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 Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:59 pm
 Fjolnir stalked through the fragrant bushes of his home. Usually, at this time of night, he would be wandering around the borders, refreshing his markings and hum some little tune in his deep, trained voice, but today he moved stealthily, wary of each step and every little sound. He had picked up the fresh scent of a stranger, moving around in his lands, and he was fairly certain it was a rather big male, judging by the scent.
Was he here to hunt? To challenge Fjolnir? He wouldn't be the first. Fjolnir had quite a few battles under his belt and had grown big and burly, guarding his home, but he still knew that it was always better to get the drop on any intruder, be he bigger or smaller. And nobody knew this terrain better than he did.
Bright pelt hidden by flowery underbrush, Fjolnir advanced on the intruders position silently.
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Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:00 am
 Dodonna inspected the remains of the small mammal that had been his dinner. He wasn't sure what kind of animal it had been, and didn't really care. It was small, and therefore food. Satisfied that he'd stripped all the meat he could, he rose to his feet and stretched out his muscles carefully, one by one until they were loose. Now for the night's real work.
He eyed a nearby tree, short and bulky in the trunk. His tail swished as he crouched low, but he concentrated on trying to keep it still. The rest of him was motionless, and he stayed in that position for a long time, carefully tensing or untensing until he was satisfied at his stance. Then in a blur he bolted for the tree and rammed his side into its base with a resounding thud, and raked it viciously with his claws. He lashed out at the branches and caught one in his teeth, gnawing on it like he might an antelope's neck.
Just as suddenly he stopped and walked away. Good, he believed his form was improving. But he would try it again and again that night as part of his training regimen, just like he did every night. There would be no improvement without effort.
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Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:43 am
A heavy thud, followed by the scraping sound of claws against wood, sent Fjolnir into high alert. The intruder was clawing on his trees? Odd, but why else would he be doing that, if not to mark his presence? Add to that the scent of blood from a fresh kill, and this was a challenge, to be sure.
A growl beginning as a guttural murmur in the back of his throat, Fjolnir threw caution to the winds and let anger fuel him as he begun running, his heavy form crashing through the tender bushes. The growl rose to a wordless roar as he glimpsed the first flash of the intruder's bright red coat, and he launched himself at his opponent, hoping that the element of surprise would allow him to push the other lion down with his entire weight before the other even had time to react.
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Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 5:22 pm
The roar came at him from one side. His mind deep in training mode, Dodonna dropped into a defensive position without registering alarm at the threat. He dodged reflexively and gave ground to circle, a small blush of pride flowing through him in the knowledge that his regimen was paying off. He never used to be able to react that fast. But it was only just beginning. He eyed up the sudden visitor, and gave himself poor odds based on the other lion's size and aggression. Despite this, he couldn't help but be pleased at the challenge this presented. Now he would really see if his methods were working!
Claws out, he puffed himself up big and assumed an arrogant stance, snarling to goad the other on. His ethics dictated that he not throw the first swing, no matter how much he wanted to. He could probably consider that initial launch the first swing, but he wanted to be sure, so he could consider this fight "legitimate" according to his internal rules.
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Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 11:41 pm
The red lion was faster than Fjolnir had given him credit for, but he didn't let that faze him, and as soon as his paws hit the ground, he too danced around to stay face-to-face with the intruder. Now that he could see his opponent clearly, Fjolnir took a brief moment to evaluate the red lion. He was fast, definitely, and looked strong, but above all, there was a glow to his eyes as if the prospect of fighting excited him. Fjlonir had learnt never to underestimate eyes like that. This could be a tough battle.
Fjolnir chuffed threateningly, but the purposefully arrogant stance that the intruder took, and his challenging snarl sent little red clouds into Fjolnir's vision. To top it all off, the other seemed to be waiting for Fjolnir to take the first swing. Oh, that was IT. This guy would pay for underestimating him.
"You'll regret challenging me," he growled, snarling right back at the red lion.
Fjolnir tensed for only a brief second before launching himself into another attack, swiping swiftly at the other's face with a heavy, clawed paw as he pressed forward, hoping to get close enough to catch the other in a bear hug. He figured that if he took this fight to a point where it was raw, brute strength against raw, brute strength, his size and weight ought to be enough to let him push the intruder to the ground.
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:03 am
Dodonna leapt into the attack and met it with a fierce joy, putting them into a wrestler's lock for a long, strenuous moment. But eventually he was forced to pull away again, and only just managed to do so without being dragged down. The other lion certainly had strength on his side, he had to admit that. It wasn't a pleasing thought. His lofty vision of the future involved lions that were strong as well as fast, and if he wanted to propogate that future, he couldn't tolerate himself to be lesser in any feature than others.
He circled widely at a fast pace, keeping himself a hard target while looking for an opening. He couldn't go force for force in this battle, so he'd have to test his speed instead, and retrain his strength later. It gave him time to get a good look at the other as well, and despite his personal frustration, he had to admit he was curious how the other would stack up as well. He almost hoped the other would beat him, as it would mean he'd encounter someone to hold up as an example to strive for. It would be a bitter pill, though.
He redirected his personal frustration into adrenaline, and charged the other, teeth bared and head tilted to try and bite savagely at the other's neck.
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:30 am
So intent had he been on pushing the other down, that Fjolnir hadn't even thought of trying to dig his claws into the intruder's red pelt while he had the chance. He had really thought that he was going to win, too, but then the red lion had somehow managed to wrest himself free of the hug, and Fjolnir was right back at square one again. It was very frustrating.
As the other cirled, so did Fjolnir, trying to consider his options a little more coolly. If he continued to let himself get goaded on like this, he might actually come out as the weaker party in the end. Just look at how his hotheadedness had made him lose a perfectly good chance at drawing some blood, just now.
When the other attacked, Fjolnir tensed, fully intent on a counterattack, but as soon as he realised that it was his throat that the red lion was going for, a cold surge of panic made him hesitate for a crucial moment.
If his voice was damaged, how would she recognise him?
Of course, in the next instant he realised that he wasn't a cub anymore - his mane had grown in a long time ago and would protect his throat from enemy fangs, at least for a while, but by then it was too late to fully dodge the attack. Still, acting mostly on instinct, Fjolnir turned his head so that it would be his sturdy neck, rather than his throat, that met the attacker's maws, and took the opportunity while his head was bowed to try taking a chomp at the other's front leg or paw, if he could reach them.
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:26 am
Dodonna hit the other's mane with open mouth, and only got a jawful of hair for his effort. Stupid! He should've gone for the flank or back, a target less narrow. He'd been too caught up in the rush of the moment. His forearms latched over the other's neck and back, and he struggled to get a good grip with his claws, but couldn't seem to latch on.
He tried to ignore his mother's voice running in his head, telling him to be careful, to be gentle with his siblings, that it was okay if he didn't go hunt with the others because he was smaller. Petty weakness, what did it serve. He wouldn't tolerate it!
Suddenly one of his feet went out from under him with a stab of pain, as the other managed to get a bite. Hissing, he rolled over and lashed out with the other leg towards the lion's face, and scrambled to awkwardly roll, but his grip slipped and he was pulled onto his back on the ground. Right near the other's belly. Seizing the opportunity, he lunged upwards to attempt to snap at the more sensitive target.
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 5:44 am
The sting of the other male's claws as they raked over his bright pink hide was quickly lost in a surge of triumph as Fjolnir finally caught a black leg in his mouth and knew that he'd caused the intruder some pain. Then the other leg hit him straight across the face and his grip came loose as he grunted in surprise and pain.
He barely had time to register that the intruder was finally lying on his back, exposed and vulnerable, before the young warrior lashed out at him again - and this time towards a far more sensitive spot. Driven by panic, Fjolnir managed to gather all the strength that his thick legs could provide, and took a giant leap forward, away from the other's powerful jaws. He almost made it, too, but the speed in the red male's attack was just a bit too much, and Fjolnir's breath caught in his throat as he felt those jaws close painfully around his knee. Caught in the midst of his mighty jump, Fjolnir was sent tumbling to the ground in a most inelegant fashion, and had to scramble to get his feet back under him again.
A stab of pain shot up through his knee as he tried to make it move as he wanted, but it quickly drowned in the renewed surge of adrenaline.
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 5:35 am
Pleased at his score of a hit, Dodonna rolled over and surged to his feet. His own leg was stinging as well from the other's attack, but the endorphins washing through his body dulled it to background noise, until it only fueled his excitement. He rumbled happily. Yes, this was exactly what he wanted. A good rowdy fight between tough males!
He circled again, roaring at the other to goad him on, while he thought fiercely to himself. He thought he might've glimpsed a hesitation when he went for the neck. Was the other lion not used to frontal attacks? Maybe he could use that. He had a particular trick he'd been practicing. Never used it on anyone else, just rocks and branches as he exercised, but here was a perfect opportunity to test it in real combat.
He let his pace take him a good ways away, then turned on his heel and bolted for the pink male, using the distance to build up speed. Just before he reached him, he launched himself into a high leap, and twisted to arch down, jaws open, until he was coming at the lion's head from above.
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:23 pm
He was back on his feet, but his injured knee made him cautious. Fjolnir moved as the other male circled, keeping his front turned towards him, but he could feel that his knee was compromised. He wouldn't be able to make another jump like that last one. Finally, he cooled down enough not to let the red male's blatant defiancy and eagerness to fight get him worked up anymore, and he responded to the challenging roar with a warningly deep and resounding one of his own.
But then the red male charged, and built up an impressive speed in a short time. Fjolnir couldn't understand the thinking behind the bold rush, and with his mobility compromised, it was all he could do to brace for the impact. When the intruder jumped high into the air, it completely took Fjolnir by surprise, but thanks to his now much cooler head, he didn't let the shock paralyse him, like before.
He had but one choice. It wasn't, technically, a good one, but it had a lot of potential for causing his opponent some serious damage. As the red lion hit him, he rolled with the blow, pulling the other with him and thereby absorbing most of the breathtaking impact of the red male's body. By doing so, Fjolnir ended up on his back, and had all four paws ready with sharp, unsheathed claws, free to tear into his opponent with scratches as well as kicks, at his leisure. Just for good measure, he opened his jaws in a vicious growl and aimed a chomp at whatever body part happened to be closest.
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:12 am
Gleeful that his attack was met head-on, Dodonna was surprised to find himself landing on what felt like a bed of thorns. Where had that come from?! Suddenly he was being clawed all over, and a searing flash in his shoulder marked a vicious bite. Hissing, he tried to ignore the pain and push into the other lion, slashing wildly with his claws to try to cause damage and keep from getting too damaged himself. He chomped at the air, trying reach flesh, but trying not to get bit in return kept throwing his aim off.
Finally it was too much for him, and he bucked and kicked out, struggling to extricate himself. He managed to pull away, but felt parts of his skin being left behind in the clutches of the other male as he did so. He hobbled away quickly, turning to keep from exposing his back. When he'd made some distance between them, he took stock.
Bleeding a good bit, a nasty gouge taken out of his shoulder. He felt like he'd gone one on one with a cactus bush. Mentally, he crossed that manuever off his list of tactics, and added a note to never try it again. He replayed the other's technique in his head as well, and found himself very impressed. "Okay, ow," he admitted. "Where'd you learn that one?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 6:06 am
Fjolnir clawed, struck, and tried to bite again, but after that initial success, the other male was far too agitated and mobile for Fjolnir to get his jaws around anything. His claws, however, found their marks in the red male's body, but unfortunately that was mutual. And Fjolnir was on the bottom. It took all the energy of desperation to keep the other male's claws from tearing open his sensitive stomach, and thanks to all that flailing, he was unable to cause the other the same sort of injury. It was a standstill, but a flurry of claws, fangs and straining muscle, and only the fiercest could prevail unless the one on top would break off this lockdown.
And to Fjolnir's surprise and great relief, he did. The moment that the other's weight was off him, the pink lion rolled over and pulled his feet in under him, fully intending to jump to his feet and swivel around to face the red male head on - but his knee buckled under him, and he collapsed into a half-crouch, grunting with pain.
But the red male didn't seem intent on attacking anymore, and for a brief, confused moment, Fjolnir couldn't even understand what the other male had said. A rather silly-sounding "hunh?" escaped him, and then he blinked, deciding that if the red male wanted to talk, it was probably at least a good opportunity to get his wind back.
"Just now, actually," he panted, mentally taking account of all the claw-gouges on his own body. None of them felt life-threatening, at least. "Or, well, I suppose I thought it up back when I was just a playfighting little cub, but... I've never had to use it in an actual fight before." He shook his head, closing his eyes for only a brief moment as he did so. "Not very smart, showing you my belly like that. Could have ended badly for me, I think."
When he looked up, there was a menacing sharpness in his glare. "I won't make another rash move like that, though. If you want to take this territory from me, you'll have to do better than that."
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Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 1:45 pm
Shaking himself to feel the full extent of his injuries, Dodonna thought they weren't too severe. The shoulder wound would need tending, but the rest just stung alot. He almost found the sensation pleasurable; this was his first good fight in a long time, and he'd missed the danger. But as he eyed the other warily, he had to face the fact that, if he kept up this scuffle, he was going to get more damaged than a good rest could heal.
His mind fixated on the tactics, and he carefully scrutinized the male's words, picking them apart for hidden bits of wisdom. The pink male claimed his tactic could've ended badly. So it was a last resort response to his own move? Maybe there was merit in the high leap afterall. He'd have to test it further. Maybe on some prey animals, though. One that wouldn't fight back quite as much.
"Rash, huh?" Lost in his head for a moment, Dodonna tried sitting up on his haunches to mimic his previous action, nipping at empty air, replaying it to himself to look for ways to improve it. "Does leave a lot of openings," he muttered, and shuffled his feet. "Would you say coming in from below is better than up high, or... territory?"
Suddenly clueing in to the conversation, he blinked at the other in confusion. "I don't want your... why would you think I wanted your..." He realized then just what had actually started the fight. "...Ohhh. No, no, I'm not after your land. Just passing through. Bloody good spar, though. Thanks."
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Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 7:44 am
As the pink lion's confusion mounted, his brow sank - but his breathing evened out and his body begun tingling and stinging as the adrenaline started to wear off. He didn't even notice it, but his head tilted to the side when the red lion rose up on his haunches, leaving his soft belly exposed and unguarded. Even before the other male said it, the realisation slowly dawned on Fjolnir that this probably wasn't the sort of fight he had thought it was.
Embarrassment made his ears fold back and all but disappear into his white mane.
"Oh my..." He mumbled, all his hostility and warrior sharpness suddenly all but washed away by a rather amiable awkwardness. "I... Um... It seems I acted without thinking... and made a bit of a mistake, then. Um. I do apologise." He cleared his throat and quickly continued, "I really thought you meant to mark this territory... since you had hunted here and everything. But if I misunderstood your intentions, then I am sorry."
He cleared his throat again and offered the other male a sheepish grin. "But that was indeed a good fight, it was. Very unexpected move, jumping from above like that. Especially since I couldn't even try to dodge quickly enough because of that bite you landed on my knee. I'd say it's a very good move, definitely better than coming from below, in any case. You don't really want to be underneath your opponent after all - he gets too many advantages that way, since you're locked down once he's pinned you. You know, I don't think I could jump that high! Very impressive!"
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