Bearclaw Valley what would i do

@Revui ^^ mild pp of Revui being on patrol. 

Things were not going to change. Really, Evien hadn't expected them to in the first place, but... he'd had some hope. Still, now that he knew for a fact that Ursus was destined for fighting, he wanted to at least know the basics on how to fight. It would be good to know how to defend himself in the case of a war. But he needed a teacher for that.

They had many brawlers in their midst, but there was one in particular that he had his eyes on. 

"Revui," Evien called, trotting to catch up to the massive wolf. He'd been looking for him all afternoon, and figured he'd find him out nearer to the borders. The beast wouldn't have been his first choice to spar with, but Kepler wasn't there, and Merrick... he didn't want to bother him for now.

He had returned with as much fanfare as when he'd left - soundlessly, without a deviation to his path as he rounded the boulder at the valley's entrance. He paused once to sniff at the border marks and then to cock his leg high to urinate, scratch the ground, and move on. As if he had never ventured to his old stomping grounds. The next few hours were spent patrolling along the natural corridor, then he ducked towards the trees in the territory heart.

While there, a voice called out to him. He stopped and looked around in the manner of a lethargic dragon. The afternoon sun warmed his back, and as he caught sight of Evien coming upon him, he shook out his dense scruff to loosen his shoulder muscles, feeling a brief relief as air softly drew through his coat.

He expected - well, maybe some more commentary. A question. There was an intent expression on Evien's face. Revui's brows raised slightly, and his eyes shifted to and fro as if he were looking for someone else with his name; but nope, it was just him. So... What?

Oddly enough, Evien found Revui's gruff behavior almost charming, in a way. It was certainly refreshing, to be sure - that was one thing you would never have to worry about with him, that he would say too much or be complicated. It was all action with this guy, and Evien felt like he had a lot that he could learn from him. Even if their methods for dealing with wolves by the border differed so vastly. 

The chocolate-furred medic slowed down and swallowed slightly, looking up and up at the big silver wolf. "I want you to teach me how to fight." Clear, concise, to the point. He didn't feel like beating around the bush was necessary.

When Evien slowed, so did Revui. He paused and watched, waited, deliberated (vaguely), until the medic spoke. Now, Revui wasn't equipped with a sense of humor, and that was probably a good thing, because Evien's proposal was so ridiculous that it would have made him lose his shit. It wasn't that he didn't see the potential within Evien — but he couldn't link up the passive medic's earlier behavior with any sort of violence. Wasn't that against some piece of his training? Doing harm being the antithesis of his true role?

Revui did appreciate how direct Evien was with his request, though. He did not expect it. He looked the boy over with a scrutinizing eye. It wasn't much different from the usual moody stare he held on his best day. Then, he began to move off from where Evien had stopped — dismissive, apparently making a choice without uttering a yes or a no.

Then, without any semblance of a warning, he swun and lunged, driving all his weight in to the motion so that it would carry him back the few steps between them, and slammed in to Evien. Whether he remained standing or not, the spar had begun; a true test of the boy's convinction.

Well, yeah, he didn't want to bring harm to anyone, but it was getting to the point where he felt like he needed to be able to defend himself and his pack, if necessary. Besides, it wasn't like he'd never fought before. Merrick had made him when he first joined the pack, and it had gotten a little (a lot, actually) violent. Evien doubted many of the Ursus wolves thought him capable of such a feat, and he almost wished he wasn't, but he was willing to do what was necessary. 

The larger wolf turned to leave, or... so Evien thought. 

Suddenly, weight slammed into him, and it was comically akin to a flyswatter hitting the aforementioned fly. He stumbled, falling gracelessly onto his side, and quickly got back to his feet. A grin broke out on his face - he'd have to thank Revui later - and he lunged, then, trying to weave beneath the man's forelimbs.

He didn't go down immediately, and bounced back quicker than expected, a grin drawn across his dark face; and it was a grin that Revui mirrored, albeit with less humor and more sneer-quality. Revui was accustomed to moving deliberately, slow and steady but full of power with every stride. His assaults were hard-hitters, and he was always pleased with bloodshed. But one thing he had ingrained in to his brain was the obvious truth: you do not draw the blood of pack mates.

It took more focus for him to hold back, to keep Evien safe, than anything. The dark boy wove close, lunged, snapped. Revui repositioned his limbs to easily avoid any contact, striding to one side and then surging forward again, as if he was about to throttle him a second time with his weight.

Inwardly, Evien could agree with that sentiment. However, he already had drawn blood from a packmate - from Merrick - and he was not intending to do so again with Revui. Still, he wasn't surprised when Revui was able to dodge every one of his weaving moves between his legs, but... this time he was expecting to be lunged at for the second time. 

Quickly, the medic ducked down, hoping to catch the brunt of the massive wolf's legs instead of his torso. That way, it wouldn't hurt him as badly a second time, and he might trip him up as well.

The boy reacted well. He was quick to learn, just like Toad—seeing how Revui moved and anticipating it, piece by piece. He wove close again and aimed for Revui's limbs, trying to destabilize him.

That was the obvious choice. He let Evien dip low, even welcomed him in to the crescent of his body, feeling breath on his hocks; but Revui's momentum carried him through a pivot and left him facing Evien's ribcage, towards which he lunged. This time he could launch from the dirt smoothly, rearing up and shoving him with forelimbs.

There really was no way for Evien to win this, and he knew that from the beginning, but it was really cool to see Revui's fighting up close. To experience it. He felt forepaws slam him into the ground, the breath effectively knocked from his (admittedly) soft body. If he wanted to defend himself, he'd have to build up a bit more muscle. 

The brown-furred boy wound up beneath the gray, green eyes round and chest heaving for the breath that was driven from him. Still, he laughed a bit, pushing at Revui's jaw with a forepaw. 

"You're amazing!" he admitted, knowing that there would be no way for him to struggle his way out now. "I'm obviously not a fighter, but the way you move is impressive." Was it weird to have this conversation underneath another wolf? Evien didn't really care. "How do you move so fluidly? You're massive."

The boy finally went down, rolling in the grass while Revui's bulk overwhelmed him. It was a lot like two children tussling; he was reminded in a flash of Arcturus, and the memory caused his chest to seize and he missed a step. It was enough of a slip that Evien was able to swat at his face.

When he began to speak, Revui focused again. He wasn't even breathing heavily from the spar. While Evien's accolades rose up around him, Revui stared at the boy and looked as if he might continue the fight, and then relented. Game over—spar complete. He sank to his haunches.

I.. don't notice. He answers, slow as always, as he hasn't really though about his own body in relation to his fighting. He's always been taught how to throw himself around but not why. He's used to using his momentum because he's always been a giant; but if he were to fight like Evien, swift and low to the ground, he would certainly fail.

A moment later, glancing over Evien whether he was still quashed in to the grass or not, he adds: You show promise. You are fast, and light. With training you could be formidable.

Evien sat up when Revui backed off, wincing a little. Unlike most others, Evien had no need for excess muscle - lithe or bulky - and honestly was quite soft to the touch. He'd certainly feel the repercussions of the spar in the morning, as a direct result of his impulsive request. He had only himself to blame for it.

"Well, I'm sure everyone else notices," he assured, offering the larger man a small smile and getting to his feet. Green eyes flicked over the man's physique for a moment before tracing back up to his eyes. "There's a reason Merrick let you in. There was a reason for me, too, but it wasn't the fighting." His gaze softened a bit. "Though, he did make me fight him when I first joined. It didn't go that well. Think he just wanted to see me pissed off."

The praise was unexpected, and Evien tipped his head to the side. Not super great at taking compliments. "Thank you," he began, choosing his words carefully. "I, uh, don't know if I can be formidable or not. I'm small, and I only have three legs that work. What I want to be able to do is defend myself and the others, if I need to." The boy took a deep breath through his nose. 

"We fight a lot here." Green eyes flicked off to the side, studying some dandelions shifting in the breeze. "I... think we misunderstand a lot about each other." It was something he'd been thinking about, a lot, since he first met Revui. "There's a lot I can learn from you."

Truth be told, when distracted by the spar, Revui had forgotten about the other man's mobility issue. He could have used it against him and taken him down much more quickly, but that wouldn't have helped at all. He would not have learned anything, and Revui would not have seen the way he moved. Evien compensated for it well.

His words flowed from that point, touching upon their shared history at the borders and their differing techniques. Revui is silent. He's thinking, and that of course takes longer for him than for everyone else. There's a lot I can learn from you.

Where I was born, only those of the pack could stand upon the mountain. All others were to be removed. I have been a warrior my whole life, it is in my blood. He glanced to Evien, watching his face. The first boy to come to the valley was one I knew. We were.. Captives. The second was a child of that same pack who held us. In a way he was saying, these were enemies, and his explanation of his mountain home would do the rest.

He grew distracted then. Thoughts of Moonspear clouded his mind, and flashes of memory from the Nightwalker's pit; his gaze glossed over for a few minutes and he watched the grass tremble to the breath of wind across them. Then he remarks, I cannot be your teacher. You need someone smaller and faster, like you.

Huh. He hadn't known about Revui's past with the boys that had come up to their territory. Green eyes flitted over the larger wolf as he spoke, keenly interested and grateful that he was sharing what he was. 

"I apologize for my reactions, when you stepped in. Both times. I didn't realize you had history with them." The boy dipped his head and raised it again to make eye contact with Revui again. "It sounds like you've lived a hard life. That you're really strong." 

Emboldened by the conversation, Evien continued. "I'm the opposite. My mother made me weak. Fed me things that made me sick so I could be dependent. I'm learning that I can be strong, too." He smiled a bit, tail giving one swish behind him. 

"You don't have to be my teacher." That wasn't really what he was looking for with Revui, anyway. "It wouldn't be so bad to learn from each other every now and then, would it?" He tipped his head to the side, offering the man a small smile. "We're packmates, now."

Apologies were not necessary but they were a queer thing to witness. Revui listened as intently as a sleepy bear, somewhat lethargic now that their spar had concluded and taking in everything that was said without interruption. It made some sense that one of their softer, less violent pack members would have been raised with a weak mother; that was what Revui garnered from the boy's tale, rather than putting the onus on Evien for being a healer first and a warrior last. If his only teacher was not truly on his side and went so far as to poison their own blood rather than see the potential within them, it was not Evien's fault for growing up with a focus on women's work.

You don't have to be my teacher. It wouldn't be so bad to learn from each other every now and then, would it? Evien was in good spirits. He sounded content with the lesson. Revui nods to his next sentiment - they were Ursus, and here within the valley they could start fresh, be who they wanted. I can teach you more after rest, if.. you want. It was an option. Revui would still much prefer finding him a proper sparring partner that could tutor him in speed and dexterity, but whatever worked.

If you want to spar in the future then call on me. If I am not patrolling then I will help you. Revui remarks. His empty expression slowly changes to something closer to interest, but he is looking around beyond where they'd sparred, thinking of his next patrol already. He begins to drift away from Evien then, intent to head across the territory for another patrol of their slopes.