hardly sportsmanlike

[Skoll]

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We can finish it there, unless you want to keep going? The older wolf was quite for a moment. He hadn't expected that, though he supposed it made sense given the circumstances. He didn't have much backup out here, Aivyr and the others didn't come into Bleeding Souls themselves. While threats from outside of Souls were few, he knew that if these two could get the jump on him in his current state of unrest, then Gabriel or those under his command could probably do the same. It wasn't a pleasant thought, not only due to the thought of waking up with teeth in his throat, but also the idea that he couldn't count on himself. He had been trusting himself with his own safety for over five years, not being alert enough or strong enough to take care of at least himself was alien and unpleasant. "Well, if you've changed your mind about it, I don't see why not. But I'm only agreeing to do this until you aren't so short-handed anymore, and until my sleeping patterns improve. We'll have to see how things stand after Storm's ranks fill out a bit, and after I can get over these stupid nightmares, start sleeping all night again." He had no problem extending his strength to the Storm border again, but the thought of being protected in turn bothered him. He wanted to get out of this funk of his soon, incompetence wasn't in his creed, and letting himself slip again could get him killed, without much stretch of the imagination. How old am I, really? he wondered. He knew his age roughly, but it wasn't the number that mattered, but the state of the body. He knew that he wasn't quite as fast as he had been two years ago, but it wasn't enough to be a serious hindrance...he just had a harder time fighting on all cylinders. His lifestyle and routine kept him strong, kept him fit, kept him sharp. Yeah...speed is all it is. I'm not slow, I just used to be faster. Know your limitations, push them if you need, but know where they are. He was guilty of not always acknowledging his limits...the fight with the cultists on the Storm border had been foolhardy, he suspected. He could have called Gibraltar and the others...but he would have sacrificed the element of surprise, and would have certainly got a packmate killed. He looked down at his left wrist as they walked...he felt a dull ache there, after fighting with Argus it was reminding him that he had broken it before. Most of my worst wounds in one fight...still, without that act and the accompanying stories I couldn't have rallied the support against cult. Foolhardy, stupid, but it may take a little of that to motivate people these days. A small smile crept onto his lips, but was gone again shortly thereafter. ~The lyrics are from the best song ever written.

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