specialty: N/A

The woman absorbed the impact of the slam, Rhae digging her paws into the ground in an effort to maintain her balance at the other woman’s equally aggressive strategy. It was good. Her knees bent slightly, feeling as the woman’s weight pressed down on her, a soft grunt as she pushed back, Carlys swooping down to use her beak to hit the woman  at the haunches, hoping it would throw her off just enough for Rhaegara to gain the upper hand.

Rhae dropped her own head, aiming to get her teeth into the flesh of the woman’s upper leg, though she knew that if her teeth made contact, she would not grip too hard; it was a spar, after all. While doing this, she attempted to throw her weight against the other woman hoping she could knock her off balance... or at the very least hoping to make her falter. She enjoyed the other woman's fighting style; it was tenacious, and she was a worthy opponent.

---

Rhaegara Ravyne vs Sedna Archer-Lyall for SPAR
Round 2/3
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Medium
Build: Medium
Companion 1: Raven, Female - Battle
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Intellectual
Specialty: N/A

"Rhae"  "Carlys"

The Archer-Lyall should have kept a closer eye on the bird, it’s peck at her back end hitting a particularly sensitive spot, still bruised from her last fight with her mother. Her knees buckled, ceding some ground to the other woman in the process, though she would allow herself a small chuckle at her own expense, making note that one day she would have to find a companion of her own.

As the other woman dropped her head, she relinquished what hold she may have had, lowering her own in an attempt to block as her leg shifted back, jaws open and teeth bared with a growl. Jaw sparing was usually reserved for siblings, but her tail came to stand over her back in a show of dominance. If there was closeness of quarters, she would try to shove the other wolf off balance with her shoulder. This little scuffle was just what she needed to cool her blood.

Sedna Archer-Lyall vs Rhaegara Rayvne for SPAR
Round 2/3
Age: over 1 year
Size: Large
Build: Heavy
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Healer
Specialty: N/A

Carlys had done exactly as they had trained, giving Rhaegara some ground to work with and a leg to stand on. The other woman let out a chuckle causing a smirk for only a moment to fall upon Rhae’s maw, feeling the woman buckle beside her. Still, the woman held her ground, and that meant Rhae still had work to do. The tail was the assertion, eyes narrowing as she felt herself fall back into a more serious demeanor, jaws open with teeth barring that Rhaegara matched.

The other woman tried to shove her off balance, Rhae quickly ducking, pulling herself a few pawsteps back in an attempt to keep her own balance, her own tail curling upwards on her back. It was fun, and it was precisely what she needed in that moment. She made one more lunge, an attempt at her shoulder once more, hoping if she could get a grip she could use it to force the other woman into the ground.

---

Rhaegara Ravyne vs Sedna Archer-Lyall for SPAR
Round 3/3
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Medium
Build: Medium
Companion 1: Raven, Female - Battle
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Intellectual
Specialty: N/A

"Rhae"  "Carlys"

Sedna hadn’t expected the other wolfs weight to move so readily, and stumbled for a step as the other woman backed up. She was quick to recover, quick enough to see the earthy woman’s head duck as she charged much like at their first contact. Last time she had braced and absorbed the impact, but this time she would attempt to side step, hoping that if the girl darted by her, she might be able to catch her rear end with a shove from her chest to knock her off balance in a tackle, mouth poised to grab at fur to help guide the other wolf into the ground.

Sedna Archer-Lyall vs Rhaegara Rayvne for SPAR
Round 3/3
Age: over 1 year
Size: Large
Build: Heavy
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Healer
Specialty: N/A

And the winner is...

SEDNA

RHAEGARA must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Adjusted rolls: 33.6 40 30 60 RHAEGARA'S total is.. 163.6 Adjusted rolls: 25 89.1 43 48 SEDNA'S total is.. 205.1

With no other choice than to accept defeat at the feeling of her body being force to the ground after being knocked off balance, Carlys settled on the ground next to her and Rhaegara let her body go limp to signify giving up. She didn’t worry about it, not too much at least. She was still shaking the rust out of her pelt when it came to fighting, and it was her first time fighting alongside her companion. There were bound to be losses on the route to victory.

After a few seconds, she pushed herself to her paws, a dip of her head to the woman respectfully. “Well played; it was a good spar.” She offered her congratulations to the woman who had bested her. Perhaps Rhaegara should seek out a pack, get some further training or perhaps some armor like Cai had obtained. Perhaps she should seek the man out and see if he’d assist her in crafting some as well.

"Rhae"  "Carlys"

The Archer-Lyall had almost forgotten about the bird as it came to rest on the ground next to them, her hold released quickly as the other woman went limp. She stepped back, tail waving high over her back, easy smile on her face as her lips remained parted, panting from the exertion. She nodded her agreement to the other woman’s statement. Sedna could already tell she would be sorry to see the back of her and her companion. “Sedna, from Ashen Armada... I mean... I’ve barely been there a few nights but it’s home... fer now.” A hint of something tugged at the edge of her smile, but it was fleeting. "Gotta admit, it’s a relief ter see someone that isn’t a giant or covered in armour.". She smirked, knowing she had momentarily slipped into her mothers looser way of speaking and not exactly hating the way it slipped off her tongue. But it was a bad habit she didn’t plan on hanging onto. "Yer usually hang around these parts?"

"speech".

good lord turned his back on me

For the first time, Rhae heard the other girl speak, hearing the name Ashen Armada though she kept her face neutral. The girl was new there; Rhaegara recalled the negative words that Askan had shared with her about Ashen and it’s respective military forces… called them pompous and egotistical, though she did not see such things in the wolf in front of her, merely a good fight. “Rhaegara, currently unaligned, and this is Carlys.” She introduced the bird, though her friend remained stoic as she perched on her shoulder, eyes intently staring at Sedna. She had a feeling her friend had not forgotten of Askan’s words as well.

She couldn’t help but chuckle softly at the mention of giants and armor covered wolves, recalling her first spar in these lands, with Cai. “I have to share that sentiment. First spar I did was with a friend from Valhalla… he had armor all over his body, put up one hell of a fight as well.” She recalled the small lesson she had prior to that spar which had made her more suited for the fight than she imagined she would have been without such valuable lessons. “I tend to linger in the north; my fur doesn’t handle the heat too well… trying to shake some of the rust off my fighting skills too, and help Carlys get used to fighting alongside me.” It had been an honor rule in the tribe she hailed from, companions could not be used in a spar… but it was different here, and so she was adapting. "And you?"

"Rhae"  "Carlys"

Sedna could only assume Valhalla was a pack, there was something in the name that rung of home and she wondered if perhaps she had been hasty in joining the Armada, but she wouldn’t back out of it now. Not yet, anyway. "I used to live near a lagoon," She was starting to catch her breath again, "Armada suits me like that, it’s right on the water."

She considered the other woman’s companion for a moment, "Nobody has..." The Archer-Lyall struggled to find the right word, pets would probably cause offence. "Companions where I’m from... Well except maybe my brother? He was a pup and ate some bad berries, shat blue everywhere and he’s had two crows that follow him around taunting him ever since... But I don’t think they’d go out of their way to help him." Maybe they sometimes pointed him to an easy feed, and maybe they sometimes warned him if trouble was coming, maybe it was never intentional. "How do you go about making friends with something that isn’t a wolf anyway?" She was curious, but not quite sure if she wanted one yet.

"speech".

good lord turned his back on me