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 Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:24 pm
Huoxin approached the practice grounds, ready to start on the path for her new career. She wasn't exactly sure how long it was going to take, but the first step was to start dueling and to get better at her fighting. The red lioness was fully expecting to lose the first several spars, and she was excited about it. Losing usually meant that there was a lot to learn from that specific fight, and she knew that she could only grow stronger with tough opponents.
"I'm looking for someone to spar with," she announced, her stance full of confidence. "I want to get better."
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:41 pm
Xiu had been hanging around the practice grounds, hoping a friend would happen by- but so far, her entire day had been spent watching the boring spars of familiar faces but nobody of particular interest to the guard. She had stayed out of it, for the most part, mostly owing to her rank being less than ideally matched for the soldiers who wanted to hone their skills.. but when Huoxin stepped up, she was intrigued. She'd never seen this lioness before, she looked familiar enough but the distinctive mark on her chest removed any doubt that she ought to know who it was. Well, a fight would be better than continuing to waste the day like she had been. And perhaps this stranger wouldn't know she was actually sparring with a guard. "I'll accept your challenge," she said, stepping up and standing opposite Huoxin. She didn't bother introducing herself.
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Safaia generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:47 pm
Move: Hit
Huoxin didn't recognize the lioness who accepted her challenge, but that didn't matter. She didn't know that many of the Firekin yet, and she was discovering that the best way to learn who everyone was was through battle.
So, she would start.
"Thank you," she said, prepping herself before her foe...and initiating the first attack. It was a simple swipe across the shoulder, but Huoxin felt a sense of pride when it connected. A good start.
Total: 3
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Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:48 pm
Move: Hit!
Under normal circumstances, Xiu would have liked to think she would be better at reacting defensively- she was a guard, after all! But they were just getting started, and what would be the fun in evading attacks the whole time? She wore a smile even as Huoxin's paw struck her. It was enough to make her stumble but not enough to truly throw her off balance. Steadying her feet as best she could, she pushed forward to meet her opponent, throwing her weight at Huoxin and waiting to see what happened.
Total: 3
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Safaia generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:51 pm
Move: Hit
Xin hadn't been expecting the full body hit, so she scrambled to keep her feet under her. Something had definitely hit...her shoulder?? Something like that. Well, Xin would have to remember to study body language better, perhaps she could avoid that next time.
"Nice," she breathed, straightening herself out as she jumped to the black lioness' side to swipe at her back legs. Getting her legs to fold under her may give her an advantage in battle, or so Xin told herself.
Total: 6
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Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:51 pm
Move: Bide!
Unfortunately winded by her attempt to shove Xin, however successful she had been, she wasn't fast enough to react when suddenly the red lioness was at her side and swiping at her legs-- and she wasn't steady enough to fight it, so she hit the sand with a surprised yelp.
Instead of aiming to retaliate, her first instinct once she hit the ground was to put some distance between them. So she rolled twice and let herself take a breath before even trying to push herself back to her feet.
Total: 5
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Safaia generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:52 pm
Move: Hit
Xin hadn't expected that move, though she should have. Another point to learn. When on the ground, roll back and bide your time until you could safely get up without being attacked. She narrowed her eyes as she studied Xiu's movements...and rushed her, giving her a taste of her own medicine. She body slammed into her, feeling the recoil on herself, but satisfied with the echo it gave her throughout her own body.
Another hit, another success. Xin was started to feel tired, but the fires of battle still prickled her skin. She wanted more.
Total: 9
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Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:53 pm
Move: Miss!
Xiu was just steadying herself on her feet again when suddenly Xin lunged forward, mimicking the only successful attack the guard had launched so far-- and making a much larger impact. Already not quite steady, Xiu was knocked back to the ground as an attempt to stay upright got mixed up in an attempt to fight back and her legs tangled rather than cooperated.
Oof!
And this time, she couldn't just move away and get back up- it took focused effort to get her legs where they needed to be to even consider it.
Total: 6
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Safaia generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:54 pm
Move: Miss
Success! Xin jumped back to give herself a bit of space before her next attack.
"Hah," she grunted as she gathered herself up, her back legs springing her into the air as she aimed to pin the black lioness down onto the ground...or something like that.
Except this wouldn't land, and she'd probably only land on sand at this point.
Total: 10
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Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:55 pm
Move: Hit!
This time, Xiu was surprisingly quick on the uptake and hopped backwards and out of the way- and her scrambling paid off. Not only did she avoid what could be a game-ending attack (she was doing so poorly!) but it gave her an opportunity to turn this all around.
With a short, confident laugh, she jumped forward- best case scenario, she would pin Huoxin and force her to forfeit.. but she didn't seem to be that lucky. Hitting the ground so many times so quickly, her legs were quite ready for that kind of pressure- but it seemed certain, once she was moving, that she would at least get in another tackle.
Total: 9
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Safaia generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:56 pm
Move: Bide
Xin was hit with an attack that she hadn't quite been expecting...perhaps she had been growing too confident during this battle. She felt herself slide back in the sand, using whatever strength she should get to absorb the attack as best she could. There was no opening for her to retaliate, so she merely kept her guard up, trying to not get too injured...the last thing she needed was to make Long panic over a practice battle.
Total: 12
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Ecavi generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:57 pm
Move: Miss!
Though technically successful, Xiu knew she was failing to get this match turned back in her favour. Where she'd already fallen to the ground twice, she could barely destabilize her opponent. When Huoxin did not retaliate, Xiu moved to strike again-- and knew as soon as her feet left the ground again that she was in trouble.
Total: 10
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:56 pm
Huoxin was easily able to sidestep the last attack...though part of her wondered how that even happened. She was exhausted!! Thankfully she only seemed to have some minor scrapes, nothing that a medic needed to see. She stood still for a moment, feeling her sides huff as she filled her lungs with fresh, victorious air.
"A good battle. Thank you," she said, slightly bowing to her opponent. She didn't know her name, but she'd find it out later, at some point. For now, she wanted some water and a well deserved rest.
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