Elliot and Nivaria

A Story by Merino

Two snow loving friends have a snowball fight.

Elliot and Nivaria

Another day, another day full of snow. Flakes dance from the heavens of the winter sky, amassing on the ground just like the rest. Blanche can never seem to catch a break from the constant barrage of flakes but the residents certainly don’t mind. Especially a certain Tibeatan Mastiff: Elliot. Wandering about like a furry vagabond, enjoying the frosty wasteland that they call “home”. Stomping and trudging through the deep white powder with a snowball in hand; you’ll never know when a snowball fight is afoot in this town and this dog knows that better than anyone. Any veteran of this vicious, wartorn town knows that carrying around any sort of ammunition is a good idea. Though Elliot decides to take off their serious face for a while, nobody has yet to ambush this lonesome dog so why not some leisure? The snow loving mastiff stood alone in the painted woods. Feeling the falling flakes lightly caress their maroon parka and some leaving a cold touch on their nose. Spinning and spinning around in the forest with their arms spread out, making sure no place on their attire is left out from the showering of snow. Their hat, mittens, parka, snowpants, and even the beige fur of their hood get a light dusting of snow from the sky! Overcome with joy she throws herself into the depths of the deep powder, she just couldn't help herself from the cold bliss of the flakes making her all giddy!

“HAHAHAHA…. Ahhhhh… I’ll never get tired of this feeling. Mother nature is always kindest to her strongest fighters! HAHAHAH!! Oh…. I don’t think I need this snowball…. Hmmmmm… What to do with you, my lovely creation!! Eh! Why not!! The flakes are just gonna blind me anyways!!”

The mastiff puts the unused snowball to good use. Lifting it up high, high as their bulky arm could stretch. Elliot stared directly at her own creation before she quickly slammed it with all their mastiff might into her crimson ski goggles! Rubbing the smashed ball of snow into the polycarbonate lens of their winter eye-mask, like someone giving her a facewash full of white but in a much more playful manner. Rubbing and rustling the ball of snow with their massive orange mittens all over their eyewear. Going and going until they feel the nylon clash with the plastic-like material of the goggles. The residue of the snowball now resides on the crimson goggles, blinding the massive mastiff; another successful self snowballing complete!! But why stop there? Elliot starts to drag mounds of snow from their side. Using their arms as makeshift shovels and pilling powder atop their gut. Letting the snow envelope her in a cold, yet soft blanket of powder. As it rests atop her she feels the frost of the powder, but with all those layers it won’t freeze her to the core anytime soon. She keeps going and going, amassing a massive mound of snow on her gut. Finally, she finishes scooping up snow onto her chubby stomach. Using her mitts to dig into the mountain of snow to feel her gut raise up and down with the white powder as she breathes in and out the cold winter air. She’s finally satiated, doing another fantastic job on herself as she feels the cold, wet powder atop the nylon gear. Laying there as the flakes fall, enjoying herself until she’s ready to mush through the snow yet again.

“Ahhhh…. Well now. Might as well get up and continue my walk!!”

Despite being blinded the dog gets up with ease, it’s not their first time blinding themselves anyways. Elliot stands tall, puffing out their chest and wagging their tail as loose piles of snow fall from her gear as the rest stays plastered on. She begins to walk again, but with no sight this time around, waiting for the powder to fall off naturally. Elliot struts a bit more carefully through the snow but confident as usual… Until…. POMPF!!! A snowball smacks her in the back of the head with deadly precision and force!! The mastiff goes stumbling into the snow, but luckily catching themselves with their hands. Now knelt on all fours, she quickly uses a mitt to wipe off the snow from their goggles; it was time to get serious: no more silly activities!! Their blood heats up, feeling it coarse through their veins and chest as all that glee and joy turns into a molten rage!! Quickly whipping their head over their shoulders, she starts her search for whoever threw that snowball sniper bullet! Growling like a running snowblower and showing off their sharp, pearly whites as their head turns back and forth. The culprit is quickly found; a small, light blue vixen clad in purple, black, and white approaches the kneeling mastiff. Elliot’s fangs retract, she’s simply flabbergasted at who their ambusher is!!

“Niv… NIVARIA!!!”

The vixen doesn’t say a word as their candid friend yells out their name. She continues walking forward towards their prey, looking smug as ever with her mastiff friend kneeling on the ground. A tightly packed, large snowball is clasped in their right purple mitten; hidden from sight. Finally she stops in her tracks, hovering over the fallen down mastiff. She whips out her secret ball of snow, ready to throw as she reeled back while revealing it! Elliot didn’t have enough time to react; before she knew it the vixen’s icy pellet slapped Elliot dead center in the face! Filling her nostrils full of the freezing powder, covering their goggles in another blanket of snow, and sending their face into a freezing peril of pain!! The mastiff quickly kissed the powder on the ground.

Elliot’s face felt like it was going numb, such a strong throw for a small fox; face first in the snow doesn’t help either after getting pelted in the maw point blank. Nivaria didn’t stop there, why would anyone when poised in such a perfect position!! As Elliot laid limp and sprawled out in the snow she felt the roof of their wine-red, fur ushanka meet their bun of hair that the hat protected. Nivaria started pushing their illustrious, purple moon boots onto their mastiff friend’s head. Pushing harder and harder as much as her size and lower body muscles would allow them! Elliot feels the pressure of the grow more and more intense on their skull as their head sinks lower and lower into depths of the white frost. Nivaria soon stopped putting pressure onto the mastiff’s head but still kept their boot firmly planted atop the fur hat. Elliot had a full course meal of ice cold flakes, practically eating the powder with how deep their head was. It was a hard struggle to even breathe through their nostrils, something had to be done! Despite their position Elliot opened their maw, words coming out muffled due to the snow.

“Niv..? Where on earth… did you even come from…?”

The vixen finally spoke, but not even saying hello to their friend though, just straight to business and banter.

“HAHAHAH!! I mean have you taken a look around here, Elliot? Look at all these trees and you dare ask me where ‘I came from’? Ahhh… such a jokester!! Thoughhhh, I put some old military tricks to good use. I’ve been stalking you since you left the heart of town. Tracking you through the dense tree line, using my small size and natural camouflage to stay out of your gaze. Making sure I march carefully and quietly through the powder, who knows how sensitive those ears are. I even crawled prone in the snow at some points just so you wouldn’t get a look at me. I wanted this ambush to be well worth the wait and it certainly was!! And speak up when you're talking!! It’s rude to mumble!!”

Elliot groans and growls as the vixen still keeps their head locked into place. If that’s what she wanted then so be it! Elliot plants their orange mittens into the deep powder, lifting themselves up so they can speak “properly” to their foe. But she took the bait, her attempt to lift herself back up was immediately stopped. Being forcefully shoved back down into the snow to continue their feast of flakes.

“Ah… ah… ah… I said ‘speak up!’ Not ‘Get up’!! I didn’t know your ears were already stuffed with snow! Did you do that as well when you were playing? HAAHAHAHAH!!”

Nivaria’s left boot grows heavier and heavier, crushing the mastiff's fluffy head as the texture of the rubber sole is engrained to the top of the mastiff’s cranium. She begins to grind their massive purple moon-boot into Elliot’s fur ushanka, asserting their dominance as she stares at the mastiff feasting on flakes. Nivaria’s grin widens as each second passes, watching their boot go to work as it sends a message to their dear friend stating ‘I’m the one in control NOW!!’.

“Ohhhhh c’monnn, Elliot!!! Where is that fighting spirit of yours? What… Don’t feel like showing it off today after all that fun of yours? Hmmph… don’t waste my time now, okay!! I spent allll this time hunting you down and this is the thanks I get? My oh my, what a bore!!”

As the vixen taunted their canid friend something snapped inside of Elliot. Who dares to even talk to me like that, Elliot thought. And just like that their recovery period was over, time for their second wind and start to make this fight more interesting!! Once more she plants her mittens into the deep snow, Nivaria notices as they still stare smugly at their captured foe as she starts her escape once more. Applying more and more pressure to keep this mastiff in place but it doesn’t matter. Elliot begins their ascent from the snow, finally free from their endless luncheon of snow as their head starts to rise under the weight of the vixen’s boot. Huffing and puffing with all their might to get this pesky vixen off their head!!

“GRRRR…. YOURE… HUFF….HUFF… YOURE NOT GETTING A WIN…. GRRRRRRRRRRRR HUFFF….. HUFFFFFF….”

“HAHAHAH!! There we go�" Wo… WOAHWOAH!!!”

“RAGGHHHHH!! GET….. HUFF…. OFF OF MEEEEEEEEEE!!!”

“AGHHHH!!! Ooof�"!!”

Elliot launches the vixen off their head as she escapes Nivaria’s massive boot. Sending the light-blue fox falling into the snow as she loses her balance, landing on her butt and back as the cold powder cushions their fall. Elliot finally catches her breath and some respite from the cold powder she snacked on, resting their arms on their thighs as they scream out in pain from the daring escape and gasping for thin, cold air to replenish their stamina. But a fight was still afoot, no time for lollygagging when there is a perfectly un-snowed vixen laying flat on the ground. Elliot quickly springs into action, picking herself up from her knees and standing on her own two paws yet again! She immediately bends back down into the snow and grabbing a pile of loose powder in their right mitt. Time to show Niv that this flame wasn’t put out by the frost, Elliot thinks to herself as she stomps through the deep powder. Brandishing their sharp white fangs in anger as she halfheartedly saunters over to the vixen. Despite the lack of energy snow falls off her gear as she ferociously stomps one boot after another into the flakes below her boots; this second wind of hers sure is picking up pace. Elliot hovers over the sprawled out vixen just like she once did, growling in anger yet again but this time with a planned comeuppance for this small tactical master.

“GRRRRRRR!! NOWWWWW ITS MY TURN, NIVARIA!!”

Elliot whips the loose snowpile as hard as she can at the defenseless Nivaria. It lands, giving the snow-loving vixen a nice face wash of snow from above with how little flakes landed on their fur. But despite that half-hearted attack from the megalo-mastiff it still sends Nivaria into a cold, flustered panic. Flailing and shooting their arms in the air as the snow layers their fur, and kicking their small legs around sporadically from the shock of the cold flakes to the face. Elliot’s anger painted face finally dissipates, forming an ecstatic, elated expression as they step over the small vixen. Now standing about Nivaria’s head the mastiff bends down and gets a grasp on the vixen’s black hood, crushing the gray fur trimming as they grab tightly.

“Ohohohoh… Let’s go for a walk now, Niv!! Ohohohoho…”

Elliot starts dragging the vixen through the snow like a sled. Nivaria soon notices as the cold, wet snow caresses their layers and accumulates on their upper torso.

“WHA--- WHAT!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!! STOP!! STOP!! STOP!!! DON’T YOU DARE TEAR A SINGLE THREAD… NO, SEAM OF THIS MAGNIFICENT PARKA!! YOU… YOU RUDE MUTT LET GO!! NOW!! OR…. OR!! AGHH!! JUST LET GO!!!”

“OH CAN IT!!! You’re light as a feather compared to me, I’m being gentle trust me!! Stop flailing as well!! Not going to get you anywhere!!”

“HUFFF!! STILL!! SO CRUEL!!”

“Mhmhm.. Sooooo rude!! You can call me more derogatory names… AFTER THIS!!!”

“EEEP…!!!”

Elliot roughly and effortlessly picks Nivaria up, standing her up on her boots as the mastiff still holds onto their hood; practically choking them as Elliot tightly pulls it back, making sure this vixen isn’t going nowhere. Nivaria stares at the bark of one of the many formidable pine trees of these woods as Elliot keeps them captive from their ‘walk’. The moment of calm is cut short. The vixen is kicked into the trunk of the tree, finally being set free from the grasps of Elliot but something much more sinister was to come as the pain from the impact rushed through her torso. Elliot’s snowy boot was soon to follow, pushing up against the petite vixen’s spine to keep her glued to the trunk, cracking as Elliot puts all their might from their large left leg into Nivaria’s back. The vixen could feel the roughness of the bark up against their nylon striped suit as Elliot kept them there each and every second. Though there was much more in store for this sneaky vixen. The mastiff lets Nivaria free for a split second, quickly straddling the toothpick-like arms behind her back.

“Hmmmm… I’m not sure leaving your arms free is the best idea. How about we change that. Don’t you agree, Niv?”

“Huh…?”

Elliot takes off their flake crusted scarf, making do with what little tools they have; she grabs the arms of Nivara and ties them together. Making sure that they have free reign over this vixen whilst trapped.

“Ahhh… there we go!! I feel much more safe now!!”

“Hmmphh… what making a pit stop here, Elliot!! What are you going to do anyways? Drag me through the snow more? Oh pleaseeee… that’s not going to do anything to me.”

“OOOOhohoho!! I find it cute that you’d think I'd do something so elementary!! Not even close!!”

“Tch..!! Fine… LETS SEE YOUR WOR--- OOOF!!!”

Elliot quickly grabbed onto the knotted beige scarf that restrained their friend, making sure that this small vixen won't escape the impromptu safety measure for the mastiff. And with the other free paw Elliot quickly smashed the vixen’s face into the coarse bark of the tree with their barbaric strength. Pressing as hard as they could as their entire orange mitten enveloped the entirety of the vixen’s black hood. Nivaria groaned out in pain, feeling the roughness of the tree clash with their soft, illustrious blue fur, all while pain of the pin surged through their face. As the mastiff kept pushing with all their might the pain only grew, the texture of the tree was no longer felt, it just felt like millions of small needles getting pressed into Nivaria’s face; the mastiff knew what she was doing, Niv could hear the tiny cackles of the dog as she kept the side of the vixen’s face against the trunk.

“Nowww… I hope you’re comfy my dear, Niv!! You’re gonna be here for a while.”

“HRNNGHHH!! GRRR!! YOU… STUPID… HRNNGHHH DOG!! STOP…. STOP PRESSING SO HARD!!!”

“OHOHOHO!! WHY WOULD I EVER!! YOU CERTAINLY DIDN’T!! SOOOOO WHY WOULD… I DO THE SAME!!”

“AGGHHH!!!”

With that last remark Elliot and that shriek of agony the mastiff drove their knee into their opponents tailbone, not holding back at all, enough strength to leave a bruise that's for sure. Grinding it into their body as hard as they could, just like the mitt that trapped Nivaria’s head. Her short legs failed and kicked to the sudden reaction of pain, brushing their captors legs, though it didn’t do anything as Elliot kept pushing.

“NOW STAY STILL!!”

Elliot let go of the scarf and hood, making sure that their single leg was good enough so their foe wouldn’t try any sneaky tricks. She soon straddled both of her mitts around the trunk of the tree, starting to violently shake the tree with their strength. Soon, piles of powder started to fall on the canids. Escaping their sanction of pine needles and piling onto Elliot and Nivaria. Feeling like multiple small snowballs attacking them as the snow kept on falling and piling up. The flakes kept falling as Elliot shook… DOOOMPF!! One giant pile of snow fell atop of the snowy canines, enough to feel like a snowman's head getting smashed onto their skulls. Elliot finally stopped, elated with joy from all the flakes stacked onto themself and their friend from the shower of powder. Her mittens went right back into position where they once were on Nivaria, but now Elliot had plenty more powder to work with all whilst their friend had some to spare as well.

“Well now, Niv!! I sure hope you enjoyed that shower, I mean look at that lovely tail sway back and forth. But it won’t be for long. Let’s see where all of this snow can fit!”

“GRRRRRRRRR!! YOU’RE NOT GETTING A SINGLE FLAKE OF SNOW INSIDE PAST THIS GEA--- oughhh…!!”

As Elliot teased the fox she already grabbed a pile of flakes. Using it to shut the vixen up before she started her work.

“What? Sorry, can you speak up. I’m having some trouble hearing you through all that snow in your maw. Didn’t anyone ever tell you to swallow before speaking? I think you should heed my advice! Nowwwww…. Where to begin!! Ahhh I knowwww!!!”

Elliot scoops a pile of snow off the powdered covered vixen, taking it straight off the hood until there is none left. Soon after every flake was off their head Elliot tore off the large parka hood off the vixen, revealing their large furry ears and beautiful hair. The strong mastiff went to work, smothering Nivaria’s unprotected head with their pompous pile of flakes she boasted, rubbing it into the navy hair of the vixen like how one would use shampoo. Elliot gathered more and more snow, picking it up from the pile of flakes that covered their boots and ready to use. The mastiff quickly shoved the frozen powder into the open hood. Covering the fur of the hood with white dust, packing and packing till the hood of the vixen looks like a shovel full of snow.

“Enjoy the snow-hood, Niv!! OHOHOHO~!!”

The mastiff quickly lifted the densely packed, hefty hood and smashed it into the back of Nivaria’s head. Trying to tightly fix the hood full of snow back onto Nivaria’s head just like how she wore it. But to no avail Elliot just smeared and grinded the snowy hood into the back of Nivaria's fluffy head, covering more of their illustrious Navy hair. But that wasn’t all from the sinister mastiff, boasting another mitten full of snow she aims for the head yet again. Elliot buried their mitt full of snow into a fluffy ear of the vixen. Packing it tightly into the hollow ear like how she would make a snowball, the other ear was soon to follow in the same fashion.

“Hellloooooooo~!!! Can you hear me, ms. vixen!!!! Ohohohoho!!! Well I think I know the answer to that!! Not even a groan out of you!!”

Poor Nivaria couldn’t do a single thing, pinned from the back to the face and no loose arms really made them helpless against the mastiff’s frosty onslaught. The combination of the frozen powder getting smeared into their fur and ears, the chilling winds clashing with their unprotected head, and the flakes stuffed into their maw slowly turning into ice cold water was a devastating combination of cold. The vixen only felt chills course through their body as the mastiff kept going and going.

What to do, what to do, WHAT TO DOOO!!Nivaria thought to herself as the barrage of flakes from the dog kept coming. Elliot soon started to slap her on the side of her face one after another with piles of snow. beating the vixen in the face, slowly covering the only eye that wasn’t smashed into the bark of the tree. The snow kept coming from their captor, their face started going numb from the forceful frosty slaps along with the cumbersome amount of powder residing in the fur and body. Nivaria could only squirm and squirm as their sight was soon taken away. Sight, sound, and voice were all finally taken away by the massive mastiff.

ENOUGHHH YOU STUPID MASTIFF!!, she exclaimed to herself once she could no longer see Elliot out of their peripheral vision. No more playing along, the bitter cold and forceful pushing could no longer be tolerated by the vixen!! With one swift movement Nivaria kicked Elliot in one of their massive, tree trunk thigh. The kick sent the message, finally freeing themselves from Elliot’s knee that pressed against them. Though they were still kissing the bark of the tree, their back could finally breathe and recover from the pain.

“Urgghh!! DIDN’T KNOW YOU COULD KICK LIKE THAT NIV!! FINALLY FIGHTING BACK I SE-- OUGHHHH----!!!!”

Nivaria did another swift kick right into Elliots gut. The mastiff reeled back in pain, finally letting Nivaria’s head free from the tree. Elliot clasped onto their gut, collapsing down into the snow and gasping for air on their knees. The vixen used their torso to push themselves off the tree, finally standing straight again after an eternity of being pinned to the trunk. She soon started working on her hands, forcefully and struggling to get their wrists free from the scarf. With enough time and strength she freed herself from her wool cuff that the mastiff tied, throwing the frost-crusted scarf into the powder. Finally, freedom at last for Nivaria. The first thing she did was dig all that tightly packed snow out of their ears, giving her frozen head a little bit of relief. Soon she spat out the snow in her mouth. Well, what little was left in her maw, most of it already turned into ice cold water that she begrudgingly had to swallow. Finally, Nivaria was warming back up, just a few shakes and all of Elliot’s damage was erased; the flakes of snow slowly fell to the ground that rested in her fur and hair. All senses were back yet again, ready to continue this brawl. She pulled up her snow-weighted hood and got it nice and snug around her head, doing what Elliot couldn’t as flakes poured out.

“Hmmph!! You really don’t pull any punches now do you, well glad to see you got a taste of your own medicine now… fufufu!! This duel is far from over, hopefully you can recover quickly now, Elliottttt!!”

The mastiff couldn’t retort, only gasping and wheezing as they stared down into powder. The fight was far from over as Nivaria stated, someone had to be down on the ground covered head to toe in snow before a victor is declared in this town! Nivaria started packing her ammunition as Elliot was incapacitated. Soon she was off, running quickly through the deep snow as she carried her frosty bullets. Throwing one after another at the recovering mastiff, making her mark on the large target with deadly precision. Elliot reeled her head back in pain as Nivaria whipped her snowballs right at their face. POMPF, POMPF, POMPF one after another rang out into the desolate winter air as they plastered Elliot’s goggles and snout. The mastiff was just target practice for the approaching vixen, the cold stinging pain surged throughout Elliot’s face as the pellets of snow kept attacking her. She was still recovering, clinging onto any of the cold oxygen surrounding her, she gasped and gasped but little air filled her lungs, the vixen just wouldn't give her a single second to herself. With one last snowball from Nivaria she pelted Elliot dead center in their forehead, sending the wheezing mastiff into the deep powder. She was swept off her knees and fell flat on her back, her hat even flew off her head from Nivaria’s deadly throw.

The vixen loomed over their once captor, Elliot stared up at their friend. Her head rang out in pain and spun in circles, who knew that this small Vixen had a killer arm like a pitcher. Elliot peered through what little cracks she had in her goggles, gazing at the vixen with her tired eyes as Nivara stood tall once more. Soon enough though Nivaria planted themselves atop the mastiff’s snowy mountain that was once her gut, straddling her legs around Elliot’s torso to capture their snow-lover foe.

“Well now, after that whole ordeal look how far the mighty have fallen, fufufufu~!! Hopefully you can still understand me after all those snowballs to the face, I see you’re still out of breath though… How about some… payback!! Sounds fun, right, Elliot?”

“HUFFF…. HUFFF… Don’t… HUFFF… Da… Dare…. HUFF”

“Ohhh “Don’t you dare”? I don’t think you have any leverage in this situation, Elliot!! Now enjoy the frozen treat, snowmuncher!!”

Elliot was still trying her best to regain her former strength as their foe sat atop them. The vixen dug into the deep, white powder with their large mitt. Going as deep as they could until their elbow was fully enveloped by the snow, gathering as much flakes as they could to give Elliot the best frozen treat ever. Their arm emerged from the depths, she bolstered an armful of snow, making it look like a tree branch supporting the flakes. But her mitten was carrying a massive pile of snow, she sure took her time and she knew as she stared smugly at the mastiff. Elliot knew what was coming, she was poised and primed for a frosty gag, the mastiff could only brace for impact as they breathed what little air they gathered. Nivaria slowly lowered the flakes they carried, getting closer and closer to Elliot’s agape maw without a single flake falling.

“Enjoy~!!”

With one swift movement Nivaria striked, fitting every last flake of snow into Elliot’s maw, cutting off their main airflow and some payback. Her grin of joy only widened as she pushed her mountain of flakes harder and harder into Elliot’s agape mouth. It was enough force and powder to choke the mastiff, struggling to bring any air in through the dense flakes as Nivaria kept on shoving the mitten full of snow down her throat. More senses were next, lifting up Elliot’s floppy ears and shoving scoops full of snow deep into their ears; they were getting the same treatment they dished out, a proper comeuppance from Nivaria! As the vixen rubbed flakes of snow into Elliot’s face the mastiff was finally ready. The mastiff feasted on the flakes of snow in her maw, biting on the pile of flakes like a pastry and swallowing the extra liquid as well. Nivaria stopped immediately the second she heard the crunching of snow, she was excited but her heart raced with fear, her fun was already up. Elliot quickly grabbed the collar of the vixen’s parka, gripping it with all their might and dragging Nivaria down to meet Elliot’s lips but never embracing. With what strength she have recovered the mastiff threw Nivaria off her body, free again from their clutches. The vixen scurried away a few feet once she landed on her back; she didn’t want to be in close combat with a fully recovered megalo-mastiff. Elliot picked up their torso and shook their head, unclogging their ears and hearing the howls of the winter wind yet again. Soon she was back on her feet, cleaning off her goggles for another time today to see the white forest once more.

Elliot quickly glared at Nivaria with an icy cold stare, growling at their friend with a smug grin despite their recent position. The vixen shuddered with fear as the serious mastiff stared at her, but she quickly stood up tall and proud to match the prowess of their foe. The canids stared at each other, no snowballs were in sight, the winds howled and echoed out into the frigid forest as the tension grew and grew. Who was going to make the first move? Both stood still like sculptures, feeling the snow mold around their boots and bitterness of the flakes seep past their footwear. Finally, Nivaria took the first step, breaking the snowy standoff as she stepped to their left, Elliot followed. Crunch after crunch the canids circled each other, never taking their eyes off one another as they sauntered through the snow. Their distance grew slowly as they walked, someone had to make a move, but this was it, this had to be the finale. Alas, the vixen quickly dug their purple mittens into the snow, emerging with a tightly packed pellet. Elliot saw their canid foe move and reacted, doing the same thing but was interrupted by Nivaria’s attack. Plastering their shoulder in powder but Elliot kept on packing with urgency. Elliot finally had ammunition but Nivaria was out of range, standing yards away from the mastiff as they held another frosty pellet.

“Fufufu… C’mon now, Elliot! We still need to have some FUN!!”

“Hehe.. heheh.. HEHEHEHE!!! YOU’RE RIGHT!! THE DAY IS STILL YOUNG!! LET'S FIGHT TILL OUR HEART'S CONTENT!! RAARRGGHHHH!!!”

“NOW YOU’RE TALKING, MY BATTLE HARDENED MASTIFF!! GAHH!!

Elliot rushed towards Nivaria, whipping their snowball as hard as they could towards the yelling vixen. Direct hit, dead center of the vixen’s face, Nivaria screeched out in pain but didn’t succumb. She clasped onto her only ammunition as hard as she could without breaking it in the palm of her mitt as she reeled back in pain. Elliot was making headway towards her, she took her time despite the urgency at hand; a single deep breath, she reeled back, waiting for the perfect opportunity. It was clear that this mastiff had no plan, just running straight forward across the field right at their foe. WOOSH!! DOMPF!! Nivaria returned the favor, pelting the massive mastiff right in the maw. She flinched but didn’t move a single inch, a stunning attack from vixen but not good enough. The scars of snow were plastered on one another, not taking a single moment to clean the flakes out of their fur. Elliot and Nivaria mimicked one another, both bent down into the deep snow to meld more snowballs for this finale. Nothing could deter these two snow-loving fanatics from this snowy skirmish, not even a third party that came to ambush them could wane the focus of these canids. They would just stand there, firmly planted, making snowballs to annihilate one another.

Finally both were done, straddling their snowballs in their non-dominant arm, they were off. Both started running around the field, throwing their ammunition at one another as they dodged and weaved past the others attacks. The canids did their best, trying to damage one another, they were both nimble in their own ways. Nivaria with her petite size and Elliot knowing the limits of her wide stature. But both were dry, finally out of ammunition yet again. This was no time to stop and craft though, the canids kept up their aerobic performance. Packing snowballs as they kept light on their paws to evade on another so they didn’t leave themselves open. Sliding and skating around the deep powder so they would constantly stay on the move as they packed and prepared another powdery bullet. Despite the hearty efforts both combatants landed hits on one another, no matter how many times one weaved and dove into the snow the other would find an opening to leave a nice stinging reminder to know who they’re dealing with. It went on forever it seemed, Elliot would dodge the incoming attack and retaliate, either missing or pelting the vixen. Nivaria would do the same and ad infinitum. Both canids didn’t want to give up, they've come so far escaping each other's clutches, so why give in now on the even playing field? Though everyone has their limits, Elliot was the first to fall. Running out of breath and steam she sat on her knees, in the moment the mastiff forgot where she was. A snowball smacked right into the side of her head, her head rang out in pain as the bullet hit her on the side of her temple. It even had enough force to knock their furry ushanka clean off, resting deep in the snow.

“Huff… Huffff… Ha… Look… look at you, can’t… can’t even stand… Huff stand on your own two feet now, huh? Hahaahaaa…. Ughh…”

Nivara was soon to follow, falling on her hands and knees, taking a break from the heated conflit herself. Elliot still wasn’t laying face first in the snow though, she did the same, gasping and wheezing for air yet again in the midst of combat to recover some stamina. Nobody moved a muscle, only their chests moving as their lungs pumped air back into them, their brawl was far from over. Elliot stood clumsily picked themselves back up, Nivaria followed suit, breaktime was up. The canids were clad in white from head to toe, from the battle scars of snowballs from one another and loose flakes from all the sporadic dodging, the trained eye couldn’t even tell you the original colors of their gear were. Their gazes were locked yet again, still breathing heavily, doing their best to attain their former glory. No words belted out from their maws, the tension was beginning to build back up again. The wind howled out yet again, kicking up flakes of snow to make a smokescreen of white powder. That was their signal, the canids kicked into high gear, digging their mitts into the snow yet again. Nivaria swiftly made snowballs, churning out a pellet every three seconds. Elliot on the other hand did something else, something patent of her style. She meld and molded, scooping up piles upon piles of flakes and grafting it onto her usual sized snowball. She kept going, making the biggest snowball she could before the flakes dissipated. Going and going with no worry in the world, this had to be her magnum opus. Finally, the nature-made cover was gone. The canids could see each other yet again. Nivaria stood there with her menacing aura, standing next to her mountain of snowballs at her side. Elliot on the other hand clasped her gargantuan snowball between her mittens, using all her might to not drop the densely packed snowman sized torso. The mastiff moved.

“HERE I COMEEEEEEEEEEE!!! NIVARIAAAAAAAAAAA!!! RAAGHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

She sprinted towards the vixen. She knew what was to come, the first snowball grazed her hair, she knew the consequences the second she added that first pile of snow to her snowball. Elliot ran as fast as they could through the open field to close the distance. Though the military trained vixen didn’t fear the massive mastiff rushing towards her. One after another each and every snowball pelted Elliot. Head, torso, groin, legs, nowhere was safe, she whipped her snowballs at the speed of a machine gun, letting that damn egotistical mastiff know that she was stupid enough to do this. Elliot couldn't give up, she had no other choice but to endure each and every stinging pain of cold that surged through her body. Elliot ran and ran, her lungs were set ablaze, just a bit further before her desired striking distance. Nivaria started to worry, Elliot just wouldn’t go down, her mind was racing with thoughts of fear and doubt, thinking about how incompetent she was and what was to come of her. The mastiff made it, she leaped into the air as high as her legs would allow her, hovering over the vixen, blocking out what any light cascades down upon her. Her arms started to move, readying to slam this massive snowball onto her foe and knock her out cold. Though with one last move, Nivaria threw one last snowball, aiming it with deadly precision, It landed, smacking Elliot right in the face, enveloping them in a cloud of snowy mist and pain. But soon enough it was lights out for Nivaria, the huge ball of snow crashed into their head,it rang out in pain and dazing them. She quickly fell down to the ground, face first. Elliot followed them into their grave of snow, they also kissed the ground, Nivaria didn’t go down without a fight.

The two were unresponsive, both sprawled out in the snow laying in their mutual graves. Flakes start to fall down from the skies above, winds howling out yet again, sweeping flakes across their corpses. Their bodies lay limp and frozen to the core. Their carcases are unrecognizable, blending into the ground that they once used as a tool of combat. Nivaria boasting a thick blanket of snow across her head and upper torso and Elliot layered and bruised with snowball marks all across. The conclusion to this massacre was bittersweet as the snow they forced each other to feed on. None rein victorious over the other; a hard ball of snow to swallow for the both of them once they rise again from the flakes. The sun finally sets and the curtain falls onto these snow-loving canids; their fantastic bout ends in a draw.