[Training] the world goes on

this is the reckoning

The vast tundra before them made him want to seek out the unfurling of his stride and run, run, run, eclipsed by nothing but the stark white; Stygian fur overt and distinct against the outcropping of endless ivory. But he didn’t care that the world would see him for miles – maybe then it would tremble a little in his wake, in the telltale flint of his paws, in the long, sweeping strides, consuming, devouring, swallowing terrains whole.

But they weren’t here to rampage; as much as his massive frame felt compelled to do so. Training, from one Warden to General, which onslaughts of power and prestige could designate power, could topple towers, could unfurl the pinnacles of strength and dominion. A bark, a howl, wound its way from his throat, some challenge to Noah, leaving the Citadel gates for the convictions of the brutal land before them. Provocations, either to race, to dodge, to maim, to take a breath out of the city and hone; time set aside for the very nature of their minatory souls.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

when the sky turns gray and everything is screaming

Despite not having a canine shift, Noah somehow knew the call was for him. He felt it in his bones. Turning from man to bear, the Warden moved toward his summoner. He has a suspision that Deimos would be calling on him anyway, knowing the General would want to continue to help the Warden grow in his skills in combat, and probably to more thoroughly scrutinize what he did see. Noah would welcome to feedback, knowing that the Sword had far more xperience in war and hand to hand combat than he did.

Deimos. He greeted the General, nodding his large head down. You've called early. He noted, just as he sun spotted hazily over the horizon. Deimos and Noah knew they were both early risers -- a trait shared by both soldier and hunter. While the two attuned had a great deal of differences, they were somehow cut from the same cloth.

i will reach inside just to find my heart is beating

this is the reckoning

The sunrise peaked and ensured other hues; sparse and delicate, filaments of pink and crimson, clouds shifting in particles of light and air. Before long the rest of the world would be up too, but for now they could reign along the tundra with naught more than their bestial confinements – riddled and rankled, flanked and flagged, in the enticements of anarchy and power.

The greeting amused him, and he turned back, great massive head taking in the lumbering polar bear, body stilling for an instant, the obsidian fur and long legs freezing in place. So I did, meant as a tease, but knowing full well the Warden would’ve been up. Hunters didn’t waste time, and neither did soldiers, when there was work, skirmishes, patrols, and scouting to be done. He’d anticipate Noah would be out here again later that same day, with old habits dying hard, even in the midst of new titles broadened out on shoulders. What did you want to work on?

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

when the sky turns gray and everything is screaming

I need to refine my combat skills in this body. He lifted himself up to it's full height supported on his hind legs. He lifted his bear arms for demonstration, to show how large he could be. "I am strong and I hit hard, but I am admittedly slower than my other shifts. I need more...finesse." Had he been before the General as a man, the Warden's face would surely split to reveal his trademarked, eye-wrinkling smile.

He lowered himself back down, his front paws hitting the hard-packed snow with a reverberating thud, just icing on top of his statement about the power he held white wrapped in the stark white fur. He tilted his head some, small but keen eyes taking in aspects of the General he never noticed before. At least, attributes he could currently see: large paws good for keeping him above the snow, a broad head with a muzzle full of teeth, and the size and strength that would let him stand against Noah even in his own predatory form.

i will reach inside just to find my heart is beating

this is the reckoning

The beast’s laugh unfurled as a bark; a short snort, a testament to the qualities and skills Noah sought. The polar bear was still larger than himself, and Deimos swifter, keener, hard-edged with his enormous paws. Then you will need to find a way to be quicker. His head tilted, considered, weighed out their options. Turning may be your best bet. Diving, ducking. Permitting others to veer off course, so that he might have a reprieve.

And they’d need to demonstrate, to practice. I can come at you, and you attempt to turn out of my attack. He’d wait for permission of course, patient and encouraging, fully intending to assist without either of them being far too maimed. His teeth wouldn’t be raised. His claws wouldn’t scrape.

A lesson in motion, rather than anything else.

Then he maneuvered, rapid, swift, and quick, beelining for Noah’s massive abdomen; which in this bulky, bear frame, would always be an easy target.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

when the sky turns gray and everything is screaming

Everything that Deimos said was right. Noah already knew how to harness and use the strength he held in this form. He needed to work on evading and changing, dodging and throwing his weight in at the opportune time.

The bear surely had no hold over the hellhound when it came to maneuverability. To train this into him, to hone him, to continue to grow as a threat, was what the purpose was here. As Deimos gave him a plan, the bear nodded his massive head and prepared for the swift strike.

Deimos came for him and Noah lurched back, attempting to arch his body and throw his hip into the wolf rather than let him land his assault on his midregion. The bear attempted to swing further into it, to use his slower-moving mass to push the wolf back and away from his target.

i will reach inside just to find my heart is beating

this is the reckoning

The hellhound’s dash was short-lived, as he’d figured – the bear’s mass turned into him, and without claws, hackles, fangs, or talons twisting back into the fold, the massive canine was free to bound off and away. Good, he acknowledged, considering the next frame of target. How will you counter someone when they go for your throat?

Another vulnerable piece of anyone’s frame. And though Noah would be certain to have hoards of fur to rampage through, it didn’t mean the notions were off-limits, especially for swifter, keener predators. Those bold and daring enough.

On those notions, Deimos unfurled once more, intending to launch himself near the ursine’s neck; intending to see how Noah justified motions, or reeled away from impending assaults.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

when the sky turns gray and everything is screaming

Letting the praise sink into his bones, the bear grunted his satisfaction. It was a maneuver he knew well from his time as a reindeer, in all honesty. He held powerful back legs in that form, and if he could not block or dissuade with antlers he was left only to kick. It seemed to translate well into this form, though he knew that, despite the sheer power he held now, his backwards kicks were nothing compared to that of his deer's skin.

As Deimos asked his follow up question, and within seconds launched his second attack, Noah wanted only to answer what what he truly knew best in this form: brute force. That was not the intention of today's drill. Mind reeling, his paws followed suit. Much less graceful than he had just displayed, the bear shuffled backwards before lifting his large body upwards one more, front limb reaching out and slashing the air between him and Deimos.

i will reach inside just to find my heart is beating

this is the reckoning

Why not encompass the same maneuvers as a prey animal? They knew how to defend themselves. Often had no choice in the matter, in a world of harsh, brutal outlines; survival of the fittest meant just that. While Deimos had no such shifts or forms of his own, he knew one could learn a lot from watching, from witnessing, herds, flocks, of the customary, hunted creatures. How they flew. How they tricked. How they deceived. It didn’t always have to be outright menacing combat. There were other ways to achieve their means and measures.

Even if they were just trying to achieve a different level of speed.

These particular motions from Noah were more accustomed to flailing; and if he wasn’t being shaken off and out of pursuit, the Sword would’ve laughed. He darted away, like an inky, Stygian thing, a void along the surface of the snow, before ensuing the command. All right, again. In hopes of smoothing out the conjectures, making them much more natural.

Then he came at the polar bear’s opposite side, reeling for the short amount of nape displayed again.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

when the sky turns gray and everything is screaming

Noah was fumbling, caught off guard by the quickness that Deimos moved with. He had witnessed the ferocity and power the General held in this form, but as he used it to dart at him, it felt different. He swiped and the warlord jumped to the side, the command running over the bond quickly and efficiently.

Noah hardly had time to think -- this exercise was truly testing him. As Deimos launched himself towards him, Noah lurched to the side. He was slower than the seasoned soldier, but his movement kept the nape of his neck from between canine jaws.

Then, the bear charged. He tried to overwhelm Deimos, to close in on his space and draw him back and keep snapping jaws at bay once more.

i will reach inside just to find my heart is beating

this is the reckoning

There was a sharp bark, likely a laugh, emitted as the bear charged. It caused the hellhound to leap sideways, a bunching of muscles, sinew, flesh, and bone, to avoid the onslaught of bulk and mass coming his way. There you go he offered in response, the amusements snagging at the Attuned bonds; no harm, no foul, in either regards. And from here, what can you do? A test, a challenge, a provocation –

Because Deimos could sweep along the sides of the bear, rampage and settle towards abdomen or flank again, which is just what he attempted – long, swift strides pressing their onslaught into the snow, intending to catch Noah somewhere along his left side.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

when the sky turns gray and everything is screaming

The hunter was continuing to broaden his skills, to hone into the predatory instincts within his new skins that begged to be set free. Even as he tumbled with Deimos, following the general's prompting and teaching, Noah could feel the raw, raging bear nature that bubbled and boiled, reedy to be released and take control of the man who spent most of his life in the mindset of a reindeer. It was so fascinating to him, how this shift could happen over such a small amount of time and yet feel so sudden.

As Deimos rounded on him, Noah shifted his weight back and turned to follow the hound's arc. He leaned back on powerful haunches, balancing and steadying himself as he swept at the warlord with a mighty paw, crowned with razor sharp claws.

i will reach inside just to find my heart is beating

this is the reckoning

The paw came at him, and if this weren’t a training session he would’ve expected a searing amount of pain from such brutal force, power, and might. The hellhound could only zig and zag, drifting in and out of the parameters with indulgent swiftness, to avoid the careening exploits of the dangerous, intrepid mass. But that was the glory of it – and Noah should’ve been proud to have it in his depths, in his blood, in his soul; behemoth qualities to protect the land he’d promised to serve.

Peeling away and huffing a round of laughter through a few short barks, he breathed deeply, inhaling, exhaling, until the puffs of oxygen curled through the frigid air. I think that is enough for today. You have caught on quickly. There could always be more sessions, more rallies, more opportunities; especially given new gifts and predatory expanse.

Then they could drift back, steady and stalwart figures, towards the Citadel.

{FIN}

DEIMOS

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