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Here's the way this works:
- no posting order
- no WIP or spot claims
- open to everyone
- free, no obligations course
- you can be in as many courses as you like

This post Athena begins the training with information. Her next post will be a lesson. The next post after that will be a test. The only grades given are completion - for how many rounds you made a post it in. Because Athena begins the course here, feel free to say something like your wolf walked in and heard everything. You're welcome to post many times between rounds, for example, carrying on a conversation with a class mate.

How to Register
There's an information thread here, but you do not need to have signed up to participate. To enroll in the course, your wolf just needs to show up.

Athena's next reply will be in one week, that is, on March 5

In the Carpathean Mountains, it was a bright sunny morning, though chilly with late November frost. Her ears longed to hear the huffing pants of sparring soldiers and polite gestures of training. But, she could not be in two places at once. She had handed the other course to Fanul, a man whom she had met previously and had nothing but respect for. Two courses were better than one, and all of them a vision that Demetrius would have approved of. But a question haunted her: why was it Panther who had instilled the very first training, a sparring for one's rank, after his death? Perhaps this was something that the other personality within her could mull over. Or better yet, sulk and cry over merely because the subject of the quesiton was Demetrius. That crybaby other self. What a mush-brain. Wasting no more time, she placed herself in the middle of a large flat area. Stretching her head to the sky, she sang a song of calling, annoncing also the course's title (sentry & guarding), and then allowed her tail-less rear end to fold beneath her into a sitting position. After waiting an amount of time she thought would be sufficient, she began the course. "Welcome to Sentry & Guardian duty. Whether you are a sentry, thinking about it, have a different duty, or are a loner, we'll teach practical principles for you that can be useful in your every day life. These courses are made possible by the Demetrius Band and Academy, freely to all, and under no obligations. Students are welcome to roam the area while they are in training, but the lands are not necessarily free for all to walk all over in. As long as you have business, you'll be fine. I'm Athena, I'll be teaching you this course, today." "A Sentry or Guardian's job is to keep one's claimed land free of outsiders, especially those with ill intent. A Guardian has additional duties to protect others, whether in general, or personally, as a body guard or escort. Implicitly, this also means that you should be helping to add your scent to the borderlines to make sure they are fully kept up and unmistakable. If you've found an outlook point over the lands, that's great, and when you spot an outsider, you can howl it to a partner who can report to the site immediately. But if you work alone, this isn't going to work, because by the time you make it down, they will have already reached their destination. As a loner, you'd have to patrol your grounds. Whenever possible, relay messages from the outside border to the inside of it, keeping would-be poachers off of a possibly parched land. Not all jobs are nice and easy, and this one isn't either. It requires you to run nearly all day, and while you can build up your muscles doing that, you can't necessarily become a better fighter solely by running. I recommend our Fighting & Sparring course for practice when things get hairy. " "As with many other duties, this one can be hard for your leader to assign specific missions to. But that doesn't mean that you aren't useful. Present yourself to a task, take initiative, and you will find yourself in more missions. In a battle, you'd be behind the ranks. Not necessarily because your fighting skills are lacking, but because you are reserve soldiers by default, you only fight when you have to. As a guardian, you must be careful not to leave your subject's side. It's easy for a watchful eye to take advantage of the situation. You eat together, you travel together, you pee together. The buddy system works, but only when you stay with your buddy." "Any questions? I need one or two volunteers by me for the next part, and the rest of you stand in a horizontal line, so you can all see. ", she motioned with her paw. "#ddd"

Hythyr had decided to take both the sparring and sentry courses. He was a warrior first and foremost but he would have to be able to keep a lookout for enemies as well as fend them off. Hythyr was determined to learn as much as could to become the best fighter he could be. He walked around in the mountains until he heard the signal for the classes. He approached immediately and soon reached the site were the classes would take place. He found that he was the first one there. He smiled warmly at Athena when he saw her. He sat down and listened intently while Athena taught. Hythyr absorbed her teachings carefully and stood instantly when she ask for volunteers. "I volunteer!" He walked right up to her and grinned. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr had decided to take both the sparring and sentry courses. He was a warrior first and foremost but he would have to be able to keep a lookout for enemies as well as fend them off. Hythyr was determined to learn as much as could to become the best fighter he could be. He walked around in the mountains until he heard the signal for the classes. He approached immediately and soon reached the site were the classes would take place. He found that he was the first one there. He smiled warmly at Athena when he saw her. He sat down and listened intently while Athena taught. Hythyr absorbed her teachings carefully and stood instantly when she ask for volunteers. "I volunteer!" He walked right up to her and grinned. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr had decided to take both the sparring and sentry courses. He was a warrior first and foremost but he would have to be able to keep a lookout for enemies as well as fend them off. Hythyr was determined to learn as much as could to become the best fighter he could be. He walked around in the mountains until he heard the signal for the classes. He approached immediately and soon reached the site were the classes would take place. He found that he was the first one there. He smiled warmly at Athena when he saw her. He sat down and listened intently while Athena taught. Hythyr absorbed her teachings carefully and stood instantly when she ask for volunteers. "I volunteer!" He walked right up to her and grinned. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Solaris walked slowly towards the flat area where the sentry and guardian course would be taking place, having heard the call for the courses to begin, she was eager to learn mostly because she wanted to be useful in some way in her new pack and perhaps learning to be and possibly becoming a sentry/guardian would give her some meaning in her pack.

Arriving in the flat area she spotted her leader Athena and a male wolf with a coat of brown fur, and for now the three where the only ones here but weather this was because there were no others who cared for Sentry and guardian duty or simply had not yet arrived Solaris didn’t know and for the moment she didn`t care, she was just eager to learn from her Alpha so she walked up to the unknown male and sat down next to him, listening intently to every word Athena spoke making sure to memorize everything that was said and made a mental note to check out the fighting course as well to gain more abilities in the art of fighting, so she could better aid her new pack and her alpha.

When Athena asked for volunteers, she stood up and walked up to her, “I volunteer my lady” she said, her voice full of determination

If Hythyr could reply first...? Remember that you two can continue to post here as many times as you like until the next round.

Athena's next reply will be in one week, that is, on March 12

"Excellent. You'll both go against one another. Now, see this here...", Athena adjusted her weight so that she could drag her front paw in the snow. Slowly, she began to draw a line in front of Solaris, about three feet long. "Solaris, pretend where you are sitting is your territory. Everything on your side of the line, where you are, is yours. You, Hythyr, you'll be an intruder, and your job is to cross the line. Pretend this line keeps going to infinity, it keeps going on and on, so you can cross anywhere where this line is. Got it? " Athena gave a nod to both participants. "Solaris, be on your guard, and Hythyr, whatever tactics you can manage. Be sneaky, fast, aggressive, whatever you think will work. ", Athena backed up out of the way. Technically, there wasn't a safe place to stand, but she could position herself somewhere so she wouldn't get steam-rolled if Hythyr popped out of some bush. With keen eyes, she watched to see how the two would do. This was round two of the course, next would be a test. Nice and easy. "#ddd"

Hythyr gave Solaris a polite nod of the head before trying the first thing that came to mind. He backed away a hundred yards or so and then charged at the invisible border. If Solaris tried to come in front of him, he would try feigning left before taking a right side route past her. Hythyr also thought about other tactics he could use to get past the woman. His fur was about the same color as the trees. Perhaps if this tactic didn't work then he could run into the woods at the base of the mountain and go around that way. He mind turned and turned trying to figure out other ways he could get around. It was a pretty difficult question. Hythyr might have had to observe the woman and find a flaw in her watch to get past her. Until then Hythyr was committed to the more direct approach. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr gave Solaris a polite nod of the head before trying the first thing that came to mind. He backed away a hundred yards or so and then charged at the invisible border. If Solaris tried to come in front of him, he would try feigning left before taking a right side route past her. Hythyr also thought about other tactics he could use to get past the woman. His fur was about the same color as the trees. Perhaps if this tactic didn't work then he could run into the woods at the base of the mountain and go around that way. He mind turned and turned trying to figure out other ways he could get around. It was a pretty difficult question. Hythyr might have had to observe the woman and find a flaw in her watch to get past her. Until then Hythyr was committed to the more direct approach. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr gave Solaris a polite nod of the head before trying the first thing that came to mind. He backed away a hundred yards or so and then charged at the invisible border. If Solaris tried to come in front of him, he would try feigning left before taking a right side route past her. Hythyr also thought about other tactics he could use to get past the woman. His fur was about the same color as the trees. Perhaps if this tactic didn't work then he could run into the woods at the base of the mountain and go around that way. He mind turned and turned trying to figure out other ways he could get around. It was a pretty difficult question. Hythyr might have had to observe the woman and find a flaw in her watch to get past her. Until then Hythyr was committed to the more direct approach. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Solaris returned the nod, Hythyr gave her, before her body tensed up and she back to the middle of the ground on her side of her the line and stood there, unmoving and watching Hythyr´s every move, she had a little experience in this and it might give her a bit of an edge in this, still she had to be as attentive as possible, her scared and forever closed eye, was a problem, the last time she had patrolled, both eyes had been intact and she had been in another pack, and while she had trained to use her nose and ear to make up for her blind eye, this would be the first time she had to do, something like this with only one eye intact. Once she saw Hythyr backing away and then charging, she to speed off to meet him, however it was a trick, she was trying to fool him and if it would he would believe she was coming at him head on and might try to go around, possibly even feigning one direction and then go the other, but if he did, Solaris would use her weight and ram sideways into him and if it worked the way she intended, she`d surprise him and throw him of balance and keep him from crossing the line. Her thoughts churned as she tried to work out what other tactics Hythyr might use and what she could do to stop his attempts, she would most likely need to try and be smarter than the male wolf, maybe even attempt to be quicker, to keep him from crossing the line "Speech"

Solaris howls

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Hythyr didn't really expect a direct charge to work, as he expected that this she-wolf would have a counter for that. That's why he wasn't to disappointed in himself when she slammed into his side after he tried feigning left. However, he was a little surprised at how strong she was. She was pretty tough for her size and even managed to knock Hythyr over. Hythyr reacted quickly, using the momentum of her slam to roll back onto his feet. He then darted to the left down the face of the mountain. He was aiming to get to the trees as his fur was the perfect color to blend into the bark of the trees. Maybe if he could sneak far enough away from her then he could just run past the line before she could get to him. First he would have to lose her though. In order to do that he would try to get down wind to minimize his scent. He had to break her line of sight as well. So when he got down to the trees he would try dashing between them and lose her in the foliage of the forest floor. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr didn't really expect a direct charge to work, as he expected that this she-wolf would have a counter for that. That's why he wasn't to disappointed in himself when she slammed into his side after he tried feigning left. However, he was a little surprised at how strong she was. She was pretty tough for her size and even managed to knock Hythyr over. Hythyr reacted quickly, using the momentum of her slam to roll back onto his feet. He then darted to the left down the face of the mountain. He was aiming to get to the trees as his fur was the perfect color to blend into the bark of the trees. Maybe if he could sneak far enough away from her then he could just run past the line before she could get to him. First he would have to lose her though. In order to do that he would try to get down wind to minimize his scent. He had to break her line of sight as well. So when he got down to the trees he would try dashing between them and lose her in the foliage of the forest floor. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr didn't really expect a direct charge to work, as he expected that this she-wolf would have a counter for that. That's why he wasn't to disappointed in himself when she slammed into his side after he tried feigning left. However, he was a little surprised at how strong she was. She was pretty tough for her size and even managed to knock Hythyr over. Hythyr reacted quickly, using the momentum of her slam to roll back onto his feet. He then darted to the left down the face of the mountain. He was aiming to get to the trees as his fur was the perfect color to blend into the bark of the trees. Maybe if he could sneak far enough away from her then he could just run past the line before she could get to him. First he would have to lose her though. In order to do that he would try to get down wind to minimize his scent. He had to break her line of sight as well. So when he got down to the trees he would try dashing between them and lose her in the foliage of the forest floor. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Solaris chased after Hythyr as he ran down the left side of the mountain, trying to find a way to keep, Hythyr from not only the line but the forest as well, she`d have trouble spotting him among the tree, with his fur color and if he was able to minimize his scent, she had only have her ear left to really depend on and that might end up, giving her trouble, she would have to do something and she would have to do so quickly, before they reached the forest. Maybe if she was able to make Hythyr believe he had lost her, she might be able to get off a surprise attack, but her white fur, would be better to hide in snow, but she still needed to find a way to hide or she could just try and get close to Hythyr and try and jump him and get him pinned under her and then find out what to do after that if she succeeded. She decided on her plan to try and hide plan and make him think he had lost her and so opted to run off in a different direction and managed to get ahead of Hythyr and into the forest, once Hythyr came close enough to the forest, Solaris would leap out of the forest and aim to use her front paws and weight to knock him down and pin him under her "Speech"

Solaris howls

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The female charged down the mountain after him, but for some reason she bolted past him and ran into the forest.Hythyr stopped in his tracks for a moment. Her white fur made it incredibly hard to spot her in the snow. She had the advantage of camouflage no matter where she was, whereas Hythyr only blended with the trees. Going into the forest now would only serve to give her the advantage. However, Hythyr was only three quarters of the way down the mountain face. He grinned to himself as he turned and began running diagonally up the mountain face. He kept his ears up listening for the sound of her feet thundering against the snow. If she wanted any chance of stopping him before he crossed the line then she would have sprint after him, eliminating her stealth advantage. If she caught up to him, and Hythyr felt that she probably would, then he would try to keep the higher ground and knock her back down the mountain side. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

The female charged down the mountain after him, but for some reason she bolted past him and ran into the forest.Hythyr stopped in his tracks for a moment. Her white fur made it incredibly hard to spot her in the snow. She had the advantage of camouflage no matter where she was, whereas Hythyr only blended with the trees. Going into the forest now would only serve to give her the advantage. However, Hythyr was only three quarters of the way down the mountain face. He grinned to himself as he turned and began running diagonally up the mountain face. He kept his ears up listening for the sound of her feet thundering against the snow. If she wanted any chance of stopping him before he crossed the line then she would have sprint after him, eliminating her stealth advantage. If she caught up to him, and Hythyr felt that she probably would, then he would try to keep the higher ground and knock her back down the mountain side. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

The female charged down the mountain after him, but for some reason she bolted past him and ran into the forest.Hythyr stopped in his tracks for a moment. Her white fur made it incredibly hard to spot her in the snow. She had the advantage of camouflage no matter where she was, whereas Hythyr only blended with the trees. Going into the forest now would only serve to give her the advantage. However, Hythyr was only three quarters of the way down the mountain face. He grinned to himself as he turned and began running diagonally up the mountain face. He kept his ears up listening for the sound of her feet thundering against the snow. If she wanted any chance of stopping him before he crossed the line then she would have sprint after him, eliminating her stealth advantage. If she caught up to him, and Hythyr felt that she probably would, then he would try to keep the higher ground and knock her back down the mountain side. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Solaris let out a low growl as she watched Hythyr change direction and go diagonally up the mountain before she sprinted after him, she needed to stop him but at the same time make sure he didn’t knock her down the mountain side, but how, she could try to pass him and ram into from the front, but there was the chance he could make a quick change of direction and go around her, she could also try to get close and then jump on him and try to pin him down and somehow try to keep him down, off course Athena had told them to use any tactic and she could use that, she could try to latch on with her teeth if she got him pinned down, and do it in such a way that it might be painful if he tried to pull free, but at the same time she worried she might anger Athena if she did it and it turned out this was not what Athena had intended and but it might also be worth the risk. She settled on trying to jumping and pinning Hythyr and speed up further and further, before her body tensed in preparation for a jump, before she leaped attempting to use her front paws to pin Hythyr when she landed, she opened her jaws as well to attempt to grab hold of the scruff of the male wolfs neck and help pin him down using her teeth as well "Speech"

Solaris howls

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Hythyr's most mischievous grin spread across his face when he heard the snow pelted wolf's frustrated growl. He heard the thuds of her feet as she scrambled up the mountain. As Hythyr suspected, his opponent was a faster sprinter than he. They were only just higher than halfway up the mountain when she was within five yards of him. He looked back just in time to see her curling up for a pouncing attack. Hythyr had a brief flashback to his spar with Heike. She was using the very same attack that large arctic wolf had used against Hythyr on these very mountains. Hythyr grinned wildly as he jumped toward the woman head lowered in an attempt to headbutt her in the chest or stomach. Hythyr knew that if he hit her then she would end up rolling down the mountainside. He hoped he wasn't being too rough. Whether he was successful or not he would have to regain his footing and continue his upward climb. He was sure that he could win this challenge. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr's most mischievous grin spread across his face when he heard the snow pelted wolf's frustrated growl. He heard the thuds of her feet as she scrambled up the mountain. As Hythyr suspected, his opponent was a faster sprinter than he. They were only just higher than halfway up the mountain when she was within five yards of him. He looked back just in time to see her curling up for a pouncing attack. Hythyr had a brief flashback to his spar with Heike. She was using the very same attack that large arctic wolf had used against Hythyr on these very mountains. Hythyr grinned wildly as he jumped toward the woman head lowered in an attempt to headbutt her in the chest or stomach. Hythyr knew that if he hit her then she would end up rolling down the mountainside. He hoped he wasn't being too rough. Whether he was successful or not he would have to regain his footing and continue his upward climb. He was sure that he could win this challenge. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr's most mischievous grin spread across his face when he heard the snow pelted wolf's frustrated growl. He heard the thuds of her feet as she scrambled up the mountain. As Hythyr suspected, his opponent was a faster sprinter than he. They were only just higher than halfway up the mountain when she was within five yards of him. He looked back just in time to see her curling up for a pouncing attack. Hythyr had a brief flashback to his spar with Heike. She was using the very same attack that large arctic wolf had used against Hythyr on these very mountains. Hythyr grinned wildly as he jumped toward the woman head lowered in an attempt to headbutt her in the chest or stomach. Hythyr knew that if he hit her then she would end up rolling down the mountainside. He hoped he wasn't being too rough. Whether he was successful or not he would have to regain his footing and continue his upward climb. He was sure that he could win this challenge. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Solaris watched as Hythyr turned, lowered his head and jumped towards, his intent was clear to Solaris, but she was quick to come up a comeback. She aimed her back paws at the oncoming males head attempting to kick him and throw him of balance and cause him to hit the ground, and if she was successful in this attempt, after she landed from her jump, she would attempt to lunge at him before he could get back up, and attempt to get her front paws on his back and snap her jaws around the scruff of his neck to get him pinned down. If it turned out like she hoped she would try and keep hold of Hythyr no matter how hard he tried to shake her off, but if it didn`t work she would have to think up a new plan to stop, she was not willing to lose this challenge and she would do her best, to make sure she didn`t, she would try to be smarter, faster and stronger than Hythyr and meet his every attempt, she wanted to show Athena what she could do and Hythyr putting up such a good fight at her attempts only egged her on, she was enjoying every moment of this challenge "Speech"

Solaris howls

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Hythyr felt her back paw meet it's mark directly on top of his head between his ears. The force of the impact caused his front end flip forward. Inversely his backside came up and slam into the she-wolf's underside. The wolves went in different directions as they closed back in on the ground. Hythyr fell on his side, sliding a few meters own the mountain before he regained his footing. He was a little dazed as he began running up the mountain, shouting to the female. "That was an interesting maneuver! I'll have to remember that one! " Hythyr laughed in enjoyment of the challenge. It was getting pretty interesting. She was a pretty experienced fighter and Hythyr just loved a good spar, especially when the spar could prove to be a tough one. From those Hythyr could learn how to be a better fighter. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr felt her back paw meet it's mark directly on top of his head between his ears. The force of the impact caused his front end flip forward. Inversely his backside came up and slam into the she-wolf's underside. The wolves went in different directions as they closed back in on the ground. Hythyr fell on his side, sliding a few meters own the mountain before he regained his footing. He was a little dazed as he began running up the mountain, shouting to the female. "That was an interesting maneuver! I'll have to remember that one! " Hythyr laughed in enjoyment of the challenge. It was getting pretty interesting. She was a pretty experienced fighter and Hythyr just loved a good spar, especially when the spar could prove to be a tough one. From those Hythyr could learn how to be a better fighter. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr felt her back paw meet it's mark directly on top of his head between his ears. The force of the impact caused his front end flip forward. Inversely his backside came up and slam into the she-wolf's underside. The wolves went in different directions as they closed back in on the ground. Hythyr fell on his side, sliding a few meters own the mountain before he regained his footing. He was a little dazed as he began running up the mountain, shouting to the female. "That was an interesting maneuver! I'll have to remember that one! " Hythyr laughed in enjoyment of the challenge. It was getting pretty interesting. She was a pretty experienced fighter and Hythyr just loved a good spar, especially when the spar could prove to be a tough one. From those Hythyr could learn how to be a better fighter. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Solaris felt the impact of the male wolfs backside hitting her, and landed on the ground a little ways a way from where Hythyr landed, before she got to her feet and shook herself off, before she went to follow Hythyr and sprinted after him, hearing him yell to her, “your not bad yourself Hythyr” she called back laughing as well for a moment before turning serious once more as her brain tried to work out a way of stopping him, she would have to come up with something unexpected, to throw Hythyr off and stop him. One option could be to attempt to lunge for one of Hythyr’s back legs and attempt to yank it to cause him to hit the ground and then quickly let go and lunge for either the scruff of the male wolves neck or back to keep him down, but there was the risk of her earning a kick instead, but she was willing to give it a try but she needed to get closer first before she could attempt a lunge, she had to be as close as she could get, so sprinted faster and faster until she was right behind Hythyr. She tensed before she lunged for, jaws open and ready to attempt to snap hold of Hythyr’s right back leg and if she was successful she would attempt to yank the leg backwards, not enough to do damage, like breaking the leg but hopefully enough to throw Hythyr of balance and to the ground and she would hold on to the leg until she could find a plan for what her next course of action would be but she would try and aim for getting him pinned, it was just the question of how to do it, if her leg pulling maneuver turned out succesfull "Speech"

Solaris howls

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sorry about the shortness. I don't have much time.

Hythyr continued up the mountain keeping out his ear for the woman on his trail. She approached him quickly. Hythyr could see Athena waiting at the top of the mountain when he heard her just behind him. He stopped and kicked his feet out aiming to hit her head and chest. When he turned his head to look he saw her open up her jaws to bite him, but by then it was too late to change the course of his kick. He might kick her, but she would defiantly bite one of his legs. Hythyr quickly prepared himself for the immanent bite, hoping that she didn't close down on the scar that Dimitri had given him. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr continued up the mountain keeping out his ear for the woman on his trail. She approached him quickly. Hythyr could see Athena waiting at the top of the mountain when he heard her just behind him. He stopped and kicked his feet out aiming to hit her head and chest. When he turned his head to look he saw her open up her jaws to bite him, but by then it was too late to change the course of his kick. He might kick her, but she would defiantly bite one of his legs. Hythyr quickly prepared himself for the immanent bite, hoping that she didn't close down on the scar that Dimitri had given him. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee

Hythyr continued up the mountain keeping out his ear for the woman on his trail. She approached him quickly. Hythyr could see Athena waiting at the top of the mountain when he heard her just behind him. He stopped and kicked his feet out aiming to hit her head and chest. When he turned his head to look he saw her open up her jaws to bite him, but by then it was too late to change the course of his kick. He might kick her, but she would defiantly bite one of his legs. Hythyr quickly prepared himself for the immanent bite, hoping that she didn't close down on the scar that Dimitri had given him. "Hythyr howls."

Table by Yahtzee