[DUEL] No Distractions This Time [Saha/Roho]

[ShinosBee]

Saharan had had to face facts. The simple matter was that she could not win a duel against Naur. The thought was frustrating, and at first she had nearly given up, but after a long day spent thinking (and wishing that there was just a bit of water to be found) it came to her. She couldn't beat Naur because he distracted her. She didn't WANT to defeat him. Sure, she wanted to join the pride, and be with him, but she knew how much he valued his strength. Perhaps some part of her was holding back to save his pride...

So maybe, just maybe, if she tried fighting someone else, she could do it! She could actually win, and be thought of as a real member of the pride, and not just that one rogue who kept coming back over and over again to leave empty-pawed. She'd left the desert with the drought to find water for herself, but now she would return. And she called out the first lion she came to. "Hey you! I want to duel!"  

[Kimaria]

Move 1/5: Miss

Roho had - not surprisingly - been quick to recover from her pregnancy; leaping back into the daily routine of training as quickly as she was able. Thankfully, her cubs were doing well and were currently under the care of a female she trusted - her dear sister, Suditi. Though not related by blood, Roho knew that she could trust the lioness to care for the cubs with her life. She'd even named one of her offspring after her.

Little Suditi.

Her tail coiled with pleasure to think of her future warrior children and of the pride she would have in seeing them rise through the ranks of the pride. Three little darlings, all of them embellished with some colour or mark passed down from the father they would never get to meet. His death had been an incredible blow to the female but with them at her side, she felt some strange peace settle over her. She was still worried, of course, especially with the drought showing no sign of lifting. But she would fight for their survival with all that she had. She would keep herself strong in order to defend them from any outside dangers that might see fit to make the most of the weakness set about the pride.

Her head came up at the sound of a voice calling out to her and, with some surprise, she turned to see a lioness who, apparently, wished to duel with her. She supposed it was only right that she got back into sparring again. It had felt like too long ago that she had done such a thing; what with being heavily pregnant and then having to spend most of her time with her young. She was eager, in fact, to get back into the swing of things.

Not one to beat about the bush, she decided to launch into a sudden and surprise attack. A test to see if this one was worth her time, perhaps?

With a growl - more challenging than fierce - she leapt at the other female without a moment's hesitation.  

[ShinosBee]

Saha was pleased to find her challenge met with enthusiasm. She was worried that even the hardy lions of the desert would have been weakened by the ongoing drought. Past the dunes of sand there were lush plains with ample water...after her own last duel she'd retreated there to keep herself in top form while she recovered.

The female did look fierce, but Saharan saw her attack coming a mile away. She herself had tried to just charge in in several fights before, and to no avail. She gracefully side-stepped the charge, letting her opponent rush past. She herself took to circling slowly, sizing her up. She was the bigger of the two, so Saha couldn't hope to out-power her with her own lighter build. Maybe Saha could be faster? It seemed like the lioness she was facing wasn't as fit as some she'd seen around. Maybe an injury had recently healed, or something similar? She took her time, and lashed her tail eagerly.  

[Kimaria]

Move 2/5: Hit

For once, Roho allowed a small smile to curve her maw. She was often rather stoic-faced, but fighting always helped alleviate her troubles. Freed her from her past and painful memories. Here, she could think of the present; of what was happening now. It was a good feeling and her opponent was clearly keen to prove herself. She had dodged well instead of panicking.

A sign of a good and sturdy head on her shoulders, at least.

"Let us see what you have learned." Roho called out eagerly. In her first failed attempt she had dug in her heels and had spun around to follow the female's evasion. The moment her eyes had zoned in again, she leapt; one paw brandished and ready to strike a blow.

She felt fur beneath the pad of her paw and thrummed with her success, trying to pull herself short and get out of reach--

--which she would not.  

[ShinosBee]

Saha hadn't been as prepared for the swift second move of her opponent. Naur couldn't turn that fast, he was too big. This female was big AND fast though, it seemed. Not a combo that would make things easy. Still, she pushed through the hit and lashed out to land one of her own. The female couldn't get away in time, and Saharan grinned back as she got in her hit. She'd made the strike a costly one for her opponent, but there was a good way to go yet before it was settled.

Having got her back for the hit, she side-stepped swiftly. If this became a locked up battle at close range Saha'd probably lose to the other's superior size and weight, but if she could just stay out of range...thankfully, she managed the move just fast enough.  

[Kimaria]

Move: 3/5: Miss

The sting of her opponent's move reverberated through Roho's jaw and surprised her for just a moment. The other was quick, then! Very quick if given the chance. With bright blue eyes slightly widening, she moved forwards again, intent on keeping the gap closed between them and prevent the other from getting too far away. Close range would work better, perhaps?

But the other was faster and Roho's low, sweeping strike, clipped only air and desert, sending up a great swath of sand that stuck in her lungs and choked her. She faltered.

Roho was rather new to this terrain herself and she still had to learn how the ground could be manipulated as both an advantage and a disadvantage when in a fight. Snorting to clear her nostrils, she looked through the fading gold to see where her combatant was positioned and startled at the realisation of what was to come.  

[ShinosBee]

Saharan startled at the sudden cloud of sand, and wheezed a bit despite her efforts to hold her breath. The cloud seemed to have momentarily stunned Roho, and though it stung her eyes and nose, she'd better make the best of it. She leapt through the obscuring sand, paws wide to hit whatever she could. She felt at least one blow connect, and then hurried to rush out of range once more. This tactic seemed to be working. Stay ranged, then dart in close and run away again before she could be retaliated against.

She shook her head, trying to get clear of the sand, hoping only that her opponent was even worse off, and that she could afford this minor distraction. Thankfully, she seemed to be right, as she felt no punishing blows to scold her for her distraction.  

[Kimaria]

Move 4/5: Miss

Another paw to the face.

So this is what bearing children did to a warrior, was it? Males had no idea how easy they had it! Being a mother and a soldier was proving difficult, apparently, and Roho wasn't sure which one was more important to her. Training and being there for her kids were practically in equal standing! Evenm still, she was impressed.

After her successful strike, the other female had moved to dart away again and this was clearly a tactic which was working for her. Had Roho really grown that predictable?

Apparently so.

With a snort, she charged after the female, bursting from the dissipating cloud of sand. Digging in her hind paws, she unleashed herself from the ground, pouncing straight at the female and hoping that, this time, she might catch hold of her as she tried to put the distance between them.  

[ShinosBee]

Something told Saha that standing here was become a bad, bad idea. She bolted suddenly, darting away from where Roho landed just a moment later, narrowly dodging the blow. Whew! All that time with Naur had honed her reflexes, it seemed. She tried to turn, and give an attack of her own, but the stinging sand still made her wince, and she swung wide, getting just a pawful of air.

Growling low at herself and the sand more than her opponent, she danced backwards, shaking the last of it from her eyes. There! She could see again! And just in time too, it seemed. Roho hadn't given up just yet!  

[Kimaria]

Move 5/5: Miss

Okay, it was now or never.

Misses on both sides, but misses were not good enough! She needed to land a hit on this female and do so quickly! Bunching the muscles in her hind quarters, she launched herself again, but the other was already dancing away!

What a swift-footed one she was!

Her pounce fell short and she slid rather ungracefully across the ground, pulling herself up to her full height with a slight wince. She'd landed awkwardly on that last one and the warm pain in her fore-paw would need stretching out if she didn't want it to bother her. With a small snort, she threw the female a somewhat respectful look and paused to give her a brief bow of her head.

"Well fought indeed. You are surprisingly swift on your paws." Roho cocked an ear towards the other. "I am Roho, newly joined to the Motoujamii-Simo, and since you have bested me in a fair fight, I can now welcome you as one of us."  

[ShinosBee]

Aha! Perfect! Saha had just been about to land one last blow on the female after she'd missed until she saw her wince, and how she was holding her paw. Instead of pressing the attack she backed off, watching warily until Roho dipped her head. She...she'd done it? She'd won? She was stunned, and didn't believe it right away. It'd taken so long, but now finally it seemed things had worked out.

"R-really?" She panted, still strung up and tense from the fight. "T-thank you! Uhm, I'm Saharan. I can't believe it...I finally got it!" She let herself relax, and bowed back. At last...at long last! She was a Firekin!  

[Kimaria]

Roho allowed a flicker of amusement to light behind her eyes and she gave the female another nod. Saharan. The name had a good ring to it.

"Good things come to those who wait, or - in this instance - to those who fight well. You have quite the skill there, Saharan. The Firekin would be glad to have of you." And then she frowned a little. "Come, let us walk back to the dens and find you shelter. I'll update you on the pride's situation on the way."

The female stretched out her forepaw and settled it testily on the ground. There was a slight pain but nothing she couldn't handle. With a sharp nod, she gestured for the other female and made off slowly across the sand, clearing her throat to begin to impart the hardships of the desert with the newly joined member.

/fin