It was strange to say but sometimes Kuroki felt isolated within Ashen, set apart from the rest. He loved his siblings dearly, more than he could articulate but Uncle Plague and Raijin aside the others felt like strangers, a bunch of faces and forms he struggled to put a name to. It wasn't from a lack of trying or desire, he wanted to put himself out there but his Father's expectations weighed heavily upon his shoulders and the moment he put even a toe out of line he was reprimanded and reminded to be better. Above all else. But the little prince was on a mission today, those concerns cast aside as he stomped his way over to the Shrine, pointedly ignoring the akita that followed in his wake like an overly fluffy shadow.

He didn't request this place as much as he probably ought to, this was where all the empirey stuff went on, where it would probably be easiest to find people. Tracks littered the snow coated ground, crossing this way and that and as he inhaled a myriad of scents roiled in the back of his throat. Ashen was a really big pack and from what his Father had said it would only grow larger in time. He grinned all wide and toothy, his long canines barely poking out from behind his lips.

Standing within the pale of the trees he stood tall and let out a challenging boof! There was no use in seeking anyone out when he could make his intentions loud and clear, right? Surely someone worth tumbling with would crawl out of the wood work and help him have a good time, if not he supposed he could try and beat up Uncle Plague again. Maybe this time he'd win.

Malachai sure felt like he had a lot of cousins now, but they were all weird, if he was being honest he much preferred the other kids in the Armada, they at least didn't try to convert him to some dumb god when he just wanted to play. His own siblings had mostly gone off whoever knew where, Panic was the only one left and just wasn't as fun to rough house with her anymore, he had quickly become bigger than her but he was already even with his mother and he was clearly going to be built as an adult, so it wasn't really hard for him to over power her if he managed to catch her... and he honestly wasn't in the mood to try and chase his sister as she twisted and turned, to get out of his grasp. All of which was to say, he was bored! The summon for a fight caught his attention and the boy quickly strapped his claw covers on, hopeful that he might actually get a chance to seriously try out a fight when he saw who it was that had called and- Malachai's face fell, his mismatched eyes narrowing. The boy that stood before him was one of his new cousins, hardly even out of the den if he wasn't mistaken. Still, he was already more than over so many of his younger cousins acting all high and mighty, and this was one of the Empress' boys... Maybe he could take him down a peg. Not that Malachai had any reason to believe that this particular boy was acting all too cocky but maybe just in general. "You called?" He asked, flashing the other boy a grin, already feeling his enthusiasm return. "Panic" | "Malachai" | "Belladona" | "Lurch"

The little Prince wasn't left waiting for long. A pup much larger than himself drew forth from between the trees, tall and looming, his coat dark with smears of blue crackling like lightening down his back and tail. His claws were sheathed in weaponry and Kuroki found himself wiggling in anticipation, he was young and eager, what else was there to say? He nodded so fierce his teeth rattled in his skull, he wasn't exactly sure who this guy was but he was glad the fella seemed game. Not too serious and high and mighty like his other cousins, if he was being brutally honest. God this and god that...yeah sure Oki liked stories as much as the next pup but where was the variety? Not to mention they never seemed interested when he tried to retell stories his Dad had told him. Not even that really interesting one where they boiled that thief guy alive!

Ahh well.

He dropped down into a playbow, the intricacies of his Sire's lessons hadn't really sunk in. He understood the art of fighting in theory but in practice he always seemed to fall back on generic puppy things, it would no doubt take some time before he started to take it all seriously and apply what he knew. For now puppy chomps and kamikaze charges were all par for the course. With a playful yip he bounced side to side on his paws, as though goading his sparing partner to guess which direction he was gonna launch himself in. This way or that? Huh huh huh? Which one?

And then he kicked hard with his hindlegs, hoping to chomp his muzzle whole. A valiant effort for sure, but he wasn't quite used to fighting opponents larger than himself yet. It was a new experience to say the least.

Kuroki Tantō Ōritsu Abraxas vs Malachai for spar
Round 1/2
Age: under 6 months
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Mutation 1: Antelope horns - Defensive
Mutation 2: Sabre teeth - Offensive
Mutation 3: Eagle talons - Offensive
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Advanced Hunter
Specialty: N/A

Malachai had to give him the boy was enthusiastic, nodding vigorously and dropping into a play bow and despite himself, the bigger boy couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips, even if he was still convinced it would be an easy enough fight if only because Malachai was considerably larger than the princeling at least the boy would put up a fight. Or at least that was his initial assumption... until the puppy attempted his first attack, jumping up with fangs flashing in the moonlight but ineffectually snapping shut short of Malachai's face... who was already tall enough to be mistaken for an adult from a distance. He blinked mismatched eyes for a moment, then almost dubious he swatted out his right forepaw, aiming to hit the boy more with his pads than the claw covers, hoping to connect with the boy's midsection, ideally between his shoulders and haunches and trying to only put enough strength into his swing to knock the boy off his feet and bundle him away mostly harmlessly. Malachai Cain Klein vs Kuroki Abraxas for spar Round 1/2 Age: under 1 year Size: Dire wolf Build: Heavy Offensive Battle Accessory: Sharpened candy cane claw covers Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Beginner Hunter Specialty: N/A "Panic" | "Malachai" | "Belladona" | "Lurch"

Judging from his parents Kuroki was gonna be tall one day, but that day couldn't come soon enough! He leapt and he reached, trying and valiantly failing to even get close to his intended target. But he didn't let that knock the wind out of his sails, even when his opponent reached out with a paw, no doubt hoping to topple him off balance. He used his much smaller gait to dip out of the way and continued his forward rush, eyes gleaming and tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. He couldn't get away a spar like this if Hattori was watching, too clumsy with not even a single attempt to put what he'd learnt into practice, but the way Oki saw it well..why not? Why couldn't he have fun and fight his own way when it didn't really count? There'd be plenty of time for seriousness business later, the little Prince wanted to live and thrive in the moment. Even if it was at his own expense.

He dipped his head low, yet again putting his favoured nubs to use in a headbutt that was roughly aimed at the lower dip of his neck where midsection met limbs.

Kuroki Tantō Ōritsu Abraxas vs Malachai for spar
Round 2/2
Age: under 6 months
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Mutation 1: Antelope horns - Defensive
Mutation 2: Sabre teeth - Offensive
Mutation 3: Eagle talons - Offensive
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Advanced Hunter
Specialty: N/A