Duskfire Glacier Equivalence

@Esaro

Returning from his jaunt in a northwest roundtrip from the grotto, Warbone grumpily picked his way back towards Sleeping Dragon. His mood— despite the fairly clear day— had less to do with the trip in itself, and more to do with his his muddy legs and underbelly. The glacierland was swampy with snowmelt in some places, and he had had the unfortunate pleasure of trudging through such spots twice and in the soft underfoot, he had sank once up to his chest on his return journey. He was irritated, to say the least, egged on by the fact that he was traveling high instead of his preferred haunt of the lowlands. Usually he plodded around, but he was interested in finding a quicker route through the small range, should it prove necessary to use once or twice.

And by going this way, he was still avoiding the breach of an agreement settled between his pack and the wolves of Phoenix Maplewood, that his path would remain above the river.

Today's adventure was motivated by his will to find a way to learn how to fight. Esaro got to spend a little time thinking and figured that maybe there was someone near the Sleeping Dragon he could challenge. The logical went like this: The Sleeping dragons were a pack of good fighters so that meant there should also be fighters close by too. What he believed is that wolves challenge to learn. The idea was encouraged by Tavi based on the last time he saw her. As he thought on it a little, he hasn't seen her in a while. He wondered where she was spending her time.

He moved north as he followed the river. He kept climbing upwards as he moved up in a straight path. It got colder that even snow was able to stick around. He came across an opening which had a quite a bit of melted snow all around. He stopped for a moment as he just realized that the river he was following was no longer around. Did he go too far? Where exactly was he? He around at his surroundings. Up high that's for sure, he was able to get a good view of the path he came up from. He started to worry a little. There is no river here so did the agreement apply here too. Distracted by the thought he was little aware of his surroundings.

Warbone traveled to where he knew water would be. His desire to bathe was pertinent, and he didn't want to make it all the way to Dragon territory before de-griming himself. The mud was already beginning to dry, making his steps noticeable stiffer and all the more irritating. He found himself pausing as scent reached him then, but marginally unconcerned, he continued to tread forward without shortening his lope. A younger, less mindful wolf occupied the area, and Warbone was nearly upon him before he realized the boy wasn't paying attention at all.

"A wolf with no sense deserves no life," he mused, frowning at the wolf's averagely toned back. It was advice, more than a threat, but it was difficult to tell with the impassivity of his expression and the dullness of his eyes.  "Or are you pretending to be a rock?"

He started to hesitate. Maybe he shouldn't be up here. He really didn't want to get into trouble again. But before he could take a step back down there was a voice directed towards him from behind. Esaro quickly turned around to face the stranger. The scent attached to the wolf was similar to that of the dark female he recently saw. It was most likely a wolf from the Sleeping Dragon. This one didn't look nice and felt a little threatening. Esaro came up with the conclusion that the wolf was likely a fighter.

Esaro stood there unsure how to react since he didn't actually understand what was said. He responded in a confused voice. "Um, no?" He felt like turning away be he managed to convince himself to stay. Unlike last time, he wasn't ambushed and beaten down. Did that mean he was not breaking any agreements or was he simply being tolerated. Still he started getting a little nervous. He may have been looking for a way to fight someone but he was afraid of bring more problems than that. He spoke nervously "I'm not breaking any agreements right?"

Anxious eyes and quivering nostrils whisked towards him, facing the barbarous male in disarming weakness. Warbone felt even less inclination now to teach the boy what happened to those that weren't aware of their surrounding, so he just stood there lankly. Though, even in the male most relaxed posture, there was still something vaguely threatening about him. "Not that I am aware of," he drawled, glancing to the left, and then to the right, as if to remind himself of exactly where they were before his pale eyes rolled leisurely back towards the other wolf.

He was only faintly familiar with the scent of the Phoenix wolves, but he no longer needed to confirm where the male was from by his given statement. To his knowledge, the Dragons only had an agreement with the Maplewoods— the stranger's question was enough to place him as a member of their ranks. Warbone didn't say anything at first, only appraised him with a critically bored eye, finding every general source of weakness in the male, even in the way he stood. The caustic male lifted his head slightly. "If you were uncertain," he droned suddenly, then pausing, "about whether or not this was a restricted area to your pack... then why are you up here?"

Warbone canted his head, his tone serious and his grey mask darkening. "I suppose you may have a deathwish, but I must also consider that you are... up to something."

Esaro was glad to know what he wasn't breaking any agreements here. Obviously he was safe from that but the wolf before him made it feel like there was still a problem. He couldn't think of any possible problems, maybe he was just overthinking this time. If there really isn't any problems then that meant he could possibly ask to fight. He'd only do it if he knows he wouldn't get in trouble. It was kind of hard to believe asking for a harmless fight would actually work. For some reason he had the impression that if he asked he would get destroyed.

It's decided! He was going to turn and leave! If only that was possible. For some reason he was here and to add to that he came here without knowing the risk he was taking. Why would he come here while being uncertain? Surely there was a reason for him to be here, just not a good one. So Esaro stayed put, but he was feeling quite intimidated. Although nervous he was trying to stay calm. "Uh, I. Um." He couldn't get the words he wanted.

Esaro did manage to speak up a little after the male started to suspect him of being up to something. "No-no, I'm not up to anything, Honest! Uh but since it's okay here could I, like um, try to fight you maybe?.." He said slowly fading to soft unsure voice. But then he rose he head. "I mean as long as no one gets in trouble!"

If Warbone were inclined to laughter, he might have in the moment that the verbally-bumbling wolf asked to fight him. But as it were, the gladiator merely managed a mildly surprised look, wolfish brows lifting for a long moment. And then his face relaxed, returning to its typical deadpan expression. It was another long moment before he spoke again, and if he had been any sort of impressed before, it certainly didn't appear to be the case now. "Wolves fight to kill," he said, letting the naive fellow know what he was asking for. "And we spar to learn." He paused again, letting the definitions of both weigh on the boy before asking: "so do you want to die, or do you want to learn?"

It was hard to figure out what was really going on in the male's mind. Sure there was a slight change when Esaro asked if he could fight but that just stressed him out. The silence felt long and a little awkward. Esaro just stood there feeling more and more unsure of himself. He asked to fight and there wasn't much of a reaction. It made him really wonder if he was asking properly or maybe he was just doing all this the wrong way.

The brownish male finally spoke, giving Esaro some important details. He had always thought that the only way to really learn was to fight for real. That was the idea he got from Tavi. Knowing that somewhere along the line he had messed up somewhere he starting speaking quietly "I, only wanted to learn. I was told that I had to challenge someone in order to learn to fight. I always known that I might not win but I didn't count on dying."

Golden eyes peered at Warbone imploringly. The only thing certain about the teenager was how uncertain he seemed to be about everything. Ignoring the boy's nervousness, he licked his chops thoughtfully, his eyes flickering away briefly in the dim afternoon light. "Whoever told you that intended for great harm to become of you," he said in a voice filled with dread. Warbone had become particularly aware at that point that this wolf's weaknesses were not only physical, but in the very bonds he shared with those closest to him. The young male had obviously trusted the word given to him, but it had been foul advice. A slight towards his very life. "You should not trust that wolf, if you do not... count on dying." The phrase was thrown back at the no-name wolf with distaste, and it would undoubtedly come back to haunt him in the very near future.

He decided against departing; there was a lesson to be taught here. And it wasn't that the brute felt pitied him anymore (because at first he did), he had simply become aware that this particular wolf had not been raised among the savage. The least he could do was acknowledge it, and pass on what he knew for lack of his own children to teach. He cared very little for the weak, but he disapproved greatly of sending one unknowingly abound to their uncertain death. What had been that wolf's reason for not doing the deed herself?

"Come," he spoke abruptly, snaking his body into a curve and padding towards the descending slopes of Duskfire. He seemed to care little if the boy obeyed or not, but if he had, then he would be led to plateau of leveler ground with room enough for several wolves to run track.

Esaro didn't really want to believe that Tavi did want him to get hurt. He had always figured that she was indirectly trying to help him by treating him so poorly. He did guess that maybe she didn't have time to teach him so he had to go somewhere else to learn. All he could really remember was her telling him to challenge the Sleeping Dragon if he really wanted to learn to fight. He never imagined that Tavi would want him 'dead' or something like that. Right now he just didn't know what to believe. It was getting hard to tell what the pack really thought of him.

He pushed the thoughts aside, he didn't want to think of what was really going on there. But right now the wolf before him seemed to be nicer than he appeared, or that was the impression. The idea of running didn't stick around for long, instead Esaro followed the male. Since he didn't have any idea where they could be going, he stay a little bit behind the other. "Where are we going?" He immediately asked.

Esaro's habit of easily trusting others continued to do it's work. The stranger seemed more like he was trying to guide Esaro a little, which was enough to get Esaro to trust him. "Um, I'm Esaro. I guess you might already know which pack I come from." He said as he followed.

"You are going where I take you, since you chose to follow without asking first," the brute replied languidly, being obstinate if only because the young male obviously needed some home training— and some sense of wariness. It would seem his nervousness did not stop him from being stupid. Were he a snakier wolf, this could be the last time Esaro was ever seen again. And whoever had sent him out here to challenge whatever wild wolf he came across, certainly wouldn't miss him.

"Esaro, from whatever pack," he said to himself, not admitting that he knew he was a Phoenix wolf if only because he did not like assumptions made of himself. "I am Warbone, from Sleeping Dragon." He talked slow, purposefully, each word enunciated and every syllable like water. His pace was slow too, and they made an unhurried beeline for the plateau he knew of. Arriving, he stepped out into the open space, and turned to face Esaro. "Well?" he snapped after a long silence, watching the boy expectantly.

He had come for a fight, hadn't he?

Esaro had only followed because he believed to have something to gain from it. He wasn't even aware that there was the possibility that he could be getting tricked here too. Esaro continued to follow without knowing where he was really going. The male said his name but didn't seem to have figured out which pack Esaro was from. He spoke to correct that. "Sorry, I'm from Phoenix Maplewood." It was a little surprising but Esaro figured that the male was possibly new and didn't exactly know for sure or something like that.

When Warbone introduced himself Esaro responded. "Um, Nice to meet you uh Warbone." He said, repeating the way the other said the name. Soon afterwards the two wolves came upon an open space. Warbone turned to face Esaro and after a long silence he realized that the male was expecting something. "Uhh." Esaro looked around unsure of what he was suppose to do. Was he suppose to do something right now? He kept looking at his surroundings for a hint instead of paying attention to the one who was trying to teach him.

It was an exasperated Warbone that attacked Esaro in the instant he realized the boy wasn't going to get it— and an exasperated Warbone was a degree harsher than an educational Warbone. He bounded forward, closing the space between them that he had previously created in the warring charge of a stag. Jaws wide, he sought to overcome the (probably surprised) boy by sheer weight, and get a hold of the back of his neck. His choice of target was purely for demeaning purposes, as Warbone was a firm believer that the very last time a wolf should be able to keep ahold of the back of ones neck should be during childhood, and even then, only by their own mother.

If Esaro did not manage to elude him, he would grasp his ruff and attempt to force him to the ground.

While Esaro was looking around Warbone made the first move. The moment there was movement Esaro's eyes turned to face it. There was a flash back of when Thuringwethil had attacked him, scaring him and making his heart beat much faster. He felt like his life was on the line again. This time there was no second chance no matter what he did. Everything moved so slow as he watched Warbone approach. Esaro didn't have the heart to fight back, unless, he tries to stop the attacker. That should definitely save him.

Esaro stepped back obviously afraid but he was determined to stop the other. Getting on top of the other wolf should allow him to hold the male down. He pushed up with his front legs to make himself stand on two legs then he would attempt bring down Warbone once he starts going back down. Esaro didn't really think about it but he was completely exposed and if Warbone took advantage of the fact that Esaro stood he could easily knock him down. Esaro would either fall to the ground or on Warbone.

Though he shied at first from the charge, Esaro did a surprising thing and reared up to gain leverage on the larger wolf; but this was never a tactic that wolves lighter than their opponent should go for. Warbone easily outweighed the Phoenix wolf, and though he could hinder him, there wasn't much damage or pressure that he could apply from the top for a win here. A smaller wolf's best bet was to always go low. Such a tactic had worked in his fight with the mountainous Dante, but he would not need such maneuvers with a male as inexperienced as this.

Instead of doing the expected thing, which would have been to bowl under him and simply knock the boy off balance, Warbone decided to display that he was quicker than he appeared, and he lurched backwards. If he judged it right, Esaro's forepaws would miss the bulk of him, and his grip would be small if not completely nonexistent. Warbone sought to use superior power to overwhelm him, displaying that if he wanted to win fights, he either needed to be stronger, or smarter. His jaws opened wide, and he began buffeting the male, in a good position to get a hold of the side of his exposed neck and shoulder. His bites were a lesson: harsh in their grazes, but not drawing blood.

Esaro's attempt to pin down Warbone had completely failed. He only realized that jumping up was not the best choice after landing right in front of his opponent. Esaro ended up getting a little confused, he never thought that the other would simply step back. Now he was exposed and unable to doing anything before Warbone landed his jaws onto Esaro's neck several times. He was just to step back to avoid as much as possible but he simply couldn't escape it in his position. "S-Stop!" Esaro no longer believed he could stop the male so he made a desperate attempt to just order it. He didn't really think that would actually stop the other but he felt cornered. Yet Esaro did not want to run. If he wanted to learn from this he needed stay.

Esaro wanted to start over, all he needed to do was try and get some distance in between before trying anything else.

Warbone didn't relent on command, but rather, several bites moments later, once his irritation had been sufficiently abated by Esaro's relenting posture. The wolf pranced backwards, lifting his muzzle and giving it a relieving shake from the tenseness that had set in his jaws while dominating the boy. Licking his chops, he peered down at the Phoenix wolf and wagged his tail slowly in the quiet moments following the brunt of his attack. "Done already?" he asked plaintively, perhaps teasing, but the lack of tone in his voice made it difficult to be sure. Dragging his tongue out again, he rolled his shoulders. "Do you know what you did wrong?" he asked then. "Or do I need to show you again?" Expressionless eyes flashed, making the dim impression of a threat seem less uncertain.

After Warbone backed up and spoke Esaro finally realized that it was just an actual lesson. If this was a real fight he would have lost already. What would have happend if he found someone that would just kill him instead? Would he really be able to survive? After noticing his life wasn't in true danger he relaxed only just a little, there was no telling if that would change. Warbone asked what Esaro did wrong. A few seconds of thought and he answered. "I wasn't fast enough, maybe I just need to practice more." He said. But after that he was starting to feel that it was the wrong answer, so instinctively Esaro prepared himself to whatever Warbone might show again.

He watched the boy as he began to recover and relax slightly in the moments after the assault. His answer was unsatisfactory, however, and Warbone's face deepened gravely. He could see that Esaro was anticipating a violent reaction— perhaps aware of his own frailty in his response— and though the wolf firmly believed that learning was best done in a hands-on way, he thought he'd given the inexperienced lad a chance to breathe before ravaging him again. The Phoenix wolf may not get such a reprieve in the jaws of a wilder wolf, but this was not a lesson on how quickly one can be killed. Rather, it was a lesson on how not to be killed. He sat down, to further insinuate that this was the "verbal" portion of his teachings.

"No," he drawled powerfully, licking his chops. "Not only were you not fast enough— which is probably your only advantage over me— you made the foolish decision to use your weight on a wolf larger than you. And it sounds just as dumb as it looked." Warbone blinked, his unibrow beginning to uncrease, his face appearing less angry. "If your opponent is larger, you must rely on speed. And not just physical speed, you must think faster than your opponent too. Find your advantage before  a fight starts, and you can be victorious no matter who you face..."

"And it is always important to try and anticipate the movements of your combatant," he added as an afterthought.

Warbone didn't attack, instead he sat down and started to explain Esaro's mistakes. It might have been dumb to try to use his weight against a larger wolf but there wasn't a lot of time for him to think on it. Esaro felt like an embarrassment. Obviously he didn't know how to fight and would have likely died by now if the fighting here was real. He understood that speed seems to be an important factor but of course Esaro wasn't even using that correctly. Warbone went on talking about predicting an opponents actions. Esaro trying thinking about what he was doing, it felt more like he was always trying to react at what a wolf was currently doing and never tried predicting.

"But how can you guess what they are going to do? I didn't even have much time to react when you came at me." He said, actually pointing out something good from the little fight. There one other thing that was on his mind. Instead of thinking he decided to just asked anyway. "Is there a way to win a fight without hurting the other?" He asked. That question was actaully important for Esaro. He wanted to learn to fight but it was never for the intention of hurting someone.

"Guesswork is the plan of fools," Warbone roused, speaking louder than he had intended. His frown had deepened, but it relaxed now, as he settled back into teaching mode rather than letting his irritation overcome him. The young from his homeland were not raised so daftly. "I said anticipate. That means you must learn the movements of your opponent and know where they will lead." He stood up suddenly, to demonstrate. "For example... If your attacker is standing more heavily on his right foot," he displayed a very subtle shift in his weight, where it was barely noticeable but upon closer inspection he was certainly leaning slightly on his right side; "then his muscles have coordinated to push forward towards the left." And he pushed off on his steadied leg, his body rocking forward with his body angling towards his left, Esaro's right. "And if their hindquarters sink even slightly," he demonstrated again after resuming his original position; "then you can almost always be certain that are going to project themselves straight for you."

As for Esaro's last question, he snorted, shaking his head. "If you are fighting an infant, then I suppose you could subdue them without pain," he mused, rolling his eyes. "Do not be so naive, Esaro."

Esaro listened while Warbone taught him how to anticipate. His words were clear and very easy to understand that it was kind of surprising. Esaro fully understood what the male was talking about, but to apply it to actual combat might take some practice. Seeing the demonstrations helped a lot. They were likely just the basics but those were something Esaro did lack. Maybe even now he would stand a better chance. Although there was likely much more he needed to learn. When Warbone finished, Esaro nodded since he understood all of it.

He was a bit disappointed to learn that he wouldn't have the choice when fighting. Someone was going to get hurt no matter what but if he wanted to stop the other he would be the one that harms the other. Which lead him to one more question. "I don't want to hurt anyone. But I'm going to have to right? If I want to stop a fight, I have to.. use force? Is there really no other way?" He asked as he tried to understand the reality of fighting. Having to harm was hard enough already but what if he had to kill someone? He likely would never be able to. "I know there are wolves who can kill others. I want to be able to stop them but does that mean I'd have to kill them instead? It feels like I could never do that."

Another way to stop a fight? Warbone was driven to shrug, as he had honestly never tried any other tactic to abate violence other than being more violent than the other. Always worked for him. "I suppose you could try shouting for a cease and desist, but who knows how many words you will be able to loose before you are dead," he said without feeling. He had obviously been raised in a vastly different world than Esaro. He didn't even know the very basics of fighting, though he was marginally more knowledgeable now, and only needed to apply what he had learned in practice before the actions would become more natural. "Killing is never ideal unless it is to feed yourself, but if you are going to be killed, then you must do what it takes to survive or you die. It is you or them, boy. I understand your sentiment towards the life of another, but as you have already expressed a disinterest in dying, you will eventually need to use your teeth and claws as effectively as you would during a hunt. It is all about survival, and nothing more. You cannot let yourself feel for one of our kind that would seek to dampen your very livelihood."

Warbone didn't have an infinite amount of patience, and he felt inclined now to end their little lesson (in favor of a newer thread? :D), so he got to his feet slowly. "I must resume my day, but seek me if you wish for further teaching," he told Esaro, making to turn away from him, but added over his shoulder before he went: "and try not to go looking for more fights before you have had some practice with wolves you trust."

Kill or be killed. Obviously trading his life just because he didn't want to kill was out of the question. Esaro valued his life and the bonds he had with other wolves. Losing his life might make those he was connected with sad. He would think his opponents life to be the same but if that was the case then why kill one another? If anyone wanted to harm another wolf then that only meant they did not value life. If there was any to prevent the fight he would do it but if he was ever forced, He was just going to have to tell himself that it was either him or the other.

"I guess you are right. I would rather fight with everything I have if that meant it would save others." He said, accepting the reality of the real world. It look like the lesson was coming to a close but Esaro still wanted to learn more. With the time that passed by already he had better had back home. So he spoke "I do want to learn more so I will go look for you." But just before going he added "I hope that one day I'll be able to win against you. That would prove that I've gotten stronger. See you next time Warbone." He said as he too concluded and began to head back home.

Esaro would have trouble finding Warbone :P He would believe that he is still in SD. I am up for another thread though! Ready when you are!