|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 4:39 pm
 He had travailed for weeks across the harsh red desert. Barely stopping to hunt what little prey was around, or pausing to drink and the quickly shrinking pools of water. It had been days since he had seen either now and his darkly striking coat was pale with dust and streaked with sweat.
Pausing in his slow trudge, one paw raised, he lifted his head and scented the air. Finally... the smell of warm lion, not a few hours old, and under it, the days, weeks and months of lion patrols... many different animals but all sharing that same warm scent.
He had finally found them, the Motoujamii-Simo.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 2:38 pm
 Kuzaliwa'Jpi had decided to patrol the boarders on this particular day, needing to stretch her legs and work off some of her anxious energy. The whole thing with the water supply and now this unexpected war with a mysterious bunch of lions, and the arrival of more Hongshan members which was not a little suspicious... she found it all a little too much this morning.
So here she was, walking along with the burning sun beating down on her unprotected back, her thirst like a living thing inside her, drying her tongue and making her sides heave with dusty pants. Yet there was nothing wrong with her eyesight and she quickly spotted the dark shape of a strange male up ahead. He seemed to be waiting for something, or someone, for he had stopped just to the side of the path the patrol usually walked, his heavily maned head lifted high as he scented the dry air.
Her own head lifted, tail extending behind her as hard muscles tightened. If he was an invader, she would drive him away, and if he wished to join the firekin, he would fight her in a duel... either way she would finally get the release she had been craving.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:26 pm
The dark male spotted the pride female as she saw him. Her bright red coat stood out even in the red-tinted desert. He had heard enough about the firekin to know that she was one of them, she had to be all the way out here with that coat of burning fire.
Gathering his body, muscles flexing with the promise of a fight, he turned and walked steadily towards her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:54 pm
Ahha... so he was going to make it easy on her and approach. That was perfectly fine with her. Though she wouldn;t have minded a chase to warm up with first. Still, she couldn;t help grinning as the male drew closer, for he was a big one for a rogue and would prove a worthy challenge.
Drawing to a halt she lifted her head and fixed him with her cool gaze. "Halt stranger. State your intention."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:59 pm
He stopped a few yards from her, his dark body still, quiet, and all the more dangerous for it. "I wish to battle for entry."
With that, he launched himself forwards, no more words, no more warning, not even a roar as he flowed from stillness to motion. His was a silent attack, swift and, if you were dumb, slow or weak, deadly. He covered the ground between them in three massive strides then leaped to attack the female, claws extended and maw wide.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
|
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 7:01 pm
She had expected his words, for there was one of two reasons for him to be out here... and since he hadn't seemed uncertain or nervous, she had assumed he was here deliberately. A grin wrinkled across her muzzle as he turned yet his turn of speed was a surprise, considering his size and the thick sand under foot. Yet she was a warrior, forged int he desert, hardened in a pride of fire, and she did not hesitate as he charged but met his charge head on, solid chests colliding in midair, claws raking though red and black fur alike until blood flowed to speckle the sand churned beneath their paws.
Growling low in her throat she twisted to the side, sinking fangs into the flesh of his shoulder even as she felt his own rip through the skin of her neck, yet the hard corded muscle there and the awkward angle prevented him getting a proper hold.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 7:04 pm
He felt her claws bury themselves in his sides and back, and her fangs searching through his thick protective mane for his more vulnerable throat. Jerking his head back he twisted, long, agile body arching tot he side, as he brought his opened maw round to fend off her fangs. A deep, low rumbling growl swept through him in response to her own.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
|
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 7:10 pm
A smirk twitched across her expression even as she lunged closer, shoving at his large body with her own muscular one, hind limbs digging into the soft sand to gain purchase as she sought to dig through the thick mane to the softer flesh beneath. She had put him on the defensive and fully intended to take full advantage of it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:27 pm
Growling again he gathered his strength and shoved back against her straining body, using his larger size and natural power to force her backwards. Giving up trying to get her teeth out of his mane, trusting the thick, wiry fur would protect him long enough to count, he twisted and clamped his fangs down in the side of her arching neck, having managed to get a grip on the solid muscle this time. With a triumphant hiss between the flesh in his fangs, he shook his head brutally, aiming to tear and bleed his opponent. With another heave he drove her backwards. Never would he give up, never would he seek death in the cowards way. He hoped she was strong enough to follow through with her attack and rip his life from him, bloody drop by bloody drop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
|
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 5:39 am
Kuza hissed as his fangs buried themselves in her neck and his shove forced her backwards, the soft shifting sands giving way beneath their combined weight as hunch muscles strained for purchase. Yet she refused to give in, this male was going to have to prove himself worthy to join the pride!
Releasing her futile grip on his thick mane she broke away and jumped tot he side, blood darkening her sweat-streaked coat. Regaining a good foothold she launched herself forwards again, hoping to catch him off balance and knock him aside.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 5:58 am
He growled in fury as she lipped away from his grasp, leaving the sweet copper taste of her blood in his mouth but his claws empty of her warm fur. Dropping to the ground he twisted to keep her in view, ears flat against his head and eyes narrowed.
When she suddenly leapt again he danced to the side, avoiding her outstretched claws and gleaming fangs easily, his own lips wrinkled back over deadly fangs as another growl rumbled through the dry air. Circling her growling figure he tensed, waiting for just the right moment to attack.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
|
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 5:59 am
Irritation filled her as her quarry escaped, leaving her to land in a puff of loose sand and then snort the fine dust from her nose. Pale eyes narrowed she circled with him, until there was a roughly circular track left in the sand.
A low, constant growl slithered from her throat to drip from bared fangs, head down and hackles up as she saw him tense, her own body coiled like a spring, waiting for that chance, that brief opening where she could end this fight one and for all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 6:01 am
They circled each other slowly, every paw step placed with care, eyes never leaving the other's body, looking for that tell tale slip, the instant of hesitation or lack of concentration that would be all the opening they needed. Suddenly a snake shot away, disturbed by their battle and taking the slight distraction, he leapt at the red female, head down and teeth bared. Again, no growl or roar left him, nothing to slow him down or warn his opponent. Just pure speed and violence unleashed in the red desert.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tanakako generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
|
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 6:12 am
Kuza watched, waited, held herself ready. When the snake erupted from a small mound of sand she never gave it a glance, but focused on the dark male before her. Her own body bunched, ready to meet his charge with her own, muscles straining, paws spread wide a she pushed off from where she stood, but then one leg gave way, the sand under her suddenly collapsing in on itself as her weight broke the back of some small desert rodent's tunnel hidden below the sand.
Lurching to the side she struggled to regain her balance, to meet the male's charge as she should, but he was too fast and the momentary loss of footing saw her sent flying across the sand, the pain of his solid body hitting her ribs blooming through her body, searing her side as muscles contracted around the impact point.
Rolling back on to her paws several strides away from where she had originally been standing, she let out a low grunt, lips wrinkling back over sharp fangs in irritation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:35 am
He hadn't planned on the burrow collapsing, so when she suddenly staggered to one side he felt fierce joy well in his chest in the triumph, but it was instantly followed by a deep sorrow as the reality of his continued existence drove into his mind. Yet another fighter beaten, and another chance at death lost to him.
As she regained her footing he stood where he had landed, crimson eyes distant, expression as cold and remote as it had been before the battle. He didn't close in for the kill, for to finish her off now would prove nothing, and was not the reason he had travailed all the way out here to this godforsaken wasteland in red.
Shaking the sand from his mane he watched her cooly, already knowing what would happen next.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
