He was large, even for a Lupe. His flamed fur looked like a conflagration,
and the midnight hue of the rest of his pelt only highlighted it and gave it
a startling effect as his muscles rippled underneath it. His eyes were a shocking
green. He was also a good fighter, although considerably youthful.
And he was proud, haughty, and had a temper as fiery as his coat. She was
much smaller than he. Her eyes glinted a fierce silver-blue. Oddly luminous
stars stood out against the rich cobalt of her hide. No muscles were visible.
A very tight-looking type of metal shell covered her body. Faint rectangles
were visible all over it.
Her voice was soft and metallic, sounding like the voice of a horde of evil
wolves gathered in a foggy clearing in preparation for some terrible deed.
"You may step down now, pup," she advised in a frosty whisper. "Once I begin
a battle, I will not hold back my wrath. You are challenging more than you expect.
You cannot win. You will pay dearly for this insult."
The brash young Lupe smiled toothily at the mature Lupess. Her shimmering,
formfitting armour didn't bother him- neither did her hollow threats. He would
destroy her and prove himself to his pack and his mate. This would be easy.
She was hiding; he was sure of it, behind the armour as a mask to her own insecurity
about the approaching fight.
He stepped toward her, into the clearing. His paws crunched on the hardened
snow. The moon cast a pale glow on the icy surface, giving the arena an unearthly
glimmer. He wasn't afraid. His Mad Clock and Striped Balloons would certainly
take care of her.
Without warning she charged forward, streaking toward him like a bolt of lightning,
maw gaping, claws screaming across the snow. He was taken aback and barely managed
to dodge her tackle. She raked her claws along his tail, pulling out great tufts
of fur. He began to feel the fear of doubt skulking at the back of his mind.
She was faster than he had anticipated.
She stopped, her back toward him. He was sure this was an opening that carelessness
had left, and he bolted at her, his prized pair of blue-and-white balloons flying
out behind him like a banner. He leaped, mouth opened to expose glistening fangs.
In an instant she turned her head over her shoulder and looked straight into
his face. His green eyes met her silver orbs. A grim, crooked smile spread slowly
across her features, and she stepped nimbly to the side so gracefully that it
seemed as though she hadn't moved at all. A yowl escaped his lips as he crashed
headfirst into a tall oak. Following the impact, mounds of powder avalanched
onto him, covering him.
Frustrated, he struggled away from the suffocating pile of whiteness. After
he had crawled away from it, he stood up, covered in patches of snow. He found
himself before her, looking helpless and pathetic. Red-hot anger boiled up inside
of him.
With a howl, he launched himself at her. She ducked and let him fly overhead.
His claws flew down at her and bounced harmlessly off of her metal covering.
He landed behind her and let out a low snarl of hatred. She shrugged at him.
He snarled again, advancing on her slowly this time, hoping that a slower attack
would get under her defences.
She watched him. Her bizarre silver eyes spooked and unnerved him. She was
unnatural and strange. He stopped and held himself erect, sniffing curiously
at her for the first time.
A door, one of the barely-visible rectangles, opened in her armour quite suddenly.
A small device was exposed as it moved shakily away from her body and out into
the chilly air. It began to hum and whirr as a red light flashed to life on
its side.
He was transfixed by the strange object and stood staring at it. A purple
light began to form on the tip of the sharp little appendage. It grew wildly
in intensity.
He started to back away just as a short beam shot out from the laser and struck
his chest. He was knocked unconscious by the hit. She looked at him coldly,
her silver eyes taking in the extent of the damage. He would be burned but it
would heal eventually. Survival was certain.
She turned away and padded off into the pale light, her armour glinting eerily.
The stars on her fur danced beautifully in the half-light and she moved delicately
across the snow, leaving no tracks to show her trail. She twisted out of sight,
leaving but a soft sighing scrap of advice upon the wind to be remembered by.
"Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill, my friend."
The End | 
