i do bite my thumb, sir! [bezzle versus axel]

[Forte!]

The sun was at its highest point, the sweltering heat of summer almost tangible. The volcano cast a ring-like shadow as it embraced the golden orb, casting resplendent light across the cratered, even surface that had been stained many times by blood. Here many had died, and many had gone away the victor by some cruel wit or sharp mind. It was lifeless except in times of battle, even the insects avoided the place until another body lay cold on its surface. But now was one of those battle times, and a small form stood, black eyes gleaming in the full light of the sun, in the center of the field. The creature was scarcely more than a pony, a tiny thing with such wild blood that his ancestors were unrecognizable. The faint ring of his sclera showed around the coal black eyes, a sign of either fear or craziness, and in this case it seemed the latter. The pelt was matted and packed with dirt, untouched by water for some time. It was still recognizable as the wildest of duns, coal black tips faded by the dust that was stirred up with every whip of wind that streamed across the land.

"Come, my foe! Come and meet your final breath!" called the creature, suddenly springing out of statue-like stillness. The limbs began to move, to stretch and stomp at the packed land beneath his sturdy hooves. Sharp teeth, undefiled by humans or the winter tree bark that horses generally ate when the grass was gone, shone from the black lips of the beast as a smile took up habitation on his face. It spread across his jaw, the threatening grimace of the predator, as the small horse backed up a few steps, energy and fluid movement showing with every contraction and extension of his muscles. The thick layer of tallow on his bones made him seem rather chubby, but when he moved the muscles showed through even his think and tangled pelt. Without warning, the stallion suddenly threw his head to the ground, rearing up toward the sky as his neck folded in to his chest, incisors scraping on flesh. Daggers pierced the sky, and then came down as one, creating a dent in the Earth below. "where ARE you, Axel? Are you too afraid to come out and fight for your land, for your queen, for your daughter?"

The scream pierced the air, hanging for a moment before being drowned out by the wild whirl of hoofbeats as the beast, dubbed correctly Embezzlement, whirled away and took his place at the far end of the arena to await his opponent. He had no doubt that Axel would show, there was too much to lose if he didn't. At once the wild pony's figure became as still as marble again, grin plastered on his face as he stood, neck up. There was a malevolent look in his eyes as he stood, looking almost regal as the dust whipped up again and swirled across the sky. Vultures, the only other inhabitants of the battlefield, had begun to circle above, singing out for a death. Bezzle would have been glad to oblige, but he had sworn not to kill the stallion, but to let him run free and challenge whenever he was ready to challenge. But the next time that the stallion tried to take his land, as he surely would, the stallion would give the vultures a feast from his bones. The next time, he would be king, free to decide the rules of his own fight... and a fight to the death it would be.

[Spitz]

Axel heard the stallion as he walked to the volcano. He didn't bother to go any faster and loose energy so he walked still, taking in his surroundings but eyes fixed on the volcano all the time. He had spotted the stallion by now and before he knew it he was in front of him and he was looking at the stallion who was being a threat to him, his lands, his mate but mostly his only daughter who should stay if he lost 'till death.

He swished his ebony tail and a sly smile printed on his face "shall we get this over with?" he asked the stallion and pawed the ground. For a split second he waited for a answer but he wasn't going to wait for him as he just wanted to get this over and done with, and he wanted to know if his only daughter would be safe from what the stallion would do to him. Axel picture Kamenwati in his mind as she said five words over and over again you can do it daddy.

Axel had waited for the split second so he then reared high, kicking his hooves in the air before aiming them at Bezzle. He started to crash toward the stallion, his nostrils were flaring and his teeth bared as he fell through the air. His hooves aimed for the shoulders and mouth for the neck. Rage filled Axel. All thoughts except one escaped his mind and the one left was hatred...hatred toward this stallion.

[Forte!]

Embezzlement did not move a muscle as his foe crested the hill, his breathing slowed so that it barely moved his sides. As soon as the other stallion spoke, however, muscles tensed and rippled under the dun pelt, and the smile faded to a mere smirk. The vultures sang for him above, sang the song that rested in his heart. He could feel the beat of that song, right down to his hooves, to the Earth. The world was the beat, and he would be the dancer, the warrior, the conquering hero of this day. The feeling filled him, elated him and rose him to new heights as he stood, staring at the rage that filled his enemy. Rage was a dangerous thing, a blinding thing. It clouded the sight and it clouded the mind, and Bezzle knew it. He held his ground, allowing the stallion to come, ready to meet his challenge.

Then, at the last second Bezzle's neck snapped up and the grin reappeared as he stepped out of the stallion's way, revealing his secret: a boulder, small but still dangerous, lay where it had fallen during the mountain's last eruption. The stallion whirled away to the other end of the battle field as he left his enemy plunging on to the boulder, not turning to see if Axel would stop or wheel around in time to avoid hitting the great hunk of volcanic rock. The trick would only work once if it worked at all, Bezzle knew that his foe was not stupid enough to remain so enraged for long. Not horse was, he hoped. No horse should be born with so little brains that they could fall for a trap - except maybe for those soft dumb beasts of man.

"Come and get me! And this time don't be so stupid," called Bezzle, dancing at the opposite end of the arena in a whirlwind of dust. The smile had returned again, shining ghoulishly in his veneer as he pranced, looking for his size a bit foolish. The white sclera was wider now, giving him a slightly crazed appearance. the next time the stallion charged, he would not back down. Those white teeth longed to sink into flesh, to draw the blood of the enemy and to toss his body to the ground. Bezzle could not evade these attacks forever, and he most definitely did not intend to.

ATTACKS LEFT: 3
DODGES LEFT: 1

[Spitz]

ATTACKS LEFT: 1
DODGES LEFT: 2

Axel saw the stallion move and gallop away so he looked down at the boulder and swerved quickly out of the way. He looked at the stallion, his eyes filled with rage before galloping back after him and skidding to a halt by him. He hated this stallion, what a nasty trick he had done and Axel would get him back for that...oh yes he would.

He looked at the stallion and circled him before stopping behind him and then nipping at his tail slightly before walking back to his face. His eyes were now full of anger but he spoke calmly "good luck, Bezzle...your gonna need it" he spat and then started to walk away from the stallion but he stopped and then sent his hooves thrashing forward and aiming at the stallions chin. Axel wondered how much damage this would do if it hit, break the jaw prehaps...he hoped the stallion would be hurt whatever he did but would this stallion dodge his attack yet again? or actually fight him.

[Forte!]

Embezzlement grinned again, revealing white teeth, as he allowed Axel to circle him and nip at his dock. He could have easily snapped out and caught the stallion with a hoof, but he did not. Perhaps it was that addiction to danger that fueled him, that rejection of ennui that ran through his veins. Whatever Bezzle did in his life, he would never be bored. Fight was in his blood, but so was danger, and the situations he put himself in were often more dangerous than this, not one-on-one on a flat surface. He had fought from the low ground, charging off from a standstill on a high slope while a larger foe waited to kick him back down again at the top. Albeit he had lost some - that was all part of the game. But he intended to win this battle, and intended to win it well. This Axel had annoyed him, hated him with such a passion that it was all Bezzle could do not to step forward while his foe stood with his back to him and rip out his throat, hit at his legs. It seemed for a moment that Bezzle might spring right into the hooves, but then he saw the tension in his opponent's gait, and figured what the attack would be.

He could have easily dodged his opponent's attack, kicks with both hooves might be powerful, but they were inaccurate. But this was the sort of situation that Embezzlement loved, a situation of danger and high mettle. Thus, he stood his ground, neck low so that he could watch the various muscle sets contracting and extending in preparation for the final swing from Axel. In this position, the other stallion's peripheral vision would not allow him to see what his foe was planning to do and stop the onslaught before it was too late. There was a moment where it seemed that Bezzle would be hit full-force by the blow to his jaw, but at the moment that the back hooves lifted from the ground the small pony suddenly drove himself forward like a wedge, jaws open and revealing his sharp canines. He drove straight under the other stallion's extended form, the kicking hooves drawing across his back and leaving shallow gashes, blood seeping through to the surface where hoof had met flesh. If his aim was perfect, Bezzle would rip into Axel's belly, his weight might even flip the other horse (who was in an extremely off-balance position with all of his weight on his front legs) onto his back... Just maybe...

ATTACKS LEFT: 2
DODGES LEFT: 1

[Spitz]

Axel felt his hooves meet the flesh and then smiled but he work wasn't over yet as he knew the stallion was under his belly, ready to bite. He decided to let this happen but with only the minimum of hurt to himself. He dug his hooves into the stallions flesh one last time and then pulled himself down. He knew the stallion would bite and he felt the teeth sink into his belly but he had done this correctly.

The stallion mostly got a bite of skin which Axel was hoping for but blood still was drawn by the bite so now the stallions head was on the ground and Axel was standing over it so he decided to lie down. The plan would be perfect as he would be able to put his weight on the stallions head and possibly squash his brains out but Axel would be kind and lie down to hurt, but not to kill.


ATTACKS LEFT: 0
DODGES LEFT: 2

[Forte!]

Bezzle held on to the mouthful of flesh that he got, grinding his teeth down and searching for the more tender tallow and muscle beneath. He could taste irony blood, but it was not enough, he should have driven deeper. But, in this position, with his neck so low to the ground that it nearly twisted up, he could physically do nothing but twist and attempt to snarl into the flesh, to dig deeper than he had. But then came hope, the shifting of them muscles beneath flesh told Bezzle that the stallion was about to try another maneuver, likely to be an effective one, as well. Then the forelegs began to sink to the ground, and in a moment the wild pony made his decision. Pushing forward with his hind legs and driving with wildly flailing forelegs, he used the other stallion's downward motion to dig his canines deeply into the belly, hopefully catching and damaging muscle, as there were no veins here. The downside of this was that he could not get out of the way of the other stallion fast enough, and thus both would be driven into an undesirable position, with Axel laying on Bezzle's head and Bezzle's teeth lodged in Axel's stomach.

Bezzle ripped forward as the other stallion began to collapse to the ground, teeth still lodged in the flesh as he drove his forelegs and shoulders beneath those of the larger stallion, causing Axel's weight to be placed on his withers rather than his head. Bezzle's jaw was now cocked at an odd angle, teeth digging deeper as Axel's weight came upon the small pony's shoulders. The pain was unbearable, but it would be unbearable for Axel, as well. Something popped as one of Bezzle's shoulders dislocated from the joint, and he could hardly suppress a cry of pain that might have made him loosen his grip on the flesh and muscle that he now held in his jaw. Instead he only bit down harder, back legs striving to find purchase in the dirt. It was lucky that Axel could not lay like this for long - no horse could, or else they might never be able to stand again. Pain shot through every nerve of Bezzle's body, clouding his vision as the news that his shoulder had come out of the joint was made clear to his brain. The pony could do naught but close his eyes and bite harder, trying to injure the other stallion into action, to make him evade further injury.

ATTACKS LEFT: 1
DODGES LEFT: 1

[Spitz]

Axel felt the stallion bite him harder and he grinded his teeth together to stop himself from crying out in pain. He then heard the pop and the teeth clenched harder into his belly so he raised himself and walked forward a few steps and turned to look at Bezzle. He was bleeding but knew the stallion was in pain "want to end this now Bezzle, before you get too hurt and I can win" he said and forced a kind smile.

Axel may be dark but he had plans for this stallion as he knew that he could do what he wanted with him if he won and he wasn't going to kill him. Blood dripped onto the ground from his belly and it stung with pain but he ignored it and looked at the stallion lying their, on the hard floor.

[Forte!]

As Axel rose, Bezzle felt his teeth drawn out of the flesh, but he did not rise and walk. He lay, breathing shallow, hardly opening his eyes as the other stallion walked away. For a few moments he was prone to attack, but the blows never came. The laws of the battle forbade it. The pony stallion lay for a long moment, seeming half dead. The vultures sang and cried out from above, before diving in close where they could see the horse who seemed likely to die. Their harsh calls rang across the landscape, bouncing off of the volcano occasionally. They were only kept at bay by the presence of Axel, who seemed alive and well despite the blood pouring from his stomach. Embezzlement lay still for a moment longer, feeling out the injury in his shoulder. He could feel pain and swelling there, but if he hit the leg at the right angle he would be able to walk again. Unfortunately, he did not currently have the will to spring upon himself, doubling the already rampant pain that ran though hiss shoulder and leg. The vultures suddenly rose up in frenzied song, forgetting the laws and landing around the stallion, who lay still as a statue in the midst of the calling birds, only held at bay by his shallow breaths.

Then, the eyes opened, glittering amber as the sun fell at and angle across the battlefield. A cluster of vultures fluttered backwards in a frenzy, alerted at once to the life in this creature. A proud neck rose as the stallion dipped his nose to the ground and rose to his four legs, the dislocated one cocked at an odd angle to the ground. There was a fire in his eyes that had not been there before, a determined look that took over his facade. The vultures swooped and dived around him, crying indignantly as their dinner rose to its feet in front of them. He reared up, face blank as he rose onto his hind legs and drove his injured foreleg to the earth. Pain exploded like fireworks across his vision, smattering red and black and all manner of colors into one. But the joint popped back in with a resounding crack. Bezzle almost crashed into the ground again, but some will kept him upright, raising on shaky knees to his full height, head risen as much as possible so that it jarred up from his shoulders proudly. His tail swished from side to side as he stared at Axel, trying not to injure his leg and back any further than they already were. Both horses were exhausted, and this fight would soon be over.

With a resolution much unlike him, Bezzle suddenly sprang forth in a final effort to conquer. This would be the drawing point, where the game fell into an uneasy stalemate until the gods made it clear who had won. Dust kicked up into the sky, as a cry rose from Bezzle's heart, through his stomach, rising with his vulture's song and the beats that fueled it from the very earth. The long-dormant mountain grumbled in the distance, spewing out smoke into the sky as if rousing from its sleep to see this final action, this crux and climax before the battle fell to a close. Bezzle propelled himself through the air, teeth bared, all four legs geared to fight upon impact. Through the dust and smog he could no longer see his opponent, he was guided on by only the sound of the earth shifting below, drowned out by the sound of the mountain rising from its long-lasting rest....

As his hooves hit the mountain grew silent again, though it was unclear if the hooves had hit dirt or the opponent, and who the victor was in this fight. As the sky cleared the vultures chanted their death-song, though they would have no feast here today. The winner of the battle was soon to be decided by fate, but for a moment all was silent, even the vultures quieted to listen to the intensity of this silence. What had happened? Who had won?

ATTACKS LEFT: 0
DODGES LEFT: 1
(we're at a stalemate, so you can post again if you want, but the battle is basically over...)

[FalconX]

The Results are in!

Personally, I think you both did a good job =) I just wanted to say that before getting into why I chose who. Anyway, here's some details-

Axel & Spitze-

Pros:
I like how committed he is to his family, and it makes him a steady character, because everyone reading knows why he's fighting for this so hard. It makes a better read, when you can understand the motives of the character, behind the actions that they do.

Cons:
I think you've put a bit more detail in there, and some of the movements weren't the most likely a horse would do. He also, most likely would have been in more pain from those injuries than you let on. Also, I sometimes got confused while reading, what he was doing.

Also-
Axel heard the stallion as he walked to the volcano. He didn't bother to go any faster and loose energy so he walked still, taking in his surroundings but eyes fixed on the volcano all the time.

1. The parts I bolded are the problem, you misspelled "lose". You meant to say "He didn't bother to go any faster and lose energy"

2. The second thing is, I think the sentence would have flowed better if the common was before the word "still". ---

He didn't bother to go any faster and lose energy, so he walked ,still taking in his surroundings, eyes fixed on the volcano at all times.

I think that improved the sentence a bit.

Embezzlement & Forte-

Pros: Wonderful detail and you can easily see why he's battling. The movements he did were more believable, and it was easy to understand what he was doing when I read it. You allowed the char to take the hits like they would in real life (or closer to) and that made your posts more believable.

Cons: A bit on the small side, which means he would most likely have less power than Axel. Though, you did show that in your posts.


Winner: Embezzlement & Forte [Highlight for winner]

[Spitz]

nooooo! Oh well...well done Forte *mumbles* Bezzle...