It felt good to back.

The jagged scar that ran the length of his side was nothing but a miserable memory that ached in the cold, a silent testament to his ability to survive. It had cost him everything, but Alaric was not the type to simply give up. A new land meant a new beginning, and he was determined to prove his worth here. A rank and a queen to begin with, after that… well, the sky was the limit.

He needed more practice, though. A hunt and a couple of fights were not enough to sweep out all of the cobwebs, and so the beast was drawn to this place. It smelled of battle, of blood, and a sharp grin split his handsome features as he settled in. Weight spread evenly over all fours, chin tucked, tail resting lightly behind him.

A loud roar bounced off the walls of the pit - a call for whoever wanted to cross the dust toned male.

Alaric vs. @Violarum
For spar
0/3

code by corvus

It was a curious place, and the dawdling behemoth wasn’t entirely sure how he’d ended up here; usually a man for the more leisurely lands, where water was plentiful and food required little effort. Tiny stones crunched beneath large paw pads, lumbering onwards with a lax swagger and admittedly little to no sense of direction. Violarum might have turned tail if it hadn't been for the intriguing beckon, a roll of nearby thunder that echoed peculiarly about an unseen wall. A challenge, but one tossed loosely - perhaps at anybody who cared to shed some blood. Though torn between his usual laziness and the promise for some violent fun, the young adult meandered towards the call without much consideration for the consequence.

The echo was explained by a sudden pitfall beneath usual earth level; winding paths of jagged descent leading the clay beast right to the doorstep of a hoary man. Had the youngster had any more sense he might have avoided a pounding from a lion clearly within his prime, and blatantly more marked by recent battles than the baby-coated Violarum. Perhaps that could change. “Give me some good scars, yes?” it was a gruff announcement of his arrival, an indistinguishable mingling of play and seriousness.

Vio might have been lining up to get his backside handed to him, but if it made him look a little tougher for the ladies… who could complain?

The earthy hued youngster sized his company up with a somewhat comical butt-wiggle; his previously lax swagger morphing to that of equalized balance. Chin tucked to defend the throat, ears pinned, tail swayed, shoulders rolled. It was a familiar dance, no doubt dangerously more familiar to the man looking thrice his age. Attempting to face Alaric front on, Violarum’s eyes narrowed and without any further inclination the tan-marked male feigned an attack on his opponents right side; instead shifting his weight to try and bounce towards the wheaten man’s left shoulder. With his own left shoulder jutted before him and his neck bent to the right, Violarum attempted to ram against the muscle of Alaric’s left shoulder - almost simultaneously attempting to reach his right forepaw (talons exposed) to strike the back of the man's left thigh.

Violarum vs @Alaric
Spar - Round 1 of 3
Hits: [5d20 - 13 2 13 19 15 = 62]
Dodges: [3d20 - 3 15 17 = 35]
Luck: [5d20 - 20 13 14 18 17 = 82]

_{art by kairi —}

alaric VS. Violarum FOR spar
— DEFAULT —

due to Violarum rolling their dice off-site, this fight has defaulted.

alaric HAS WON THE SPAR!

Please allow the challengers to respond to the fight results first. As per the site rules, if 3 days go by without a post from the challenger(s), they can be skipped. Whichever comes first! Any posts made before this will be removed.

It was a curious place, and the dawdling behemoth wasn’t entirely sure how he’d ended up here; usually a man for the more leisurely lands, where water was plentiful and food required little effort. Tiny stones crunched beneath large paw pads, lumbering onwards with a lax swagger and admittedly little to no sense of direction. Violarum might have turned tail if it hadn't been for the intriguing beckon, a roll of nearby thunder that echoed peculiarly about an unseen wall. A challenge, but one tossed loosely - perhaps at anybody who cared to shed some blood. Though torn between his usual laziness and the promise for some violent fun, the young adult meandered towards the call without much consideration for the consequence.

The echo was explained by a sudden pitfall beneath usual earth level; winding paths of jagged descent leading the clay beast right to the doorstep of a hoary man. Had the youngster had any more sense he might have avoided a pounding from a lion clearly within his prime, and blatantly more marked by recent battles than the baby-coated Violarum. Perhaps that could change. “Give me some good scars, yes?” it was a gruff announcement of his arrival, an indistinguishable mingling of play and seriousness.

Vio might have been lining up to get his backside handed to him, but if it made him look a little tougher for the ladies… who could complain?

The earthy hued youngster sized his company up with a somewhat comical butt-wiggle; his previously lax swagger morphing to that of equalized balance. Chin tucked to defend the throat, ears pinned, tail swayed, shoulders rolled. It was a familiar dance, no doubt dangerously more familiar to the man looking thrice his age. Attempting to face Alaric front on, Violarum’s eyes narrowed and without any further inclination the tan-marked male feigned an attack on his opponents right side; instead shifting his weight to try and bounce towards the wheaten man’s left shoulder. With his own left shoulder jutted before him and his neck bent to the right, Violarum attempted to ram against the muscle of Alaric’s left shoulder - almost simultaneously attempting to reach his right forepaw (talons exposed) to strike the back of the man's left thigh.

Violarum vs @Alaric
Spar - Round 1 of 3
Hits: 

Rolling 5d20: 1 + 11 + 16 + 18 + 14

Dodges: 

Rolling 3d20: 16 + 10 + 3

Luck: 

Rolling 5d20: 7 + 12 + 10 + 18 + 1

_{art by kairi —}

The one who appeared was young - much younger than himself - but Alaric knew better than to assume that youth meant inexperience. Unscathed though his opponent may be (and the blank canvas was appealing) Alaric had been much the same at his age. His early fights had been easy and had left only shallow wounds - it was only when he claimed his first title shortly after his second birthday that he had been left with any significant scar.

Defending it for the following years had left its mark.

He grinned at the words, amused by the nature of the beast that approached, pleased to find another with a similar attitude towards fighting. Alaric coveted his scars -- each one spoke of a hard earned victory. The large one across his side named him a survivor, and he was happy to regale any who wanted to listen with the story.

Not now, of course. Now his focus riveted upon his opponent as he shifted his weight and flexed his claws, gripping the earth beneath him as he prepared for battle. A mere spar, of course, but that did not mean he would go easy on the boy. "As you wish," he purred in return, and then was silenced as Violarum leapt in to action.

To the right, first, but then the shift of weight to the left - quick enough that a less experienced lion might have been caught off guard. Alaric is old and experienced and therefore barely bats an eye - his body braced for the collision that is impending. As the other male sought to ram shoulders Alaric shifted his weight to the right and took a step, moving just enough that the impact was lessened. There would be bruising, sure, but the pain barely registered with the drums of battle pounding in his ears.

His movement put his left leg further from reach of his opponent's strike, and Violarum's claws only scraped the side of the limb. The top layers of skin were stripped away and it seeped blood, but it would not scar.

The beast retaliated with an attack of his own, lifting the left leg and attempting to snag Violarum's right before it could fall back to the ground. His intent was to sink in his extended claws behind the knee and grasp the leg, pulling it back towards his chest in an attempt to throw the other male off balance. At the same time he bared his teeth and snapped them towards the other's face in an attempt to grab the flesh that lay stretched over cheekbone.



Alaric vs. @Violarum
Spar - Round 1 of 3
Hits: 

Rolling 7d20: 1 + 19 + 17 + 8 + 4 + 6 + 7

Dodges: 

Rolling 4d20: 13 + 16 + 8 + 14

Luck: 

Rolling 5d20: 3 + 6 + 1 + 13 + 5

code by corvus

He hadn’t expected the brawl to be easy, and it seemed Alaric had every intention of satisfying those expectations; his massive frame shuffling to his own right just a moment before impact. Left shoulder thudded off-target, a far less satisfying grind of body heat than the youngster had been expecting. Similarly, his right foreclaws made contact; feeling a fleeting second of resistance as they tore shallowly across his opponents silver thigh, sadly not seeming to cause enough discomfort to force the brute to lose his A-game.

Before Violarum could regain composure on all four limbs an undeniable burn panged just below his right elbow, his rivals claws hooking beneath russet skin and preventing the youth from stabilising. It took barely an instant to retaliate, the typically lax youth fuelled by an onset of adrenaline and attempting to make Alaric’s attack somewhat counterproductive; seeking to reach his right foreclaws upwards with a swift roll of the wrist. It was an unmistakable endeavour to slash the man’s sensitive left armpit, hoping it might result in retracted claws as well as a niggling wound in an undeniably annoying location.

In almost the same moment in time there was a pinch of discomfort behind his left cheek; thankfully, due to his previously turned neck Alaric’s jaws would clasp a fold of skin predominantly covered with mane. The sensation currently felt like that of a graze and deep bruise, but the brutes further intentions remained to be seen given he had seemingly attached. It was hard to defy the urge to retaliate with his own jaws, but given the closeness of Alaric’s own weapons to his eye it seemed the wisest option.

He opted instead for a potentially half-hearted throw of weight. Attempting to rock swiftly back on his hinds and drive his left shoulder back into its previous bed against Alaric’s left shoulder. It was less of an effort to injure and more to try and throw his balance yet again - clutching at straws in that moment, perhaps.

Violarum vs @Alaric
Spar - Round 2 of 3
Hits: 

Rolling 5d20: 12 + 6 + 3 + 1 + 13

Dodges: 

Rolling 3d20: 7 + 18 + 3

Luck: 

Rolling 5d20: 12 + 10 + 1 + 20 + 15

_{art by kairi —}

For all the battles he had found he found that in the heat of them time seemed to slow. His reactions were fine tuned, focused, and he did not allow himself to become easily distracted. He tuned in to every twitch of muscle, paying heed to his body and lending it every bit of fuel he could spare. Pain was filed away; there would be time to assess injuries later. Unless, of course, it was a fight to the death.

His teeth found purchase on the side of the boys face, closer to the mane than he had wished for but he still considered it a success. Alaric held fast and then attempted to jerk his head back, seeking to tear some of that lovely mane from its rightful place. It was not an attack that would maim or even terribly hurt, but one that (if successful) would serve more to sting and irritate. He would not hold on for long, pulling his teeth away regardless of whether or not he managed to take some mane or flesh with him.

Violarum was smart - smarter than Alaric had assumed upon first judgement. While the boy may not bear the scars of battle he had no doubt witnessed enough to learn some skills; either that or his instincts guided him well. He had not expected to have his attack turned against him and the abrupt slice of claw in his armpit had the man taking a step back. He hissed, surprised but appreciative - he welcomed a good fight.

His left claws were quickly retracted as he sought to drop the leg, noting that the attack had left a mark that bled but mostly was bothersome. It's location meant he would favor the limb for the remainder of the battle - but it was not enough to throw him off entirely.

As Violarum drove forward again Alaric dropped his left shoulder and evened out his weight, maintaining his balance even through the bruising collision. He did not entirely succeed in holding his ground, giving up another step in order to lob back another attack of his own. He drove his head down, keeping his chin tucked and neck arched as he attempted to sink his teeth in to the shoulder that Violarum had presented to him.

Alaric vs. @Violarum
Spar - Round 2 of 3
Hits: 

Rolling 7d20: 14 + 10 + 1 + 12 + 15 + 6 + 16

Dodges: 

Rolling 4d20: 17 + 20 + 12 + 6

Luck: 

Rolling 5d20: 13 + 18 + 5 + 12 + 4

code by corvus

There was a tear of satisfaction as the youngsters claws made contact within Alaric’s left armpit; an attack proven successful as the elder male retracted his grip on Violarum’s forelimb and allowed his pawto return to stability. The rip of the wheaten males jaws from Vio’s jawline would carry with it a grazing of skin and handful of ebony mane; leaving behind a decent graze and thinning of previously luscious locks - shock horror. Naturally, the handsome lad was far more offended by the loss of his mane (which had only recently grown in) and scowled with clear displeasure.

Alaric had it in for him it seemed; as though the odds weren’t already wildly against the clay youth, it was clear his opponent had no intention of taking it too easy on him. Vio barely had the chance to react as the man stepped backward in recognition of the shoulder thrust, crimson gaze catching his intentions to bite the incoming left shoulder with just enough time to throw his all into it. Perhaps a little counterproductive, Violarum was guaranteeing the mans bite would land (and land it did) with greater consequence, but hoping the extra onwards thrust might force his jaw apart at an unnatural, painful degree.

His defences remained; eyes narrowed, chin tucked, tail steady, ears pinned.

Violarum vs @Alaric
Spar - Round 3 of 3
Hits: 

Rolling 5d20: 13 + 4 + 12 + 19 + 9

Dodges: 

Rolling 3d20: 17 + 12 + 4

Luck: 

Rolling 5d20: 20 + 7 + 4 + 9 + 2

_{art by kairi —}

Violarum again impressed the elder male, his sharp eyes clearly picking up Alaric's intention. As his shoulder collided and Alaric's teeth sunk in the younger male thrust forward with extra force. It was painful enough to cause the Starke to retreat from his attack, likely leaving little damage in it's wake.

His head jerks back, chin tucked and ears pinned flat against his head. They are close enough that barely a breath could pass between them, and the man would try to use that to his advantage. In a last ditch effort to leave a mark he lifted his right leg from the ground (ignoring the sting from the cut in his left armpit as that limb took more weight) and sliced his claws through the air. His aim was the left side of his opponent, attempting to drag his extended talons through the thin flesh that lay over his ribs. An attack that would bleed and hurt, but not one that would leave any lasting damage. Assuming he succeeded.

Tired, his leg would seek to fall heavily back to the ground in the wake of the attack, and the large man would take a step back. He sought to put some space between them to catch his breath before the fight picked up again, if it did.


Alaric vs. @Violarum
Spar - Round 3 of 3
Hits: 

Rolling 7d20: 5 + 16 + 3 + 1 + 17 + 2 + 9

Dodges: 

Rolling 4d20: 17 + 16 + 14 + 2

Luck: 

Rolling 5d20: 1 + 7 + 4 + 13 + 2

VIOLARUM VS. ALARIC FOR SPAR
— RESULTS —

Violarum Hits: 4 + 2 + 3 + 2 luck = 11
Violarum Dodges: 1 + 1 + 2 = 4

Alaric Hits: 2 + 4 + 2 = 8
Alaric Dodges: 3 + 3 + 3 = 9

Violarum Successful Hits: 2
Alaric Successful Hits: 4

ALARIC HAS WON THE SPAR!

Please allow the challengers to respond to the fight results first. As per the site rules, if 3 days go by without a post from the challenger(s), they can be skipped. Whichever comes first! Any posts made before this will be removed.