[SRP] Joining duel (Hro, Phle)

[Puhterodactyl]

Freshly back from his first reaving, Hroovitnir strutted around the pride and the edge. He was ready for more. Ready for duels. Maybe some day he could become a captain! His head held high, there was a bounce in his step. He roared a challenge to anyone around. Pride member or challenging rogue, he could take on anyone! He had his very own thrall, and he was the only one among his siblings who could say that. Granted his mother and grandmother were very disappointed in him having been taken into the pride as thralls themselves, but he was a benevolent master. He was great, the absolute best.  

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas had already lost a challenge trying to gain entry, underestimating a slim but well-muscled female. He would not make that mistake ever again. His ears perked in the direction of the roar and his feet followed. He loped to the source and found a young, black and red male. He wouldn't let the boy's youth trick him into taking it easy on the lion.

He roared back. He had been the heir of a pride, his mother's goddess blood coursed through him. He was unstoppable.

"I challenge you, Reaver!"  

[Puhterodactyl]

Hroovitnir nodded at the mighty, purple lion. This was his first duel, his first challenger, finally in the flesh before him. He tensed all of his muscles beneath his shiny, black coat and lowered himself, before lunging at the male from his high vantage point. But the purple male deftly stepped to the side! Hroovitnir barely glanced him on the shoulder with his claws. Ok, so the male got lucky.

He curled his lips back in a snarl. Well, it was this guy's turn now.

"I'm Hroovitnir. I'll be defeating you today."  

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas dogged the lion's pounce easily. He was grazed, but not even by the claws. A weakling. He was new to this, clearly. Undisciplined. Well, Phlegyas didn't mind teaching him a thing or two. He lunged and latched onto the male by the back of his neck with his fangs and shook him violently. His size was a huge advantage on the male calling himself Hroovitnir. He let go of the male and stood his ground.

"You may call me Phlegyas. I am the son of a king and a goddess. You had best take this more seriously, boy."

Well this was going much, much better than his last challenge had gone. His pride still stung to think about it, but he must focus his mind on the now and not having a vision.  

[Puhterodactyl]

Hroovitnir had never felt anything so painful in his whole life. His limp body was thrown into the dirt. All of his wrestling with his siblings as a cub was nothing like this. He was surprised he could even stand after such a hit. He staggered towards Phlegyas and roared again, more feeble. He lunged again, claws out. He couldn't be out of this fight just yet. But the large purple lion was right. He did need to be more serious. He had been riding a high of his first reaving and capturing Ukombozi to be his beautiful thrall.

He had to do this for his family. To prove to his mother and grandmother that being a Reaver wasn't inherently evil. To prove to his sister that he wasn't inferior. And prove... something to Ukombozi, he did want to impress her. This was his chance.  

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas was barely swiped again, this was almost too easy. He dodged the male's lunge and returned it with a swipe of his own, mighty paw. This wasn't as hard of a blow as his first one. Maybe he felt somewhat bad for this limping fellow, but a fight was a fight. The kid would have to learn how to fight sometime. He'd taught his daughters, even the ones he had with Aneesia, the ones his old pride said were slaves. Who had slacked with this kid? Disgraceful.

He stood in place, waiting for Hroovitnir's next attack and he raised an eyebrow.

"Well?"  

[Puhterodactyl]

Hroovitnir was knocked once more into the dirt, but instead of hopping up, he tensed into a ball of muscles and from his low center of gravity, he lunged into Phlegyas from the side, coming up, instead of from above. He shoved his bleeding shoulders into the male's soft stomach, one of the only spots not armored by tough muscle. He felt the connection and winced. His shoulders hurt so badly, but at least he wasn't out of this yet. It had to have hurt the male, too.

He actually managed to push Phlegyas off his feet, but he didn't have the energy in him for another attack to follow it, he huffed and puffed, his neck and shoulders bleeding more freely now.  

[Puhterodactyl]

From his back, he wasn't defenseless. Phlegyas used his strong hind legs to kick Hroovitnir and felled his opponent, too. This was still such an easy fight. Every single one of the battles he'd fought to rule the Aikanaro'hini had been life-threatening. He was glad, now, that he had't been stuck in that place, there was no future for him in the pride of demons. But he had potential here. He just had to get in, first. And he was so close he could taste it. Only a few more blows and that should do it.  

[Puhterodactyl]

Hroovitnir was fading fast, he probably only had another blow or two in him, probably. He was thrown back by Phlegyas' kick, but hobbled up as fast as he could. He whipped around and swiped at the purple male's face and managed to land a glancing blow, claws out, even, but with his wounded shoulders, there wasn't hardly any of the much force behind it.

He took a step back and curled his lip over his fangs again. He couldn't walk the walk, he could only try to talk the talk, he supposed. And he wasn't even doing that good a job of it. Blood trickled down his back, it wasn't a very impressive sight. He only barely drew a couple of drops on Phlegyas' cheek.  

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas almost felt bad for the male. But just only almost. He felt his own blood run down his face, but he shrugged it off. The blow had done so little to him. He was all the closer to getting his family into the pride. Delphi, Aneesia, Phleesia and Megaera were all counting on him. He shoved the male back, hardly an attack, and Hroovitnir rolled back again. Phlegyas sighed. Could they just call this over already??

The massive purple lion walked around the fallen reaver.

"Ready to quit yet? I don't want to have to hurt you further. Actually, I wonder if I may have hurt you too much already..."  

[Puhterodactyl]

Hroovitnir sighed. It wasnt over yet. He refused to secede to the challenger. Hopefully his pride wouldn't get him killed. Geez how embarrassing would that be. New reaver, who had even captured a thrall, struck down while fighting his first challenging rogue. Maybe his mother would be sad, but his siblings would probably follow him to the grave after they died of laughter.

"You'll have to kill me first. I won't surrender."

He charged weakly at his opponent with his fangs bared, barely nipping at Phlegyas.  

[Puhterodactyl]

Phlegyas shrugged. He would do as the male said if not for how bad it would look on him to have gotten into the pride by killing some young adult. He didn't think they were really into that. He would just put the male down so hard he wouldn't be able to get up. Then he would walk on into the Stormborn as it's newest pride member. He tensed his haunches and launched himself at Hroovitnir, knocking the lion into the jagged stony terrain behind him. The black lion hit his head and was knocked out.

Phlegyas tilted his head and poked at the male. Well, he wasn't dead. He'd learn there was much more to fighting, maybe do better in his next duel. But Phlegyas had things to do. He had to make his joining official, and get his daughters and mate (would she be his salt-wife now?) in as well by claiming them as family. He was much better at fighting than bureaucracy, but oh well. Rules were rules.