The descent into the pit is becoming a familiar journey, yet she feels the same sense of purpose with each step. Her body is worn, muscles taut from the last sparring session, but she does not complain. This is how she serves. Each bruise, each scar is a testament to her dedication to Vellen. She needs to be ready. For him. For what may come. Her paws press into the limestone, the coolness of the stone a welcome contrast to the fire of her purpose.

As she reaches the arena, the silence feels heavy, but she welcomes it. She will not rush. Her strength has been hard-earned, and she will not waste it by being impatient. She stands tall, her eyes narrowing as she waits. Someone will come. She will test herself again, push her limits further, until there is no doubt of her worth.

Solanine vs. ???
For Dominance
0 of III

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There was part of him that didn't want to return to the Pit. That would much rather have stayed at home and entirely given up on the idea of being a fighter. But he knew exactly what that would net him and so he went back despite his (perhaps) better judgement. He could smell the faint scent of the lagoon before he even got there, and sighed softly as he wondered if he was going to get in over his head again. He personally didn't have a problem with the pride or anyone in it, but good luck explaining that. Oh well, he was already there, so turning back then would have been far more embarrassing. Instead, he descended into the Pit to stand before the other woman, offering her a slight nod to show that she could go first and hopefully that he wasn't intending for this to be vicious and brutal.

@Solanine

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She watched him approach, her gaze steady, her stance unshaken. The weight of his presence didn’t seem to shift the air around them, no more a threat than any other who had stepped into the pit before. She noted his pride scent and dismissed it. Politics, alliances, and the subtle tensions between the prides were not her concern. She was here for one purpose—to sharpen her strength, to test herself. The slight nod he offered was met with a quiet acknowledgment, but it did not change her resolve.

Do not expect me to hold back, she warned, her voice firm, carrying the weight of what was expected. There was no room for hesitation, no space for anything less than full force. Whether he intended this fight to be brutal or not mattered little.

This was her proving ground.

With swift precision, she moved, her muscles coiling as she aimed her strike low, attempting to sweep his legs from under him. Her movements were sharp, purposeful—there was no wasted energy, no hesitation.

Solanine vs. @Temero
Dominance
Round 1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 6d20: 3 + 1 + 19 + 10 + 11 + 2

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 18 + 13 + 10 + 16 + 17

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 19 + 1 + 13 + 7 + 14

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I hadn't, he replied as she warned she wouldn't hold back. It was of no surprise to him, even if their homes weren't at odds. Though she didn't seem to care about that because she'd returned his nod simply enough. She was here for business, though, and he was okay with that. So was he.

She came at him like a bull elephant, slamming into him, and despite him bracing himself he felt himself slide, bruises no doubt blossoming under his fur. As per usual he mourned his missing toes, though he doubted the two of them would've prevented him from slipping backwards across the dirt, leaving furrows in it.

His hind quarters dropped slightly, muscles straining to keep him from going any further back, the slight stumble of his front limbs turning into an attempt to grab her shoulders with his claws, mostly for balance. But he'd hang on for dear life if he managed it.

Temero vs. @Solanine
for Dominance
Round 1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 13 + 8 + 15 + 12 + 20

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 16 + 15 + 2 + 5 + 1

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 4 + 8 + 9 + 3 + 15

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The impact reverberated through her body, a solid clash that left her bruised but undeterred. She accepted the ache in her shoulder as part of this dance—a small price in her pursuit of strength. Pain was simply a reminder of her purpose, one she embraced without hesitation. She would prove herself here, in every deliberate strike, every calculated move.

His claws caught her shoulders, their grip tight, digging against her fur. She felt the sting, knew it would leave its mark, but she focused beyond the pain. With a swift shift of her weight, she twisted, aiming a strike at his side with her claws. Her goal was clear: break his hold and reclaim her footing.

Solanine vs. @Temero
Dominance
Round 2 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 6d20: 16 + 11 + 14 + 10 + 20 + 12

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 8 + 12 + 9 + 2 + 19

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 6 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 12

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It was hard to keep his grip on her as she shifted, but he did his best, attempting to hook his claws in deeper. A soft grunt of pain left him as her paw impacted his side, claws digging in and causing his paw on that side of her to be dislodged and fall to the ground once more. At least that gave him more balance and security he thought. It allowed him to lean in, jaws opening as he attempted to get a grip around her muzzle, hoping to tie up one portion of her weapons. Not that her claws weren't sharp as hell or anything. She could do plenty of damage with just those, but he'd learned the hard way to be leery of letting another sink their teeth into him.

Temero vs. @Solanine
for Dominance
Round 2 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 8 + 10 + 18 + 12 + 11

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 8 + 18 + 11 + 7 + 20

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 17 + 1 + 6 + 5 + 13

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The sting of his claws deepened as she shifted, pain radiating sharply through her side, but she kept herself steady. Every inch of her body felt the strain, each shallow breath a reminder of her limits, yet she refused to yield. His intention was clear, jaws aiming for her muzzle to pin her, to strip her of the fight she carried.

But she wouldn’t let him take it so easily.

With a swift twist, she aimed a fierce bite toward his foreleg, her teeth seeking to sink in just enough to make him reconsider. The angle wasn’t ideal, her own pain slowing her more than she’d have liked, but the strike was deliberate, fueled by the determination that pushed her forward despite the ache.

Solanine vs. @Temero
Dominance
Round 3 / 3
Hits:

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

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 2 + 11 + 12 + 8 + 1

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 7 + 1 + 8 + 5 + 19

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Shit, shit, shit! Involuntary panic shot through him when she gripped his foreleg, dangerously close to his paw in his mind and causing a phantom pain to shoot through the limb in addition to the actual pain caused by her grip. She didn't seem to be aiming to break it or shift her grip any lower, but fear was a hell of a drug. A snarl ripped out of him and he lunged forward as best he could, attempting to sink his jaws into the side of her face, more a warning to back off than any real attempt to bite down because he was aiming to get his teeth above and below her eye socket, admittedly with enough space that he didn't inadvertently put a tooth into it. That wasn't his goal, just as he didn't want her to make it her goal to take more of his beans.

Temero vs. @Solanine
for Dominance
Round 3 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 1 + 20 + 13 + 4 + 6

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 11 + 4 + 15 + 5 + 16

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 5 + 6 + 10 + 17 + 1

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@Solanine VS. @Temero FOR DOMINANCE
— RESULTS —

Solanine Hits: 2 + 5 + 2 + 2 luck = 11
Solanine Dodges: 4 + 2 + 2 = 8

Temero Hits: 4 + 3 + 2 + 3 luck = 12
Temero Dodges: 2 + 3 + 3 = 8

Solanine Successful Hits: 3
Temero Successful Hits: 4

TEMERO 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.

She feels teeth in the side of her face—not as punishing as they could be, she noted, but for it, she releases him. The familiar wave of knowing washes over her and she knows. She has lost.

But she is not bitter in her defeat. This is a lesson from Vellen, surely, and she will take it for what it was. Clearly, she has more work to do yet before she is ready to support her husband in his divine purpose.

So be it.

The red woman turns from him, glancing over her shoulder as she walks away. Solanine.

And then, she is gone.

exit solanine

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