No Time for Lies and Empty Fights
The clatter of Megaera’s arrival drew rapid response from the waiting stallion. When her fudge-brown form emerged through the entryway amid a tangle of unavoidable echoing, Hector was examining the light as it twirled and danced playfully in rich shafts across the moist slate-grey floor. Quickly his face ascended, fiery ochre eyes darting across the room to find her, and above them, roaming ears stiffened at the stroke of her low greeting through the steady roar of the tumbling water. "Megaera..." he reciprocated amiably enough in tone. His naturally guarded expression (poker-face even) did not shift however, and the tawny giant also nodded his considerable skull to conclude the initial formalities.
Already he had taken time to assess the cavern surrounding- it was generous in size and the ceiling appeared to sit high enough should he need to throw back his heavy bulk into a rear; so early on however, this seemed unnecessary.
She paused some distance away from him, several strides in fact, and Hector’s haunches clenched quite visibly with a discreet, but unmasked lean to the left- for the moment he wished to persuade her that his key intention was a launching attack in that same direction. A vast and variable lineage had gifted him with fluid grace and manoeuvrability; his effortlessly proud carriage portrayed this well, and he had honed such limberness through years of training- using it now artfully to his advantage.
All at once the orange giant sprang forward; with wings unfurled and lifted beyond reach- they offered balance, though mostly their spread was an instinctive defence. Fire licked wildly through the flail of his flaccid mane and the fibres lining the plume of a snapping tail, as adrenaline began to surge through the network of veins unseen. Hector focused his intent as hopefully he neared her front, careering right abruptly to slide rather loosely around parallel to her left side. His neck arced brilliantly as large heavy hooves scrambled for traction across the cold, mossy moist floor, but it rolled readily as flashing-lashing teeth drew alongside where he presumed her flank to still be- the flimsy last ribs there, their primary target. To him it mattered little if her wing had remained to shield them; undoubtedly a mouth full of feathers would suffice instead.
Either way, the soldier aimed not to maim his brethren- this was play, and the intention was not to cripple their own.
Without hesitation Hector’s long, sturdy limbs continued- he was much, much larger than she, and needed to clear Megaera’s well-fleshed, attractive hips with his barrelling fore-quarters before he could finalise the attack formed in his mind. Shoulders flexed comfortably as weight was thrust forward upon them, and skilful eyes watched her body so that the timing-reliant attack did not fail. The dimpled bulge of his whiskered chin tucked quickly and snugly towards his breast as the long, stiffened ears above folded back into a flurry of harmless flames. Hector bucked out when he figured her left knee or elbow to be in range of his hind-hooves, though the burst of energy was checked and considerate of the weak pool of stamina he had to draw from.
Four hooves rattled in violent succession, shattering the steady roar of water as each found again the cold cave floor, and he pushed delicately away with adjusting, stabilizing wings, from his opponent. Already his breath was short, but without the burden of the sun to weary him further this time, Hector slowed his pounding heart rate with some ease.
Word count: 588
Attack: 1/3
Defence: 0/1
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Peace in war [spar- Hector vs. Megaera]
