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Post by InkBlot on Aug 23, 2009 9:17:54 GMT -5
"Yeah, horrible, wasn't it?" Graf kept his head on the counter, so his voice was slightly muffled, "I can't say you didn't warn me though. This 'horrible price' you were talking about, do I start paying for it now?"
Graf reached behind the counter and grabbed a bottle of strong mead. as he raised the bottle, he saw a reflection in the glass. A cloaked and silent figure sat near the back of the cantina, and Graf spun around, his sword was out before conscious thought took over; the bottle of mead still in his hand.
OOC: sorry if I make any mistakes, I'm sorry, I'm doing this from a phone.
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Post by Cerridwen on Aug 23, 2009 13:23:14 GMT -5
Gitana had tried to follow Stripetail to the cantina but inevitably she lost track of him. Turning back she returned to the arena, it was her sole purpose for being here. She would wait there until her turn was announced. As she waited, Gitana could tell that the air around the arena had cleared somewhat of the stench of burning flesh. That smell always brought back the memory of the last thing that she ever saw, the image of her mother writhing and screaming in the wreckage of the burning cart. Shaking her head Gitana put the memories of that night behind her because now was not the time for her to be distracted by them.
After some time the announcer finally called out her name for her turn in the arena. Leaving her cloak and bag next to the gate that lead into the arena she entered without hesitation.
"I can't fight her, she's blind. It wouldn't be fair." protested her opponent, a fox called Loki.
"She insisted on being in the tournament and paid the fee. You could always forefit." shrugged the announcer.
"I promise to take it easy on you." Gitana sneered as she casually pulled the sheath from the head of her spear.
"Both of you ready? Go!" shouted the announcer.
Standing light on her feet with her head slightly bowed, Gitana waited for the fox to close in. She was trying to bait him in close to her by appearing vulnerable. In truth she knew from the start where he was and even what his weapon was. He was about 15 feet out from her and was using some kind of axe. Eventually the fox took the bait and charged her. Waiting until he had closed in slightly she made her move.
With spead like a striking snake, Gitana thrust her spear directly at where she guessed the fox's face was. She knew that she had guessed right when she heard him skid and fall. Having never faced a blind opponent before, Loki was expecting Gitana to wait until he was closer than what he was. Now he was on the ground from where he had dove to avoid the point of her spear. Gitana did not wait for the fox to get up before she whipped her spear around and went on the attack against him.
Her spear was a work of great craftsmanship. Made from rare wax wood it was strong and flexable measuring in at 7 feet long from end cap to tip. The spear head was made of damascus that been passed down through her family for generations and below the head a long black and red tassel. At the other end of the shaft a small metal cap protected the end of the shaft when she used it to find her way.
Loki skittered backwards across the dirt floor of the ring as Gitana pressed him. He had managed to stay away from the point of her spear but he was finding it hard to keep track of it because of the black and red tassel. Artfully Gitana worked both ends of her spear, landing a sound blow with the end cap on the end of the fox's snout. Out of frustration, Loki lobbed his axe at her in hopes of either hitting her or throwing her off ballance. Gitana heard the axe whistle through the air towards her. She tried to dodge it but she didn't make it all the way as the blade nicked her across the shoulder.
This distraction gave Loki just enough time to get up but now he needed to find a new weapon. Desperatly he tried to dash past Gitana to retieve his axe but he didn't make it. Even though her shoulder ached and was starting to dip blood down her arm, Gitana shot her spear out as fast as she could when she heard Loki start to run past her. Loki gasped in surprise as Gitana's spear took him in the hip as he dashed past her. Stumbling he fell to the ground again as she pulled her spear back. Whipping it around, Gitana brought the metal end cap down squarely between the fox's eyes, knocking him out cold.
For a moment the crowd was silent in disbelief then a roar of applause erupted as Gitana was announced winner...
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 23, 2009 15:34:02 GMT -5
Stripetail smiled. "the price isn't only paid in blood, its also in sleepless nights, doubt, and uncertainty. in short, energy.. he stopped as Graf drew his sword. He arose from his seat and looked where Graf was gazing.. "you saw something?"
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Post by InkBlot on Aug 23, 2009 16:52:30 GMT -5
Graf chose not to respond, rather to keep his eyes on the newcomer, even as he heard commotion from the ring. How long has he been there? Are my senses really that frayed?
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Post by Redstripe the Strong on Aug 23, 2009 18:19:13 GMT -5
Staring at the sword from under his cloak's hood he laughed, the sound was frightening."Put that knife away, before you get hurt." He stood up and shed the cloak,"I'm surprised Stripetail, getting old are we? You didn't sense me at all." He laughed and looked at Graf,"That was your handy work in the arena? Not bad, but you took too long from what I hear. I'd of done it in half that time." He laughed again and walked over to the bar, having no fear of the sword or its weilder."Those quick to draw are usually those that are quick to make mistakes...deadly mistakes."
He finished with more of a hiss at the end of his sentance than and then sat down. He too reached behind the counter and grabbed a bottle of mead and uncorked it, downing half the bottle before setting it down.
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 23, 2009 19:17:14 GMT -5
Ripfang.. by jove, what are you doing here? Stripetail replied recognizing the old wolfr. "II must be getting old.. or sloppy.." He chuckled. "Still fighting, even after a century, huh? Old wolves don't give up the blade.."
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Post by InkBlot on Aug 23, 2009 20:55:35 GMT -5
Graf relaxed neither his blade nor his demeanor, and sneered. "Quick with your mouth and quickest to die, they say. Tell me wolf, half the time?"
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Post by Cerridwen on Aug 24, 2009 9:21:05 GMT -5
With the ring of the crowd's applause still ringing in her ears, Gitana allowed herself a rare smile of satisfaction. The fight did not end as cleanly as she would have liked. I let myself get injured, that's unacceptable. she thought too herself as she picked up her belongings at the arena gate.
"Marm, would you like me to show you to the infirmiry tent so that you can get that wound taken care of?" said a voice to her right as she left the ring.
It was then that Gitana realized that she had almost forgotten about the axe wound on her shoulder. Gently she felt it, trying to determine it's severity. The wound did not feel very large or deep but it still needed to be tended.
"Yes, I had nearly foregotten about it." Gitana answered afer a moment, allowing the speaker to guide her towards a white tent behind the arena where the injured were taken.
While Gitana's wound was being tended the young mouse that had led her to the infirmiry tent began spreading the word thoughout the encampment that she had won the fight. This was extremely unusual news since Gitana was the only blind fighter there. As he passed the cantina he ran in and told the two squirrels and their companion who were at the bar.
"Did you hear? Gitana Windfury the blind otter defeated Loki the fox in the ring!" he said excitedly...
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 24, 2009 12:57:37 GMT -5
Stripetail turned at the news, and smiled. " My young friend when you have seen as much as I have, very little surprises you.." He replied.. "being blind doesn't remove your fighting abilities it merely forces you to hone your other senses, indeed a well-trained blind fighter is just as good, if not better , then a fighter with all his senses... he then turned to Graf. "Redstripe is a badger and an old friend of mine. youi can relax in his comnpany..Once I finish my mead, I'm going to se Gitana to congratulate her on her victory" He turned back to the mouse. " where is she right now?"
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Post by Cerridwen on Aug 24, 2009 13:10:41 GMT -5
"She's at the infirmiry tent. Loki threw his axe at her and it hit her in the shoulder. I don't think she's hurt too bad." the young mouse said eagerly before dashing off to finish spreading the news.
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Post by Redstripe the Strong on Aug 24, 2009 20:01:40 GMT -5
OOC:....He isn't Redstripe, its Ripfang, you know my wolf charrie that was evilish and now isn't so evilish but still kinda eh on the whole good evil thing? Well it has been awhile but, red text is Redstripe, Brown is Hitchaw, Green i think was Didin, and Blue was Ripfang.
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 25, 2009 1:20:54 GMT -5
(AlrightI'll edit it)
Well I'm going to go see her" Stripetail replied. " So what have you been up to Ripfang, its bbeen decades since I've seen you .."
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Post by Redstripe the Strong on Aug 25, 2009 15:21:54 GMT -5
"Yes, half the time, squirrel." He finished off the mead in his bottle,"Thats right, its hard to give it up, mainly when theres so many things to kill." He laughed and his ears perked, his name was announced."Well, It seems this meeting is ended for now. I have a match."
He stood up and left the cantina and headed towards the ring. There was a goodsized badger in the ring, he had a large wooden mallet in his hands. Ripfang stepped into the ring, weaponless and looked across the ring.
The match started and Ripfang stood still. The badger looked confused but then shrugged it off and charged. Ripfang stepped aside and tripped him, taking revel in making him look like a fool. But it wouldn't be a real fight until the badger was mad enough to enter a bloodwrath.
The badger was quick to get up and swung high, a slow clumsy swing backed with alot of power. Ripfang ducked the swing and snapped his jaw on the badgers arm, biting deep and leaving jagged bite marks as he tore away. He spit out fur and a chunk of flesh. The badger, enraged finally entered into a bloodwrath. He threw the mallet aside and lashed out with claws.
Ripfang stepped back and narrowly dodged the blow meant to smash his head. He swung with his claws and caught the badger in the face, leaving wicked gash marks down his face.
Ripfang ended with a dropkick to the badgers chest knocking him onto his back. The badger stood, wobbling. Ripfang turned to the announcer,"This is a deathmatch?" The announcer nodded, solemly. The badger looked up as Ripfang pounced, grabbed his skull and spun, turning the badger's head around cleanly snapping his neck. The body slumped to the ground and Ripfang left the arena and winced, he hadn't seen it earlier...when he dropkicked the badger, he was struck in the back, there was a slight flow of blood.
"Do you need to see th-" "NO." Ripfang snapped, his voice a snarl. The mouse who spoke fell back in surpise and ran off.
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Post by InkBlot on Aug 25, 2009 19:21:08 GMT -5
OOC: Wow. This is completely... Realistic
BIC: Graf downed his bottle of strong mead, downed half of another, and took the remainder out to the ring to watch. As he saw the wolf decimate the badger, in his drunken state, he glanced at the alcohol content of the mead, then cast it aside, shaking his head an mumbling something about sleeping it off.
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Post by Cerridwen on Aug 25, 2009 22:32:58 GMT -5
Gitana sat patiently while the mousewife who was in charge of the infirmiry tent fussed over her wound. Even though there were other's being tended, Valerie the mousewife had a certain soft spot for the blind otter that her son had just brought her. She was astonished that this poor creature had the nerve to even enter such a bloody and violent competition. Gitana on the other hand did not even flinch as Valerie dutifully cleaned, stitched, and bandaged her shoulder wound.
"There ya go deary. Why on earth a poor blind creature like you would want to get caught up and a bloody competition like this is beyond me. Now you take good care of yourself and don't be shy about comin' back to have me tend that wound for you." Valerie fussed as she finished tying the bandage around Gitana's shoulder.
"I'll be fine. There are others that are worse off than me." Gitana smiled as she got up to leave the tent.
Once outside she found a clear place to sit down out of the way of those that were coming and going from the arena. She did not bother putting on her cloak but looped it around her body as she enjoyed the warm sun. Pulling a piece of cloth from her bag she began to clean her spear head...
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