[FIN] Hmph. (Ardor'cor & Ruber)

[mouselet]

Ruber strutted proudly through the pride. Since coming under Chaka's...well, it wasn't exactly tutelage, but the word was close enough...he'd improved his skills drastically. And, given the red lion's nature, he was just itching to use them.

Caught up in his personal daydreams, the red male managed to walk right into an unfamiliar face. How he could have missed red markings that bright, no one knew. But Ruber would certainly never admit that it was his fault.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" he snarled at the unknown male.  

[Talencia]

Ardor'cor was on his way to one of his many ladies. He'd been here long enough to realize how appealing his rogue genes were to the pride, as well as his handsome face. He paused to smooth his mane back, tugging a few strands rakishly across his eyes. Oh yes, he loved the opportunities for love that this war-like pride presented! It helped that he was no slouch either in the fighting area. Still, he didn't really want to mar his good looks, and thus had chosen to be a guard instead of a soldier. Both fought, but one was more likely to receive a scarring slash across the face than the other.

As he straightened to continue on his way to the den of his newest lovely acquaintance when a red male rammed into him. It might have rocked him slightly, but it was no big deal to the easy-going Ardor... until the other male snarled at him as if it was his fault. The handsome lion paused, arched a brow, and gazed with shallow concern at the irate face of his fellow Firekin. "Ah... did anyone ever tell you that if you do that too often, your face'll freeze like that?" He made a grimace of distaste and shook his head, tsking with mock dismay. "Best watch out, you wouldn't want to get any uglier than you are already, you know. Girls, and all that." He cast the other male a smirk and moved as if to pass on by.  

[mouselet]

Ruber had expected one of two things in response to his challenge. Either an immediate apology, or an angry Firekin just rearing to duel.

Being made fun of...well, not only was it unexpected, but it sat ill with the red lion and his frown deepened. And then the idiot had to go and make a crack about girls. Ruber stuck a paw out, forcing the stranger to either trip or stop.

"And who are you to insult a Soldier?" he demanded, purple eyes spitting fire. He'd been here more than half a year, and considered himself to be a full-fludged member in every way...save for being related. Which was no bad thing. But had no bearing on this...this imbecile who thought he was superior to Ruber!  

[Talencia]

Ardor really hadn't expected that the encounter would end there. It wouldn't have bothered him at all if it had, but neither did it bother him that this lion was taking exception to being insulted. This was the Firekin, after all. Hot tempers to go with the hot desert. He merely smiled, one corner of his mouth twitching as if in a private joke that this red-and-gold male hadn't been let in on. He shifted his body to face the rude guy again, a study in relaxation that included his weight shifting subtly to his hind legs, prepared for anything.

"Ah yes, the ever obedient soldier, thick.... skinned for battle," he drawled, pausing significantly on the one word, silently implying a different word than 'skinned'. His eyes slid away from Ruber's almost as if bored and unworried. "Sorry old man, didn't mean to be insulting... I wasn't aware soldiers took pride in having pretty faces?" He raised his brows and tipped his head slightly in dramatized inquiry. "I'd have thought that'd be an occupational hazard for one of your... talents?" Again, the innocent tilt of the head, the little quirk at the corner of his mouth, and laughter sparkling in his black eyes.  

[mouselet]

Ruber did not actually care much for physical appearance. Physical prowess...yes. But scars? They added character. Told of places a lion had been and what he'd done. What the red lion was taking offense to was the very tone of the other's voice, and the fact of the insults. Not their content.

Until the not-so-subtle crack about intelligence. That made the purple eyes narrow further.

"And you're so proud of your pretty face, are you?" he hissed angrily before spitting on the ground. "That! For your insult. And this for your face!" Without warning, Ruber swung a pawful of claws right at the stranger's muzzle.  

[Talencia]

Angry males... not exactly Ardor's cup of tea, but certainly something as common as the sand under their paws. He looked completely unfazed by the increasing rage expressed by the male before him, though he eyed the expelled spit with wry skepticism... at least for the few milliseconds before the attack. Mentally shaking his head at the wasted moisture, he let his body react fluidly to the lunging swipe. Already balanced on his back legs, he leaned backwards gracefully, just enough so that Ruber's claws whistled by a hairsbreadth from the tip of his nose.

While the red male's balance was extended for the missed swipe, Ardor dropped his center of gravity nice and low and launched himself from his coiled hind legs. He angled his shoulders so that his opposite shoulder met the shoulder of the swiping paw. It wasn't likely to do too much, other than stagger his opponent, unless Ruber had foolishly over-extended, in which case it might throw the angry lion onto his side.

Ardor wasn't counting on completely toppling him, though, and pivoted himself around where their shoulders met, so that he wasn't in the direct line of another swipe. "Oh, that's low, soldier boy," he scolded, sidestepping lightly and tossing his barely mussed mane. "Trying to do damage to a lion's one joy in this furnace of a world! Shame on you." He again tsk-tsked, shaking his head woefully. "Smashing skulls might be enough for you soldier types, but some of us actually enjoy the adoration and warm body of females...," he drifted off with a dreamy look on his face.  

[mouselet]

Ruber's fury reached volcanic proportions as he watched his claws not even graze the other male's whiskers. But he wasn't caught totally off-guard when the stranger turned his attack against him, thanks to the increased training he'd been doing. He'd have to remember to thank Chaka.

Thus, instead of being bowled over by the sudden lunge at his shoulder, Ruber was able to control his fall backward...and do some damage at the same time. His claws were still outstretched, and the stranger's proximity made it near child's play to rake the other's forelegs as he pulled his paw back in to roll to all fours.

Just in time to see the idiot toss his mane as if he were...some female! Pathetic! Ruber snorted his disdain.

"Yes, some of us spend our time off getting laid, not pretending we're so pretty. Maybe you're just a lioness in disguise, since you seem to care so much about your looks," he observed scornfully. "In that case, I can recommend some single males to entertain you."  

[Talencia]

Ardor sucked a hiss, but did not react overly much to the stinging set of scratches across his foreleg. He'd asked for it, drifting off into thought in the middle of a conflict! Shame on him! However, the jaunty humor was right back in place moments later as he gave the other male a mocking bow for the score. "Oh my, so the battle boy does have teeth! Good for you!" He clapped his paws momentarily, smirk back on his muzzle. "Your delivery is a bit weak, though. You need some spice, some pizzazz. Just growling it kinda lends itself to more jokes about your intelligence." He gave the other male a more genuine but still slightly mocking grin.

"Pretty is as pretty does, you know," he added before lunging forward, feinting with one paw while coming the other direction with wide-open jaws. He had no intention of aiming for the jugular, as he would a true enemy... this was a pride brother, after all! He did aim for the area just below his chin, where the mane was thick, but the face was oh-so-close. Pretty he might be, but no pansy. He had a feeling he'd have to prove himself before this bully would leave him be. So be it. Besides, he needed to get some payback eventually for the scratches. Those stung!!  

[mouselet]

The red lion was given no chance to savor the feel of his claws rending flesh before he was attacked twice more. Once, verbally with more insults. Twice with weapons he actually respected.

"You're an obnoxious twit," he growled under his breath, moving to dodge the paw, then had the breath driven out of him by an unexpected bite beneath his face. For a moment, Ruber's mind blanked on how to react.

Then he grinned, despite the pain, and let his knees collapse. Gravity pulled him down to the ground, and his opponent's head was underneath his.  

[Talencia]

The bite wasn't meant to be a long one, but he lingered there with a mild sense of triumph for the momentary stillness of his opponent. Bad idea. He felt them both falling, with his jaws still buried in Ruber's throat. Utoh, time for strategic extraction! He let go, twisting his head back and away from under the red lion's heavy head. At the same time, he used the paw already slipping harmlessly down the outer mane. Bracing his hind paws, twisting his spine, he braced that paw against the other male's shoulder, flexing his claws into the soldier's tough hide. With that as leverage, he wrenched himself free, raking his claws loose from the shoulder as he hauled himself back away from his foe who was... laying down? Not a terribly defensible position, but Ardor didn't try to take advantage of it. After all, the tender parts that were the true weakness were quite well protected by the sand itself.

Now he was panting, though only lightly, and his mane was a mess. He let his mouth hang open a little, tongue curling in a laugh. "So, have we brawled enough to satisfy masculine egos?" he inquired. "You and I both know that you ran into me, and we also both know we are macho enough to stand up to each other." He turned and spat a clump of mane out of his mouth, careful to expend as little saliva as possible. "Is it worth taking out one of the guards who watch the borders in order to satisfy your ire?" There now was a more dangerous glitter in the darker male's eyes. He'd only been playing thus far, sparring for the sake of face. Ha, for the sake of face! A grin flickered across his face, but then was gone. "It isn't worth it to me to rob the pride of a soldier because of clumsiness," he added in a low voice, "but I will defend myself." He bared his fangs, this time not in a grin or a mocking expression. "Which will it be?"  

[mouselet]

Ruber hissed at the unexpected pain in his shoulder as it was used as a...lever? Whatever, there had been claws in there! The red lion wasted no time getting back to his feet. He too was panting now as he glared at the other male, and there was no forgiveness in his eyes.

So neither of them had truly been playing for keeps. But...was he really interested in another reprimand for "starting trouble"? Not to mention he wasn't really at his peak right now. Not that Ruber would ever admit any of that to this...girly idiot!

"You're not worth the time it would take to beat you to a pulp," he retorted, turning on his heel and leaving. He'd have to practice more, so that the red and black male couldn't get the drop on him.  

[Talencia]

Ardor watched him go, all injured masculine pride and thwarted anger. He shook his head in exasperation and dry amusement. There were always bully boys like that in the pride... males who felt their physical prowess made them above everyone else. Ah well, he'd managed to hold his own, and scars appealed to the girls almost as much as his good looks. He leaned to lick his scratches, cleaning them of grit so they could scab well. Now... where was he? Oh yes! He had a date!

He sauntered off after giving himself a good, long shudder to loosen the dust and grit from his fur and mane. He left his mane all tousled and messy, a grin decorating his muzzle as he planned how he could twist this to gain further favor in the eyes of the ladies. Oh yes, some male called you names, sweetheart! Such things must never be uttered about such a beauty as you, so I had to teach him some manners! His rakish grin remained a fixture as he strolled on. This most certainly could work in his favor! He'd just have to keep an eye out for yet another irate male, was all. No big deal when he'd faced much angrier males, claiming rights to a female who had so willingly welcomed Ardor into their dens! No, that red and gold male was no special thing. Just one more obstacle to deal with next time they met!