Duel: "Sanguine Shores" (Completed)

[KitrallStreamrippler]

The grey, overcast sky threatened to empty itself of moisture- indeed, lightning could be seen and thunder heard in the distance. Gulls' screeching cries rent the air as two of the fierce birds battled over a scrap of food. The cries eventually lessened and faded as the loser flew off lopsidedly and the winner devoured his prize. The only other beast in sight on this desolate stretch of beach was a lone wildcat. She stood in the sand, practicing swordwork, her cutlass blade reflecting the sullen light dully. Her faded shirt might have once been red, and her navy blue trousers were patched in several places, but her stance was confident and her sword in good repair. Her eyes matched the sea and her fur the clouds, except for the white tips on her ears and tail. Suddenly she halted, sheathing her sword as she noticed another creature down the beach. Cupping her paws around her mouth, she called to the distant figure over the noise of the wind and surf.

"Ahoy, mate! Care t'join me fer a meal?"

OOC: Sorry for the length- just wanted to give a sense of the setting and conditions. Um, if you want Tarragon to be in a boat, or something, I can edit this post. Anything else that seems weird or you want me to change, just let me know.

[Faiyloe]

Tarragon had beached her ship The Sea Skipper to take on Water and supply's. The rest of her crew had headed up the shore or inland, while she had gone down shore to scout out the land. She looked to the sea the waves where tossed up into the air by the wind like a child's play thing. The harsh wind tugged and rippled at her cloths and there was the odd seance of having way to much light for the amount of cloud cover.  She saw a figure down the beach she could not tell weather it was a friend or a foe but she herd it call out to her over the noise. 

"Ahoy, mate! Care t'join me fer a meal?"   

The call was faint and distant but clear. Tarragon sped up her pace.   

[KitrallStreamrippler]

As the figure moved closer, Max could see that it was an otter. Hoping that the other beast was friendly, she waved and approached. She now saw much more detail- the dark brown fur of the ottermaid and the loose white shirt, brown pants, and black boots. The young otter wore a rapier at her side with the air of somebeast used to its weight and well-versed in its purpose. Max grinned cheerily. This looked like her type of beast: a sailor!

"Hello. I was just about t'light a fire an' burn summat fer lunch," she joked. "Are ye willin' to risk yer tastebuds t'fill yer stomach or d'you wanna cook?"

[Faiyloe]

As Tarragon approached she saw that the beast was a wildcat Instantly she became more cautious though she didn't show it. " I believe I'll pass' I don't eat with strangers,"  She said with a grin stopping in front of the wildcat. She noted the poor state of her cloths and the cutlass. The first thing that popped in to her mind was "Vermin," and then "Not to be trusted,". She casually placed a paw on her rapier and asked "Now who might you be?"     

[KitrallStreamrippler]

"I believe I'll pass. I don't eat with strangers."

Smart choice, thought Max. After all, one could never be sure of a stranger's intentions.

"Now who might you be?"

Max didn't miss the movement of Tarragon's paw and, taken aback, she clenched her own.

"My name's Max- I'm a traveler. Used t'be a sailor, an' I take t'the seas when anybeast'll 'ave me. Now, if ye'd do me th' kindness o' tellin' me yer own name, I'd be much obliged. But if ye draw steel, I'm afraid that it won't be possible t'have any kindnesses between us. If ye're clear on me meanin'."

[Faiyloe]

"Ho I gets yer meaning alright" She said with a glint in her eye. Tarragon knew a threat when she herd one and she wasn't about to let this one pass. "The name is Tarragon currently captain of the Sea Skipper, and if yer wondering I'm not alone. I've got me self a fine crew of over a score ta back me up," 

[KitrallStreamrippler]

"Good. Then we 'ave an understandin'." Max sighed inwardly. If only that were completely true.

"I don't doubt that y'do, or that they could make short work o' me. But I doubt that ye'll call 'em unless ye really need to- y'don't strike me as th' sort o' beast who lets others fight 'er battles. An' unfortunately, I think it's gonna be a battle. But instead o' tearin' each other's throats out like a pair o' savage lizards, I say we 'ave a duel. Honorable-like. Loser 'as t'stay up in th'north fer a season. Yer choice, miss Tarragon."

Done with words, Max squared her shoulders and shifted into a more aggressive stance. She didn't really want to fight this otter, but if she had to, she wasn't going to roll over and give up.

[Faiyloe]

Tarragon drew her rapier with a flourish "I accept! and no worries my crew is near by but I never let another beast fight my fight for me,"  She went in to a fighting stance her eyes sparkling with anticipation "Now lets see what your made of,"

OOC: I had an idea. Max could join up and go sailing with Tarragon after the Duel. 

[KitrallStreamrippler]

OOC: Sure, if you'd like. I think it would be great to end this with them as less than enemies.

BIC: Max prepared to draw her own blade, heartbeat quickening. Paw on hilt, she waited for Tarragon to make a move. The wildcat's tail twitched nervously- she had never actually used this move in a fight before. With luck, it would work the way it was supposed to.

"I'm made of more'n yeller guts, that's fer sure."

[Faiyloe]

"We'll see about that!" She said lunging at max point first.

OOC: sorry that is so short.   

[KitrallStreamrippler]

OOC: You're fine.

BIC: Excellent.

Instead of dodging the thrust, Max unsheathed her cutlass and brought it across in one fluid movement, seeking to turn aside the point of her foe's blade. If it worked, she should then be able to counter-attack. If it didn't work, then Max would likely be on the defensive for most of the fight.

[Faiyloe]

Tarragons thrust was turned aside which was no more then she had expected. She hadn't really been intending to make a hit. It was more to test her opponents skill level. Now anticipating some sort of attack she brought her blade length wise in front of her chest.

[KitrallStreamrippler]

Tarragon's thrust deflected, Max maneuvered her blade to cut up and across the otter's chest. A ringing clash echoed in the wildcat's ears as her cutlass was met by Tarragon's swift defense. Max shifted the point of her cutlass, trying to get it behind Tarragon's rapier so that she could yank it out of her opponent's grip. The wildcat would much rather disarm the otter than draw blood, but she didn't have much confidence in the likelihood of that resolution.

[Faiyloe]

Tarragon lashed out  with her rapier not at Max but at her cutlass locking blades she twisted her rapier in a maneuver which was meant to push her opponents blade around and down so hers was on top. If it worked she would then slash up at Maxes unprotected shoulder if not she would have to go in to defense. 

[KitrallStreamrippler]

OOC: I'm going to do a very slight auto here, if that's okay. If it's not, please let me know and I will change it.

BIC: This ottermaid was quite clever. But was she clever enough? Max only resisted her opponent's ploy minimally, letting her cutlass be pushed below the rapier. When Tarragon flicked her blade up to strike at Max's shoulder, the wildcat shoved her own sword straight upwards, diverting the rapier's deadly point.