Redsand Canyon It's time to Strap our Boots On

Reyson had lay the bone aside for little two tone when he saw him. Large body laying horizontal underneath the copses of trees, he watched the goings on. A lazy bee bumbled past his head, a flick of his ear and it was deterred from landing. Gentle pants colored the silence.

Ice Blue Eyes stared out of different hued face, and he waited. Today he was silent, patient, inmovable. It had been a long time since he had just relaxed, and were someone to come and ask him to help. He would move.

He licked at some of his fur still stained russet brown now from carrying the ewe down from the mountain. He was certain his shoulders were a mess. He'd go in and get in the river soon, wash the life blood of the hunted beast soon enough.

germanicus approached.

"come now. spar with me."

reyson had done a great deal for mereo. the imperator welcomed a face-to-face time of tactics, and he would lead the way to the sparring grounds.

either one would've worked start or enter hehe <3

Reyson followed at ean easy gait. Long limbs tesring up the ground. He had been attempting to be useful. He wasn't certain if he had been doing well, but he had tried.

Thank you for the chance for more training. He rumbled.

:D

"you are welcome to it."

because he had seen reyson spar, germanicus did not formally pause and wait.

he took only a moment to gather his bearings before flashing forward, head lowering at the last to butt the other's left jawline.

Reyson barely had time to react before he was dealt a glancing blow to his jaw.

Reyson tried to push forward and snap while using blunt paw to swipe at paw step of Germanicus.

the large wolf shoved back.

germanicus let himself slide against the red sand.

he locked his back legs and shoved hard, turning his shoulder into the other's body.

The wind was momentarily knocked out of him with the shoulder bump.

Ryeson unlocked his position and backed up. Eyes taking in everything in front of him. He saw the lock step and lowering his jaw. He moved forward feinted right and attacked left. Paws and teeth.

germanicus was fond of feints.

he took teeth to his ear and a blow to his shoulder.

the imperator stepped back and to the side, then swung himself broadshield against the other, shoulder to hip.

The blow knocked Reyson sideways. He had to scrabble to get his feet under him and still protect his throat and side.

He snapped at the hind leg and attempted to claw the rear leg forward, fold it under the imperator.

if i read that wrong let me know, but heads facing separate directions?

no thats right!

germanicus took the clawing. he planted the scratched leg hard upon the earth and spun a kick toward reyson.

the man was larger. but the imperator had learned to use his smaller size as an advantage to speed.

Reyson had learned from his spar with littlw two tone to cover his stomach, legs and side. It wasn't quite as big a size different here, but it was enough that Germanicus would be faster and more agile.

Foot paw hit leg and Reysons knee folded, however he tucked it and used his other three legs to move away from the imperator.

He about faced and again assessed this time he would defend, giving Gwrmanicus time to attack. Whist he caught his breath, a sift playful growl in his throat. This was fun for him

germanicus found reyson's gambits entertaining.

his own teeth flashed in a rare and open smile.

he soared toward the principales again, darting right at the left and hoping to overextend the man's next snap.

Reyson returned the grin. His own blood heating, a rare exuberance in his stance and face. This is what he was born to do. He found it achingly familiar and it felt good to have his feet back on grounds he knew.

Reyson fell for the gambit, and he overextended, but he quickly recovered and side stepped to follow through the bite, at the very least to cover his throat, to keep Germanicus from turning and snapping. He would not kill, but it would signal the end of the spar, something reyson realized he was loathe to do as of yet.

the spar was ended .

germanicus heeded and pulled back his attack.

"well met, reyson," he chuffed. his yellow eyes were pleased.

Reyson lifted his head with the proud tilt a little more pronounce. Well met Imperator.

He was not perhaps the strongest, he wouldn't always win a fight, but he was tenacious and he would lay his life down before he'd retreat. Something he had almost done a few times.

Though even his life hadn't been enough to save Renaud and the others under his command. And that was his secret hell.

Reyson realized he had a rare opportunity here, and he spoke soflty. I feel..displaced as of late. I don't know where I fit. Fighting, sparring yes. But that is not needed all the time.

"perhaps you need more responsibility, principales." the suggestion was not made lightly. reyson had fit himself into the foundation of mereo. germanicus made sure such things were rewarded.

"walk with me. tell me of your other interests." the eagle strode off for the pool of water beside the tablinum.

Reyson frowned and followed behind his leader. He thought and then he spoke a rare inkling of sadness worming it's way into his words.

I don't know. I have always been a fighter, warrior. Fight and die. That was my lot in life. And I did, but they could not kill me, though they tried. Now they are all gone and I am at a loss.

Reyson frowned, thoughts racing. I like to hunt. And I have ample patience for older wolves. Pups make me nervous, too little. I have high regard for healers, but the trade doesn't appeal to me.

germanicus heard the sorrowful reflection in the other's voice. he knew that pain well. the eagle glanced toward reyson for a moment of solidarity.

"mereo currently needs a messenger. lady ruenna is a masterful ambassador, but has given up travel. i want to know what is far beyond our borders. maybe you might consider if your eyes are fit for the task."

he drank quietly and then lifted his head. "i am also a ranger by trade. as you can imagine, my duties keep me grounded in the sunspire."

Reyson caught the brief look and saw his demons mirrored there, and he dipped his muzzle in acceptance of the solidarity. Perhaps their stories were not the same, but they both new loss, and pain. They were soldiers.

I like to travel. It is how i found two tone, sorry Sakina. It was strange to say the other's given name, he much preferred the moniker two tone, as Sakina had not given him a name in the beginning.

I will accept this position. I know well the broad burden of leadership, though perhaps not as high as you are. It can be both rewarding and painful.

and traveling was how he himself had found crowfeather. the idea of sakina and reyson together caused his heart to ache with the assumption that once more, men of a military mark had found one another.

"you are correct," he said after a moment. "and there is often nothing to do but bear it."

There was nothing between he and two tone, that he was aware of yet. However, were the Imperator to ask. Reyson knew well the feelings that could surface between boot straps and gun fire in a manner of speaking. It was how he had found Renaud.

Reyson nodded his head sagely. Just be careful sir, that those bearings do not take you to the ground. Heavy is the head as they say.

Reyson stirred his feet to move further.

Who will I be taking messages too. I have heard we ally with the pack that Healer Aquene will be going with, and also Akashingo are there any others?

germanicus did not respond to the first. but he saw reyson's encouragement for what it was and perhaps the lines of his body told the story of camaraderie. 

"we are allied with epoch which will be in the vale, akashingo in the flatlands, and brecheliant at the caldera across the lake. the purpose of your ranging will be to discover other packs, their intentions, and their needs."

"far west of us, across another set of mountains, is a strath where our enemies have set up once more. that entire region is called the hinterlands. duskfire glacier may reside there, but be careful. the leader of the saints is a very large white wolf with yellow eyes and many scars. when i knew her, she was called nyra."

germanicus paused. "i will be calling the pack together in the days to come. after that time, i will give you an assignment."

Reyson did not need an answer. He wasn't a normally talkative wolf. So silence spoke to him, in ways that it did not to others. It didn't bother him. And often times, he knew that sometimes silence didn't mean bad things.

Reyson knew he would do well to find other packs. He would begin to map them out immediately. He already had some plans in place to do so. He had even accidentally crossed borders.

There is a pack. In the Tuktu. Atautisikit I believe is the name. I am friendly with one of their wardens. Calida. I will ask her of the pack you speak of, with the large white wolf. And if she is not allied with them. I will seek to find out what they need and if they are open to such a thing.

Reyson nodded his head. He would do his best to find out. I have met many loners in my hunts. I have met a wolf related to Kallik. He is the leader of a forming pack I believe.

germanicus was entertained that reyson had already gone to the hinterlands.

"if atautsikut has allied with the saints, we will remain amenable to them but there will not be an offer." he had already given the pack passage through mereo. what they chose to do in their own land was of no account to germanicus unless it affected his own.

"as emissary for mereo, you would only detail our purpose and our location. you are authorized to offer leadership a meeting. let them know that i will travel to a neutral and halfway point if that is more feasible. glean what information you can, offer yourself for tasks while you are in the area, and return promptly."

he had more of a mind to send reyson up the coastline but the man already had a connect in this calida.

"sakina is new but he must learn. if you wish to travel with a companion, i suggest him."

Reyson had traveled many places in is brief time here. He had met more wolves than he had realized as he sat and thought of it. Though most were loners, or forming packs.

Reyson nodded his head. Already planning the gears working as he mapped through the territories he had already been through and where he would go next.

And what purpose would you like me to say? Militant? He wasn't certain what the overall purpose was, but he would do his best, to be as good as he could with what he had and knew.

Reyson thought of the little two tone with him and his fur prickled uncomfortably, only because if they were too near the saints and something happened. And he couldn't save him, it would ruin him. But he nodded none the less. You did not disagree with leadership.

I will take him. He is smart and learns quickly, though he is young and possibly rash. He will need to temper that.