Dragoncrest Cliffs hope you grow, i hope you grow too

puppy fight club time!! come to me babies @Tux @Kiwi @Bat @Silkie @Sequoia @Opalia @Dacio

blixen's head is still spinning around nomi's decision. leading has never been on her list of priorities -- her ambitions were, are, to protect her family, to serve nomi and drageda. and it's only temporary (thank god) but still -- what the hell does she do with this?

her job, she supposes.

this is an easier task for her to focus on and so she does. blixen remembers, sort of, when eske had begun their training as children -- mostly she remembers being sick and embarrassed, and look at her now. nomi'd asked her to lead their training this year so -- so she can do this. she will do this. besides, it's about time she got her kid siblings (and the other pups) in tip top shape. cheered by the thought, the -- the guardian throws her head back and calls for the kiddos to come to her, not too far from hougeda.

Kiwi heard her sister call and her ears pricked curiously.  Why was she calling everyone?  For training?  I mean, it made sense for her and even her brothers and sister.  But why would Blixen be bothering with the other ones?

She came quickly, and went immediately to greet her sister with affectionate nudges.

Blixen's call came when she was nearby, busy with springing excessively through the ferns and over sticks she found on the ground, and really, a summons for ~her~ not just from her parents or sister was kind of strange to hear from. She answered though, way too curious as she went trotting on over.

Since she didn't really have a place in the greeting she strolled up on, she just slowed herself down and loitered near-ish. The other older pups still kind of made her iffy sometimes; they made her feel really small, and she usually needed a moment to gauge them. Observing suited her fine anyway, and she watched the scene with interest.

Tux had started his training some time ago, beginning when Artaax had taken an interest in the young pup.  Since then he had tussled with anyone that would give him the time of day.  He did not know why Blixen called for him (still kind of confused about nomi's departure, he heeds her call not as a packmate to an alpha but a brother to his sister), but he pushed forward anyway.  

He set upon Blixen's unoccupied leg, rubbing himself on her, before he looked up at her with bright eyes, awaiting answers.

Nomi had left, taking with her a handful of other wolves, including Ephraim. Bat didn't know how to feel about it. She was too blindsided to feel anything at first. Then, abruptly, she decided to gallop beyond the borders, intent on catching up with the party headed elsewhere and joining them, wherever they were going.

Only Wildfire caught up to her and what began as a firm reprimand turned into her mother dissolving into tears and begging the Goufa to come back home with her. A bewildered Bat followed Wildfire back toward Hougeda and was made to promise her mother she wouldn't leave too.

When Blixen's call sounded, Bat peered at Wildfire—now dozing fitfully in the shaded brush, tears still streaking her cheeks—and slunk off to heed her sister's summons. When she arrived, she saw two of her siblings and a cousin. Like Opalia, Bat hung back. She felt decidedly wrung out from the events of the past few days and had even less energy than usual.

Before anyone could acknowledge her, Bat sank back into the undergrowth. She walked back toward Hougeda, skirting the area where Wildfire slept. She padded into the cave, then though it to the other side. She plopped down on the sandy beach with a sigh, silver eyes unseeing as they stared at the distant horizon.

He felt Dalia's absence sorely. Too young to understand why his big sister had been gone for so many days without notice, Dacio had at first wondered out loud. He questioned his mother who, despite reassuring him gently that all would be well, carried with her the weight of her own concern.

And so he chose suffered quietly. He never ventured far from @Portia's side for fear that she too might vanish, and he lifted his pastel gaze to meet the vivid peridot of her own as a summons for Drageda's cubs to gather rose from nearby. He didnt want to go. Softly, the piebald medic assured her son that he must never ignore the commander's call, and he reluctantly padded from her with the promise that she'd await his return.

He was not the first to arrive, but was glad to see he wasn't last. Kiwi and Tux greeted their elder sibling enthusiastically while Opalia lingered awkwardly nearby. A pang of envy gripped Dacio's young heart as he observed his cousins in silence before he stepped alongside his golden littermate. Their relationship had always been a competative one, but her presence brought comfort and he tentatively reached out to greet her with the featherlight touch of his snout to her shoulder.

ty for joining! no posting order, gonna try to keep these rounds quickish, lets say next round starts 9/27? n feel free to hop in still other puppies!

kiwi and tux come to her, and so do portia's children -- opalia and... dacio, she thinks. bat's arrival and subsequent departure go unnoticed by the young commander, but her absence is not particularly troubling to her, if somewhat aggravating. as for silkie.. well. he's a good boy, she'll get him next time.

"hei!" blix greets the batch, returning kiwi and tux's more familiar affections with some quick playful nudges. the younger kids have hung back and she gestures towards them, ushering them closer. ironically since in her own youth she'd been late to arrive, she doesn't remember exactly how eske got them started, but she takes a stab: "today we start your training, kiddos. whether you decide to become gona -- like me -- or not, learning to protect yourself in a spar is an important skill to have.

so!" the redhead chirps, "why don't you get into pairs and show me what you can do!"

Kiwi watched as Bat came and went, and she itches to follow, but some teacher's pet gene ingrained within her made her stay where she was.  Bat shoulda stayed too... Blixen wanted them here.

The situation with Nomi hadn't exactly sunk in yet, and it wouldn't really trigger until Bat disappeared too.  For now she studiously avoided it, instead focusing on the lesson and giving Tux a friendly shove when he came beside her.

Ok! She could spar! She'd... kinda... learned a little with Artaax, and with a few others, but to be honest most of her practice had been hunting.  Still, she squared off with Tux, grinning challengingly as she bent down.  Partners? 

feel free to pp her a bit! She's little so would prob try to use agility a little to stay out from under him, but I figure in the end he'd prob pin her since I -think- he's been practicing more!

Moments after her, more arrived, and things seemed to settle into place after Blixen tried to bring them all closer together. She was glad Dacio had come, though wondered if Sequoia would even bother to answer too. As for the older pups, well, Opalia was kind of relieved only two of them had come and stayed too.

With that, she listened and did her best to absorb it all. Some of it was stuff she had heard hints about; having their wocha as a father had at least made her aware of training that was to come, in some vague sense. Opalia had not known what that would change for them, however. Not yet.. but little hints in her life already had been helping to prepare her for bigger, better things.

Since she was most comfortable with him, and because they were far more evenly matched, Dacio was her natural choice--if not just because it was the easiest one for her to make. Thankfully, Kiwi seemed keen to her brother as well, so Opalia didn't feel bad about doing the same. She turned to her grayscale sibling and nodded softly, as if to say you and me? The goufa was hopeful he might agree with her this time, at least for their first official training with the other, older puppies beside them, and tried to sink her body into whatever a good training stance was meant to look like: all paws on the ground but light, tail and ears tall--attentive, surely!

But... while she was used to wrestling and biting with him as her victim, she usually was  motivated beforehand. Not that it was hard. Her temper came short sometimes and he was really good at picking at it. If he agreed... well, she tried to think of whatever the last annoying thing he had done was, which shouldn't be too difficult for her.

ROUNDS?  Pff, I don't pay enough attention. <<

His burnished gaze settles upon his sister as she arrives and then turns almost immediately to leave.  There is something ugly and that stirs within him, unamused with this.  Why couldn't she just listen?

He does not have long to linger upon it long.  Soon, Blixen tells them the reason they have gathered and Kiwi is giving him a look.  At first he thinks she wants to team up with him to go after the other children, but then it clicks — she wants to spar against him!  

He squares off and offers a playful growl before he launches at her.  His first move misses because of her fleetfooted movements, but he seeks to strike her again... or at least pretend like it.  If he can outlast her and wear her down, he will end up the winner.

The commander spoke up, and Dacio blinked up at her in surprise as she announced her reason for calling the cubs together. This would be the beginning of their training, but not all of them had arrived! Briefly looking over a peppered shoulder and around him for any sign of the missing pups, he turned back to Opalia to seek her gaze and exchange a confused glance with her.

She seemed eager to begin, however, despite the absence of Sequoia, Bat and Silkie. Dacio dipped his dark muzzle in a nod of response, an agreement that they should pair off as the young leader had requested. It made sense, after all, that the youngsters of similar age and skill should spar with one another.

The boy inhaled deeply, wondering how they should begin. Usually it was easy enough to make his sister whine but with the sorrow of Dalia's recent departure looming over their family, Dacio hadn't felt overly mischievous. He wanted to do well, however, and launched forward without much thought with his jaws parted, reaching in attempt to hook his dark paws around her neck and chomp on her ears.

sorry for the wait! rounds are for chumps as it turns out!

her siblings pair off, leaving portia's to each other -- it's a fairer match, she supposes, letting them have at each other. as they spar the young commander walks around, observing their form. every so often she leans down, murmuring encouragements or barking (at tux and kiwi, at least) suggestions for improvements. 

but observing is boring, actually, and after a little while, blixen needs to change things up. maybe pedagogy is not really her thing, who knows. "good job," she announces, sitting down, the line of her back straightened. "now how about we make this more fun? i want you -- all of you -- to come after me. show me what you got!" flashing a wolfy grin, blix lowers herself, bracing for puppy impact.

By the time Blixen calls things off his tongue threatens to fall from his mouth and onto the ground.  If he keeps this kind of training up he'll be beefed up in no time, especially since Blixen has so much to say about his form and technique (rude).  Good job, she says and he puffs out his chest, but then she says something that has him both excited and disappointed (mostly because he is fat and he is tired).  He runs out first, directly towards his sister in an attempt to distract her so that the other puppies can assault her from every side.

Opalia was grateful they were on the same page so easily, so launched face-first into her own volleys of hits, misses, and attempts at dodges against Dacio. Her brother knew a lot of her tricks, though, not that many were particularly developed--but maybe already the young goufa showed a few habits taking shape.

When Blixen made the call for a change, the girl paused, panting, before she started forward towards the yearling anew only a few beats after. She still wanted to make a good start, even if she might be small and having to hustle it; she was determined.

Although she didn't instantly recognize what he was doing rushing first, Tux took to the front--and when she did catch on, she went wide towards a side for her own angle, hopefully away enough from Dacio to make her own distinct impressions. So, Opalia sprang forward with her fiercest lunge aimed for the commander, ready to rally and pounce alongside the fellow pups.

Opalia seemed to welcome the challenge, and Dacio did his best to dominate her. He braced himself for her attacks and moved in to strike without much thought, but he was too caught up in the heat of the moment to worry about his lack of precision. That was the purpose of this gathering, after all: for the Commander to study the cubs and aid them on their journey to becoming young warriors.

Tongue lolling, he ceased his advance on his blonde sibling to regard the leader as she spoke out. His pale eyes rested on her, following her movement as she lowers to settle a short distance away. There's something regal about the proud arch of her graceful neck and he watches with admiration as she straightens herself, then welcomes the youngsters to rally to her. Dacio hesitates, his dark ears twitching as he glances around in time to see Tux take the lead and spring forth.

His litter-mate follows and, eager not to be last, Dacio pursues her closely and veers to Blixen's side where he ducks his muzzle toward his chest and prepares to butt his head to her ribcage.