Redsand Canyon Do not sit if you can dance.

Towhee sat beside the sparring pits, eyes drifting toward the married housing in the distance. In two weeks’ time, the pups would be grown enough to be moved to a rendezvous site. But Mereo was unlike other packs. Aside from the commons, she didn’t even know if there was a rendezvous site here. She supposed the children could continue living in their parents’ stony den until they were ready to claim bunks of their own…

They were a bit young to be fully weaned but she’d successfully transitioned @Leona and @Jack Snipe off the breast the other day. She had expedited the process to avoid further complications with milk fever, which made Towhee feel a little guilty. It was selfish, as was the other reason she had punted the kids off the boob.

She licked her lips and focused her gaze back on the dirt pit. She knew she could call for @Germanicus but she figured he’d eventually make an appearance. In the meantime, Towhee would be happy to engage anyone else who happened by looking for a spar. It was time to get back into the routine.

Tierra didn't frequent the sparring pits as often as some, but she didn't go out of her way to avoid them anymore either. She still got fairly easily frustrated, but the skills she was gaining were starting to overcome her dread of jumping in the ring. It could almost be fun.... sometimes. When she felt like it, of course.

Today she felt like it, and as luck would have it, the first wolf she spotted was Towhee. Tierra grinned and bounded forward, stopping short and looking around real quick to see if she was here meeting someone else. Hey! Come to see how rusty you are? Her tail waved playfully at the tease, but really, she was buzzing with excitement. She'd been waiting ages, it felt, to show her mom what she'd learned!

An easy smile touched her lips when her elder daughter appeared, bounding toward her with a playful taunt. Towhee could see the energy thrumming through Tierra. Errantly, she wondered where her twin was these days. It was kind of funny how things worked out sometimes, as the Redhawk would’ve pegged Sphyra for this role rather than her sister. But as far as she could see, Tierra was thriving here in Mereo.

‘Rusty’ is probably a huge understatement, Towhee admitted, more humbly than she truly felt. Yes, she was out of practice but she was more than ready to reprise her role at the top of the food chain. Don’t go easy on me, though, was the only other thing she said as she assumed a defensive position, muscles coiled and eyes dancing.

skippable!

the imperator had followed towhee toward the arena. he brought with him which children might follow. 

he stood to watch. there was an air of anticipation around him. towhee was a master of her craft but she was recovering. tierra was promising but without the polish of the older wolf.

it was both even and uneven.

*zooms* also skippable :)

Valiria bounded eagerly in her father's wake. More and more often now, she tried to tail him wherever he went throughout the territory. Sometimes, it was permitted. Other times not. Today, she was thrilled that she hadn't been herded back to her mother, especially and almost exclusively because of their destination.

With excitement, she saw a familiar and much beloved face in the ring today, sparring with one not so familiar. The presence of the stranger-to-her made her feel unusually shy, so she wedged herself as best as she could between her father's forelegs where she settled in to watch, hunched awkwardly, but tail wagging.

Never! They had an audience. Tierra noticed, and while it made her a little nervous, she was stoked to see it. She loved an audience - when she did well, of course. If she embarrassed herself that could change pretty quickly.

Tierra hadn't been learning as fast as she could have been, applying herself fully, but Mereo wasn't the type of pack one could really stay in while learning nothing at all. She sparred (pretty close to) daily, with varying degrees of success, and something was bound to stick.

Nowadays, she usually kicked off her spars with the same basic strategy. Tierra lunged at her mom, but instead of trying to meet her head on, shifted so that she could brush by and dart out of range again. She wanted to try and get Towhee off balance before she actually tried anything more direct.

we can roll for rounds, roll for winner, or just decide. Doesn't matter to me! My go-to is usually to roll for how well Tierra reacts and let the other opponent decide however they like best

I’m a simpleton, so I vote we roll for the winner! :)

Had this been a serious fight, Towhee wouldn’t have allowed herself to be distracted. But seeing as it was only a spar, she permitted herself to glance sideways to see the Imperator and Valiria approaching the arena to watch the match.

She nodded to them, saying, Supposing I don’t completely embarrass myself today, I’d like you to know I’m ready to reprise my role whenever you are, to Germanicus.

Towhee didn’t plan to await a reply and, in any case, Tierra chose that moment to spring her attack. Partly because she wasn’t paying close attention, she reacted purely out of instinct by crouching lower and bracing. Her daughter’s muzzle made contact with the juncture of her left shoulder, which could’ve been quite the damaging hit if she hadn’t immediately leaped away again.

I told you not to go easy on me! Towhee shouted, letting out a playful roar as she snapped in the direction of Tierra’s butt.

hot damn, rolled an 18/20 - feel free to give towhee any bonuses you feel would apply though! With experience, etc I'm fine with her having the advantage

Tierra attempted to spin away immediately, but she turned the wrong way, getting her head and shoulders clear but allowing Towhee's reach to graze the fur on her hip. Shoot! It wasn't exactly a land, but it wasn't exactly a clean getaway either. If Towhee hadn't been playing she likely would have caught hold.

A couple of weeks ago, her mom's words might have gotten under her skin a bit. She'd been easily frustrated at first but was learning a (bit) more patience now. She didn't respond, just smiled and lunged back in, this time going for her mom's hind leg to try and force her off balance again. Whether she caught it in a light nip or her mom avoided, either way, she'd have to move! And when she did, Tierra could go for the shove.

I figured that roll means Tierra wins? You are welcome to power-play for narrative continuity, just let me know if you mind any of my own assumptions. :D

Her muzzle barely made contact with Tierra’s rump. Towhee quickly retreated a step and braced herself, knowing a counterattack was coming. When her daughter whirled, grinning, and leaped, Towhee mistook her trajectory. Thinking Tierra was aiming for her foreleg, she maneuvered it out of the way, only to serve up her hind leg on a silver platter, as it were.

She felt the yearling’s teeth digging into the tendons there, not hard enough to break the skin, of course, but they might leave a bruise. Towhee shook it a little, laughing despite herself. Her failure was Tierra’s success, and the Redhawk couldn’t be prouder of her daughter’s hard work.

Tierra was confident but she was also surprised when her move actually worked. She'd managed to, finally, hide her intentions well enough to successfully feint. The moves were already mapped in her mind so, as her mom chuckled, Tierra pulled the leg she'd caught sideways and shoved with her shoulder, bowling her mom onto her side before she realized Towhee had already accepted her win.

Woah! Did you see that!? She shone with elation. -You're okay, right? That was awesome!- Her tail was going like crazy.

She'd never won like this before, and it encouraged her in a way that none of the praise or pointers she'd had so far had managed to. Success tasted amazing and she was definitely going to be looking for more of it.

Rather than releasing her, Tierra took advantage and shoved her off balance. Towhee let out a little oh! of surprise and went down like a sack of potatoes. She knocked her funny bone and couldn’t help but writhe on the ground, laughing.

I’m fine, Towhee replied once she recovered and heaved into a seated position. Still grinning, she reached out to clap Tierra on the back and add, Well fucking done! I’m proud of you.

still skippable! <3

tierra was swift.

she knocked towhee over with a well-placed nudge to her shoulder.

the two shared words and germanicus noted towhee's pride. "well done," he called to the younger wolf, tail slicing the air once in punctuation.

"look how quickly tierra moves," he murmured to valiria. "learn from her. but see how towhee holds the blow. they both are good teachers."

samesies!

Liri's head cocked with curiosity at the words Towhee called over to them--something about a reprise? Whatever that was? She peered up at her father, hoping for an explanation, but was quickly distracted as the spar began. Her ears perked and she lifted her little head, trying to see as best as she could without abandoning the safety of her father's shadow.

The butt attack made her giggle, but she stifled it quickly to refocus on their antics. Overall, it looked just like when she played with her brothers and sister, which she found fascinating. Was she a warrior already?

This line of thought was interrupted by the rumble of her father's voice. Her tail instinctively began to wag as she glanced up at him, but she was quick to turn her attention back to the battle. She nodded in acknowledgement of Germanicus's comments, noting Tierra's speed and Towhee's strength as instructed.

With a slight tilt of her head, she looked to her father again to ask, "Do you have to pick one? Being fast or being strong? Can I be both?"

Tierra was exuberant as she returned her mom's affection with a hug. It occurred to her for a brief instant that her mom might have gone easy on her, but she wasn't the type to think or dwell on that long. Whether she did or didn't honestly didn't matter - she'd succeeded! And looked awesome doing it!

-You did want help knocking the rust off, right?- Tierra added with a giggle, then glanced quickly over to Germanicus to make sure he'd seen it. See!? She was totally a great student.

Not that she needed or really wanted his approval. Just, he should recognize it. That was all.

As the adrenaline from the celebration and the spar itself began to wear off, Towhee grew more aware of her shortness of breath and the way her muscles twitched. She was definitely a little out of shape, she acknowledged with a twinge. But that was okay. With enough hard work and time, she would bounce back.

She glanced at Germanicus and Valiria at exactly the right moment to miss Tierra’s teasing question, though she turned back toward the yearling to say, Dunno about you but I need to refuel before round two. I’m gonna go grab a bite to eat. Meet back here in an hour?

Towhee had come here to speak with the Imperator but she decided the formal conversation could wait. She had let him know the gist of it. Right now, she was primed for more sparring… after that snack, of course. Grinning to herself, she bowed out of the arena to seek some sustenance before the rematch.

Last post from me! :)

last for me! <3

"you can be both," he told his daughter. "but we will only master what our bodies allow. that is why when you are a smaller individual, you must learn to be quick first. and when you are a large individual, you must learn to hit swiftly."

he smiled. "come. i think you are almost ready for the arena. but i want to show you a hunting style today."

germanicus nodded sharply to towhee and tierra alike, recognizing them both. he led valiria away after that, speaking of varying points upon the hunt.

It pleased Liri to hear she could be both, but she hesitated when a caveat was shared. Her face twisted into a small frown as she considered his words. She knew she wasn’t as big as the grown ups, but she still didn’t think of herself as small. Perhaps she was, though?

In the end, she decided she’d just go ahead and be both and show her father she could do and be anything she dang well pleased. With a satisfied smirk, she followed him as he lead her away from the sparring grounds.

-Sure!- Tierra watched her go, then wondered what she would do with herself for the next hour or two.

If she was quick, she could probably grab a nap. Glancing after Germanicus and his daughter, Tierra grinned, then began to lope in the opposite direction. Just a quick one - then she'd be rested and ready for another go!