Redtail Rise metamorph

Shout out to @Augur!

Confidence. Drive. Desire. Dominance. Many of the qualities which fueled Relic's motives now. He was a man on a mission. Out to prove himself. Not only in the eyes of the Rise, but especially in @Lilia's. She wanted the best. He wanted to give that to her. To be that for her. So that no other could topple him from his position at her side. How fitting it would be, if he, the first born son of the Rise, took her favor.

He latched onto his goal and held fast. Besting Ancelin in combat had not been enough. Not for him. Nor the scars they both wore. Or that he and Lilia shared a den together. He would push and push until she made her choice. He would do whatever it takes. And that meant getting creative. Thinking outside the box. 

He turned now to a new, alternate source. A highly respected one, perhaps not immediately one that would come to mind. He tracked down Augur's scent trail and followed it until he was close. When he was sure he was within range, he called out. Not a challenge. Just a request with an audience with his experienced superior.

the clash of sun jaw and cloud eyes, now considered skin tooth in augur's mind, reminded him of himself as a man.

one day, the sons of the rise would too be men. one day the daughters would be women. it would be a test for the hunt-leader, to drive off the suitors and temper the younger males until they dispersed.

he understood wolverine's lack of blood relation to the rest of the pack would make her an object of affection, but he could not permit more wounds on her behalf.

sun jaw sought him. augur rumbled a greeting.

With each passing day, his confidence grew. As did his aggression and desire to dominate and possess. It was not entirely because of Lilia and his victory. The arrival of his brothers and sisters played a huge role too. He was driven to protect them. 

But when Relic faced any of the adults, he dropped the act. As he did now, transforming into a submissive young man who knew and understood his place in the pack. To Augur he scooted, belly grazing the ground. His lowered body circling that of the giant thrice. Reaching to paw at his muzzle in appeasement, licking at his chin. A typical ritualized display of submission.

Never had words been shared between them. Augur was non verbal, and Relic had largely been the same, up until recently. Still, in his broken words he uttered. "Teach. Show to be best. For her...Lilia..." 

wolverine and sun jaw denned together.

it was not a sign of more than youth. those who did not disperse early would band together. he had not been given such an experience but instinct told him what this was.

and yet it was the girl's name on sun jaw's mouth which surprised augur. 

his ears came forward. their efforts were for red woman and the rise. what did sun jaw mean?

he looked upward at a single raven, and then back at the younger wolf, wondering how the other would react.

He sighed. An easy, happy sound. Relic had never spent too much solo time with Augur like this. But already, in these few moments, he felt a deep connection with him. A pull. A kind of understanding that did not need to be verified. He showed his emotions by leaning close, to rest his shoulder on a chiseled flank. 

And just as easily, he slid down to rest on his belly. He carried no tension or air of youthful dominance around the Stone hunter. He searched his mind, letting the words flow onto his tongue naturally. "She wants best." He tapped his chest with a paw. "Want to be, for her." His brows knitted curiously. "You have woman." New Snow. "What women like? What dey find best? Can teach to be?"

it intrigued augur that sun jaw spoke, but with halting words, as though they were often unused.

he knew the meaning of them all, but no way to inform the boy that it was the woman who decided if a man was best.

studiously, augur glanced around for how he might teach, and indicated a pair of courting bluebirds. for a long moment he watched the male's display.

that one was rejected by the female.

he glanced to sun jaw.

a second bluebird suitor came. his dance was well-received. the birds coupled and augur looked again to the son of red woman. 

did he take the lesson?

Eyes guided, he observed the courting blue birds. One female. Two males. The first, rejected. The second, won her over. He could not see what it was about either male that influenced her choice, for he was no avian. But he did have some base understanding. Maybe one was healthier, more genetically superior than the other. Or perhaps it came down to simple vividness of colors and markings.

He understood the lesson. He nodded, sighing slightly. He felt there was little more the huntsman could show him. 

But there was plenty they could do. "Hunt...patrol...spar?" He proposed. Any of the three options, partaken with Augur would be beneficial. A worthy route in gaining Relic more experience as a man. And, as a clear suitor.

spar.

sun jaw was a powerful boy. but he would be pitted against powerful men when it came to the availability of females.

and so augur led the younger wolf to a wider space. he placed distance between them and then stood windblown and waiting, yellow eyes showing that sun jaw should try an attack.

He followed, obediently to the open space selected for their arena. He would test his skill today. 

Augur was a man of seasoned experience. As tough as they came. To pit himself against the hunter, be it only as teacher and pupil, would be invaluable.

Open and waiting for his attack, this time Relic was more hesitant. Augur was larger. More solid. He reverted back to the basics. Protected his throat, pinned his ears and planted his paws firmly on the earth. He charged him, knowing that Augur would expect such a move. Instead of snapping right at his face, he shot to get a bite at a pale haunch.

sun jaw tucked his chin. his ears set. his paws gripped the earth. the boy's bite was for the hunt-leader's hip.

augur let the teeth connect, slamming it upright against the eager jawline.

he meant to strike, to show how a bruise might happen with a well-placed buck.

the man swung around, grabbing for sun jaw's nape.

Augur bucked, sending the heft of his thigh clacking against Relic's jawbone. Pain seared up through him, making him release and draw back. Momentarily distracted, he glanced in time to see teeth coming for his nape.

He was too slow to avoid first hunter's clutches. He grunted in protest, under the strong hold. His thoughts raced. Instinctively, he snapped for anything in reach. A leg, a rib, a tail. Thrown into the mix, was a strong kick of a rear paw, aimed for the soft flesh of Augur's belly.

the hunt leader gripped the back of sun jaw's nape more tightly but did not draw blood.

under him, the boy tried to kick his leg, tried to aim his teeth. augur felt the pinch of the powerful bite in his flank but crowded sun jaw next, dragging the boy in intent to toss him against the ground.

Augur failed to release his hold. He instinctually knew that to struggle, would do more harm than good. He did not want a gaping wound in his neck. 

He growled, feeling overwhelmed by Augur's sheer power. He braced his body, stiffened his legs while he felt himself being shoved towards the dirt. He would not yield so easily. He swung his hip to knock into his opponent's.  Possibly with enough force for a stumble and to let go.

augur took the gambit as it was intended.

he released the boy and stepped back to save himself a bruise.

it had been a good move, and for a moment he stood with a tail wave of approval.

and then he struck again, this time biting low for sun jaw's nearest flank.

Last from me.

Teeth scored his flank, leaving a stinging touch in their wake. The marks didn't bleed. They would fade in a few days time.

Stepping back to stay out of reach, Relic lowered his head with a soft growl. Red eyes averted, signaling his yield in this match. He felt he had learned enough today. 

There would be plenty of time for more practice later.