Sunshine on a Snowy Day

[lorki]

Sunshine. Sure it wasn't warm and it wasn't melting the ice and snow that had appeared the night before, but it was there. Rather then gray overcast skies in which the sun could not even be located. And it did shine down on her gray fur, sparkle against the slow moving current of the river and bring brightness to the area.

Sleetfang hated the winter season. It carried too many connections in her mind, it reminded her too much of her childhood home, it was too cold. She remembered once loving the snow- but that was also when she could bring herself to sit near a fire without trembling. Sunshine was her only source of heat and sunshine in the winter... she'd have to do with feeling chilly.

The ferret had climbed onto a rock, brushed the ice away and sat with her arms holding up her upper body and her legs stretched out and dangling off the edge of the boulder. She wore a long sleeved square necked black shirt- again mostly for the benefits of the heat. It seemed a bit too big for her but a light blue ribbon had been wrapped around the middle of it and tied messily in the back.

Her belt was affixed as normal, her many knives and snaked about both her hips and nearly all the way to the front and back as well. To the left side there were three quite different knives- a bit longer, used for fighting rather than throwing. Each had a strangle black or white tuft of fur fixed to the handle. These were the tails of the badgers she had hunted down, the ones that had aided in the destruction of her family. Three of four. Her twin blades were tossed to the side with her satchel and cloak.

Sleet exhaled deeply, her eyes were shut against the glare of the sun but she tilted her head upwards so that the sunlight fell on her face and neck. A bit of warmth was making its way to her through the cold air and she allowed a small smile to creep at the corners of her mouth.

[Rocky]

Snow. The one thing Arel was never used to, and probably will never get used to. The sea otter sighed slightly and subconsciously, his paw strayed to his broadsword hilt that stuck out over his back. Subconsciously being the key word. His paw only strayed to his weapn sibconsciously when his instincts kicked in and told him there was an enemy near. Near being the othr key word. He'd have to watch his back so not to get killed if any enemy strayed near.

The sea otter moved his paw down to his axe, and he found himself pulling it from his belt, and holding it in his one hand. He sensed somebeast nearby, but with all these woods, he couldn;t see and he was looking all over the place for whatever it was that kept messing with his mind. Then, he saw what it was. A ferret... walking through the woods towards what looked like an opening.

Arel quickly put his back to a tree and held his breath, for he didn't want this ferret to sense him either. The otter stepped out of his spot and followed Sleet, and judging by the way she was acting, she possibly didn't know he was there. Again... Possibly being the key word.

Arel tightened his grip on his axe as the ferret left the clearing and sat on a rock. Now was his time to move. He picked up a rock,and remembered what his father told him one day, "Aim small... miss small." And with that, he changed his walk to a run and he bounded into the clearing and launched the rock straight for the ferret, not caring if it hit the ferret dead on, or if it just skimmed her, but all he wanted was to hit Sleetfang.

After launching the rock at the ferret, Arel couldn't stophimself from allowing a roar to erupt from his lips as he put his axe back in his belt and unsheathed his massive broadsword. The tall otter bounded across the open field and came straight for the lounging ferret, wanting nothing more then to kill her in the name of his father, the villagers, and his fallen comrades.

[lorki]

Mind blank, fur slowly warming in the bright sunshine, Sleet felt almost fully relaxed. Then her ear twitched. She scowled but didn't move. It was her automatic reaction and it was probably just a breeze or... one ear swiveled around again. One eye opened slightly and adjusted to the light. Her ears moved again. Relaxation shattered Sleet allowed both her eyes to open.

Steps.

Her head snapped around just in time to see the otter's arm move. She dropped down painfully onto the boulder, the rock he'd throw at her soared by, right where her head had been and splashed into he river. "What the h-" She raised her head, snarling the question but stopped as she saw the otter again. He apparently wasn't only armed with rocks...

Sleet reached out, managing to clench one of her twin blades in her paw before the otter began to roar and run towards her. She tried to stand up too quickly and felt her footpaws slip out sideways on an icy patch. She fell down to all fores, dropped her weapon of choice, her claws raking into the ice did little to help settle her. She tumbled sideways off the boulder to land on the hard icy pebbles that lined the riverbank. Her lower limbs and tail splashed into shallow frigid water and seconds later the hilt of her short sword hit her bluntly on the head and bounced to land beside her.

She cursed loudly and quite vulgarly as she promptly pulled her back half out of the water and stood up. She armed herself- quickly realizing her second short sword was now out of reach she pulled out a longer fighting knife, at the least she could use it to block. Uneasily, and quite angrily she peered out from behind the rock at where the otter had been.

[Rocky]

Arel muttered a curse when his rock missed, but still, he had other weapons. He waved his blade, Anglachel in an arc and bounded the rest of the field length towards the ferret. THen, he couldn't help but laugh loudly as the ferret slipped and fell in the water, and when he saw her blade fall away, he figured that that was his one chance to end this quickly, and possibly his only chance. He jumped upwards when he felt he was close enough, then brought Anglachel down hard, but his luck ran out for the ferret brought a knife out, and surprisingly, Anglachel didn't cleave it in half. His blade sung a shrill song as Anglachel hit the knife, and e growled and backed up.

"Arm yourself, vermin."

Arel liked to fight... a lot, but he also liked to play fair. Also, he wouldn't get the normal amount of satisfaction out of killing the ferret with one stroke. He liked entertainment, and killing with one shot was no fun.

"You are lucky I'm in a good mood today, ferret."

Arel felt he gave Sleet enough time, and he held Anglachel with both hands and aimed it towards Sleet. The blade's edges glinted in the sunlight that bounced off of the snow, and the black blade looked oddly darker. With another roar, he charged towards Sleet, and when he was five feet from her, he swung his blade in one wide arc from right to left, aming for her midsection.

[lorki]

She forced all her weight against her knife to keep his weapon from defeating it and slicing her in half. She was admittedly surprised when he backed up, but quickly sprang up and pulled her second short sword from up on the rock and tucked the knife away.

She scowled, the only thought that entered her mind was that he must be a self proclaimed 'Vermin hunter'. Although she knew of most of them... and avoided them and their turf with careful devotion. She did not like these kind of beasts. Most she could reason with, most she could talk her way around. Not these- The most frustrating arrogant type of creature. "It had to be today, Hmm Sea-dog?" She growled, more to herself then to him.

Sleetfang maneuvered herself so that her back was to a jagged mossy boulder rather then the water and tried to size up the sea otter before he struck again. She was only able to get a small idea of his size and strength before he was coming at her again.

She acted very quickly and threw both her arms up and back, stabbing the twin blades into the rock behind her. Each blade found a crease and stuck in the stone. As the otter swung his massive sword towards her Sleet hauled her body up, her lower body flew up into the air, the sword passed directly beneath her, catching the fabric of her clothes. Quickly she dislodged one short swords and followed his blade with it, making sure she would have time to counter attack. The other short curved blade she wrenched from the mossy rock and slashed inwards towards his hips and upper legs. As his sword fell back into place she pushed her blade against it, giving her the momentum to toss herself away from him.

[Rocky]

Arel didn't expect what was coming next. Sleet hoisted herself up with her two blades, and Anglachel soared under her. He kept his blade from scraping rock, and then her blade slammed into his, and his grip wasn't the best, and Anglachel soared away from him, then her other blade struck his leg, leaving a thin, ruler like mark. He guessed the cut wasn't too deep, for he could still move, but still... he wasn't completely sure.

Arel looked left at where the black blade lay, and saw that his odds of recovering it without further injury weren't looking so hot, for Sleet surely was more agile then him, and probably faster, and Arel carried more weight on him with all his muscle, and just his sheer size. "Oi" he muttered coldly, then not wanting to be victim to another slash jumped backwards, and he landed on his back in the cold snow. "At least i didn't land on a rock." He muttered to himself.

Then realization dawned on him. Anglachel lay closer to Sleet then him, and if she got her hands on his blade, he would be overpowered, for his axe wouldn't be able to stand up to his broadsword. But the question came to him of how was he going to get it. Arel found himself staring at his blade, so Sleet possibly realized what he realized too.

Arel would have to just make an all out run for Anglachel. He drew forth his own knife which he only used for cutting food, and he threw it at Sleet's mid-section in hopes of stalling her, then after his blade left his grasp, he sprinted for his blade.

OOC: I left it open, cuz you could grab Anglachel if you felt up to it, but I didn't want to give you no chance at all, ya know?

[lorki]

Sleet allowed a sly grin to creep over her face. Dropping ones weapon- bad idea. She had already begun her way towards the huge broadsword, which she knew she herself could not wield too well- but it was better out of his paws. She could chuck it into the river... but he was an otter and it surely would not be lost for long. Her thoughts jolted as she saw his arm move.

Instantaneous movement found Sleet tipping her body forward to propel her self.. or at least her vital organs, out of the knifes path. The small razor edge skimmed along her leg, ripping the fabric of her pants. She felt the familiar sting of injury as she rolled into the snow. She righted herself right beside the otters broad sword... and also directly in front of the otter.

The ferret, realizing she didn't have time to swing the otters sword off somewhere placed herself between the weapon and its rightful wielder. Her face contorted in a sharp feral snarl as she outstretched one arm, her paw holding the first blade out, straight towards the oncoming otter, the second curved blade she held back, level with her chest and poised for defense rather then attack. She placed one footpaw back slightly, stepping into a bloody patch of snow as she brought her body into a balanced position and prepared for another attack from this otter- though she hoped to subdue him before he obtained his main weapon again.

As long as she could keep herself between him and his sword she may stand a stand a chance at maintaining the upper hand. She took the seconds before he reached her to judge where the key points to hit were, his joints were what she would aim for, sever a ligament or tendon in his leg and she could bring him down and walk away laughing while he attempted to stumble after her. Optimistic and egotistical even when enraged and in pain, Sleetfang was a blissful, arrogant fighter. In attempt to slow down the charging otter she shouted, "Hows your mood now, clumsy dog?"


(I think they are getting along great!)

[Rocky]

Arel was too conecntrated on grabbing his blade that he made a vital error: she was right in front of him with a blade. His momentum was too much for him to stop outright, and in all honesty, he was slightly afriad that he would be skewered. He felt that there was no way to avoid a wound, but if Arel was to have any chance in this fight, he would need his blade, and he would have to take a wound or two to get it.

Somewhat of a plan which wasn't actually a plan at all formed in his mind, and when he was right in front of Sleet, he moved her blade aside and growled sharply as he felt her blade bury itself in the outer layer of his arm, just missing his muscle. He would have t stray from usng that arm without further damage, and so he quickly pulled back and the blade came out of his arm and he threw himself to the ground, rolling over to the side of his blade, but then found himself in front of her other blade.

He silently cursed his luck and stood up again, holding his wounded arm with his other, growling at Sleet.

"Hows your mood now, clumsy dog?"

Those words, and the way she said them gave Arel new energy and an urge to fight onwards. He let his arm stray to his side, and made a circle with it, making sure he could still move it, then he brought his axe arm up and charged the small gap between him and the ferret, swinging his axe dangerously in an arc, back and forth.

[lorki]

A grim smile spread across the ferrets face as she felt the otter run himself into her blade. "Well that didn't take much effort." She hissed. She moved sideways steadying herself as he stood up- still without his sword. His next move caught her somewhat off guard. She was expecting another attempt o reach his weapon, but he delivered instead a powerful blow. She was able to bring the bloodied short sword up to deflect the axe but it only moved so far and skimmed along her shoulder- effectively skinning off a large piece of skin.

Sleet hissed and cursed in pain, the wound was near her neck and the profuse bleeding had her quite worried. She lashed out with her second blade at the opening created at the end of the axe's arc. Her frustration and slight panic let itself out in a raging scream, "Why in hellsteeth are you attacking me?! You big lumbering stupid excuse for a fighter." The blade sliced towards his navel. "Get away from me!" Suddenly she dropped her attacking weapon, unsure of whether or not she had struck him the sword flew sideways and her paw instead was grasping the point of a throwing knife- seconds later the weapon was airborne and flying towards the otter. She gave up her guard on his sword and tossed herself sideways, leaving crimson drops on the white ground, her free paw moved to press on the bloody wound.

[Rocky]

Arel ignored the ferret in front of him as she spoke to him. He was too intent on killing to speak to her anyway. He let a smirk cross his lips as his axe struck her, and let out an even wider grin as her skin fell to the ground. (Arel's weird like that lol) Then, before he could make another run for his blade, she was sending her sword his way in what he thought was a desperate attempt to gain time to heal her wound, and he wasn't paying much attention as the blade soared even closer to him, and he just put his arm up to stop it from cutting him open, and he cursed softly as the blade bit through his bracer and scord a gash, but luckily it wasn't deep enough to do any real harm.

"Why in hellsteeth are you attacking me?!"

He kept quiet for a moment and dropped his guard and actually took time to answer her. "You... Vermin types... You desolated my crew... Ransacked my village..." he trailed off then raised his axe, but found he wasn't struck with a blade, but rather with words:

You big lumbering stupid excuse for a fighter.

Arel lookd her in the eye, black shading over is own eyes, and a grimace crossing his face. "I don't like those words" he said softly, then he swung his axe in another sweeping arc, then ducked and rolled to the side, scooping up Anglachel in his hand, and cursing as pressure was leaned on his badly wounded arm.

"Get away from me!"

This next move shocked Arel big time, and was not something he intended: As the knife soared towards him, he lifted Anglachel in defense, not thinking at all that his blade would stop the knife, and even at that moment, he stumbled forward from slight fatigue, and the knife hit Anglachel, bounced upwards, and skimmed the length of the sea otter's cheek, leaving a ruler like mark going horizontally.

He took a moment, seeing her taking a moment as well, then stood up, cracked his neck, then charged at Sleet axe and blade swinging parallel to each other, and both seeking blood.

[lorki]

Had he nicked an artery or something? Blood seeped down her arm and dribbled grossly onto the ground. Her arm was feeling heavy, weighed down by the sword. Byt the time he had grasped his sword and turned to face her she was already moving. She cleared well away from his strike and kicked into the ground to shift around him. She could win this game with quick movements and quick weaponry.

Part of her was enraged that he would not listen to her, but then again what else did she expect? Disgusted with the otter Sleet gave up on reason- for unreasonable beasts were her largest threat. He would have to be dealt with solely by steel and sharp edge.

The ferret planted one foot suddenly and let her other slide out, this propelled her quickly in a standing slide through the snow and ice. She she slid she pulled fourth and released two more knives. One angle for the otters lower leg, hopefully his knee or muscle. The second aimed towards the trunk of his body- she not faced his side and hoped that the knives would both move much quicker then the otter could block. And even if he did manage to escape one- both were near exact in their placement.

Sleet however didn't take time to look rather she stepped out of her slide and continued to moved in a circle, edging away from the otter.

[Rocky]

Arel was, to be honest, quite impressed with Sleet. She was quick and nimble, and despite being vermin, she was a good fighter, but nonetheless, Arel felt he would win with strength and power on his side. He was going to give chase as the ferret ran away from him, but then his whole wounded arm went numb and it felt... dead. The wound was deep and painful, and Arel feared that she punctured his muscle, but if she punctured a muscle, then wouldn't that mean he couldn't move it much, if anything? He gave a shoulder roll, and when he was done, he was greeted only by more excruciating pain.

He looked up from the ground just as the ferret released two more knives and threw them at him, and by sheer luck, he was saved from another serous wound;

arel held his blade vertically and ran not away from the knives, but towards them, and before he ould look, he was falling on his back hard, and cursing harder as the lower blade scraped his abdomen just as he was falling.

He stood up with a look of anger on his face, and while he had time, he counted his wounds:

A ruler like scrape on his chest, a bad wound on his arm, a few nicks and cuts on his other arm, and a punctured bracer.

"I'll live." he muttered.

He looked up from his wounds and looked to the ground where he had slipped; there were his footprints leading towards the ferret edging away from him with nimble moves, and then there were his skid marks on red ice. Red from blood.

He then looked up at the ferret, and he made a shoulder circle with his better arm, then charged the distance between the ferret and him, and while she was directly in front of him, he threw his axe at her with good velocity and speed for a scraped arm.

[lorki]

No, she was not about to get chopped in half. In the few milliseconds she had to decide her plan of action- essentially from the time Arel moved his arm back- she realized two things. One, she couldn't block an axe with her small knives or slim swords. It could slide past the knife and perhaps snap her sword. Two, he was too close for a dodge to save all her limbs.

Her empty paw shot outwards and by some odd mix of skillful timing and sheer luck gripped the blade of the axe. But Sleet was no brick wall, she was not overtly muscular or even well equipped to use or hold -let alone stop- an axe. The velocity continued and sleet found her arm being ripped backwards, at least she could whip the axe outwards away from her body.

PoP! She let go of the axe and it dropped behind her. Her shoulder turned at an unnatural angle. She cursed loudly and turned to look fiercely at the badger. Her other paw gripped her arm and roughly popped her shoulder back into place. "Could you please stop this now?" She growled.

[Rocky]

Arel laughed inwardly at Sleet's unfortunate case of events, and was shocked that she hadn't cut her hand open. He finished running at her and then stopped, as he felt an emotion he hadn't felt in a while: pity. It had been a while since he felt that emotion, and it almost seemed foreign to him. He usually never pities vermin, but oddly, this one was an exception.

As he stopped suddenly, ice shot up in at an upward angle and stopped right in front of the ferret just as her words reached his ears.

"Could you please stop this now?"

He c.ocked his head towards her and sheathed his blade. "Alright... It is over." He said in his deep voice, then popped up his hood, turned away from her and walked away. As he walked, away, in a sarcastic gesture, he waved his arm outward in a backwards wave as he headed for the treeline.

Then he remembered: his axe. He turned around and faced her and walked towards her again, "I want my axe." he said again as he walked closer to her. Then he cursed to himself for the vital mistake he had made: he got real close to her, and she had his axe. It's be hard to dodge anything from the distance he was at and slowly backed away. "Toss me my axe and I'll leave and you'll live to see another day."

[lorki]

She cursed loudly after the otter as he turned, what a ridiculous encounter. Her empty paw grabbed the black kerchief from her belt and held it to the wound that had begun to stop bleeding. Then he turned around, she already knew for what. When he stopped snow nearly flew up into her face... oh she would have literally slapped him. She shook the angery fog from her head to listen to his words.

"Oh I'll live? Not so nice to threaten the creature who's holding not only your weapon but also there own." She snapped, glaring crossly at the otter. "You think its so easy- just rage in on me trying to relax and make me fall in the freezing water and get all 'oh look at me I'm a vicious fuzz ball.' What is that, some sick way of asking my name." No it was not a good time for a creature to be asking such things of her, especially in such a fashion that this otter did.

She stepped backwards, her footpaw placed on the handle of his axe. "And then to be so pompous and demanding as to tell me to give that," she tapped her footpaw against his weapon, "to you?" She pointed her sword at him, not quite threateningly but meaningfully, she glowered angrily at him, "you, otter, owe me an -expletive- good apology."