Ouroboros Spine Protect your chest, Warrior!

@Kodiak @Kodiak @Kodiak

New to the spine. New to everything. He was getting the distinct feeling this place had a very "hold your ground" sort of policy that meant he had to be less lazy and more active. Considering the Toni's strong, "no yielding" rules against casual fornicating, that meant high intensity interval training in the form of casual sex was out. Time to look into alternatives.

Kero paced the edge of the lake for a couple of reasons. The first, he liked water. Loved it, actually. If he hadn't been born a wolf, he was certain to have been born a fish of some kind. The second? It was a natural stomping grounds for anyone or anything who wanted a drink and well, it was just damn attractive. The mountains in the distance reflected in the pool. Yadda. Yadda. More romantic shit.

He cleared his thoughts and paced the shore. Something... He'd find something useful to do here.

When he was not assisting Tonravik or tending to other more pressing matters, Kodiak had been working in a spiral, winding from the outer reaches of the territory inward on his task to catalog the territory. This trek brought him nearer and nearer the lake, and a breeze brushed past his muzzle, telling him that he was not alone in this part of the territory. The brown bear recognized the scent as belonging to the russet male, and he headed straight for him.

Kodiak had never spoke to this wolf, though he had been present at the savaging of the coyotes. He was not aiming for conversation now, either. He approached with a scrutinizing gaze, making no effort to conceal the fact that he was sizing this other male up now that he had the chance.

In true fashion, the lake was an attractive thing. It took almost no time for the brown wolf at the earlier coyote romp to appear upon the scene. Kero turned his head towards the wolf, glancing him over for a moment before casting his gaze out towards the water. Yes? No? Maybe? Hmm... He could feel the weight of the male's eyes upon him. Fine.

"You, brown bear," he said, turning where he stood. They were both males within this pack. It was now or sometime in the near future that they'd test each other's strength and figure out where the other ranked between them. The brown wolf wore his warrior's heart on his sleeve. Kero? Kero was Kero. He hadn't even given the alpha his name. There was not a wolf in this lands who knew his true potential.

Lifting a hind paw from the ground, he twisted and utilized his toes to scratch at his ear. "You. Me. How 'bout a spar?"

Kodiak quirked a brow when this male addressed him, not appreciating in the least the mannerism. But then, the brown bear was considerably less tolerant of other males. They were competition for breeding rights, something Kodiak took seriously, for there was no greater task than to sire the next generation. And as it stood, the pack had no pups, the Alpha female had taken no mate, and so there was much on the line.

A rogue's smile creepet on his face, and he gave his packmate a single nod. A spar was exactly what the brown bear had in mind. He wished to feel out his potential competitor, for he intended to take Tonravik when she was in season. Anything that happened here would be remembered if the russet male would challenge him in the future.

Thread here!

Okay. Everyone had so few words here it was likely going to drive him batty. That, or lead him to losing his tongue. Kero frowned a moment, waiting for this wolf to reply. All he received in response was a nod. Just a nod. No verbal confirmation. Well wasn't that awesome. He'd have to teach these wolves to speak.

"Alrighty then," he said, shifting his body square to the wolf. If he also wasn't one for talking, then maybe they could figure this all out with a few glancing blows. Casting aside his good humor, Kero fell into a more serious mood. Here goes nothing.  

He charged.

With Soap's permission, roleplaying as though Kodiak didn't suck as hard as the dice would suggest ;)

The russet male charged, rearing on his hind legs, and Kodiak met him in the air, exchanging a few blows before both parties planted their feet and engaged in a vigorous dance of mock combat. Initially, the exchanges were fairly even, but the brown bear was half-hearted in his effort, even underestimating his opponent to some degree, and his light effort allowed the other male to gain the upper hand. When the moment presented itself, his opponent seized it, and Kodiak felt teeth clasp firmly but reservedly around his throat.

"Good," Kodiak said, ducking out of the other male's hold, seating himself a few paces back. "You fight well." The brown bear was impressed, even, but would not say as much, nor did it show in his collected expression. It was clear to him, this wolf was potential competition, and he would not soon forget that. Though he had more respect for the male now, he also had a subtle dislike, born only of the fact that he might stand in Kodiak's way.

It started off fairly straight forward. They were evenly matched, it seemed as their efforts to gain the upper hand were thwarted by the other's skill and technique. All too quickly however, common mistakes were made. Kero landed blows that should have been easily dodged. This one was playing with him. Toying even. He held back his true talents and Kero moved to end this quickly. One final attack for the male's throat and the bear had enough. This spar was over.

The brown male stepped back and seated himself. Kero lingered on his paws, tossing his neck side to side as he stretched and appropriately cooled down from his previous exertion. Down dog. Up dog. Working things out while the muscles were still warm prevented later stiffness. He didn't need a limited range of mobility holding him back. Stretching helped. 

"You're not half bad yourself," he said, sinking down to his elbows with his butt in the air. His tail flicked behind him, once, twice, before it stilled. Kero pressed into his stretch, falling deeper into it as he glanced at the male before him. "Next time, promise me you won't hold back." 

The brown bear watched as his rusted packmate performed a series of moves, understanding that he was stretching although in a much more extravagant way than Kodiak had ever seen fit to do. He was a judgemental sort that stuck to his ways, and yet there was a part of him that was more open minded, but only in cases such as these, when he looked at what was before him and saw strategic potential. Perhaps this elaborate stretching was beneficial, and he noted in the back of his mind to try out and assess these moves later.

His packmate had saw through him, insisting he not hold back next time, and to this Kodiak grinned roguishly. "Fair enough," he said. Next time, they could be competing for something the brown bear coveted, and that was an entirely different matter. "So what's your name? What brought you here?" Kodiak was digging for more information, of course.

*PASSES THROUGH*

Tonravik was making rounds, marking her lands and spotting plenty of pack-mates along the way. She had not seen the spar, moving toward the duo through the forest on her way to the other end of the territory. While she was not one for shortcuts, Tonravik had to learn this territory intimately since it was her own. Cutting through would aid her in that. It just so happened that on her way, Iqniq and Kodiak were there.

She approaches, plume lifted behind her and head held loftily, ears swiveling to catch the tail-end of what was last said. Tonravik had to continue her duties and could not join them this moment, sand it was clear the alpha had no designs to stop moving. "Aklark," she greets, looking to Kodiak, and her eyes turn toward the fiery colored wolf she called "Iqniq." Tonravik nods, continuing on her way.

Good. They were in agreement that next time would be different. None of this mess again. No shrugging off their skills or talents to bullshit the other. It wasn't productive. Hell, even now they didn't really know where the other stood and until it became a problem, it wouldn't. Until it did. Then? Ugh. He didn't really want to think about it.

The brown wolf began to pry, asking personal questions. Kero didn't often divulge information about himself. What most learned was in snippets, little pieces of the puzzle they could later press together to mold a more complete picture. What was his name? What brought him here? He was distracted from answering as Toni crossed upon the scene.

Aklark? What the hell was that? Short for awkward lark? A bird? Did she have something caught in her throat? A raspy voice maybe considering she seldom spoke at all? Kero had no clue what that meant, but she followed it with a world he was slowly beginning to identify as the name she'd given him. "I'm Inquip. Ickwhip. Icknip?" Kero shook his head. "She says it better." He tossed his muzzle towards the female who was passing through.

Why was he here? Out of all the packs he'd encountered while checking out these lands? "She sucks less." Out of all of them.

If the russet male was going to oblige him with an answer, it was interrupted when Tonravik made an appearance, instantly drawing Kodiak's gaze although it was averted from his leader's own eyes. She greeted him in their language, with the name his father had bestowed on him, and one that quickly caught on among others for his uncanny resemblance of his coat to a brown bear, which aklark meant in the common tongue. He bowed his head to her as she moved on, her unyielding gait telling him she would not be stopping to mingle.

"Iqniq," Kodiak repeated as the male struggled with the correct pronunciation. That alone told him that he was not a Tartok wolf, which the brown bear had already suspected. But perhaps, he could be. He already had at least some warrior skills, and seemed to be dutiful. Kodiak might have explained the meaning of their names but until his position was secure where he wanted it to be, he had no inclination toward teaching his packmate, at least not a male packmate, anything. He would not willingly give him an edge that might endear him to Tonravik. Since she had spoke at least one of Kodiak's names, he did not bother to make a more formal introduction of himself. 

He quirked a brow. "Sucks less than whom?" he questioned.

"Right. Icknipt." He butchered it again, but hey, it was closer. There was a language here that was foreign to his tongue. He did not understand and was unsure as to how long it would take him to catch on. Hell, his given nickname could have equated to village idiot and in his unknowing he very well could be embracing the insult. Oh well. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd been considered a moron.

The male didn't introduce himself. Toni had pretty much done it for them. Achlarp, it was. Convenient, her timing, but Kero thought nothing more of it, instead turning his attention to the conversation at hand.

"Sucks less than whom?" Kero raised a brow. Did this wolf know nothing of the surrounding lands? So far, it appeared as though he had a very narrow view of this area. Kero smirked. Perhaps the view was so narrow it could only accommodate Toni's ass. "The rest." See? Kero was learning. He could keep his sentences short and sweet too.

I LOLed "Perhaps the view was so narrow it could only accommodate Toni's ass." Yes. It is true. Lmao. I promise he won't always be a stick in the mud, I feel so guilty in this thread because Kero is fun and Kodiak is just srsbzns. Haha.

He still did not grasp the pronunciation but Kodiak let it go. He was not a nag, and it did not matter if this male perfectly spoke his mother tongue or not. If he stayed among them long enough, he would pick it up most likely. Or not. The brown bear did not care.

It was true that Kodiak did not know much of the surroundings lands, only what he had briefly glimpsed as he tracked briskly through them. He had left the site of the skirmish upon deciding he would pursue Tonravik, and nothing bar food, water and sleep had delayed him from that task. He would scout the immediate lands neighboring them someday, but the rest he had no care for. It was evident this territory provided everything a wolf needed and so there was no need to explore far from it, at least not at this time. Kodiak was not an inquisitive explorer like some.

"I see," Kodiak hummed with a bob of his head. "Sometimes I prefer those who suck more," he said dryly with a shrug. But a devilish smile curled his lips, offering the russet male a glimpse of personality, for beneath the reserved, focused wolf he had been acting was a rogue of sorts. In time, as he secured better footing, it would reveal itself. But for now, his view truly was narrowed, set upon his leader's arse and a position at her shoulder.

Haha! No worries. We shall provide all comedic relief!

Kero smirked. For a stick in the mud, he trampled awfully close to something somewhat funny. Perhaps there was a guy's guy in there somewhere. Something a little more male and a little less whatever it was that was lending to this one's hyperfocus. "Only if they're sucking dick."

If they were sucking as an alpha? Hell to the no.

"You been here long, Awcrap?" he asked, testing the name Toni'd called him. 

Yay!

Kodiak's smile broadened into a grin, almost parting into a chuckle, but the brown bear was yet still reserved, his guard not down enough to allow him to fully engage in merriment. Kodiak was actually keen on such jest when his mind was not locked on an important task that would dictate his entire future here.

As Iqniq had butchered his own name he also butchered the brown bear's, who pursed his lips and decided that he was not going to tolerate being called by a mangled moniker. "Or you can call me Kodiak," he said. Were he not a subordinate that had been accepted mere days ago, he likely would have been much more aggressive in ensuring that he be referred to properly. But he, ever strategic, had quickly decided it would be better to offer his other, easier to pronounce name and hope his russet packmate chose to use it, rather than getting into conflict so soon.

"And no," he said. "I arrived just before you." It crossed his mind that he did not know if the pack knew of Tartok, how much he could speak of it, and so he was vague as he continued after a pause. "But I knew Tonravik from before." He deliberately made mention that he and the dark Alpha had been acquainted previously. Kodiak lifted his muzzle to invite Iqniq to speak.

Whoop. There it is. A name. A name Kerosene could actually pronounce. "You should probably lead with that one," he said, nodding his head slightly in the affirmative. Not only was it easier and more familiar on the tongue, but far easier to remember. Considering this pack was the only one he'd encoutnered with wolves that spoke that particular tongue, offering up something a little easier and a little less nickname, sounded like a far better idea. 

It was interesting to learn Kodiak was new here too. New, and already taking strong measures to make a presence for himself. Kero nodded again, saying nothing as he noted this information and the brown wolf proceeded to elaborate. Oh goodie. This was a family of wolves with more languages and hidden secrets and traditions he'd have to learn the hard way. Color him thrilled.

He was about to comment, when he noted the brown wolf making an expression to give him permission to speak. Kero lifted a wolven brow, tried really hard not to judge, and failed. Hard. Typically, in a conversation, both parties went back and forth freely because that's how an open conversation worked. One sided conversations were unproductive. Then again, this speaking thing was something he was learning this pack struggled with. They didn't know the basics.

So, instead of continuing to be insulted and embarrassed by the arrogance of his own packmates, Kero turned and left.

-Kero exits-

lmao looking forward to seeing how the dynamic between these two develops. I can see them being buddies when Kodi stops acting like a pesky Tonravik shadow, or not liking each other at all. Thanks for the thread I'll have it archived! ;)

Kodiak's brow mimicked Iqniq's, raising in tandem, but quickly furrowing when his russet packmate turned and left with not another word. Unbeknownst to the brown bear, who was not exactly known for having smooth social skills (and this was a fine example of it), his gesture had been taken as arrogant. It was meant to open the door, letting the other male know that he had finished speaking and was in 'listening mode', or perhaps 'waiting to gather more intel' mode, but he had failed to communicate that properly. So, he rolled his eyes at his packmate's disappearing back, shook his head and turned to leave himself. Both wolves thinking the other did not know how to engage with their comrades.