Fighting (Mainly Skipp, but Open)

[Elicia]

It was a nice day. That was all that could be said, really, about the weather. It was nice. Nice-ish. But not many beasts minded, and, in particular, one beast: Elicia Pittney, Lieutenant Colonel of the Long Patrol. She was dressed in her usual tunic, her saber at her side. Her footpaws were planted firmly on the ground, and her eyes were blazing. Her ears quivered with indignation as she stared at the hare she had whirled around to face. He was Brigadier Aidan Wavebob, an old, respected officer. However, Eli had gotten on his nerves before, and today was no exception.

"Wot kind of a h'officer are ye, anyways?" Eli's voice was harsh, and it grated through her teeth fiercely. She refused to admit to herself that it was she who was out of line, and she who was in the wrong. The Brigadier had rubbed her the wrong way. Elicia did not usually find herself with an injured pride but today was different, and Eli was on a roll. She paused, watching her adversary, then continued on mockingly.

"Too scared, sah?" Her voice was impudent, mocking. The younger hare glared daggers at Aidan, and put a hand on her saber hilt warningly. "Or just too old?" What she was implying, was, of course, understood by every single beast that was in hearing range, and, as Eli had a loud voice (good for shouting orders, actually) the area in which you could hear her was considerably large.

"Too old, then. Too old t'think of a bloody comeback, wot wot!" She laughed at her own joke, but still managed to glare at the brigadier. She wasn't sure exactly why she was annoyed at the older hare, but she did know that she wanted nothing more than to punch somebeast. Suddenly, Elicia sobered up. Her nose twitched slightly, and her jaw was clenched. "If'n we're going t'settle this, it's not going to be where the Lady Silverclaw can see." Her voice was low and harsh as she waited for a response.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Wot kind of a h'officer are ye, anyways?"

Aidan stared the youngster down, his eartips quivering as he fought to control his temper. The young snippet! Aidan had nothing personally against the young officer, indeed her swift rise through the ranks often reminded him of himself. But surely he had never been so impudent and disrespectful of his elders and betters!

"Too scared, sah?" Her voice was impudent, mocking. The younger hare glared daggers at Aidan, and put a hand on her saber hilt warningly. "Or just too old?"

The older hare's ears went stiff with rage, his fur rose with the fury of his anger. No more! Avoiding showing dissension between senior officers was one thing, ignoring repeated insults to his honor another! He put a paw on his own saber hilt, a warning that he wouldn't stand much more. "Bad form, wot! Cheekin' a superior officah!"

"Too old, then. Too old t'think of a bloody comeback, wot wot!" ... "If'n we're going t'settle this, it's not going to be where the Lady Silverclaw can see."

"Nay!" He pointed a stiff paw at young Elicia's face, his voice flat and cold, the very tone that made vermin quake in fear and formed raw recruits up right quick, "Ye made t'blinkin' accusations, missy, and aye, insulted my h'onor, too! Ye won't be hiding yore duel away from t'badger lady!"

The upright old hare spotted his Badger Lady on the edge of the crowd. "Farryn Silverclaw, marm!" He narrowed his eyes at Eli and removed his paw from the hilt of his saber, saluting the badger smartly. "Marm! Beg permission t'teach this young rip a lesson, a duel, dontcha know, wot!"

[Elicia]

Elicia's ears stood up straight. "I made no accusations, sirrah! 'Twas you who started this!" She glared at him as he called on the badger lady. Staring straight ahead, Elicia saluted Ryn as well. "Lady Silverclaw! Permission t'protect my honor, marm! I won't stand here an' listen t'this much longer!"

The Lady Silverclaw shook her head in dismay. "I wish neither of you would argue like this. You are both officers of my Long Patrol. Brigadier, I haven't heard you ask for a duel in ages. Has she really got you that riled up? And Lieutenant Colonel! I thought you were old enough for the job. Am I wrong?"

Elicia stared straight ahead. "No marm! But, y'see, marm, I won't listen t'this balderdash fer another moment, wot!"

Ryn looked at her sternly, and then turned her inquiring gaze to Aidan. The Badger Lady pursed her lips, considerably annoyed at the two hares' determined expressions. "Fine. Permission granted to both of you. But I refuse to have either of you kill one another!" Elicia sent a bitter glance back at Aidan. "The conditions: The duel goes on until one party can no longer fight. I trust that I will have both my friends still alive after this little match. One last rule." Lady Silverclaw glared at all of the surrounding beasts. "If I hear any rude remarks, jests, or jeers aimed at the loser..." Her voice trailed off. "Long Patrol, I trust none of you to be rude to either officer after this!" After making sure that every beast was sufficiently aware of the parameters under which she allowed the fight, Ryn nodded.

"Seniority comes first here, I am afraid. Brigadier, it is your call." She nodded, and stepped back a ways.

Elicia spun around to face the other hare. "'Tis yore call, sah." Her eyes and voice were cold. "Yore permission's been granted."

[Treble Tiderunner]

The Lady Silverclaw shook her head in dismay. "I wish neither of you would argue like this. You are both officers of my Long Patrol. Brigadier, I haven't heard you ask for a duel in ages. Has she really got you that riled up? And Lieutenant Colonel! I thought you were old enough for the job. Am I wrong?"

Aidan stared straight ahead, his posture stiff as he answered his lady. "Yes marm! Bloomin' bad for morale, two officahs fighting, wot! 'Fraid it can't be helped, though!"

"Fine. Permission granted to both of you. But I refuse to have either of you kill one another!"

Not a problem. Aidan nodded his assent to the condition.

"The conditions: The duel goes on until one party can no longer fight. I trust that I will have both my friends still alive after this little match."

"Yes marm! I would not deprive ye of an officah!" He would have said 'such a fine officah' but the fighting hare's blood was up and he left it as it was.

"One last rule. If I hear any rude remarks, jests, or jeers aimed at the loser..." Her voice trailed off. "Long Patrol, I trust none of you to be rude to either officer after this!"

Aidan looked around at the gathered patrol and camp members. "Y'heard 'er ladyship, lads an' lasses! If I catch ye at it I'll set ye all t'KP duty for the bally remainder of the mission!"

"Seniority comes first here, I am afraid. Brigadier, it is your call." She nodded, and stepped back a ways.

Elicia spun around to face the other hare. "'Tis yore call, sah." Her eyes and voice were cold. "Yore permission's been granted."

"Thank ye, marm." The formal old hare made an elegant leg towards the badger lady. He then began divesting himself of every bladed weapon on his person except for his saber. (The total came to twenty-three) He placed these to one side, near the badgerlady, to show he had no more weapons. "Alright, young'un. To third blood, then." He unsheathed his saber and began a series of exercises to loosen up. across the ring he could see Eli do the same.

[Elicia]

Elicia nodded tightly, and patted her hip ruefully. She drew her saber, and saluted the Brigadier with it. "'Tis the only weapon I have on me, sirrah. I seem t'have... left the others behind, wot!" That was her last attempt at a joke at the Brigadier's expense, for she knew that it wouldn't be her that won. The Brigadier was sixteen seasons her elder, and more experienced than she. However, she stretched lightly, never taking her eyes off of the other hare.

Elicia was impatient to begin. She stretched, but only minimally. She could feel her blood beginning to move quicker, her heart starting moving faster. She smiled grimly, but forced herself to keep stretching. Finally, she could take it no more and stood upright, inspecting the basket hilt of her blade until even that no longer occupied her time.

"Sah!" Eli glared at the brigadier. "B'fore I grow old, sah!"

Ryn watched the two hares stretch and get ready for their duel. She wondered to herself what had caused their arguments this time- several times before the two had clashed, but this was a new record. She would have to talk to both of them about it later. So, with her mind made up, she watched the two of them carefully, ready to step in if something happened at all. However, she knew it wouldn't, and merely sighed softly as Eli raised her sword point and sighted along it, waiting for the older hare to be done stretching.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"'Tis the only weapon I have on me, sirrah. I seem t'have... left the others behind, wot!"

The brigadier ran a thumb across the blade of his saber, ignoring the jibe. He was well-known for his propensity towards collecting any good stray blade... and as he depended on them in battle, he didn't see the point in getting riled over a simple matter.

"Sah!" Eli glared at the brigadier. "B'fore I grow old, sah!"

"Whenever you're ready, miss." The older hare said evenly, sinking into the empty calm that combat was for him. He viewed her only as an opponent, one to be defeated. His saber didn't balance in his paw, no, it was an extension of his paw as he moved into swift motion, bringing the blade up and across, in a move that would have disemboweled if it had connected. As it was, it merely sliced the air in front of him, a test to watch the Lt. Colonel's reaction

[Elicia]

For Aidan, an cool, calculating calm might be the best way to fight. But that was for Aidan. 'Hollowing herself out', as she put it sometimes, did not particularly appeal to Elicia-she preferred a much more basic method. Instead of slowing down her thoughts and emotions as she had seen many others do, Elicia's whole body sped up. Her heart pounded as the adrenaline rushed through her veins. There was no way she would keep her mind locked away at a time like this. Instead, she let it go freely, her senses entirely focused on the Brigadier and his sword point.

Elicia's eyes flashed as the sword whipped through the air, and for a moment it was not Aidan she saw across from her; for a moment, Elicia convinced herself that he was no more than another vermin, another opponent to be beaten. She saw the arc, and took a tiny step backwards with her left hind paw. She took no more steps, however, as the blade fell short of her chest. "Testing me?" She inquired of her opponent playfully. "I'm all at sixes and sevens with this game; can't ye start?"

Elicia's feet were now firmly squared, and she stood still. She was on the balls of her feet, however, swaying ever so slightly so that she could dip or duck to whichever side she needed to. Her saber point almost touched the ground, hanging loosely by her ankle. Unconsciously, she toyed with the handle, turning it slowly and tightening and loosening her grip. It was something she had done since she was a young Long Patrol recruit-nothing new. The habit had gotten her in trouble more than once, for she occasionally gave away her next move with a preemptory flick of her paw or blade tip. Aidan would definitely know that-as sixteen seasons her elder, he most likely would have observed the little quirk at some point. If he hadn't, then he would find out now.

[Grath]

"Testing me?" She inquired of her opponent playfully. "I'm all at sixes and sevens with this game; can't ye start?"

"Ach, cain't ye, missy?" Inquired a broad northern brogue from someplace in the crowd.

Aidan shifted his grip, moving his saber here, here and there! in an attempt to get past her guard. No grand sweeping motions, merely light little jabbing motions. After all, this was a lesson. A duel for his honor, but a lesson also. She had questioned his age-- he could live with that. She had also questioned his courage and his skill. He could not let that pass.

He watched her, circling her slowly. She would make a move and he would know, know what was coming.

"Ach." This was a different voice, deeper and less accented. The giant albino badger moved up next to Ryn, watching the combatants. "Wot is all this, then?" She inquired of her fellow Badger Lady.

[Elicia]

Ryn looked over at Carwyn, slightly worried. "Elicia and Aidan got in a fight about something. I don't know what, but there have been raised voices from over here for a while now. I came over to see what was happening, and why this crowd had gathered. I found them hurling insults at each other; or, rather, Elicia hurling insults at Aidan; next thing I know they're asking me for permission to duel each other!" She shook her head. "I don't know why they insist on arguing thus, but they do, and if a duel will help make them stop, then I approve. Well, not approve." She gestured towards the two hares. "'Tis played until third blood. Knowing these two, those won't be light snicks on the ears. Just look at the two of them."

Elicia was watching Aidan when a northern brogue cut in through her thoughts. "I don' see ye out here, so kindly keep yore bloody yapper shut!" She didn't dare spare a glare to see who had spoken, although she had a pretty good guess as to who it was.

Eli returned her attention to Aidan in time to see the first of the three jabs he made at her defenses. None made it past. To fail this early was to shame herself in front of everyone. Her saber flicked from side to side, as if it was alive and searching out its prey. Then it was lifeless again, and back down by her ankles as she circled the older hare.

"I said t'start the bloody thing!" She snapped fiercely. Her temper, already loose, was boiling as Aidan toyed with her. Then, she had had enough of his playing. "If ye won't start, sah, then I will!"

She launched herself towards Aidan at a brisk pace-not a run, but not a walk-keeping her saber down by her ankle until she was very close to Aidan. That was when she made her move. Stepping lightly, Elicia took a neat step to the left and brought her saber up vertically from the ground to Aidan's chest. It was not a full attack, not by any means. It was a light, loose-gripped swing that had little extra power put into it. It was not intended to hit its mark; Eli's wide swing and stance made that clear. In fact, that attack was practically straight out of the textbook. But Elicia wanted Aidan to lead the fight, not her, so she used a simple attack to try and force him into a counter-attack.

She looked at Aidan coolly as she swung, but put so little effort into the attack she almost smiled. She could play the testing game as well.

[Treble Tiderunner]

"Elicia and Aidan got in a fight about something. [...] I found them hurling insults at each other; or, rather, Elicia hurling insults at Aidan; next thing I know they're asking me for permission to duel each other!" [...] "'Tis played until third blood. Knowing these two, those won't be light snicks on the ears. Just look at the two of them."

Carwyn shook her great head as she looked again at the combatants. "Ach, I would not worry, Ryn. Yon hare seems t'know wot he's about, aye, and Eli too. Something's got their blood up, though."

"I don' see ye out here, so kindly keep yore bloody yapper shut!" [...] "I said t'start the bloody thing!"

Aidan was not worried, in fact, he was looking for her to get riled up. Beside his wish to avenge her insults, he knew that to win too quickly would be to earn her forever distaste and disdain. He sighed, some beasts just matured slower than others.

"If ye won't start, sah, then I will!"

He casually swept her blade aside, stepping back and to the left before returning with a quick flurry of attacks.

[Elicia]

Ryn sighed. "If only I knew what it was that got the two of them at each other's throats like that!" She shook her great head. "I've seen Eli take a horrible verbal beating, and say nothing at all. And then I've seen her hackles rise at the most innocent of comments! Who can fathom the girl, I don't know." The great Badger Lady looked up at Carwyn. "As for Aidan, I must say that he does a wonderful job as brigadier. However, I can't imagine anything that he could say to rouse Elicia so. 'Tis all a mystery to me, Carwyn."

Elicia expected the counter, and was ready for the attack that followed. She smiled grimly. She had prodded the brigadier into doing exactly what she wanted him to be doing: going on the offensive. Elicia blocked the following flurry of blows with her saber or stepped neatly out of the way: the brigadier could go much harder on her if he wanted. But, no, he wanted to toy with her for a while longer. The first opening she saw, Elicia lunged forward, throwing out her arm as far as it would go and sending her saber along with it. She smiled dangerously as she pushed the tip towards the older hare's chest-this too, was a testing attack. Neither one had started really fighting yet, and they both knew it.

[Grath]

Ryn sighed. "If only I knew what it was that got the two of them at each other's throats like that!" She shook her great head. "I've seen Eli take a horrible verbal beating, and say nothing at all. And then I've seen her hackles rise at the most innocent of comments! Who can fathom the girl, I don't know." The great Badger Lady looked up at Carwyn. "As for Aidan, I must say that he does a wonderful job as brigadier. However, I can't imagine anything that he could say to rouse Elicia so. 'Tis all a mystery to me, Carwyn."

Carwyn tugged at her whiskers thoughtfully as she watched the two hares parry light testing blows, considering the smaller badger’s words. “Aye, hares are flighty creatures, but perilous too.” She sighed, her thoughts going back a few years. “I recall a pair of otters I had once… always at each other’s throats. ’Tis to be hoped that the lieutenant colonel and the brigadier’s match comes out with the same result as theirs.”

Aidan met her blade with his own, to show he could, then moved into another attack while she was still lunging forward. Now was the time to stop playing around. He allowed her blade to pierce his chest, drawing first blood. His own blade was inside her guard, flashing here and there about her torso, but none of the blows landed. All this happened swiftly while she was recovering from her lunge.

The older hare was breathing hard, but no harder than he would after any exercise. He was pleased to see that the swiftness of his earlier years had not yet deserted him, it was the first time in a long while he had had a chance to actually test himself against another good swordsbeast. Idly Aidan wondered what it would have been like to train the Lt. Colonel himself. There were times he regretted not taking on a serious student.

“Well c’mon, missie!” He spoke for the first time since the combat began, touching his free paw to his chest and holding it up, blood evident on his fingers. “Are ye gonna win by bally standin’ there, wot?”

[Elicia]

Ryn looked at Carwyn, startled. "And, pray tell me, what happened after their battle? The problem with these two is that if the Brigadier wins too quickly, then Eli will be furious for weeks. However, Eli will be equally mad at him if he lets her win. There's not much of a middle ground with her." Ryn shook her head. "It doesn't matter that much. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you." She clicked her dangerous claws together pensively as she saw the blood on Aidan's paw. "That's first blood. They are fighting to third blood."

Eli's eyes flashed dangerously as the Brigadier got inside of her guard, and she cursed herself under her breath for allowing herself to be so open. She pulled back, recovering quickly from the lunge and bringing her sword back close to her body. Her dark eyes flashed to Aidan's paw as he held it up; her ears quivered from excitement and rage.

"Don't let me win." That was all she said before setting off again. She half-saluted with her saber, dropping it from by her cheek to her waist as she took a few light, quick steps to her left.

She kept going in that direction until she was convinced that Aidan thought she was going that direction; as soon as she thought she could pull it off, Elicia threw herself backwards, reversing her direction entirely. Then, on light feet, Elicia swung her saber up across her chest, preparing for her strike. For a moment, Elicia's mind slowed things down and was reasonable. It alerted her to the fact that she had, once again, left her entire chest exposed. Attempting to remedy the situation, Eli slashed diagonally at Aidan, putting force into the blow this time and trying to cover up her recruit's error with a more powerful, more accurate blow.

[Grath]

Ryn looked at Carwyn, startled. "And, pray tell me, what happened after their battle? The problem with these two is that if the Brigadier wins too quickly, then Eli will be furious for weeks. However, Eli will be equally mad at him if he lets her win. There's not much of a middle ground with her." Ryn shook her head. "It doesn't matter that much. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you." She clicked her dangerous claws together pensively as she saw the blood on Aidan's paw. "That's first blood. They are fighting to third blood."

"They were friends, but they boxed each other black'n'blue." She gave the badger lady a reassuring smile. "No worries, Ryn. I have lead my own troops, I know what they are like." She nodded back at the battle, which seemed to be picking up pace.

"Don't let me win."

Aidan did not reply, instead he wiped his paw on his tunic and switched his saber to that paw. He returned her salute, balancing lightly on his paws as he watched her. She moved to his right, Aidan mirrored her for a few steps, then halted and watched her for any sign of where she'd go next.

Aidan took three steps to the side, avoiding her swipe, and then moved forward. He was done messing around, this was for real. This time when his blade turned to silver in the air he was actually aiming to score. He had let her have first blood, he had no intentions of letting her have any more.

He retreated a few steps, eyes flicking briefly to the end of his saber to check for blood.

[Elicia]

Ryn sighed. "I doubt that will happen with these two. They're far too stubborn."

Eli's eyes narrowed as she saw Aidan's blade coming towards her, but they shot wide open as she felt the sting of his blade against her chest. Her mouth was a small 'o', and she jumped back a few paces. She glared daggers at Aidan. Elicia hadn't retreated because she had been hit hard, but her surprise at being struck so quickly had caused her surprise. Her ears quivering with rage, she touched her paw to her wound. Elicia pulled it away, and held her paw up to show the blood that had been smeared over it.

"You got me, sah." Eli's words were bitter and resentful. "One t'one now, eh?" She rubbed the blood from her paw onto her tunic.

"Well, ye won' get me again, sirrah!" The furious hare shot like a dart at the brigadier. However, she did not let her rage cloud her judgement. If it had done anything for her, it had heightened her senses and renewed her anger at Aidan. Her paws skimmed over the ground as she ran-she wasn't thinking about light feet anymore, just speed. The Brigadier was old. He was slower than she was. If she could just go fast enough....

Elicia's saber's point drew tiny circles in the air by her feet as she ran. "Why you...!" She grated out from between her teeth. Eli waited until she was only a few pawsteps away from Aidan, then pushed off with her right footpaw. Taking a few horizontal steps to her right, Eli ran past Aidan, then turned a half-circle turn to face Aidan. The hare pulled her saber point up and made three quick jabs- one at each of Aidan's shoulders, and the last at his chest. She wasn't going down without a fight.