Well, it worked! But suddenly, the lizard-fish was speaking, swearing really, and Cancer broke his hold on the creature the moment he got it to shore. It wasn't a lesser! He'd grabbed another sentient! Oh, shit! Sure enough, angry lizard turned on him and spat super-heated air his way. The cat snarled as it hit him, curling his whiskers and burning the skin on his nose. He howled in pain, wiped a paw over his face, then turned angry- now somewhat blood-shot- eyes at the thing. No, sir, this was sentient but not out of hot water yet! Fire Lizard was met with a nasty snarl and show of white teeth.

He leapt forward, and swung a heavy paw at the thing's open jaws, aiming for that scabbed nose- hopefully forcing it shut...

...but startled as he was, Cancer's paw instead landed hard beside the reptile's head on the wet ground. Claws raked the dirt in deep scores and he stood straighter, fur on end and teeth bared. "Stupid lizard fish, get back in the water!" He didn't want prey that fought back! He wanted practice, but not like this!

Round: 2 of 5
Attempt: Swipes for Dragon's face but misses by a few inches and rakes the ground beside him instead.
Defense: N/A
Injuries: Somewhat drained from magic use. Nose is now burnt.

________________

Dragon's mind was a blank well of fury. A massive paw slapped toward his head and he ducked, eyes widening--but the claws raked past and into the dirt, instead. The cat started to pull back, to stand up straighter, insulting him.

This thing had dragged him OUT of the water to tell him to get BACK IN?! HOW DARE HE! As the big cat missed, the black paw swinging past and starting to retract, Dragon seized his chance--lunging forward with a snap of his jaws to try and catch the paw in his teeth.

He'd try to snag it, and then thrash back and forth violently before releasing, possibly damaging the bottom of the pads or the toes themselves--but letting go shortly after. Those sharp, hooked claws pricked his tongue, and he did NOT like that.

"MY SWAMP! MINE! OUT-OUT-OUT! I AM DRAGON! LITTLE-AQUARIAN!

He was still entirely certain, as he faced off with the much larger leopard, that he was a baby marsh monster, and that he, too, would someday be a hundred meters long.

________________

Round: 2/5
Attempt: Lunging to clamp jaws around Cancer's swinging, missing paw slash.
Defense: Somewhat armored scaly skin.
Injuries: Healing Cave Rat bite wounds to back of neck & to snout

The little lizard screamed at him, and then a whole new world of pain was introduced to the cat. It snapped those toothy jaws around his paw and Cancer shrieked, hoisting his paw into the air as the gator released him. He snarled then, and brought that paw down yet again, blood and all. He aimed another swipe at the gator's head, and found some relief when he felt those scales under his bloodied pads. He pressed down, to hold the gator in place, unsure if he'd hurt him or not with those long claws extended and digging in. "You bit me!" He snapped, accusingly. Well of course he did! What creature wouldn't? Cancer didn't care. He just knew that his paw hurt now, was bleeding, he'd made a mistake of casting against this thing but he didn't care. No, he just wanted some relief from the pain, and though normally he'd never find it in causing another creature pain, he inflicted it anyway. "Apologize!" Yeah, that seemed feasible. Totally.

Round: 3 of 5
Attempt: Slam paw down on Dragon's head and hold him there!
Defense: N/A
Injuries: Somewhat drained from magic use. Nose is burnt. Paw bleeding on top and on the pad from the bite.

________________

Just as he released his grip the big black paw came slamming down again. He could smell blood, and that was gratifying, but then a concussive force knocked against him and he could feel a great weight pressing down, claws pricking into his scales. He tried to let out another string of alligator-swearing, but just managed some muffled sounds, his maw pressed shut.

"Mff-th-ff-sh-bl-mf--"

He thrashed, he struggled, but he was stuck firmly under the leopard's weight. And then it had the gall, to tell HIM to apologize?! What was it playing at? It had attacked HIM! He snarled, redoubling his efforts. He fought to even call on his magic through his daze, and though his snout heated it didn't really do much more than a faint warmth. What use was THAT!?

Regardless, it was clear that he couldn't apologize--or indeed do much of anything--with Cancer standing on his mouth. So he did what Dragons do--or so he assumed--thrashing, hissing and flailing, his tail swiping uselessly back and forth over the marshy ground.

"MMMFLTH-SM-FFFNG--SMRMM-GRR-BRRD! RRRLL-LLL-RGGG!"

________________

Round: 3/5
Attempt: Trying to use Smolder Step to superheat his nose to burn Cancer's paw!
Defense: Somewhat armored scaly skin.
Injuries: Healing Cave Rat bite wounds to back of neck & to snout, dazed by Cancer's paw strike, shallow head-scale-cuts from Cancer's claws.

Cancer kept his paw firm against the gator's snout and head, but he did notice the heat from the thing. Another failed spell? This thing was a fire user, like Leon. It almost made Cancer want to finish him off. It lay in his mercy after all. There was nothing the gator could do to prevent the cat from taking a bite out of its spine... but he wouldn't. This gator had nothing to do with Leon, just because he used fire magic. The cat's hatred for the bear would not affect this moment. So, instead, he focused his energy again. He found that familiar reptilian pulse and held onto it, firmly. The gator would feel a sudden sluggishness creep over him, and Cancer held the thing firm against the ground this way. It would cause the reptile great discomfort, an inability to move or breath, and its heart would slow to a dangerous rythum.

Then, slowly, as not to break his concentration, Cancer stepped off and back to let the thing go. A few steps away, he'd release his hold on the gator, a sort of truce offered in turn. As the glow from his magic faded and his senses brightened again, Cancer sat back and hoisted his paw up, wincing as the pain those needle sharp teeth left in his pads. Then, he scowled at the thing.

"Look, fire lizard, I'm sorry for grabbing you like that but you shouldn't be on your own like that anyway! How was I supposed to know you weren't a prey-thing as small as you are?" He scolded, not caring much if the gator decided to run or attack again. He'd be ready this time. Ready and a bit sore, but still able.

Round: 4 of 5
Attempt: Cancer uses Bloodhold to keep Dragon still while he backs off.
Defense: N/A
Injuries: Tired from excessive magic use. Burnt nose. Bleeding paw and paw pad from the bite.

________________

The little alligator was all rage and fury, frustration welling up in him. This time he could feel the cat's magic as it began to pulse over him--barely, but there, and strong enough that now he couldn't move. A lethargy threatened to creep over him, and it only doubled his tiny alligator anger. A single rational thought cut through his maddened mind like a blade.

This is MY body. And this is MY MARSH!

He began to struggle against the magic, hissing, his adrenaline pumping through him and his will fighting against the black cat's power. The feline's apology barely registered to him, and it probably wouldn't have mattered if it had. He was very angry, for a miniature lizard.

At first, there was nothing--and then a twitch, and then another. Slowly, hissing and squeaking furious tiny growls, Dragon began to take slow steps forward.

"THISSS--IS--MY--MARSH," he raged. "I AM--NOT--for EATING! I AM--DRAGON!"

Slow sluggish steps turned into slightly quicker ones, his heartbeat again beginning to pound in his ears. His eyes were locked on the stupid black cat, his jaws once again agape.

________________

Round: 4/5
Attempt: Breaking free of Bloodhold.
Defense: Somewhat armored scaly skin.
Injuries: Healing Cave Rat bite wounds to back of neck & to snout, shallow claw wounds on head

It hurt. Oh lord it hurt. It hurt so much! The gator fought off the hold he had on it, and Cancer's mind exploded with pain as a result. He howled, and with a mighty swing, aimed his paws for the gator's head to swat it away again- but the pain blinded him, and exhaustion was taking its vicious toll. Instead, the movement sent Cancer off balance and he stumbled backwards into the water. It was deep there, not overly so but enough that he fell backwards and submerged, flailed about trying to right himself. As he popped his head back to the surface, his head pounding, his paw stinging from the swamp water in his wounds, he howled in rage and fear.

The cat thrashed in the water until his paws found purchase underneath, and then, he turned to try and drag his soggy ass back to shore as quickly as he could. It wasn't safe. He wasn't safe. As he thrashed and heaved, he tangled in the reeds there, the plants clinging to his soaked pelt like grabbing hands as he struggled. Screwed. He was screwed! This wasn't what was supposed to happen! No! That thing's gonna bite my damn tail off! Stupid dragon! Stupid blood! Stupid magic!

________________

I. AM. FREE!

The thought welled up in him like a roaring bellow despite his tiny size, though all that came out of his maw was a screeching hissing squeak. He took a couple of steps after the cat, but something was wrong with it. It was scared. that was it--it had to be frightened! He was a marsh monster, after all, and clearly terrifying!

As Cancer struggled to clamber back up out of the water, Dragon scrambled to the edge to stare down. He had won! He had clearly won!

Of course, Dragon had no concept of mercy--the idea that Cancer had deliberately spared him did not even occur to him. Nor did the idea that maybe, just maybe, his own struggle to even move had actually not been the cause of Cancer's frantic tumbling flight down into the marshwater. No, instead, the poor little alligator was now utterly convinced that he was indeed the most powerful creature in Cetus. Well, aside from Aquarian.

The cat had apologized and was floundering off, so Dragon satisfied himself with belching out one last blast of superheated air, a triumphant warning aimed down at Cancer from open maw from several feet up, to reinforce the "lesson" he was sure he'd taught it.

"I AM DRAGON!" he reiterated in his angry yet victorious squeak.

Just in case Cancer had forgotten.

________________

Round: 5/5
Attempt: One last Heat Wave blast.
Defense: Somewhat armored scaly skin.
Injuries: Healing Cave Rat bite wounds to back of neck & to snout, shallow claw wounds on back of head, & tiring out from the fight.

Character: Cancer Age: +2 (2 Cycle) Magic Level: +3 (Pupil) ROUND 1 Attempt: +15 Penalties: -0 ROUND 2 Attempt: +3 Penalties: -0 ROUND 3 Attempt: +19 Penalties: -0 ROUND 4 Attempt: +13 Penalties: -0 ROUND 5 Attempt: +1 Penalties: -0 Total: 56

Character: Dragon Age: +1 (1 Cycle) Magic Level: +1 (Fledgeling) ROUND 1 Attempt: +18 Penalties: -0 ROUND 2 Attempt: +18 Penalties: -0 ROUND 3 Attempt: +3 Penalties: -0 ROUND 4 Attempt: +15 Penalties: -0 ROUND 5 Attempt: +6 Penalties: -0 Total: 62

WINNER: Dragon

Wet, in pain and miserable, Cancer scowled towards the fire lizard as it boasted its victory. He didn't think it was anything to boast about, nor show off over. With a hesitant shake of his pounding head, the cat marched away from the marsh and over to his belongings. There, he'd settle in to groom away the wet- again- and once dried, he'd scoop his things up and replace his armor, and off he went, fouled and angry. Stupid fire lizards.

- very short exit -