[PRP] Scrappy Kid [Thema/Plamen]

[ShinosBee]

Thema was sprawling on one of her favorite perches. Well, new favorite perches. A dulled spire of dark stone had been revealed by the relatively recent rain and more recent sandstorms. It stabbed out of a low rise of sand - what had once been a larger dune, and afforded a nice enough view of the immediate area. A scratching noise mildly disturbed the air as she drew her claws over a ridge in the stone. Her days off hunting were both boring and enjoyable. It was nice to just be bored from time to time. Restful.

Of course, that didn't mean she wouldn't mind company. From where she lay resting she could keep an eye on many others in the pride. Once strangers, many had become close allies, if not friends. One in particular was missing from the pack of lions lazing about, but she would see him later. Soldiers had duties after all.

With the same paw she'd been scraping at the rock with she scooped up a loose pebble and patted it gingerly over the top of the stone. It clattered about as she smacked it back and forth, then with a swat she sent it flying to thud mutely into the sand.  

[magnadearel]

ShinosBee

Sorry I misspoke, he's a juvenile in this, not a cub.

Some might have said he was too young to apply to be the Legate, but Plamen wasn't going to let that stop him. The young male had shown up for an interview which was exactly what he'd gotten. She hadn't told him that he was too young to apply, but had taken his application seriously. Or at least she appeared to to him. Whatever she had thought of the interview, the Legate had given him a task and three days. Plamen had left when she dismissed him, determined right then to start.

His short legs had carried him straight for the training grounds. He knew that lions always came there to spar. Several times he'd watched without really trying to join in. Now he was. With determination, he marched up to the training grounds. The bigger lions, particularly the males, bustled around doing their thing. Most didn't notice the bright red male under their noses. A couple females shooed him out of the way before he could explain why he was there. Plamen frowned. Sure he could find someone to spar with him.

His tan eyes caught sight of a dull red coat sitting a sort distance from the official grounds. He would find someone to spar with. Plamen turned and made beeline toward the lioness. "Excuse me, I'm trying to apply for Legate, and she told me to find a spar partner for three days, and would you spar with me please?" He got his explanation out in a rush before she could tell him no or to run along. If she didn't agree, he wasn't sure what he'd do. Going to sit in the middle of a circle until he was noticed seemed rather childish.  

[ShinosBee]

magnadearel

Thema was more often than not content to watch the sparring over joining in. She wasn't exactly as cut-from-stone as most of the native-born firekin were. They were utterly massive next to her. But then again, she'd always, always been fairly scrappy, and could take a hit and keep coming better than some. Now and then, when she had enough energy or anger to burn, she really did enjoy the fighting scene.

Of course, being propositioned by a juvenile (and one after the Legate at that!) to tussle wasn't exactly typical. Though only half grown, he was already about two thirds of her size. And he seemed terribly hopeful. Nothing about him seemed to be lying - he seemed young, of course, but plenty of younglings began apprenticing this early. And if he'd been given a task...and he HAD asked so very nicely...With a grunt she hefted herself up from the rock, shaking a puff of sand out of her fur. "I suppose I could give you a paw, kid. Legate huh? Reaching high for your age, but no harm in that." She stepped down from her perch, leading the male along to one of the empty areas that wasn't occupied by tussling pairs. "I'll give you fair warning - I'm obviously not Firekin born. You'll probably knock me tail over ears and get tired of tussling with me, but I promise not to go easy on you, aye?"

She slowed to a stop near the center of the ring and turned to smile at him, completely open and friendly in demeanor. "By the way, I'm Thema. What's your name, kid?"  

[magnadearel]

ShinosBee

Want to roll a few rounds for their spar?

Plamen almost danced when she got up and didn't look to be walking away, or trying to shoo him off. He gave her his best smile. "Thanks! Yeah she needs someone to watch the place while she goes on maternity leave. She asked me a whole bunch of questions then sent me off on this task." He tried to walk solemnly beside her toward the training sands. Now no one could shoo him away.

The bright male looked at her with dignity. "You are Firekin or you wouldn't be here." That was that in his mind. If you had the right colors on your pelt, and you lived here, then you were Firekin. He nodded. "I wouldn't ask you to go easy. I don't think the Legate would want you too either. That'd be like cheating wouldn't it?" No that would not win him any points. "I'm Plamen. It's nice to meet you Thema, and thank you."

He grinned, then remembered he was here to spar. The young male crouched down slightly as he prepared for the match to start. Plamen tried to think like the soldiers he'd watched. Some seemed like they could predict what their opponent would do. He eyed the lioness over carefully. She was right in that she was smaller than a normal firekin. He'd lucked out there size wise. However, that meant her mind had to be more cunning to make up for it. What would she do? Honestly he had no idea.  

[ShinosBee]

magnadearel

Sure. Standard rules? Five rolls a pop, 1-3? Or shorter, maybe three rolls each?

"No problem kid. I guess that if you start training young, you've got more time to come into the roll, right?" It made sense. She'd spent most of her youth roaming, looking for a permanent home, and hadn't really learned anything useful beyond hunting for her troubles. It was no matter - all prides needed hunters, needed food. She had a place and a purpose. She just wasn't really anything special, and would likely not reach any higher than her current rank. It helped that she was a bit too relaxed to really mind that though. She was content with things as they were.

She jogged into the ring with the young male, dropping into a mirroring crouch. She obviously didn't plan on hurting the cub, but it'd be a bit shameful for them both if she really went easy on him. Before he could move, but after a long enough pause that they both should have been ready, she sprang forward, paws out wide to slap inwards at his noggin as she quickly closed the distance between them. Once he was grown he'd have size and weight, but maybe she could be faster. Then again, maybe not. It still took quite some force to bring down prey beasts, and her limbs were strong enough to connect with a solid blow somewhere on the red male's body.  

[magnadearel]

ShinosBee

I'd say shorter? XD He's only a juv lol. I'd go with 3 rolls each.

He had no idea what she meant by 'come into the roll', but he wasn't going to let that distract him. In telling himself not to be distracted he got distracted! There was more to this than he'd realized. Plamen watched as she surged toward him and delivered a sounding smack to his head before he could move. Ow! the young male thought as he went spinning in the sand. He hadn't expected that!

Despite being knocked around he reached out with a paw. It had no force. Plamen tried to shake his head. She'd really hit him! And he was going to do.... what? Love tap her back? He needed to get into the game here! Ok he was nearly as big as she was, maybe he could pin her down. The bright red male got to his feet. He ran and tried to bounce to give himself the height he needed to land on her back. That was the plan until he fell face first into the sand. He realized sand did not make a good bouncing base, too soft.

Rolls: 1(miss),  

[ShinosBee]

magnadearel

Oh man I'm sorry she's pickin' on hiiiim! D:

Thema of course hadn't meant to really beat the kid up. She knew though that the Firekin weren't especially delicate with their younglings. And he WAS nearly her size already. His swipe missed, and she spun to try to dodge his leaping attack too...just in time for him to face plant and her swipe, meant to (a bit more gently) bat him from the air went wide. Off balance she too toppled...but landed square on HIS back, inadvertently trampling the youth slightly harder into the gritty ground. Well.

She rolled off him and backed towards the edge of the ring, circling while he regained his feet. Just because she wasn't supposed to go easy didn't mean that she had to kick him (again) while he was down. She'd let him get his feet under him and keep it as even as things could reasonably be. In her old home she'd have plucked him up her self and made sure he was fine...but there were others around, great hulking soldiers, and no doubt that they wouldn't do that for him. She had to be hard on him, a little. It didn't mean she didn't feel a bit bad though.  

[magnadearel]

ShinosBee

Hahhah don't be! This is perfect, it'll show him he's not soldier material and lead to his joining the water seekers instead. <3

He was pushing his face out of the sand then a huge weight fell into his back; Plamen found himself once more face first in the sand. The male spat out sand. This was definitely more difficult than it looked. When the wait removed he looked up to see it was the lioness he'd asked to spar with him. So far he wasn't doing very good. The Legate wasn't going to be pleased with his performance. Plamen shook the sand from his ears and got to his feet, a bit unsteadily. He watched her, now more aware of what she was capable of.

With his limbs sorted out, he juv was ready for the next round. He crouched again. Mindful this time of the sand and its dangerous properties. He'd never appreciated that before. As she circled he stalked her. She was quick. He left deep divots in the ground with each step, hoping to catch her sort of the same way if she crossed that spot in the ring. With his trap set, Plamen gave a rush for her. There was no finesse in his plan or his movements. He wanted to catch her in the trap, but to do so he needed to drive her toward it. The male wasn't thinking about attacking when he should have been.


Rolls: 1(miss), 1(miss)
(we can tell who hasn't been practicing! XD )  

[ShinosBee]

magnadearel

Awww. Well I wasn't sure if he seriously was going for Legate or not, so I feel a bit better I guess knowing it wasn't meant to be?

His charge might have been effective if he was full grown. Thema had seen a full blooded firekin male bearing down on the preybeasts she helped hunt, and it was like watching an avenging missile. Still undersized though, Plamen didn't quite have the weight to throw around that he needed, and he wasn't exactly fast enough to really chase her down...She sidestepped as he neared, rather than plunging towards the other side of the arena. She didn't strike back - she just couldn't. She'd already walloped the poor kid twice (though not on purpose) and as far as duels went she was clearly performing better.

Maybe now what he needed was a little boost to his morale. An open shot (though she'd do her best not to make it too obvious.) She finished her sidestepping motion and let swing a lazy swipe. Even if it landed, it'd be little more than a glancing blow, aimed for his rump. She really shouldn't be going easy...but then, he was still just a kid. And she hadn't been raised to beat up kids.  

[magnadearel]

ShinosBee

Naw he's too young. It was just a temp position while the Legate had her babies. He heard of the opening and decided to apply. XD Kael wanted a plot with a youth trying.

His plan did not go exactly has he had planned it. She didn't run for the other side. Instead Thema sidestepped. Plamen had no idea how he was going to get her over there if she didn't run from him. Then he realized that this wasn't about running, but facing an opponent. Oncoming as he was, he easily saw her lazy swipe aimed at his rear. The young male adjusted so he stayed out of reach.

However, out of her reach also meant she was out of his reach. Plamen ran past before he could even think of anything to do. By the time he'd slowed and stopped he was out of the ring. He turned back to her with a rueful shake of his head. "I think I may need to learn how to do this before I challenge you again Thema. Thank you for the spar." He dipped his head respectfully. The Legate was going to be very disappointed with him.

A tiny thought occurred to him. The Legate wasn't here. She hadn't seen what really went on. He could perhaps embellish it a little bit. Plamen tilted his head then sighed. No there was witnesses and she could easily ask Thema how it went. He'd have to tell her of his utter failure.


Rolls: 1(miss), 1(miss), 1(miss)
Plamen lost!