Two Rivers Isle Tag, you're it

FOr @Shink, his lesson after this:D

Their newly settled claim had left her proud and lively, and that day she traversed the Isle with a confident swagger. She was proud, to have stood for so long beside her Lord and Lady, and to have formed bonds with many of her packmates. Speaking of packmates, her thoughts travelled to Shink, and the promise she had made him after his lesson. Now seemed as good a time as any to teach him some of what she knew, and with that thought, her paws turned in the direction of the clearing she had originally sparred with the younger male.

She arrived after a few moments, immediately turning up her muzzle and letting out a summoning for Shink, hoping that he would know what she had called him for. As the first time they had met here, she settled on her haunches, waiting patiently for him to arrive. She had thought about what she wished to show him, and had thought of a number of techniques that might prove useful to the younger male. Her spar with the stranger had left her sore, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

Looking forward to this thread! Sorry it's so long, I got carried away

Shink had slept like a log after his spar with Aeronwyn, glad to crawl into his nest and sleep off the aches and minor pains that had scoured his body the day before. A few minimal scratches peppered his flank yet nothing serious and his muscles were beginning to lose their tightness and were returning to their usual relaxed self. 

He emerged from the entangles his hollow with a yawn, his ivory fangs glinting in the early sun before he let his jaw close shut with a slight click. He had always been one to reflect on his past; his memories of the Meadow were treasured pieces of his identity yet since his arrival upon the Isle that had all changed. Devotion to Malice and Burke had felt like his strongest connection to Arthendal yet, since their official claiming, he had begun to realise that it was not just the two that had secured his bond, but the other wolves that resided here too. The isle itself also played a part and he was beginning to grow more trusting of his companions, realising that within the safety of their land they could share knowledge freely and strive to achieve together for the greater benefit

A howl sounded not too far off, wavering and melodic above the natural hum of the forest. His ears pricked in recognition as he knew who the song belonged to; Aeronwyn, and he set out into a steady lope towards the glade they had trained in the day before. With ears pricked and tassel swishing in anticipation, he emerged from the shadows of the trees, his head held high as he offered her a light chuff of greeting. "I'm ready," he decided, relaxing back onto his haunches as he awaited her further instruction. In all honesty, he was quite used to having a superior give him orders and was more than willing to listen to the silver wraith as it meant expanding his knowledge and improving his skills.

He arrived quickly, seemingly as eager as when she had left him that day. He proclaimed that he was ready, earning another uncommon smile from Aeronwyn, and settled himself a short distance from her. Suddenly, she was reminded of something she had meant to ask him, but quite frankly forgotten. She rose to her paws, tail lashing behind her. "I'm glad to hear it; I hope to show you a lot today. But, before you begin, I've been meaning to ask you about which trades you'de like to pursue. Do you have an idea as of yet?"

While waiting for his answer, she quickly ran through the things she wanted to teach the young male, making sure not to forget anything. She hoped to teach him the move that she, in turn, had learned from Nicolas, though a modified version perhaps better suited toward his body type.

After a night of soundless sleep, it was good to be reminded of another's voice. It was a way to make him feel more awake and bonded to the present day rather than drowning in the past. His tail buffed the dry ground as he listened to her speak, watching with a curious gaze as her tassel lashed behind her. The anticipation of learning had the boy intrigued, of not a little nervous, and he let his tongue protrude slightly to dampen his nose; a trait he had gained from his father.

At the mention of trades, he thought back to his conversation with Burke and how he had mentioned Shink had the potential to become a successful guardian should he strive in that direction. "Im thinking about the mercinary trade," he voiced eventually, his muzzle crinkling in thought. "Though perhapse scout," he added, visualising the feeling of running upon open ground and exploring new lands. "It would remind me that I am still free even within the confines of a pack." In all honesty, he didn't have a path thought out for himself yet but the urge to prove his worth to Burke led him to finish his speach there.

She noted quickly the odd way he dampened his noise, noting the quirk wordlessly. At the mention of which trades he wanted to pursue, she nodded ,for they were also of interest to her. After a moment, she expressed her thoughts on them, speaking smoothly "Those are good choices. Scouts are valuable, far more than most realize, and a mercenary is always a good choices. Being a good mercenary, that is a matter that requires much learning, and practise. So, let us begin."

She squared off from him, settling into a relaxed stance and motioning for him to do the same. For a moment, she stood, without word, then a single quick word slipped from her muzzle. "Defend" The wraith begun to move, a sashaying, careless gait as she circled Shink. She opted for a quick attach, and sprang toward him, jaws parted and reaching for his scruff. She wanted to see how he would react to such a situation.

As she began to speak again he listened intently, ears perking as the pale vixen touched upon the scout trade. Confidence surged though him as she approved of his desicion, banishing his nervousness for the time being as she went on to expand his second choice. He dipped his head in agreement, knowing that it would take a lot of time and effort to earn his title. Though it was probably a lot more satisfying to bear the scars of battle, he couldn't help but be drawn more towards the freedom of being a scout, the ability to play a role in pack life yet still being able to roam to quell his natural curiosity. His small framework also lead his thoughts to a down spiral of uncertainty but perhapse the training Aeronwyn was about to give him would help reduce those concerns.

He watched in silence as she padded off a little way and flicked her tail, expecting him to do the same. He tilted his head for a moment before rising to his paws and mirroring her actions, letting his muscles relax as he positioned his paws in a squarish stance. A moment of silence passed between the two before Aeronwyn uttered a single word and he nodded, knowing what he had to do yet quite unsure how he was going to go about doing it. Nevertheless, he held his tail high as her pale figure began to encircle him.

It didn't take long before she made her move; a streak of white as she aimed for his shoulder. Much like their spar the day before, Shink lunged towards her muzzle as it neared his flank, attempting to parry her action and clamp his teeth over her mouth before it hit home. At the same time, he manoeuvred his paws so that his neck was no longer in full view; a mistake he had learned not to make again.

His stance, she noted, mirrored hers almost perfectly, which was good. When she lunged, he reacted quickly, obviously learning from yesterday. He made to grab her muzzle and twisted his paws so that his neck was out of plain view. Good. Making crucial regions a target never did bode well. She allowed him to score a grip on her muzzle easily, after a moment twisting out and returning to her previous position, still circling him. "Good. That was well done, very much so. Try this."

She slipped forward again, this time darting for a grip on his chest. His previous move had led her to believe that he had though a lot of this meeting and practised, which pleased her. Accepting her help without his own initiative would have been fine, she supposed, but this was better. She was glad that he was already learning from their spar, as she hoped of him.

To his surprise, his fangs made contact with the white wraiths' muzzle causing a surge of pride to shoot through his body. He was grateful that Aeronwyn had allowed him to practice; it would help him improve his technique yet truthfully, she was right in thinking that battles were often quick and sharp, the opponent often unforgiving for that matter. Nevertheless, perhaps if they continued training, he could at least be able to defend himself and the Isle without the fear of losing another spar.

He released her as she twisted out of her grasp giving his pelt a shake before returning to his original stance, his spine tingling with gratitude as her compliments soaked in. With a dismissive flick of his tail, he let his honeyed gaze follow her pale figure as she slipped into her circle around him once again. 

It was almost too sudden how she switched from her relaxed encircling to a white blur as she moved towards his chest, almost feline with her speed. Thinking back to the previous day, he tried to use his lithe frame to his advantage, ducking to the side as soon as her jaws neared his flank. He cursed in a low mutter as he stumbled, not quite escaping her lunge as her teeth snagged his flesh. He awaited her comments, knowing fully well that he'd have to improve his technique if he was to succeed next time.

She scored a grip, unlike last time, her grasp not as tight as she would have liked it, but there all the same. His simple sidestep had not been enough, nevertheless, they were here to learn, not to fight. However, when he made no immediate move to dislodge her, she glanced up at him quickly, not moving from her position. Mumbling through his fur, she said, "Well?". Her tail lashed once behind her, prompting him to do whatever he wanted in order to get her off his chest. She wanted to see his ideas before she gave him advice, a couple moves coming to mind as she thought of what she could teach him.

Muttering low under his breath, he took the pale vixen's hint and regained his balance. Her skull was directly below his muzzle, her shoulders well within reach so he lunged for her scalp, his maw agape as his fangs attempted to close round her right ear. At the same time, he reared up onto his hind legs, his front paws slamming from side to side as he battered her flank whilst all the while back-pedalling away from her pale form in an attempt to rid himself of her grip. He knew brute force wasn't going to help him win in the long run, yet he was stumped at what else he could do, relying on instinct more than anything to aid him in trying to prevent a potentially fatal bite.

His attack was sudden and furious, and she was quick to retreat, his wildly swing front paws a worthy defense. His jaws closed around her ear for a split second, she darted backward before he could sustain too much of a grip. She would hate to loose one of her ears, they proved rather useful. When she had slipped away, chest and flank stinging from his crazed forepaws, she settled into a relaxed stance again and smiled at him.

"Good. It was wise to go for the head, ripping off an ear especially can definitely convince most to flee rather quickly. They come off fairly easily, ears, and are a good thing to go for, should you be in such a position. Your rear was effective, though in a real fight it may have wasted much of your energy. You want to use moves that preserve your energy, and not tire yourself quickly. For example, a variation could be something as simple as this" With that she suddenly reared onto her back paws, kicking out her front legs quickly and powerfully at an invisible opponent. "Should you catch your opponent in the chest, it will prove a good deterrent. Try it"

He released her gently as she retreated, careful not to snag her ear in the process and landed his forepaws back on solid ground. Flanks heaving and his breath long and deep, he reached forward, his nostrils flaring as he scanned her shoulders to see the many scratches that peppered her pale fur. With a concerned chuff, he reclined back onto his haunches to regain his energy, his chest throbbing slightly as he let a ghost of a smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

Ears pricked in interest, he listened intently as Aeronwyn spoke, her praise causing his faint smile to grow into a wolfish grin as she congratulated him for his choice of action. "You're right in saying it wasted energy," he voiced in a breathless chatter, "I should've known better." He flicked his tail in amusement as he let Aeronwyn finish the rest of her speech. Rising to his paws, he tilted his head to the side as the silver wraith performed the action, her movements sleek and controlled yet charged with a powerful muscular force. Shink doubted he'd be able to match her standards yet he attempted it anyway, bucking up onto his hind legs and lashing out his forelegs. Since performing the previous variation, he found this one quite a bit easier and performed it rather smoothly albeit with a slight stumble. His paws hit the ground and his muscles ached yet he returned to a sitting position, his eyes full of admiration as his gaze travelled back to her silvery figure. "If you're up to another practice spar, would you mind having one?" he offered briefly. Of course, it would be quick yet he wanted to see if he had improved since the beginning. "I'd love to practice all that I've learned so far, see if I've made any improvement.".

He performed to movement, rather well except for a small stumble, but hadn't she done so too, while learning the move? It was as the other had said, you required but practise and initiative to succeed, perhaps coupled with some inborn skills. She noted the admiration in his eyes, and felt..something. She wasn't quite sure how to label the emotion, exactly. Something like pride, and...something else. She pushed it aside, not dwelling on the fact as she spoke again. 

"Of course. You have done well, I would like to see what you do thinking on your feet." She paused a moment, thinking, and then slipped into her relaxed stance. "Shall we begin now? Or would you rather a short rest?" He had expended a considerable amount of energy after her latest attack, she had as well, but not quite as much. She would be fine with whatever he chose, being quite pleased with his progress this far.

At the mention of her agreement, the agouti boy lashed his tail in excitement, his ears pricking and the fur along the back of his spine beginning to rise up in anticipation. Though he was tired and his muscles ached beneath the dappled fur that draped over his hide, he crinkled his muzzle up in thought as the silvery maiden offered him a choice in when to start the spar. Battles would most likely not be fought in perfect health. "I'd like to start now," he voiced eventually, his paws Kneading the ground as he realised how downright rude and bossy that sounded. Aeronwyn was a scholar after all; she possessed knowledge and skills that he should respect. "I-if you're ok with that of course. For the sake of realism," he added, hoping the white wraith would be happy to give in to his suggestion.

He stated his request firmly, which Aeronwyn didn't mind all to much, but quickly amended his firmness with another few words. Aeronwyn agreed, however thirsty she was, that fighting now would certainly ad the aspect of realism that would be a good learning tool. "Very well. You are right, for in is rare that in battle, one-"

She broke off suddenly, without warning, and lunged straight for the male, jaws agape. She was a fluid motion of silver, and when she neared she leapt, aiming to crash into his side and topple him over. True, it was not at all her fighting style, but using only her own moves and techniques would hardly teach him how to react to a varied number of styles outside the borders. Instead of speed and agility, she used the tactic of one with bulk and brawn might employ to their advantage.

His tail curled as she agreed his head dipping as she spoke her words. Once their training finished, they'd both earned a decent break; perhaps he could try his luck at hunting. But for now he focused on the oncoming spar, his ears pricked at her speach until she broke off suddenly, earning a surprised yelp from the agouti boy as she barrelled towards him. Using the tactics they had practiced earlier, Shink reared up on his hind legs, careful to minimise his stumbling for fear of wasting energy as he lashed out with his forepaws in hope to catch the pale wraith off guard with a slam to her shoulder. With any luck, it would throw her off balance whilst she was airborne and earn him a brief moment to regain his balance and plan his next action.

Paws slammed into her side, catching her airborne and sending her away from Shink. She landed somewhat clumsily, but recovered quickly, taking only a few seconds to recover. She admired the move, done from exactly the right direction. Had he come from the front, it would have been...messy, but adapting the move to fit the situation had worked well in his favour.

Nimbly, she slipped forward again, aiming a snap at his shoulder, then retreating and coming at him from the other side, aiming another snap at his flank. She circled him this way, occasionally slipping forward like a snake to deliver a snap, which in a true battle would be a bite. This tactic she had not employed in her time in Teekon, though this method wore down an opponent quickly in a true battle. She wanted to see what he would do in reaction to this kind of assault. It was a rapid and significant change from her previous frontal assault, she planned to switch styles frequently during this battle.

Confidence riddled his form as his paws hit home and Aeronwyn was flung off course. He landed his pads back on solid ground, using the few seconds he had gained to catch his breath and return to a neutral stance as the pale wraith recovered quickly.

As she began her series of blows, his gaze trailed her movements, his muzzle lunging in an attempt to parry her first blow. Should it succeed, his fangs would make connection with her maw and prevent it from reaching his flank. Either way, he retreated back into a defensive posture as she drew back from her first attack, trying to waste as little energy as possible, his reflexes improving as she moved in for a second snap.

Using a technique he had watched Aeronwyn do in their first spar, the agouti boy feigned a lunge for her maw, his jaws snapping shut as he pulled away, quickly darting under her brawn as he expended the last of his energy on tackling her throat from the side, careful not to let his teeth puncture her skin. With any luck, he'd get a grip yet he wouldn't be surprised if Aeronwyn had one last trick up her sleeve.

He parried the first attack well, the second quite well. He feinted first for her muzzle as he had before, then attempted to slip beneath her, grabbing for the side of her neck. Quickly, she twisted the other way, not away from him, but beneath him, falling to the ground, stomach up. She struck as an adder may have her front legs kicking out in unison as a burst, aiming to catch him under the throat or chest and send him sprawling. She was getting rather good at these kicks, though they may not prove practical in many situations, in some, they proved quite the defense, and rarely a offense.

His teeth missed her neck, closing on empty air as Aeronwyn ducked beneath him. With a launching motion, he threw himself to the side, avoiding the majority of her kick yet catching a glancing blow to his shoulder as he did so. Wincing, he stumbled backwards, his flanks heaving as he struggled to regain his balance, his limbs quivering with exhaustion. The pale wraith had skills that would take years to match and even then he knew he'd never match her standards. Where had she learned these moves from? With a dismissive lash of his tail, he decided to lunge one last time, darting towards her silvery figure whilst she was upturned, his jaws agape as he lunged for her throat this time careful to approach from the side to avoid another kick to the chest.

She was panting, for Shink was proving to be more of a challenge now. Thinking them done, she almost relaxed, but then Shink struck again. It was a quick move, a lunge to her throat, and being stupidly unprepared, she did not launch a counter strike until his maw had a grasp in the thick fur of her throat. She rolled so that she was almost on her side, launching a final, quick kick with her front legs in unison, at the same time rolling away and breaking away from the weak grip on her neck. He had been fast, she realized, as she surged to her paws with a smile on her face, panting still. "Good. Very good. You improve quickly"

A glimmer of confidence shot through his body as his fangs made contact with her ruff, his breath fast and rapid as he held on. Though his grasp was soon broken as Aeronwyn rolled onto her side and aimed a kick at his flank. Yet her aim was slightly off and the agouti yearling released his jaws from her neck as he retreated, allowing her paw to skim his leg lightly as he returned to stand a little way away from the other. He was excused, his tongue a stretched muscle as he sank to the floor, his hide heaving as he once again paused to catch his breath.

Admiration flared as the silver wraith emerged to stand on her paws almost seamlessly and he flashed her a quick smile, his flanks still heaving as he splayed his front legs before him. "Thanks," he buffed the ground with his tail as her praise invited a surge of pride to trill through his veins. "It was all down to you though," he added, gratitude making his voice crack as his tired gaze met those of the other, "If you hadn't shown me those moves, I'd probably be sprawled on the ground after another failed spar." At least this time he hadn't ended up flat under his opponents weight; he counted that as a great achievement.

He thanked her, both for her praise and her teachings. She was proud to have helped him, made a difference with her teachings. She smiled, but his gratitude made her uncomfortable in the slightest, she was unused to it, and though she had merely done what any good packmate would. Nevertheless, she accepted it with a nod of her head and a few words. "I am glad, but look also to yourself. Without your initiative, your enthusiasm, you would know and have learned much less then you have." Her eyes glanced briefly to the sky, taking a quick estimate on the time of day. "I will go now, Shink, for I seek a drink and a meal. But should you ever wish for more instruction, do not hesitate to call for me presence." With a final dip of her head and a smile in the male's direction, she spun on her heel, taking her leave, and headed toward the river for a drink and, eventually, a meal.

Thanks for the thread!

No worries! *fades and evaporates here*

With a polite nod in the direction of her fading white figure, the male stayed still, his form still hugging the ground as he watched her depart. Perhaps he'd move soon for the sake of his thirst but for now all he wanted to do was rest. With a slight hugged he crawled to epithet edge of the glade, not bothered to head back to his hollow as he curled up beneath the fronds of bracken, his tassel draped over his nose. Aeronwyn not only served as a mentor to him, but now a companion, someone he could trust. He hadn't felt that way about anyone in a long time.