Swiftcurrent Creek Arrowtooth eel

Pup sitting had not curbed the frustrations of the young wolf. Just over his first year of age, Swordfish had struck out in search of bettering his fighting abilities. He had not found a great deal of success in this. After joining the pack on the creek, he had been under Moss’ watchful eye until the children had arrived. 

Swordfish stretched his peachy limbs and his mouth gaped in a wide yawn. The prickling of hunger had nestled in his belly. A growl of protest told the young wolf that he must hunt. With sea blue eyes, Swordfish searched for his hunting grounds.

The boy was quiet, but he helped when Arric needed him too and the babies liked him well enough. So it was without little tension he felt comfortable leaving his best friends brood with the guy. Though he knew he had wanted to train in combat. If memory served, but Arric could be wrong. He may just have wrongly assumed that he wanted too given that he was young and full of vigor. Didn't all boys want to learn to fight.

So it was with these thoughts, he went in search of the young man that made his home among them. Who was quite and stuck to the shadows more than not.

Arric’s assumptions would have been correct. Swordfish was not made for tending to pups. He had done well enough with the patience that was given to him. They reminded him too much of home. Too much of being a child and feeling hopeful. It soured him. It made him miss his mother and he knew that he could not allow himself to miss her, or Ray, or anyone else from the cliffs he had left behind.

Not until the bear was dead.

The scent of another drew Swordfish’s attention. One ear swiveled back on his head. The lazy look in his eyes did not shift from Arric. He waited for the Beta to approach. All the while his mind whirred with the frustration that he would likely be asked to watch after the children… again.

Arric didn't know what burdens the boy bore. But he knew they were numerous based by the storm clouds he always had in his eyes and the quiet focus he had about himself. He took everything so seriously and though Arric wished he wouldn't. He also knew you couldn't change someone so quickly nor if they didn't want too.

Arric looked him over. I figured you and I could spar. It's been a hot minute since I've done anykind of physical action so figured practice and all that.

A spar… that was refreshing to hear.

The yearling straightened his back and leaned forward to stretch himself out. A wide yawn opened his mouth to reveal pearly fangs. The last few times he had been able to spar had been with Germanicus or Moss. The most he had done with Arric had been chatting about their respective duties or discussing what the pups would need from him.

Aye, we can spar, Swordfish agreed. As he turned to search for a good space for their exercise, the young wolf’s scarred ribs caught the warmth of the sun. His wounds had healed with the help of the nearby packs. The pink-flesh remnant of them would never leave.

Arric followed behind A moment of sadness for the boy. Arric knew scars well and sometimes they physical ones were nothing to the inner ones.

They had no reason to speak so he followed. And once the youth found where he wanted. Arric shifted so he was a fair space asay and spoke. 

Defense or offense.

It didn't matter much whether Swordfish played the offensive position or the defensive one. He expected that Arric had enough battle-smarts that he would be capable of handling anything the yearling threw at him. Sparring matches were not fair sporting events. He knew this much, at least. If he paid close attention to the Beta, he might learn something.

Defense, he offered. The boy's heavy-lidded eyes traced Arric's figure. Strong legs and compact muscle. He would be fast and he would have a strong bite, Swordfish knew just by looking at him.

There wasn't much about Arric that he didn't where on his sleeve, but one thing that most didn't realize. Was yes he was fast, yes his bite was strong, so were his forelegs, but he also was imbued with a grace most weren't aware in his size. Simply because of his meditation and morning runs.

So with a grin, and a flash of blue eyes. He settled. Then he moved forward. Feinted right and then left and then hopefully was behind the other wolf to snap at his rear hip. What most didn't realize. If you went for the tail of a wolf a bit like cats. They could become unbalanced not for long, but they may lose some of their hunting prowess.

Arric was fast, agile in his movements.

What he had not anticipated was Swordfish's opposing nature. The yearling was not one to dance about, to throw his weight this way and that to avoid the strike of a sparring partner. The Beta made a swift motion for the younger wolf's tail and instead of leaping forward to avoid the contact with his rear, Swordfish turned his head and glowered with heavy-lidded eyes.

What a show off…

Swordfish decided that he would take the teeth. But the bite would come at a cost.

As Arric snapped for him, the yearling bucked like a wild horse, throwing his weight into the kick of his legs and hoping that he would strike the other man's jaw.

Arric was confused when the boy didn't move. He was supposed to defend. Though he saw the way his spine curved a moment to late. He managed to back off enough, with mostly just hairs, before the boys feet his jaw.

Arric's eyes snapped to the foot and they watered, as it connected, but then he pressed forward and tried to use his paw and long reach to knock the boy off balance. He wasn't sure if it would work, but hey you had to work with what you had. And a the moment his mouth hurt.

Another strike found its mark and Swordfish felt his balance shift, pushing him dangerously close to eating dirt. The hunter scrambled to find his footing again, but the time it had taken him would give Arric plenty of opportunity to land another hit.

A sigh fell from the young wolf's mouth. He didn't want to do this. He wanted to find a quiet place where the children would sleep and he could dream of the sea. The damned Beta would be making him earn his defensive role. As bothered as he was, there was a glint of motivation in Swordfish's eyes.

Shifting his weight, he watched for signs of Arric's next attack.

Arric, lowered his head and hit the side of Swordfish, pushing him further down if he could. The boy had left himself open. He was doing well for learning. He had some ways to go, but didn't they all have to start somewhere.

Arric smiled in delight. THis was shaping up to be pretty fun.