Little Fangs (Any)

[nightblood]

A brown ball of fuzz trotted along a well-used hunting trail. Red eyes darted around, looking at all the new sights. This was the farthest Zuka had ever been from her mother's den, though it remained just out of sight. She could shout and her sleeping parent would be at her defense in less than a second, even with her bad leg hampering her speed. With such a high sense of security, the young female pressed onward, mystified by the way the trees reached up toward the sky, blocking out the sun's light.

A sound came to her ear, and, in an instant, the pup crouched down low. A rustling of leaves told her that her enemy was in the trees she had been admiring. Looking up, she saw a squirrel. The animal was busy collecting acorns, no where near the last bit of leaves of late autumn. As she continued to gaze around, her crimson eyes became locked into the fierce gaze of a hawk perched just below the canopy.

Knowing that these creatures were to be feared at her young age, Zuka began to snarl. Her already fluffy fur spiked fully at the back of her neck. She tensed her muscles, making them bulge slightly. The hawk's only response to the sudden increase in size of this possible prey was to twist his neck so that his head was tilted to the left.

Wishing in vain for a pair of eyes at the back of her head, the young pup glanced around for any possible shelter. Spying a hollow log, Zuka slowly began to edge toward it, growling all the while to keep her enemy at bay.

Suddenly realizing that this prey was getting away, the hawk flares his wings and dives for the fur ball. Knowing that there she couldn't get to the hollow log in time, the pup was forced to fight. She quickly noticed her attacker's need for aim. With little wind to help him maneuver, he wouldn't be able to get to her if she ran forward instead of away from him.

Powering her little legs, Zuka charged forward, out of range from the hawk's first attack. He glided up to the tree tops to try again. This time, Zuka had enough time to make a break for the hollow log and take shelter inside it. Peering through a hole in the wood, she watched her enemy closely, wondering how long she would have to stay hidden before he would give up.

[Electus]

I don't know how that relates to anything.

How could you not? I daresay that one deer's speed has very much to do with how to outrun it.[/color]

But that's not what we were...oh forget it. Leave me in peace for a while.[/color]

Hm...as you wish[/color]

Mortil sighed, trotting along a familiar hunting trail. His mental sparrings with Umbra made no sense to him. It usually degenerated into useless bickering, and usually in Umbra's favour. He snorted. Heaven forbid the day the ash-gray wolf would win in any fight against his other half.

The warrior moved at a leisurely pace, lying low against the ground should any potential prey happen by.

He arrived at the tail end of Zuka's little quarrel with the hawk, slinking out just in time to see Nightblood's pup make a retreat to the hollow log.

The older wolf stared at the hawk for a moment before letting loose a menacing roar at the bird of prey.

"Back off, weakling" he said to the bird in contempt. "Before I break your wings."

[nightblood]

{{Zuka's dialogue is in crimson. X) }}

The hawk let out a shrill cry at the roar from the larger wolf. Now that his prey was well protected, there would be no getting at it. Accepting defeat, the bird opened its wings and flapped away.

"AND DON'T COME BACK!" came the pup's taunting as she emerged from the hollow log, fur still fluffed up as she growled.

Bounding up to her mentor, Zuka weaved herself through Mortil's front legs and came to a stand still on his right side. She sat down, shoulders slouching and ears falling backward as she lowered her head, tail hanging limp behind her. She sighed, aiming an appreciative lick for her uncle's forearm, then turning away, eyes cast down.

"Momma would have fought..." she mumbled.

Turning toward the hollow log she had taken shelter in, the pup growled at it, believing it symbolized weakness.

"I shouldn't have backed down."

[Electus]

"I shouldn't have backed down."

Mortil gave Zuka a hard look. "And why shouldn't you have, pray tell? Had you not, I probably would have come across nothing. That, or you would have been badly wounded, and then your mother would skin me for letting that hawk whip you."

He lowered his head till he was touching noses with the young pup. "Listen to me. Knowing when to fight and when to retreat is one of the essential traits of being a warrior."

The ash-grey warrior gestured with one paw a bit ruefully at his scar-ridden frame. "I learned that the hard way. Several times it almost cost me my life."

Mortil gave her a gentle pat on the head with his paw. "So cheer up. Keep working hard, and soon you and your siblings will be just as strong as your mother is. Maybe even more."

[nightblood]

"And why shouldn't you have, pray tell? Had you not, I probably would have come across nothing. That, or you would have been badly wounded, and then your mother would skin me for letting that hawk whip you."

The pup giggled half-heartedly at the thought of her mom clawing Uncle Mortil alive. She'd never seen the Beta of Arnlan lash out at the gray wolf, and she knew why. From her mother's stories, Zuka was aware of her uncle's darker side. She knew he was dangerous, but was also comfortable with the fact that Umbra wouldn't attack unless their body was on the line. Since she was no threat to him, she was safe.

A sudden cold on her nose made her spine shiver. Now with a more enthusiastic laugh, she pushed hard against his nose with her own, a simple pup-like act from a simple pup.

"Listen to me. Knowing when to fight and when to retreat is one of the essential traits of being a warrior. I learned that the hard way. Several times it almost cost me my life. So cheer up. Keep working hard, and soon you and your siblings will be just as strong as your mother is. Maybe even more."

At this sudden praise, Zuka's ears perked up underneath the paw on her head. She lifted her head until she was looking directly up into her uncle's face.

"You think so?" she asked, eyes shining.

[Electus]

"You think so?"

"Well. You are being trained by the best." Mortil said with a straight face.

He circled absently around the spot he stood before looking at Zuka again. "Now, what you're doing out here alone is your own business. It's not my responsibility to watch you when not training you. But..."[/b]

The warrior motioned with his head for Zuka to follow, trotting off towards his secretive den.

"Should you have decided to fight the hawk, you should keep this in mind...Judging from the way the wind is blowing today, I'm sure you realized that it couldn't gain speed well. Hence, your ability to escape to the log. You could have used that knowledge to your advantage. Supposing that you were quick enough, you could have turned after avoiding its dive to snap its neck. Such agility requires practice. If you've nothing to do while not training with me, you should practice your turning. In combat, the ability to move fluidly and effortlessly is one not commonly shared, and to master it is an excellent boon. Especially...against Sallinian wolves."

He paused as they reached the outer fringes of where he made his home. "Now, let's see what you've learned so far. Come at me!"

[nightblood]

Zuka followed after Mortil as fast as her little legs could carry her. Her pace was slowed, however, as she looked up to make sure that hawk had gotten the message and stayed away. Realizing the distance between her and her uncle, she bolted forward until she was even with him, staying so close to him that she was almost walking directly under him. There was no way she's be eaten by anything today. Unless Mortil became a cannibal.

"Should you have decided to fight the hawk, you should keep this in mind...Judging from the way the wind is blowing today, I'm sure you realized that it couldn't gain speed well. Hence, your ability to escape to the log. You could have used that knowledge to your advantage. Supposing that you were quick enough, you could have turned after avoiding its dive to snap its neck. Such agility requires practice. If you've nothing to do while not training with me, you should practice your turning. In combat, the ability to move fluidly and effortlessly is one not commonly shared, and to master it is an excellent boon. Especially...against Sallinian wolves."

Any other pup might have been daydreaming during this speech. Zuka, on the other paw, was fascinated by it. She knew she wasn't the fastest of pups, but she could turn on a dime- well... maybe a quarter. She was still a pup, after all.

"Now, let's see what you've learned so far. Come at me!"

Not taking the time to figure out exactly where they had come to, Zuka took in only the scenery that would help her catch her Uncle off guard. A stump close to him provided the perfect ladder to get onto his shoulders. Deciding her strategy, Zuka ran straight at him, but jumped onto the tree stump at the last second. From there, she hurled herself at the gray wolf, hoping to dig her claws into the scruff of his neck.

[Electus]

Mortil gave the barest hint of a smile as he slid backwards out of Zuka's reach, circling around her withing the blink of an eye.

"Use of terrain. Good."

The ash-grey wolf continued to move, encouraging the young fighter to keep up with him. "Come on! Don't forget your footwork either!"

He lashed out lightly with one paw, spinning around as he did so. "Remember, it is easy to let your emotions control you in battle! Think, then act!"

[nightblood]

"Use of terrain. Good."

Zuka growled as she landed on dirt instead of fur.

"Come on! Don't forget your footwork either!"

She was back to full alertness in an instant, not letting her feet stay in one spot for more than a second. She reared up when Mortil through out a paw. Though she protected her spinal cord, she was not far back enough for the paw to miss her entirely. She felt the paw brush her shoulder.

"Remember, it is easy to let your emotions control you in battle! Think, then act!"

Grinning when her uncle spun around, a move that would throw off a bigger attacker, not knowing if he would run or fight, she dashed under him, hoping to conceal herself. Without wasting a moment, she would bury her fangs in Mortil's left leg if her plan worked.

[Electus]

Mortil slid smoothly away, a frown on his face. "Never do the predictable." he reprimanded, lashing out again. "It makes you vulnerable."

"And never..."

Mortil suddenly launched a lightning lunge at Zuka, fangs poised as if to snap her in two.

"Ever..."

The ash-colored warrior suddenly veered to the right, melting into the dense foliage surrounding his den.

"Disregard your surroundings."

And then suddenly, the world was silent. The sound of sparring and combat were gone, to be replaced by nothingness.

What's your next move, little one? Mortil thought.

[nightblood]

"Never do the predictable." he reprimanded, lashing out again. "It makes you vulnerable."

Zuka frowned when her teeth clamped on air. That was predictable? How many tiny opponents did he fight? Or had he worked with pups before?

"And never... ever..."

She snarled loudly when her uncle came at her with an open jaw. She knew he wouldn't harm her, and the mouth was a weak point when it wasn't full of... well, a body. When he got close enough, she could claw at his tongue or gums. Gums were particularly painful, but harder to reach. The only trouble was, she didn't have a chance to lunge. He was gone into the thicket before she could blink.

"Disregard your surroundings."

Looking around quickly, Zuka concluded that the mini-battle was not over. Now that he was concealed and she was out in the open, he had an even greater advantage. She jumped into the opposite brambles, hoping against hope that he hadn't seen her do so. The brambles were a good defense area, but hard to take the offense. She needed a better spot if she was going to be the attacker. At least now she had some time to think of where to go and how to maneuver out of the thorns.

Glancing at her surroundings, the pup pinpointed an escape route- a gap in the branches. Even better, it was directed almost exactly toward her mother's den. She could go for reinforcements if need be. Then it came to her. Gingerly, she began picking up the fallen branches in her jaws, careful to stuff her mouth with leaves to protect her tongue from the thorns. This would act as a weapon once she got out of the bushes. Now all she had to do was try to locate her victim before exposing herself. She waited in the brambles, looking at the area where Mortil had first disappeared, though she was sure he wasn't there anymore.

[Electus]

You fight half-heartedly.

She's just a pup! I can't-

Your father worked you harder. Move over!

Umbra blinked twice before opening a golden eye. The berserker moved slowly and quietly throughout the branches and brambles, finally reaching the last clearing before the medium-sized cave that was his den.

The warrior simply sat down, closed his eye, and waited. His ears were poised alertly, reacting to every tiny sound there was.

Come, little fang Umbra thought silently.

Don't keep me waiting.

[nightblood]

He didn't show himself. Duh, thought the pup, he's a trained warrior, he doesn't make mistakes! At least... none that I can see.

After a few moments, the pup began walking slowly and silently through the bramble patch, clinging to her sharp weapon as if her life depended on it. After a few yards, she saw her uncle in a clearing, just sitting there. Zuka growled in her mind, frustrated. She couldn't show herself now, he'd have her pinned in seconds! Unless...

Taking in her surroundings again, Zuka could see what looked like the entrance to his den. Perhaps if she could sneak in there unnoticed, she could jump him while he slept. It would have to be a careful move. Slowly, she began padding toward the cave.

[Electus]

"Do not make the mistake of presuming that I am asleep, little fang." Umbra said in a slow drawl.

"Terrain...stealth...cunning...you have almost all the makings of a fine killer." Umbra paused, his eyes still closed.

"But you take after your mother. You will soon know the coup de grace of the three....ferocity. So heed my words well, little fang. They will benefit you as Albireo's teachings will."


"Battle meditation. The ability to shut out all of your surroundings. Focus only on your breathing, and your sense of smell, and your hearing. Until you can only hear the wind, smell the movements of your enemy. And retaliate."

[nightblood]

"Do not make the mistake of presuming that I am asleep, little fang."

"Darn it," Zuka growled softly. Did he know?

"Terrain...stealth...cunning...you have almost all the makings of a fine killer."

Her tail wagged at the compliment, though she did not drop her weapon as she let herself step into view. Something about her uncle was different. His voice was much more... ominous.

"But you take after your mother. You will soon know the coup de grace of the three....ferocity. So heed my words well, little fang. They will benefit you as Albireo's teachings will."

Her mother's warning now came to mind. Though he was complimenting her, Zuka now knew that this was the darker side of her uncle.

"Battle meditation. The ability to shut out all of your surroundings. Focus only on your breathing, and your sense of smell, and your hearing. Until you can only hear the wind, smell the movements of your enemy. And retaliate."

She placed the thorn-covered branches on the ground and raised her head. The thought was intoxicating. To have the skills she needed to take down an enemy welled up inside her as she sat out of sight... waiting... listening... for her prey to come close enough for a fatal attack...

"Can I try, Uncle Umbra?"