Lion Head Mesa lenimentus

backdated to may 19, morning

germanicus had been instructed to meet @Siptah in the open-air room. it was where the queen had been discovered. he found this morbid but stood at rigid attention, awaiting the boy's arrival.

it was early, the sun just rising in gold light over the red lands. he was facing them, marvelling reluctantly at the radiant crimson beauty of the gilded flat world.

Can be a cameo!

Jawahir attended the boy. They kept their head down; it was easy to fall in to the routine of servitude, although as the days ticked by they spent less and less time with their own children.

The squad of men from Mereo arrived. When Germanicus called for Siptah it was happenstance that brought Jawahir there, escorting him, then moving off immediately to wait in the hall.

Best to watch and listen, and be ignored.

The call that came for him disrupted his morning prayers; Siptah cast pale eyes across the mesa, then bowed his head and fervently finished his prayers. When he stood, he noticed his mouth was dry, and a little bit of panic was starting to set in — his father had said they would meet Mereo together. The Prince swallowed his panic, then set off towards the open air throne room with Jawahir at his side. Why must they meet where his mother had died? He took a deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut tight, then opened them and entered the throne room.

Jawahir left, and Siptah, casting a fervent glance behind him, noticed that she lingered in the hall. He mistrusted her, and so he gave his first command as Prince, telling her, "Leave us. I... I would speak to our guest privately." He tried to feel older than he was. He wondered if the coyote would obey. He then turned to Germanicus.

"Welcome to Akashingo," Siptah's voice wavered slightly, and he cleared his throat, continuing, "It is good to have you here."

siptah was hardly older than his own children but already an accomplished noble.

his voice carried to the eagle. the boy imperiously dismissed his servant.

germanicus dipped his muzzle in a respectful now. "prince. it is a pleasure to be back. i am germanicus, imperator of mereo. your father has sent me to instruct you in the basics of fighting."

he gestured to the space of land below the throne room down the three large steps. "will you accompany me there?"

"Imperator," Siptah said, dipping his head in return. "It would be an honor to train with you." Though, looking up at the much larger male, Siptah began to feel nervous once more. He then moved to head down the steps, taking care to not stumble.

germanicus gestured that siptah should stand across from him.

"the first part of training is stance." the imperator flowed into the rigid 'at attention' pose: shoulders back, spine straight, hips balanced, and forepaws against one another.

"attempt it for yourself."

Siptah stood across the Imperator, meeting his gaze with only some nervousness. He examined the older male's posture, attempting to replicate it; his body wanted to keep his paws apart, to balance the weight, and he swayed slightly as he forced his paws together. Exhaling sharply, the Prince looked again to Germanicus' form, and he replicated it decently this time. "What comes after stance?" he asked in a would-be casual voice, hoping he wasn't about to be attacked.

"nothing yet."

germanicus approached and observed siptah's positioning. "as a soldier you would have to hold this pose for a very long time. as a pharaoh you will not. but it is a place of preparation and one you should take should a threat present itself."

the imperator watched siptah hold himself for a few moments longer and then motioned the prince should relax.

"next. widen your stance. tighten your shoulders and stay light upon your paws." he demonstrated. "this is a shielding position."

Siptah relaxed, then nodded, trying to fix his stance. Germanicus approached and spoke at length; Siptah recalled the soldiers he had met yesterday. They had seemed impressive, and strong, so that had to mean that the Imperator knew what he was talking about.

The Prince relaxed, then did as he was told; his legs spread out, he felt more balanced, and he tightened his shoulders as instructed. Even so, light on his feet, he told Germanicus uncertainly, "It kind of feels more like getting ready to run than shield. How does it work?"

"you may use it to run. but today we are using it to spar." germanicus showed the boy how to bounce his weight from paw to paw. "this stance is rigid and yet keeps you light upon your feet. this is important. your body as well as your mind must prepare for anything to come. now. defend."

he paused only a moment before lunging forward, aiming a close-mouthed blow for the other's shoulder.

So they were to spar — Siptah nodded, swallowing hard and trying to dispel his sudden panic. He hoped it didn't show. He focused on his form, adjusting his weight as he was shown. Siptah listened intently, and when told to defend, he felt unready in both his body and his mind.

He didn't even have time to get ready. It was a split second before he was attacked, but the Imperator did not use teeth. The blunt blow struck his shoulder and he was buffeted back; he tried to dig his weight in, to make himself immovable, though that was hard against such a large opponent. His maw instinctively went in to strike back, reaching for the side of the Imperator's neck. He made sure to keep his maw closed.

The Prince had kept his balance, despite having been shoved back an inch or two, and he looked up to Germanicus a moment later, questioningly. Had he done well?

the boy was smaller than the imperator and quite young. germanicus would hold his blows for that reason. siptah offered a strike of his own. 

the eagle felt it graze his shoulder.

he nodded at the prince.

"very good. again."

he braced himself this time, inviting the attack of the royal boy.

His attack was praised, and the Prince grinned, pausing for only a moment, to relish the praise. Siptah then began to circle Germanicus, pale eyes looking for any potential openings as the Imperator braced himself. The Prince took his chance to strike the other's side before bounding back a step or two, reassuming his defensive position.

the prince lunged forward and snapped back. 

germanicus had not thought ramesses would attend the first battlefield. but as he thought back to it, he saw the pharaoh's confident grace in siptah. the boy could become a lethal sort of dancer, should he train more.

the eagle soared forward. he sought to elbow the young royal just behind the left shoudler.

He was quick to react to this new attack. In the shielding position he had been shown earlier, he was buffeted to the side, but he kept his balance and was able to use his hindlegs to kick off and launch into his own assault.

Siptah struck out at Germanicus, throwing the full weight of his body — which wasn't much — against the older male. His goal was to push him back, and mess up his footing.

siptah struck with his body. germanicus allowed the prince to push him back some inches.

his head descended. he meant to give the back of the young wolf's neck a controlled nip.

it was a warning to guard vulnerable points.

in the next moment, germanicus aimed to shoulder the boy back.

Teeth met his nape and Siptah's ruff rose. He was shouldered back, and he shook his pelt out, giving his lips a nervous lick. He reassumed his defensive stance, his shoulders tight. By raising what hackles he had, he could protect himself a bit more, but if this was a real fight he would have been dead — there was no sugarcoating that fact.

Siptah tried again, sides expanding rapidly with each breath. He struck out at Germanicus' flank, then tried to dart out of reach before a counterattack could be landed.

the boy puffed out.

when he struck, germanicus allowed the pause.

he swept forward, clacking his muzzle against that of the young prince. his aim was firm but reined.

he kept close, encouraging siptah to attack again.

Germanicus was close — too close. The young Prince whined sharply, then snarled as teeth came for his maw. He bared his teeth, his muzzle and nose wrinkling as he aimed a quick snap back. He was truly defending now, his ears pinned tight to his skull as he dipped his head to protect his throat, while aiming another snap at the Imperator. Siptah felt pressed into action.

the boy was galvanized.

his snaps became more pointed. more organized.

the imperator fell back.

"that feeling you have now, your highness: remember it. what it tells you to do may well save your life one day."

The Imperator backed off, and Siptah was momentarily confused, until he spoke. The boy Prince nodded, taking a steadying breath. "I think I've had enough for today, Imperator." His father had taught him to not seek permission — he was a Prince, after all. But, he was respectful. A dip of his head, and he added, "Thank you for the lesson." He would be sure to practice it.

feel free to add another post or fade! <3

the prince ended their spar. germanicus would have preferred to go for a while longer. but the boy was young and it was on his word the conflict began or ended.

the eagle dipped his head sharply. he did not speak. when the boy had gone, he turned and went off to find water.

When Germanicus dipped his head, the boy Prince slunk off. Where he was going, he didn't yet know, but his feet would eventually carry him back to Satsu, where he would pray and grieve.