11-30-2009, 07:16 PM
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 The wolf came surging up toward the coyote, and not having the maneuverability at half-speed to side-step it, he simply took it on, wrapping one arm around the youth's neck and clenching it into a headlock. Nikolov let out a startled snort as he was pushed backward anyway, not really having the weight to keep the young bull from pushing through, and they both fell to the ground, the wolf on top, but with his head still locked in the coyote's grip. From here, any spar would be awkward, as the coyote had no hope of getting up, and the wolf wouldn't have much luck either with his head trapped well away from his center of balance. Jantus strode over and put a hand on the boy's back. "Hold up. Okay, well, you've got some problems already. Nik's claws are near your neck, which is bad. Even a small coyote's got sharp claws when in-shift, sharp enough to open your throat. Even if you reach up to stop him from dragging a claw across your neck, he can tighten that hold 'till you pass out, either from cutting off the blood or, if he had you held a different way, from crushing your windpipe." As it was awkward talking to the two of them mid-hold, he motioned for Nik to let go and for both of them to stand back up. "So, in a shifted fight, don't use your teeth or otherwise extend your neck unless you're too close for claws; fangs 'ent the nastiest weapon in these fights. Also, your dodgin' too much. I suppose if I was throwing a heavy blow at you, maybe, but someone your own size and speed starts swinging, he's gonna connect faster than you can duck down like that. Not to mention, you'll tire out. Here." Tapping the coyote's shoulder, Jantus prompted him to turn, and the two were facing one another like they themselves were about to spar. Nikolov had a perplexed look on his face. "Now, when you're as big as me, you might not fight the same way everyone else does, but I know the basics. If Nik's gonna swing at me like he did you," he motioned, and the shorter canine obliged, throwing out a 'claw' for demonstration. Jantus immediately raised his left arm to block his chest--had he been shorter, it would probably have been his face. As it was, that stood about a foot too high for Nikolov to comfortably reach. "I'm gonna use my arm to protect myself. It 'ent efficient to move your whole body to dodge an arm, you want to go arm on arm, like this." He moved inward, pushing against the coyote's forearm with his own, deflecting the claw away from its target. "Now, Nik's got an arm free, and so have I. He can throw a follow-up," --the coyote did so-- "But I've got another arm to do the same thing again. Point is not to let the shot hit the target. I can block as easy as he can attack. Now, what if Nik decides to start targeting my arms? Well, a fist won't hurt them much, but his claws could tear up my skin pretty bad, and if someone's doing that, reversing on em's good. Claws are a little slower on account of the dragging action, and are best coming in from the outside, which leaves an opening for counter-attack." He studied Ty's eyes, looking to make sure he was paying attention. "That's one of the reasons seasoned fighters use a lot of fist techniques, even though claws seem to do more damage and are more natural. Fists have some advantages over claws, but claws are great for discouraging people and in most standing fights that end--" --he thought of Skoll-- "--end with someone getting opened up in the neck. Now, why don't you go ahead and stand with Nik again and give it another go?" He stepped aside and the coyote squared up with Ty once more, waiting for Ty to get ready before he'd approach and open with a two-strike combination again. |