Skadi cracked her neck, shooed away the chickens that had congregated in the short time since her last spar in the clearing by the barn, and then marched to the center of it. She was tempted to see how many of these she could do back to back. With all the running around she did, she liked to think she had the stamina for it. So why not? She'd go until she was tired, maybe run to the battlefield and fight some strangers or something.

The thought gave her pause. Tyrian would want her to go with someone, she was sure. That thought made her angry. Just because she was small didn't mean she needed protecting, but she doubted he would think the same thing about any of her bigger siblings. Especially the big honkin ones. But whatever, she'd show the naysayers by being a downright menace.

It wasn't quite a pep talk, but whatever that was it was just what she needed to psych herself up for the next spar. As she had the first time, Skadi threw back her head and howled for an opponent.

Tyrfing had been attempting to drill his fighting form into perfection. The yearling had been sneaking off to the battlefield at every chance he could get and filling the time between with back-to-back hunts to round out his education. It had been an exciting and busy autumn, though it all came crashing down when the first snows fell. The only winter he'd experienced in his life was the worst Boreas had ever seen - the snow banks were high enough that Fin as a pup would disappear walking out from the den. Strange and dangerous creatures had wandered the world, almost as unpredictable in their appearance as the sudden change in weather. It was a long season, a hard season, and Fin found himself wondering if every winter storm was as violent and unforgiving. Would his parents be okay with him heading out to the battlefield in the snow, when he might encounter a fuzzy death elephant on the way home? Fin didn't think so.

He was sulking along the river when Skadi's call rang out. When not able to spar his next activity of choice had always been fishing, but how did you fish through a layer of ice? Fin hated that he might have to ask an adult for help, but he was considering the prospect when he heard the challenging howl. Many of the viking pups were avid fighters - what if they were all moping around and waiting for a challenge? He had to get there first, before his siblings.

Fin's wide paws crunched loudly across the snow but he didn't care. Being sneaky was not his forte, he could leave the stalking to Skadi who leaped out of trees and disappeared behind boulders.

When he came up on her and saw that he was the first to arrive, a wide grin pulled at his lips but his breakneck pace did not slow. There was no time for pleasantries or greetings or 'hi, wanna kick each other's asses?', not if he wanted a chance at this one-on-one without one of his other siblings interjecting. The oversized yearling threw himself at her with a loud battle cry, leaping out of the snow and aiming to come down upon her smaller form in a giant bear hug to go tumbling into the snow.

Tyrfing vs Skadi for Spar
Round 1/?
Age: over 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Heavy
Companion 1: Black-chinned hummingbird, Male - Flying
Mutation 1: Cat paws - Offensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Advanced Hunter

Skadi stood ready and waiting with her chest puffed out and her paws set in a wide, battle ready stance. That did not, however, mean she was ready for all things. Her eyes widened and ears slicked back at the sight and sound of Tyrfing barreling towards her. Good god he was going to crush her. She accepted the challenge. Skadi quickly fell into a crouch as her eyes narrowed to determined slits. She was going to go down swinging. Literally. As Tyrfing closed in on her Skadi leaped up and forward intent not on getting away but on keeping her limbs from getting smushed under her brother. This way, once they were on the ground, she'd be able to scratch and claw with wild abandon. That was the hope, anyway.

Her back hit the ground and she commenced to clawing and kicking at Tyrfing's neck and chest with all four paws. Simultaneously she sought to bite (grab) him squarely on the throat just below his jaw, believing if she could just hold his head up she could keep him from biting her. It wasn't exactly a dignified attack but he'd started the fight with a hug so, really, this was destined to be a big sloppy mess from the start.

Skadi vs Tyrfing for Spar
Round 1 of 2
Age: 1+
Size: Extra small
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Bladed forearm guards
Defensive Battle Accessory: Bear skull mask
Companion 1: Great Horned Owl, Female - Flying
Companion 2: Magpie, Male - Flying
Mutation 1: Cat claws - Offensive
Mutation 2: Spicy blood - Defensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Intermediate Hunter

It was almost unnoticeable that he'd hit his target at all, usually there would be some sort of heavy 'oof' feeling of one wolf crashing into another, but Skadi was so small that her weight added to his own could barely budge his momentum. He hit the ground with her and the only reason he could be sure she hadn't vanished before his eyes was the sharp rip and tear of her flailing front and back claws against his chest and neck that told Fin he'd succeeded in his bear hug.

Cat claws unsheathed and he aimed to squeeze his arms around her tighter with claws at her back, to deepen the bear hug so that the smaller wolf no longer had room to kick and scratch in the space between them. Her jaws were actively seeking his throat and he threw his head back hard to avoid the bite, potentially flipping their position with the momentum so it would be his back against the ground. He warred with her jaws, trying to find a gap to bite her before she could bite him and hoping that he could handle the spicy flavor of her blood if he did land a hit at least long enough to claim victory.

Tyrfing vs Skadi for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: over 1 year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Heavy
Companion 1: Black-chinned hummingbird, Male - Flying
Mutation 1: Cat paws - Offensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Advanced Hunter

Skadi let out one soft little 'eeeek' not unlike a bunny getting hugged by a python as Tyrfing tightened his grip on her, but she was nothing if not determined. He may have hampered her ability to swing wildly, but what little room was left for her claws to move would not go unused. Reduced to tiny kicks and scratches, Skadi put all of her might into them. She focused much of her efforts into digging her hind claws into his naked little armpits, knowing from experience they were sensitive. Her front claws she focused on the sides of his neck just below his ears where the skin was thin; her reasoning being if she could dig in there and push up, Tyrfing might be forced to haul his head back to escape the pain. Even if only for a moment, it might give her a chance to get in another bite somewhere else.

For several beats they traded tooth on tooth bites, each attacking and countering with equal amounts of success and failure. The lack of success in her biting attacks didn't deter Skadi any and as she hauled back in preparation of striking at his throat like a snake she was as convinced as ever that success was possible.

If she was laying on his chest now, it didn't register with Skadi. In the huge embrace of her brother everything was purpley fur, boy stink, claws and teeth. She weighed too little to toss them around so any real moving on their little tangle was all Tyrfing's fault, which, honestly, had to be quite the show for any observer. Granted it also probably looked like Tyrfing was beating up a toddler, but nothing could be done about that.

Skadi vs Tyrfing for Spar
Round 2 of 2
Age: 1+
Size: Extra small
Build: Light
Offensive Battle Accessory: Bladed forearm guards
Defensive Battle Accessory: Bear skull mask
Companion 1: Great Horned Owl, Female - Flying
Companion 2: Magpie, Male - Flying
Mutation 1: Cat claws - Offensive
Mutation 2: Spicy blood - Defensive
Skills: Intermediate Fighter & Intermediate Hunter

And the winner is...

Skadi

Tyrfing must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Tyrfing : Attack Roll: 33 Defense Roll: 40 Agility Roll: 28 Perception Roll: 32 Total: 133 Attack[33] + 35% Bonus[11.55]: 44.55 Defense[40] + 5% Bonus[2.00]: 42.00 Agility[28] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 28.00 Perception[32] + 10% Bonus[3.20]: 35.20 Total[149.75] + 10% Bonus[14.97]: 164.72 Skadi : Attack Roll: 41 Defense Roll: 17 Agility Roll: 75 Perception Roll: 98 Total: 231 Attack[41] + 30% Bonus[12.30]: 53.30 Defense[17] + 20% Bonus[3.40]: 20.40 Agility[75] + 15% Bonus[11.25]: 86.25 Perception[98] + 20% Bonus[19.60]: 117.60 Total[277.55] + 10% Bonus[27.75]: 305.30

Tyrfing had squeezed her harder and did not let up his grip, intent on making the bear hug so unbearably tight that she either surrendered or passed the fuck out from lack of oxygen. Her claws moved from his chest, scratching across his neck and then, a split second later, beneath the base of his ear. The boy shuddered, his entire body quaking in what was probably the worst combination of ticklish sensation and pain he'd ever felt. Immediately his paws came off his sister, lifting to where her paws sat beneath his ears and wrapping them around her feet tightly to try and stop the horrible tingles. Her back paws had found an equally painful, ticklish, and untouched zone as they rabbit-kicked at his armpits. "I give! I give!" He surrendered, still upon his back. Fin pulled all four limbs into his chest and then shoving them outward, hopefully hard enough to throw his smaller sister off of him. "Tickling is cheating you.. you.. heathen."

Not that she would ever - ever - admit it, but the fact that Tyrfing called her clawing 'tickling' wounded Skadi a bit. It made her want to sharpen her claws on his hide. But, seeing as she'd won and all, it didn't seem very sporting to nitpick. So for now she was going to let that slide even if it did make her feel like biting something. She had just enough time to think about it before getting flung off of Tyrfing's belly. Skadi landed on all fours in the grass beside him. She fixed her brother with a smirk and hid her hurt behind sarcasm. "Whatever you gotta tell yourself, bub." She reached out to try to boop his nose. "Whenever you want a rematch I'd be happy to tickle you into submission again."