Blacktail Deer Plateau There's no kingdom to come [challenge]

-9C°, currently it is snowing with overcast and set during the late afternoon. Located in kintla flatlands, blacktail deer plateau | ooc notes: Rose is home and ready to challenge for no reason whatsoever other than Noki wants to do another one! | tagging: @Aningan

The journey back to Rusalka was long. After his bath in the chilling waters, the meeting with Tundra (which will be vague since that thread just started) had given him a new strength to return. But there was a sick thought in his head - to find his leader and challenge for the rank of Alpha. He had previously told Erzulie he had no interest in leading, and that still held true. But then why would he challenge for a rank he did not want?

To see what Aningan had to offer. To see what would come of it. It would disappoint the mother for sure, he was certain of it, but in his present state of mind, there was no talking himself out of it. The scented borders were welcoming, though it did not feel like home, the familiarity of it all was enough to fill his heart with joy - or with something he thought as close to joy as possible. 

Once deep enough in the pack's lands, he lifted his head up to the heavens and let out a song to summon the current Alpha of Rusalka. He had challenged the Gamma, and now he would do the same with the Alpha - there were few above him now and why challenge someone lower than Erzulie if he could try his abilities against someone of a higher rank and possibly be a more interesting battle? 

Patiently the snow-capped warrior waited for his opponent. There was no hate. He didn't think Aningan was unsuited for the position. Frankly, he didn't know what he was thinking.

When the howl rang out over the land, Aningan’s ears perked; this was not the first challenger to meet him and he doubted it to be his last. It was a curious thing, how wolves came and went, challenged or remained at peace with their place. Whilst the boy still believed the plateau to be his home and the pack his family, he found himself wondering as of late if his place there was truly meant to be—after all, the only reason for his own challenge had been to hold the reins until Caiaphas returned. But the woman had come and gone again, shooed away by those that he still could not believe would send her away.

No matter, Aningan loosed a sigh—a rare sound to leave his lips, indeed!—and sought out the challenger, who he met with a question in his gaze: why you?

There was a moment between them as Rosencrantz watched Aningan appear from within the forest to his summon, a breeze ran between them as the silence grew - the challenger only gazing at his opponent with a neutral, lifeless, single eye. There was no hate, only one desire, to fight. Nothing like that against the Gargoyle in the forest, a fight for their lives, but between equals on a more respected ground.

He wanted this - needed this. He was refused the killing of the woman's ghost in the frozen field, and though he had left her behind and was uplifted by meeting Tundra yet again - that frustration lingered and he needed a way to unwind in the only way he knew how; and today, Aningan, his Alpha, would be his target. 

No words were exchanged, not that it would matter. The man's mind was made up and once the silence between the two giants was long enough, he charged forward to begin the duel. Jaws ajar as he thirsted for nothing more than the clash of teeth and flesh in the beautiful dance between gladiators.

Silence, looming over them—deafening and eager. Aningan was not one to fight often, favouring diplomatic approaches over violence. But when it came for him, threatening the boy’s peace of mind, a switch was flicked; like his father and grandfather before him, there was a loss of one’s self inherited by the young Inuk, support provided by the spirits of his ancestors and driving him by way of instincts.

And instincts could be a powerful thing, more so when one surrendered themselves over to it.

The bear reacted with clenched jaws, moving through the freshly fallen snow with ease as he sought to reach his opponent. Aningan left himself partially exposed as he aimed to ram his shoulder into Rose’s gaping maw, intending to stun him.

A shoulder came to him, and there was no time to think - only react; and his reaction was beastly at best. Gaping jaws snapped and tore as he lunged into the attack with full force, with every intention to make his presence known. Though he was not one to mingle often among pack members, he would not be ignored or set aside either. He would be remembered, and hopefully, respected as a warrior among them.

Something was clear as the two collided, even in this frenzied moment Rosencrantz could not deny it. Both of them were bred to fight, to rage, to war, it was in their blood. Titans made of white, trained to fight and win. Perhaps he would have a splendid time battling the Alpha, even if the position would not be his in the end.

Link to tabletop thread—since I forgot to link it in my previous post oops

Just as he lunged, so did his opponent, jaws gaping and then snapping; Aningan clenched his own jaw when contact was made, biting back the whine that threatened to flee past his lips. He could feel a searing pain over tenderness in his shoulder, the other male’s teeth tearing whilst the force behind them both bruised the boy. There was nothing he could do to avoid it, his own actions sealed his fate even before they collided.

Craning his neck, Aningan began snapping at the older male; he was aiming both nowhere and everywhere, seeking to grab wherever he might find purchase.

His hit landed and Aningan's reaction was almost typical in his recent fights. Wild snapping in desperation to try and grab onto anything they could - it wouldn't work on him this time. This time he saw it coming and was able to avoid such violent and mindless tactics (also with a little thanks to a good dice this round for Rose). With a duck he went under the chin of the younger Alpha, shielding his more tender features and already wounded chest from further damage.

While the younger of the polar wolves snapped wildly, Rosencrantz dove further, aiming for that tender spot where the neck met the Alpha's chest. That meaty crook where it was guarded by enough muscle and skin to not make it a fatal blow - but perhaps scary enough to anyone who had suffered from such an attack. He put all his might into this attack, kicking with his kind legs to thrust him forward with all his might, muscles straining under his demand.

Rank challenge winner: Aningan — Spar winner: Rosencrantz ayyyyyy

Snapping wildly and aimlessly quickly proved to be the most unwise of his decisions; he found no purchase anywhere, teeth either grazing through fine tufts of fur or air, unable to meet flesh. His frustration grew and Aningan, being young still and inexperienced in battle, let that eat away at him. He was unable to muster up enough common sense to think his actions through, each movement as reckless as the last, ultimately resulting in him trapped in a tricky situation—one that he did not know enough to get out of.

Pinned by his neck, the bear grew still and his eyes widened as he tried to figure out what just happened? But his moment of thought was too late to arrive, the spar already lost. “Taima!” the boy shouted, wriggling around in the older male’s grasp. “Let go now!” Apparently, there was still much for Aningan to learn if he wanted to continue to protect his home.

The spar was over. Aningan called for it all to stop, admitting defeat in simply a few words uttered - that was all that was necessary after all. Stepping back, the mountain of a man stood silently as there was nothing he wanted to add to the situation. There was no ill-will against the Alpha, even if Rose would not take his throne after all, but he did claim some kind of victory, even if it felt rather empty. Not wanting to just walk away, he allowed Aningan to do so instead or give him the opportunity to speak instead should he desire to do so.

Aningan was quick to return to his feet after the other male backed off. Physically, there were but dulling aches spread throughout various points of his body—perhaps the deepest wound of all was the one inflicted on his pride. And although Rosencrantz listened and stepped down when told, the bear could not help but feel bothered.

Later on, after calming down, Aningan would likely seek out the older male and request lessons in the art of battle. But, for now, he gave the warrior one last glance—a glare, even—and then took his leave.