Swift River Bite The Dust

The blend of willows along the river provided nice coverage. He could hear a candian goose honking along the banks of a river, and he was ducked down in the dead grass slowly, very slowly creeping toward it. Before he was any where near it, he unknowingly stepped on a packrat's nest. One paw lifted he clipped it along the ground when a flash of brown appeared before him with yellow teeth bared ready to sink into his foot. "Ahh!" He jumped a foot into the air, landing back aways. It was not scared, it was pissed. It zoomed foward, fully ready to take on the black wolf. His black ears twisted back, and his tail ruffed out behind him. He was about to let some stupid rodent chase him. Growling his lips curled round his teeth, and he bowed his head. The packrat did not hesitate but launched itself up, trying to bit Triell's face.

Triell veered away, paw swiping at the little fiend. It ducked as well, and made another jump for the pads underneath his feet. It nipped once, and he snarled shaking it from it's grip. This time Triell lowered his head and made a snap for the brown thing. He missed as it darted back, snapping it's teeth, and giving off an odd gurgle of it's displeasure. Like two swordsmen they took turns trying to out do the other, drifting along the river bank.

(This post was last modified: Apr 01, 2011, 03:51 PM by Triell.)

are you with me through it all?

<blockquote>Having followed the faint sound of a cry, there were few things that Marsh expected less than to discover an epic battle between a young wolf and an adult packrat. On the opposite side of the river, Triell's black shape had been seen, and Marsh had stopped with the idle, momentarily intention of watching for a few seconds. Seconds turned into minutes, and as he had stood, staring at the distant jumping and twitching Triell, Marsh had failed to comprehend what the boy was doing at all. The revelation come only when the vocal rodent's angry shrieks caught his attention.

For a moment, the wolf stared, and then let out a snort of laughter. Well, however you wanted to pass the time...

Before long, it grew apparent that the war was disturbingly balanced, and Marsh thought it time to intervene on behalf of the poor boy. Wading quickly through the river, he shook his heavy coat briefly once across before padding carefully towards the battlefield. Making no effort to hide his approach from Triell, Marsh came to stand beside him (or as best as he could, considering that the boy's sparring took him all over the place), staring down at the viciously defiant creature with mild disbelief. Offering Triell a raised brow, Marsh snorted down at their opponent, amused and ashamed all at the same time.</blockquote>

ooc; this is fun

The black lad was clueless he was being watched. The brown fiend kept lunging at his throat, and he would try to flick it upward with his paw and grab it with his teeth. Every time he launched the thing skyward he failed to actually catch it. Maybe disable it for a moment so he could flick it again. But really all he was managing was pissing off the creature further. It was in a mid-throw did he realize there was a large brown wold who was trailing after him. Triell froze, giving a quick look over his shoulder. He flinched for a moment, he had seen the wolf around not upclose. He was sorta shocked someone had gotten so near.

The stupid pack rat leapt at Triell when it landed, biting his paw again. A short yelp piped from his lips, and he wiped his head around flipping his paw with full force. Sending the furry creature flying threw the air. The thing was just a little to resilant and Triell hadn't mastered his skill over small game. Especially the darting kind. The fiend was running back for more when Triell gave a Marsh a look noting his expression, and his ears cupped foward at the snort. Tongue lolling from the side of his mouth, he licked his lips and shook his black pelt. "You got a better way?" He asked, somewhat cooly for his usual character. He meant no disrespect or anything. Triell was usually a happy fellow but, between his encounter with Weldering and this damn packrat he wasn't in the best welcoming spirit. He was always up for someone showing him a better way. Orange eyes exchanged from the nearing packrat and to the elder male waiting.

(This post was last modified: Apr 01, 2011, 03:51 PM by Triell.)

are you with me through it all?

<blockquote>All the while, the little beast remained impossibly defiant, as if it were not actually outsized and outnumbered but instead in with a good chance of emerging victorious. Marsh almost felt some mixture of respect and pity for it, as foolish as it was. One ear swivelling towards Triell as he issued the challenge, Marsh's lips pulled back in a small, feral grin.

The packrat, having gotten used to the manner of its first opponent, made the foolish assumption that the second would be just as jumpy. Wondering why it didn't just flee, Marsh stepped forwards and took the rodent's attention. With a noisy, high-pitched squeal, it faked a dash at him, but Marsh didn't move. Small things could give nasty bites, but Marsh had been on the business end of creatures far more dangerous than a oversized mouse. Snapping his jaws forwards, he tried to scare the impossibly brave (suicidal?) packrat back a little, but any ground that he won was instantly re-covered as the rodent came to meet him head-on. Faintly alarmed by this, Marsh could understand why Triell's instinct had been to flinch away.

Here to prove a point, however, the wolf made certain not to do the same.

Having had its bluff called, the packrat hesitated, and this moment of uncertainly was swiftly exploited. Paws spread either side of it, Marsh lunged at the rodent, missing the first bite but catching near the base of its tail in the second. Flinging it upwards, careful aim and timing was all that was needed to ensure that the doomed packrat landed true; giving one hard shake of his head out of instinct, even though it was almost too small to have its spine broken in such a way, the battle was won.

Smugly dropping the dead creature in front of Triell, Marsh snorted again with a curt nod of his head to mock-arrogantly acknowledge a job well done.</blockquote>

Triell stared intently at the vetetran. He didn't know him, but he had a feeling if anyone could kill the packrat it would be the aurburn one. When the packrat approached Triell stepped out of the spotlight, and turned full attention on the burly male, and the brown fiend. And he watched this new passing of snarls, and snaps.

He admired from a distance, the closer the elder came upon the creature, and finally not backing down had thrown the packrat offguard. Like a pro, he didn't hesitate, fully went after, and caught Triell's foe with grace didn't seem right to call the wolf but that's what it was. The timing was right on, nad he ended the rodent's life. Black lad stood, simply taken back by the swift action, and eager to learn from this possible new teacher.

Once Marsh dropped the kill at his feet, the black facade surely looked fully astonished. Like all his life he'd been doing it wrong, but he wasn't even that old. Black tail wagged, and he grinned giving a dip of his head. "You have some skill," he said thoughtfully. Triell could use that. His wound had healed from the trespasser, now he had a few new ones from his encounter with Weldering. More than anything he wanted to further instill his knowledge, better it. Maybe he could be at least as skilled as him. "I'm Triell by the way. Indru's brother. You think you could teach me?" Tail waved once more, and he raised a brow, hope evident in his fiery eyes, perhaps a want too.

(This post was last modified: Apr 01, 2011, 03:50 PM by Triell.)

are you with me through it all?

<blockquote>Though he had not involved himself to gain any kind of admiration, Marsh could not deny that he was tickled by it. His cool grey eyes carefully watched the younger boy as he processed what he had seen, and despite Marsh's aversion to words, he allowed himself to take the compliment. He didn't quite attribute it to skill, per se - more 6 years of experience and a life of learning how to kill things - but he took it. The introduction was, of course, unnecessary, though the confirmation of a name was welcome; Marsh already knew the boy's name, who his family was, and a few things besides. A few faintly familiar scents lingered on the black wolf's pelt, scents that didn't belong to Swift River, but Marsh put them out of his mind. It wasn't his business who Triell chose as company, and even if some of it wasn't entirely friendly, the boy was here and healthy. No matter how much he may have wanted to improve, at least he already had some 'skill' of his own.

That was good. As Marsh's eyes widened inquisitively at Triell's request, he noted that was probably a very good thing indeed.

Shifting his rear so that he could face the boy squarely, Marsh glanced down briefly at the remains of the packrat as he considered the request. Well, Marsh couldn't quite emulate a rodent, but he thought that wasn't quite what Triell had meant. Assuming that it wasn't necessary to offer his name (since Triell had been so accepting of him, it was easy to assume that his presence wasn't a surprise) Marsh gave a sharp nod and lowered his head, his ears perked and body primed.

Jerking his head to the side slightly, he openly invited the boy to begin as, when and how he felt best. Bring it on.</blockquote>

To a ten month old with much to learn Marsh was talented. Triell wasn't exactly impressed easily. But seeing someone do something that looked easy, he knew for a fact wasn't, how couldn't he be? It wasn't entirely because Marsh had gotten the packrat. It was "the looked" like the world had handed him some situations, and he'd pulled threw.

Trial and error worked, but it was long term. Triell knew if he was going to be able to handle himself in his coming years it came with learning from others experience. He could learn all the wrong ways to do something by himself. It saved a lot of time to let someone share their wisdom. He liked learning, he would eat it up like a second meal.

Jaws closed, at no reply. He wasn't use to no talking, but figured maybe the auburn male couldn't, or saw it as pointless. Either way the young Tainn accepted this. He was becoming more yearling than pup, just the fact he could see gray eyes thinking it over he was happy. He was sure Indru or Cori had accepted him, that was good enough for the boy.

No more sound, he smiled at the silent reply. Energy lingered in his paws, wondering how this silent instruction would work. He used his other senses, ears cupped forward, and eyes steady on each movement.He caught the swift inclination, Triell was to make the first move.

Alright.

Body stiffened, and haunches swayed. The Tainn understood this form of play. It was always hard when the attackee knew the attacker was going to actually attack. This was better than nothing. What move to try? Thinking fast he leaped forward, and making a grab for the leftside of Marsh's neck.

(This post was last modified: Apr 01, 2011, 03:50 PM by Triell.)

are you with me through it all?

<blockquote>In hindsight, it may have been more effective to just jump the boy with no warning, but at least this way he knew Triell was fully consenting to some potentially rough play. He hardly noticed that the words have evaporated from their meeting because they were still speaking volumes to each other, and Marsh was aware of Triell's lunge a split second before it actually happened.

A good-natured growl rippling from his chest, Marsh twitched away and to the right, his body shifting to avoid the grab but keep himself directly facing the boy, all his actions orientated around the young Tainn. Conscious of Triell's target, Marsh's head lowered in an attempt to make his neck less automatically tempting. After all, you didn't need to go straight for the neck to win a battle; many conflicts could even be resolved without the need for any bloodshed at all. Eyes wide and alert, the large wolf spread his front paws slightly and dropped his front half down a little more, his posture a faint replica of the typical rear-in-the-air, elbows-to-the-ground stance that many playful wolves adopted.

Not yet going on any offensive, he snorted, demanding that the pup try again.</blockquote>

His sparring partners had always been either been Ruiko or Indru. In truth it'd been awhile since he'd gotten into it with either. He was bigger now, more control of his body, it felt entirely different itself. He knew he could certainly do more, but what that was he wasn't sure. Now an oppenent who didn't talk, and he had no idea what he did do, or his moves. It did not surprise him the vetran easily swayed away out of his reach, facing him head on. Tail bowed with his anxious energy, and own whine scringing into his own playful growl vibrated in his voice box. The boy's eyes were steady on his target, and more or less dertimined to get this. Though truelly if he never grabbed Marsh he would have already learned much.

The auburn male struck out a playful bow stating the wordless ready.Triell put to mind his next move, what would be the best. Lowering his front limbs stretched out before him, the young Tainn made a fake dash forward before leaping back. And just as twitched away he was already launching foward. Jaws open for Marsh's muzzle.

(This post was last modified: Apr 01, 2011, 03:49 PM by Triell.)

are you with me through it all?

<i>If, at any point, you want to say 'they practised such and such for a bit' before we switch it up to something new, I'm cool with that :D Similarly, if you give me permission to do the same, it'll give me a chance to have Marsh spring something on Triell.</i>

<blockquote>The feint was well planned, but Marsh wasn't afraid and thus hadn't flinched away. He was ready when Triell made his move properly, aiming for a more conventional muzzle-grab this time, and Marsh let him believe - right up to the last moment - that his attempt would succeed. Despite appearances, Marsh was quick when it counted, and this time he did flinch away, whipping his head down and around so that the side of his closed muzzle would come into contact with the side of Triell's face.

His tongue came out to affectionately brush the boy's cheek, a growl of amusement and contentment rumbling from his chest, before he jumped back with a provocative yap. He wasn't going to turn tail and make Triell chase him, but this time, he was going to dodge and skip around the boy with abandon; most normal fights didn't involve quite so much avoidance by a single party, but it should help to improve the boy's sense of timing, judgement and agility. He was young yet, but it was the perfect time to start making a wolf out of him.</blockquote>