By my verdict: RIKYN is the winner!

RIKYN
Realism [+2.5]
I really liked your utilization of the surroundings for a distraction attack in your first post as well as the way Rikyn tries to use his horn in a non-deadly fashion. Your surroundings continued to be well done in your second post, but seem to drop off. You never mention breed/height/stat differences which can be a helpful tool in expanding on realism.

Your attacks were all good, though in your second post it was unclear to me how Rikyn went from stabbing Ashamin’s right side to kicking Ashamin’s left side. You mentioned backing up to pull the horn out, but the way it was written didn’t really convey more than that so to me he still should have been on Ashamin’s right side. I did however like that in that post you took damage from slipping on the mud rather than from Ashamin’s attacks, though you still needed to mention Ashamin’s flailing attacks whether they missed or not, because as it was it seemed as if you ignored them all together.

Into your third post I was confused about Rikyn talking about tasting Ashamin’s blood from the bite, but I re-read and didn’t see Ashamin say anything about the bite causing bleeding, so be careful with that. Further in your fourth post you took Ashamin’s kick, but as he’s still on the ground at most he could have reached your lower legs, not your ass as you said, so that really fractured some realism there. The response to his spark charm was very good though.

Great explanation of injuries throughout your posts and bringing them up again. Overall focus on bringing in more details of realism such as breed/stat differences and being more clear with your actions when you change directions.


Emotion [+0.5]
Overall I felt no sense of Rikyn aside from your strongest bout of emotion in the second post (and your fourth post which doesn’t judge emotion!), but even so I was often left wondering who Rikyn even was. Why did he choose certain attacks and defenses, how did he feel when struck, what motivated him into this fight, how did his opinions of Ashamin change during the fight? Rikyn did a lot, but did not help me feel a lot.


Prose [+4]
Overall very well written and great usage of imagery and vocabulary, especially in the second and third post.


Readability [+2.5]
Easy to read attacks, and defenses all throughout, just some minor errors.

P2: 
“...breath a deep breath…” (breathe a deep breath)
“Using the momentum of my regained footing, I take a strong step forward (my long limbs swallowing the earth) and breath a deep breath of the cool air, now stained with the scent of his blood; relieving the ache of my right hip momentarily as both my back legs kick up off the ground, I aim for the Haruspex’s left side with a strong cow kick.” (run-on)

P3:
“With a surge of adrenaline fueled by the worry that I have lost valuable time on the ground, my legs work madly, each muscle tensed and reaching to regain seconds, to slip by him without the touch of his hooves or maw, his useless horn of little concern to me in comparison to its comrades.” (run-on)


Finally tally: 42+(9.5*2)= 61 HP


ASHAMIN
Realism [+2]
I really liked how much you played on the surroundings during this fight, especially in your first post. It did slowly fade away, but it helped bring strong realism to your posts. Breed/height/stat differences on the other hand were mentioned only once in your third post, and then incorrectly. Rikyn is the faster one, Ashamin is the stronger one.

Your attacks and defenses were very good, especially in that first post. I liked you mentioning an old wound opening up in your second post to help create the proper damage you needed for the dice roll! Your third post however I took some issue with because you only mentioned one of Rikyn’s two bucks, and you had his buck knock Ashamin over which doesn’t make sense. Maybe if you had described Ashamin as being off balance and/or the slick mud helped knock him over with Rikyn’s force it would have been plausible, but as was you were standing steady, took the kick to your shoulder (which is a strong point for a horse) and then were just knocked over and what’s more, stayed down until the fight ended. Your realism would have been much better if not for this chain of events which were just very unlikely to occur - especially trying to then kick at Rikyn from the ground.

I would advise you to look more into how horses move and consider their balance in future fights, and to try and bring in more explanation of how stat differences cause certain attacks and defenses. Otherwise good improvement!


Emotion [+1]
Some emotion utilized with Ashamin’s frustrations and disappointment, but I was often unsure of what motivated him to fight at all or what all was happening with his companion. I just needed more of a sense of what Ashamin was thinking and not just what he was doing.


Prose [+3]
Overall very well written and good usage of imagery and vocabulary.

“There was nothing like three open wounds and a lack of sleep to make a kind man into a mad one.”


Readability [+2.5]
Easy to read positions, attacks, and defenses all throughout, just some minor errors.

P1:
“Everything was unclear: everything was mud” (lacking a period)
“He had spoken too soon of blindness, for too long taken for granted his keen eyesight.” (confused as to what blindness you mention here)

P2:
“...gaping hold of a wound.” (hole)
“...poorly aimed serious of useless kicks…” (series)

P3:
“..thought he was perhaps quicker…” (though)


Finally tally: 39.5+(8.5*2)-10 ending the fight not standing)= 46.5 HP