Redsand Canyon follow the path we light

If you're interested!

That morning, after the discussion over what to do about Diesel, Glaukos returned to work. He didn't think about the drama that had recently gripped the pack after the ugly woman's return - his mind was blank as he went about his business

As he came upon the sparring ring however, he spied the youthful shape of @Tierra pacing the outer limits. It seemed a waste of time to train alone, so he advanced to the edge and called to her: You're doing it wrong. Supposed to spar against someone in there.

Tierra froze as Galileo's caught her. She'd actually been bypassing the place, skirting so that she could claim no one was there to spar with and then go back to poking around other locations (with way less boring scenery). Bad luck that she had to come by when someone actually was there.

Duh. Before you showed up, guess I should have sparred with.... right. No one. Because no one was here. She gave him a look of really?, but did take a few steps closer, into the edge of the ring.

He was kind of cute, even if he did sound like an asshole.

Is that your way of offering? If it is, it kind of sucks. Tierra grinned, despite the fact that she was only half-joking. The dig she heard in his invitation rankled her a little, having no way of knowing where it came from. If it was a superiority thing she was absolutely going to smack that shit down.

Her response was barbed and it made him snort. It was the closest thing to amusement Glaukos had gotten in a while. He wasn't all that impressed with her attitude; then again, very little impressed him about the new recruits, or the established soldiers, or even Germanicus specifically.

He figured she had been scoping the place out or doing a run of the perimeter, and that being caught here by a possible sparring partner was not her intention.

Glaukos approached the ring and stepped in to it, striding forth until he was in the center. He watched her for a few seconds as he sized her up, keeping any true thoughts about her to himself.

Front and center, then. He commanded of her, sighing a moment later - clearly unimpressed to some degree. This was supposed to be one of Towhee's children? Towhee, who had been elevated to Praefectus as soon as she'd joined their ranks? He didn't have a high opinion of her either, but at least she looked the part.

He was so smug. Indignation flared again in Tierra's chest. She decided in an impulsive, snap decision that she was going to try and teach him a lesson. Was it a good decision? Probably not. Did she have the skill to back it up?

Probably not.

In the instant after he spoke she lunged forward, imitating @Germanicus's first strike against her in their fight a short time ago. She didn't use her entire body as effectively as he had, but she meant to shoulder check him hard and aimed her jaws at the thick fur of his upper back. If she could start this fight out with the upper hand, maybe....

The girl had barely gotten in to position before she launched herself towards Glaukos. He hadn't thought she was that pig-headed, to fall for his goading so readily, but she was new. She lacked the discipline that the more established warriors had developed after months of training.

She drove her shoulder in to him as if that might do harm, or maybe surprise him and send him off balance, but Glaukos was above all things - stalwart. He was larger than this girl and he knew he could take a few hits before anyting went awry.

Her teeth reached for his upper back and he waited until she was very close, then slammed his body against her own. Whether he clipped her chin upward, sent her off-balance, or drove the air from her lungs, Glaukos did not give her any time to counter him - he pivoted and lunged, intent on grabbing her and wedging her against the dirt in one swift, decisive movement.

this girl is getting so lucky with these rolls

She didn't even manage to get a hold on him. Maybe that was for the best, though, because as soon as his weight checked into hers and slammed her muzzle back, she scrambled sideways to get out of range. She knew better than to stick around after a hit like that, and if her reflexes had been only a bit slower, he likely would have managed to pin her down. Instead she lunged away, further, when he made a bid to bear down on her.

This isn't even fair. I hate this. She glared at him warily, backing in a wide circle. Her muzzle stung and she could taste blood from somewhere that her teeth must have caught her own lip. The next move was going to have to be his. She wasn't about to subject herself to that again.

Then I go and roll a dang 3!

She made the wise choice and moved away from him. His reach wasn't the greatest—and that was somewhat obvious even to the untrained, a weakness that Glaukos would have to work on. Glaukos was tall but he was heavy, which made him slower than Tierra by a margin great enough to afford her an advantage.

Irritated by the way she thwarted his effort, Glaukos temporarily forgot that this was meant as a training exercise and lunged after the girl. He was too hasty in the moment and she was too swift, keeping away from him, to effectively stop Glaukos from retaliation of any kind. He paced after her, trying to be patient while he waited for a good moment to strike.

matched! pfft. I've been rolling purely to dodge, so feel free to treat that however and powerplay!

It was becoming clearer the more she participated in these that if Tierra had one skill, it was avoiding the fight altogether. She had more incentive to avoid being hurt, or embarrassed, than she did to win. If she felt otherwise, she might have taken a hit by now.

She wondered if she could beg some excuse and end the fight here rather than having to continue it. Her mind flipped through reasons while he went into a mirrored circling of hers, but nothing came to mind that anyone here would understand. They were so fucking stodgy. Like if she wasn't constantly training, she was some kind of waste of space or lost potential or some shit.

Reluctance and impatience warred, but impatience won. Seeing him hesitate, she tried to circle, then dart in. She was at a loss for how to strategically gain the upperhand, or how to even take him by surprise. No one had ever taught her tactics and she'd never bothered to ask. The move was broadcast on her face, on the way she moved, how focused she was. He'd have no trouble responding.

Sorry for the lag on this. Rolled an 8!

When she pivoted and lunged towards him, Glaukos was ready. She was a fast creature and not altogether tiny; with enough training she could pack quite a punch. For now the girl was moving without thinking; she had loose footwork that was easy to read, and so when she came for Glaukos he welcomed her.

She came in close, as if she might succeed in her attack, but that was a trick that the young man perpetrated upon her. As soon as she was close enough he ducked to be level with her shoulders and then lunged, slamming in to her, intent to bowl her off her feet with one solid hit.

If successful she'd be planted on the ground for a few minutes, maybe winded. Bruised, most assuredly. It would be enough to end the little spar if she saw fit to wave the proverbial white flag; but Glaukos did wonder if she'd give up so easily.

wrapping this up here since you are sending Glaukos off! Thanks for the thread <3

She'd forgotten everything Germy showed her about using assets outside of force (namely - her brain) and it showed. The more experienced fighter avoided her easily and in a few short seconds she was pinned against the dirt. She struggled and growled in protest, but she wasn't getting up unless he let her.

She was absolutely giving up, and after a moment, he seemed to catch on and let her up. Tierra straightened up with a hfffff of irritation and brushed dust off, then glared at him. She'd wanted this spar but she didn't like losing so easily. There was no way she was up for trying again right now. Perseverance wasn't a strong suit of hers.

Whatever. Just because none of you have a life doesn't mean I don't have anything better to do. She flicked her tail, then turned and sauntered off. This is pointless. It wasn't and she knew it, but losing to him like that was worse than Germanicus. At least the Imperator was old and at least he'd tried to kind of show her what to do. This guy sucked - and he was cute. She didn't like that she'd embarrassed herself a bit here.