Aithnel’s first response was definitely more strait-laced then Megaera’s introduction but that didn’t bother the warrior. She had not expected to be met with the same warmth she was used to from other members of Dragon’s Throat. The young ashen mare was new to the family, as far as Meg knew, and even she hadn’t always been so quick to warm to strangers. It was Megaera’s second question that seemed to capture the mare’s attention, however. Meg’s grin widened when the grey seemed to positively lean forward. Ahh… Hit the mark there, did I? Aithniel’s eagerness was plain enough, and Megaera felt a familiar warmth of amused affection start to well up. She was by no means old herself, and still unused to dealing with those younger than she, but in her encounters over the past season with the brood of desert foals, Meg had found a great liking in watching them learn. In this girl’s ambition, Meg even saw traces of herself at that age, and even still to this day. A warrior should never cease in striving to better themselves. “I will spar, and be happy to do so. You’ll have to give me a moment, Gwaihir’s a bit young to be caught in the middle.”

There was a small boulder, not too far away, that would make a decent perch for the fledgling. It was big enough to be visible, even in the dim light and they would be able to avoid it fairly easily. With quick strides, Meg moved over to it and bent her neck low. Using his sharp clawed feet to grip, Gwahir moved (after a mental nudge from Meg) down and onto the stone. There, he squawked discontentedly and attempted to hop to the ground and hobble off in protest but a firm nudge with her nose and an authoritative ’Stay!’ through their bond was enough the keep him in place. A quick thrill of apprehension ran through the mare at the idea of her companion leaving his safe spot and straying into the middle of the spar. She was responsible for him after all, and could not imagine losing her little friends so soon after they had found each other. She gave another press on the top of his feathery head with her muzzle and turned back to her young opponent.

There was a marked change in Meg’s posture as she moved back towards the filly. She still moved easily, but there was a precision to her steps, and a marked deliberation in every movement. Black eyes were trained on the young one, taking note of size, build, and age. She was only a bit smaller than Meg, perhaps another year and they might be evenly matched in size. As jaunty as Meg could be, there was no joke in her now. If she was going to be a coach to a young warrior, it would not be a task she took lightly; both their lives might one day depend on the lessons she was taking a part in teaching. Honestly she wasn’t quite sure how to begin. Maybe it’s best to see where her instincts take her, build from there. Well, at least that seemed to make sense, so Meg dug her hooves into the soft, thistle-covered ground and lifted her head to gesture. “Come at me when you’re ready then!”

After a moment, Aithniel exploded forward with an impressive fury, and Meg broke her silence with and exhilarated laugh. Girl’s got fire, all right! The grey was before her in a flash, teeth bared. Meg pulled her head to the side, trying to avoid the bite and felt only a graze of incisors across the bridge of her nose. Meg began to move forward, but too quickly; the curling horns of the hybrid filly gave a sound knock to the front of her face. It wasn’t a bad injury, but like any blow to the head, it put a ringing in the bay’s ears and a star or two in her eyes. Despite the knock to the head, Meg’s counter attack was already in motion. She shoved herself forward, having waited with the muscles in her hind legs coiled like springs. With her wings tucked tight to her body and her head hung low, she trust her left shoulder forward aiming for the center of the filly’s chest. The girl had stopped so suddenly that Meg hoped to catch her off balance, and threw her weight into it. If this one had thought body checks were off the table, then maybe Meg did have something to teach her.

Attack: 1/3
Words: 769 in Word
Summary: Stashes baby on a rock a ways away (Thanks!!) Waits for Aithniel to attack, ready to spring herself forward. Meg thinks she avoids the attack when the bite just grazes her and lunges forward. Aithniel’s horn hits her right between the eyes, making her a bit disoriented. Meg continues her lunge forward with her left shoulder forward, aiming for Aithniel’s chest.