He wasn’t sure if it was simply because he just grew up in a different environment, but somehow all of the tragedy that had marred the Backwater and his friend hadn’t managed to touch him and impact him in the same way. Where others had become bitter and angry, he remained as hopeful as he had been when they had first met as pups… or perhaps it was simply because he wanted to be a supportive presence for the wolves who had give him so much.

He had just finished running a patrol along the southern border when he caught Eros, slightly out of breath from the pace in which he had been moving as his friend asked to talk. He paused for a moment, clearly heaving before he managed to regain his bearings and nod. “Of… course… Er.” He would offer as his tail wagged.

He always had time for his friend! No matter if it was a serious conversation or the two of them goofing off. Being there for his friend and seeing him happy or helping him made Seri happy.

Seri listened to his best friend as he explained why it was that he had called him there. He wanted his rank so he could continue to grow. Seri felt conflicted, because of course he wanted to help his friend, but he didn’t just want to step aside from his rank because surely that would make him look weak? Right?

“It’s not gonna affect our friendship, Er.” He was quick to assure his friend as he rested back on his haunches, his tail thumping lightly against the ground. “But I can’t just hand it over to ya either… ‘cause I got appearances too.” There was a certain seriousness and apologetic tone in his voice as he looked to his friend.

A part of him wanted to just hand it over… but he couldn’t.

“Why don’t we compete for it? A spar or a hunt or something… the person to catch the most rabbits?” Perhaps it was the way he managed to remain naïve after all this time… perhaps it was simply because he didn’t fully understand rank challenges… but those were his suggestions.

He had always been more easygoing. He had his moments, moments where the emotions overtook him in what was sometimes a less than stellar display, but it allowed him some measure of peace, a smirk on his features as his tail lashed back and forth though the smirk on his features would tell his friend it was all in a friendly competition.

“Hey, don’t you know us loner kids are quite scrappy! I think it’s you who can’t take me on.” He teased again as Eros took a more predatory stance. He knew he didn’t have the training. Hell, he even knew he would likely lose… but what mattered was that he gave his friend a fair shake of it. After all, he knew others wouldn’t just hand it over to him, so he couldn’t either.

No, a spar was the best way forward/ He’d rush forward, aiming to barrel into the man and use his smaller size to his advantage so he might be able to get underneath Eros and push him upward, removing his front paws from the ground to hopefully throw him off balance.

He raised a brow, his rump waggling back and forth as the other boy teased him. The collision came, and Eros countered effectively by dropping his weight, feeling as his friend’s teeth reached for his nape. Seri didn’t have the strength necessary to push up against him, sensing his error… so instead he attempted to drop himself flat, rolling in the hopes that his claws might be able to catch something of his friend only to find Eros had successfully gotten his gape, causing a soft wince on his features as he attempted the move.

Still, it wasn’t anything that truly hurt, nor was it something that would cause any kind of animosity. Such was expected in a spar like this for dominance… besides, Seri knew he was likely to lose in the next bout of it anyway. This was just a learning experience for him. “Not as soft as a boy who grew up in the pack life!” He would counter finally, though it would show that he was getting to be a little out of breath, likely from the panting and the adrenaline that coursed through his veins.

Seri had never learned how to pace himself… it had been a matter of simply pushing through and doing what was required which would show in the way he found exhaustion etching into his body… especially given that he had no real intentions of wanting to win against his friend, even if he said that he did… and so his grip would be hard to fight against as Seri felt the weight of it push him lower and lower, tail still lashing in a friendly way.

And that was when he would feel the weight give out beneath his paws, dropping low, potentially pulling Eros with him as he found himself rolling onto his belly to show defeat. “Alright, alright… you win your big lug.” He would offer in an almost teasing manner… it did little harm to him. He had fought, the other man had won… all requirements in Seri’s mind was satisfied as his tail tucked lightly to show the respect that the other man had just earned.