forum "It's rotten work..." "Not to me. Not if it's you." [OxO] [Open]

Started March 17, 2023 by @bleeding_hearts

tune

Tea was his drink of choice, but often, if he was placed in a tavern, he went with water. He had jobs to do and he would not do them in a weakened state. He had to hold himself back from an eye roll when he heard the other speak of the royal preference for whiskey. It made sense of course, but- It was not Vidar's choice.

"Absolutely incredible." He responded back, his eyes wide with awe at the creature in front of him. When Ruir approached Athene, Vidar clicked his tongue softly and she perked up, eager to inspect the massive Wulf in front of her. She sniffed at him curiously, her tail wagging excitedly as she returned to Vidar's side. Vidar nodded his head politely towards Ruir when the wulf turned to face him. Vidar looked with complete awe, but his attention returned to Romulus, "A wulf would work best, I believe." He offers a small smile. Despite being trained not to do so, he still liked showing emotion. It made him human, and allowed him to be himself.

When he was not with people who hired him, he was a surprisingly cheerful person. He was always on alert, yes, but he also allowed himself to have fun. In the case of Ruir, his curiosity and awe got the better of him. But he eased again, becoming neutral as he ran a hand through Athene's fur. "Where are we headed?" He asks curiously, his head tilting only slightly.

Romulus was proud of Ruir, and Vidar's obvious appreciation of the Wulf made him smile. Athene and Ruir seemed to be ok with each other, which was good.
His smiled widened when Vidar, A. chose a Wulf, and B. smiled at him. So the legend was human after all!
"Oh, good choice. You're in for a treat." Romulus said eagerly.
"We're headed down to the dens. The stables and dens are kept separate, because until the Wulves and Wargs are chosen to be ridden, they tend to be unruly. The horses aren't fans of that." He nodded his head off to the side, indicating a large building.
They passed a massive stable, and through the doors, a bright glow could be seen. The Fire Horses from Harad were a sight to behold. Myth said that they'd lived wild and free in the desert so long, the sun had set their manes, tails, and hooves on fire. Whatever the reason, the horses were blazing infernos at all times. Those who chose to ride such a horse had to be ready for the challenges that came with such a mount. Many of them stood over 22 hands tall at the shoulder, and their flames burned as hot as any normal fire.

Beyond that was a series of caves, and it was to these that Romulus lead them. "Here is where the younger Wulves have their home. And here is where the fun begins." His smile widened. "If you have any kind of a preference in what or who you ride- looks, temperament, skills, size- now is the time to mention it." He glanced up at Ruir, who was watching Vidar closely. "To him, that is."

Vidar looked down when Athene chose a Wulf and he smiled, gently petting the top of her head. "Not to worry, Athene. You'll always remain my favorite." She gave a small 'boof' at that and looked very pleased with herself before Vidar chuckled at the prince's words. "I have no doubts."

When they passed the stables, he let out a quiet hum. They were indeed beautiful creatures, and he had heard the legends. He had always been in awe of such creatures, but as he learned from his mother, they were creatures that required respect and discipline. It took time to earn their trust. And as beautiful as the Fire Horses were, wolves and any other kind of dogs were the companions of Vidar. He'd rather choose something he can trust.

When they arrived at the caves a small hum left his lips at the question before he chuckled. "I have no preference. When it comes to matters like these, you allow the wulf to choose you. As cheesy as that may sound, the creature makes the choice. Not I." He glanced at Athene fondly. When he found her, she had been a pup. Injured, lost. He tended to her, made sure she was healthy once again, and let her go. She did not leave, but rather stayed with him.

"Just tell me what to do." He glanced at the prince, his eyes set, but his body relaxed. He meant no harm, and once again had that air of curiosity. He had only seen a wulf one other time, but that was many moons ago. Now he was here, allowing himself to be guided into choosing one as a mount while he was here.

Romulus nodded approvingly. "Oh, so you're familiar with the Wulves and their pickiness. Well, good." He patted Ruir's muzzle, and the red Wulf rumbled deep in his chest. "These particular ones, descended of the Old Wulves, have some… ceremony around choosing a rider." Ruir nodded, and headed into the den.
"When he comes out, since you had no particular preference, he'll bring a few options. They will circle you, sniff you, and if they can smell fear on you at all, they'll likely reject you." Romulus slapped his shoulder, not hard, but in a friendly way. "I don't think that will be a problem for you." He chuckled. "The next bit is where you tell them what you need them for. If this is temporary or longterm. If they're to be a warbeast or a messenger, or something else. And of those who are satisfied with your purpose, they will confer, maybe fight a bit, and a candidate or two will emerge from the group. At which point, you wrestle them. The Wulf you're able to subdue becomes your mount."
The Prince looked at Athene and smiled, before glancing back at Vidar. "I know it wouldn't be your choice to have to subdue them, but it's their tradition. If you don't try, or if you try to do something silly, like negotiate instead of wrestling, that's the moment you put yourself in danger of their anger."

Vidar paused and glanced at the other, pleased that he had done something right. He hummed as he watched the wulf wander off into the den. He glanced over at Romulus and nods, keeping in mind every word that Romulus explained. He was not fearful when it came to creatures similar to wolves, rather he was in awe often. When he was slapped on the shoulder he barely flinched, just made a soft noise of acknowledgment to the prince's words.

What did he need the wulf for? For starters, as a mount. He thought about the qualities needed. A creature that was loyal and fast. Would it be long-term? Most likely, considering that this war wasn't going to bubble down any time soon. And the more he thought of it, he would like a companion for Athene when he couldn't bring her with him. Once he had settled on what he needed, he nods carefully at Rom's words. He felt no fear, and he knew wrestling was important. He raised a brow. "I am well aware that creatures need to be subdued at times."

Athene had been a picky one, even after she had chosen him. She had gotten to where she was today because of his training, his patience, and the mutual understanding that she was a part of his pack, and that he was the one in charge. So he waited patiently for Ruir to return with the wolves, keeping his breathing steady and even.

Athene had settled beside Romulus, her ears twitching back and forth curiously. She tilted her head as she looked at the caves, but looked calm otherwise. If she was calm, Vidar had all the more reason to keep calm.

Romulus quirked an eyebrow right back at him. "Let me be clear; the Wulves are people. You're not breaking a horse or training a dog, or even showing them who's boss." He leaned towards Vidar. "You're showing them that you can be trusted to keep up with them. That they can expect you not to hold them back." He started to say more, but was cut off by an insanely loud howl, echoing from the cave mouth.

Out of the depths of the darkness came 5 Wulves, Ruir leading them. The shaggy red beast towered, but not by much to some of them.
Romulus stepped forward, and bowed. When he stood, he went still, and the conversation with Ruir commenced. It lasted only a couple of seconds, before he turned to Vidar with a smile.
"Don't flinch."
A white Wulf, smaller and slimmer than Ruir, clearly a female, stepped forward and circled Vidar. She sniffed at him, taking a deep inhale, much too close to his neck for comfort. A huff, and she circled once more, getting the measure of the man.
A brown Wulf, with streaks of black running lengthwise down his body, stepped forward. He didn't bother with circling, preferring to just get right in Vidar's face and hold eye contact. He took a single sniff, before stepping back. Amongst the group, he was average sized, about 6'6" at the shoulder. Same size as Romulus, but with a clearly huge personality.
There was a gray Wulf, short but rippling with muscle, who circled slowly, methodically, sniffing at Vidar from multiple angles. He stepped back eventually, giving Vidar a small nod as he did so.
The next was a wolf that had patchy gray and white fur, other than a long stripe down her back, which had been dyed blue. She was the smallest of the group, at 5'8" at the shoulder, but moved with a lithe grace that spoke of agility and athleticism.
The last was a huge male, nearly on Ruir's level, with fur as black as the midnight sky. He stepped forward and over Vidar, nearly knocking him backwards into the dirt, before a massive paw nudged the warrior back into a standing position. A long inhale, right next to the man's ear, and the black male was satisfied.

By the end of it, none of them had left. Not a trace of fear anywhere on the man.
Romulus had to smile at that. "Well done, Legend. Now is your chance to present your case."

He paused at Romulus' words and nods firmly, understanding what was required of him now. He took a deep breath and relaxed completely, barely even moving when he heard the howl echo through the caves. The awe clearly sparkled in his eyes when the beasts entered. He hummed faintly as he glanced at the wulves that followed after Ruir bowing his head politely to the powerful creatures.

He hummed when he was told not to flinch. He could do that much in the least. He felt no fear, only respect and curiosity for these strong and powerful wulves.
When the first wulf stepped forward, he held still, though when he allowed her to sniff him, his movements flowed and were easy to read. He had a calm expression, even when she moved to his neck. If anything, he moved to allow her more room to get used to his scent. Ever so patient.
When the next wulf stepped forward, Vidar kept careful eye contact with the beast. His eyes were easy to read. Open, willing, eager to show just how dedicated he was to respect and learn from these powerful beasts.
When the grey wulf moved to sniff him, Vidar relaxed completely, showing ease. He did not mind the curious sniffing, his personal space being invaded. He found the wulves to be fascinating, only wishing to learn more. When the wulf nodded to him, he gracefully tilted his head forward in a polite nod of respect in return.
When he laid eyes on the smallest wolf, he remained polite and calm. He was open, completely easy for them to read and see his intentions. There was no fear from him. Only wonder and respect.
When the final male stepped forward, nearly knocking him over he let out a soft chuckle and a quiet 'thanks' when he was uprighted. He did not flinch when the air beside his ear whistled, only seemed amused that such a situation to occur.

When all was said and finished he placed his hand on his heart and bowed politely to the powerful creatures. "I appreciate it deeply that you were willing to meet me." He started. He cleared his throat and straightened himself out. "I am looking for a long-term… per se companionship. I need to be able to keep up with the Prince. But I also require a companion that is strong, and willing to teach me. I wish to learn. I wish for guidance." He bowed his head politely.

The female white Wulf gave him a short nod and turned to head back into the den. No disdain in her expression, she just wasn't looking for a long term assignment.
The shorter grey Wulf looked at Ruir, before turning to go. He was under no illusions that he could keep up with the Prince's mount.
The other three stayed. They looked at each other, and something passed between them, before Ruir looked at Romulus again.
"These are the three who believe they can meet your need, and want to be of service." The Prince said carefully. "Now comes the main test. The order you grapple with them is up to you. Choose wisely: if you subdue the first, it's in bad taste to try for either of the other two. And if you miss your first attempt, one or both of the others may see it as weakness and leave." The massive black Wulf snorted at that and cut Romulus a look. The Prince looked up, before smiling broadly at Vidar.
"Apparently they're all willing to give you a fair shake, due to your obvious affinity for a cousin species of theirs. So. Pick who you want."
The Wulves had clearly different strengths. One was massive and muscular, one was small and lithe and graceful, and one was physically average for his people, but the intelligence in his eyes was nearly making them glow. Looking at the three of them, it was clear there was no bad choice here.
Just a difficult one.

Vidar glanced at the white wolf and politely bowed his head, thankful that she had at least been willing enough to greet him. He muttered a soft 'thank you' to the shorter grey would as he walked away before his attention turned to the last three.

He listened intently to Romulus' words and his eyes seemed to spark with something. Not even he could place it, but the eagerness in his gut twisted through his whole body, and he bowed his head to the three willing to give him a chance. This was more than he could ask for, and he was grateful for the opportunity.

Vidar seemed deep in thought as he regarded the three wulves in front of him. Strength, agility, and intelligence. He had no doubt all of them were powerful and a good match. He spared a glanced to Romulus and then to Ruir. He finally glanced to Athene who was watching with intelligent eyes. Vidar needed a companion and mount that could keep up with the prince, teach him, and balance him out where he was weak.

This was indeed a hard decisions, but surprisingly, he made his choice quickly. "I am willing to grapple with the three of you, and I am thankful for the opportunity that has been presented to me." Where he lacked was strength. Don't get him wrong, he was strong. Stronger than the average human per se. But when it came to nature, to the will of the beasts, his strength lacked.

He stepped forward towards the large black wulf with determination and eagerness in his eyes. He wasn't necessarily eager for the spar, don't get him wrong that was a fun part of combat. But his favorite part is the opportunity to learn.

"Are there any rules I should abide by, Rom?" He spared a glance at the prince, his eyes even brighter than usual.

Romulus was enjoying watching Vidar's enjoyment. The tales painted him as a man who enjoyed killing, and nothing much else, but Romulus could see a keen sense of anticipation on his face.
He was also clearly a thinker, as he studied the three Wulves waiting to challenge him. He glanced at Romulus briefly, who simply folded his arms, as if to say I can't help you.
His choice of the largest and strongest Wulf was going to be tough for him to back up.
He stepped up, and the black Wulf lowered his head, staring into Vidar's eyes, until the warrior looked over at Rom.
The Prince grinned at him. "No weapons, don't maim each other, but other than that, as long as you don't kill him, he won't kill you."
The Wulf huffed and stepped past Vidar, into a flatter area free of rocks or anything to trip on. Ruir and the other two wolves circled him.
Romulus stepped up to Vidar. "Once you walk into that circle, I stand behind you and close it. From that point on, you're free game till one of you yields." He touched Vidar's shoulder. "Don't let it be you, Legend."

Vidar knew that choosing the largest when it came to battle was never the wisest. But this was an opportunity to learn. To adapt. This was, to him at least, a way to improve himself. And he wanted nothing more. That intention was clear when he gazed at the wulf, returning the intense stare.

When the prince spoke, he nodded quickly and detached something from his side. It was cylinder in shape and was surprisingly heavy. It was about 3 inches wide, and about a foot long. He moved to Athene, dropping it by her feet and she stepped over it protectively. He nods in satisfaction before moving towards the circle where the giant beast had moved to.

He glanced at the prince and nods, his expression turning more neutral. He knew this was going to be hard. That was the purpose of this challenge. To see how and if he will yield. He didn't plan on yielding in the slightest. He would need to use his speed and what he did know to his advantage.
"I won't disappoint." It was a statement. He wasn't backing down in the slightest.

Vidar cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and moved to the center of the ring. Athene let out a soft 'woof' of approval and he chuckled faintly at her excitement. He bowed to the beast before grinning. "I look forward to this spar." With that, he got into a ready position, his eyes alight with glee.

Romulus watched him move into the circle, bow, and get ready. The Prince stepped into his place on the circle.

As soon as he'd stopped moving, and the circle was complete, the black Wulf exploded into motion, slamming the top of his blocky head into Vidar's chest with massive force.

(I'm not sure how you personally write combat- I try to keep things shorter to let the other person have space for back&forth. Or, since we know how this ends, we could just write it as a larger block. your choice)

(Shorter blocks works! I usually do the same when it comes to combat.)

Vidar took a breath, side eyeing the prince when he moved to complete the circle. He was thrown back instantly when the wulf made contact with his chest. He landed steadily, however, using the air and momentum to fix his positioning. The moment he landed, he coughed a bit of blood up and spat it to the side before he sprung into action, dodging to the side of the wolf before sliding under the belly of the beast. He aimed two fingers up, aiming for pressure points along the beast's body. Once he had slid out from under the beast he sprung back onto his feet and took off once again.

Typically, the underbelly of a creature was its soft point, weak and vulnerable.
The black Wulf's stomach was hard, layered muscles, covered in thick, absorbent fur. It stamped at Vidar and missed, and they were separated. He turned, watching Vidar move, before spinning on his fore legs across the circle. It was an odd movement for a quadruped, and usually caught people off guard.
It also allowed him to use his hind legs to land a kick that would have made a mule feel small.

Vidar looked like he was having the time of his life despite the giant wulf stomping around and trying not to necessarily kill him, but certainly trying to defeat him. A little laugh left his lips as he quickly dodged out of the way of the kick, a small hum leaving his lips in thought. He could use pressure points if need be, but it was clear that the fur was in the way. He would need to get up close and personal. Force could be an option, but his best bet wouldn't be to overpower the beast in front of him. He was too small for that. He would need to use what he had to his advantage. Find a weakness, and go for that.

The Wulf circled back and stilled, just watching Vidar think and move. He waited, inviting the warrior to make his move.
Romulus watched with a smile on his face. The Wulves were some of the best allies they had, and he was always excited when another one entered service in his close proximity.
He was also interested to see how long it would take Vidar to realize he would have to beat the Wulf at his own game in order to gain a submission.

(sorry it took me so long for so short an answer. Im half asleep)

Vidar glanced at the wulf and stilled as well. He gazed at the wulf. The wulf was strong, that much was clear. Vidar wasn't. He spat out a bit more of blood and hummed as he glanced at the wolf, and without thinking, he just rushed forward, leaped up, and slammed his head against the wulf's head. He used his momentum to cling to the giant wulf's fur, and flung himself away from the beast. He rubbed his head and grinned wolfishly, "This is fun, not going to lie."

The Wulf made a noise of… approval? as Vidar charged him head on. Their skulls collided, and the Wulf tossed his head, turning Vidar's jump away from him into a tumbling, spinning ragdoll movement.
Romulus grinned right back at Vidar. "Good! I'd be concerned otherwise."
The black Wulf flashed, his body seeming to blur, and his thick tail cracked against the back of Vidar's knees, before a dinner-plate sized paw landed against his back with the force of a falling boulder as the Wulf leapt back over him.
It certainly should have been impossible for something his size to move that quickly, but Romulus just chuckled. "They do that…"

Vidar seemed to balance himself out after his jump had turned into a spin. If there was one impressive thing about Vidar, it was definitely that he had control over his movements and balance.
When the wulf's thick tail smacked against his knees he made a surprised noise, catching himself when the wulf shoved him forward with a massive paw. His eyes were alight with excitement as he adjusted himself once again and got up to face the prince for a brief moment. "Do what? The speed? It makes sense." He grins and returns his attention back to the wulf. He looked pleased, to say the least. This was definitely a lesson he liked.

Romulus nodded. "Usually with more teeth involved, but I think he likes you."
The Wulf growled, and reared up on its hind legs like it was about to charge. Except, its fore legs never came back down.
There were a series of loud, rapid pops, and the black Wulf's physiology changed. Hind legs lengthened, posture became more erect, fore legs became more arm-like.
Within a second or two, Vidar was looking at a bipedal beast. Digitigrade legs, standing easily 13' tall, and hands in place of paws. The Wulf snarled at him, and lunged, the movement sending his shoulder into Vidar's midsection. His massive hands gripped Vidar's, and it was clear why Romulus had used the word 'wrestle'.
The Prince raised his eyebrows. He'd seen a few Wulves with this ability, but they were all from the Alpha family. Ruir must have grabbed a brother or son or something, because here he was.
"Huh. They do that too."

Vidar nodded before his eyes widened at the noise before his head whipped over to the wulf and he grinned a bit. He was learning so much from this and it was absolutely fascinating.
A started bark from Athene echoed around the cave but she stayed where she was. She looked slightly worried now, but she didn't dare move from her spot.
Vidar, however, was the opposite of anxious, even as the wulf lunged at him and grappled him into a wrestling position. Despite being smaller, he used his size to his advantage. That was fine. He had a wild look in his eyes as he let out almost a howling noise before thrusting a leg forward, and once again, slipping between the beasts legs, pulling the wulf forward and down. He used mostly his momentum, and the fact that the wulf was larger by almost 3x's his height.

The Wulf simply stood up straight. He manhandled Vidar out from between his legs before he could slide through, and back into a standing position, nearly dislocating Vidar's wrists in the process. He didn't let go of his grip, and by stepping back a pace, he put his entire body into a pushing match. His grip wasn't going to relax anytime soon, it seemed.

Romulus was curious as to why Vidar hadn't used punches or kicks or any real kind of combat other than dodging and evasion. He'd tried the pressure points, but nothing replaced a solid punch across the face. He also desperately wanted to yell that the Wulf still had some of the usual weaknesses of a canid. Like a sensitive nose, both in smell and to being touched. But it wasn't his place. Vidar would have to figure it out on his own.
He was doing well, all things considered.

The main reason Vidar had been on the defensive for the most part was because of the fact that he wanted to see everything the wulf could do. There was this eagerness in his eyes that replaced everything else. The entire time he had been wrestling the wulf he had the barest of smiles until recently. This entire encounter was incredible in his eyes. It was no wonder that these wulves were used as war mounts and messengers. They were fast, cunning, strong… It was incredible.
He let out a breathless laugh when he was thrown back into the grapple, barely wincing at the pain thrown at him. He was practically delirious with excitement before he let out a yell that sounded completely wild and proceeded to throw himself forward with as much strength as he could muster and proceeded to once again headbutt the wulf square on the nose.

Romulus nodded in encouragement as Vidar absolutely clocked the black Wulf in the nose. Ruir rumbled something that sounded like approval as well.
The black Wulf let go of his grip with one hand, a snarl ripping involuntarily out of his throat as his sensitive nose took the full force of the attack. He swiped at Vidar, but it was a glancing blow. Prodigiously strong, but it mostly missed, as the Wulf was seeing stars for a moment.

Vidar used the black wulfs imbalance to his advantage. While the wulf was still holding onto one of his hands, when the wulf swiped and missed, Vidar quickly moved to knock out the other leg with a strong kick to the weak point of the wulf's leg. He was brutal in his movements, using the strength that he had to take the wulf down while the wulf was still confused. He glanced at Romulus and in his eyes, there was the killer many had talked about for just a flash of a second. His expression was completely wild, blood dripping from his lips, a wolfish grin on his face. But he then paused and the expression turned neutral and an eerie calm flashed over his expression.