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Truth.Be.Told generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
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 Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:20 am
 Mikā'īl was ready. She'd found this pride, this pride in the desert...and though it was not the desert her 'mothers' had spoken of, Mikā knew this was where SHE belonged. The lions here were strong, and now she'd been given the chance to prove herself. To earn her way in. And she would take it.
She did not roar, did not announce her attack. Mikā simply charged at the female she was facing, claws unsheathed and fangs bared. And though she was a good fighter...she was not used to the shifting sands. She misjudged how they would affect her movement, and missed her target: the other lioness' shoulder.
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Kitsune Mistress Nyoko generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:21 am
The duel had been arranged and Iirte had awaited the lioness for a good portion of the early day. The jackal puppy she'd adopted the week before was happily playing with a waist-sized bangle a safe distance away. All she had to do was keep a careful eye on the young pup throughout the duel...
And then the other lioness had arrived and the duel started. Iirte knew she had the advantage, she'd grown used to the shifting sands and it was easy to dodge Mikā's first blow. She was quick to retaliate, striking out towards the other female's shoulder with carefully sheathed claws even as she kept a careful eye on the jackal off to the side.
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Truth.Be.Told generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:26 am
Mikā did not curse when the other dodged out of the way, despite her want to. Masa and Lail had trained her better than that. She managed to step out of the other lioness' strike, red eyes watching...Keeping an eye out for an opening. Until then, she crouched slightly, muscles ready to dodge should the other take a strike again.
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Kitsune Mistress Nyoko generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:27 am
This time, Iirte paused, backing up a safe distance away and carefully looking back to Ista once again. It was only a moment's pause, but it was certainly enough for the lioness to get an attack in while the other was distracted.
But she didn't attack, and Iirte couldn't help but feel just a bit proud. Perhaps this other understood that, although this duel was important, the safety of Iirte's companion was more so? (She could only hope so, as she bid her time and watched for an opening.)
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Truth.Be.Told generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:28 am
An opening? Yes. Mikā had seen an opening that would not have had consequences for her. Or the companion of the other lioness. It had only opened for a split second but...perhaps Mikā could goad it open again, for longer.
She used an old trick her 'mothers' had taught her, and pretended to leave herself open while feinting to the right.
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Kitsune Mistress Nyoko generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:30 am
There! The other lioness was open, even if only for a brief second. Iirte didn't have the time to think about the opening, at least she didn't think so. She was quick to lunge forward, swinging a harmless but large paw in the direction of Mikā's shoulder.
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Truth.Be.Told generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:31 am
THERE! Mikā dodged Iirte's paw easily, having figured out how to get the sands to work FOR her for at least a few precious seconds. And then she launched herself forward, using her own great weight to ram into her opponent's side, to set her off balance and maybe knock her to the ground.
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Kitsune Mistress Nyoko generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:32 am
Iirte hadn't expected the lioness to dodge her paw as easily as she did, nor had she expected the other to collide rather firmly with her side. For a moment, she was stunned by the blow. But she was quick to get back to her feet and move out of the way, eying the other warily. Her shoulder was aching quite a bit from that landing, and she'd need a moment to recover her footing.
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Truth.Be.Told generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:34 am
Mikā had hit! She felt a rush of exultation...and then it vanished as she realized she was falling WITH the other lioness. She stumbled to catch herself, managing the task and growling at her own failure to be able to take full advantage of her surroundings. Her mothers would be annoyed with her, at least. She shook herself, and tried to regain her footing.
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Kitsune Mistress Nyoko generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
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Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 11:36 am
Iirte watched as the darker lioness slid in the sands, and she kept her distance for a long while. It wouldn't be honorable to take advantage of the misstep, so she waited for a long moment for the other to regain her footing. And once she was certain Mikā was back on her paws and steady on them, she charged forward.
A quick feint to the left before her paw swung upward, only to stop just short of the other's cheek. It was obvious who'd won the duel, and there was no use in prolonging it. The sands hadn't worked to either of their advantage today, but the ash-colored lioness before her had still overcome this severe disadvantage. She'd showed true Firekin spirit...
For a long moment, her paw remained where it was, hovering just in reach of the other's cheek... Before a smile twitched at the very corner's of Iirte's lips, virtually invisible as her paw lowered and she took a step back.
"Congratulations. You fought well. You'll make a fine addition to our ranks."
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 12:52 pm
Mikā had been ready to roll with the hit if the other lioness had chosen to continue the strike. But she didn't. Instead...the duel was over. The ashy lioness smiled slightly, dipping her head in acknowledgment. "Thank you. It was an invigorating duel. And challenging." Mikā did like a challenge. "I am honored that you think me strong enough to join the ranks of this place."
She would have to do her best to show that judgement was correct. She would make her 'mothers' proud. She was certain of it. "So...what now, since I have passed this test?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:03 pm
"Now? Now we return to the pride as fellow members, and you decide what rank you want to hold among us," Iirte said simply, stepping over to the young jackal pup that had been, thus far, watching the duel. The young canine had fallen asleep on the sands, and it only took a gentle lift from Iirte to the dark pup situated on top of her back, between her shoulder blades. "Come, I'll show you the way to the heart of the lands. We can discuss the ranks on the way, if you'd like."
With that said, the large female turned towards the heart of the lands and began the journey home. She didn't need to look back to see if Mikā was following her; after all, it wasn't like the lioness would just leave after winning her duel.
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