Hoshor Plains Pluviophile

@Azzaro!

The rains hadn't yet fully died out from the wet season. A light, but constant drizzle of many days had flooded the areas of Hoshor Plains that were closer to the river. Patches of mirror-like puddles reflected the grey skies above and obligued all the living things to retreat to more covered areas. But Rakharo didn't. The golden Khal loved the rain. It felt like Zhalia's soft caressing tongue touring his body, and it made him feel alive.

Rakharo knew that this place was constantly flooded both by the rain water and the river's flow, but today it was specially deep, and not even the bison were around as they used to. The rain drops came down from the sky, creating small rings in the water and rhythmical tingling sounds. The Khal knew that the herds would retreat to higher grounds, probably close to Vaes Aenai, so he felt confident to leave them guarded by a few wolves to explore the unknown parts of his land. We was bold enough to walk right into the water which was deep enough to swallow half of his legs. He ventured inside as a thunder cracked in the distance, not knowing what he would find.

Covered areas were rare in the plains where the Dotharan wolves lived, for they were beings that liked being directly under the sky without any form of cover such as trees or mountains shielding them from the top of the world, where the sun, the moon and their ancestors lived and ran. Obviously, the plains weren't entirely without cover so other lesser animals who did not like the droplets of water fell from the sky could avoid being splattered by rain. Some Dotharan probably didn't like the drizzle either, but Azzaro didn't mind it.

He only cared about things that were important to him, rain was not one of them and he didn't see why he shouldn't go about doing the things that he liked to do just because of some water. So he did what he always did; he did whatever he wanted to do whenever he wanted to do it.

But today the flood was especially deep which caused him to feel just a tiny bit annoyed as he trudged right into the deep water which soaked half of his legs and made sure that he would be wet for a long time after the rain stopped. However, Azzaro continued to brazenly strode forward, ivory eyes scanning his surroundings as he remained as alert as ever. A flare of his nostrils alerted him of the Khal's presence and a moment later, he caught the stocky form of Rakharo walking through the flood too.

The yearling chuffed, announcing his presence to his leader.

Rakharo's thoughts were cut off short when the approaching male chuffed to announce his prescence. It was hard geting the scents of everyone around you under the rain, and although it wasn't torrential at the moment the winds were blowing hard in Azzaro's favor.

Rakharo turned to face the male with high stance and pride. Even soaked under the rain, the golden Khal looked mighty and powerful, but he had to admit that his companion had his big share of muscle and height. He looked like an oponent worty of Rakharo.

"M'athchomaroon, Azzaro." the Khal greeted. The raindrops were clearly audible in the puddle they were standing, but it didn't interfere with Rakharo's deep voice. "I enjoy the rain," he explained, "It's so pure... Have you ever fought someone under the rain, Azzaro?" he asked suggestively. He knew that the male was an aspiring Lajak, at least under Rakharo's rule, because he claimed to be a warrior by trade already.

Rakharo turned around to face him, his stance full of pride and worthy of a Khal. Even when he was soaked to the bone and underneath the rain, he still looked formidable and powerful, just as every leader should be. Azzaro knew some of the natives here valued brains over size and power, but he himself thought that a true leader should have both. A wolf with only muscle would lose, and a wolf with only brains would also lose. The best combination was a mix of both, and Rakharo had that.

"M'athchomaroon," Azzaro returned the greeting with a dip of his head and tilted his head slightly as the Khal spoke about liking the rain. He had never heard him speak that way, for Rakharo always seemed to be so boringly stoic all the time. He would be better if he was always like this, he thought to himself as he replied to the Khal's question. "No," he said.

I don't know how you want to do the spar... I don't have a method or anything so whatever you want is good :P

Had Azzaro known Rakharo better he'd know that he was a man of hidden depths. Or maybe, because of rakharo's arrogant shell it was more a matter of earning his trust. So far only Lavakho had his full confidence, but this demonstration of openness to Azzaro was probably Rakharo's way of saying: we're family now.

A Khalas is a family. A khalas is a unity. Rakharo wanted his Khalas to be united and strong, and he knew that not one of his subordinates was weak, but he had yet to see it with his own eyes. Orange eyes that locked with Azzaro's pale own for a moment, grining slyly before pouncing forward to challenge the young wolf on a friendly spar.

@Rakharo Sorry for the really late reply. Had no muse with Azzaro for a long time. Maybe paragraph spar until ten posts then roll a dice to determine the winner?

Family. Most of Azzaro's family was gone, save for Raezho, and even his golden healer of a brother seemed to have vanished. So while he was loyal to his Khalas and trusted them, the dark furred Dotharan wouldn't consider them to be family. At least, not yet. He couldn't find it within himself to even call them family in his head, because he didn't know the majority of them well enough to understand them. But perhaps with time, his family would expand.

Azzaro met Rakharo's fiery gaze evenly, like water with fire and found himself grinning as well when the Khal leapt forward, silently challenging the yearling to a spar. Immediately, the boy shifted into a combative position and charged forward, feinting a blow to the Khal's shoulder before dipping his head and attempting to pull Rakharo's left forepaw from him, therefore unbalancing him.

A long time indeed! I thought you'd be removed by the checker D:
Oh, and that sounds good! I don't know how to use the dice system so this way it's easier for me :P
btw, I'm assuming the blow to Rakharo's shoulder was like a full body tackle?

Rakharo's experience with family was far from happy. He had lost almost all of it and what remained was little. This was the reason Rakharo had such a hard and severe personality. He feared getting attached to people, but what he thought of his Khalas was a different kind of family other than blood relation. He hoped he would one day be able to open to them as his loyal followers. To be a strong unity.

The Khal would take his confrontation to Azzaro lightly. He was young. But Rakharo wouldn't deny his strength and potential. This test, even if Rakharo didn't become the ultimate victor of the encounter, would serve him to see Azzaro's strengths and weaknesses, and would help him know how to help him become better -no- how to become the best.

The Khal took the blow to his shoulder, adding his own weight on Azzaro's to avoid being tackled to the ground. Their muscular bodies clashed with the strength of a buffalo. It was too evident what he would try first, so the Khal kept a close watch on the younger male's jaws as he dipped his head and pulled his paw. Rakharo jumped forward, moving the rest of his body along with his paw, therefore, outwitting Azzaro's attempt to unbalance him and using his momentum to, instead, unbalance his attacker.

Guess I was just in time :) And yeah, it was kinda like a full body tackle

Being part of a group did not come easily to Azzaro despite being born a Dotharan as well as a wolf. Wolves relied on being with other wolves, but somehow the youth found himself liking the idea of working alone instead of with others. Of course, his father still taught him how to be part of a team, how to work well in a group and stuff like that. Azzaro listened and learnt and excelled, but he never really..well..liked working with others. Perhaps now that he was older, and experienced life's challenges, things would change.

They clashed, Dotharan against Dotharan and Azzaro was reminded of the days when he was a mere child and he fought with Drakhavo. Those were good times indeed, but the yearling shook himself away from the past and into the present. Father would not like him to be dwelling in those sentimental things, he was a Dotharan wolf after all. Instead, Azzaro concentrated on the fight. The Khal jumped forward, outwitting the boy's attempt of unbalancing him and used his momentum to unbalance Azzaro instead.

He stumbled for the fraction of a second before he quickly regained his balance and placed some distance between them, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack, waiting for Rakharo to place a paw out of place. If the Khal attempted to attack, Azzaro would keep placing distance between them, eluding the older man until his keen ivory eyes found the perfect opening.