[CHAL] Standing Tall (Ravngard & Anwar)

[mouselet]

Anwar had not publicly declared her ambitions, though she'd had a plan for some time now. It was the time of breytast vindar and any lion in the pride had the right to challenge for a rank beyond their own. The young Reaver had every intention of winning herself a Captain's rank. Yes, there were other ways for a lion to be raised up, but they required telling others of one's intent in one way or another. This, this was simply a bold-faced challenge out of nowhere.

There were a number of candidates she could challenge, but some were eliminated right off the bat. Anwar would never choose to challenge her mentor, Hroarr, in such a way. And she wouldn't disgrace Svana, the lone female Captain either. In the end, she decided on Ravngard. He was known for having a bad temper, though that wasn't uncommon, and he'd recently failed his own challenge to the Warlord.

Anwar had a thought that she might be able to capitalize on that.

"It is a good day to die," she greeted the older lion, face still and calm. "I challenge you for the rank of Captain." The lioness didn't need his band, she'd form her own if she won. It was simply the rank she wanted from him.  

[Tanakako]

Ragnvard was furious. How had he managed to loose the one fight he had been anticipating for so long?? He kept replaying it step by in his head, seeking that one moment where his dreams and ambitions had utterly failed. It infuriated and enraged him and he almost completely missed the fact that someone ad spoken to him, so deep into his own head was he. Whipping aruond he sent a narrow eyed glar at the now that had spoken. Oh great! It was a female. Instantly he thought of Svana, the upstart kid that had climbed the ranks of the pride as if she had been god-blessed. While Ragnvard was all for girls proving themselves, something about that one just got under his fur. Probably because of who her Captain had been, and who was in said Captain's band. His own traitorous brother.

Lips lifting in a snarl as he wrenched his thoughts back into the here and now, he pinned the lioness before him with a dangerous look.

"Yes it is....." He hissed low in his throat, before launching himself at her in a furious lunge,

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The lioness sidestepped the attack easily enough. It pleased her to note that her opponent was already pissed off - it would make him careless. Then she could easily triumph. But she didn't feel the need to attack him in return just yet. She'd wait a bit longer and see just what Ragnvard would do. Let him blow off some steam, as long as she could avoid taking unnecessary hits, she'd be fine.  

[Tanakako]

The female's refusal to fight back only enraged the unstable Captain further. Dnarling darkly he went after her again, claws extended as he swipped, fangs bared in a maddened grimace of fury. It was rare that Ragnvard lost his composure, after all he was a Master at manipulation and trickery. But the defeat by that upstart Outlander had shattered years of careful planning. Ragnvard's entire life had been bent towards one thing and one thing only. And now that thing had been denied him and he simply couldn't cooe with the loss. Roaring again he attacked blindly, no longer caring who it was that he was fighting, only that he needed to feel blood under his claws and fur between his fangs. He desperatly needed to make someone pay for his loss!  

[mouselet]

His claws and paws were flying wildly towards her, but Anwar managed to take no more than glancing blows as she retaliated with a cuff of her own to his shoulder as she danced around him. No claws yet on her end - a bit of self-restraint that she doubted her opponent woudl appreciate - but just because he'd clearly lost his composure was no need for the lioness to lose hers.

Never, ever fight in anger. Wasn't that the first lesson every Reaver had learned?

Oh, right. It had been a long time since Ragnvard had been a mere Reaver. So he was old and angry. A secret smile curved Anwar's lips at the thought. Perfect.  

[Tanakako]

Of course it was all very well knowing what not to do, but actually doing it was an entirely different matter when one's life was spiralling away from them. But then Ragnvard was older and supposedly wiser. But what he did have was years of experience. And it was that which he drew on now, recognising in himself the very traits he so careful trained out of his reavers.

Backing off he took several deep, slow breaths, forcing the pain of his crushing loss from his mind and refocusing on the here and now. Once ready he narrowed his eyes on the female and shifetd his stance. Once more looking like the Captain he really was and not some upstart reaver with no patience.

"Come on then." He challanged with a sneer.  

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Anwar rolled her shoulders in a shrug as a response to the bad-tempered lion's challenge. He really was fighting like a total amateur today. But that was his loss and her gain.

"If you insist," the Reaver replied as she launched herself forward towards him. Instead of aiming head-on at her opponent, she ran next to him, a pawful of claws extended, intending to open up some long scratches on his flank as she went by.  

[Tanakako]

With a far calmer, if not steady, mindset, Ragnvard let her come at him. He knew the move, it was also easy to dodge. Or it usually was. To his surprise he felt lines of hot pain run down his flank where she managed to score his skin. Snarling he twisted, fangs gleaming as he snapped at her rump violently. Clearly he had misjudged her reach, or he had just been sloppy. Either way she had to pay.

Following her as she flashed past he went for a trip, his forepaw snapping out to trip her back leg. He would be able to down her and press his size and strength advantage that much easier.  

[mouselet]

She didn't even notice the paw reaching out to trip her until she felt it against her back leg. Anwar snarled silently, fangs bared at the lion who dared try to trip her. So she went with it, a bit, halting her forward motion.

Of course, what Ragnvard didn't seem to realize was that her head was now even with his hind quarters.

It was almost too easy, but who could blame her? Anwar opened her mouth wide, fully intending to chomp down right where the Captain's tail joined his body.  

[Tanakako]

The sudden pain that stabbed into the base of his tail drove a snarling roar from him. Tightening his grip on her hind paw he sank his claws in, but the injury wasn't enough for him to win the fight. As her fangs sank deeper he let his own grip go and lashed out at any part of her he could reach, trying to force her to release his tail.

This was ridiculous! He should have won this fight already and moved on. But even he could tell when he was completely off form. Breaking off the engagment as soon as her grip on his tail loosened, he retreated, glaring at her with baleful eyes. Today could not be over with fast enough.  

[mouselet]

The swats and stings and scrapes his claws inflicted as Ragnvard flailed at her were more than she could ignore, and Anwar reluctantly released his tail. It didn't even taste that good, she reflected, spitting out a mouthful of fur and blood. She tried to block some of his blows, but couldn't. Anwar was starting to pant now. Apparently the fight had been more tiresome than she'd realized and the lioness took a few steps back.

Still, her purple eyes glittered in triumph. No one could possibly argue that she hadn't won the match. The rank of Captain was now hers.

"Do not die in bed," she exhorted him, a faint smile playing on her lips. Having gained what she sought, Anwar turned and left the scene, planning on how she'd go about building her own band of Reavers.