A/N: The song for this one is The Way of Vikings by Amon Amarth.

\m/

The clang of steel upon steel was resounding through the forest in a melody of contemplative bemusement. The red fox, his stance wide and a straight longsword in his paws, was smiling in a smug way, his ears standing erect and following the disturbances in the air around him left by the spear. A low, barely audible to even bunny ears sound, to his left, was like a strike of thunder for the battle hardened tod. With his right hand holding his sword near the crossguard, pointing finger curled around the base of the blade itself, and left hand on the edge of the hilt, slightly hugging the pommel, Nicholas knew he could reach out with his sword to any part of his exposed body for protection in one fluid motion of his arms. It was merely a question of timing it all out. When he was sure his attacker would not be able to suddenly change the trajectory of the spear, the fox acted. The hilt was his leverage, his paws - its centers for application of force. In a motion as fluid and smooth as flowing waters of a river, the tod deflected the spear with an overhead swing and returned to the initial stance. There was a groan of aggravation coming from his adversary in this morning's practice, making his smile widen even more. The bunny doe was rather cute when she was irritated.

- If somewhere in that mind of yours there just resounded word cute, I am stuffing that tail of yours in your maw. - And an extremely sore loser at that. Well, Nicholas already knew that from their initial encounter a century ago. Judith of clan Hopps was not one to do things half heartedly. She threw all of her being into it, even if it was just practice. Even when it was as hopeless as hitting a rock with your skull when not being born a ram and praying for your head to remain intact.

- And how would you know if that word was visiting my head? - The fox sounded suspiciously innocent to the doe's ears. More so was him batting his eyelashes at her, like one of those highborn "ladies" would. He was mocking her, she knew it. Beneath all the layers of coldness, hatred and rage, there still was something left of a playful and teasing trickster of a fox he probably was at the start of his life. The tod didn't wear his eyecover for the practice with her this morning, and Judith knew that this aspect of the mercenary was just as real as all the others she saw.

Their initial meeting the previous night was awkward, to say the least. The tod behaved like he hadn't noticed her when she emerged from the forest, but then she remembered that he always seemed to be unable to detect her presence without her announcing it. The bunny doe startled Nicholas into silence midsentence. Not trusting his ears, the tod removed his eyecover only to stare in stupefaction at the bunny he never thought of seeing again. Their staring match was interrupted by the wolf pushing Nicholas forward and taking his gheko's rains out of the fox's paws. Tyhja's inscrutable expression and Sylvi's inquiring one prompted the fox and the bunny to explain how they knew each other, since both knew the lynx would not let them leave without satisfying her curiosity. It was easier to indulge her than endure constant pestering of such a persistent creature. If following the wolf for eight centuries without being acknowledged as anything but his surrogate daughter was not persistence, Judith didn't know what was. After that, the bunny and the fox hit off just like old acquaintances would.

Which brought them to the present. It surprised her at first but in the presence of mammals who didn't show any sign of caring about his species, as well as mammals he considered friends, the tod's behavior was completely different from what she saw during his short stay with the Hopps clan as a hired mercenary. But, she mused, this was probably expected. Each mammal had a number of "masks" that had to be put on for appropriate circumstances. Friends, acquaintances, parents, children, strangers, even the one beloved, for each there was a proper role model prepared deep in the recesses of a mammals subconsciousness. They didn't have to be lies, but neither were they complete truths of who the mammal wearing them was.

Still, it was no fun trying to attack this fox with what she considered to be her best assaulting technique while he made seem every deflection to be effortless. The doe tried everything in her arsenal, from slow and fast attacks to feints and circling tactics. Nicholas didn't wear his eyecover for this exercise, but the bunny could see he didn't use his sight as she thought he would. No, he still relied on other senses, while those pools of deathly green were focused solely on her. This was a bit unsettling for Judith at first, but she overpowered this feeling within her. After all, it was her desire to be able to see his eyes, to once more get a glimpse of his soul, that seemed to be hidden behind a veil deceptively thin yet as impenetrable as a fortress wall. Those eyes haunted her dreams for awhile, after the fox mercenary has left having completed his duty to clan Hopps the first time they met. Then, she was but a mortal wishing to get to know an individual that was way beyond her grasp and understanding. This time though, she could stand on equal footing with him, despite the age and experience gap. Or almost equal, since she seemed to be unable to penetrate his defense, and any direct confrontation would spell certain doom. It was hard for her pride, but the doe knew when to stop and acknowledge her defeat. Thankfully, she was spared.

- Judy! Uncle Nick! - Sylvi was waving towards the duo from her customary place - behind the wolf's right shoulder. It always amused the bunny how the seemingly old village representative managed to remain completely unfazed and unperturbed by the enthusiastic ball of fluff hanging on his back. She knew the answer to that question now, but it didn't mean the view was any less hilarious. Nicholas seemed to agree with her, if his chuckle was anything to go by.

When the two newcomers approached, the tod went to the sack he left at a nearby tree. Judith took this as a sign their spar was over, and retrieved her spear from the air.

\m/

- I have lived for half your age and has already forgotten how it is to think differently. I just don't understand how is it you still able to keep an open mind? - Stuart's voice was barely heard over the raucous activities of the local tavern's patrons. Singing, drinking, arm wrestling, chess, snoring, flirting… And nobody seemed to care much for the bunny and his gazelle partner with covered eyes sitting in a corner, their salad plates barely touched. The doe had a small smile playing on her lips as she listened to all the noise surrounding them.

- We all have lost the ability to change and adapt, my friend. Some of us just never cared much. Some, on the other hand, always cared a bit too much. - The gazelle took her time, taking a paced drink from the tankard of local vine. The buck across from her followed the example, his portion being smaller compared to that of Gazelle's.

- Jackson is still young and unrefined, and I am not sure Bogo's explosive temperament has been beneficial to his maturing, but I am just an observer here. The hare has a loyal heart and he is ready to stand up and fight for his friends and principles, a quality rarely found in prey mammals. Though I must say I found your story about the Trinity Burroughs to be intriguing. You bunnies are definitely interesting creatures. Though, I doubt that you asked to meet me just to talk about your species. You are practically brimming with curiosity about something else. - The gazelle's smile became softer as she turned her attention once more to the wandering greyfurred buck. Stuart himself was reminded heavily of the fox mercenary he hired a century ago, and how he wore a similar eyecover without any visible detriment to his ability to orient in space. At that time he barely understood who it was that agreed to lend his weapons to kill the buck's enemies, but the more Stuart learned, the more curious he became. And now when a veritable fountain of knowledge, who knew the Red King personally, sat in front of him, the elder bunny could barely contain his thirst to know more. But…

- Well, I guess it would be quite obvious. I am a god with knowledge being my pillar, after all. - A stifled chuckle escaped the buck as he nursed the bunny-sized tankard in his paws.

- You are the first one I met who directly knows both the Red King and the wolf known as Fenrir. The only prey to live amongst them. I would very much like to hear the story of your life with them. - Stuart of clan Hopps made sure to emphasis on the fact he didn't want to just hear the doe's opinion on the wolf and the fox, since it was not really what he was after. A person's life was much more fascinating and could tell more about the individual and those surrounding them. Opinions were subjective. Truth was oftentimes hidden when one was asked to give an opinion. Stories, however, were objective in Stuart's eyes. The buck' s gift allowed him to separate truth from lies when dealing with stories.

- A story of my life with them? - The ungulate's expression turned contemplative. Gazelle put her tankard on the table, clasping hoofs in front of her and lowering her muzzle on them, a habit she picked up from her mentor.

- I guess I could humor you for a bit with a short recount.

\m/

Judith was excited when she saw the preparations of the wolf and the fox.

- They are going to spar, aren't they? - the doe wondered aloud to Sylvi, who was already sitting at a lower branch of a nearby small oak tree. The doe always found it fascinating to see the lynx, who she knew weighted at least two times more than she did, stepping on the thinnest of twigs without so much as moving them. When asked to teach, Sylvi eagerly agreed but the grey bunny was still trying to grasp the abilities granted to her by the gift of godhood.

- Spar? - There seemed to be a note of surprise in the lynx's voice, making Judith turn her head away from the two canines and towards her feline friend.

- Oh. Sorry, culture difference, Judy. Predators don't spar. - This time it was the bunnies turn to sound surprised. With how Nicholas was finally donning his protective gear while the black wolf stretched, she was sure the two were preparing for a mock fight.

- We practice war.

\m/

The first strike of the wolf's cross-like staff, crozius as the blackfurred mammal called it, Nicholas caught and deflected with the flat side of his longsword, the exact same blade he used all those years ago to slaughter the Hindspaw clan while in the employ of Stuart of clan Hopps. While the crozius and the sword were both made of the metal predators employed in their weapons of war, aptly named mustarauta for its black purpose, the blunt weapon could still easily chip his sharp blade, especially considering the strength with which the wolf wielded it.

A series of seemingly random strikes and thrusts followed the first one, testing the fox's defense, evaluating him. But Nicholas of clan Wilde stood firm, holding his ground, keeping his sword pointed towards the circling wolf. His legs were spread at the shoulder width, knees slightly bent, allowing for both a stable stance and an ease of maneuvering. An unconventional stance with a longsword, but the tod knew he was not against a conventional opponent himself.

On the outside, Tyhja didn't seem to be posing much of a threat. He circled the red fox with a gait of someone on a casual walk in the forest after a hearty meal. His muzzle, long fur obstructing the eyes as always, was not even turned to his adversary. The only indication of him actually paying Nicholas any attention was the fact he held his staff in the paw that was inside the metaphorical circle, occasionally throwing out a surprisingly nimble thrust or a heavy strike. Despite how simple these attacks were, their speed, the strength behind them and the accuracy with which they were aimed at the opposing mammal's vital points was beyond frightening. One direct hit would actually be a death sentence. And though the fight seemed one-sided from an outsider's point of view, it was far from it. The fox was biding his time, eyes wide open, unblinking, searching for an opportunity…

Tyhja's left leg suddenly went deep into the earth, where he planted it onto the firm ground just a moment ago. With the wolf's balance thrown off, Nicholas plunged in, his narrow stance ensuring the possibility of momentous reaction. Tyhja halted his fall with the help of the crozius held tight in his left paw, but the position the wolf found himself in left him wide open for any thrust the tod was bringing his way. The ground kept sucking his left leg in, further diverting his strength to the effort of stabilizing his position rather than defending against the oncoming danger.

Nicholas appeared near his target in two leaps, his muzzle split with a large barefanged grin. The tod was ready to deliver a devastating thrust at his enemy, left paw on the base of the blade itself, right one gripping the bottom of the pommel. The speed at which he moved was much higher than any mammal, even a cheetah, could hope to achieve at such a short distance, and the power behind the strike was surely enough to pierce through even the sturdiest of mails. As such, Tyhja had no intention of taking it. The wolf deflected the tip of the sword thrust at him with his crozius, a feat that cost him his footing, forcing the wolf to drop to his right knee to keep his balance for a time until he would be able to focus on freeing his left leg.

The way Nicholas held his sword though allowed for a much better and easier control than the usual straight grip would. The tod also had full control over his movements, stopping his lunge just two steps away from the trapped wolf. As such, he easily turned the deflected overhead thrust into a vertical slash from below, aiming to hack off the wolf's left hand.

Once again, the blackfurred canine showed his ability to adapt to the flow of battle, his left hand moving back and putting the staff's firm metal in the way of the blade's sharp edge. Nicholas was not one to be outdone by the same trick time and again, but he knew his options were limited. To thrust the sword into the apparent opening would leave him extremely vulnerable to the staff counterattack after Tyhja would catch the blade of the sword with his right hand. To try and circle would mean giving the wolf an opportunity to gather his bearings and restore his balance. Elemental manipulation was not Tyhja's strongest forte, but he was extremely good at breaking himself out of any bound through brute force.

Predator warriors preferred to fight while standing on the fingers of their hind paws. Rarely were they seen on the full soil, but when they were, it was to a devastating effect. And the straight kick Nicholas delivered, was testament to that, having thrown the larger and heavier canine into the treeline at the edge of the clearing.

\m/

Judith was flabbergasted. What just transpired in front of her eyes was ridiculous. The fox and the wolf spent nearly three minutes in a stalemate, gouging each other's strength, circling, but finished the fight in just under three seconds. Their speed was nearly beyond what her eyes were able to see, ears to hear and comprehend. The doe has taken different classes when being trained as a guardian, including on how to wield a longsword and a staff, but this was way beyond what any instructor could teach. This was a combination of pure instinct, experience and practice, thousands of years in making. Once again she trembled at the thought this fox could have actually accepted her demands to fight him a century ago. There was no chance for the bunny to take upon this killer machine even today, when she was much stronger than she was during her time as Hopps clan best spear wielder.

- Is it always like this? - To hide her nervousness, Judith tried to start a small conversation with her lynx friend.

- Hm? They are just getting started.

\m/

Nicholas never allowed his eyes to blink or wander away from the place the wolf's form landed. He knew the consequences of the action he just undertook. And while he was already regretting not just straight out losing to the blackfurred menace in his current state, there was a part that was grinning madly and eagerly expected the continuation.

- When Tyr gave me this chain, it drained out my power at a rate not a single other contraption ever managed. Nearly depleted that fool of his own lifeforce, made me bite his hand off. But, I was finally able to live like a more or less normal mammal. I hope you have one of my collars in that backpack of yours, because I certainly didn't expect it to break this easily, fox. - Where once was a slim and slightly hunched figure of a longfurred elderly wolf, now stood a nearly bearsized colossus with golden eyes. The crozius, too tall for the representative of the small town of Topia who Judith came to know during her stay, was now a huge two-handed sword with the blade nearly as broad as her body.

- And I thought you've lost your mind completely. That thing was at its limit anyways, I just managed to strike at one of its weak points. Anyways, we are not finished yet, so stop talking, start working! - There was a very disturbing crazed note in the voice of the tod as he went straight back into action. The wolf apparently agreed, since his muzzle split in the same crazy smile that Nicholas had.

This time, there were no circles danced around your opponent, no measures, no testing. Both predator gods knew each other for over fifteen centuries, fought both besides and against each other. Nicholas was the one to go on the constant offensive, with the wolf counterattacking whenever the fox's blade would be deflected or dodged. The red tod moved around at a speed not natural and not available to the fastest of mammals, but the black wolf matched him both in agility and ease of movement despite his much larger body and weapon.

The number of techniques used by both was staggering. The swords were used with two hands, one hand, half-sword techniques, reverse strikes, reverse grips… Judith didn't even have time to recall every name, so fast were they swapped, used and reused. A strike deflected with a flat side of another's blade would be turned into a kick that would then be dodged, only for a counterthrust to already be anticipated and in turn be deflected with a punch follow up…

The clang of metal on metal was so loud, the bunny had to lower her ears, and the dust kicked up by the canine's vicious fight made her squint her eyes. Witnessing such a sight made Judith's heart beat faster with a number of conflicting emotions swelling up inside of her. Fear - the natural reaction of prey, excitement - the reaction of a warrior, craving - the reaction of those striving to be the best, respect - the reaction of a fellow sister in arms, bewilderment - the reaction of witnessing something beyond the scope of possible, to name but a few the bunny could understand.

There was though this strange pull, that she felt, that became stronger the longer she was watching the fight unfold. Judith felt it like a current that seeked to sweep her away. Subconsciously, the doe realized that she would be able to navigate it. The bunny, trusting her instinct, let go of her reservations and plunged straight into it.

What she saw then, was something every historian would gladly give everything in their possession to witness. The founding of the Teutonic Kingdom. The establishment of the second Red King and his right hand, the great wolf Fenrir.

In the moment, when her true gift has fully awakened for the first time, Judith witnessed the day the great war between predators and prey mammals started one thousand six hundred and sixty five years ago…