[ LOG ] The spar - FIN

[Thalion]

Note

AIM rp between Thalion & Andranis.
Characters Involved:
- Mkorogo
- Vahn
- Bai Feng
- Lucia
- Fubar

Andranis (11:25:29 PM): Dusk was a wonderful time for a leopard, it seemed. They blended best with the land, and could hide almost anywhere. There were also few noisy animals that could alert others of the presence of one, which Mkorogo loathed. It made simply taking a walk and observing all around him... Hard.

Not that he could complain about being avoided, he hated most company. As he passed a clump of trees, he realized there were other predatory animals near by. Opting to skirt the clump, he did his best to peek without intruding.
Thalion (11:36:33 PM): Vahn narrowed his focus, every muscle in his body tensed up. Three...two...

The leopard shot forward like an arrow launched from a tightened bowstring. His claws dug into the ground, sending chunks of earth up in his wake, more traction, more speed. Drawing in a sharp breath, he shot up into the air towards the trunk of the tree. In a series of sharp, precise movements he sprang from the trunk and lunged out for one of the higher branches.

His jaws snapped open and shut against the bark, sending spinters shooting up into the air. Half a moment later, he was back on the ground, holding the severed branch in his mouth.
Andranis (11:44:17 PM): Pausing in his wandering, Mkorogo looked up. There was another leopard, attacking... A tree. Curiousity piqued, he went to investigate.

Climbing a low tree, he stretched out on a branch to watch. There had to be a reason to be going after a tree... That or he was just delusional and thought it was an elephant or something.
Thalion (11:46:41 PM): Vahn dropped the branch and wiped at his mouth. He'd snapped it... but he needed a thicker target. Needed to jump higher to reach the thicker branches. His dark eyes moved to one side, slowly picking through the many branches darkened by the dusk.

"Hm."

He turned, paced from the tree, then froze a few yards off. Once more he turned and ran for the trunk, this time breaking into a full run. He leapt once more, caught the trunk and launched himself higher- unfortunately, he over-shot the branch.
Andranis (11:48:20 PM): Watching the other leopard, Mkorogo tilted his head. Okay, not just the one tree... Digging his claws into the bark, he frowned. Just what WAS the other cat doing?
Thalion (11:50:36 PM): Vahn landed with a frusterated snarl. Not accurate enough. Not aggressive enough. Huffing he shot off once more, this time for another tree. This time, his 'watcher' was spotted, distracting him from his target branch. Vahn dipped his head, barely avoiding the branch and landed down below. Not a heartbeat later he was whipped around and bristled. "Who goes there!?"
Andranis (11:58:26 PM): Letting out a wide and exageratedly loud yawn, Mkorogo looked back down. "Just someone with nothing better to do than watch the world." He stood, stretching out before he dropped down. "But instead of just calling me Bored, call me Mkorogo." He looked back at the trees, frowning. "So... Just what are you doing...? Because you don't look like you're seeing giant lions."
Thalion (12:06:39 AM): Vahn's posture didn't relax even slightly. He remained tense, standing on guard. "...I'm training." He answered simply, sharply...as if the stranger should know.
Andranis (12:07:55 AM): An eyebrow slowly went up. "Training... Training for what?" He walked over to the tree trunk, rising up on his hind paws to dig his claws in. As his paws moved down, he looked back. "Whatever it is... A tree's not going to help you much..."
Thalion (12:09:11 AM): "It's accuracy training..." He snapped. "You can't fight a moving target if you don't know the basics.:"
Andranis (12:11:30 AM): The other eyebrow went up. "Uh-huh..." Placing his paws back on the ground, Mkorogo turned to face the other leopard. "And you can't accurately hit a moving target... If you're going after targets that aren't moving to begin with when you train." Starting to pass the other, he glanced over. "And it's poor manners to not return the gesture of an offered name."
Andranis (12:13:04 AM): ((I think in the God/Goddess section of the En Gedi, Dih-ji's domain should be fixed? He was changed to God of Hope... I don't know when oO Didn't notice until who knows how long after it DID change XD; ))
Thalion (12:13:26 AM): I tok him off XD Since hope was kinda weird
Andranis (12:13:34 AM): Ah XD
Thalion (12:18:36 AM): "It's Vahn." He slowly circled around, keeping the same distance between himself and the other male, "And there's nothing wrong with sharpening one's skills.... you should be doing something with your time than evesdropping."
Andranis (12:21:19 AM): "I'm not eavesdropping, Vahn." He paused, ears flicking one way, then the other. "And I never said there was anything wrong, just that you won't get far if the target you're practicing on is in a fixed position, where as a real opponent..." He suddenly ducked into the grass, slinking along the ground quickly.
Thalion (12:29:37 AM): "...", he eyed the male. "...are you suggestiong...that we fight?" He tipped his head slightly, "Why?"
Andranis (12:32:25 AM): Sitting up, Mkorogo looked back. "If you want to be accurate in hitting a target, you can't just practice on a tree. Opponents have unpredictable moves." He shrugged, looking bored. "Or that's what my old man told me." He made a face, then stood up. "And I'm not suggesting we fight... I'm just offering help." Not that he'd been asked. Why was he even offering it in the first place...?
Thalion (12:34:01 AM): Vahn eyed him for a moment longer, considering. He was actually wondering the same thing...why did a random stranger want to help? It seemed strange that a rogue would offer such a thing. "Very well. A spar then."
Andranis (12:35:34 AM): He gave Vahn a sharp look, then turned towards him. "You sure? I'm rusty... I don't exactly fight that often..." Not that he wanted to... That was why he wasn't back in the jungle with the colony, after all. That and his brother was a prissy wimp... He took on a stance, watching the other leopard.
Thalion (12:37:37 AM): Vahn smirked and squared himself up against the other male, his shoulders rolling around to settle himself. "Fight to survive...I won't use my claws."
Andranis (12:38:37 AM): "Alright, then..." Trying to remember anything at all his father had told him... Besides the advice about moving targets versus stationary.. Mkorogo flexed his paws before charging forward.
Thalion (12:40:52 AM): Vahn watched the other male's movements, his eyes never leaving him, watching, calculating. He snapped to one side as the male charged and reached his paw out to slap at his flank. "Not aggressive enough."
Andranis (12:42:04 AM): It wasn't the sudden movement that caught him offguard - He'd been expecting any kind of reflextive movement like that. No, it was the slap to the rump that had him skidding and stumbling. When the dust settled, Mkorogo sat up, looking at Vahn in shock. "What the hell was THAT?!"
Thalion (12:43:12 AM): "If I'd been fighting you- that would have been a crippling blow." He snapped around and sent a wide paw out for the male's jaw- no claws, but the blow was strong enough to perhaps knock him back a bit.
Andranis (12:45:42 AM): Tumbling back, Mkorogo growled. His claws dug into the ground before he jumped forward, aiming for Vahn's paws. Cripple the paws, you had a chance to cripple the enemy. Instinct told him to bite, but he quashed instinct. This wasn't a biting situation.
Thalion (12:49:06 AM): Vahn leaned back, pulling his paws back against his chest. Unfortunately, the sudden save attempted caused him to loose ballence and fall backwards. "...you're not so bad."

 

[Thalion]

Andranis (8:23:36 PM): He didn't pause as he landed, emediately jumping at Vahn again. While his paws stretched and splayed, his claws didn't stretch out. There was no need to actually dig his claws into flesh. At least... Not now. "You're not so bad yourself!"

Thalion (8:26:21 PM): Vahn's expression gave way to a faint, albet dangerous, smirk. He remained on his back as the other male jumped him. He narrowed his eyes and drew in a sharp breath. With one fluid movement of his hind legs, his rival would be sent flying up and over him. There'd be no claws but a kick was a kick. "I try."
Andranis (8:27:45 PM): Mkorogo let out a grunt, tumbling as he landed. In an instant, he was back on his paws, facing Vahn. As his sides heaved, he shook his head. "I've gotten too relaxed..." He paused, ears flicking back. "And lazy."
Thalion (8:30:02 PM): Vahn rolled himself to his belly and in one push, he sent himself into a backward leap- away from the male and back on his feet. He slowly lifted a paw, quietly requesting a standstill in their spar. One of his dark ears slowly rolled to the side as his eyes narrowed and shifted to one side.
Andranis (8:33:35 PM): One ear lifted just a bit higher than the other, swiveling around. With a snap, his head turned to the side, eyes narrowed. He was lazy, he was rusty at fighting, but Mkorogo never stopped observing his surroundings.
Thalion (8:39:47 PM): "We're not alone." He muttered under his breath. Every muscle in his body tensed as his dark eyes slowly scanned their surroundings.

"Well done." A thickly accented, albet strong, voice called out from just off to the left of the leopard. Slowly, a white figure pulled itself free from the shadows of the brush. A pair of dim blue eyes seemed narrowed on the two. A cheetah, large and muscled, bearing a highly decorated eastern-style coursing harness. However- as far as the two leopards were conserned- it was a man's device clinging to the cheetah's neck and back.
Andranis (8:42:47 PM): He'd seen many things animals wore, most of them necklaces. Unless it had opposable thumbs, though, nothing could truly seem to gauge the right size for a necklace chain so it didn't hang loose. This was... Different... Finding nothing threatening from a cheetah, Mkorogo turned and stepped just a bit closer. "And you are...?" Where had he seen something like that before?

Thalion (8:47:34 PM): "Bai Feng." He responded sharply. Feng had left a few yards between himself and the two others- just enough to give him a fighting chance in case the two proved hostile. "Tactitian." He added, "And you?"

Vahn growled quietly under his breath. "...you must not be a very smart cheetah to come up on a pair of leopards out here..." He was eyeing the strange devices that stood on the cheetah. He'd never seen anything like it...
Andranis (8:49:21 PM): Mkorogo tilted his head, regarding the cheetah. "Very ballsy... You must know we're not going after you, if you have no problem coming near us." He took another step. "And yet you have a good distance from us... You're brave, but cautious."
Thalion (8:54:23 PM): "Hm." The cheetah smirked slightly. "I am not so much a fool to have come alone..." He glanced to either side. The leopards would then see two pairs of eyes flash in the dim light from the shadows, "But...we are not here to harm. The commotion simply arose some need for caution."

Cheetahs didn't normally travel in groups... The fact that two other...somethings stood nearby had the young leopard on guard. "What do you want?"

"Who are you?"
Andranis (8:56:24 PM): Watching the eyes, the red-orange haired cat compared lines of vision. One was too high to be a cheetah, at least to him. He was a bit big for a leopard, but... Not by much. No cheetah could be that big... His fur bristled, claws inching out and body going on the defense. "Mkorogo..." He paused, looking back at the cheetah. "Who are you, and which one of your friends ISN'T a cheetah, and what are they?"
Thalion (8:58:53 PM): "Vahn." He surrendered sharply.

"Neither are actually." Feng flicked the tip of his tail sharply. Both figures slowly pulled free from the shadows. One- a mained wolf, the other a well-muscled female hyena. Both came to stand beside the cheetah, though neither seemed overly eager to attack. "Lucia and Fubar. Elite guard and guard."
Andranis (9:00:38 PM): Frowning, he started to back up. Hyena... Mkorogo was uneasy around a hyena. "Elite guard... And just what have we found here...?" He wasn't even going near the question of who this cheetah was, not yet.
Thalion (9:02:30 PM): "You are fortunate enough to happen upon the Chokwe troupe." Feng rolled his shoulders back and lifted his head up. "Traveling warriors and tacticians."

Vahn blinked. Cheetahs...wolves...and hyenas standing shoulder to shoulder? He'd never believe it if he'd not seen it for himself. A male of few words- for the moment he let his 'comrade' do the talking.
Andranis (9:04:32 PM): "How are we fortunate, exactly...?" He eyed the heyna, then looked at the wolf. His eyes returned to the collar... It was unsettling, not remembering where he'd seen it before. Tail flicking, he puzzled over it.
Thalion (9:08:21 PM): "We are not hostile." He said bluntly. "And we do not see species- only individuals."

"Relax." Lucia stepped forward. The female hyena had her share of scars- to include one from a human rifle. "Spotless here likes to over-complicate things. We're a traveling group- so anyone that gets close to our boarders is either seeking us out or it's up to chance. We just want to know what brought you this way."
Andranis (9:12:11 PM): Shrugging rather impassively, Mkorogo did his best to relax. "It was just that - chance. I was up in a tree, he was jumping at branches." He looked over at the clump of trees. "Just how many of you are hiding in there? There isn't an elephant or something, is there?"
Thalion (9:13:59 PM): The hyena chuckled, a haunting almost mocking sound. "No. Just us three. The others are at camp." She looked between the two. "Perhaps... you could join us for the night? We had a sucessful hunt tonight."
Andranis (9:16:44 PM): As his tail curled, Mkorogo glanced at Vahn. "What say you?" He wasn't about to go into a group alone... Even if he'd just met Vahn, he knew the other leopard better than this motley crew.

Thalion (9:56:23 PM): "Before your...young friend answers." The cheetah stepped forward. "We are very impressed by the skilles the both of you displayed in combat. The honor you showed, the restraint." He looked between the two, "We could use your strength."

Vahn's shoulders slowly fell. Impressed? He glanced to his 'comrade' then back to the small group of intruders. "...it can't hurt. Though..." He glanced shortly behind himself. Myerle. Looking back he nodded. "Fine."

Andranis (9:58:21 PM): Eyeing the cheetah, Mkorogo frowned. "Okay, but there's one condition... My... Friend... Gets to join, too." First he had to find her... And get over his personal issues. Ears flicking, he paused. "Wait, do I look old...?" His ears drooped, as if he feared getting old.
Thalion (10:02:27 PM): "Old?" Feng seemed thrown back by the question where as Lucia tossed her head back in a hyena's laugh.

"If you're old, I'm a fossel and Feng here's dust." She took a deep breath to calm the laughter from her voice. "Your friend-Vahn-looks like he's just getting into his adult frame."

He snorted. "My friend as well- to join along with me... IF I decide it's worth my time." He ignored the comment for the moment.
Andranis (10:04:42 PM): Mkorogo let out a sigh, relaxing just a fraction. He then tilted his head, frowning. "Okay... I thought I was being called old..." He shook his head, clearing the misheard words from his mind. "For the night... Then... I'll go find Kohpi..." There WAS safety in numbers, and if she could trust them, he could. Then again... She'd trust a black mamba.
Thalion (10:07:53 PM): "One second." Vahn threw a paw out to stop the other leopard. His voice lowered as he leaned forward a bit. "...if it's a trap- your friend will be in danger first. It's safer to check it out first...'
Andranis (10:09:34 PM): Looking at Vahn, Mkorogo frowned. "That's why I'm not getting her NOW. Besides... She's safe, she's with her mother..." Even with his slightly larger size... Mkorogo paled in comparison to Mioyo's size. If anything was going to mess with THAT to get to Kohpi, they were either very brave, or very VERY stupid.
Thalion (10:11:11 PM): Vahn made a quiet growling sound behind a deep breath. Instead of arguing, he turned away sharply. "Fine. Hurry up."