I’d become much to absorbed in the politics of my family and life—it threatened to consume any light of happiness that appeared as a faint, distant memory. The instinct to battle was strong in the hearts of those that once carried a title of Soldier. We didn’t simply stop yearning to stretch our muscles because someone handed us a cushier lifestyle; I still trained daily with magic and the like. Though there was nothing like having a soldier thrust up against your body with teeth wide and earnest to land wounds.

Morning had dawned, the sun was climbing high over cold distant dunes. The rays caught everything they touched on fire, I stood by, somewhere between the ocean and oasis. Just watching the sun open her beautiful eye, and the moon dim further until she was nearly out of sight. Aye, the bride of our patron god was awe-inspiring.

Fina fluttered down from her flight overhead, landing across the dirt and peering up at me with intelligent eyes. I shared a smile with my beloved companion before shifting gaze toward the oasis. Silently hoping someone would rise and visit these training grounds. It had become a concern of late that our family wasn’t training nearly as much as they needed to be; there were no stronger bonds than those formed from the clash of steel and ivory. I’d come to understand this at an early age, though our greenhorn arrivals barely seemed eager to greet the sun each new morning. So few had entered a rank.

Setting: Morning. Clear sky, warming up.
No magic.
No companions.
Word count: 256
Attack (0,3)
Hybrid dice system

It had been a hunch, but I knew one would arise. Craving battle, craving the sweaty stench of flesh and the stale copper taste of blood as their morning mediation. My right forelimb slapped against earth impatiently, scattering dust in the dry Orangemoon air. The ground was soft and forgiving, yet solid enough by the presence of hundreds who had danced before. Today’s opponent came from the sky, his wings dark and leathery. Fina shifted her gaze rather sharply in his direction—we both knew who was coming before his hazy shape had full formed. Satanic Silk. She hissed hatefully and took wing, “I help this time?” I smiled a little, so quick was my brave little flame to assume that everyone who flew overhead wanted to brawl. “Nay.”

But her instincts were correct on this one, he landed a short distance away. Scattering the sand and calling my name, absent fluffy title. “Satanic Silk,“I replied in turn, a smirk that mimicked his own slithered across my maw. When he jested upon my age I grinned wider and shuffled right a few steps; dancing upon the ground as if weightless and thrusting crown toward breast in a Soldiers salute. “Yar, brother.”

"Let’s see how much this old fellow can teach,” I thought evenly. Fina held back, not exactly content on just watching.

I only used my full power against enemies of our family. It was dangerous to use this full force against brethren—no matter how much I yearned to feel the sweet slide of power grasping the rod of earth and shaking its core. Shuttering my opponent’s stance and confidence. Nay, there was no point in harming the bodies that protected our haven.

For a breath I stood by, observing his physical offerings with unyielding eyes. The towering warmblood wasn’t uncommon to those I’d fought before, height had advantage in strength. Years of training and agility would hopefully meet those bonuses headon, I learned from Africa’s unyielding limbs that to receive a sharp kick in the ribs from a taller partner wasn’t only shocking but nearly overcoming.

My wings slithered tightly against my barrel, though they are eager to stride apart I held back. Battles weren’t always fought in the sky….

Patched quarters bunch up and forelimbs rise to extend my stride as I leap into a canter. My stride carries me forward, each stocky step slightly digging up earth. I swung right, pretending to start passing his left side but instead planting golden daggers into the ground rather suddenly in an aim for an unexpected surprise once the distance had been closed. Coiled neck pulled away from breast and the cool steel around my shoulders, lips slipped apart to reveal ivories. Like a snake I slithered out to strike at his neck or chest, body weight that had been sat back used the momentum to carry me into a half rear with forelimbs flailing wildly to blunt strike his knees or forearms.

Word count: 256
Attack (1,3)

It was true that size can be a boon. Just as it was also true that it could be a warrior’s greatest downfall, thus is a law known by most who had stood against those of bulker stature. I could only pray each time I slipped crown into the jaws of yon beast that my speed would hopefully make up for the difference of length and strength—given the chance my opponent could outmatch each beat by volume. My strikes were meant to be quick, painfully given in lessons of speed and agility—the trick was to be faster, smarter.

My first attack struck fairly enough, rousing his anger to the point of fury and nicking his dark flesh effectively. Though I only drew the smallest amounts of first blood to mat against his soft fur; there was little more than a few rapid heartbeats to pass—everything seemed to be soaring at top speed whenever it came to battle. Action, reaction. His wings slither apart and my eyes widened in undiluted surprise as their full length was realized; they struck the air cleanly in obvious show of rising irritant. He would attempt to swat me aside as a foolish dragonfly, though the boy would have to move quicker.

Anger was a tool, one of which I used against his tendency as he shifts up in a powerful display that gave me ample time to slide back on all fours, having only halfway risen before and in a position to keep on soaring past his flailing limbs (considering how much taller the stud was). His show of intimidation was like water on my wings, it slide off and instead of meeting his anger I find myself growing calm, even while the storm of him is ragging around.

With mere seconds to react my limbs flexed into action without a spare thought and I sail far right, trailing his left side and altogether avoiding those dangerous leathery appendages by a mixture of ducking and constant movement. Forelimbs lock and once again my golden tips dig into the warming granules, this time with my rear facing his left side. It was my hope that his flanks and barrel were still vulnerably exposed, warmed shoulders bunch up and head thrusts down as I pull my body into a kick powerful kick that sends up a swath of sand with hopes of disruption in both vision and accuracy should he try to turn those crimson pools toward me. The aim is for his left side to either upset Satantic Silks standing rear and send the lad failing toward the ground, or achieve a bruising on a few of his ribs and perhaps a wing should the vicinity be close enough for the strike.

Word count: 459
Attack (2,3)

Eventually, if you close your eyes real tight and thrash around like a bumbling giant; you’ll hit something! Same goes for if you get pissed off enough…even a child could land a strike when thrust up against unforgiving earth over and over. Even still, lady luck granted me her favor and my hindhooves collide strongly but bluntly against his towering warm fleshy barrel. The weight of my strike, and the effort it took to raise such a blow wasn’t cheap in the energy department. But it was well worth the measure to hear Satan gasp and his flesh surrender back under the stern whip of each golden foot. Breath came in short rasps as I slide down; sweat began to pool in the wake of our warming day from under the tender most portions of my body.

Yet unmarked, my joy of this superb gain overtook reasonable tactics for merely a second, and I glanced back to see the damage and hopefully his surrender. The beginnings of a smirk had already begun crumbling the frown when he very nearly roared at me. Shrieking his wounded pride, those large crimson eyes glinting for blood, my blood. The precious moments I’d taken to turn around were suddenly overspent and I would be forced to eat their difference. His nearest leather limb thrust toward the compact earth beneath us, granules came flying toward my face before a single breath could be drawn into breast.

Crown jerked forward as heavy clay laced particles obscured my vision, patch work limbs shifted ahead to pull myself away from his pissed off self. I could have summoned a sand storm to match his game of sand toss—but nay, I’d let him have this victory. It wasn’t half a moment later while I was trying to gain pace away that his hot breath sank into my flesh from behind, that dripping, almost searing warm was right before healthy ivories locked onto my right cheek. The pain served as a reminder to never let my guard drop, it sharpened the mind and cut through the idea that he was yet done.

Squealing I pulled up and thrust my wings out from either side. Meanwhile my body shifted toward the east as best I could. With an aim to put myself facing the rising sun, in hopes that it might obscure his sight just long enough for me to plan a counter attack. I’d not have to plan for long because when something was biting your butt, what does one do? Well, my shoulders crunched against earth, neck fell toward chest and hindquarters flexed. Ivory tendrils lashed against my flanks, hoping to bat against his head. Hindfeet kicked from the ground in a half strike, aiming to thrust against his chest or neck. Powerful feathered wings rose higher, beating strongly to thrust against the loosened sand and send a volley of granules in its wake.

My head rose swiftly as I started to climb toward high sun, hindlimbs falling back gracelessly and forelimbs scrambling to gain a sky that gapped overhead. Orbs squinted painfully against its powerful glint, but happily because I knew that even if Silk had taken a chunk from my rear, he’d still be forced to submit to the almighty aurora.

Word count: 545
Attack (3,3)

That bat winged body was completely behind me now, I couldn’t see him very well over the dust and angle; but it was surely felt when golden hooves slide squarely into rigid chest. A move that I’d kept blunt enough to not cause real lasting damage, but powerful in its bite to make my wrathful partner doubly pissed off. I could hear the rush of his breath escape like curse from bruised lungs, the sound was a sweet symphony to my ears and further announced a coming victory. The hit had sent him sliding back and gave me enough time to claw at heaven and escape damage.

Wings pumped quickly, neck extended toward the cloudless atmosphere which hung overhead with the promise of safety. I never felt the wraith of his ivories against my hindfeet, they had long since been tucked and were well out of harm’s way. My head drifted at an angle to regard his retreating stance once it became apparent that Silk wasn’t in hot pursuit, mouth gapped slightly apart with quick breaths sliding forth. Sun dipped feathers shifted until my direction spun me in a tight circle overhead, he appeared finished in every aspect of the word. The heated blood of excitement rushing through my head slowly but steadily eased its rapid pace into a dull roar, above I called out to him, “Are ye done for the day?”

Obviously by his heaving and hoeing, yon answer would be aye. The singing cry of my bruised rear was a firm reminder that the fray wasn’t over till both parties agreed. Truth be told, I was still ramped up for more of a beating.

OOC: 277

Closing defense
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