enfilade

Mikhail

Like the pin of a compass was drawn to the north, Mikhail was drawn to the blood. He could practically taste it, a thin, red thread in the air that lead him to the territory's farther edge. He cut through the darkness quietly in his pursuit. The blood hadn't smelled of wolf, and yet the first shadow he crossed was in the shape of one. It was still far off, and difficult to keep track of in the night. But it was there, having crossed the border, and Mikhail wasn't terribly surprised.

He approached, figuring the stranger would've spotted him long ago. The night wasn't nearly so kind to a pelt like his. "You there, that's far enough." Mikhail squinted, his lip curling in disapproval. He could see now that it was a male, and the blood smell clung to him. "You're on pack lands. Turn and be gone."

@alexandros

At Mikhail's word the stranger halted, which was already a more promising start than most. It allowed him for a brief moment to clearly make out what he was dealing with here: a much larger specimen who sized him up in tandem, broad-shouldered and sharp-edged. Which was saying something, in this kind of dark. He was the type of man that could easily make himself a threat, and had the muscle to back it up.

Mikhail was unmoved. The creature hiding against his spine, however, seemed to sense his train of thought, and discreetly made her way to the back of his neck. Just as they practiced. "I mean no harm. My quarry led me here in its confused, frightened wandering."

"Then it is as good as lost to you," Mikhail said. "Outsiders are not welcomed here. Wait outside our border to see if your prey crosses back, if you insist." Mikhail took a step forward, good eye catching on a discolored smudge on the man's cheek. He raised his head by a small margin, not only to see the other wolf better, but to hide the agitated rustling at his nape. "But if you honestly mean no harm, then you will leave."

@alexandros

The man came closer, too. One step deeper into Au'Dar land. And so it was decided. Neither of them were going to back down, any hope for a nonviolent encounter swept away like spring pollen in the wind. It would be a lie to say Mikhail was entirely disappointed.

Cocked up at the corners, the stranger's lips did not form a smile nor a sneer, but Mikhail took it as an invitation for aggression all the same. Side-stepping, his own, grizzled maw parted to release a snarl. At his back, his tafa prepared to be launched to safety at a very precise moment. "Then I will be rid of you by force, and your efforts will fill the bellies of my pack."

@alexandros

Torn ear flicking at the man's urge, Mikhail decided against keeping either of them waiting any longer. Between offence and defense, he had little preference.

Mikhail lunged, keeping his legs wide and low, aiming a snapping bite at the intruder's right foreleg with little intention to connect. It was one of his more predictable lines of thinking according to the wolves who'd trained him; most experienced fighters anticipate it from someone with a sturdy, low center of gravity such as himself. Even so, it game him imperative feedback, and hadn't failed him thus far. His muscles stayed taught, ready to back off at the first counteraction. He just wanted to see the man move.

Ghale had been ready. With Mikhail's jolting, she'd been flung unceremoniously to the ground and into the grasses at his feet. No matter how many times they'd practiced, she'd never get used to the feeling of all the air being punched out of her. Still, she knew better than to stick around and complain. Hearing the snap of Mikhail's teeth behind her, she slunk off as quickly as she could into the night.

@alexandros

He was fast. Sharp-footed. Mikhail would have trouble keeping up with the stranger, if he let things get too out of hand. Jaws clacking shut on air, Mikhail watched the quick retreat and anticipated the rebound-- his eyes just barely caught the glint of the other man's teeth, but it was enough.

He was able to turn away in time to save his face, his shoulder taking the blow instead. A hot sting bloomed where skin broke easily. Now that he had the other man closer than before, he took his chance to lurch his weight forward in a shove, front paws lifting off the ground with the force of it and teeth aiming for purchase near the side of the man's neck as a secondary action.

@alexandros

Mikhail

Mikhail felt his attack find purchase, the blow landing in a far more valuable position than the initial target. In a misplaced moment of grace, the stranger's muzzle had been caught between his teeth, and Mikhail had wasted no time in biting down as hard as his position would let him. It was enough to taste blood, and Mikhail had even began twisting his grasp to worsen the damage, but before he could do as much as he would've liked his grip was used against him.

A vicious snarl tore out of Mikhail's throat as he felt claws dig into the skin around his dead eye. His right side hadn't seen it coming, and with the shock of pain he dropped the man's muzzle, stumbling back a step. In a hasty grab for a moment to recover, he swung out his own paw harshly at the man's chest, hoping more that it would deter him from following Mikhail backwards than anything. His blind eye screwed shut, lip curling, steeling himself.

@alexandros