WC: 216 :: Hope this is all right. :3

A cold wind blew through the prairie grass, running its fingers through the coywolf woman’s fluffy mane. She was grateful that she had sheared off the long locks that might have blown in her eyes, as she was intently focused on the surrounding area and any shelter that might conceal another clan member. The Tirones was here, hopefully, for only one other person—her Aquila.

When they had discussed her skills in fighting the day she’d joined, Vesper had explained her willingness to learn how to fight in her two-legged form as well as the one she’d been born with. Ezekiel had mentioned sparring with her, and for the sake of her pride they’d agreed on a more out-of-the-way area of the territory. It wasn’t completely sheltered, but it didn’t smell as strongly of coyote as the normal trails the clan members took to find prey and relax. She knew that she would be no more skilled than a pup in her optime form, and she didn’t want to admit her weakness to anyone but the leader.

But who am I kidding? Vesper let out a sigh then scanned the area once more, wondering if Zeke was late—but realizing it was far more likely that she was early. She’d nothing else to do, after all.

WC: 384 :: <3

A bird was spooked from the grass, or perhaps it was simply flapping its way to a more promising patch. Her blue eyes followed its movements before she rubbed the back of her neck again, running claws through her cropped mane and waiting. She would have been more comfortable in lupus for this vigil, but that was part of it, she supposed. If she couldn’t stand still in her two-legged form, she couldn’t fight. She shook her head at herself then noted the tan figure of the Aquila trotting toward her. Bronze shone in his fur as the sunlight outlined his muscular body, and with a wry smirk Vesper supposed he might be attractive, if she swung that way. She did respect his good condition, though, and she offered a somewhat playful bow when he came close enough to speak.

“If I waited too long, it was my own fault,” the light tawny coywolf admitted. She’d probably come here too early, but she would prefer to be in a location ahead of time than show up late. Being somewhere early meant being able to scout it out, take note of the surroundings, prepare herself. In a way, she was choosing and scrutinizing her battlefield.

Her eyes followed the curvature of his bow. She figured that this sparring would be hand-to-hand combat, but she was somewhat curious about the long-range weapon. She would have to ask later, though—who knew how busy pack leaders were? He was offering his own time to help a new member out. But he and Inferni benefit from strong members in the end, she reminded herself, and she automatically widened her stance slightly.

“I don’t know the first thing about grappling with these,” Vesper said, throwing her hands up as if they were loose appendages rather than actual limbs. Her tone was lighthearted, but deceptively so—behind her smirking mask lay a cold desire to improve. “But perhaps I’ll learn by example. Don’t be afraid of hurting me.” The needless words dripped off her tongue, and she waited for him to make a move or instruct her further. She supposed being knocked down to the ground a few times or otherwise wrestled into a vulnerable position would make her survival drive kick in, and perhaps dormant luperci instincts would emerge.

WC: 512 :: I'm just as bad at this
as she is. xD

Ezekiel shed his weapons, and the woman glanced down at the bow again curiously until the blonde cracked his back. Her ears pricked forward sharply as she ceased her rambling remarks, her expression intent as he explained that luperci fighting did not have to rely only on hands. She nodded then glanced quickly at her own fingers, sheathing and unsheathing her claws. It was the action of the growing talons that had spurred on her first transformation, she remembered. It would be nice to put them to some use; the memory of the golden man tearing into her was still fresh in her mind.

The Aquila stated that she needed to think he wanted to kill her. Without uncertainty, she nodded—though it was a philosophy she was not used to. As much as Vesper loved to fight, she did not relish killing; the sound of Oliver’s choked crying as her teeth crunched his windpipe returned to her, and her eyes froze over. No, she didn’t like to kill—but she would have no problem imagining that others would want to do so to her.

The other coyote hybrid prepared himself for the fight, exhibiting the bristling and bared teeth and tensing that was universal to all canines, luperci or not. Her own lips wrinkled back, though while her ears flattened reflexively against her skull in case they would become a target, the action was also one that bespoke of unease. This was new territory for her, and she did not have time to think when the Aquila ran at her with paws lashing.

Vesper noticed the hand coming at her throat and managed to bring her wrist up in time to block it, but then fingers scraped her belly. She staggered back with a sharp snarl and quickly tried to put space between them. She was not used to having to be aware of different places the opponent could attack from; she normally had to worry just about teeth, perhaps the occasional awkwardly raised paw or tripping leg. Look how easily I am disemboweled, she hissed mentally, and this time she placed herself on the offensive.

His attack served its purpose in teaching her a lesson, but she did not want to copy his same move so early. A trick was useless against one who was still freshly thinking about it. Instead, she darted toward him, claws carefully retracted though she doubted he would be harmed if they were not, and reached up with both hands to get his face. She anticipated that he would block the move, but she kept her head down even as her arms were raised, trying to bash her head into his hopefully unprotected chest and abdomen.

Balance was crucial—that was something she drilled into her head even more than was necessary. If she could compromise balance or steal some wind, she could follow up with an even more effective attack. However, she knew that her footing was more feeble than the older luperci’s, and she doubted she could make Ezekiel stumble enough to count.

WC: 143 :: I can understand
everything fine, so no worries.

Vesper had always relied on her small size, agility, and speed when facing opponents larger than her. She was not so graceful on two legs, however, and this fact frustrated her, even as she made her move. She was momentarily triumphant as she closed in, but his reaction speed was quick both times; his elbows came down.

The feel of his blow connecting made her snarl, more in anger than pain, and she dropped into a crouch. That probably would have killed her, though going at an opponent from below was a risk she was used to taking, at least unless their jaws were enough to snap her neck.

She did not stop once she had crouched, however, and in a move completely devoid of all grace, she lunged for his legs, aiming to tackle him and wrap her arms around his ankles.

WC: 158 :: Groin attack. >>

Ezekiel fell as she had wished, but not in the desired direction. Flexible as a cat, he twisted as gravity took him, and her prostrate form was vulnerable as he toppled. While he was not a large man, his body lean and coyote, Vesper was relatively small herself and so his weight effectively pinned her. She brandished her fangs at him, feeling his arms snake around her slender body, and snapped quickly at his limbs to deter him, her own arms fighting to hold onto his ankles.

He gained some purchase, however, and her pale belly flashed as she was rolled roughly onto her back. Vesper curled into a ball as much as she could, knees tucked up slightly, one paw releasing its grip on his foot and aiming instead to strike a certain vulnerable area between his legs. Whether or not that connected or made him falter, she did her best to writhe out of his grip.

WC: 239

Her somewhat desperate attack had worked wonders, and Vesper openly grinned when the Aquila’s lean, muscular body jolted suddenly away from her. Free, she turned back onto her stomach and rose into a feral crouch, back hunched and ears still low as she watched him recover from his tumble. He rose in a similar posture as her, which made her laugh quietly in satisfaction and respect. She had chosen her leader well.

The blonde man grinned as well, praising her before standing. She hesitated a moment before rising as well, brushing some of the dust from her coat before deciding that it was a feeble effort. She’d never been much for cleanliness unless she was completely dirtied or in the presence of an attractive woman. Relaxing her arms, though her posture was still awkward as a new luperci, she readied herself to absorb whatever he was going to say.

Vesper smirked at his question, though it was a completely serious one. “Getting punched there still hurts,” she quipped. “Any blow to the pelvic area can do some kind of damage to the organs there.” Her mouth started to shape more words, but her sheer inexperience couldn’t find the vocabulary for what she wanted to convey. A blow to the ovaries or kidneys could put a girl out of commission, though, and she hoped that her answer was satisfactory—though he would only help her learn more if it wasn’t.

WC: 326 :: You don't suck and that
sounds good! Perhaps a spar with Max with Zeke critiquing? I'd love another thread when you're not busy.

Vesper was encouraged by his grin and nodded quickly when he pointed out another weak area, showing that she understood. Weak points were often ones that she came across accidentally—whether by biting an area that caused another to squeal especially loudly or by experiencing the stab of pain herself. She would file this one away for later.

The reassurance he offered surprised her—mostly because she was reassured by it, she who had never given a damn what others thought about her. Her brow furrowed in seriousness, but again, she nodded. She was acutely aware of her weaknesses in this form, though as far as packs went, Inferni was not humanized to the same degree as most others. She could probably get away with sticking to her lupus form, though she wanted this training in case she was caught off guard more than anything else. She would never instigate a fight like this if she could help it.

She flashed a smirk at his next remarks. “Another round sounds good—and I guess I would like to meet the ward of yours,” she replied, tail swaying behind her. “And I can answer to him in combat if he likes.” It would be interesting to see how someone taught by the same man fought, with his own flavors added to the lessons. She wondered if he was trained on four legs as well as two, or if she might be able to teach him a thing or two.

Vesper paused then, opening her mouth as if to add something else or suggest something, but a second later she darted toward him, her sly smirk bordering on a broad grin. She didn’t know if he’d be mad for this unexpected attack, but maybe catching him off guard would give her an edge. Taking advantage of her shorter height, she lashed both paws toward his arms, expecting them to be caught while her mouth drove toward his neck.

WC: SSWM 195 :: Fail Vesper, last
post, and this can be archived. <3

It had been childish to assume the trick used on whelps obsessed with “fairness” would work on the experienced Aquila. Vesper growled as her paws were swatted away, as if she were a pup instead of a battle-scarred woman, but she had no time to feel angry for herself. Even as he was batting her claws aside, he lashed out with a punch; it connected with her bared teeth and jarred her head back. She was struck in the stomach by his knee and fell to the side, managing to scramble quickly but clumsily to her feet in a blind lunge.

A few more feverish (on her part) moves, moves that were countered more often than not, ended their lesson. Vesper returned to her den with bruised body and pride—but a fierce desire to learn something new before their next sparring session. She was optimistic that she’d shown him that her skills only needed to be polished, however, and that she would in time prove to be an asset to Inferni. Rubbing her aching muzzle again, she allowed herself a small and hopeful smirk as she sought a place to rest for the night.