The ringing of battle awakens Cathán.

He stirs with a frightened glazed expression; eyes widened, and his limbs splayed out awkwardly. Already, the boy assumes the worst. Petrified, he treads the ground lightly – uncertain of his surroundings. Preemptive imagery of war flashes within his mind.

Please, not again.

He can hardly keep the sigh of relief internalized when he realizes the truth. It is simply a challenge between Brook members – one without the spillage of life. Although... Cathán cannot say he has ever seen the vermillion barbarian standing before him.

Stifling a gulp, Cathán lowers his head and settles himself just on the outskirts of the audience; lest he return to his den and miss all the glories, of course. He cannot help but to linger – like a vulture to carrion.

He is magnetized to tragedy.

Still. He wishes he were anywhere but here right now. Reliving in the presence of his restless nights – the scent of iron wafting in the air, relentless and teasing.

Like a small child, Cathán shuts his eyes, and is unable to move. He hopes that when he opens them it will all be over, and he can return once more to hiding in the safety of his den.

The red beast's jaw snap down into his flesh like a viper, drawing a guttural snarl that ends in a pained groan from his lips. This wasn't a simple battle; already, Riven is fighting with more wrath than the youth ever expected. They grapple - frantic reaching, clawing, biting - and when Nikandr's claws score across the older man's face, he jerks back. The release of pain is immediate but fleeting, for blood pumps down from the ragged punctures with an immediacy that paints his white fur red. They match, now. As his offensive paw is falling to the earth, Nikandr is surging his head forward, hoping to follow through and find his own purchase on the beast - but Riven as his own ideas. His broad skull slams forward, slamming into the Law boy's mouth and it feels like his teeth are knocked loose even as they rip the insides of his lips and, if he's lucky, tear the thin flesh on his opponent's face. It knocks him back, though instinct alone keeps his head curved down across his throat even as his vision goes gray and there's a persistent ringing in his ears. Before he can force his body to take a breath, Riven's claws are in his shoulder and jerk him closer once more. Blindly, his aching jaws open once more, curving out to attempt to tear across his opponent's skull once more. He's in so far over his head, right now, that he can only pray for some major fuck up - some opening that he can utilize to his advantage. Nikandr v @Riven 2 of 3 for lead fighter Hits: Rolling 5d20: 20 + 15 + 3 + 6 + 18 Dodges: Rolling 4d20: 1 + 12 + 18 + 20 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 8 + 16 + 11 + 7 + 13

art + code by spu

The queen holds @Riven's stare as they await a challenge to step forward. Her talons scrap impatiently against the boulder she is perched upon preparing herself to jump forward and throw herself at Crow. However, an unlikely opponent appears and Icefang sets her cool gaze upon @Nikandr. He steps up, a swagger in his walk as he compliments the blood red beast. She raises a brow, a snarl ripping from her lips in encouragement of the battle once Crow initiates the first move. She wanted to see blood and she is not disappointed as the maneless male is knocked over attempting to protect his throat. Within seconds, the liquid essence spills from both males and she crouches slightly, doing her best to keep herself from joining the fray at the sudden arousal pulsing throughout her scarred body. She takes a moment to glance over the rest in attendance, sea blue iris picking up on Melusina's stare. She can see a similar fire burning in the young medic's face and thus the queen decides to indulge her. Jumping off her make shift throne, she charges the girl directly from the side, ignoring @Obsidiana's sprawled form close to her. If the princess was smart, she would get out of the way. Jaws open in an attempt to grasp fangs into Melusina's scruff, she flings her body sideways, attempting to throw her front paws into her shoulders/sides and attempting to use her larger frame to force the medic beneath her much like a male to a ever willing and promiscuous female.

Icefang vs. @Melusina
For Dominance
Round 1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 2 + 14 + 1 + 13 + 17 + 3 + 4

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 10 + 4 + 12 + 7

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 13 + 12 + 18 + 19 + 11

"SPEECH"

html by castlegraphics; image by Eightysichs

@Icefang ♔ is a blur of white, all things force and agility. Melusina has only a split second to react before the Queen is upon her, and she holds nothing back. She exhales her breath and finds that she's unable to take another. Instead, she is entirely dependent on the adrenaline that's now tearing through her.

The span of the Queen's frame is above her, and it is such a new yet familiar feeling that she nearly keens in surprise. Icefang's teeth find purchase on the soft, wintry scruff of her nape. There, the evidence of her fraternization still lingers aching and bruised, making Icefang's attack that much more painful. She grits her teeth, and bites back the urge to cry out.

Trapped beneath a larger frame, Melusina has no choice but to work with limited space. She has little hope of throwing the woman off of her, so she instead seeks to roll. At the cost of her own nape she seeks to barrel within Icefang's grip until she's positioned on her back, instead, leaving them belly-to-belly. If successful, her hind paws will seize up and, careful not to unsheathe her claws, uses the brunt of her pawpads to try and bat at Icefang's belly.

---

Melusina vs Icefang
for dominance
i of iii
Hits:

Rolling 2d20: 4 + 20

Dodges:

Rolling 8d20: 5 + 6 + 3 + 13 + 19 + 9 + 11 + 17

Luck:

Rolling 6d20: 1 + 9 + 6 + 17 + 14 + 15

Art by AleTie, table by cala

She snarls around the mass of fur and loose skin gripped between her jaws. Melusina falters beneath her and the queen shifts to try and trap the woman's legs beneath her, but in the moment it has taken them to get into this position, the girl is rolling under her. Her grip on the scruff is ripped away from her, Icefang tasting blood upon her tongue. Paws stab at her belly and in response her back arches, a soft grunt vibrating in her throat. Though rather than be swayed to get off especially with the absence of sharp claws at tender flesh, the queen drops her entire weight down, using Melusina's hind legs as support. She hopes her advantage in weight is enough to crumple her pretty legs and force her to be pinned beneath her. Jaws snap aimlessly again, attempting to reach the girl's face. "Show me what you got," she coos, encouraging as the thought that her meek medic would of wished to get herself in this situation had been nonexistent until this moment.

Icefang vs. @Melusina
For Dominance
Round 2 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 14 + 2 + 12 + 11 + 17 + 10 + 4

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 10 + 2 + 5 + 8

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 8 + 3 + 17 + 9 + 10

"SPEECH"

html by castlegraphics; image by Eightysichs

Instead of relenting, @Icefang ♔ sinks deeper into her. The Queen applies pressure to her chest, lungs already struggling to gasp for more air. Melusina's teeth grit, the sudden lack of oxygen causing her throat to burn, her head to ache. But she could not relent. Not when every other part of her screams to fight.

Show me what you got, Icefang coos, and Melusina can only groan painfully in response.

The Queen's teeth snap dangerously close to her face, nicking a few hairs, but the medic's response is immediate; all things bared teeth and instinctual snarls. With her legs pinned beneath her opponent's stomach, she cannot move them enough to cause any further damage.

But then she remembers something—and without thinking of its consequences she allows her head to fall back to the ground, before cracking it back up with a sharp curl of her neck. With Icefang's head already so close, she seeks to knock her forehead right into her opponent's; if she could not stagger the Queen through brute force, then she would use another means to free herself.

---

Melusina vs Icefang
for dominance
ii of iii
Hits:

Rolling 2d20: 2 + 9

Dodges:

Rolling 8d20: 10 + 6 + 18 + 17 + 19 + 9 + 20 + 16

Luck:

Rolling 6d20: 10 + 4 + 1 + 19 + 8 + 6

Art by AleTie, table by cala

She smiles hearing that groan of pain and rather than ease up or take pity on the girl's wheezing breath beneath her, Icefang glowers in her dominant position as she fully relaxes herself into Melusina's support hold. Blue eye watches as the medic slumps her head back and briefly she takes it as a sign of surrender, but she is shockingly surprised when their foreheads connect with a sickening thud. She snarls, rage fueling her and one paw comes slamming down next to Melusina's head, talons causing deep graves into the soil. Her weight lessens, but immediately she is coming down her left paw lifting in an attempt to swipe her claws directly at Melusina's face in a slap.

Icefang vs. @Melusina
For Dominance
Round 3 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 14 + 4 + 3 + 20 + 6 + 10 + 11

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 14 + 5 + 15 + 19

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 4 + 13 + 18 + 15 + 1

"SPEECH"

html by castlegraphics; image by Eightysichs

She should have learned her lesson last time, but she doesn't. Melusina thought that perhaps because she had sticken Cassius with her temple that it might have caused the white-hot furl of pain and headache afterward. But using the brunt of her head was no mercy, and as she connects with Icefang, a snarl of pain rips from her mouth.

Yet, her plan was something of a success. She gasps for air as @Icefang ♔'s weight relents from her frame, allowing her chest to expand just ever-so-slightly more. But between her weak lungs and the sprawling pain in her head, she has little time left.

She catches the sight of Icefang's paw bearing down in the corner of her eye, and while her claws make purchase along the far end of her cheek, Melusina quickly turns her head, attempting to bite down on her hand as it swipes across her face.

---

Melusina vs Icefang
for dominance
iii of iii
Hits:

Rolling 2d20: 14 + 10

Dodges:

Rolling 8d20: 11 + 6 + 19 + 3 + 2 + 9 + 4 + 10

Luck:

Rolling 6d20: 4 + 3 + 9 + 1 + 18 + 20

Art by AleTie, table by cala

Vicariously, I live
while the whole world dies

riven's skull connects with nikandr's jaw/teeth, somehow cutting himself in the process, as welts rise to the surface of his facial flesh. blood pools a little from his temple, staining his dark fur a deeper shade of red. already, the red leviathan can taste the swirl of nikandr's blood in his mouth, mixed with his own wrathful blood. this is nothing new for riven, this simply is.

they joustle, grapple against one another. nikandr's jaws comes slicing across riven's skull, nearing gouging out the remaining eye, but riven tries to duck away from the brunt of the impact. blood dribbles down the face of riven where nikandr has cut; all garish crimson and moist, jagged stains. riven's claws would eventually find the shoulders of the younger man, tearing into, hooking into it, as best as he could. in an attempt to reposition himself, riven would suddenly surge forward once more, attempting to now sink his fangs into the side of nikandr's throat.

Riven vs. @Nikandr
Lead Fighter
3 of 3

Hits:

Rolling 9d20: 20 + 11 + 2 + 12 + 10 + 3 + 16 + 13 + 14

Dodges:

Rolling 6d20: 3 + 6 + 19 + 20 + 7 + 4

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 11 + 13 + 15 + 7 + 10

*barbarian berserk, barbarian buffer applied

@Icefang ♔ VS. @Melusina FOR DOMINANCE
— RESULTS —

Icefang Hits: 3 + 4 + 3 + 5 luck = 15 hits
Icefang Dodges: 1 + 0 + 3 = 4 dodges

Melusina Hits: 1 + 0 + 1 + 5 luck = 7 hits
Melusina Dodges: 4 + 5 + 2 = 11 dodges

Icefang Successful Hits: 4
Melusina Successful Hits: 3

ICEFANG HAS WON THE CHALLENGE FOR DOMINANCE!

The results of this fight cannot be acknowledged ICly until either both challengers have responded or 3 days have gone by — whichever comes first. Any posts breaking this rule will be removed.