the key trial.

"As a protector, a warrior, to fight for all and the ford itself — to then fight me." She stepped away from @"Wither" and started to circle the black companion. From the Order she knew, the war their two packs once raged in distance times.. Protectors of piece, of nature itself and to ward of those who threaten it's existence. She should know that was something Kei would venture too, though even she knew, the other would frown upon the further knowledge of 'partnership' that came to Dragonford.

She already knew not many would venture into it's trials, but nonetheless, kept them there.

"Spare and prove yourself!" The dragoness said, a paw stomping to the ground and flickering her tail as an intivation, for the other to come forth and challenge her. To win or lose, she did not say if it mattered or not. In truth it did not, for all that mattered was to prove the ability to do so. 

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reference tagging @"Wither" feel free to comment, (as yours will be after this)

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There should have been no surprise as she watched Vendrussel break from their sides. A test was needed to prove herself, not that she believed she needed to prove her skills to the sea kissed woman. This would not be their first spar, and it likely would not be the last. Kei watched with a flick of her ear as the other began to circle her, a challenge drawn as she slammed a paw unto the rock they stood on. There was no win condition listed so it wasn't entirely clear just what Venny was looking for, but then again maybe it was just the show that mattered.

The shadow trained her eyes to her now opponent, the other that had joined her at her side now forgotten as he melded with the black bluffs of their surroundings. “Is that all?” A smirk quickly set on her maw as her tail swished behind her. For something they had done as kids she would have expected more, unless Venny believed she had actually grown soft in her time alone. Admittedly, she might be a tad rusty, but the knowledge was there and with time muscle memory would take over.

Kei widened her stance, one of her front paws sliding across the stone as she readied herself. With a lowered stance, she remained still, waiting, watching as the mental game began. Where to strike first or when. Vendrussel was taller than her, larger, she wouldn't go down easily and she would have to be quick to make her marks matter. Here was different from the land she was raised in, Vendrussel had home-field advantage, not to mention previous experience against her, so perhaps the best move was to not think.

She moved suddenly, her paws leading straight as she charged, though she would not go for a frontal blow. Instead, she continued past, hoping that her plain attack would lead Vendrussel to lunge early while she moved for her flank. No matter what the sea dragon did, Kei would snap her fangs, aiming to grasp at her side where she might grab fur where it was thick as opposed to skin that would harm her friend. They would walk away with bruises or scrapes, she was certain, but as a spar, anywhere she could avoid true damage would be preferred.

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"What else would protectors do besides prove their strength?" She said with a chuckle following through. Though they had fought and strength was there, that was before they were on their own. Before within the claws and binds that was of their family, but now revolved to the isle of their own. Except it was leaning to her own culture moreso, as Vendrussel held her dragon origins closely. She just shifted it, to something she more believes in, solely not of barbarism she was raised into to. Though the bonds between those of the ford.. Was something she'd always value.

Everything that came to Dragonford, everyone would be tested by herself personally. To the diving of the cliffs, to the next way of the dragons path — she would watch in every step, as so they guided her to be. She wondered if that was what the ancients destined her for, as they guided her to these rocks to let those be one with them, a guidance toward the next life. A unity, as the world looks to be lacking, especially when she thought of the greed of Northfall.

She solidified her stance, thinking that a pure charge was a reckless move. Paws stomped closely to the ground as she lowered her body, bits to be protected and ears drawn back with a smirking expression to match the other. Size and strength may be so, but speed was on the others game. She was surprised at the flaw to charge forth, instead the other continued forward and Vendrussel whipped her head back to see what was the plan of hers — and grasped at the flank.

Feeling the pinch of claws and fangs toward her side with efforts not quick enough, she thrusted her side at the other in attempt of surprise and a topple, before quickly turning around to have her sabers face the other in but a clash. Vendrussel needed to keep Kei close to win, for the distance she held and small attacks that there was, was a dangerous game to play. To clasp and and guard against, keep close as she would not relent ; that was her plan.

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Well, she wasn't wrong. What other way was there to prove one's true strength other than a battle of brawn and wits? Vendrussel could send her on fetch missions all she wanted, starve her, send her to solitude on the brutal climb of distant peaks, all of which she was already far too familiar with from her training within the Order, but at the end of the day, none of those things made a guardian. None of them showed the heart of a warrior.

Kei moved swiftly, pleased to see the mild shock on Vendrussel's face as she tore by. It was clear that she hadn't expected her attack to go the way she planned, but it now meant she would wise up. Venny wasn't dumb and the same move would not work twice. A combination of tricks and truths would need to be wielded if she was to keep the upper hand. Even now, the sea dragon had wised up, her flank used as both a weapon and a shield as she tried to bash into her face or knock her off balance. The blow hurt, but it did little more than bring about a mild daze. It was all the time she needed though as Vendrussel swarmed, her fangs glistening with intent for her own.

A snarl curled her lips as she swiftly let go of the hold she had to meet her head-on. Fangs snapped as each struggled for a form of dominance, but realistically Kei knew she couldn't stay here. Vendrussel would only overpower her if given the chance. She had to keep her moving.  The shadow did her best to ignore the stinging scrapes left by another's fangs, instead focusing on the snaps and where she might pull away to duck and aim for the other's leg. It was a risky move as she would have to expose her neck while she lowered herself, but it may place her in a position where she could hide her head beneath the other while she took out a limb.

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Though Vendrussel was all for risks. She had a belief, in some way she was given a gift by the dragons. A sign to be, to live on and further their legends through her own ways. Special, a being who did not enter the dragons path and yet — blessed in their grace. She was risky in that sense of a fearless meant, and was willing to stake her own body for that winning shot. It would do well in the future of a mistake that would last for months, but not yet to come.. She would push it all for the other.

To risk one's own hide for the taste of victory, a fearless doing for those of the dragon descendants!

Vendrussel grinned, not stopping the other for grasping her fangs at het leg, and it did sting. To feel peircing bites through her leg, oh a foreshadow for the future. The other had managed to lock in so, but wasn't fast enough to completely block her neck — not when she didn't protest and fight against such a move. It was quick and fleeting, her head lowering and a low, growling rumble through her throat that sounded similar to cackling — as she aimed straight to grasp the others neck. If she were to succeed fully though, it was clear she would squeeze ever so slightly, constraining the other's breathing but not exactly, attempting to kill her own friend.

Submit, the sea-touched wolf would demand.

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Once more she found purchase in the flesh of her friend, teeth squeezing just enough to make her presence know, enough to bloom pain, but not seriously injure. Just as the shadow suspected, Vendrussel sought the opportunity to grab hold of her neck. It was an angle too tempting, and truly Kei had little options to get out of the corner she backed herself into. The best thing she could do was protest, even as the other's fangs tried grabbing at her neck, she pulled, thrashing her head while holding Vendrussel's leg as she tried to lean further out of her reach.

The fur along her neck pulled as ivories dragged against her skin, an undeniable grit that she refused to submit to so soon. Venny wouldn't kill her, she had the chance to before they were friends, and even then was she spared. Perhaps that was the only blind trick she could use on her, for she would never suspect that the other's grip would not loosen.

So she continued, a guttural sound rising from her throat as she jerked suddenly amongst the strain. She wouldn't be able to pry Venny's fangs off of her, but she could still move her neck to a degree, and so she forced the skull upright into the warrior's chest. Kei doubted it would be enough to truly wind her, but it might act as enough of a distraction for her to slip free in a moment's surprise and find a new angle in which she might fair better.

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The other was solely mistaken to even think Vendrussel would let go of her position. Her paws dug into the floor, solidfying her stance to become like a wall as teeth held firmly onto the neck. If any other time this was a battle, she would venture into a killing blow, a complete defeat.. Though in the end this was but a spar, and the other knew too well that neither would die, and take full advantage of the softness of this battle. It was how it always went between the two, to take advantage of what was unable to do. In a true battle neither would never know who would be on death's door, and in the end the dragoness would hope that day wouldn't come where true blades would be crossed. A growl rumbled through, a demanding that the other should simply let her win.

Yet, she was stubborn, and so was Vendrussel. A slight wheeze could be heard, a faint of breath as the other slammed into her chest. A defiance of demand to be let go, but that would never come. She could feel fangs curling like a snake to her legs, a pinch but nothing truly worth of weeks healing — and likewise though her teeth hung closely to the nap it was not enough to truly break the skin. The dragoness doubled-down on this, faint of breath that may be but she put pressure onto her force, a head going lower on trying to make the other as well stand lower to the ground, and lay in submission.

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The sounds that emitted from both brought no threat despite their intensity. To an outsider, it might even look as though they were more aggressive for a spar despite the movements, but it was simply how it had always been. A dance long practiced with unwavering stubbornness that would perhaps get them killed in a true battle, but here it was more of a sport. Though soft, the wheeze emitted from her opponent did not go unnoticed, though the blow had done less damage than she initially hoped for. Even if it was just a mask atop the pain to hold out or fool her, the sea dragon did not release her. It was frustrating, but perhaps she should have expected that.

After all, if the tables had been turned, she would have done the exact same. Currently, Vendrussel had the high ground and field advantage, all she had to do was outlast her and muscle through the struggle until she submitted. Unfortunately, if there was one thing she never learned it was when to properly give up. As her break proved useless in the long run, she continued to thrash and squirm, looking for the slip in her fangs to part ways, but it would never come. Venny gripped tighter, the snarl in her throat loud against her ears as she soon found it hard to keep her head up. Never was she one to submit so easily, but with little choice but to do so it seemed eventually their match would come to an end.

The struggle would continue until rock pressed to her face, her body turned in such an angle that she had no choice but to have her shoulder shoved into the rock for the comfort of her own neck. For a moment longer, she would not yield, but eventually, she would find no footing to retaliate from. With a disgruntled growl, her rear would follow suit, flopping to the cold ground that formed their arena as she let go of her own grip. How annoying to lose now, though she knew she was not at her full potential. There were other concerns that pressed her mind daily as opposed to the day in and out training of home, but for it to not affect Vendrussel, in the same way, would never not bother her. “Alright, alright, get off already.”

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Stubborn that she was, Vendrussel was but awaiting, and desired to hear that of an admitting feet. Growls echoing through, waves clashing in the background as a battle enused between the twi. Friendly as though a spar to be, perhaps a bit too rough to another's liking. It took willpower not to clamp further upon Kei, only a hovering of sorts as she growled more and more, and footing refusing to give in. A force to push against the black dragon as her moved pleaded to but just give in — but it wouldn't be a fight if that easy.

She squirmed and fought but to no avail, on a slunkering to the ground as the force continued on. Vendrussel was taller and bigger, an advantage that came from her lineage and muscles honed — but if it was another way, speed that it was, it was a chance she would not be on the winning side. Keep the smaller ones closely so that they cannot flee as easy, for swiftfeet was often a downfall for the giants who held ego's like that of a God. A low chuckle would follow out as though squirming it was, she finally would in.

A release of her jaw and a relaxation of muscles, "it's a pass," she so commented, "welcome to the first step to the path of the dragon — the hand." Vendrussel stepped back with a stretching of her neck.

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The shadow would lay in wait for her friend's teeth to unclamp from her neck and sure enough, they would. They always had. As she twisted her neck to stretch the tense muscles, Kei would follow suit, only mildly surprised that she was given a pass. So one didn't need to win to proceed, that or Venny was now showing her soft side from their past. In any other situation, she would have likely been angered for a pity pass, but she knew she was capable to win already. To be denied because they always flopped sides would have probably just angered her more.

Making her way back to her paws, Kei quickly shook out her fur making it somewhat more orderly from their tussle. “That all for now?” She had been given her pass but what came with it had still yet to be unveiled. Whatever duties she now had should be addressed before the next trial began and as for advancing to the next part, well, that could wait a bit longer. There wasn't exactly anyone here she was chomping at the bit to partner up with in the way Venny wanted.

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"The first step is just showing skills, not a win or lose situation, but if you are prepared for more." It was never about a loss or win, though internally the two were at the battle with culture aside. She wanted to win and held a slight mug sense about that, but all had to be pushed aside to continue explaining further. Wolves always required to prove themselves and win or lose doesn't mean they don't have skills, sometimes luck can be in the mixture whether to hit or miss an attack. She has shown to have expertise, and though Vendrussel knew that — they were not within that same land, and needing to prove oneself, was a start over.

"The next step is finding a partner, mate or not — someone to cover what you are unable to. Then come back when you have a trusted one," the dragon so explained, an emphasizing that it did not need to be a mate but just someone to rely upon. Though even she, hasn't found that someone.

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No win or lose, well it made sense given not all skills could be proven on such a simple scale. In this case though, she would have to consider it a win that even with rusty combat maneuvers, she still had it when she needed it. Kei would only snort though as her next task was given. A mate was laughable, she felt too young to be tied down to someone for life. Had she been home then perhaps she would have had a partner in some sense of the word, but now she had started anew, with no one she held close aside from her once rival turned friend. “Well, we'll see about that.” Her priorities felt better off elsewhere.

She cared little for what ranks she was, so long as she garnered respect where it was due. She had spent her life training to become a leader of the council, but it was never by choice. She had only been picked by luck of the draw with no other contenders until her mother sought another way. Even now the thought made her stomach churn, a fire burning that may never waiver. Against her will, she would at the very least try to remind herself that it mattered little here. She would never see her mother again if she could even call her that, and no longer would she dictate her life.

“I'll get back to you later I guess.” Should she ever feel the need to climb these trials. The only driving force she felt to do so was pride and proof in her accomplishments, but she could do that now without a partner. Seems like only time will tell should she change her mind. If Vendrussel had nothing else to add, she would shake her pelt clean of debris from their tussle and turn to serve her time elsewhere.

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