The Lesson

Metas took a mighty pounce towards Ajax, and didn't hide the growl that he wanted to come from his open mouth.

Ajax wasn't taken off guard, but he really didn't want to fight his friend, so the first blow he took for free. As his Alpha's strong jaw clenched on the back of his neck, the silver-haired wolf let out a yowl of pain, and shook his neck from the teeth gripping him.

In instinct, Ajax rolled away from Metas, and hurriedly picked himself up to shake off the pain and debris in his fur.

Once more, they circled each other as the next 'round' began. Ajax was still very unsure of how he thought this would play out, and if maybe he should fight back? What would be more respectful to Metas?

Would it be hunkering down and taking his abuse, or actually fighting him and facing the fear that was uncertainty? Hell, he was uncertain right now and it felt bad.

"Do you take me as weak, Ajax?" Metas asked with a deep anger.

"No, not at all my Alpha," Ajax replied and lowered his head.

"Then fight me. The only reason you should avoid this fight is if you are afraid to hurt me. Otherwise, get up and fight me," Metas instructed.

'This feels like the opposite of what should be happening,' Ajax contemplated as he watched Metas move again to pounce on him - but this time, Ajax dodged.

'Fighting rage with rage? This feels hypocritical - but if he wants me to get mad, I can do that," Ajax thought with a bitter tone.

"Fine, but you're asking me to get mad" Ajax warned.

"Do it then. Get angry, see where it gets you," Metas answered and dashed at him again, once more getting a nip at Ajax's fluffy grey tail.

Once more, the smaller wolf yelped, and now turned around to try to nip Metas in the nose, which he got a little skin off of.

"Good. Do it again - get mad!" Metas snarled and let his jowls rise to expose his gums.

"Metas - I said I'm sorry!" Ajax snorted out with distaste.

"--and I said get mad, it's your worst quality, and it's your strongest," Metas returned.

That's when he noticed flash of fire run across his friend's eyes, and expected him to attack as he pushed his nimble body towards Metas, but just as he looked as though he were ready to jump, he slid to the right side of the giant, black wolf and tried to push him down, but failed. Instead of give up, Ajax used his back legs to rebound his body, using Metas' large hind leg to jettison away, which left three deep scratches.

The black wolf stood to his full size again and as Ajax turned his back with his jolt away from Metas, the Alpha was able to pounce on top of him and put his full weight on the smaller, silver wolf.

Ajax squirmed in the dirt, but it made the air in his lungs push out too hard, and he found it difficult to take another breath in.

Metas knew his own weight, and released his opponent so that Ajax could gather himself, and his breath.

"How long will you make me do this?" Ajax asked with deep, painful breaths escaping his mouth as his nose tried to snuff out little pants of rhythmic air.

"How long are you going to let your anger blind you?" Metas asked in his usual fashion.

"I'm done - I'm done. Lesson learned," Ajax replied with a pitiful face.

"No, you haven't learned anything yet." Metas lobbed back at him, before he pushed his body from the ground to try to swipe Ajax's side with his own so that he could lean down onto the smaller Ajax and pin him again.

The silver 'fox' was quite fast, though - and he was barely able to escape the black mass of a beast that dared to barrel over him. As Metas hit the ground, Ajax took a leap over him and went to bite Metas' exposed underside.

A foolish move on the smaller male's part, as Metas had absolutely expected this from his years of watching his friend fight. He was ready with a counter attack and had his powerful hind legs tucked into his abdomen, ready to spring out and kick the silver wolf away like one would a small ball.

Then, he got back up on his feet and dashed to Ajax before he could get back up, and Metas clamped his sharp teeth into the scruff of his neck. He hesitated, but quickly let go of whatever had stopped him and savagely shook the silver fur in his mouth without mercy.

Ajax let out howls of pain that got distorted as his head got jerked back and forth, so it made his usually lower tone come out as a high-pitched wail that that wobbled with him.

As Metas was coming up on his last sling - he let go of Ajax so that he would fly to the ground with such force that he would bounce before he slid to a stop.

His anger hadn't subsided at his friend's idiotic choice, but he didn't want to hurt him any further. The Alpha honestly felt bad, but he wasn't going to show it on his face. Ajax needed to learn a lesson. He sat and waited for the bloodied wolf to stand, but he did not.

A few minutes passed, and Ajax still did not get up. He lay on his side in the same position he had landed in.

Still, the Alpha waited with eyes glued to his friend's limp form.

He promised Lara he wouldn't kill him -- had he....?

No. That's.. No...

Right? He wouldn't have killed one of his best friends, even if he was angry. Had the lesson turn on him instead? Now he was regretting how hard he had shook Ajax. Had his neck snapped, that meant...Lara!