[DUEL] Rule Number One (Nur x Mdalasini)

[SilverLutz]

It was a fairly normal day, all things considered. The sun was hot, the water was scarce, the termite mounds offered little protection from the sun, and Nur was reclining in what little shade she could find, licking the squished bugs from her paw that she had flattened a moment before. Eating wasn't generally very good out here and you took what you could get when it walked by, and hey. The termites didn't taste half bad.

Golden eyes watched the area around her, tail flicking to keep the airborne bugs away from her as best she could. A twitch of her ear sent one fluttering away, but more and more were hovering around and she finally pulled herself to her paws to walk away and into the sun. They were less likely to fly around in the heat and while the sun was hot, it wasn't annoying.

A bored yawn opened her maw and curled her tongue, her scarred muzzle twisting grotesquely from the action. Man, she was bored. Ever since her duel with Siri she had been waiting for him to come crawling back to her to beg for lessons on how to improve, but it seemed his pride was keeping him at bay for the time being. Nur was confident he'd come, though, and she wasn't going to offer him the same thing twice. She had her own pride to think about.  

[[Eskimo]]

Mdalasini wasn't actively seeking a duel, let alone another lion. He was feeling squeamish about his surroundings, namely because his fur was dirty. When the male looked and felt pristine, he could be surrounded by elephant dung and rotting carcasses and still feel like a diamond. When he was dirty, on the other paw, he did not want to be seen by anyone and did not care to be around anything. When he felt disgusting, the world was disgusting in turn.

He was looking for a place to bathe. He did not want to become an official Outlander looking like this. The river seemed like a decent enough place for a wash, even though there would probably be others nearby...but to get to the river, he had to go through the forest of termite mounds which were usually hiding quite a few lions behind their jagged forms. Why did he always have to get stick with the short end of the stick?! Why couldn't he just be invisible and traipse across the Outlands? A quick bathe before a duel, and he'd be set! Was it so much to ask?

Of course it was. Because just then, his eyes came across a sandy-colored lioness with mean-looking yellow eyes, snarling scarred lips and--

"Eugh," Mdalasini wretched. She was licking crushed termites off her paw.

The lion had no time to edit himself prior to his reaction, it had simply happened. And upon realizing it had simply happened, he then realized that he had probably made a huge mistake by reacting that way to an Outlander, especially one looking like...well...that.

Swallowing the lump in his throat with feigned confidence, the male stood tall and said, "Good day, would you care for a duel?"

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Perhaps luckily for Mdalasini, Nur hadn't heard the noise of disgust. She did, however, catch sight of the male standing not far from where she had been laying and his body language screamed discomfort and unease. She had been a lioness trained from birth to pick up on weaknesses and ways to exploit her enemy and this poor male was practically screaming that he wasn't looking for a fight. And yet, here he was, putting on a show and asking for a duel.

A smirk twisted Nur's face. While she wasn't in the business of beating up helpless lions - anymore, at least...back in her old pride she certainly would have been - this male was literally asking for a duel. How could she say no?

"Sure," she said with a roll of her shoulders, loosening up a bit. "I could do with some fun. Let's see what you got." She gave him no further warning than that, springing forward with paws outstretched, claws ready to tear into his pale hide.

[Eskimo]

 

[[Eskimo]]

Mdalasini blanched at the smirk on the lioness's face. He watched her shoulders, saw the sinew stretch and the bones move, and he gulped. She looked...strong.

"Fun...?" the male barely had time to echo, for suddenly the Outlander was upon him. She took him by such surprise by her sudden start that she managed to cut his flesh with her claws. Blood marred his white coat and he cried out, but with far more delay than one would expect after being scratched. It seemed he was more distraught by the added filth to his appearance than to the pain of the strike. He backed off and examined himself with clear dismay.

"M-my--!" His coat!!

After a pause, the male raised his head to find the female's eyes.

A hateful sneer had stretched its way onto the once frightened-looking face. Mdalasini tensed his muscles and braced his claws into the dry earth, lowering himself against the ground like a springboard. With a blur of a shove, the male pushed himself off the ground and leapt at the lioness with slashing claws of his own.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

The feeling of battle always thrilled Nur but it was most rewarding when the attacked creature fought back as well. Creatures that turned and fled were never as satisfying as those who would stand their ground. She had been sure this male would freeze under her attack and back down given his rather put-together demeanor, but the second she saw his expression change to one of intensity she knew she had a real duel on her paws.

His sneer was far better suited for the situation, his wide-eyed surprise and fear gone. Now this was going to be fun!

"That's more like it," she teased just as the male pounced, returning her attack with one of his own. Nur wasn't the largest lion out there and he definitely had a size advantage on her which was used to his advantage as he landed heavily on her. She held her ground even as she felt his claws rake down her shoulders as well, withstanding the pain to stay in close quarters. With a sharp movement she twisted between his paws, lifting a paw to rake over his chin. While his neck was protected by his make his face was left wide open for her claws to find purchase. It was risky staying so close but Nur was more than used to living life in a risky way.

[Eskimo]

 

[[Eskimo]]

No, no, no, no, NO! He was not about to let her lay a single claw on his face. That was his only good point! He tucked his head back with a timing so quick he might actually have felt proud of himself if he wasn't under such dire circumstances. Still, he felt the tips of the lioness's claws just graze over his chin. It wasn't deep, but it was enough to draw a bit of blood.

Mdalasini threw the lioness free instead of taking advantage of the closeness of his opponent. He scrambled backwards and skidded to a halt, reeling with anxiety. Then suddenly he was furious.

"HEY!" he shouted, pupils thin with rage. "Lay off my face! You don't go for someone's face in a duel! Who does that?!" Clearly the lioness's methods were outside his own book of dueling etiquette. He wasn't at all pleased about that. Using that energy to fuel him on, Mdalasini rushed at the lioness again, hell bent on landing another body blow.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Rather than being attacked in return, Nur found herself alone as the male backed off quickly from the swipe. She turned to face him, tail twitching in amusement. Who ran from a duel? If they had been in opposite positions she would have shown no mercy for the sacrificial move of staying so close. It seemed her opponent didn't wish to capitalize on her opportunistic position.

His comment twisted her own scarred face into a grin before a laugh left her. Oh, he had much to learn, it seemed. She liked his fire, but he'd need to not worry so much about his appearance if he wanted to fit in.

"I do," she said, her voice somewhere between her previous laughter and a growl. Deciding they'd had enough time apart, Nur charged in again, claws out and once again going for his face. He'd have to flee or meet her head on this time. Now that she knew his 'weakness' she was going to go for it every single time to teach him a lesson.

[Eskimo]

 

[[Eskimo]]

She knew not to go for the face but did it anyway?! Mdalasini couldn't believe his ears! And now she was laughing about it?

She was crazy!

The male fled again and again as the lioness went for his precious face. He could feel his chin stinging as the blood cooled. AND his shoulder hurt from where she had slashed him. Ever moment the duel stretched on made him more and more uncomfortable. All he had wanted was a bath. Just one quick bath before the fight! But he couldn't even have that. And now he had to deal with some face-hungry lioness?!

"You have a really messed-up obsession, you know that?!" the male nearly shrieked, dodging again. But he was done running. It was so frustrating. He wanted it to end now. He was actually beginning to get out of breath. Was this back-and-forth going to go on forever? With a sharp swat of his tail, Mdalasini rushed at the female and launched an attack at her face to see how she liked it.

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Every step that the male took away from her, Nur advanced. The comment made her laugh between swipes and pounces, drinking up his discomfort greedily. This was how fights were lost by the weak-willed and she had no intention of going any easier than she already was. But the male turned a new leaf at the last moment and Nur was pleasantly surprised to find herself with a face full of claws, her already marked features gaining a new nick for sure from the attack.

She let out a roar of pain and pulled back, wiping at the blood spilling in her eyes. She couldn't see very well anymore and she knew dueling on would be pointless. They both had drawn blood and although he had some aversion to going all-out in a duel he could certainly bring the pain when he wanted to.

"All right," she said with a bloody grin as she looked up at the male. "Now that's more like it. Took a while to drag something out of you but looks like you got the right stuff after all. Nur," she added, offering him her name now that he'd impressed her.

[Eskimo]

 

[[Eskimo]]

Mdalasini stopped after the attack, keeping his paws firm on the ground in case the lioness rushed at him again. Her roar sent the hairs on his back standing on end and he braced himself for another attack, but none came. He blinked, still out of breath, shoulder quivering with pain. He listened to the lioness, ears moving intently as if truly focusing on her words.

Wait, that was...it? He'd done it? It was over?

She thought he...had the right stuff?

Mdalasini's eyes lit up with excitement, though his expression remained mostly reserved.

"Nur..." he repeated, then shook himself for sounding stupid. "I'm Mdalasini," he said quietly, not quite sure how to behave now that the fight was over. He wanted to ask if he was officially in, but he half expected her to say no. So that was it? He was in?

Huh...

...Damn, he needed a bath!

SilverLutz

 

[SilverLutz]

Nur tried very hard not to laugh at how sweet sounding the male's name was. She did grin, her face bloody still, and she shook her head a bit to let some of the drops fly off to clear her eyes.

"Well, Mdalasini," she said, the name rolling off her tongue in a teasing fashion. "Welcome to the Outlands. Glad to see you can hang with the best of us. You'll be lucky if any of those scar," she added, nodding to his shoulder. 'You'll be taken more seriously with a few marks."

She gave her tail a little flick before turning to go. He might need a bath, but she needed to go free her face of blood so she could see again. As much as she didn't mind getting dirty, having blood dry in your fur wasn't the nicest of feelings. She trotted off towards one of the muddy watering holes, a pleased grin still on her face. Nothing got your heart pumping like a duel!

[Eskimo]

Last from me!