Black Thorn Downs you can dig me up a grave

Rank challenge directed @Bane for the position of fourth.

Once Bane posts, anyone is welcomed to spectate.

I will be calculating Gent's stats myself since the profile ones are bugged; if you'd like me to do Bane's as well just let me know. c:

Gent had allowed far too much time to pass between his last rank challenge and today. He had allowed himself to be preoccupied by the trivialities of outside relationships, but it was time once again to focus on matters at the heart of his new home. There was still a long ways to go to reach the top of the Black Thorn Downs hierarchy, and what felt like little time to do. Gent was sick of feeling the heavy burden that was a lack of progression. He was nearly in his third year, and his lack of prestige in this realm was disgraceful to his name. No more.

Drawing once more to the center of the pack's territory, the young man sought out his next target, the yearling who had been questioned about his loyalties at the pack meeting. Each day he wondered if he would even still be here; it wouldn't have surprised the Lieris heir if the lad up and returned to his family, choosing to protect blood over whatever ties he held here. Gent wasn't sure he would even be able to blame him, either. Yet, there it was, his scent still lingering strongly near the den site. Rolling back his hackles, he prepared himself.

While Loki, his previous contestant, had gotten in a good blow, the tussle had ultimately been extremely short, and Gent hoped the same of this encounter. However, with war a word heavy in the minds of all Downs wolves, he wouldn't mind sparring practice. No matter the length, Gent felt not a single doubt within him that he would not win this. Others would call it pride, but he knew it was simply fate.

A challenge of dominance and ranking amongst the pack's male hiarachy was certainly something he had not been expecting right now with war in the air. After all, much of the pack had been preparing for the move whilst Bane personally was working hard at watching the border until it was time for him to travel with Minka and her children to the new lands in order to keep guard over them. However, a fight should have been expected. After all, he was not even a full adult (although it was fast approaching) he already he was higher then those older then him and with the task as Guardian of the pack. Lingering out from the pack's den sight (he had been here to check up on Minka and Kova though they had not been here) he planned on gathering a bite to eat from one of the caches before making his way back to the border. Gent was here, tense and defensive yet without having actually called out for Bane's attention the chocolate colored male thought little of it. With his head level and tail lazy behind him as a usual manner, he dipped his muzzle to Gent lightly in acknowledgement before moving along...

Kova hadn't been doing much on his particular day. In fact, the only thing he had just finished doing was raiding one of the caches for the last of the food. Since they would be moving soon whatever was left in the caches was now allowed to be eaten without constraint by the Thorn wolves. They would have to find more prey in the land to the north.

With a full belly, Kova had then decided to head back to the den he knew like the backs of his paws. It was deep in the thorn filled brush hidden among the blackberry covered hills. The cache Kova had raided was one that was closer to the den though, so he was not horribly far away from the two males who were beginning to square off. Very soon Kova caught Gent's scent heading towards the den as the prince continued padding along the trail back. The dark wolf was not one that Kova was horribly familiar with, but hopefully today he could change that. The young male wanted to at least be acquainted with the wolves of his parents pack.

Kova wasn't far from the den now, and it was becoming clear to him that there were two male scents near the small earthen cave. Bane's smell was easily recognizable as Kova came into view of the den. He pushed past a thorny branch and entered the clearing not realizing exactly what he was walking into. It wasn't until Kova spotted Gent lunge for Bane that he stopped in his tracks with a look of shock on his face.

What are they doing fighting each other for real? He watched from the sidelines while mulling over the possibilities of how the fight came to be. He and Noble had participated in many play fights, but those hadn't been serious. Then there was the time when he had caused trouble with a loner. The man had beaten the snot out of him teaching Kova a lesson before the child finally ran off. However why would pack mates fight? Dad always said to defend yourself and your views from those who try to harm you. Kova mulled over reasons that the pair would be facing off. Then an idea hit him.

“A rank challenge?”

Kova spoke this aloud as he thought of his fathers words. He also said that sometimes you have to fight to prove how strong you are to the pack.. Is that what's happening? Kova thought quietly while his look of shock was replaced with a rather serious expression.

Bane had taught Kova a bit about guarding. In a way Bane was Kova's role model, and the dark wolf was also one of the few wolves left in the pack that Kova fully trusted. He silently cheered the Aranna wolf onwards despite not liking the fact that they were fighting right by the den where he wanted to go.

The loud, harsh bark was enough to let Bane know exactly what was going on, sending his hairs standing on end, his muscles tensing up and quickly falling into a display that both led a defense and mocked a since of submission. His head fell and eased back in a protective manner, bunching the rolls of fur and flesh at his nape, his ears falling flat. Bent limbs sprung out as the heavier male rushed him, bumping hard into his shoulder and snagging at the fur of his scruff but not gaining the hold he wished. The power of the other man's punch sent him spinning and using this momentum from Gent's attack, Bane's muzzle reaching out, jaws slashing for the black wolf's muzzle and cheek. It was a move so swift and so aggressive it was even shocking to Bane's self, who quickly jumped back. Tail out straight and stiff behind him, Bane shifted, his legs fluid. He knew that if push came to shove Gent would win every time, but Bane was an agile fellow and quick on his reflexes. If he was going to win this, he would have to out maneuver him.

In the spar he would be blinded, a tunnel vision setting it. He sought out Gent and Gent only, Kova's presence in the background, watching this all was left unnoticed. It was the first time Bane's fighting skills would truly be put to the test.

sorry if this don't make sense! i can see it in my mind but its hard to explain...

Bane's teeth successfully met with the side of Gent's face, to which the other male quickly pulled back to avoid any serious injury, or even amount of injury that left him bleeding for that manner. But when he backed away and continued taking a few steps back, Bane wondered if the challenge was already over... surely not? Bane had no intention of rolling over and playing dead so easily, mostly in these stressful times of war. Bane had to prove himself to his Leaders more now then ever and knowing that his very pack was going against the woman he called 'mother' and her children only made manners worse. Perhaps this was all excuses, of course, for a rage and instability that was founded from Bane Aranna's very birth. Was he not born from hatred and sin?

Though Gent had backed away, he had not backed down and so Bane's display remained solid. His limbs were splayed, bent and ready to spring into action as need be. He was obviously smaller, slimmer and so did not try to lift his head high, but kept it low - level between his forth shoulders. His intense orange gaze remained on Gent and his tail remaining out straight behind him to further his balance. Gent's words were only met with a snarl and snapping of his jaws. Then he struck again, the distance between them allowing Bane to counter a proper move. As Gent's teeth burrowed into the fur and flesh of the side of Bane's scruff, Bane dropped. He would use the speed and force of Gent's move against him by rolling onto his back, all four legs kicking out hard and tossing Gent over him and to the other side into the dirt. Of course, doing so tore at the hold Gent had on him, but it was worth the sacrifice. Bane wouldn't allow himself to loose because he gave up, he would loose because he got beaten.

Kova was quickly entranced by the dance for dominance that played out right in front of him. The youth had a front row seat to the kind of fight that kept the pack strong. His father had mentioned how fighting was necessary for the pack to function. It had been some time after Kova had asked him why some wolves liked to hurt each other. Though his fathers explanation had left Kova with more questions than answers. Like, "Do wolves kill each other for rank?" or "Why don't they talk it out instead?"

The older wolf had told the boy that A) in their pack it was a rule not to kill or badly hurt other wolves during a fight, and B) that sometimes you couldn't just talk things out. Sometimes someone else is just too stubborn to realize when they are wrong and you got to fight them to get it through their thick skulls. Pa also said that when you want something sometimes you just got to take it... Kova recalled the words his father had spoken with great clarity. Needless to say Tokino's answers were descriptive, but Kova wouldn't entirely understand the need to hurt another until he saw or participated in such events such as rank challenges.

Now that he was watching the shoving and posturing males Kova couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. He could imagine himself in Bane's position right now, fighting to show Gent who was boss. Fighting to preserve his place in the hierarchy. The young wolf flinched at the latest attacks forgetting to hide the pure awe on his face as the two strong males battled it out. They seemed to be evenly matched, and Kova couldn't help but wonder who would win in the end. The young male would be the witness to this decisive battle, and perhaps pass the knowledge onto his mother afterwards. That was i Gent or Bane didn't get to Minka first.

Gent answered Kova briefly. The gray lad nodded in understanding then took a few steps back before sitting down beside a thick blackberry bush. He was too interested in the fight to bother with keeping an eye on their surroundings for other pack mates heading to the den.

His attempt to duck down and have Gent topple over him as he ran forward so quickly, did not work out as planned and instead, left the male to come crashing down directly on top of him despite Bane having flipped over onto his back as he had formally maneuvered. The pain of his outstretched legs crumbling against him left him biting his tongue to hold back the whine, wriggling under the male's weight now that his scruff had been released. Bane does all he can to try and stretch his legs, to use his back ones to kick up under Gent and his front limbs to feebly scratch at his shoulder with little effect. A back leg which kicked out harshly was received 'snapped and crushed' since it came to intolerable and Bane flinched to the pain which welled in his toes. Bane does what he can to reach for the forelimb that tried to pin his throat, hoping to jerk it out to the side to shift Gent's weight away though still finds himself in a bad position. Pinned like this, his quick reflexes and swiftness did him little good.