[CHAL/JRP] Sands to Sea [Tabari x Anwar] fin

[oo Ded]

He was used to the coast. In the final times of the Burkuteshti, the clan had control of the outpost at the sea, where the desert sands met the coastline and prey was abundant. But those times were over. This place was different. The air this afternoon was bitter and heavy with mist and in it all, Tabari sim Demir stood tall and stern. Lavender eyes pressed through the mist towards where he imagined the stronghold of the pride was. So this was the place. The Myrsky Syntynyt. The name of the pride sounded foreign on his mouth when he first spoke it. Before it was introduced to the more commonly spoken title. The Stormborn. The pride of iron-blooded warriors

The thought of it was refreshing. It had been a long while now since the lion's pride had disbanded. A long while since he had a taste of war. The lack of it was an empty pit in his stomach. He had an itch that he couldn't quite satisfy. The motives of this place was different, he had learned, but battle was battle. Before he had fought for a war that had spanned generations. He had shed blood, taken lives, and collected scars for his clan. The war was long over and his clan a distant memory. Still, something within him ached for the glory of battle.

Yes, this place would do. He was not the only Burkuteshti to make his way here, he knew, and it was unsurprising as to why. His pride bred warriors. They would fit in fine, here. But first he had to earn his place.

The scarred lion took a deep breath before releasing a roar. A call for a challenge. He stood tall and unwavering as he waited.  

[mouselet]

The roar sounded quite close, close enough that Anwar might be the nearest lion. The black lioness' lips curved in a slight smile. It had been several moons since she last had the opportunity to fight in an Askorun. That particular match had ended in a draw, as she recalled. Not terrible, after all, she hadn't lost, but it had been one factor in her determination. The Breytast Vindar was to begin soon, and she had every intention of earning a Captaincy this year.

It was a paint-marked brown and white male. Well, she'd guessed male from the depth and volume of his roar, so that was fine. Anwar did have to wonder if he'd underestimate her based on gender alone. If so, she'd be happy to take advantage of it.

"So, you think there's iron in your blood?" the lioness asked conversationally as she came near. "Why don't you prove it?"  

[oo Ded]

The lion stretched his head from side to side, inspecting the lioness as she approached him. It struck Tabari that this was a sort of fight he wasn't used to. Battles back home were strategic ambush attacks where patrols went against other groups. Sure, he did one-on-one duels within his clan but those were more spars than anything. That, and he didn't quite know how to fight this foreign lioness. Qyrhy fought a certain way. Burkuteshti fought a certain way. This... this was new.

The lion shifted his weight beneath his paws, his posture not betraying his unsure thoughts. "I do." He said curtly, muscles tensed. His eyes narrowed and his mouth pressed, the scars over his face shifting as his tail twitched behind him.

How was this to proceed? This wasn't quite sparring, but it also wasn't warfare. He hadn't had a companion in his travels to prepare for such a battle. Perhaps he should have thought this through more. Regardless, he wasn't one to retreat with his tail between his legs. After a pause his tense muscles released and he lunged forward, aiming at the lioness' legs. No introductions, no courtesies. Just straight to the point.  

[mouselet]

A bull-headed charge. How predictable. And how easy to avoid. Anwar didn't even wait for her opponent to come near, but began circling 'round, intending to come to the lion's rear. Before she got there, however, she couldn't resist a swipe at his flank with her claws. That would get his attention. He might even learn something, if he paid enough of it.

Anwar had been a Reaver for two thirds of her life at this point, and had done her best to insure that none of that time had been wasted. She almost pitied this poor fool who had no way of knowing that.

Almost.  

[oo Ded]

Okay so clearly that was the wrong decision. All considering, he should have known that. In few contexts did a brute force charge work against opponent. He was a lion bred for war. A few months ago, it had been his entire life. His pride-mates would be laughing at him if they saw him, he was sure.

His clear mistake and the lioness' acknowledgement of that mistake drew a wry, self-pitying grin onto his maw. The look of self-deprecating amusement was the only time the stern expression slipped from his face. At the feeling of claws against his hide, the grin released a short and dry laugh, the sound an acknowledgement that he had made a mistake. How embarrassing. He knew better.

Tabari you are being a fool.

The lion stopped his movement and released a breath, a look of focus coming back over his features. His body crept low, his weighed trained and centered to a stance of balance. There was a moment of pause before he moved forward again, aiming his time for her hind legs in an attempt to both avoid her claws and disrupt her balance.  

[mouselet]

Having gained her opponent's rear, Anwar didn't see the smile cross his face. She did, however, hear his laugh. If he'd attacked at that moment, the lioness would have been at a disadvantage, for she hadn't remotely considered that his stern visage could crack any kind of smile.

As it was, he took the time to ready himself, which also gave the Reaver a chance to recover from her own surprise. Anwar appraised his stance and revised her estimate of his skill upwards. It seemed he'd been concealing more than she'd thought...or that he'd been some combination of impatient and desperate earlier.

Unfortunately, he'd managed to turn himself mostly around while she was thinking. More fool she for allowing it. He charged again, but with more focus and deliberation. So she changed tactics and set herself to receive him.

With claws and fangs. If he wasn't careful, he'd get a faceful of the former and if he was truly unfortunate, a neckful of the latter.  

[oo Ded]

At the sight of claws and fangs, Tabari found himself impressed. She lioness could move quickly and efficiently. Fighters of her kind, the lion mused, would have been more than appreciated in his former ranks. An assessment of the situation drew a handful of possibilities. He certainly didn't want fangs at this throat, but backing off entirely would cost him his own chance to strike.

The scarred lion opted for something in the middle. He shifted his weight and changed direction slightly, allowing the claws to graze not his face but his shoulder as he aimed a strike at her hind. He didn't seem to mind the feeling of claws in his skin--he was used to such wounds and his scars provided the proof.

She was skilled, he was give her that. She had two counts of blood on him now while he had none. If this had been a spar back home he would very likely to have lost, but he wasn't backing down. He was determined and, if he was being honest, he was enjoying himself for the first time in a long while. This truth was clear by the present touch of a smile on his face.  

[mouselet]

The scars spoke of experience, especially as she felt her claws drag across them. The smile indicated someone accustomed to taking pride in his skill. The attitude was a good sign overall. Unfortunately, he wasn't actually doing well enough for her to admit him to the pride.

Well, Anwar was pleased with her own skill, though she felt a slight regret.

If he was so determined though, he would undoubtedly challenge again.

She let him get to her hind leg. In return, she bit down at his. For an added bonus, the lioness swung her tail around, hoping to whack her opponent's eyes and temporarily blind him, or at least confuse him.  

[oo Ded]

He'd admit, the feeling of his claws making purchase. The feeling of fangs at his hind, however, drew a sudden hiss from his maw. Perhaps his seeking for contact hadn't been as worth as he would have initially wanted to believe.

The smack of a tail in his eyes took him by surprise. In his days of battle he couldn't say that he'd ever been attacked by a tail. It was an effective tactic, he noted to himself. He hadn't expected it and as a jerk reaction he moved away, leaving his side open to attack.

By the time he realized his mistake it surely would have been enough for a trained fighter to take advantage of his situation. Tabari quickly realized that he had lost this encounter and he silently scolded himself before preparing his body for the attack that would surely come. His paws sifted and his weight centered, his body braced to minimize whatever damage would come next.  

[mouselet]

Success! She hadn't used that tail attack much before, mostly because it lost its novelty if people came to expect it. Also a lot of people considered it a dumb move. And it was, as well as being inelegant. But sometimes dumb worked.

Disconnecting herself from her opponent, Anwar took a couple steps back. He'd shifted into an entirely defensive posture. This match was over.

"I think you've had enough for one day," the lioness spoke again. Amusement shone in eyes, though she did him the courtesy of not smiling or laughing aloud. "Perhaps, after you manage to win your way in, you'll join me on a Viking." As a member of my band, she added silently, not wanting to jinx herself. If he read anything into that, it was the lion's fault entirely.

Regardless, the paint-marked male had some real potential and skill. But the gods had favored Anwar today.  

[oo Ded]

Tabari was prepared for an attack, but none came. He relaxed his posture as the lioness spoke, not showing any of the disappointment he felt--disappointment that stemmed not from losing the battle (it had been a good fight and she was an extremely capable opponent), but that he lost by a merciful holding back rather than the final blow that he had been trained to receive. He stepped back and looked the lioness in the eye.

His words were formal and stoic as he spoke, though his expression had softened lightly. "Perhaps. I compliment your fighting. I see the reputation the Stormborn carries of breeding capable fighters holds true. I look forward to one day proving that I am myself capable of more than what I have shown today." He didn't seem to receive her words with any sort of reading in. Tabari was a lion made for battle and even if she had meant something further it would probably have been too far above his head for him to catch.

The lion stepped away, rolling his shoulders in a stretch. "My name is Tabari sim Demir, by the way. Of the Burkuteshti. But the next time you see me I will have earned my way into your ranks, I assure you," he finished confidently before he moved away from the border and back into the rogue lands.  

[mouselet]

"I am Anwar," she introduced herself with a nod, before turning and heading home. A nice swim would finish off the day nicely. This was much better than sparring or practicing, she'd been able to fight against someone with no prior knowledge or experience of his methods, style, or skill. A refreshing change overall.

She was sure she'd see him again. Eventually.