No Worries, I Don't Bite

After deciding on the warrior trade, Bindi knew she was going to need practice in her sparring skills. The midnight wolfess was going to a partner to spar with so she lifted her head high, and howled for any member of the pack. She knew that there was a possibility that no one would show up, especially since they had few members.

There were only three possible wolves that could show up, Fitz, Raissa, or Tempest. She didn't want to hurt any of her new packmates, not even Raissa, so this would be a friendly spar, nevertheless it would be taken very seriously.

Being an alpha was quite tiring, a lot was expected of him. When he wasn't patrolling, strengthening borders, catching food, solving problems for his pack mates, giving them quests, determining their ranks he was spending time with Raissa. He needed a bit of time to pursue his interests again so when Bindi requested a partner for a friendly spar he howled his interest and set off to meet her.

He was looking forward to renewing his warden fighting skills and when he arrived he smiled, friendly, at his Epsilon. "Practising for your warden or warrior skills today?" It was an important question for it would determine his tactics. If she was going for her warrior then he would fight to win, if it was for her warden skills then his goal was fight to train. It appeared even a spar involved teaching but at least this was going to be enjoyable.

Bindi was surprised to see Fitz, she expected him to be off enforcing the boarder, or hunting. Pleased that he showed up, she gave a slight nod to greet him, before answering his question. "I am currently pursuing the warden trade" she explained with a brief pause before adding on. "I understand warden's usually just deal with the boarder, but I need to have the appropriate skills to defense our home, and family." Bindi considered pack family, no matter how much she hated someone, and even if she wasn't staying long.

At the moment Bindi had put her warrior trade on hold, until her warden trade was completed. By the time she was ready to pursue her warrior trade, the young female would be prepared enough for aggressive sparrs. She now waited patiently for Fitz reaction and signal for when he was ready to begin.

One spar thread, we'll play that out first and then finish up here?

FitzDutiful didn't wait for Bindi to say any more. As soon as she said she was training for warden he nodded before launching himself at her for his first attack.

Lesson One: You didn't always know an attack was coming before it began. Sometimes you could be having a friendly, friendly conversation and then it would turn violent. He wanted to be sure that the warden's of his pack knew how to defend against a surprise attack too.

He briefly wondered whether Bindi meant this kind of spar, but in the end he wasn't all that fussed. It was friendly, but if she hadn't been looking for this kind of spar then she had sent up the wrong call and got the wrong wolf.

After several attacks, defends, and dodges Bindi finally did it. She was able to defeat her opponent and stood proudly, before breathing heavily. "That was...fun" she said out of breath, focused on Fitz and his reaction. It wasn't everyday she won a spar against an alpha, and even though she was exited inside for winning, she wouldn't boast. It annoyed the midnight wolfess when others would brag, and show off their winnings, so she wouldn't do it herself.

After a few deep breaths, she was able to regain control of her beating heart and talk without taking gasps of air. "Good spar" she said, and beginning to feel the bruising begin, lucky it was nothing to serious. She watched Fitz to see if he out of breath like her, because if he wasn't then Bindi was really out of shape.

FitzDutiful was as exhausted as Bindi, it had been a long time since his last spar with Elwood and he had had beginner's luck in that battle just like Bindi had too. Dropping on the floor he panted with a smile on his face. "Some good moves there. I'll have to try some myself next time!"

He glanced over at the newest female to his cause and was struck by initial attraction. Even though he was in love with Raissa and wouldn't ever cheat in that way, he was only a young male and his eyes noted when others had been blessed with good fur. With some effort, he regained his composure. The initial fatigue of the fight was quickly wearing away now that he was no longer actively doing anything. Maybe he was in better shape than he thought if his lungs would recover this fast.

"What plans do you have now?"

When he spoke of using her moves, a smile crept up on Bindi's face. She was happy to have won, but she was sure she got some beginners luck. After a few deep breaths, her breathing returned to normal. When Fitz asked what she was going to do next, she had to think for a minute before answering. "Well...I'm not really sure" she asnwered truthfuly."I have patrolled, an enforced the boarders, along with this practice spar" the midnight wolfess just couldn't think of anything else she could do for warden.

"If you have any other ideas about what wardens do let me know, if not I'll begin to focus on my gamekeeper trade" she said calmly. The pack would need a good gamekeeper, and Bindi was prepared to show that she was better than good, that she would be a great gamekeeper. As each day passes on the obsidian female found herself feeling more and more at home here in the mountain. Perhaps she could postpone her traveling, and spend a bit more time here.

What else made a good warden? FitzDutiful thought back on all the things that he did to get his own warden trade. He had patrolled the borders, taken part in spars, he had enforced the borders and... "When you patrol the borders, do you look for signs of recent intruders as well as current or potential ones?" That had been the aspect of wardenship that FitzDutiful had learnt last. Elwood had shown him the ways of that and he wondered if most wolves knew that naturally.

"Aside from that have you spoken with anyone on our borders?" Wardens were the people who new were most likely to come across, they were charged with running potential intruder interference. He wanted to make sure that the wolves his in pack represented his best interest as well as their own. Warden's weren't recruiters in the same way outriders were, but if someone came seeking they had to know what to say. "And what kind of things would you learn of someone coming to join us before you called me to approve their request into our pack?"

When Fitz asked her if she looked for intruders she answered "look, smell, and hear for them." No loner was getting past Bindi if she could stop them, especially one as rude as Tarawi. She was simply trying to know Tempest better, and that rude loner interrupted them. "Yes, a rude loner named Tarawi interrupted me when I was attempting to know Tempest better."

When Fitz asked what Bindi would learn of them, she thought of the basics. She would talk with the loners and if it was clear they were not interested in joining, like Tarawi, she would send them on their way. "I would learn of their strengths, and trades, also their weaknesses. I'm not just going to howl for you if someone is weak and will prove nothing to help to the pack" she said with a determined face. Once she was done finding out the basic information, she would call Fitz to come and decided if they are worthy to join the pack.

Bindi answered his questions well. It was then he realised that this pack was going to be okay. With wolves, like Bindi, aiming to improve themselves it would mean his pack became well rounded and well established. With wolves taking it upon themselves to do as much as they could and take the work load off him, it would mean he had more time to spend with Raissa.

He smiled fondly at Bindi, sure that she would achieve her warden trade in no time. "I think you have everything in hand." He wondered if she would be one that he considered for Beta position within his pack. Ideally, he would want her to have three trades - or one mastered - but it seemed as though she had the drive to potentially get her there.

"Let me know when you're ready to show your proof of the trade." FitzDutiful told her before heading off, further into the pack lands. Yes, everything would be okay.

Quick post to get this archived

The midnight wolfess watched as it seemed Fitz was pleased by her answer. She was determined to earn her warden, and gamekeeper trade first. The obsidian female nodded her head to both of Fitz's statements and watched him walk off. She already knew this pack was going to be strong, and was actually deciding wether or not to stay in Silvertip, instead of just making up her mind to leave.

Waiting until Fitz was out of sight, the dark wolfess slowly walked off toward the den. She was exhausted, and wanted some rest before she continued working on her trades.