[CHAL] A step up (Svana x Ruzski)

[Tanakako]

Svana had been strung out with nerves and anxious excitement ever since she had first heard the rumours that a Breytast Vindar was being planned. Even as a cub she had known exactly what she wanted out of her life, and had worked tirelessly towards reaching her goals. Alongside her brother Kekale, she had trained and fought and clawed her way to reaver status, despite the still lingering stigma that some of the old guard stormborn held again a female going to battle. She had gone on her First Raid as an adolescent, successfully making the transition to Reaver under captain Lucivar's watchful eye. She had then set about building her own band, collecting like-minded youths together before going to Lucivar and then to the Warlord with her request for a Captaincy of her own. She had expected more resistance but her forward planning, determination and candour had apparently stood her in good stead, because the warlord had granted her the coveted position.

That day had seen the fruition of all her ambition. Since then she had cemented her band, her brother had swiftly joined her as a co-Captain as they had always planned together, and she had even won herself her own personal thrall to help out at home. Life couldn't have gotten much better, and yet there had always been that spark of an idea. A 'what if' that lingered at the edge of her thoughts. She had never seriously brought the stray thought out and examined it. After all, her rise to Captaincy had been -if not miraculous- at the very least an accomplishment worthy to satisfy any proud Stormborn lion. But still it had lingered, a dream she liked to muse on along the lines of a lion growing wings and flying.. A whimsy and nothing more. Maybe if she had been more brutal, it would have been a serious desire, but Svana was a realist as well as a warrior. She was also a female. Even with her liberal upbringing and the open-minded nature of her tutor Captain Lucivar, even she had never seriously entertained the idea of a female Warlord.

But just as her blood had always driven her to be the best fighter she could be, the best Captain she could be, it had also driven her step-by-step towards this moment. When she had not been instantly laughed out of the pride for her challenge, she had thrown herself body and soul into this last test of her body and spirit.

Anticipation and nerves warred within her as she watched the warlord walk into view. Paws shifting on the dusty ground she grinned broadly at him. Unlike the last battle for the pride's leadership with the rageful and ambitious Ragnvard, Svana held no malice within her. Only the excitement and anticipation of a fight. The biggest fight of her entire career. This would be the ultimate test, this was what her entire life had lead to. Grinning broadly she hailed the dark male as he came close.

"Warlord Ruzski!" She greeted, her tone friendly, excited yes but also honest. She liked the dark lion, respected him as a leader and as a fighter. It had been his rule that had even allowed a female like her to rise through the ranks after all. This was not a fight fuled by lust for power, but the natural progression of the way of life of the pride.

"It is a good day to die." She added with a playful smirk. She didn’t intend for either of them to be doing it today however.

 

[Princess_Feylin]

Another challenge this season. Ru had emerged victorious from Ragnvard's challenge, and he was confident he would be able to defeat Captain Svana as well, particularly since she was smaller and less experience than he previous opponent had been, but there was always that voice in the back of his mind that reminded him of his dreams. The ones where he lost everything, where he was weak and helpless and alone, where he was betrayed by those he thought he could trust.

He never told anyone about these dreams, fearing that by speaking of them he would give them a greater hold in the waking world. Certainly he wouldn't tell his healer mate, who had been so busy of late anyway, and he wouldn't tell his friend and former mentor Voldemaras, who would scoff at him and call him flower-blooded for worrying about it. In truth, the one person he really would have liked to speak to was a lioness he doubted would ever speak another kind word to him again. Not after everything they'd been through.

His mind was on that lioness as he made his way to the sands to defend his title. Ru wondered if she would be there, watching. If so, was she watching and hoping to see him fail, maybe die, or was there still some part of her that felt some tenderness toward him and would not rejoice to see him brought down by a young up-and-coming captain?

Ru was not in the habit of praying, but as he stepped onto the sands and scanned the crowd he murmured a soft prayer, inaudible beneath the noise of the audience he and Svana had accumulated: "Please."  

[Tanakako]

One ear tipped forwards as the warlord spoke, but it was so quiet Svana couldn't catch what it was he said. Ru looked..... tired, she thought. As if his concerns weighed heavily upon him. She knew he had fought Ragnvard a few days ago, though she personally hadn't been there for the fight. The red Captain was trouble and she had cheered when she had learned of his failure. A pride under his rule would have been a terrible and dire thing indeed. His bloodlust and twisted nature would have turned her beloved homeland into a land of blood and death.

Shaking the thought away she reminded herself that it hadn't happened, and that she was going to test her skills and leave her luck in the laps of the Gods. Taking a slow, deep breath she shifted across the ground, her body loosing its relaxed, casual stance as she moved into a fighter's crouch. All four paws were planted firmly, legs just slightly bent, improving her balance and stability. Head lowered, her eyes fixed on Ruzski's center mass. She knew she would never be stronger than the lion before her. Her entire life had been spent training against bigger, stronger males so this fact didn't concern her in the least. Instead she would use her agility, speed and most importantly, her brain.

Grinning she waited for him to ready himself. Once she was certain he was aware that the fight was about to start she began to circle. Her paws moving with deceptive slowness, her balance never once compromised even as she sidestepped round her opponent. There was no warning when she darted forwards, no roar of attack, no flicker of a facial expression. She flew in directly at the Warlord, apparently committing to an insane frontal assault. Her left paw whipped up in a facsimile of a strike. But it was never intended to actually land as she flowed to the left of him in the same direction as her feigned hit and in the opposite direction to any sane manoeuvre. Her body contorted, twisting and sliding down and almost under as her fangs flashed out at the dark fur inches from her face. Her shoulder and hips suddenly now aligned with her opponant's.

Princess_Feylin

 

[Princess_Feylin]

Probably he should have responded to her salutation, Ru reflected as he watched his younger opponent settle into a fighting crouch. That would have at least been polite of him, and he didn't dislike Svana. Really, he didn't have much of an opinion about her one way or the other, although he remembered confirming her captaincy, and her brother's in short succession. He wondered if he won this battle, would he next be subjected to a challenge from her brother? Wouldn't that be something to look forward to.

He wasn't alarmed by Svana's initial feint, recognizing it for what it was and determining that she was undoubtedly too good a fighter to throw herself into a foolish attack like the one she seemed to have chosen. Oh, it was possible nerves and pressure had gotten to her and made her do something stupid, but he doubted it. She hadn't looked like a lioness who was suffering from an over abundance of nerves.

So he leaned away from her claws without moving his feet, then turned his lean into a graceful sidestep that brought him out of the path of her leftward attack. A good idea on her part, but she'd have to do better than that, he thought as he jerked back from her snapping fangs in a sudden movement that brought a gasp from their audience. Her bite must have looked closer than it felt.

Ru changed direction abruptly, moving to slam suddenly into her and knock the smaller lioness off her feet.

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

Svana hadn't expected it to work fully, but she was impressed by Ru's own speed and reaction time. Usually the bigger males were slower, but then she supposed Ru wasn't as big as some of Ragnvard's band. His stature was partly due to his status, she reasoned. Too close to dodge the attack entirely she let it connect, using Ru's own strength and momentum and converting it into her own attack. Ducking low she spun and lashed out once again.

The fight was brutal and spectacular. Both combatants clearly at the peek of their skill and fitness. Ruzski clearly had the edge in strength, but Svana's sheer speed and flexibility prevented him from landing a solid hit that would do more than superficial damage. Knowing that to be wounded would end her chance at the leadership, Svana put her all into the battle. Fur, blood and fangs flew, the growls and snarls of fierce concentration filled the air, stirring the watching crowds into a frenzy. Soon several chants started up as individual lions started to encourage their chosen champion. Cries of 'Kill her!' and 'Tear him up!' were barely audible over the cacophony of the fight itself.

Eventually Svana backed up, her sides heaved with her strained breathing. Blood ran in rivulets down her dark fur to merge with the red of her coat below. Warily she eyed the other lion, waiting to see if he would continue. It had been the longest single match she had ever participated in and she knew her reserves were dwindling. But even so her spirit soared, success filled her like the sweetest mint. She barely felt any pain from her injuries, instead she felt that if she jumped, she would simply fly up into the sky, so light did she feel.

Princess_Feylin

 

[Princess_Feylin]

Ru frowned a few times, redirecting a slow trickle of blood that had been making its way down his forehead toward his nose rather than his eye. To any of his observers, even Svana herself, it was unlikely he looked particularly spent. Bloodied, absolutely, but as anyone who knew him or had fought him would know, blood was not something he minded at all. He enjoyed a little pain, whether it was feeling or inflicting, and the metallic scent of blood in the air was enough to get his own blood pumping. Tasting it on his tongue...that had an even greater effect. So, as far as that went, he was really enjoying this fight.

He could tell that his challenger was tiring. For that matter, so was he, if he'd let himself acknowledge it, but there was a great deal at stake for him in this battle, and many reasons for him to disregard his growing weariness for the time being. So, yes, he was enjoying the fight, but he also knew he had to end it. This was not just about titillating his fondness for blood. This was about his position in the pride, and that was something he was willing to fight to defend.

So of course he would continue, and while Svana watched him for signs that he intended to do so, her breath coming hard, he moved in to carry on the fight, his teeth bared and angling for a bite somewhere she'd be reluctant to tear away from. Naturally, his foreclaws were also splayed to snag into whatever portion of flesh they could.

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

As Ruzski came at her with his attack, Svana leaped to meet him. The exchange of blows was hard and fast as Svana finally gave up her advantage of agility in order to bring this battle to a close. He would always win on stamina so she employed one of the attacks she had held back on until that moment. Allowing him to get a solid hit on her, his teeth burying into the skin of her shoulder -which was oainful but not deadly-, she finally got in under his guard and sank her teeth deeply into the flesh of his neck right up under his jaw. She had discovered that the male reavers didn't pay as much attention to their throat as females, simply because their manes gave them a good amount of protection there. But she had also discovered, on her brother as they grew, that one particular patch of skin remained vulnerable, where the mane reverted back to normal fur.

It was this area she attacked now, her fangs going deep. And while it was not immenantly fatal, should he struggle he could rip his own flesh deep enough that there would be a serious risk of pernament injury and even death. Locking her jaw, her entire body wrapped about his in a deadly embrace to keep as much of her out of easy reach as possible, she prepared to endure whatever injuries he could inflict. She was not going to let go and every time he struggled, she shook her head warningly, feeling fresh blood well up each time.

Princess_Feylin

Will that keep him down?

 

[Princess_Feylin]

Ru experienced a moment of panic as Svana's teeth found purchase, piercing flesh beneath his jaw. Accustomed to the protection afforded him by his mane, he'd had no idea that was a place he was vulnerable. Having been made aware of it, he felt a stab of ice through his heart. This would be the way he lost the warlordship.

His muscles were rigid with tension, but he was still, conscious that he was in an inconvenient position for just about any kind of movement. With great care he ground out two words: "I yield."

He remained still after his surrender, waiting for Svana to decide whether she would release his throat or kill him. Either was her right, as a new warlord. Despite his loss, he desperately wanted to live, and so it was an internal struggle to hold himself immobile, and also to keep his eyes open. Instinct told him to block out the humiliation of defeat with eyes squeezed shut, but he knew that would be the act of a coward, and so his green eyes glared defiantly at the pride who had come to witness this battle.

Tanakako

 

[Tanakako]

Svana was as tense as the lion under her while she waited for the male to decide whether or not he would continue to fight. When at last he yielded, she felt the tension simply drain away from her though she didn't allow it to show in either her expression or her posture. She was the Warlord now, and she would act like it. So instead she carefully released Ru's throat, careful not to cause any more damage as she did so, and rolled away after disentangling herself frmo where they had ended up in a heap, fangs and claws embedded in various body parts.

Standing she shook the dust from her coat, sending blood splattering to the thirsty ground before turning to the prone male. "I accept your yield." Her voice rang clear despite the chaos of the gathered pride, telling everyone that she had won, and that she had accepted his submission. She had no desire to cause his death after all. This was simply the way of the pride. And she had always looked up to Ruzski as she had grown up under his leadership.

Nodding her head to him she turned and looked over the crowd, bareing her fangs in a toothy grin of victory. Blood matted her fur but she felt electrified rather than tired, as if she could fight all over again. Letting out a thunderous roar she claimed her place as Warlord.

Princess_Feylin

Had to retype as safari closed on me. This one is not half as good. Ugh

 

[Princess_Feylin]

Ru didn't rise immediately. He waited for Svana to have her moment, until the crowd of lions approaching to congratulate her on her victory came close enough that he had to choose between remaining where he was and being trampled, or getting up and leaving. He sensibly chose the latter.

It was, of course, impossible to disappear into the crowd. There were too many eyes on him for that. But he carried himself with dignity while avoiding making eye contact with anyone. He would have to move himself and Gyllene out of their home, as the cave came with the position of warlord. He wasn't quite sure where that would leave them. They'd figure something out.

He would get through this. Njal had, and Ru was certain that he was that lion's superior in all the ways that mattered. Well, most of them. But now they had this in common at least: they had both been warlords who had lost their position to someone completely unexpected. At any rate, Ru would get past this eventually.

Tanakako

Fin!