Dappled, green-tinted sunlight shines through the treetops deep in Mossflower. A tiny creek trickles by, chuckling softly. A nearby mockingbird chuckles back in its throaty song, until it hears somebeast approaching. Silent, it cocks its head curiously... then takes flight as a creature stumbles noisily out of the undergrowth.
"Blasted bushes! Always tryin' to grab at you an' yer pack," the tall shrew grumbled, brushing herself down. On her back was a large, nearly-full haversack, two cooking pots hanging on the straps, and a bedroll tied to the bottom. Spotting the creek, she set her pack down with a sigh of relief. "Seasons be thanked- 'aven't seen one o' those fer days now, since I left the ol' Moss. Huh, if Logalog could see me, he'd be laughin'." She sat, keeping her saber within easy reach, and began to refill her flasks with cool water.
She was unaware of the fact that she would soon encounter another beast.
Arya Brushtail laughed as she watched the shrew. "Hello. Having a spot of trouble with the bushes?>" She teased, dropping down from her tree.
Cam spun around quickly as a squirrel appeared seemingly out of nowhere. A little too quickly... she overbalanced, dropping her flask and nearly falling into the creek. Retrieving the flask, she corked it and smiled ruefully.
"I s'pose you could say that. They're just all so close t'gether! I've never traveled through the middle o' the trees like this; it's always been on a boat or a path. 'Course, you look right at home."
"Oops. Did I startle you?" Arya asked, her brow furrowing for a moment. "Well, I am a woodlands squirrel. Plus, I mainly travel through the trees. And, uh, may I add that there's a path? It goes next to the stream right over there." She said, then pointed down stream. "The bushes are a little less closer." She added mischievously.
Cam resisted a Dibbunish impulse to stick her tongue out at the squirrel. "A path? Well, that'll 'elp quite a bit. So, what's yer name? Doesn't seem polite to call you Bushtail without askin'."
While she talked, Cam studied the squirrel. She seemed friendly, if a bit... smart-whiskery. Then she noticed Arya's weapons, and she brightened. Perhaps she could bring this mischievous tree jumper down a few branches. All in friendly fun, of course. Nothing... unsportsbeastlike.
"Arya. Arya Brushtail." Arya said, then extended her paw. This shrew seemed a little impertinent to her. But how the Guosim (For she assumed the shrew was Guosim) raised their little ones.
The shrew smiled, shaking Arya's paw. "Wasn't too far off then, with Bushtail. Don't worry- I'll call you Arya. 'Tis a pretty name, and it'd be a shame if it wasn't used. I'm Cam. Short fer Camellia." She made a sour face. "Not sure what mum and dad were thinkin'."
Pausing, Cam looked meaningfully at Arya's weapons. "Yer carryin' quite the armory there. Mind if we test each other's skill? You get t'pick; unarmed, close combat, or ranged weapons. Winner gets my lunch."
Arya laughed. "Aye, not too far off." She started, in the manner of woodlanders. "Tis nice to meet you, Cam. I think it's a nice name - Far better than Prettyears, my middle 'un. Armoury? Oh, this is light, actually. You ought to see Brinky, my brother. But, sure! Why not? Although, I don't need your lunch." She thought for a moment. "What about close combat? You've got your rapier, I've got my hand-and-a-half. To make it even fairer, I'll put away my dagger." Not that the shrew knew about her dagger, of course - It was tucked into it's little compartment in her left boot. But she preferred to be sportsmanlike.
Cam nodded agreeably. "Close combat it is, though I don't 'ave a rapier like most o' the GUOSIM. I use a saber- 'tis better suited t'me size. An' thank you fer puttin' yer dagger away, though I didn' even know you 'ad one. I always prefer t'leave knives out of a straight fight."
As she said so, the shrew set aside her own knives. Then she unbuckled her sword belt and laid it by her pack, as she liked to be as unencumbered as possible during a fight of any kind. Cam checked that her headband was tied securely, then drew her saber and adopted a dueling stance. She smiled- it had been a while since she'd had friendly competition. It was a nice change. Though she was still planning to win, of course.
"Ready when you are, Arya."
Arya smiled again, grimly this time. While the shrew was preparing herself, so was the squirrelmaid. She bent and drew out her dagger, then flicked it casually upwards her her thumb. It spun four times, then thudded point down in the dirt. Arya drew her sword, and settled into her stance. "Well, let's go at it then!" She replied, then brought her sword up, as if slashing at Cam's face.
Arya was quick! Cam, however, was ready. While she wasn't extraordinarily fast, herself, the shrew was a quick thinker. Instead of stepping back or taking the time to bring her whole sword up to block Arya's slash, she merely moved her head out of the way and flicked the tip of her blade upward, ready to follow up with the rest of the sword if necessary. Her plan was to use her saber to give Arya's slash a little extra force by hitting the squirrel's blade not on the inside to stop it, but on the outside to make it keep going. And hopefully, throw Arya a bit off balance.
Arya smiled again - She knew that trick. Right before her sword toupched Cam's, she stopped it, and retreated, crouching again.
Startled by Arya's sudden retreat, Cam blinked, nearly lowering her sword. She collected herself, taking note of her opponent's stance. Arya looked like she was ready to attack or defend at a moment's notice. So, Cam did what any other self-respecting GUOSIM shrew would do- attacked anyway.
She lunged forward, keeping her back paw on the ground, and aimed her sword in a thrust to Arya's stomach.
Arya skipped to the side, but not fast enough. The sword hit her side, slicing open a small cut. She lunged towards the right, but at the last second, slashed at Cam's left.
With Arya's feint to the right, Cam put her weight back on her hind paw again. However, this didn't let her avoid the squirrel's slash entirely. The blade cut right through Cam's loose tunic and bit into her skin. It was only a minor scratch really, but she still had to prevent herself from flinching in pain. Why do th' smallest cuts always hurt worst, blast 'em? the shrew wondered as she took a couple of hasty steps backwards.
"You alright?" Cam asked. The shining blade in her paw made an almost laughable juxtaposition to her concerned question.
"Barely broke the skin. What about you?" The squirrel asked, lowering her blade, but still tense.
"Same." Cam lifted her blade in a quick salute, signaling that she was ready to continue.
Arya flashed a quick grin, and stabbed forwards.
A lunge. Excellent. Cam sidestepped and gave Arya a little extra push with the flat of her blade. Hopefully, this would at least avail the squirrel of her balance for a moment, if not leave her sprawling in the dust.
Arya grinned, and went into a flip. Standing up, she quickly turned back to her opponent. she slashed at Cam's head height (Nothing powerful enough to kill the shrew), and then at her legs, fast.
She... dodged?
Before that could fully register, the shrew was already in action- she pulled back her saber and readied it for another strike... only to be met with a slash at her head. Cam leaned back to avoid the blow, and saw Arya's blade switch directions and slice at her legs.
In an effort to get out of the squirrelmaid's range, Cam ended up tripping. She landed hard on her tail, stifling a yelp as she rolled over and got to her paws. Blast it, that left her vulnerable for too long! Arya could dart in any moment and end it.
OOC: Is that permission to end this duel?
OOC: If you want... If not, we can keep going. :) It was more Cam thinking, "oh bad stuff, I'm so dead" then anything.
OOC: Okay. I think I'm going to go ahead and end it, because two duels and all my RPs is just too much right now.
BIC: Arya seized her chance, and darted in and gently placed the tip of her sword in the one spot where if she lunged forward. However, she merely pressed hard enough so Cam could feel it, then stepped. "I believe I win?" She asked, friendly.
OOC: It's completely understandable. I know the feeling. And, thank you for the duel- it was lots of fun! :)
BIC: When Cam felt the sword point, she stopped. Then she turned around, smiling wryly, and held out a paw "Aye. Congratulations- it's been a long time since anybeast's bested my blade. An' 'to th' victor go th' spoils', as dad used t'say. Ye can take yer pick outta my lunch, no 'ard feelin's."
OOC: Yes, it was! Thank you! *Bows*
BIC: "Why would I want your lunch?' Arya asked, mystified. She grinned. "Eh, I've got my own lunch. I think I'll make you suffer through my company for the space of one meal. It was a pleasure dueling with you - You're very good with your blade." She said, smiling as she went and her own haversack. "We'll share."
OOC: Annnnnnnd DONE! I'll get James to lock an' move the topic.