|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:47 pm
Mia stood rigid, her toes wiggling over the sand. She was nervous, and it was apparent. Her body was tense, her muscles hardened and contracted. Her teeth were gritted, even though this time she had asked for a duel and this time it wasn't hostile. Her brother was helping her. Still, she was nervous about it. She wasn't confident in her abilities, most especially against her experienced sibling. But then again, wasn't that the point? He knew more than her, and he was going to help her learn more. There was no shame in that. She was bettering herself here. Becoming a better Firekin and lion.
"Okay," she said with a taught voice, "I'm ready." She lowered her head to protect her neck, one of the only good defensive moves she knew.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:48 pm
Chaka hadn't been terribly surprised to hear that Amalahle had gone and picked another fight after losing to him, though it was surprising it had been with his own sister. He wasn't sure if that was a coincidence or not but decided that it wasn't really a big deal. Miali hadn't actually been hurt and now she was asking for some help. It was necessarily a bad thing to have an excuse to hang out with family- especially family that wasn't Shisa. Though he wasn't entirely sure where Shisa was, she probably would have made a better teacher. But.. he wasn't going to say no, so he was helping.
He stood across from Miali in the sand, watching as she got ready- smiling at her protective posture. She did have more to worry about without a thick mane to help protect her neck.. but perhaps not in a duel with another firekin.
"OK," he said calmly, nodding, "Let's see what you can do."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
katersaur generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:52 pm
Move 1: Hit!
Mia nodded once, oh so seriously, focused her sight on her brother. She kept her claws sheathed, of course, not really planning to do any damage. Not that... a duel had the point of doing real damage. But roughing up someone when she was pissed, she didn't mind that so much. Right now, she wasn't angry, though. She was just focused, maybe too focused. Her muscles were tightening and relaxing, her jaw clamping and unclamping. Why couldn't she just calm down!
After much deliberation as to how to set up her attack, she lunged, exhaling some tension as she went through the air.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:53 pm
Move: Bide!
Chaka was distracted watching the changes in her limbs and her expression asshe prepared to strike- she was thinking about it all a little too hard, he decided. But she was here for practice or a lesson of sorts, it had some pressure involved.. but he was not her teacher, she was not an apprentice.. they were brother and sister and so it should have been that much easier. At least in his mind.
He realized what she was doing just too late and as he made a fumbling attempt to move he was struck and pushed down into the sand. He exhaled and, rather than fighting back, twisted himself around to see what might happen next. She was off to a good start.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
katersaur generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:54 pm
Move 2: Bide!
Mia tumbled away from her brother after knocking him back, loosening up as she did. She smiled as she caught her balance. It felt good to get in the first hit. She was a little more confident, a little less tense. She flexed her toes again, feeling the sand. In a duel with anyone but her sibling, she probably wouldn't have taken the time to soak in the feeling of getting a hit in. She wasn't majorly concerned about him knocking her out or hurting her, though. This was just teaching. She exhaled, relaxing into the game.
"Alright, what next?" She flashed her eyes on Chaka, waiting for instruction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:56 pm
Move: Miss!
Chaka got up to his feet when Miali stumbled back, clearly pleased with herself. But there would be time for praise later, she could do without it just yet-- though he couldn't quite keep from smiling at her. He shook the sand from his fur.
"Why would you just let me go?" he asked, looking back up at her and leaning back before springing forward and at his sister. He was aiming to hit her but hoping she would react- he wasn't ready to change what he was doing to follow her if she did evade.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
katersaur generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:57 pm
Move 3: Miss!
Mia really didn't know why she was just waiting. She shot up her eyebrows as her brother made the leap, but was prepared. The extra time she'd spent basking had boosted her up enough to give her the confidence in this situation. She bounded off to the side, out of the way of Chaka. Her paws touched sand just long enough for her to pivot, something she was good at naturally and used regularly in the hunt. The thought had struck her while she'd been standing around seconds ago that if she were to use the skills she used every day to hunt, she might be able to become at least a force to reckon with in a duel.
Last time, though, she had learned clearly that hunting lion and hunting prey were entirely different games. Her pivot turned her to face her brother, and she turned it into a leap, sending herself into the air towards him as quickly as she could, trying not to give him the chance to counter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:58 pm
Move: Bide!
Chaka landed not far from Miali, and though he had not been ready to keep attacking, he was prepared for a counter strike and as soon as she was turned and ready to leap he ducked down into the sand and he didn't come back up until he saw Miali land on the other side of him. It was a near miss, they had been fairly close together. Once Mia was grounded again, he rolled over and away from her, leaping back up to his feet.
"Good," he said, "Now what?"
She had been asking him for direction but she was doing fine directing it herself. She just had to keep going.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
katersaur generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:59 pm
Move 4: Miss!
Mia landed with a twinge of disappointment, but tried her best to shake it off. Chaka was more experienced, and she was learning. This was a learning experience. She should be taking her misses and her errors and building off of them. At least, she complimented herself, the pivot and leap had been good ones. Apparently a little slow, but clean in her opinion. Had she been hunting, that might've landed her on the back of an antelope or crushed a hare.
Trying to recover from the last move, she pushed off the ground and this time, instead of leaping, she gritted her teeth, lowered her head and charged forward. This was something completely foreign to her, but she made a snap decision that this time could be used for a little experimentation, too. She barreled her weight into her shoulders and prepared for impact, taking the quick few strides between her and her brother.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:01 pm
Move: Bide!
Chaka leaped out of the way of the tackle, surprised by it but not completely caught off guard- it was a good try, though. He stumbled when he landed on the sand very close to where Miali landed. He'd been encouraging her to keep going and if she was listening she might try so he moved, and quickly. He took another couple quick steps away and turned back toward Miali, this time circling around her.
"Now what do you do?" he called to her, trying to gauge her frustration. A real duel could be a lot like this, maybe it wouldn't be evading and then attempting to analyze what happened and what to do next.. which he knew was frustrating.. but it might be taunting, which would be frustrating, even if you were good at ignoring it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
katersaur generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:01 pm
Move 5: Bide!
Taunting truly got under Miali's skin. She was the impulsive type, and always spoke right was on her mind regardless of whether it was a good idea or not. She was able to hold her tongue in situations that absolutely called for it, but with equals she simply let it fly. Mia didn't have much tact. The circling, that's what really pushed her over the edge. Missing twice and taunting had pushed her to it. Circling had kicked her right over. She hissed, the fur on her scruff rising.
"Stop circling." Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little voice was saying, calm down this is just an exercise. It's just a game. But that voice was back on the edge she'd jumped off, and she paid it no attention. She dug several toes into the sand, flexing and sheathing the claws. She wouldn't strike her brother to draw blood without cause, but she was getting angry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:03 pm
Move: Hit!
Chaka could see Miali getting more and more frustrated as he circled around her and waited for an answer to his question. She would need to work on that if she wanted to duel, though frustration could be helpful, if you didn't control it it could be more harmful. He did notice she seemed to have some control but it was preventing her from doing anything.
While she stood, controlling her rage and trying to avoid attacking too viciously, Chaka slowed down once his circling took him behind her again. And after a quick shuffle, he leaped at Mia. Hopefully amidst the rage, she would be paying enough attention to realize he was behind her and attacking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:06 pm
9 - 10 Chaka wins!
Miali growled deep in her throat, thinking that she might get ready for an attack. Chaka had circled back round her, and she was waiting for him to move back to her front before saying something once again. She hadn't expected her brother to launch from behind, and by the time she heard him he was already on top of her. She crumpled under his weight, hitting the ground with a thud. With a cough, she turned her head to stare at him, a slight glare still in her gaze. "Alright, alright!" She coughed again, having stirred up dust from the fall. "Alright fine. You win." She was clearly agitated. She had hoped she'd do better this time.
But maybe that's what learning is about?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:07 pm
Chaka controlled his landing as best he could but it was a challenge to put real effort into the duel and try not to be too rough at the same time. He pinned her, looking down at her until she conceded, and then he moved away.
"You did well, Miali," he said, "But you can't just stop and forget to keep an eye on your opponent like that. We can try again another time."
Two losses so close together was certainly not going to be very encouraging but she would need practice and she would get the hang of it. She hadn't had the same training he had.
"Let's go see Shisa," he suggested, figuring their sister might have smarter advice for Mia.
Fin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
