The bear stared, and it at first wasn't clear if he was quite processing what it was that Eythan was saying. In the end, though, he grunted in the affirmative, rolling his shoulders in preparation.

Ear-grabbing. That was new, but he could manage that.

"Yes," was all he said, though he had no idea why Eythan was mentioning homes or what "one square" was.

He'd just follow the hybrid's lead, and wrestle. He hadn't really done that, before; it would be interesting. Fun, perhaps.

@Eythan

The bear was all ready, shoulders rolling and squaring off. Eythan's wings loosened at his sides, ears perking forwards. His toes spread out across the dirt, talons leaving minute little ruts in the mud as they did. A beat. His beak cracked open slightly, on the verge of clicking as he thought. Already, he had placed his goal at getting on top of this hulking behemoth, to perhaps wrap his forelimbs around that neck and get a nip in before Sergei could get a chance to roll onto him.

Perhaps an actual grab would be a bad idea, actually.

The gryphon skirted to the side, feinting slightly, before hunkering low and launching himself skyward with billowing wings. Propelling himself forward, Eythan began this little spar in the simplest manner: a hit-and-run. His wings were spread, slicing clean through the air as he tilted his head down and aimed to snatch that ear from above and basically head-on. May as well start confidently, right?

ROUND 1/?

GRAB LOG
EYTHAN (OOO)
SERGEI (OOO)

@Sergei

The bear flinched as the littler hybrid launched up into the air. He pushed himself with a heavy lurch onto his hind legs, coming upright just as Eythan shot downward. He winced as he felt his ear tugged, letting out a loud, sharp ursine groan.

Then, with his slow bulk, he twisted and aimed to bring a heavy paw down on the hybrid.

Sergei wasn't good with his own strength. He didn't intend to crush Eythan, but he didn't quite know how much force he should use. At least he wasn't going in claws-first, and he wasn't aiming to break bones or the like, but it was still a powerful downward swipe aiming to bring his skyborne attacker back down to earth. He wasn't sure if he was being too light, or too harsh, or what--he was, if anything, tentative about all this, but determined.

The bear hoped to catch him over his wing or back, and bring him crashing down.

@Eythan

Round: 1/?
Attempt: Use a paw to knock Eythan down from the air
Defense: None
Injuries: None

He felt the tell-tale floppy cartilage of an ear in his beak, and immediately relinquished his grip. The light seemed to fade from Eridanus just as he went to shout: "sorry, dude, might've pulled too ha--- FU--CK!" While it wasn't a resounding success, Sergei's enormous paw most certain hit a mark.

For example, square between Eythan's shoulders. It wasn't a full-on clubbing on the bear's part, but with stupid bird bones like his, the gryphon was definitely feeling it. Mud sprayed up into his mouth as he immediately flew downward, landing in a rather twisted heap. His paws scrabbled around uselessly on the riverbank. Only when he actually unsheathed his claws could he find something resembling a grip.

And the first thing he did with that grip while Sergei --- hopefully --- was still standing upright was push forward again. Wings tucked to his side, Eythan leveled his head with his shoulders, hunkered down, and launched himself at the bear's stomach. Why? Instinct, he supposed.

ROUND 2/?

GRAB LOG
EYTHAN (XOO)
SERGEI (OOO)

@Sergei

Sergei stared down for a moment, baffled, at the hybrid that was now pressed against his stomach. He wasn't aware that it had been an attack; was Eythan... hurt? Seeking comfort?

Bewildered, the brown bear dropped back to all fours, backing up a step as he did so. Gingerly he tried to take Eythan's ear between his teeth as he did so--very, very delicately.

Then--still concerned with this stranger's actions, he rumbled his question--thickly garbled by his accent. "Are you all rrright?"

His massive head tilted as he stared quizzically down. Were they meant to stop..?

Round: 2/?
Attempt: Take ear between teeth, gently
Defense: None
Injuries: None

@Eythan

Okay, so, listen: Eythan was doing his best.

Somewhere between launching himself at the bear and actually making contact, his paws had slipped and drained all power from the blow. To be honest, it was rather embarrassing. The mud-slicked hybrid couldn't even be bothered to spread his wings out or separate his feathers. Eythan just stood there, rather defeatedly, as Sergei just simply lumbered backwards and gently nipped at his ear. Only when he felt teeth and lip did the gryphon pull his head back and move away. "That was embarrassing. My paws slipped."

After a pause, he moved back to reset their position. "Soup's still on though. That's one-even." A beat, as he waited for any response, should Sergei offer one. Then, it was go time. There was no use standing around, expecting to tank a blow given by this wrecking ball Gembound. Eythan knew that his forte, here, would be agility, and hit-and-run tactics.

Fortunately for Sergei, the gryphon was sopping wet and covered in mud. Consequently, it'd be a little bit of a venture to try and jump up and over, again. This was a time to rely on fancy footwork. Eythan watched the bear intently for a moment, then took a loping trot around. Just as he would be behind Sergei, he took a much quicker pace, near-galloping. Another loop, and he'd leap --- hopefully from behind in order to wind up on the bear's back.

ROUND 3/?

GRAB LOG
EYTHAN (XOO)
SERGEI (XOO)

@Sergei

Sergei listened, puzzled once again.

"What is--'soup?'" he asked bewilderedly. And why was it on, and what did that--oof!

Eythan had circled him, while he'd still been trying to figure this all out, and leapt on him. For a beat Sergei let out a startled roar of protest, jaws wide and lower lip dropping. He thrashed first one way, then the other, rather cluelessly--what could he even do?! It didn't occur to the bear to do something smart like back into a tree, or roll onto Eythan.

So instead he just ducked his head quite low--and tried to protect his ears with his paws as best he could. He found, however, that when he tried to raise his paws, his head went down, now that there was nothing to hold his front end up. He let out a pained "oof" as his snout met dirt, then settled for tucking his head as low as he could and hopping on one forepaw, the other trying--ineffectually, for the most part--to cover one ear at a time.

Round: 3/?
Attempt: Cover his ears
Defense: None
Injuries: None

@Eythan

As soon as the furry mass beneath him began to move about, Eythan immediately hunkered down and tried to come along for the ride. "I didn't mean to confuse the shit out of you, but I gotta make sure I don't miss this chance, lad!" Sergei dropped down, completely messing up anything resembling balance that the gryphon had in order to cover up his ears.

Just as the spotted hybrid began to tumble literally head-over-heels, he lurched forth with the intention of hopefully snagging an ear on the way down. A simple maneuver, which would most certainly end with him completely covered in mud from head to toe.

Perhaps wrestling in the mud was a bad idea.

ROUND 4/?

GRAB LOG
EYTHAN (XOO)
SERGEI (XOO)

@Sergei

The bear let out another sound--this time a frustrated roar as he was unable either to protect his ears, nor to throw Eythan off. He felt a simmering rage building up in him, a heat he hadn't known before, and as the hybrid splashed into the mud he wasted no time.

He lunged, lurching forward with both forepaws--but keeping his head well off the ground. He aimed to bring his bulk down on Eythan, to pin him in the muck, by his chest and by his throat. The big bear did his best to bring his full weight down--not to crush Eythan, but enough to keep him from moving.

He'd have to get him motionless, he realized, if he was to get that ear--to get him helpless, first.

Round: 4/?
Attempt: Pin Eythan
Defense: Head held high up
Injuries: None

@Eythan

Oh god, oh fuck; that roar did not sound happy.

Oh god, oh fuck, part two: the bear was on top of him before Eythan could even begin to gather his bearings. A sharp wheeze escaped him, breath whistling from his beak. Rather than being pinned and on his back, the gryphon was trapped on his back, ears easily available, even from behind curved horns. All it'd take was one quick nip and it'd all be over with.

The gryphon was not intending to allow this to happen without at least trying. This wasn't a life-or-death situation, but it could be. Talons scrabbled uselessly in the muck, leaving little trails. Eythan thrashed as best as he could, half-buried in bear. He didn't have high expectations or hopes, but maybe he'd be slippery enough to get some leeway and spin onto his back.

ROUND 5/?

GRAB LOG
EYTHAN (XXO)
SERGEI (XOO)

@Sergei