[DUEL] Round One (Vígdís x Maya)

[In Good Faith]

Vígdís was brooding. It seemed that all the time now she felt a tightness in her chest and boiling in her stomach. Always one with a quick temper, anyway, she was especially so these days. Putting that "motivation" to good use, as she saw it, the lioness purposefully prowled the territory in search of those that would duel her. She didn't care what their status was--freeborn, reaver... hell she'd duel the Warlord if he had the guts. She sneered his title that plainly showed on her face.

She knew, of course, that she would get her a** handed to her in a heartbeat if she challenged Ushindi. If her mother couldn't beat him, she sure a s**t couldn't. Ignoring this knowledge, however, Vígdís spotted a Stormborn that looked like potential. Drawing herself up to her full height, she called out. "Hey!"
 

[Pandorus Sphinx]

Hollow green eyes would meet the other's bright orange embers as the lean female stepped out from her place in the shadows, standing tall in the face of this challenger. Lately Maya had taken time to duel more, to practice her own fighting skills and to help grow the skills of would-be future Shield Maidens and Valkyries. She aimed for the high ranks herself, wanting to prove her worth with every duel she won. Slowly the disfigured female would nod, speaking the words of the Stormborn, "It is a good day to die."

Maya's tail danced behind her as she smirked, lifting her jaw high in confidence. A lot had changed for her over the past few weeks, this new self-awareness was doing her some good. Maya was finally becoming her own self, without her sister's influence.

Slowly she readied herself, lowering her body closer to the ground as she waited for the other female to make her first move.  

[In Good Faith]

Vígdís' jaw dropped. She'd only been able to see the rear of the lioness, who looked slight and smaller than herself at the time. Now that the lioness turned, it was evident that V had made a drastic mistake. She was scarred horribly and looked very battle hardened. Well... s**t. Too late to turn back now.

V took a steadying, deep breath and nodded more to herself than to this stranger. Belatedly, she closed her mouth. "It is a good day to die." She repeated the words back in a voice that only shook once, she noticed, and lowered herself into a crouch. This time she nodded to the lioness in a gesture she was ready to fight. Clearly, the lioness was waiting on her to initiate and she quietly but firmly commended her soul to the gods and lunged.

It was a powerful lunge but the thrust of it was from her back legs. Unfortunately for V, this left little in ways of her front claws able to grapple and snare the flesh of her opponent who was only slightly smaller than herself. A growling snarl rumbled in her chest none then less in the glancing blow that dragged across the lioness' shoulder and back.

Pandorus Sphinx

 

[Pandorus Sphinx]

As the pale female's claws made contact Maya snarled, flicking a paw to bat her away before moving to clip the other's back leg, clawing roughly at her as she passed.

A deep grunt escaped her maw as two narrowed eyes found the soft flesh of the other female's backside, smirking under a growl as a large clawed paw would raise to sink into her skin, pulling with enough force to stagger the pale female's movements, long enough for Maya to move away.

The flesh that was missing on Mayas forearm was bleeding a little from where the pale lioness had hit, though Maya didn't seem to notice. She was far too focused on the pale lioness that now stood at the opposite end of her.

"What is your name?" She called out firmly. It was good to know the name of her opponent. There was weight in a name, it something personal and intimate.  

[In Good Faith]

A high pitched snarl escaped Ví when she felt the lioness return the blow, feeling the power of it first, then the searing as her flesh yielded to her claws. The pain was hollow, masked by the adrenaline that was pumping in her blood. She would feel it later, of course. She would have to remember to send a thank you up to the gods later, which ever one thought to make such a thing as adrenaline at least for warrior's sakes.

She turned in the direction her opponent had sidestepped, out of her immediate reach. She grunted instead of responding, thinking that the female was attempting to further undermine her concentration with talk. Ví chose to lunge head on again, this time aiming lower than she had the first time. This lioness was not inexperienced however and probably knew what she was doing before Ví did.

The lioness tried to dodge the blow but didn't succeed entirely... just almost. She'd aimed for the neck, hoping to wound some soft, sensitive area. She'd succeed only clipping her leg or shoulder, Ví wasn't sure which it was such a blur of brown and white. Instinct was taking over and awareness losing ground.

Pandorus Sphinx

 

[Pandorus Sphinx]

The lack of response to her question made Maya livid, and what once was just a formal rank duel had now turned into something a little more convoluted as the brown female found a bitter taste boil in her mouth. As her challenger's claws made contact again the lioness found an opening and took advantage of it, closing the space between the two with a swift strike to the other female's neck, pulling her down with one swift sing. Blood trickled down Maya's arm as a dark look cloaked her once relaxed expression, something deep within her rumbled.

"It's time to teach you some respect." the female spoke as she slowly lowered her jaws to her opponents ear, speaking a voice just low enough for her to hear.

Maya's next move was totally unnecessary, but she didn't seem to care. It was hard to forgive disrespect.

Fangs dug deep into the pale lioness's shoulder as Maya trashed, ripping flesh from skin, causing her to bleed all over. As two wide green eyes slowly moved back Maya dismounted the lioness lion enough to give her space to recover. This would be her only act of kindness now.

Flesh for flesh, blood for blood.  

[In Good Faith]

Pain seared Vígdís' body to the degree that she didn't know where she began and where she ended. She only knew pain, in a white hot flash that burned up her nerve endings. Suddenly an absence of pressure reoriented her mind and she realized the pain was central to her shoulder and that the cause of the pain had left off her body. It took the space of four heartbeats for Ví to rise back to her feet--she counted.

The distance between the lionesses was not great and the tense reverberated between them. Ví realized she could put some pressure on her front leg but not much and certainly not her full body weight. Nodding as if to herself, she looked at her opponent with a dark expression. "You'll pay for that." Her voice was strange, husky and and raw.

Ví spat a wad of mucus and blood at the lioness' face, following it quickly with a pounce that was surprising for her injured state. Thank the gods, again, for adrenaline somewhere her mind echoed. She aimed and struck true, her fang sinking into the neck of the Lioness, though she'd missed the vital artery. She wasn't aiming for it, of course. This wasn't about murder. This was about winning and if the lioness was dead, she wouldn't enjoy her victory as much.

But Ví did want to hurt her. Biting down, she yanked and ripped at where her fangs had achieved purchase, attempting to disconnect the chunk of flesh from its host.

Pandorus Sphinx

 

[Pandorus Sphinx]

As the pale female found her second wind Maya found herself bracing for the worst. She would endure any attack the other lioness attempted to carry out, snarling under heaving breath as fangs sunk into her soft flesh.

Maya was livid. This disrespect would not go unpunished.

This was starting to become an annoyance, and something inside the disfigured female snapped. Wild eyes would narrow onto her target as Maya charged back, raising her left paw to strike down on the others shoulder.

Long claws sunk into the pale females pelt, ripping away as blood covered her white fur. Maya didn't stop there though, while she had the upper hand she took another shot at her opponent, snapping her jaws around the pale lionesses neck violently. This fight was over.

Maya would use her entire weight to drag the lioness to the ground, blood pouring over both females as she found her place on top of the challenger, holding her down with a single clawed paw. Green eyes, hollow and glossy gazed down as Maya spoke, blood pouring from her maw.

"Stay down, this fight is over." her chest was heaving as Maya held her place on top of the other female, claiming her victory.  

[In Good Faith]

Vígdís could broker no argument, instead letting a sort of relief wash over her. She certainly had met her match today, and her body was screaming at her to stop. She would. In response to the lioness, she grunted, and nodded, not resisting the pressure of the lioness.

She couldn't breathe throw her nose as blood clogged the nostrils. Therefore, when she spoke, her voice was thick and nasally, as if she had a cold. "Vígdís... my name." Her voice was not loud, but she was sure the lioness would hear. Not bother to check, she closed her eyes and sighed, mentally taking an assessment on what things hurt and what would need attention as soon as she was able to reach a healer.

Embarrassment kept her from further addressing the lioness. She had been reckless, rude, and got what she deserve from this.

Pandorus Sphinx

 

[Pandorus Sphinx]

"Vígdís-" the lioness panted as she allowed a small snarl to escape her chest. "Clean yourself off and find a healer." Maya could find no room in her heart to pity this lioness. She had fought well, today though the Gods just didn't favor her.

"-and when you are healed, find me. I will help you gain your shield."

There was some respect shown in this as Maya removed herself from the other, stepping to the side. Next time perhaps they could duel as allies.

Perhaps next time Vigdis could walk away victorious.