[DUEL] The Hyper vs. the Stoic (Ajani & Evadne)

[MangoMeow]

Ajani was on a mission now. After sparring with his sister, and her parting challenge, he was out to find one of her Guides. Surely none of them would turn down a duel, not with everyone still on a high from returning home. Everyone was out to prove themselves.

Which is why he was sniffing around the Academy’s area. His black nose poked at the ground, trying to pick up anyone of interest. He didn’t know everyone within his sister’s ranks.... but he knew some of them, after having traveled with them in the rogue lands.

Sure enough, the scent of a very familiar, perky, hyper lioness reached his nose. Finally! As a Guide, Evadne was perfect for a duel.  

[MangoMeow]

Eva, meanwhile, was humming as she prepared a few hunting games for the younglings, her tail swishing cheerfully behind her. Today was a bright, beautiful day, and she was looking forward to spending it with a few cubs.

The loud paw steps behind her were a surprise though. Turning around, she blinked at the sight of Ajani, Shetani’s massive brother. She’d be lying if she said that she didn’t find him a very handsome fellow, and she was all too happy that he had decided to pay her a visit, but it was rather strange for him to be here, of all places. Normally this area was reserved for cubsitting.

So, with a flick of her tail, Evadne smiled and addressed him, “Hi Ajani! What brings you around?”

Ajani blinked back at the happy voice, a bit taken aback at her cheerful attitude to a Scar coming into this place, but shook his head to clear it. “I, um.” He cleared his throat and then sat up tall, “I wanted to challenge you to a duel.” There, he had laid it all out.

Eva blinked in confusion, before piping up, “Oh, sure!” Well, she was never one to turn down a play fight. She hopped up to her feet, a coy grin on her face, “I’d be happy to!” And then, with no other warning, she leapt forward and tackled him.  

[MangoMeow]

Honestly, he probably should have expected as much from the hyper lioness, but he hadn’t, and now he was paying the price for it.

With a yelp, Ajani went down. Hard. For such a small thing, Evadne had the strength to kick out a rock wall, he was pretty sure. At the back of his mind, he was tempted to ask her to try it, but that would have to wait. For now, he needed to focus on regaining the upper hand.

The problem was, the little lioness had already jumped off of him and was zooming around the room. He stumbled back up to his feet and watched with wide eyes as she seemed to bounce from one wall to the next.

Eva loved, loved, loved duels. Sure, she didn’t always win, but that wasn’t the point. The point was to spar, let off some energy, to meet and play with someone else – it was a great way to get to know someone!

That and, well, it was an important subject for cubs to learn. And she loved to teach it to them. Unfortunately, as a full-grown lioness, she couldn’t really go all out on a cub. Just teach them basics, really.

But another adult? That was when she could let loose, and let loose she did!

Okay, this was getting out of hand. Every time she zipped past, she would n** him in the side or whack him on the back of the head when he had his back turned. Ajani had had enough.

With a snarl, the black lion whipped around as he saw her coming around again, and smashed a paw down. There was a yelp as he got her, but it was along her hindquarters and did nothing to actually stop her. No, instead it seemed to incense her enough to shot underneath him and then – and he would NEVER let Shetani know that he had screamed when it happened – head butted him in the stomach before toppling him over.

The two of them, again, careening hard into the ground, this time with Ajani flat on his back and Eva on top. He could barely get a breathe in though, as the lioness was jumping up and down on his chest and stomach.

Finally, Ajani coughed out, “Okay, OKAY, STOP!”

The bouncing came to an end at that, Eva poking her head up innocently before scrambling off of him. She watched him excitedly as he rolled over with a heave, panting for air, and then squeaked and began running in circles.

“I win, I win, I win!” That was fun! The blow to her hind quarters had hurt, but after a quick inspection, it didn’t look like there was even a scratch. Maybe a bruise, at worst, but that would heal.

She paused to lick down some of the rumpled fluff on her scarf, and then ran forward to jump on Ajani’s back. This time more lightly than she had done before.

Not that that was terribly appreciated regardless. Ajani wheezed as she landed on him, before turning his head slowly to glare at her. After she seemed to ignore it, he sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Yes. Yes, you’ve won. Congratulations.” Okay, he conceded that he could see what Shetani meant now. He rather pitied the enemy who had to put up with her in a fight.

Speaking of... he glanced cautiously back at Evadne, “Hey, um... maybe don’t mention this to Shetani, okay?”

Eva was on too much of a high to really care why he was asking for that. Instead, she laughed and piped up, “Sure, sure.” She looked slyly down at him, “I won’t say anything.”

And then with that, she rolled off of him and went back to getting things ready for cubsitting. She needed to clean up a bit now.

Ajani eyed her warily, before nodding slowly. He wasn’t sure if she would actually keep quiet about it... but he hoped so.

He didn’t think Shetani would let him live it down otherwise.

(Fin~)