Nova Peak Strength and courage lies within your heart

It was quiet here.  @Yami was good company, but Kiwi had never really been without a pack before.  She didn't mind the calm, but it was a little isolating, trying to make a living on a mountain alone.

She was at the base that day, cutting a circuit and contemplating a hunting trip out across the plain.  She and Yami couldn't take anything huge alone, but she should go find something.  

Slowly she began to search around for any trails that might prove interesting to follow.  It was unclear to her what she'd rather find... something to eat or something to fight.

tag for ref!

Ravaged lands and rugged paths suited the mountain of a man quite well. His pads thick enough to deny the rock to cut into his flesh as Vengeance slithered his way through the carved paths on the side of the moutain, slowly putting one foot in front of the other as flesh and muscle rippled with every step. Despite the stagnant pool of rubies, lifeless as they stared ahead; the man followed a certain path in mind. 

A female. It has been a while since he has crossed paths with anyone, another wolf for that matter. Lonely wasn't the word he would use in this instance... Vengeance... Bored. Seeking something that would give him even a mild thrill. As the scent grew stronger the male's maw slowly began to open as he tasted the air with which she once traveled. Eventually, depending how quick she was travelling - he would come up in sight, and the brute was in no way attempting to conceal his approach. Let his presence be known as the clicks of his splintered claws raked the rock. 

 

@Kiwi

Hmm.  There were two aspects to Kiwi that were warring as the stranger approached.  The first - she did not like the way he approached what she saw as her domain.  He was an intimidating looking wolf, but showed no sign of deference.  The second was that he'd probably make a pretty good addition when it came to a fight, and they were definitely, at some point, going to be looking at a fight.

This place is claimed, by me.  What makes you think you can just walk right up? She asked, lifting her head and staring at him.  He towered over her, but she wasn't going to let that intimidate her.  It had been that way with most wolves all her life.

As he approached, the female didn't take long to realize she had company. All the better. At first his head held itself low, parallel to the ground until she rose, challenging him in words to with which, he didn't back down. Instead, the brute lifted his own head, rising to the occasion. She was of small stature, but it wouldn't be the first time a small individual tried to be brave and act bigger than they were. Purposely the man gave her a side glance from above his nose, and grinned.

Finally, something. Something to entertain him for a little while. 

Claimed by you? His maw closed with a noticeable click. One wolf alone cannot claim a land, let alone one as... petite as you. Finally the man relaxed his neck, allowing his eyes to rest upon her evenly as he mocked her claim.

Not only was this wolf stepping up on her like he owned the place, but was he.... mocking her?!  Kiwi flushed, and her glare turned murderous.  Every bit of her tiny body wanted to lunge at him
and shove his smug face in the dirt, but she still held a thin thread of hope that he'd see the error in his ways.  

Well, we can all be wrong sometimes. she responded haughtily, though the anger was unmistakeable.  He'd hit a nerve.  But if you don't intend to show me respect, you need to leave. A definite warning... she'd make him if she needed to.  She was confident she could.

Her glare was caught. Oddly enough, Vengeance was quite attentive to the small details of others. Every muscle that moved, every emotion the flashed, every melody in their tone. For someone as antisocial as he was, for someone who wasn't any good at being social; he picked up on minute details quite easily to read a situation.

He had struck a nerve.

And he liked it.

Luckily for you, I enjoy a fiery personality. His words slithered from the thick yellowing fangs of his maw, cooing as he lapped up on her attitude. Seeing if he can press her further. How much further can he go before she decides on a move. Would she attack, or back off in anger? 

Neither of those options pique my fancy. I think I will stay, and maybe piss on a few dozen trees and rocks in the meantime.

Something about the way he said that only made her angrier because it made her uncomfortable, and she did not like being left off balance.  He could try to stay... she wasn't having it.  No need to even call for help on this one.  

She'd handle it herself.

Kiwi snarled and launched herself at him, shifting last minute to go for his side rather than a head on maneuver.  If she managed to get in close she'd take a snap at his muzzle, hoping to force him to back off and submit.  If she landed? All the better.  Give this asshole a few scars to remember his place by.

A splitting grimace tore through his features in response to the woman's snarl. Immediately he took a more defensive stance, ears lowered to his skull and eyes slightly squinted, allowing the rippling of flesh over his face to make way for his own haunting growl. 

Her attacked landed, riping the flesh on his muzzle - but that did not stop him from launching his own attack. Immediately he lunged forward, jaws ajar, using his weight to push forward and grab onto anything he could and dig his teeth into them. He was hungry to retaliate and make her regret trying to claim a land solo and challenge him for his rights to walk where he damn well pleased in unclaimed lands. To taste that regret upon his tongue.

If she thought he'd submit - she was sorely mistaken. The brute would stand his ground even more so now that she had challenged him.

It seemed everywhere she went, she'd be forced time and time again to prove she belonged there.  She'd left only a couple short weeks ago and already had been made to shift her claim once.  She wouldn't do it again. He had no right.

The satisfaction of the hit was short lived... he retaliated immediately.  Kiwi had trained with similar to his size in Artaax, so force wasn't exactly unexpected.  She twisted sideways, able to get her body out of the way so that his weight would not take her down.  He did manage to catch a glancing return blow to her face, and she bared her fangs as blood slowly began to run down her muzzle.

This time, she was more cautious, and  attempted to get around behind before lashing for his hind leg.  She'd hamstring him if she could.... there was no space for playing fair.

The grazing wasn't enough to stop her from the fight - and so he had to continue himself. She had started the fight, and he wasn't about to back down from a territory fight among another Loner like himself. To be chased away by one female without a pack to back her up, would be insulting. 

She rounded his rear, with only one action he thought she would have... In a swift motion he aimed a kick with his hind leg to her throat, the one she was not aiming at in order to still give her a target to go after. Swinging his leg in an arching motion as strong as he could muster, he attempted to also use his claws to dig into her flesh as well as his blow to damage her throat or jaw.

In the meantime, he wasn't about to let her have any rest in between action. With her rump facing him now, he aimed a bite toward her flank, the soft undefended flesh between the leg and belly. All those blood vessels and lacking defensive fur... he longed for that flesh.

He caught her a glancing blow with his foot, but fortunately, there's only so much power to a blow when weight is not behind it.  She snarled as his teeth met her side as well.... she'd made no contact herself.  Luckily she'd been low... her belly was not an easy mark to make.

Something shifted.  She'd been planning to chase him out, but why?  He had no purpose to her and, conversely, chose to attack her on ground she rightfully had settled on.  His decision to dominate her meant consequences, and death... it suited him.  

She didn't pull away from his bite, but instead used the proximity, shouldering in and snapping at his underside.  She'd see his insides spill upon the ground, and then, perhaps, she'd be able to lead in peace.

She didn't pull away, his teeth made contact and he refused to let go. They didn't meet their mark, but nevertheless he dug in, thrusting his head into the wound, chewing at the flesh he held and moving his head from side to side to deal as much damage as he could. 

The moment he felt her move to his underside, that contact of teeth with his own tender flesh underneath - he acted on a defensive thought. Using his superior weight, and size, he dropped. Forcing himself onto her head, using gravity and weight to crush the defiant female who decided to attack him on the premise of claiming loner lands all for herself. 

He's sacrifice some fleshwounds to hopefully stop the fight and they would go on their own way. Her fire was admirable, but she initiated the fight - he wasn't about to be chased out by a single wolf half his size, out of lands that are unclaimed by a pack.

Somehow, again, he turned it on her.  Her snarl turned into almost a screech of frustration as he brought his weight into her attack and, again, she was forced under.  She snapped, then tore herself from his grasp, frustration seething from every hair on her rigid spine.

She had trained with multiple mentors, fought tooth and nail to get to the place where she had chosen to lay claim, and now this man had figuratively pissed on it.  Walking away from this, the first challenge of her first leadership, went against every fiber in Kiwi's being.  But her life meant more than his death.

At least, right now.

Her memory was long, and she glared daggers of hatred at him before spinning and running up the mountain, towards his claim.  He could attempt to stay, to take what was hers... but not all fights were physical, and she would find ways to bring his death that did not require so much fighting.  She was not below it when she cared so little for the one she challenged.  If he had no honor, then neither did she.  She was done with being underestimated, stepped on, just because she was small.  No more.

Her frustration was clear - from sound and action as she forced herself away from him, finally breaking the clash of fangs and flesh. He waited for her next move, his own pelt bristling in response to her own, taking a more defensive stance in case she decided to go for another round, defending himself.

Instead, it was over. She had given up the fight to claim a land for herself, a fight she would need to do over and over until she gained a following. Even pups knew better than that. He knew better than that. Defending a den was one thing, but even to a loner a den meant close to nothing.

With her off his ass for being present in unclaimed lands, he continued on his journey from where he had stopped. Facing the same direction before the skirmish, his quest continued, seeking for something more than a wandering loner with nothing other than to fight for the right to everything.