Head to head it's all or nothing.

Archibald had lived most of his life sparring with warriors under his command. He tested many of the abilities warriors possessed, ranging from Fence in the Mystic Woodlands, his brothers throughout Helovia, and Romani and Locket in the Windtossed Foothills. He was a decorated general, a warlord and master, and those around him needed his knowledge. He was more than willing to give it, and today he would prove that to one of his warriors--and his leaders, should they choose to watch from the edges.

Tall and intimidating, the king moved from a cluster of trees to the painted mare's north. He watched her carefully, taking in information from his experienced eyes. She was compact, smaller than him but built like a tank. Her build reminded him of two pegasi: Kri, the blonde haired ex-leader of the Dragon's Throat, one of the first to attempt to recruit his power into her army; and Ampere, a fiery, blue-painted mare he had only seen briefly in the caves during the time of darkness and sickness. Cheveyo's body resembled both of those mares, but Archibald thought her taller than them. Snorting some, the Dauntless looked down at his bondmate as she trotted next to him. "Cheveyo. You are punctual. That is needed in my warriors. This is Loretta, and she wishes to join us, but as you have no companion I will make her wait." Archibald stopped square, his toned shoulders facing the paint mare head on.

The sun beat down on the pair relentlessly, the Sun God showing his wrath in the bright, molten star. Archibald's dark fur was already absorbing the heat from the daylight, and he knew by the end of this encounter he would be dripping and foaming. He always sweat greatly during Tallsun, his entire life he has always had to watch himself from overheating. Even now, from moving just barely and standing in the heat, the dark space between Archibald's rear legs was tingling with the threat of sweat. The Dauntless flicked a fly from his ear as he watched Cheveyo, as careful and as calculating as he had always trained to be. Scars littered her body, small stories of experience that Archibald would be enlightened to. Clearing his throat, Archibald lifted his eyes off the mare and spoke again. "I have high expectations for warriors under my command. My desire is that all will carry the same standards for themselves--standards of excellence and loyalty and power. Ktulu and I require each of the warriors to keep their bodies and minds nimble and powerful with practice, through spars and patrols of the lands. I have chosen to spar with you first, Cheveyo, for I believe you have great potential. Now, do not prove me wrong."

As he finished, the Dauntless tucked his chin and his tail, muscles bunching beneath his taught skin as he prepared for her to strike. His inked ears disappeared in his thick mane as he pinned them down, and his golden eyes narrowed. Powerful, carefully tuned muscles bulged as he arched his neck, his right front hoof lifting to strike the dry ground below them, his steel shoe clicking as if a bell at the beginning of a boxing match.



[WC: 537 | PC: 0/3 | Good luck Semper, and have Cheveyo attack first!]