@Reyson

For three day cycles he had hunted, slept and marked around the great rock. It was a sound place to call home, but the boy was a wanderer at heart and thus would not stay here much longer. 

Now that he had recovered from the journey to The Wilds he felt at ease, or at least as much as Sakina could feel so. The yearling was ready to explore his new surroundings, settling down was not even within his minds gaze. Twelve moons or less from now would be the time for that, when the canine females once again were slaves to their instincts. 

Sakina was but a child still, it was within his nature to take things recklessly. Nothing was serious, at least, that's what other yearlings may have felt. To him, the coming years would be dreaded. He did not want pups, or a family, or a pack. He simply wished to be Sakina. 

Bathing atop the great shattered rock, he gave a soft yawn, eyes slipping shut as he enjoyed the sun bearing down on his russet coat. 

If it had not been for the man's sound of greeting, Sakina may have fallen asleep and not noticed the hulking figure at all. The wind was stale, he would not have picked up the predators scent. Truly, it would have only taken a shake from the big man and the yearlings life would be finished. 

The coydog was lucky today.

Quickly he raised his head, eyes widening ever so slightly in surprise until he fixed the intruder with a steely gaze. This time however it was a little harder to hide his fear, the man was twice the size of his mother's mate. Muscles ripped beneath a red coat. And yet, this one did not have the look of a barbarian such as the black-and-tan thing. This one seemed almost intelligent.

"How long did you stare, blueeyes?"

So blueeyes wasn't just a brute, mindlessly bulldozing everything in his path. Interesting.

The coydog appreciated the distance, not being one for close contact. It meant he had less of chance of escaping if the bigger of the two decided he wanted a taste of canid blood. 

A smirk. Sakina felt his blood boil. Why was it that others were always so carefree? It could not just be size that gave confidence, surely. Or maybe it was. 

There was a roll of his eyes, before he raised to a stretch, fluffy tail arching. Standing now, he seemed even smaller than before, as he had been sprawled out. Yet, despite his size, he nimbly hopped off of the large boulder, landing without a sound on all four feet. 

"I do not stare, blueeyes. I think. Can I win if you attack? No." He was entirely truthful, he would not try to big himself up. "But you will not attack. I am sure of this." He wasn't. 

Sakina listened intently. The large wolf had good advice, but some words struck him more than others. A wolf with my experience. 

His eyes were abruptly aflame as he stepped forward, maintaining strict eye contact. An idea had filled his cunning mind. 

The youth had arrived in The Wilds to leave his past behind. No more being the last one who ate, who was ruthlessly bullied by those who were bigger.

"Teach me." He demanded, but there was desperation in his voice. Sakina could by no means force this stranger, but if he had the experience he claimed he did, the coydog would be a fool to lose this opportunity.

As soon as the deep rumble left the big man's throat Sakina had fled a safe distance away, large ears pinned. Things were different on the farm. He had to remember that. "It is a stupid custom. You look to pay attention, no? But as you say, I will not meet eyes with you again." 

All fear seemed to be forgotten as blueeyes spoke, two-toned eyes lighting up in the typical youthful excitement. Sakina realised it was the first time in his life he had felt so, and immediately hid the emotion as with all the others. 

"I will...aggress. What does this mean?" His mother had never been one to teach her children, some words were difficult for him to understand and pronounce. 

For a small time the boy was tense, eyeing blueeyes every move. Finally, he relaxed but only slightly. Reyson. 

"I will call you blueeyes. A name is given to someone you love, yes? And then they die, and you regret naming them at all." The youth settled back on his haunches, tail tucked over delicate paws. His ears were craned fully towards Reyson, and even though his eyes now did not meet the older man's, his attention was fully given to him.

Ah. So Sakina was a defender then. "I have never been aggressor. My mother's mate is very much so, he taught me to run and hide. I will NOT do so." His little paw even gave a tiny stamp, as if he were fighting with his mother's mate even now.  

Sakina was not heartless. Although it did not show on his features, he was empathetic to blueeyes. He was wise beyond his years and he too knew the ache of losing a loved one. A lover, no. But a younger sister, innocent and pure. "Then you are a stronger man than me." His words were muted, a rare show of his emotions.

Fear threatened to overcome him as the red man began to circle, ears flat against his head and tail tucked. It took everything in him not to immediately submit, as he had been taught when faced with a fight. 

As Reyson came at him the fear was far too overwhelming for his little body to contain, and instead of doing as he was instructed he dropped to the floor in submission. A shrill, short scream left his lips, as if he were already expecting pain before it came. 

Once he realised the bigger canid hadn't taken him by the scruff and shook him, he sat up with an embarrassed flush to his cheeks, turning to lick his shoulder fur flat in an effort to soothe himself. "I will be better. Can we try again?"

Blueeyes showed him kindness. Why, Sakina could not know. It was not how he had been raised to understand such things. The world was a cruel place, if you met a gentle soul you were to be suspicious. But something about the way the circles were wider this time, the way Reyson reassured him, was patient. 

This time, his head lowered and he began to mimic the way the older man moved, eyes roaming over his strong figure. The boys lips drew back over a snarl, sharp teeth bared as he snapped, almost daringly, at the red wolf. 

Come and get me, it said.

If Sakina had been in a thoughtful mind and not so weary from his travels he may have mused deeply about how natural teaching came to the older man. Instead the coydog was focused on learning well, he'd just have to muse later.

"Yes. My mother's mate would send me down warren's to flush out the prey." Not that he had ever been allowed to feast upon the rewards of his endeavours. 

The red wolf striked out at him, but he had already ducked away and darted under his outstretched paw into the opening blueeyes had left him, probably on purpose, and attempted to grasp his throat. If only he could prove he was worth the time, the effort. Maybe Reyson would take him with him, and he wouldn't be so alone. 

Sakina growled to himself, shaking the pathetic thoughts from his head. He did not want company. The boy was perfectly fine by himself. 

Sparring like this, the boy found he actually enjoyed the activity. It was almost like the play he and his sister had enjoyed. Many moons had passed since then. There was no fear, no need for submission.

"Like this?" The coydog moved as if to show him but didn't get the chance as blueeyes shoved him off of the shoulder. Still, he was proud of his achievement.

A thought crossed his mind, if the red man were battling him for real then the yearling would probably be laying dead by now.

Once he regained his footing, deep snarl shaking his entire body he leapt forward to snap at the mountain of a man's tail, attempting to grasp it so that his attention would be turned to where he needed it.

Sakina could sense that the older man was growing tired, he felt a surge of pride in himself and his abilities.

The coydog leapt away, now that he had taken a moment to calm he realised he was growing fatigued as well, chest heaving as he panted.

At the last second he managed to dodge away from the incoming paws, making a risky move. The boy attempted to scramble up the bigger wolves back and grasp a hold of his scruff, trying to give it a harsh shake. Maybe even enough to draw a little blood, the coyote seemed to have gotten himself lost in the action. 

For a short moment Sakina still held on, before stepping off of the bigger man with wide eyes. "I won?" His shocked expression immediately turned to one of absolute joy.

The coydog danced around blueeyes- Reyson, yapping with pure youthful pleasure. His fluffy tail wagged so fast it became a blur as be spun around, before suddenly coming to a halt.

Letting his fur lie flat, he cleared his throat, trying to act as if that silly behaviour had never happened. With careful steps he crawled forward on his stomach to nibble the knots he had made out of Reyson's scruff, little teeth worrying them out gently.

"Thank you, Re- blueeyes. Will we train again after some night cycles?" 

The coydog thought to his makeshift den under the massive shattered rock, anxiety filling his expression. It was cold in that place, he missed his littermates warm fur nestled against his. 

But Reyson smelled like other canids. A pack, or his family. The thought of the giant wolf having a she-wolf and pups to return to made him strangely jealous, he nipped harder than he should have and moved away, tail lashing. 

"Yes." He lied, settling into a sitting position close by. Sakina knew the blue eyed wolf would be leaving soon, to return to whereever it was he stayed. The boy wanted to go with him, but he could not. The coydogs mood had suddenly turned sour, expression confused as he stared down at his paws.