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 Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:45 am
 He lifted his head from the spring and listened to the sound of the droplets falling from his chin to land in the pool below. It was a music that had become rare and forgotten in his homeland. A music that some cubs born in the Motoujamii had yet to hear. The murky muck left in their own water sources did not make such clear, beautiful notes. Nor did it taste fresh in the mouth, leaving a grainy aftertaste that meant you were thirsty again within moments.
He paused to glance at his reflection wobbling beneath him and then shook himself vigorously, his mane snapping about his head as he readied himself for a day of training. And who would it be this day? One of his own kin? Or would one of the Ithambo'hlabathi come down to try their strength against his? He had yet to test them but he had high hopes in their strength. Gender was not discriminated in the Firekin, though there might be some gender mocking from time to time. What a male had in strength and female had in agility and Heti knew not to underestimate them. The females - for they were mostly female here - seemed strong, too. Though perhaps it was a slightly different strength.
Strength in unity of such he had never seen.
Snorting, Heti took a step back away from the pool and turned to survey the area, giving a low call to anyone who might be nearby to hear him.
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:07 pm
 Like she had expected, her spar with the Firekin had left her bruised and sore. She had never learned his name, and felt terrible about that, but she came striding into the outpost hoping to find him again. Big Guy had been an amazing teacher, instructing her on her mistakes even as they exchanged blows. Ever since she had left the outpost to rejoin her pride she had been thinking about her spar with him, how she could have done better, and what she might do the next time they tangled.
Of course, as soon as she came into the outpost she was disappointed to not find him there. She thought he might stand out against the sea of red, as his white pelt seemed like it might easy to spot. That didn't seem to be the case, but her ears flicked in surprise in another direction, at a call given by another Firekin. What did that mean? She had a vague idea, a very vague idea that it might be a challenge, but coming from a society that did nothing but hunt it was foreign to her. Still, he looked big, and strong, and maybe he would be willing to spar with her.
Chazama was average in size for a rogue, perhaps a little stockier, but in comparison to a Firekin she was almost laughable. Still, she approached with a wide toothy grin, eager and hopeful for a chance to train with more of the red giants. "Could I trouble you for a bit of training?" she asked, though her demeanor remained bold. They were allowed here, allowed to be trained, and her previous experience with Big Guy left her with the strong feeling that these Firekin lions were an alright bunch. A fun bunch! Definitely the kind of allies she was glad to have.
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 11:37 am
She had arrived just on time, she with her stark white pelt touched with desert-gold. The Bonelands lioness might have been smaller than an average Firekin female but she had a boldness about her that drew a welcoming smile across his maw. "It would be no trouble." He insisted. "I was hoping to catch myself a duel this morning and it would be my honour to help you train." His tail swished as he cast a look about, motioning them towards the sparring grounds that were currently vacant.
The morning was quiet at this time, some out hunting or scouting though most were probably sleeping. Heti had to admit that he was still a little homesick and sleeping in a shelter that was not his own den had come hard. His rest was often interrupted and sometimes he would lie awake for hours, thinking of burning sand and heat and the black rocks of the Firekin homes. This was an adventure, to be sure, but he knew that when the time came for him to return home he would do so gladly.
"My name is Heti." He introduced as he took his place on one edge of the sparring ground. "I was a guard before I joined the sentinels." And he would be a gaurd again the moment he returned to the desert. He took much comfort in that thought.
He dipped his head towards her. "Whenever you are ready."
[you may start the rolling in your post if you wish!]
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Jovi of Shadows generated a random number between
1 and 8 ...
5!
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:12 pm
Roll 1: Bide
Ah! Her mother had told her that the red pelts would be nothing but spit and venom, only out for themselves, but Chazama could only smile at this red and black male. He wasn't anything like what her mother had described, in fact, he was kind of polite. The lioness was relieved when he offered his name freely, it would not do to forget a second time after all. "Well met Heti, I am Chazama, an Umzingeli of the Bonelands." She didn't think he'd know what that meant, but he had used rank, so she thought she'd do the same. Even if it did just mean 'hunter' in their tongue.
She followed him to the sparring grounds, taking up a position opposite the large male. Yes, he was big. Much bigger than her. At first it had been unsettling and even a little terrifying to have first seem the Firekin of close, but it was truly a privilege to be able to train with these massive lions of the desert. And the fact that she had been thus far accepted was encouraging, and the lioness soon hoped to persuade the rest of her pride that these were in fact great allies. That training with them was good, and most of all she wished to show her mother that they were not the selfish brutes Dina believed them to be.
With a nod of her head the lioness took up a position, a semi-crouch and she stalked forward and to the side of Heti, sparkling eyes keen on her target. She remembered the lessons Big Guy had taught her in her first spar: when an opponent is bigger than you, use agility not strength to get at them. And so the bonelands lioness prowled just out of his reach, circling, feinting to test which side would be ripe for an attack, and wary of anything that might alarm her to an attack of his own.
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Kimaria generated a random number between
1 and 10 ...
1!
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:03 pm
Roll 1: Miss
That was Heti. He had his mother's manner. She had been polite and strong and had found no pleasure in gloating or pushing her weight around. Quite the opposite of his father...it was no wonder they had eventually split and gone their own separate ways, though Heti had taken their separation badly. He still hoped his parents would make amends and forgive each other. But that wasn't likely to ever happen. Even still, a lion could hope, couldn't he?
"Umzingeli?" He asked, shifting his stance a little and inching slowly to the side.
Fortunately for Chazama, bigger also meant slower.
Whilst she bided her time, her eyes zoned in on him, circling and prowling, he shifted his weight and lunged at her. The compact ground felt odd beneath his hind paws as he pushed off, his front paws leaving the ground as he threw himself into his pounce. His plan was to test her reflexes and strike her with a paw if she was too slow.
His paw was not swift enough.
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Jovi of Shadows generated a random number between
1 and 8 ...
7!
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:14 pm
Roll 2: Hit
The young lioness couldn't help her chuckle at his question, and without taking her eyes off him she replied, "It means hunter." And right now, Heti was her prey. To say she didn't love sparing was like saying crocodiles didn't like snoozing in the sun. Chazama was incredibly excited and eager to get this chance to train with them, and though their size was intimidating, there was adventure to be had! Ever since they first arrived at the small pond, Chazama had curious about them, and was quite pleased with her findings thus far.
He twitched and the lioness reacted quicker than she thought she ever could, twisting out of the way and sprinting around the back of him while he was still distracted with his attempt to hit her. She wasn't exactly certain about what she was doing, but for a guess she had done pretty well! Finding herself on the opposite side of Heti, the lioness reached out to tag him with paw to his flank, claws safely tucked away. Her delight at the successful 'attack' was plain on her face, and the lioness once again attempted to dash off and continue her prowling around him.
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Kimaria generated a random number between
1 and 10 ...
4!
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:21 pm
Roll 2: Bide
They had complicated titles for their people, it seemed! Or perhaps the Firekin just lacked imagination for their ranks. Either way, hunter or not, this little lady was on fire today.
She had evaded his first strike - seemingly with ease - light on her feet. And she was moving still, circling around him, always moving, always trying to get herself into a good position. Perhaps she would tire quickly, too. Heti could only hope. He twisted to try and follow her but suddenly she was there, all bright white and gold with a paw outstretched. Her strike on his flank startled him and it was all he could do to keep himself from giving a cry of surprise. The fur on his mane fluffed up, though, and as she retreated back to safety, he span to face her fully and planted his feet firmly on the ground, taking up a defensive stance.
He was a guard. A shield. He could play defensively but that particular style didn't work when you were out in the field - or training ground - alone. He'd need to press the attack but she was swift and he was not.
"Impressive. You fight swift. You fight smart."
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Jovi of Shadows generated a random number between
1 and 8 ...
4!
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 12:34 am
Roll 3: Bide
To tell the truth, Chazama had expected to feel the weight of a paw during her escape, as was typical to her usual luck. She was an utter failure as a hunter, and had even managed to get kicked in the head by zebra, but there was no need to tell Heti that! This sparring thing was much more exciting than hunting, and the lioness had quickly fallen in love with the activity. It... might have helped that were so many mysterious and strong lions to interact with, as well as her mother practically forbidding her to get close to them. The allure of danger not easily quelled in youth, and Chazama wasn't exactly the most obedient of daughters. Not that the Bonelands girl would ever admit this, to herself or to any else.
She composed herself, easing back into a stalking prowl around him as she noticed his change in stance. Well, sort of. She recognized the movement and how he held himself, but she wasn't exactly certain on what it meant. He was facing her. She wasn't sure if she liked that. In fact, there was only one thing she was certain of: she still had a lot of training ahead of her. Her maw twitched into a sheepish smirk at the compliments, and to that she responded, "I still have a long ways to go before I'm any kind of warrior." It was true, and she didn't mind admitting it. As long as there were Firekin at the outpost willing to spar and train her, she'd keep at it.
At the moment, she was stuck with the uncertainty of what he would do next, and the lioness was a bit unnerved by the fact that he was now facing her head on. This tension showed in the tightness of her muscles and how her strides seemed to hesitate, but regardless she pressed on, prowling, skirting, and otherwise testing his defenses. If she was going to strike again, she would need to choose her target wisely. As it was, Chazama was not keen on getting too close to the front of him. She knew it was only a spar, but for some reason the prospect of teeth getting involved was not a challenge she was willing to uptake just yet in her training.
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Kimaria generated a random number between
1 and 10 ...
1!
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:57 am
Roll 3: Miss
"I like to think that we never stop learning. Never stop getting better. Not one lion fights the same as the other and by fighting different opponents we can become more adaptable to a whole range of scenarios." Like fighting bloodthirsty, merciless barbarians...Sparring with a range of other lions was something he himself intended to do whilst he was at the outpost. He'd only kept to a few fellows when sparring previously - the occasional sibling or childhood friend. Besides that, outsiders tended to adopt different fighting techniques, too, and some of them had proved extremely effective.
Chazama moved and he was careful to follow her step, turning his body so that he could keep her in his line of sight just in case she fancied making another attack. If he bided his time too long she'd recover some of the energy she'd already used in darting around the training grounds. So, there was nothing for it but to press the attack. Her body seemed poised and ready for him to make a move and so he did.
The muscles in his back legs tightened and he lunged again, intending to ram into her with head slightly lowered.
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Jovi of Shadows generated a random number between
1 and 8 ...
6!
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:16 am
Roll 4: Bide
His voice drew her in, and though she tried to keep an eye on what he was doing, she found herself intently listening to the Firekin lion. "Those are wise words, Heti, I hope I can someday help further your training as well." She couldn't imagine her current haphazard state was any use to him at the moment, but with practice maybe she'd develop into a fine warrior. Chazama was quite prone to day dreaming, it had been much worse as an adolescent, but the lioness was still quite bad at it currently. So when the red lion came in to ram her, she did utter a surprised rumble that sounded something between a squeak and a growl. Her body reacted before she even had a thought to do so, and jolted sideways, her claws scrambling to get out of his way.
It seemed she had managed to escape his attack, for the moment, but that didn't mean she should let her guard down! Though, she was a little more wary of the large Firekin this time around as she dashed out behind him, attempting to get into a good position for an assault. "Whatever sound that was, you didn't hear it", she laughed, some embarrassment coloring her words but otherwise her good-mood shone through.
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Kimaria generated a random number between
1 and 10 ...
1!
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 12:41 pm
Roll 4: Miss
He laughed good-naturedly as she escaped his clutches once again, spinning on his paws to watch as she shifted away, biding her time still. "Hear what?" He jested. The sound was already forgotten. All that mattered was that she had escaped unscathed. "You are quick on your feet. That's good. It will give you a great advantage." Even if she was forced to abandon a fight and run if her life depended on it.
"If you relax a little more and flow into your moves you might be quicker still. Tension is good at times, like if you are preparing to press the attack, but it could hinder you if you are trying to evade." Tight, locked limbs would be slower and more sluggish than ones who were unwound and ready to act at a moment's notice.
And then he came at her again, charging forwards and swinging out with a paw.
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Jovi of Shadows generated a random number between
1 and 8 ...
4!
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Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:46 am
Roll 5: Bide
Total: 26
Honestly, she didn't know how her mother, and a good portion of the pride for that matter, could be so wrong about these warrior giants. She had heard all the stories of how they had simply barged into Bonelands territory, claimed a pond, and then ordered everyone else away from it. Yes, her mother liked to remind her about this story, as if to illustrate the point that their new allies were also potential enemies. However, Chazama was having a difficult believing an ounce of those worries and warnings. If they had wanted their land, they would have taken it all by now, and they wouldn't have readily trained her for combat. It might take some time, and lots of arguing, but the splotchy lioness was determined, now more than ever, to make her pride see reason. They Firekin were their allies, and great ones at that!
He spoke and explained, and Chazama listened. All the while keeping up her motion, but attempting to do as he said. It was difficult, as she had been put on edge earlier and hadn't even realized she was tensing up. Instead of responding in words, she allowed her movements to speak for her. Loose. She had to think loose. She would have succeeded, maybe, or so she thought, if Heti hadn't suddenly rushed at her. She saw his attack coming, and like before her body reacted as it had before: starting to the side, digging her claws into the earth, and tearing off in the opposite direction around him. At this rate at least she wouldn't go home sore, and her mother wouldn't ask her were those bruises came from. "Its a lot to work on, but I'll keep trying. I don't even realize I'm doing it most of the time", she responded, attempting to keep up the exercise of being 'loose'. It took some concentration, as Chazama was defiantly trying to keep an eye on the large lion that had a tendency of charging at her.
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Kimaria generated a random number between
1 and 10 ...
9!
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Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 6:16 am
Roll 5: Hit
Total: 16
"It's just a matter of practise." He assured her. "You'll get better with each duel that you do and one day you'll realise that you're no longer tensing up as you were." It was strange that way to duel one day and find yourself freer and more able in battle, to relax and flow rather than freeze and hinder.
Heti began to move in a circle, drawing closer little by little as he tried to decide, for this last move, to try something a little different. She was too quick for the charging tactic that he and many of the other guards specialised in. Another charge might give him the same results - unless she was more tired than she appeared. Perhaps he could make up for his slower speed with a bit of trickery.
Setting his jaw determinedly, he turned on a hind leg and faked a left jab - hoping to drive her to the right. Yet, before the left attack could even properly begin, he shifted his weight again to throw out his right paw; swinging it around as fast as he could - hoping to take her by surprise.
There was something to be said for a bit of trickery in battle.
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Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:27 pm
She nodded at his words, she didn't expect to become an expert over night. Surely these Firekin had to work hard at becoming as great as they were, even if their size did give them an advantage of power. Still, she was not that comfortable trying to converse at length while attempting to keep an eye on him. She knew herself, and she knew she got distracted easily. With her luck she'd get stuck talking and would get caught more often than not.
So when Heti did fake a jab to the left, she allowed her body to react as it had the whole time, by spinning and dashing in the other direction. At this point it was a surprise to feel the heavy weight of a paw connect to her shoulder just as she did so, catching her quite off-guard. Regardless of how quick she was, the matter of fact was that she was much smaller than the Firekin, and the sheer weight of his paw, much less the strength he put behind the blow, knocked her completely off her paws. With a thump sound the lioness found herself laying on her side against the hard, sandy earth, laughing at how she had fallen for his trick.
It took her a moment to compose herself, both catching her breath from dashing around, and from getting the wind knocked out of her at the last second. When her laughter finally settled she pushed herself up to lay on her belly, curling a tail around her and grinning up at Heti. "And that's why I've been running around the whole time." She had learned from her previous spar with Big Guy, that the giant red lions could easily knock her off her paws with a mere touch, and as he said it, she would need to rely on speed not strength. "We've got to do this again sometime Heti, I'll try to bring some of the other Umzingeli with me next time." Hmm, she'd have to find someone willing fist. Definately not her mother, but maybe Ket, her twin. Oh, she hadn't talked with her in such a long time it seemed! She'd have to go find her after this.
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:02 am
He felt guilty that he had knocked her from her paws, chastising himself silently for not being aware of his own strength. But then she laughed and everything seemed to be okay.
Heti laughed, too, moving across to where she had fallen just to make sure she was okay. Apparently she was and he paused in front of her, glancing down at where she lay. "You run very well." He replied with a smile. "Stay as swift as you were at first and no one will be able to lay a paw on you."
He took a step back to give him room to dip his head in acknowledgement. "I would like that very much. This has been good for me, too; to learn how to deal with an agile opponent." His duelling partners, on the whole, were of similar size and strength to himself, to have the balance tipped had been an interesting lesson indeed. "Keep practising and the next time we meet I think you will be even better than you were today." And, with another smile, he excused himself with a polite word and tracked off across the outpost to see if any new Firekin had arrived.
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