The boy was quick for one so short and stumpy, his dodge efficient but not good enough to miss the blow completely. Fur and flesh gave way to the shade's twin horns, a lashing of blood crowning them but not satisfying them. d'Artagnan grunted as his body met the bulk of Aaron's, the impact vibrating through his shoulder making him peel back his lips. Rows of white teeth shining maliciously, almost like a smile. The cold permafrost against his split hooves a stark contrast to the heat pumping through his body. Lips smack back together as velocity carries him forwards, horns making their way back up from their lowered position. Dual coloured eyes aflame as his mind went through the motions of burning madness.

It was then that the presence of Aaron quickly returned, a flash of searing white and a well muscled body flying dangerously towards him. Speed, d'Artagnan felt, was on his side. With a skid into the frosty surface, the Nightshade arched his back and flicked his rump skywards, two dark cloven hooves aimed straight for the paint's barrel or rear. His eyes almost mocking in their ferocity as he found himself questioning whether these pathetic attacks were all the child could manage. With no marvellous horn, he was a rather useless little worm who had raised his bald head in the face of a lion. Such insignificant and unsatisfactory prey.

The battle moved on, when his feet had finally succumbed to gravity and touched the floor, d'Artagnan moved out to the right. Taking a few seconds to perform the tightest turn his huge, lithely muscled, body would allow to take the fight back to Aaron. Using his sheer height to his advantage, the shade leaned back on his heels and threw his front into the air to form a powerful rear. Lashing out in defiance and hoping the Edge's painted warrior would succumb under the barrage of his cloven hooves, that his bold rear had been timed well enough to claim his target. A shrill scream scorched through the maw of the Time Mender. For the plague, for Kou, for his family and for himself. Since coming to Helovia, the shade had found many new reasons to fight and more incentive to follow his old ideals.

As he fell back to the floor he remembered the faces of his father and mother. Ashamed and angered, their son was nothing but a failure. It was a deep emotional pain that gave d'Artagnan his madness, he had been just a child, left in a dark lonely world.

[w/c :: 429 | 2/4
ooc commentary :: d'Artagnan defends himself against Aaron's attack by bucking. He then takes a few seconds to turn and face Aaron once more, rearing in offence.]