[Duel] Fight for your right (Uuo vs Koka)

[Sergeant Sargent]

Move 1: Miss

She'd been on patrol, lately finding more and more signs of lions coming to the borders, some making it in, others not. She was glad that she had insisted on keeping a steady vigil, and that all were aware of what they were to do if they came by any rogues at the edge.

Now she'd found herself face to face with this one, this female. Koka.

"These lands are not welcoming to outsiders. State your purpose."

The white lioness bounded up the dune, slowing as she came face to face with the lioness on the boarder of the pride. With the black cloth wrapped loosely around her neck and her unusual size (for a rogue) she looked almost like a male from a distance. She met the gaurd with blazing orange eyes.

"I've come for a challenge," she said ernestly. "I would like to prove myself worthy of joining your pride."

A challenge, then a rogue seeking to join.

"Then prove it."

Though she showed no mirth she did actually feel it, quite a bit of it. She lived for the rush of the duels, even if they required no blood shed.

"I'll be your opponent... the rules are simple, no bloodshed, no broken bones. If I win, you leave, if you win I bring you to the regents."

But she had yet to be beaten in one of these duels. She was waiting quite eagerly for the one to come along that could actually win against her.

Koka nodded to show she understood. This was it: her chance to prove herself to the desert pride. After all the time she had waited, it would have been a lie to claim she was immune to feelings of nervousness, though her expression was stoic and unreadable. She was not a trained fighter. All she knew about fighting came from what she needed to do to survive in these harsh lands, but she had been practicing, and she was prepared to show it. She lowered her head, shoulders tensed and eyes focused on her target. “I’ll go first.”

She charged up the dune, changing direction as she reached the top. To strike the first blow while running up hill would have been futile. The force of gravity had slowed her down too much. At the top of the dune now, on a level playing field, she charged again and swung a paw at her opponent, but her strike missed by inches. This Firekin was a quick one!  

[Tahja Estes]

Uuo dodged, by now knowing both her strengths and weaknesses on this shifting terrain. Of Firekin stature herself from her unusual heritage she could sometimes tire easily on days that were hotter than others, what with the extra fur. She'd had to train long and hard to gain the speed that she had now, since her size slowed her down compared to someone like Yin-li, who was of a slightly smaller size. She had an imecible defense, though.

As Koka moved past Uuo countered with a tackle, slamming hard into Koka's side and grappling her front paws around the other female for a firm hold, effectively sending the two of them sliding down the dune. At the base Uuo rolled to her paws and kept going with the momentum, stepping back until she could find solid footing on the shifting sands.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Move 2: Hit

Koka’s scarf stayed in place all the way down the hill, held on by the string of bones that rattled around her neck. She rolled onto her belly and dug her paws into the sand at the base of the dune. She leapt to her feet and pursued Uuo, staying on top of her, making it difficult for her to find stable ground while she swiped at her. Suddenly, Koka tackled her with a burst of speed in an attempt to pin her to the ground.  

[Tahja Estes]

Uuo was pleasantly surprised by the speed and prowess the other lioness stayed on top of her with. She was doing her best just to dodge Koka's swipes. Other opponents in the past had taken the time between attacks to simply bide their time, plan their next move, or sometimes to just circle as if they were scared to jump into the fray again. This was a refreshing change, so Uuo decided to take it a notch higher. Before she got a chance though she was slammed onto her back in the sand.

Uuo was winded for a moment, but used the moment to try to catch Koka off guard, swiping up hard and fast for her head, boxing at it with a massive, extra large frying pan sized paw. Koka must have dodged back though, because Uuo felt her paw strike empty air-- no resistance at all, no impact.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Move 3: Bide

Koka tried and failed to gain control over her opponent. Though she managed to dodge her swipes, she was too close to keep up her weaving and ducking forever and backed off her opponent with a loud snarl. She moved back, keeping her eyes focused on the guard as she circled, looking for a new opening and taking a moment to catch her breath.

The guard was an excellent fighter. Of course, Koka expected no less from a Firekin.  

[Tahja Estes]

Uuo kept going, ducking in low with a resounding growl of her own. She'd normally be making banter right now, but she had no interest in that at the moment. She was intensely into this mock-fight and didn't want to ruin the mood with smack talk. She took another swing at Koka while also throwing her weight forward, aiming to bring her down with a tackle and box her in the head, and she definitely felt her weight and paw make contact.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Move 4: Bide

Koka hit the sand with a hard thump and scrambled to her feet. She snarled and boxed at the guard’s head, buying herself just enough space to back away. Her ears were full of sand and the intensity of the last charge left her feeling a little winded under the hot sun, but she kept moving, circling slowly in search of another opening.

Koka was well adapted to the desert. Perhaps that was why so many of her siblings perished here while she persisted. Her stark white fur reflected the sunlight like a mirror while the black patches under her eyes allowed her to see easily in spite of the sun’s glare. There was no doubt in her mind that she was born to prosper in the desert. A faint smile touched her lips. Her new life started today. She could feel it in her bones.  

[Tahja Estes]

As Koka began to circle Uuo drew back from any planned attacks. She knew that while Koka's guard was up attacking her was useless, but it didn't stop her from faking a charge once, baring her fangs with a growl as she circled as well, the sands shifting and being lashed about with their movements. The sun beat down against the two combatants, neither willing to yield, but one of them was going to lose today. She had size, familiarity of terrain, and surprising speed on her side-- or so she thought --but more than that Uuo possessed a healthy respect for the way of the fight. Never underestimate an opponent, that was her first rule, above all others, and she'd be damned if she broke one of her own rules today or any other day.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Move 5: Hit

Koka had reached her peak during the fight. Soon her strength would start to wane, her reflexes slow, she could feel it in her bones. Perhaps she had pushed too hard. In the desert a lion can either conserve her strength during a fight, pace herself, or she can go all in and hope to exhaust her opponent before she exhausts herself. There was no point in being conservative now. She could finish this. She knew she could finish this. But first she needed an opening.

She circled slowly, keeping the sun at her back. Suddenly she rushed the other lioness in an explosion of power. She slammed into her, grappling with her forearms and trying to throw her onto her back. If she could pin the other female, expose her neck and belly, then she would have a victory.  

[Tahja Estes]

Move 5: Hit

It was an excellent idea, using the angle of the sunlight to her advantage while also protecting her own eyes. It would have worked on anyone not expecting such a move.

But of course, you didn't get to be captain of the guard for being mediocre in battle, and there was one flaw to the idea, had it been her intention. With the sun to her back the moment she lunged she provided Uuo with the perfect shield from it's harsh light. All Uuo had to do was squint her eyes and listen, feel the other's movements until the blinding light was out of her eyes.

As the lioness threw her weight forward in her attack Uuo squinted her eyes and used what she could of the other female's shadow, lunging up from below and meeting the same fate. Their arms locked and Uuo grimaced as her opponent hit hard and nearly cost the captain her footing on two legs, but it seemed either experience or terrain (or experience on the terrain, giving her more stamina) was on her side. Grappling, Uuo twisted, throwing the other lioness onto the sands with a harsh movement, using the very move that she had intended to use against her by pinning her with bulk instead.

"Yield! You've lost."

Had she, though? Uuo couldn't know if she had any other tricks hidden, but it didn't hurt to bluff once in a while.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Koka shut her eyes tight, gasping from impact. She had the wind knocked out of her. If this were a real fight she would push the other lioness off and try to continue the fight, at least long enough to give herself cover to flee, but this was not a real fight. Koka wasn’t sure how these things were judged, but she certainly felt like the loser. Damn! Damn!

She opened her eyes and stared at the other lioness with a kind of admiration. From the start the fight had been full of surprises. Though she was not a trained fighter, Koka practiced every day. Now she saw what she needed to aim for. Even though she lost there was a feeling of satisfaction in seeing the distance to her dreams and judging for herself how far she needed to leap. Her body relaxed, yielding to the victor.

“Tell me your name. Please.” It was not a request, but in light of her circumstances she phrased it respectfully. She felt she deserved to know the Firekin’s name. She had earned that much.  

[Tahja Estes]

Uuo stepped back when she felt the lioness give in, letting her get up. Shaking out her fur briefly she eyed the other as the rush of the duel slowly faded. She hadn't been too bad, but there was something missing from that fight. Not ferocity, she had that, but...

"Uuo." She answered simply, seeing no need to give her title in this instance, as it would just feel like bragging. Let this female come back and try again unaware, Uuo was curious to see what might happen if she tried again with such an experienced opponent as a base point, and she was secretly impressed. Now the real test... in Uuo's opinion the truest test of one's spirit was if they'd return. "Remember that name. I expect to see you here again soon." She smirked, moving to return to the top of the dune to resume her watch once she saw Koka gone from the borders.  

[Sergeant Sargent]

Koka rolled onto her feet, meeting the eyes of the other. Should she give her name as well? Perhaps at their next meeting. She nodded. “Uuo. Thank you.” She turned and shook herself off, glancing back at the Firekin with a slight smile. “I’ll look for you when I return.”

With that, Koka started back across the dunes, to practice for their next encounter.

((Fin~ I'll start the next duel and PM you with the thread.))