Duel: The Shade vs BrookSkimmer

[The Shade]

Regals brushed away a irritating fly as he trudged through the jungle-like forest he had entered about an hour ago. The searat was hopelessly lost, and the only "supplies" he had was a half empty bottle of grog. He took a swigg. The powerful liquid rushed down his throat, causing his eyes to water slightly. He started walking again.
"Could do with a harbor fer tonight." He muttered to himself. "Problem is, everythin' looks the same around here."  Swinging a battered cutlass he smashed an rotten branch in from of him. The piece of wood bent back, pulling dense leaves across, reveling a new sight.
"What in hellgates..." Breaking into the clearing that was behind the leaves Regals took in the sight. A huge tower-like structure was in front of him. It appeared not to be inhabited, there were no windows, and the whole thing was slightly to a side, possibly resting on trees.
"Aah, yew'll do fer a nice liddle berth." He grinned, and walked up to the crumbled entrance.

[BrookSkimmer]

Vula had awoken from a short rest to the smell of rat. And not just any rat, sea rat. The black cat stretched silently, his senses keen and alert. This beast had already passed into Vula's territory and for that he would pay dearly. Nobeast crossed Vula, nobeast but a dead one..

The cat arose and stalked to the small doorway of his tower. He had found the structure about five seasons back. At the time it had been inhabited by a small colony of shrews. The shrews were long gone. They had been rather tasty. Nobeast knew who had first built the tower, but it was obvious from the slowly crumbling stone and the way the tower leaned to one side, it had been long ago.

He need not go out to meet this beast that had ventured too close. Vula would wait until he was close enough for an easy kill. He took his spear from where it leaned inside the doorway and wrapped his net skillfully around his paw. Perhaps he would save this one for a while and then dine on him later.

Aah, yew'll do fer a nice liddle berth

The cat's yellow eyes shone in the dark entry way. He moved like outside silently and swiftly, jabbing forth with his spear. A thrust to the thigh would incapacitate the rat,  making him an easy target.

[The Shade]

Regals, completely unaware of the danger, stepped inside. Now he could take in the true glory of the great structure. He whistled as his eyes traveled up the crumbling walls. All he could here was the drip-dripping of damp. However, there was something else... He spun around, and at the very same instant the blade of a spear grazed off the top of his thigh. His green eyes narrowed as he sized up the offender. A powerful-looking black cat, armed with the spear and a net. He considered negotiating with the beast, but one look at the creature's blazing eyes told he that it was not ready to mess around. Well, if it wanted to fight, it was going to get one. He took one step forward, smoothly bringing his cutlass up, and down, hoping for a head slash.

[BrookSkimmer]

Vula's hackles raised as the rat entered his tower. Nobeast was allowed even near the structure much less inside. Now here he stood, face to face with the trespasser. The cat looked to his spear point, noting that he had made contact with the rat. Soon he would be bleeding from more than just a leg wound.

"You are not welcome here." His voice issued flat and was traced with a deep growl.

As the cutlass came up and down Vula stepped to the side. He swung the haft of the spear across, hoping to connect with the rat at mid section height. After this he flicked the weighted net back judging when he would make the throw. The net was used to entangle the footpaws of his adversaries. Once downed, they became easy targets.

He kept out of cutlass ranged and stabbed forth with the spear, more to keep the rat out of range for using his cutlass effectively. 

[The Shade]

Regals paused for the most brief of seconds as the cat spoke. He was surprised that he did speak, but then, why should he be? The beast had a tongue. He responded.
"Yer might 'ave noticed that I don't knock when I come in. I ain't got much manners." he said softly. "Also, yer..."
The last few words drifted away as the breath was smashed out of him by the spearshaft hitting his stomach. As he brought his cutlass down, attempting the slice the net that lashed around his footpaw, he noticed a chance, while the spear was still not in a defense position, and whipped out the sharp silver knife which served as his secondary weapon. Jabbing it down, he aimed for the cat's neck.

[BrookSkimmer]

Vula felt his confidence grow as he knocked the air from the rat. This beast would die as easy as the others. He lowered his gaze, paying no heed to the rat's words. The cutlass attack did not land as the cat had time to back away. He watched the rat, wondering if he would try another attack or attempt to flee the tower.

He was still out of range when the knife came into play and Vula's eyes followed the weapon as it missed its target. The cat took it to mean the rat did not intend to leave the tower. He would die either way, however Vulas usually made the death of those intending to leave a swift one.

He whipped the net out again in an arc, hoping to trap the rat's footpaws or get his attention of the spear. He thrust the middle range weapon forward towards Regals' gut. 

[The Shade]

Regals watched at the net soared towards him. He jerked his head the the side just in time, and wound his hand around it as it whipped past. He didn't quite know how he had managed, he certainly couldn't have done it if he had tried, by he had. And now he was torn off his feet, as the net completed it's turn.
He yelled a stream of colourful curses, as he realized he had dropped his cutlass as he had been spun around. He noticed it now, lying at a far corner of the tower. He would need some tactical intelligence if he wanted it back. Hoping for a few valuable seconds, he flung the half-full bottle of grog at his adversary.

[BrookSkimmer]

Vula grinned as the swipe with the net took the rat's balance. He would pay for trespassing in the tower just as so many before him had. The black cat readied his spear to take the prone creature in the chest.

Then the bottle of grog flew at him.

"RRRRaaaa!" The cat screeched in anger as the fiery contents of the contained hit him in the face. His eyes burned and he staggered back a few paces, pawing at his face.

Now the cat was mad! He watched the rat to see if he would go for the dropped blade. Vula readied the spear and threw it, hoping to bring a swfit end to this meddlesome creature.

[The Shade]

Regals backed up against the wall noting grimly that the bottle of grog had scored a hit. He launched himself off the wall with explosive speed, and screamed as the spear tore into his side. He was now on the other side of the cat, staggering as he reached down for his cutlass. He realized the spear hadn't gone completely through him, and had come back out, which he knew was one of the worst things that could happen. He was losing blood. And fast.

The searat had never had such and injury before, and he was shocked when he saw blood splattered across his tunic. It's warm, sickly feel was horrible, and there was nothing he could do about it. He doubted he was going to live through the experience, and he was determined to leave his mark on this cat. He began a wild stream of sweeps with his cutlass, desperate to wound his opponent.

[BrookSkimmer]

Vula's eyes narrowed as he watched the rat become accustomed to his new wound. Whether or not he lived, the injury would change him for the rest of his life. It would scar at the least. That's what one got for trespassing.

"You should have left when you had the chance." The words afforded no room for conversation. He merely stated fact.

The the cutlass came into play. Vula had never seen a beast with such a wound retaliate so violently. The cat's hackles raised and he bared his fangs with a loud hiss. He yanked a dagger from the belt of his loin cloth and backed up out of cutlass range. However, that was not before he received a cut to his upper arm.

The wound stung. The blood that leaked from it was concealed by his dark fur. The jungle cat could not believe he had allowed this injury to take place at all. The rat would die slowly and painfully if only the cat could subdue him.

The weights at the end of the net clacked as he slung it out in a wide whipping motion. He hoped the ensnare the rat's footpaws.

[The Shade]

Regals's brain barely registered he had inflicted a wound one the jungle cat. He side burned like fire, searing almost down to his thigh. Blood soaked his chest, while sweat threatened to blur his vision. He swung his cutlass yet again, failing to realize the weighted net rushing toward him 'till it was too late. It lashed his leg, stinging his older cut. He tripped, and lashed out on a wild attempt to cause more bloodshed.