[CHALLENGE] There's two of them? (Lochan x Parth)

[In Good Faith]

Lochan paced the boarder of the Stormborn, his tail lashing out in a show off his irritation. It'd been nearly a full day since Fintan found him, looking worse for wear, and told him what had happened. His brother had won his challenge and was now an accepted member of Myrsky Syntynyt.

Finn insured Loch that a dark lion named Parth was going to meet them today, now actually, so that Loch would have the opportunity to fight his way in too. There was no sign of their father though and that worried Loch more than anything else. Loch glanced at Fintan who laid resting under the shade of a nearby tree. He was still recovering form his wounds and snored quietly.

Loch's nerves spiked when the sound of grass being parted alerted him to the presence of someone else approaching. Turning, he caught sight of what must have been the lion described by Fintan. He was dark, scarred, and looked recently wounded in some places; the black scabs crusted over scratches and puncture marks here and there. He was absolutely terrifying.

Mouth dry, it took a second for his voice to carry over. "Greetings." He called, approaching the male but stopping when he stopped--leaving a gap between them at about 40 feet.  

[In Good Faith]

Parth was not in a pleasant mood. Even with Fray's help, the older lion was still very sore and tired from his duel with the first brother (though of course he'd never admit such a state). She'd been too busy fussing over him that she wasn't to find Finch. He wanted to let him know his sons were here and bloody ought to go and take care of them. Gods knew it was Parth's responsibility. All the same... he couldn't just wash his hands clean of the two until Finch was notified of their arrival.

Parth let out a gruff acknowledgement in greeting. "Loch is it?" He nodded as there was no denying he was the twin to the boy yesterday. And god knew he looked a right worst state than the lad before him did. "Alright then. Let's get on with it." The lion walked forward again, stopping halfway from the lion this time, his eyes set on him.  

[In Good Faith]

Fintan had stirred from his resting spot when Lochan first spoke. His head was throbbing and his vision blurry but he was going to support his brother, if only in moral support. Come on, don't get your a** kicked Loch... he thought furiously at his brother. He swore his twin could hear him because at the same moment, his made eye contact and nodded. It would be his fight now.

Loch nodded back at his brother, then looked to the dark lion. "Alright... Parth." He nodded again, this time unsure whether it was to himself or at his opponent. Parth gave a quirked eyebrows, as if saying I'm waiting and Loch realized he was to initiate the challenge. Okay, then... The electricity in the air seemed to cause his hair to stand on end, but he had a feeling it wasn't just the storm broiling above them.

He exhaled all the air from his lungs and dragged his claws into the dirt, dragging his feet to the left. He began circling the old male who seemed to not be watching him but of course he was. He appraised the wounds he could see as he made it half way around to the lion, noting a shoulder that was still oozing somewhat and a few deeper wounds here and there on his back and side. He also noticed a kink in his tail, as if it'd be broken and healed wrong.

"Come on!" The only man barked, already irritated with having been drug out for this a second time.

It jolted Loch, the shock of the lion's command lighting the kindling to his bunched muscles. He lunged, aiming directly for the tender marks on the side of the lion. (The shoulder was on the opposite side or else that would have been his target.) Oddly he made no noise in his assault and hit true; the lion could have dodged around, probably, but it would have exposed his more injured wound and he knew it. Instead, the brunt of the force was focused on the less wounded area. For now, Loch thought but without any maliciousness.

Parth grunted at the impact, feeling the stinging of claws and teeth reopen and form new wounds, both. The tackle sent him flying, the young lion with him in a tangle of claws and teeth. Rolling in the dirt, Parth was able to eventually lash out with his claws and it be effectual. It struck the younger lion in the face and a sickening noise told him that he'd something important. A brief surge of guilt bubbled up in his gut but was promptly stuffed back down. No time for that now.

Both lions were still too close to take a proper moment to collect themselves and ended up in a swirl of claws that batted at each other, a battle of arm strength and roars ensuing.

Eventually Loch saw an in and took it. The wounded shoulder had been holding the lion back, he saw, and realized why. The wound was now running blood steadily down his arm. With some reservations in his decision, Loch let his instincts consume his thoughts as he aimed a hard swipe, made contact and dug his claws in as if imaging scraping mud off his paws on the grass.

The resulting yowl was wrenching and Loch disconnected the attacked but not before an answering swing connected with the already injured cheek bone but the strength in the blow was waining. The lion was fading and fading faster than Loch.

Pain shot through Loch's head, causing white spots to appear in his vision. He shook it out the best he could but he was unable to see as clearly, which is why he nearly missed his answering swipe. He'd aimed for the older lion's injured shoulder but instead had glanced off his chest. He grunted, having expected a greater impact, his weight throwing him off balance somewhat.

Parth took advantage of the lion's state of off-balance and tackled, his claws digging into the back of the lion, as the pair rolled in the dirt some feet. His fangs attempted to find purchase but was unable to, given the positioning of their bodies. Too much in the way to get a successful clamp on anything other than hair or himself. All the same, he dug his nails in and pulled, causing a vicious roar to erupt from the smaller, younger male.

Finally Loch was able to break away from the lion's grip though he felt the welts oozing blood from his back in small trickles. The lions were separated and attempting to gauge the other's next move. Loch was unsure how to end this but knew he needed to, and soon. His opponent was weak but much more experienced than himself.

"Come lad, I haven't got all day." Parth grunted at the lion, as if reading the younger boy's mind.

With that, Loch charged the lion and it was a rippling and snarling match to end the challenge. Bites and claws and hair swirled around the chaos of the two lions as they met. Eventually though, Loch aimed a well placed blow to his opponent's injured shoulder.

The answering noise was less of a roar but more of a groan though it was deceitfully lacking aggression as it was soon followed by a painful gash in Loch's forearm. The younger boy instinctively yanked his arm back from the impact which of course dragged the fangs of his opponent down the limb.

Once Loch was out of the grip of the lion, however, that was that.

"Ach, alright, alright." The aggression evaporated from the dark lion's form. He made eye contact with Loch that clearly said he was done. "It's over. Join your brother and for god sakes, find your father so you're his problem now."

Loch's expression broke into a blood grin though it was short lived. Fintan came blistering up behind him, leaping on him in his excitement.

"You won Loch! We're stormborn!"

Word Count: 1,377