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 Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 12:31 am
(( This post is a continuation from the one in the main thread. I figured maybe Uuo could jump at her and knock her off target, aka; preventing her from reaching Kidondo. ))
“Heretic!” Ripuka screamed. Her mouth foamed from her anger, her breathing was harsh and laboured. She was so angry that her whole body quivered. Her one good eye was dark, murderous. Ripuka could imagine, in her mind’s eye, Kidondo’s death; his body battered and broken on the sand that he had soiled with his filthy words.
“If it were not for our faith we would have perished long ago! Back when the plague came to snap at our heels! Things are hard, but they always have been! So is the life of a Firekin! That is why we are strong! That is why we are superior!” She stepped towards the banished prince threateningly, hackles bristling.
“And when our pride dwindled and we feared we would fade, long lost brethren from the outside returned to us. Gave us new generations.” Including her own children, though she did not mention them. “Finar-si guided them back to us! And she will guide us now in our time of need.” Spittle covered her fangs, her muzzle wrinkled in a ferocious snarl. Ripuka, was half mad with rage. Her tail lashed behind her, flickering like a flame dancing in a violent wind.
She would kill him! Kill him!
And in her madness she forgot everything. She forgot her mate, her beautiful orange mate. She forgot her daughter who was somewhere close by. She forgot Wakia, brave, strong Wakia and she forgot her abandoned son, the son she loved and hated all at once. In her rage, she even forgot herself, not seeming to care that she could be throwing herself to her own death.
She leapt towards Kidondo, eyes flashing, claws unsheathed.
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:41 am
The snarl rested on Uuo's maw, a growl and a roar of challenge desperate to get loose, but Uuo restrained them until the last second once the chance had presented itself. Rather than give away the element of surprise, as Ripuka lunged for the prince, full of intent to kill, Uuo intervened.
Finally allowing the angry cry to fall free, it was only at the same instance that her body firmly made contact with Ripuka's, bodily shouldering the lioness away from the heir. Uuo was no runt, and she was built like no ordinary rogue. Strong roots and heritage gave her a stubborn bloodline that left her towering, a powerhouse compared to normal lions. Despite her thicker fur she had come to adore these lands, and that's why she chose to fight for them, to not only help those in need but to also find a place where she could belong, and a spirit as strong as the Firekin was perfect, the perfect title for herself. She'd show these lions "of the blood" inferior.
She whipped her head around once Ripuka had been repelled, staring Kidondo in the eye but for an instant.
"Go!"
It wasn't meant as an order in the least, but a show that she'd deal with this one, that they would fight to clear as much of a path as they could as the rebels engaged the traditionalists and he sought out his father.
Uuo afterwards turned back to Ripuka, claws at the ready, the former "Slave" now showing her prior owner exactly what made her such a force to be reckoned with. She didn't fight with anger, and that might just give her an advantage of some sort for now.
"Get up. If it's a fight you want then your fight will be with me, not him."
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:18 am
Kidondo saw Ripuka coming for him, knew that unless he did something she’d be tearing out his throat. A part of him told him to attack, to kill her and end her misery. It might be best in the long run, though he didn’t wish to see such a lioness die, especially not by his own claws.
And then Uuo was there, barring entry to his attacker. He met her gaze with a look of silent gratitude. There would be time for words later. Then, casting a final glance to the lioness he had once considered a mother, he turned and sprang, leaping through the mass of confusion.
He had to be careful, make sure no traditionalist took him by surprise. He had to find his father and he couldn’t let anyone stop him from reaching his target.
All around him chaos erupted, like a scene from hell itself. He felt a pang of guilt and sadness that a future for them had to be birthed from the blood of their fallen kindred. He just hoped that today would be the last day such terrible war would be brought to his brethren. Though somehow he thought it an empty hope. They would never be united under one flag again.
He pushed onwards, picking up the scent of his father and parting his jaws to call for him.
Ripuka was sent flying by Uuo’s bulk and strength combined. The ground hit her, dazing her, leaving her blinking up at the inferior slave with confusion. And then she heard the piercing word: Go.
No, no! The old lioness hissed and pulled herself up in time to meet Uuo’s challenge and to see Kidondo fleeing. Seeing him leaving had the lioness howling like a thing possessed and her whole body twitched with anger, desperate to give chase but not wishing to turn her back in fear it would get raked by claws. So, instead, she focused all her anger at Uuo, pushing Kidondo roughly to the back of her mind. She would deal with this creature than give chase.
She just hoped someone had warned Kimeti. Her Lord needed to be prepared!
“Look at the filthy slave.” Ripuka taunted, spittle on her teeth. “Acting like it’s a Firekin.” She pulled back a little, digging her claws deep into the sand. “It should learn its place in the world, don’t you think, Finar-Si?”
“Kidondo betrayed us, slave. What makes you think that he won’t betray you?” She added a hiss to her words, snake-like and angry. She swayed lightly, eyeing Uuo with her one good eye.
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:00 pm
With a satisfied smirk, Uuo watched the prince depart, focuing her energy on Ripuka quickly, however, lest she be caught unawares.
"Oh, aren't we amusing? So blind... You expect an answer from this so called goddess that has abandoned you? Come on then now, let's test the strength of that blind faith of yours. I'll show you by my own teeth and claws just how useless it is sitting around, waiting to be helped by this magnificent figment of your imagination." She snarked, continuing to smirk as her muscles waited, taunt for battle. Her tail lashed pensively behind her, body eager to move into the familiar dance that it had known for so many years, guarding their birthlands and making their way here. "Kidondo is not blinded by such stupid ideals. He understands that if things are to change for the better it will be by work and effort, and not sitting around growing fat and lazy, telling old war stories while your 'slaves' grow strong by the work you pass off onto them! You call us inferior, but when all is said and done, old woman, you'll either see for yourself. We are the stronger. We will not lose!" She declared boldly, perhaps even loud enough for those around to hear as well, those that could amidst the chaos. Soon enough Uuo and Ripuka's angry cries would join the masses all around already in battle.
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:51 pm
She snarled, her eyes narrowing angrily. They were piercing, vicious, much like a snake's slit eyes. "Of course, a slave could never understand." Ripuka spat. "You were not created by a Goddess. You were created by the scum of this world. You know nothing."
She swung to the right, head swivelling to keep her good eye on the younger and obviously stronger female. But that didn't mean Ripuka was going to back down. No, she had children now to carry on her legacy. If this was the end of the line for her she would meet it in battle. The most noble of ways to die for a Firekin!
"Kidondo is a fool. He will destroy us if we do not fight! He will destroy our last ties with what we are. He is no longer Firekin. He is just like you. An inferior."
"Lose? Lose? Then who will lose, slave, because we certainly won't." She paced sideways another step, waving her tail high behind her.
"And when we win you will wish you had never been born." She lunged forwards, swiping outwards with a paw in an attempt to drive Uuo back a pace or two.
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 5:18 pm
Uuo's own growl returned with a fierceness at that, listening to Ripuka's words but not heeding them. They'd just be finding out the hard way then.
"Then put your value where your mouth is!!"
As Ripuka charged, Uuo did not back down, but instead reared up to block the blow, trying to knock the lioness' forearm aside, pouncing forward unafraid of the fury of the elder's fangs as she lunged to try tackling her down. Her own mouth parted wide with a boisterous growl, seeking to clamp down on any sensitive part that she could reach, face, neck, ears, nose. Her own paws went immediately to work, swinging hard to seek purchase in the orange one's hide.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:31 am
Ripuka's way of fighting was usually less brutal than one might imagine. She had faced a half-blood male a long time ago, before she had arrived back in her homeland. He had been huge, powerful, and yet she was here to tell the tale.
However, things were different now.
Before, she had been angry, yes. But she had been cautious, more desperate to readh a land that she loved. Ripuka, now, was in kamikaze mode. She would willingly throw herself into danger if it meant protecting everything that she believed in - or told herself that she believed in. Because, even though Ripuka would never admit it, some doubts had been floating around her own mind. Doubts that scared her and made her ashamed. Having the rebels here only made her aware of these, made her realise that she was tainting her spirit with such fears.
Now she would fight, fight to purge herself of these sins.
However, at the last moment, as Uuo reared up, Ripuka felt her anger ebb very slightly. What was she doing? She would die here. She would die and she would never get to see her children again, never share the joy of another litter with her mate. Never see Azarax to apologise...
Again the weakness.
There was no place for love on the battlefield.
Ripuka rose to meet Uuo's body with her own, clashing against her with brute force. She was old but there was still a surprising strength in her body. Birthing cubs had only seemed to enhance her health. She had glowed since becoming a mother, glowed with pride and yes, love too.
One of Uuo's blows caught her across the side of the face, spraying blood. Fileld with anger and rage at being the frst to meet a blow, Ripuka went berserk. She did not pull away as most would have done. She matched Uuo's claws with flailing erratic movements, her jaws snapping at the air neear Uuo's neck and face, desperate for her fangs to find that sensitive throat. Sink deep.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 7:13 am
She was aware that her claws had met with fur and body, but she was far from foolish enough to stop to savor it right then. She did, however, admit to feeling a tiny spark of triumph at drawing first blood, but kept her focus. As Ripuka fought back more fiercely Uuo growled and shut her eyes for protection against the oncoming claws, though she still felt their sting. As Ripuka's own talons raked down Uuo's face the rogue became immediately aware of the blood beginning to spill from the three gashes, thankfully between her eyes and on her forehad some rather than across either, or she might be blind right now.
With another sudden surge of energy she pushed forward all the harder, not afraid of Ripuka's attempts, but cautious enough to find a way to stop her. She angled her own head and snapped jaws to grab a hold of Ripuka's muzzle if she could, now clawing at Ripuka's chest with one claw while she dug the other stubbornly into the lioness' shoulder.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:08 am
Ripuka was so far gone she was barely aware of what strikes were hitting and what strikes were missing. The blood from her own wound was clotting her fur, it's scent heavy in her nostrils. The mark had caught her in the side of her face, along her muzzle, making it hard to breath from one nostril.
Then a sudden burst of pain brought her back to reality.
She had swung her head away, but not in time, and Uuo's fangs cut grooves into her already wounded face. Roaring, partly in pain and partly in anger, Ripuka pulled herself free, suddenly intent on increasing the gap between them.
What had she done? She hadn't been fighting smart! Had she really grown foolish in old age? No, no it was just the anger, she decided, the old Firekin blood in her veins.
So intense was the pain in her face, she barely even registered the red streaks coming into existance on her shoulder. She trembled, strengthened her stance and gave a growl that rattled in her chest like distant thunder.
"This fight means nothing, you know that, don't you?" Ripuka hissed, her breathing loud and ragged through her blood-clogged nose.
(( on Uuo's next main attack - in a post or so's time - maybe she could knock Ripuka off her paws, give her a good slash across one of her front legs? I'd quite like her to move with a limp after this fight as a reminder of what happened. Then, when it looks like Ripuka can't get back up I'll give Moon a shout and get Azzie in =3 ))
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:06 am
Uuo fell back to her paws as Ripuka withdrew, using the chance only briefly to catch her breath and snarl out a retort.
"Convinient words coming from someone that sounded so cocky and arrogant just moments ago. Does your goddess mean so little to you then?" She snapped, "It's disgraceful! To say you fight for your goddess and your pride, just to take the words back when the tides turn away from your favor?!" as she was lunging in and pressing the attack further, jaws snapped for any part of her opponent that could be reached while she was weakened. It was disgusting to her, how quickly one could seemingly change sides.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:22 am
"Ha!" Ripuka sneered. "You misunderstand me, slave." Ripuka replied haughtily. "This battle will be pointless because your heretic prince will fall. Think about it. Lord Kimeti is strong and wise, he has experienced battle and his heart is strong. Kidondo is weak, never once been in a duel. He will falter. He will die."
She smirked. "And when Kidondo dies, so will you."
She bounced back, being careful not to let Uuo get too close. She was beginning to feel more confident now. Surely her King could never fall! Not Kimeti! No, Finar-Si would never let her disciples fall! She couldn't lose!
Crimson saliva dripped from her slathered maw. She ducked one of Uuo's first attacks, was caught in the shoulders. Ripuka slid, dived, intent on knocking the 'slave' from her feet. A angry, threatening yowl tore from her throat.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:28 am
"I'll be the first to throw those words in your face when your precious king lays dead and these lands are restored to what they should be!" Uuo snarled back, dancing just out of Ripuka's claws immediate reach only to dive back in with another swipe of her claws, this one aimed for Ripuka's exposed side.
But all at once the Firekin was diving, slamming against Uuo, and Uuo, despite her matching size, was unprepared for the attack standing on only three paws. She fell to her side, and in a moment of near desperation not to be embowled, swiped her paw viciously through the sand, throwing dirt and hard granuals of earth at the orange one's eyes and wounds in an attempt to steal her sight, scrambling for her footing immediately after.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:33 am
Being blind in one eye gave Uuo the advantage. Sand seared up into her face, bite painfully into wounds on her face, forced her good eye closed. Screaming in anger and pain Ripuka backed off, shaking her head, wiping at her face with a paw to no avail - since her paw was also covered in sand.
"You beast!" She screamed in anguish, flicking her tail wildly. "What a cheap trick. Now I see there are more reasons that you're known as inferior!" She was beyond comfort, nothing could console her now, not even the thought of her King's victory.
She tried to prise her good eye open, saw nothing but a reddish blur against gold. Growling, she backed away, suddenly afraid of flailing teeth and claws.
And, not able to see, she lashed out with a paw and bellowed a roar that could very well be her last. It was filled with anguish, with hate, with pain. And it was not directed at Uuo alone. No, it was directed at everyone. An old Firekin's death song.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:46 am
Uuo thought nothing of the, in her mind, desperate insults. Growing up in a pride and traveling so much as a rogue one learned to defend themselves in any way possible. Possibly the only thing she'd never do would be to resort to attacking someone whose back was turned, the young, the weak, or the sick and in general the defenseless. It spared her life, and she would not die in the name of fighting "fair" by someone elses standards.
"I hope for your king's sake that he is more experienced in battle than this. Any good warrior knows to make their surroundings work for them!" She shot back. An ironic pity that she was clearly winning this fight. A flicker of guilt or remorse tried to seed itself in Uuo's mind but she stubbornly pushed it back. She wouldn't kill Ripuka if it could be avoided, the idea was to leave as many survivors as could be helped, and she could see that it pained Kidondo to turn on his people, she would not be the one responsible for the death of his kin.
In the first of her final attacks, Uuo lunged once more, swinging with an aggressive swipe of her claws, aiming for the shoulder. She knew that with the shoulder in the right amount of agony the rest of the leg would buckle, unable to support the weight, making it impossible for the lioness to attack again without crumpling like a newborn fawn. She also threw her full weight into another rough shouldering to send the lioness down to the ground, just for good measure. She'd have difficulty getting back up with any fortune, and Uuo could then end this with a blow to the Firekin's head, rendering her unconscious.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:50 am
And the force of Uuo's strike was certainly enough to knock the wobbly, blind old female to the ground. She landed hard, crippled. Her foreleg tense, sticking out oddly as if she were afraid to let it go limp in case the pain increased. Hissing like a puff adder, the lioness wriggled, thrashed her tail.
But she knew it was over.
No amount of hissing or roaring would save her now. All she could do was fight to the end, earn herself an honourable death. "My children will avenge me." She hissed spitefully. "They will know you, they will smell my scent, my blood on you." She wheezed. "They will see you to your death bed, slave!!"
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