Redsand Canyon Bow your head soldier, the heart keeps marching on

@Germanicus

Large tawny paws tore up the ground as a hulking beast, slipped from the shadows. Night had fallen, and the steepening shadows painted his pelt in harsh lights, winking along the seams of his golden fur. Maw parted wide, saliva drip, drip dripping from the broken canine that jutted, blunt and then razor sharp on the edge of his maw.

The moonlight slid along the scars that painted his broad shoulders in sweeping strokes, a caress of a lover in pale glow. For days he had traveled up and down the coast and the flatlands. Feet tearing up the ground, searching, always searching. Tireless. 

He found the most defensible spot and had smelled the strangers there, strong. Not brittle. And he alone. All gone, all of them are gone. Karma, or punishment, yes punishment for misdeeds.

He shook his scarred ears, the notches that framed them, point that he had been strong warrior. He had bested many, all of them Renald had put in front of him. Every single one.

He lifted his head and howled, and then with a small growl of discontent, he swayed with the wind as it blew across his body and he stared, motionless for someone to heed his call.

set after he returns from akashingo, date tbd, staying vague

a man with ice blue eyes who reminded him of arsenio.

the imperator came to the border with alacrity.

the man was solidly built and scarred. his hide spoke of battle and his his voice had been heavy with confidence.

"hail." germanicus stilled in front of the man with the mien of an soldier standing alert with hand upon the haft of sword.

"you have found mereo. for what reason do you summon me?"

Reyson didn't have to wait long before his call was heeded. The male before him draped in cobweb colors with red along his bridges, drew Rey pause just for a moment, before he snapped to attention. His tail low and his body too, though he didn't get so far down that he couldn't protect himself need be.

Rey tweaked an ear forward and with a voice built for speaking. A quiet, deep clipped way of speaking. He spoke. I search for a place to live. I'm not from here.

Reyson shifted, large body aching from being lower than the other, he was not small enough. He continued. I'm a soldier, a fighter, savage. You have the strongest borders, defensible location. I like it."

He quieted and lifted ice eyes to the male and then moved them away.

the man made of himself a suspect and a strength at once.

the imperator's face did not stir. 

this man showed submission which appeased the eagle. he relented and stepped back a motion. 

"where did you do battle?" that he was a fighter stood plain but for whom had the stranger fought? germanicus would take no chances with a possible spy.

Reyson had known that what he would say would cause a stir, and were the man anything worth his salt, he would not just allow him in. There had been too many that came and then destroyed homes from the inside out, hence why he was here. His Renaud had trusted someone he shouldn't have. 

All over, but not here. I'm not from here. I was taken as a youngling, trained, tested, earned, trusted." He spoke his words clipped, as he lowered a brow, thinking. There was no harm in sharing his life before this. It was over, they were gone. Renaud was gone.

the stranger too had begun his training early. germanicus remained stonelike but his regard for the other was beginning to grow.

he silently evaluated the man as a threat to himself. it was only natural.

"that is vague. give me a cardinal direction." warriors were one thing. mysterious vagrants were quite another.

Reyson shifted and stood slowly, but kept his head lower, and his tail tucked, he turned towards the south and motioned with his head. Forest and Mountains. Tall trees to hunt. Mountains to rove and defend. Before that I was mm.

He grew quiet remembering, then nodded his head. West, plains, tall grasses, rivers, no mountains, no forest, just dirt and weeds.

Reyson had noticed the other's strengths right away. He was stocky, sturdy would not go down without a fight. Like hitting rock. He was clearly intelligent, and would not be easily tricked. He was one Rey would have needed to watch, pick his overreach spot, but he wasn't here to attack him, so he had simply put it to the back of his mind.

south and then west. the man had ranging experience as well, something mereo could utilize as many of them would be tied to the canyon as their pups grew.

"i am germanicus, mereo's imperator. all new joiners begin as auxillia and stay there for several weeks. there is a hierarchy you will be able to climb with diligence and practice of tactics, guardianship, or warrior training."

"mereo is allied with akashingo in the west and epoch to the north. we seek to hold these mountains as wards against more war, which came and went the end of last year."

he paused and then went on. "come. i will test you in our sparring arena."

if accepted, the imperator would turn smartly and set their pace as a march to the large redsand ring with its high and circular stone walls.

When Reyson had stated he was tried and tested, he had meant it. One such had been navigation training. They had left him alone, in the forest and he had to get back to them. He had been barely a yearling.

"Well met, Germanicus. I'm Reyson:'' He was fairly positive he hadn't given his name as of yet. He wouldn't have. He listened with rapt attention to the words of the leader. It seemed he would need to be tested again. Very well. This was a good pack, good decision.

I have been in wars. Dangerous, especially for the young. Lead the way. I have no problem earning my spot.

Reyson moved into stride with the male beside him. His eyes roving all around as they walked. When they made it to the arena Reyson stared at it. Large walls. No room to run, straight fighting. Reyson studied the sides. He could push from the sides if he wished, but he didn't want to get trapped against them either, he would need to stay on the outside of them, and try and force the other wolf against them.

"well met, reyson."

the familiarity with war would spell well in the man's favour.

the imperator crossed the packed earth and stood across from the auxillary.

he gave a sharp nod, his yellow eyes following the details that reyson observed.

attack.

Block style or rolls?

Reyson lowered his body to the ground immediately, his eyes roving over the other male. A snarl ripped along his maw, and a deep growl resounded in his chest. He narrowed his eyes and shot forward. The wolf had seemed to favor his one side over his other, so he moved to aim at teh one he didn't, broad shoulder against weak spot, but he was unsure if it would hit. He didn't know this wolf's fighting style.

He snapped at a unguarded spot, though it wouldn't hurt if he connected.

block styles work for me!

resyon swung his shoulder toward the imperator.

it was a crushing blow with which to begin. had he not examined the other's attributes first, germanicus would not have expected it.

he took the bruising to his own shoulder. the new soldier's muzzle parted in a flash of teeth. germanicus butted his head hard toward the other's jawline.

Goodness it has been so long since I have fought with wolves lol.

Reyson saw the flash of muzzle and tilted his head so the blow landed against his ear, and side of his head, painful, but not so terrible that he would be incapacitated.

He reached out a paw and swiped with heavy brutish paws at the other's legs, while whipping his tail towards the other's eyes.

He lowered his muzzle to lunge and move with the paw to hopefully unbalance the other enough to  knock him back and leave an unguarded spot.

like riding a bike lmao

the tail was an unexpected tactic.

germanicus took the tough brushflail to his forehead and snatched his paw up before the heavy jaws connected.

his eyelids stung and he saw the necessity of a regrouping rather than an attack. rather than be driven, he planted one forepaw and swung his hip against the flank of his opponent.

This bike is wobble and needs greased. lmao

The hip check drew a grunt from Reyson and he had to take a quick shallow breath to help spread the pain. One good thing about pain, pain meant results and it only hurt for a little while. 

He growled and backed a little ways away, but he also dropped his shoulder, hoping to get under the other wolf's shoulder or foreleg and push, though he had to be careful to keep his neck guarded and his eyes. He planted his footpaws, his Renaud had told him once that he was as immovable as a mountain when his mind was focused. He was also due to his large size.

the bike still runs i huff lolllll

germanicus felt reyson lock his body taut behind the force of his shove. he turned to protect the hollow of his neck and threw himself back.

with luck his gambit would cause the man to overbalance himself and have to compensate with new footing. either way, the imperator would swing in again, this time curving to the right.

heh me too.

Reyson tipped forward and switched up his footwork. He saw the right curve, but was powerless to stop it. 

He took the blow and threw his own. He snapped at the offending footpaw. Eyes quickly calculating. He leapt back and quickly shifted while he regrouped. This time hoped the Imperator would meet him heqd on and he could push into the others space and snap at his shoulder qnd claw at his leg.

their sparring quickened. reyson repeated his movement. the addition of claws was met with a slice of teeth toward the exposed paw pad.

germanicus surged forward, bulling toward the new soldier with chin tucked and hackles flared.

Reyson snarled and moved his paw the teeth nipping the top. Pain. He breathed in and out putting it to the back of his mind.

Reyson saw him coming and with his larger bulk he reared and attempted to grasp the others back neck qnd use his weight qnd sides to bear him down. It was risky, but not. Something Renaud had taught him.

the man reared and cast heavy arms around germanicus.

he let them close and rolled forward, hitting the ground hopefully on top of reyson.

it was a move he did not often employ.

Reyson saw what was happening too late and took the heavy landing. But he fought to curl his lower legs under, to keep from being completely prone. If worse came to worse he would claw and snap at what he could reach. 

However, that was not a move he wished to employ. That was a desperate man ploy. And Desperate wolves, became dead wolves. This was sparring, it was not flowery or kind, but they were also not trying to kill each other, get the lay of the land and each other.

the eagle pulled away and swept to his paws as reyson adjusted.

the other had not offered another attack and so he felt their spar over.

"well met, auxillary," he grunted, rolling his shoulders. they were quite pained from the move he had demonstrated but it was nothing that a soak and good stretching could not cure.

his tail swung once in a show of good faith.

Reyson gave chuff, and wagged his tail in proffered faith as well. Reyson's own body smarted, and he would regret some of the moves in the morning, but it was well excercised too.

He dipped his head. Well met to you as well, Imperator. 

His tail moved again and he shifted and stretched forward and back. He was still in his prime, but not as young as two.

"we have several children here and several mothers as well. see that you choose a place for yourself in the soldiers'-housing, there." germanicus motioned.

"i will see you tomorrow for a tour of the outside paths, reyson. you are dismissed."

he would watch the man depart, then return to ruenna and his own growing brood.

Rey dipped his head. I will do that. Thanks. 

With a flick of his tail and a movement of paw. Reyson moved from his position and searched out a place to sleep. He was not one that slept in a den, that had been Renaud, but he would take up position, perhaps under a tree. Like before.

He settled to a spot, and closed his eyes, flipping his tail around his nose.