[SRP-Viking] Assassin vs Reaver (Giovanni/Mariah/Ragnvard)

[Tanakako]

Giovanni glanced down at the lioness walking along beside him. Even now, both of them comfortably into their mature years, she took his breath away. Her figure was still trim despite raising a large litter of eight cubs, her fur silky soft and still as bright as ever it had been, despite the years of depredation they had survived. Of living secretly, without the benefit of a stable pride or even a consistent den. Ever did he feel guilty about the struggles he had put her though. For had she chosen another, one who had not been a member of the Assassins, she would have lived a more comfortable life. One in which she was not always looking over her shoulder, or running from the Borgias. Where she may have created a home, instead of just a safehouse. And where she could have birthed many more litters, and been a grandma by now, several times over. And yet when he had first admitted his feelings of inadequacies, she had shot him down with no small amount of anger. He respected, and loved, her too much to dismiss her own feelings on the matter and so had not spoken of such things again. Instead he simply admired her patience and courage, and her fortitude in the face of an existence less than ideal.

He loved her with all he had, and gave thanks every day when he woke up with her beside him. Who ever knew why the gods had blessed him so with her love, but they had and he would forever cherish her.


Feeling her husband’s glance she looked up at him, giving him a warm, tender smile. “Why the look?” She asked softly, wondering at the old pain she saw in his features before he smiled. At his slow shake she shifted sideways, bumping him with her body. Of course it did nothing to upset his balance, not even breaking his easy, even stride. But it earned her a low, rumbling laugh and she grinned in return. “Come along… we should get back before the day is too far gone. They will be wondering where we vanished off to….”

She thought fondly of her family and friends back in the pride, and those that had dispersed either permanently or temporarily. Tahirah would no doubt come looking if they were gone for too long. The female had become Mariah’s closest female friend and they often spent the afternoons together, talking female things.
 

[Tanakako]

A low simmering anger had settled deep in his chest, part stung pride and, for the first time, he felt a touch of fear. He had not realised that the assassin was still in the part of the roguelands that bordered the Stormborn. He was not scared of fighting the leopard, though he had a healthy respect for the creature’s skills and knew it could quite possibly be the one fight he lost for good. No, it was the idea of the male’s pride being so near that disturbed him. The fact that he had a link to those crazed beasts and that, if they felt like it, they could quite conceivably come and claim payment for services rendered. Even if at the time, they had possessed no idea of the favour they were performing for him.

Not only that but their very existence could revive the rumours that had circulated back then. Not that he thought his position was vulnerable in any way, but still… it was a risk he didn’t want to take and could hold up his plans if he were forced to put down a number of rivals suddenly thinking they could take him on. It would delay him and that just would not do.

Hissing his annoyance under his breath he suddenly froze, one paw raised as his ears twitched back and forth. Voices… one deep and male, the other unmistakably female, drifted to him on the breeze. Maybe a good fight and a thrall or two to take home would ease his temper into something more manageable. Allowing a vicious grin to split his maw he eased forwards, heart and pulse speeding up, muscles tensing as anticipation flowed through him.

It was time to fight.

 

[Tanakako]

Giovanni gazed down at his beloved Maria, taking pleasure in the beauty of her smile as she walked along at his side. He wondered what she was thinking of but it was an idle though, as nothing that made her smile could possibly be a bad thing.

Suddenly he froze on the spot, front paw raised, claws flexing as he swivelled his head, scanning the foliage about them. The same instinct that had kept him alive during their turbulent past served him now as without a thought he moved Maria behind him, slowly backing them both of the path they had been following.

It had been several long and lazy seasons since the last time this feeling had touched him, but the old warrior’s instincts were not dulled in the slightest. There was someone out there, a single male with a singular intent. The battle-tension was almost visible in the air about them. Without a word Giovanni motioned for his wife to escape and a moment later had to stifle a grunt as her sharp fangs nipped at his hip. Huffing at her he nevertheless couldn’t help the warm emotion her fierce glare ignited in his chest. Even now she was still the wild little spitfire he had fallen for so long ago.

Nodding to show he accepted her choice he shifted carefully, easing through the undergrowth as they slowly circled away from their last obvious position.





The moment he had tensed she knew something was wrong. His instincts had always far surpassed her own, despite her having lived with him for her entire adulthood. Yet she could read him as well as he read the world and she was already moving when he started to usher her behind him. Yet there was no way she was leaving, not so close to home, the home they had worked so hard for.

Instead she set herself at his hip, knowing better than to get in his way and yet ready to give him whatever backup he needed. She might not be a fighter, but she was still a huntress, and she had honed those skills over the years. And they had been hard years indeed.

Lifting her muzzle she sniffed carefully, but easily followed her husband’s lead as he started to manoeuvre them into position.

 

[Tanakako]

Lowering his body he stalked forwards, slinking through the undergrowth silently. He hadn’t yet seen the two he wanted to capture, but the female should present little to no trouble. All he would have to contend with was the male, and most rogue-blood lions were hardly a match for a Viking. Confident in his chances for a success the Stormborn Captain proceeded boldly, aiming for the location he guessed the couple would be judging from where he had heard their voices.

Suddenly he exploded forwards, bounding through the trees to launch himself upward. But as he burst out into the clearing he realised he had made a rare mistake, they were not there! Landing he slithered to a halt, shifting to a defensive posture now that he had blown his cover. Golden eyes sweeping the area for his prey.


 

[Tanakako]

As he had predicted, the stranger had anticipated their previous path, leaping out into the clearing where Giovanni would have been standing, had he not altered their direction of travail. As it was he got a good look at their would-be ambusher. The male was a vivid red-orange with a thick dark mane. He might have thought the stranger a Borgia killer, but he carried no symbol or other identification so Giovanni ruled that out. However, the stranger was a very large male, covered in thick scars both old and new. Clearly he was a fighter, and a good one if he was that scarred and still living. Heavy muscles and a blood-thirsty expression told the old Assassin everything he needed to know. This lion was no normal opponent. The fight would be brutal..

Glancing to his side he smiled softly at his beloved. He would fight for her, for their pride, and for their children. With a silent leap he dropped from the tree within which he had secreted himself, directly onto the red male’s back, claws sinking deep as his jaws struck, clamping down on a mane of thick black fur.


Maria watched the stranger come bursting out of the forest into the clearing right below her Husband. She herself was tucked away in a thick bush towards the red male’s rump, ready to attack if she saw an opening. Though she was under strict instructions not to put herself at unnecessary risk. Giovanni knew better than to order her to not fight, she would do as she pleased no matter what, but she was also no idiot. She would only employ ambush tactics, and not engage the big male and endanger both of them by being foolish.

Glancing up she watched the indistinct shape of her mate as Giovanni waited for the right moment. Then he dropped, and Maria tensed, waiting for the moment to add her own attack.  

[Tanakako]

The sudden crushing weight that hit him square on the back sent him tumbling to the ground with a surprised roar of fury and pain. Long lines of blood sliced through his tawny red fur from the attacker’s claws. Scrambling back onto his feet he sprang away from the stranger, only belatedly realising that this must be the prey he had been after. Apparently his ‘easy prey’ would not be so easy after all… this male was big, as big as any Stormborn-blooded male, with a tan coat going grey with age but under that, solid muscles rippled with coiled strength. A vibrant red cloth wrapped about the male’s body and both front legs were encased in tough leather wraps. One of which held an amazingly detailed design done in metal. There was also a thick hide shoulder guard protecting the male’s forehand where his mane thinned out over the broad muscles.

This was a fighter, perhaps even as skilled as Ragnvard himself! It was going to be a tough and violent struggle, the idea of it made Ragnvard’s smirk grow, baring fangs at his opponent with an almost maniacal gleam in his golden eyes. With a deafening roar, now that there was no need for secrecy, he sprang forwards to attack.
 

[Tanakako]

Claws sunk deep into fur and flesh as he landed directly on target. As predicted the surprised male couldn’t hold the sudden extra weight, not with the fall and momentum added in. So the pair went tumbling. Instantly Giovanni sprang back to his paws, ignoring the slight twinge of old muscles being abused. He may be older than this violent upstart, but he had years of experience and the teachings of the Assassins on his side. As the enraged red male leaped, Giovanni spun away lashing out with the intent of damaging the stranger’s legs, but the speed of the red male was unexpected, for such a bulky lion, and Giovanni was forced to abort his attack in favour of avoiding injury himself.


Behind the pair Maria crouched, lips drawn back in a snarl as she watched the fight start in earnest. Like her mate, she recognised their attacker’s power and skill instantly, and knew this would be a brutal battle, though hopefully quick. Her husband needed to end it before his age became a disability. To that end she dashed forwards, racing across the clearing behind the red male, lashing out at his unprotected back legs in passing before vanishing back into another bush. This was her tactic, to be the shadow behind her assassin. And the blood colouring her paw proved it would work.  

[Tanakako]

Sensing his opponent slipping away he spun, charging after the pale lion with a roar. No way was this one getting away from him! Ignoring the sudden flash of pain from his back leg, the Captain launched himself at his target, front legs wrapping round the male’s neck, claws scrambling with the aim of gutting the big male as his jaws went for the soft underside of the lion’s throat, trying to reach tender flesh under the thick, wiry mane.
 

[Tanakako]

Bracing himself as the large red male crashed into him, the seasoned assassin dropped his chin, protecting the vulnerable flesh of his throat and forcing the other to go lower, away from his snapping jaws. His own claws dug into the red fur at the male’s shoulders, ripping flesh and drawing lines of red blood, though the wounds were minor and wouldn’t affect the stranger’s fighting ability.

With them locked onto each other it quickly became a contest of strength as they rose up onto their back legs, straining forwards while trying to force the other into the ground where death would surely be swift.



All the while as dust rose around the two embattled males, Maria dashed in and out, claws raking the legs and hindquarters of the strange red male, drawing blood and inflicting small wounds, but more importantly, distracting him from focusing solely on her mate.  

[Tanakako]

The pale male’s strength and speed was a surprise, as Ragnvard had judged him to be older, his coat and mane stained with grey. But as he struggled simply to keep from being over powered, he was forced to reassess his earlier expectations of an easy fight. This one was obviously an experienced warrior, and now that Ragnvard was locked in combat, the stinging swipes of the male’s partner started to become annoying as she grew bolder.

Suddenly he felt her fangs rip down his hind leg and he let out a thunderous raw. The attack distracting him from the male in front of him who suddenly surged forwards, forcing him to give ground. Roaring in fury he struggled to keep his footing, muscles screaming as the full weight of the other male bore down on him.

Realising he was loosing the match Ragnvard lunged, desperate to drive the male back enough to avoid being gutted.
 

[Tanakako]

Feeling the red male struggling Giovanni let loose his own powerful roar as he gathered every bit of his strength and shoved. Suddenly the balance tippd and the younger lion simply couldn’t hold them both up. Claws sank into his shoulders but the old assassin ignored the rippling pain as he dug in and lunged forwards, sending the upstart tumbling head over tail. Rushing the scrambling stranger Giovanni lashed out. Though he wasn’t intent on killing this one, only in defending his mate. Seeking to drive the attacker away for good.



Job done she dived for cover as the red stranger’s strength failed and he went tumbling. She knew better than to expose herself again, her beloved would never let her fight again is she was even remotely reckless. But she knew the fight was over and trusted her husband’s judgment.  

[Tanakako]

His last ditch attacked utterly failed and Ragnvard was sent tumbling, deep wounds opening across his chest from the older male’s attack. Knowing he was out numbered and out fought, Ragnvard turned and fled, roaring his fury as he raced back the way he had come.

Utterly furious with himself, he knew he had gotten too cocky, too confident in his own strength. Well, today was a lesson he would not forget again! There was always someone stronger and tougher out there. He had to train harder, fight better, and never ever make the mistake of assuming superiority without assessing his prey.
 

[Tanakako]

Instead of chasing the fleeing lion, Giovanni stood in the middle of the clearing and roared out a warning. No one who attacked his beloved could expect an easy fight. Not while he was still alive. Snorting he turned, still panting heavily from the tussle, and looked for his Maria.


Slipping out from under her bush she went directly to her husband, nuzzling close against him in reasurance and comfort, before starting to tend to his seeping wounds. Thankfully none of them were too horrible but she knew he would be sore on the morrow.

“Come, let us go home…”

With Giovanni beside her, the two veterans left the blood-splattered glade and headed back to their pride.