[JRP Duel] I'mma eat your face! (Kirimi & Kasi)

[Painted Moose]

Third times the charm!

Kirimi really hoped so. Instead of looking out at the others as she had in her past duels, she kept her eyes trained on her paws. She didn't need any unnecessary distractions. With a relaxing sigh, she closed her eyes and instantaneously travelled to her comfort zone; images of her homeland; playing in the marsh with her sister, cuddling up to her mother in a storm, and the smell of her favorite flower. Those memories would always outshine anything the desert could show her, but one day, she hoped to make new to rival the old.

This time, when she opened her eyes, she was ready.  

[Velveteen Angel]

Kasi approached the duel area again, mildly amused. Her second rogue entry duel and with the same person. Odd, but not unwelcomed. She had seen potential in the other female and found herself wishing that the female had gone away and improved since their last meeting. She stretched leisurely, working out any kinks in her spine from the day of training before stepping up to where she saw the female waiting.

"Greetings, again," Kasi said, almost friendly but not quite. She glanced at the female and then nodded her head. "Your move."

Again, she dropped into defensive position, waiting. With any luck, this time might actually be a challenge.

 

[Painted Moose]

It would figure that she would be duelling her last opponent again. Kirimi grinned, remembering all to well the way the last skirmish had played out. The memories were degrading at best, but today had to be different. It just had to be. "Morning." She motioned to the early day sun barely creeping up on the sky.

Once again, Kirimi charged, though with more force that ever and took a swipe at the females chest with her paw. Though her claws weren't outstretched, she knew if it made contact it would be sure to bruise.  

[Velveteen Angel]

Kasi took a defensive step backwards at the female's attack, narrowly missing the blow but unable to stop the grin from appearing on her face anyway. "Sloppy," she taunted lightly, and, remembering the way it had thrown her off last time, began to circle the rogue.

She kept her pace steady, but quick, using her speed to her advantage. Hopefully, she would disorientate her opponent and that would be the end. Once they were disorientated, it was hard to come back from that, Kasi thought with a grin that only continued to grow.
 

[Painted Moose]

Kirimi's calm was beginning to crack. One could only take so many loses after such a long journey without wearing away at the edges. She let a low growl escape, feeling it rumble in her chest before trying her hardest to supress it.

She lunged again, this time conscious of her form and still she missed. It was enough to make her roar in earnest. As if she wasn't having a hard enough time landing in a hit, this female had the nerve to taunt her! It was enough to push Kirimi over the edge! But no, no, she had to keep her cool...  

[Velveteen Angel]

Kasi was disappointed when the female cracked under the taunt, losing her cool and launching an ill advised attack at her. If she couldn't keep her cool during a fight, then she would find this pride difficult, Kasi mused. They weren't a particularly gentle lot, though most were not cruel by nature.

She launched herself at the rogue, in a more controlled attack than what had been aimed at her, and put her bulk into the attack, hoping to knock her off her feet at least, or better yet, drag her completely to the sand.
 

[Painted Moose]

Kirimi snapped.

It felt almost like a physical lock inside of her had been crushed under the weight of her growing agitation. Her family had always warned her of her temper, what it could do when it was unleashed, but quite frankly, she didn't give a damn. Not now, at least!

She took the brunt of her opponent's attack, losing her breath under the strength of it. When she was sure she wouldn't slip up, Kirimi locked her crimson eyes on that red pelt and swooped in, aiming at that white flank with as much power as she had in her.  

[Velveteen Angel]

Kasi growled when the female's paw connected with her flank, wincing as it would surely bruise later, but she was used to bruises. She was a soldier. Beating people up and getting beat up was most of what she did all day, considering her like of duelling. She hissed lightly, and struck out her paw, aiming for the female's face.

They were close together, so her the force of the blow wasn't that strong, not enough space to build up force, but it was a solid strike.

 

[Painted Moose]

Kirimi was so used to being hit that she not only knew how to react when it landed, but was able to counter it with a hit of her own, straight back at her opponent's own face. It was more of a instinctual hit than anything, but she was happy enough that it actually made contact.

She was no soldier. Nor was she a guard, or a huntress. Kirimi was just a pissed off recruit with a score to settle with the female she was currently growling at. Her ears were pinned back against her head, lips pulled back in a primal snarl.

Finally, her fire was burning.  

[Velveteen Angel]

The hit struck Kasi hard, sending her head reeling slightly, but she felt a rush of...joy. It was a strange thing to feel after getting smacked in the face, but Kasi lived for the rush of a good fight. It had almost killed her when she was pregnant and unable to duel, but she had lived through it. Now, she was just happy to get to fight someone again.

She growled, and struck out, but felt only air slipping passed her paw, not the feel of fur and flesh. Damn! She had missed her opponent, and for a moment, she felt disorientated, leaving herself open to attack.
 

[Painted Moose]

The rush of adrenaline had Kirimi on the edge. She had never felt more in charge in her entire life! In truth, this was the first time she had ever fought an opponent that she not only had on the ropes, but had actually missed striking her!

She dodged the attack, and seized her oppurtunity. The young cub inside of her propelled her to use the one attack that had proven the least effective in her last fight, and so, with an almost grin on her maw, she leaned in to slam her head against the others.  

[Velveteen Angel]

Kasi hated feeling out of control. She was always in control of her actions, even during a duel, but the attack came as a surprise and the headbutt - which she had thought juvenile - really knocked her back. She swung her paw out, still reeling, and hit nothing but air.

Miss.

She stumbled back, away from her opponent, panting heavily, but her mouth stretched into a wide grin as she shook her head, gathering herself and reorientating herself. Her disorientation could have gotten her killed, if this had been a real battle, and so she knew what she had to do now.

"Well done," she said, her voice cheerful, almost cublike as the rush of the battle continued to soar in her veins. She strengthened her pose and looked approvingly at the dark rogue. "Welcome to the Motoujamii-Simo."


Tally:
Kasi : 2 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 10
Kirimi: 1 + 1 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 11

Kirimi wins!  

[Painted Moose]

Victory screech!

Kirimi stood with a look of accomplishment on her face. Even though her breathing was labored, and her body felt like it would collapse, she was pumped. She wanted to roar her victory to the heavens, to the father she had never known, to the mother and sister she had left behind, but thought it improper and rude.

So, instead, she settled with grinning like an idiot and clenching her paws in the sand. "Thank you. It was an honor to fight against you." And truly, it was. She'd never have thought that such a thing as fighting could teach her anything about herself, but it had. In order to keep herself on top, of both her emotional state and her future well being, she needed to fuel that rage into something productive.

She straightened herself, schooling her expression into the calmer look she was used to. "Would you mind answering a question for me?" Without waiting for a response, Kirimi tossed it out into the open. "Do you know of a rogue that may have joined some time ago? Dark red fur, black mane, and black sun on his flank? He goes by the name of Xennek."  

[Velveteen Angel]

Kasi looked pleased at the compliment to her fighting skills and nodded her head. "It was an enjoyable fight, even if it ended in my losing," she mused lightly, as close to a compliment as Kasi would likely get. She felt her blood pumping and enjoyed the rush that the fight brought, but her rush was brought to an abrupt end at the question she was asked.

She frowned, watching the rogue with some suspicion now. Kasi knew Xennek. Knew him pretty well, in fact, they had fought each other as duelling partners and she saw him around rather often.

"Perhaps," she said, carefully. "Why?" If this rogue was out to get Xennek, she wasn't going to give away his position in the pride, even though her 'perhaps' had basically answered that part of the question.

 

[Painted Moose]

Kirimi couldn’t hide the look of relief in her eyes. Even though she’d seen visions, she hadn’t been willing to believe whole heartedly that they were true. This female’s answer, though vague, was enough to settle her. “We’ve been together since I was young, and I want to know that he’s made it somewhere safe.” Though her words were both honest and sincere, there was more to the story than she was willing to tell. If she said that they were destined to be mated it may scare the skeptical challenger and cost her the victory she had worked so hard to achieve.