[SRP] Another Go (Calyso x Jupe)

[Krysin]

(OOC Note: She is a reaver.)

Jupe had headed to the border of the pride, not necessarily looking to take on the few challengers that appeared here and there, but rather as a means to escape the hustle and bustle of the pride. She loved the security of living within a large pride, but she could do without dealing with most of the lions that dwelled within it. The black and blue lioness was irritable by nature and hard to get along with. She had few friends, and those that she did make knew only to approach her when she was in a well enough mood.

Tonight, she was a little irritable.

There was a roar in the distance. 'A challenger', she thought, and for a moment she remained in place as she considered whether she wanted to answer it or not. The sound was feminine, but rough, coarse, as if there was gravel in the creature's voice. Sighing, Jupe decided that it would be far more fun to accept a challenger than it would be to wander back towards the heart of the pride.

A few of the members within it had put her into a particularly bad mood. She suspected they knew who they were, too. Actually, Daijur certainly did, and probably reveled in that fact.

The small lioness walked towards the direction of the roar, and upon seeing who the challenger was, she greeted the equally dark lioness with, "Well, challenger, let's see what you've got."  

[Krysin]

Calypso had returned, and this time she was intent on making her impact on this pride. She would not act the distracted fool as she had during her previous challenge. The lioness came back with the focus and drive she needed to win, and it hardly mattered who she faced, she was determined to come out on top. Whether it be Ciro or someone she was utterly outmatched against, Calypso would prove her worth. She roared her challenge, her fur standing on edge, her crimson eyes darkened by ferocity and harnessed anger.

She would pummel the crap out of whomever showed up and force them to accept her into the pride.

Soon after her announcement that she was seeking to challenge her way into the pride, a small lioness showed up. The lioness was almost petite compared to Calypso, who was taller and lanky. The female was more compact than Calypso, and seemed in better condition. That hardly mattered. She turned to face her opponent squarely, concealing most of her body from the lioness' sight. It made a smaller target for Jupe to hit, but Calypso didn't intend to give the lioness a chance to land a blow.

No words needed to be spoken, because with a roar Calypso charged forward, pouncing at the female before Jupe truly had a chance to prepare herself for the fight. Calypso wasn't going to leave any of it to chance.  

[Krysin]

A Stormborn was always ready for a fight, whether one looked like it or not. Jupe was a little surprised by Calypso's intensity and eagerness to fight. She had remembered a bit more polite conversation when she had challenged her way into the pride. This lioness didn't wait for pleasantries, and perhaps that suited Jupe just fine right now.

She didn't attempt to dodge, or even immediately counterattack. Jupe waited for the moment that Calypso landed against her, and allowed the lioness to push her back onto the ground. Down on her back, she used her hind legs to shove up against Calypso's stomach and catapult the lioness over her head. Both felines rose back to their feet. Jupe had made the more effective recovery, her knowledge and skills attributed to the few times she had been out on vikings. Jupe had a better battle sense, but her opponent's tenacity was impressive.

Blue eyes watched as the other lioness struggled back onto her feet with an angry snarl. A cocky smirk blossomed across Jupe's face, and she hunched down, preparing herself for another assault that was surely going to be quick to come. Her opponent did not seem like the type of lioness to be disheartened after one failed attack. In fact there was something primal about Calypso's movements, a deep rooted drive that refused to accept failure.

Jupe was dying to see if she could snuff out the drive in the lioness circling back around her.  

[Krysin]

Calypso was brisked through a flurry of emotions as she was tossed from on top of Jupe. From triumph, to confusion, defeat, and inevitably that same desire to win. She landed clumsily to the ground, and by the time she managed to right herself, her opponent was already standing and waiting for her next move. It was almost as if Jupe was inviting her in for a second attack. 'How infuriating', the lioness thought. The only voice she gave to those thoughts was an irritable snarl.

Her competition was basically egging her on, convincing her to give it her all even when it meant harming the other. Whatever. It was the lionesses' own funeral for bringing this upon herself. Calypso threw herself at Jupe again with a low growl, and this time they clashed on even ground. Their chests bumped against each other, the two lionesses raising onto their hind legs as they swiped and clawed at one another.

She felt a paw slide against her cheek, claws just barely scraping against her flesh. The blue lioness was holding back just enough to not permanently damage Calypso, and that was infuriating to a lioness who had no intention of holding back. So, she returned the favor, and slashed Jupe across the cheeks with claws unsheathed.  

[Krysin]

Claws smarted against her face, pain blossoming as her flesh was torn. Jupe could call the challenge now, she had seen enough to prove the lionesses' worth. But, now she did not want to. She would not this let one get off so easy, not after causing her unnecessary pain. Jupe refused to back down from this fight without taking something back from her challenger.

There was a point in every fight where Jupe could come to enjoy the exhilaration. It was rare that she fought someone who was nearly on equal terms with her. Jupe may have been smaller than the other lioness, but she was certainly smarter when it came to fighting. Calypso's condition wasn't great either. The hard life of a rogue could do that to someone. Jupe knew that best, because she had been one for quite a long time before joining the Myrsky Syntynyt.

With a roar she pushed forward, back legs propelling herself against the other lioness until she felt Calypso fall back again. "You c**t," she growled, feeling blood hot against her cheek. She doubted that it would leave a permanent scar, but she would hate to have to explain how she got the mark to anyone. If Daijur saw it she was sure she would never hear the end of it.

Her words spoken, for the first time Jupe went on the offensive. She circled the other lioness, waiting for the opportune moment to strike, and when it presented itself she charged. A paw swiped at Calypso's legs, intending to knock her off of her feet and put her into a humiliating defeat.  

[Krysin]

Perhaps she had gotten carried away, unleashing her claws at the other female. If she wanted to win her way into the pride, making a true enemy out of her opponent wasn't the way. But, it was too late now. The damage had been done, and as they were forced apart again Calypso could see the cold anger in those bright blue eyes. She knew exactly what the female was thinking, because she would likely be thinking something similar.

She backed away from Jupe, carefully evaluating the lioness. Calypso sensed the change in the lioness, from someone who was welcoming and challenging her to bring it on to someone determined to put her down. Well then, Jupe would just have to give Calypso her best. The lioness snarled defensively, trying to keep track of Jupe as the lioness darted around her.

Jupe was quick, and Calypso couldn't react entirely to the swipe. She reached out, grabbing hold of the other lioness and dragging her down onto the ground with her. She felt teeth pierce her shoulder, and she roared angrily, clawing and kicking at her opponent in an attempt to shove the lioness off of her again. It was a short, but fierce fight between them, both deciding to give it their all in a fight that did not necessarily demand it.  

[Krysin]

"Enough!"

The lioness suddenly roared, slamming her paw down on Calypso's chest to stop her. Their tousle had ended up with Jupe on top, carefully maintaining control of the larger lioness. Her tail swished angrily from side to side. Long strands of blue bangs hung over her eyes as she looked down to the volatile lioness underneath her. Chest heaving from her exertion, she carefully peeled herself back away from the lioness. For a moment, she expected Calypso to try and continue the fight. The lioness didn't seem like the type to give up easily.

But, Jupe had, in her mind, won the little fight. In all actuality, she had made her decision about Calypso within the first few moments of their fight. "I have seen enough," she clarified through short breaths. If they had continued the fight for much longer, there would have been more serious injuries than a couple of scratches on her face. She had surprisingly more control than the other lioness, and had kept her own claws sheathed.

It was the little bit of mercy that Jupe had been willing to show to her challenger. "You're tenacious - that's good. I don't see any reason to turn you away from the pride when you show to have some value." Some. Jupe didn't want the victory going to the lionesses' head - especially since in her mind Calypso had not won at all. She had just proven herself valuable enough to be allowed to join the ranks of the Stormborn.  

[Krysin]

Calypso froze, realizing that she was on her back with the other lioness towering over her. She looked up into those sharp blue eyes, and in an instant understood that their fight was over. Her claws still itched to tear into something, but she held back the urge. Continuing the fight now would be pointless, and if she was going to be accepted into the pride, she had to be able to display some control. So, she kept her desires at bay and rolled off of her back and onto her feet.

Calypso forced herself to sit down, tail flicking anxiously behind her as she awaited the lionesses' decision. This was what she couldn't stand - the wait. Ciro had turned her away quickly without giving her much of a chance to prove herself. Jupe, on the other hand, had given her plenty of opportunity to do so. If she was turned away now, Calypso had no idea how to go about proving her worth.

But, she was accepted, and relief flooded through her. She couldn't bring herself to fully relax, but most of the tension in her muscles eased and she could breathe again. "What is your name? You put up a good fight," Calypso asked in a way that was more demanding than just a simple inquiry. She also did not thank the lioness, simply because she saw no reason to. Calypso had, after all, proven herself.  

[Krysin]

"Jupe," the lioness responded simply with an arch of her brow. What Calypso did not say mattered little to Jupe. She had done her duty by accepting the rogue's challenge, and passed judgment upon the lioness as was her right. Once Calypso melded into the rest of the pride, Jupe doubted she would see much of her at all. If she had her pinned right, this one would attempt to become a reaver, which meant Jupe would see even less of her unless they ended up in the same band.

She wasn't entirely sure she was against the idea.

"Your name? I'll have to hear it when I take you to the lawspeaker to have you officially accepted into the pride." Jupe tried to not to show too much interest in the lioness now that the battle had been determined. Instead she turned to begin heading back into the pride, expecting the other female to naturally follow her.

She was beginning to think that perhaps she needed to partake in these challenges a bit more to hone her skills. But, she could process those thoughts later. She had this lioness to tend to, and then perhaps she could finally find the peace and quiet she had been looking for before.  

[Krysin]

"I'm Calypso," she answered firmly. Calypso had no idea who this lawspeaker was, but if she was going to complete her joining of the pride she would follow this lioness. As Jupe turned to head into the pride, Calypso followed, her long tail dragging against the dirt.

To think that before she had no intention of joining this pride. From the moment she lost her first challenge, that had changed. If there was something Calypso did not enjoy - it was losing. She almost hoped to run into Ciro again in this pride, just to prove to him that all along she was capable. He had been a blind idiot not see that. All the males she had encountered during her journey had been subpar at best.

Perhaps in this pride she would find someone actually worthy of her time, someone who did not aggravate her or make her want to maim them. It would be... quite the challenge, Calypso supposed.