Hideaway Strath it's not the same as when i was punched

He found himself tucked into a deep bed of snow that morning. A rather stark stain against the world with his russet colors and patched shades of black. He should have put himself quick to work, this he knew. Yet he had found himself in some sort of comfortable, vulnerable state. Still high off of the names he had been given and how kindly he had been received.

He stretched unworked limbs, stuck out and buried them into the snow around him. He was...an almost pitiful sight if not for the occasional wag of a thick tail.

Ever one to stay on top of things, Nyra sought out their newest recruit. 
Seeing him...stretching? The Overseer smiled softly and approached with confident grace, swaying her tail in friendly greeting "I see you slept well." She commented with a chuckle, noting what she saw to be an I-just-woke-up expression on his face. 
Even though it was the next morning, and early, Nyra felt inclined to check in on the newbie, offering him a light tilt of her head "I trust you've been settling in alright?" 

He watched her with dull gold eyes as she approached. As ever confident as she had seemed yesterday.

Oh, I'm settling very well. He answered with the intent to reassure. Then rolled some in his little bed of deepened snow. Now on his side with his underside exposed in a rather lazy submissive splay. Almost as well as I slept. Teased carefully.

Patroclus had truly forgot what it felt like to sleep in a place without worry.

A chuckle bubbled past her lips as the firebrand rolled lazily, teasing. 
"I think Kynareth is planning to show you around sometime soon." A change of subject, yes, but one she felt Patroclus needed to anticipate. 
She'd do it herself, but reasons. ;) 

So with a small sigh, the behemoth lady plopped down in the snow beside the newcomer, deciding to rest with him a moment while thinking of what to do

I look forward to it. He hummed truthfully. Although he was far more focused on the here and now. Especially as he found Nyra settled next to him.

Carefully he rolled back towards her and onto his stomach. Then sought to drape a foreleg over her shoulders. A rather cozy position to be in. If she would allow it.

Still somewhat a stranger to physical affections such as this, Nyra tensed briefly as Patroclus draped a foreleg over her. But she didn't see any ill intent, so she relaxed and rested her head on her paws. 

She'd enjoy the coziness for a minute at least.

He found he had not been pushed away or scolded for his sudden closeness to her. Instead she seemed to relax under it.

How are you? He asked warmly, intent to listen to whatever answer she might provide. This could be a perfect chance for him to prove himself as a good supportive figure — perhaps even a confidant.

Nyra hesitated at first, unsure how to answer for a moment to his warm inquiry. 
But she relented. Something she never did in battle at least. 

"I'm well. Honestly I didn't think I'd be here so soon. At the top of the ladder, I mean." She clarified after a moment what she meant, letting out a large yawn that showed impressive, wicked teeth.
"I worked hard to get here. I just didn't think I would be an alpha so soon. Even if half a year isn't that small of a time." She chuckled the last bit, smiling softly at her firebrand cuddle buddy.

So this is...new.

A slow start as he allowed her to warm up to things with him. Delicately he sought to groom some tufts of fur with his teeth. She needed to look regal if she was alpha, no?

How is it treating you? How do you feel? It had not been his intent to stumble into a sort of counseling session about it. Alas. He had no qualms about it.

She nodded. 
Yes, this is fairly new to her. Despite being an heir to her father's throne from birth till yearling status, she wasn't ever really in a position of authority until recently. 

As he groomed through her fur and asked his questions, Nyra sighed softly. 
"It's treating me just fine, honestly. I just hope I make a good leader to everyone." She expressed, swishing her tail some.

"I do think we should train you though. Even counselors needs to know how to fight, here." She looked at him inquisitively, open to his agreement or objection.

I think you're doing fine. Granted I have only seen your recruiting skills. He teased kindly before his teeth sought to break up one more area of fur into something finer. Then he could let her be without the hassle of a groom.

He hummed thoughtfully at her suggestion. Then gave one nod. I am not opposed. I used to...tussle with the other men back home when they trained. Oft lost battles against them. He served more as a simple companion than a training partner. Not that she needed to know the muddied details that moment.

"Alright, then." Nyra took his answer as all she needed, and from there she stood, backing off a bit to allow him space to get up to face her. 

She offered a small yet encouraging smile, as a reassurance that she wouldn't straight up eat him, ferocious as she is.

Oh.

He had not anticipated that she meant this very moment. Yet she rose with a certainty and offered him a smile. Patroclus could only assume that was a summon for him to join her in...action.

You first? He offered meekly as he tried to prepare himself. Admittedly his tussles with the men had not been skill based on his end. So perhaps he ought to just prepare himself for the loss that was to come.

Nyra chuckled softly, shaking her head. 
"I've been teaching wolves your size and smaller how to fight. It's not all brute strength, yknow?" She swayed her tail in a friendly manner, keen eyes upon him with faithful confidence. 
He could do it, she knew he could.

He laughed softly. Maybe...ashamed, perhaps. He did not match most of the men he knew. He seemed to not match some of the women either. Patroclus had always been a man built for brain rather than brawn.

Are you sure about that? Humor thick over his words. I have a feeling anyone who could simply lay me flat would win without a second thought.

Nyra's assuring smile never faded.

"That's why you don't try to use your lack of brawn on a wolf made for brute strength. Keep most of your weight in your haunches, this will make it easier for you to move out of the way faster if a wolf like me or Kynareth were to attack you. If you can evade direct attacks and be quick on your feet, teeth will only be another tool in your cache. Brains can beat strength. You just have to know your opponent's weaknesses, and how your strengths can get the upper paw." 

He attempted what she said, to lean and put some tense weight into his hind legs. It felt unusual of course. As if he was a snake coiled with intent to strike. Granted he would not strike. Simply dodge.

And what is your weakness? He asked with a teasing intent.

She chuckled, lowering her head to level with her spine and prowling towards him, around him. 
Her golden gaze was dangerously mischievous, a smirk playing on her maw 
"What do you think my weaknesses are?" 
A little flirtatious, perhaps, but a returned jest all the same as she nipped lightly at his hip.

He hummed dramatically, thoughtfully. His own dull golden eyes watched her carefully. Tried to at least partially prepare himself in case she thought it fit to strike him down at any moment.

Untrained wolves who need a warrior to teach them how to not be outmatched. It was a dig at himself and a boost to her. He wondered how she would take it.

Nyra chuckled loftily at his words, eyes sparking with approval. 
She circled him a few more times in lethal quiet, but ultimately stopped to face him again with a smirk "Battle-wise, my biggest weakness is also my strength - my size. I am big, built with muscle on a hefty frame. Therefore, I'm slower than wolves like Hemlocke or Derg. But on the flip side, I'm very strong. Given the opportunity, it would be easy to overwhelm a wolf that is either untrained or too slow to get out of the way." 

Nyra trotted around him a few times, like a light jog "In combat, you must be ready to change and move direction at any time. Being familiar with the surrounding terrain will help with this, because if you know your surroundings, it is more likely to be an advantage instead of a tool used against you." She motioned with her muzzle to the surrounding thickets of trees in the immediate vicinity, as if providing an example.

He listened and he took it all in. Tried to remain serious. Admittedly he doubted he would ever be very good at battle tactics and fighting, but he had to start something. Not to mention she seemed willing to put up with him and teach him.

So, learn the terrain and the quickest way through it to scatter, got it. Some light humor in his voice. How would I manage to overpower someone like you? If I managed to evade, what would come next to make sure I’m not just...flattened in retaliation.

Or did he have to simply wear them out with quick footed dodges until he could land a solid (possibly fatal if necessary) blow?

Smiling at his light humor, Nyra hmmed at his question. 
How would one manage to overpower her without size and brute strength? 

"Tire me out, attack vital areas that are left unguarded. Use lethal force if necessary, if I were trying to kill you, that is. Other than that, an ambush might help on bigger wolves. Thus, knowing you're terrain for use other than putting distance between you and your foe." 

The idea of lethal force made his inside feel all...gooey. Wiggly and bad. Patroclus knew he was capable of such an act. Technically made for it as a wild creature. Yet his whole life he had been elevated in acts of the heart and mind.

Murder? It was not exactly for him.

Maybe I just call upon you. A sheepish tease and gentle shake of his head. Provided himself a diversion from the thoughts that lingered in his brain from her words.

Another chuckle brushed past Nyra's lips as she watched the crimson man's face, the discomfort in his eyes even as he spoke and shook his head. 

"Evasive tactics may work best then, especially if you'd rather not kill another wolf. Dodge their attacks and parry with your own until you can get away and call for aid." The battlemaiden suggested before bounding toward him and nipping teasingly for his cheek fur, a playful wag in her tail.

Evasive tactics. Oh, he was rather familiar with such a thing. He had danced away from all sorts of matters and he imagined he might be able to do so in battle too.

He yipped joyfully though when she struck his cheek. A wide sweeping motion of his ruddy tail behind him.

No fair! He teased back before he sought to dive in and plant a gentle nip to chest.