Usui looked into the water wistfully. It was much more inviting than Cetus, and so perhaps…but before he could move forward, Kerberos bounded into his path and blocked his way forward. The cub was startled to say the least and took two steps back, the urgency projected in Kerbero’s tone getting to him. "What’s with the water?” he asked the other, a confused look upon his learned features, his eyes and tone conveying a hint of disbelief but mostly bewilderment. The cub flicked his ears and swiped his tail about expectantly. The water was just…water, unless, "You know something about the water here?” he asked Kerberos abruptly, attention now sharply focused on the dog. He wondered if the dog knew something about water which he didn’t, and so he took heed to the other’s words, waiting to hear its response before deciding whether the swim would be worth it or not.

Don't you ever tame your demons

But always keep 'em on a leash

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Kerberos frowned, his heads sharing glances with one another. What exactly was he supposed to tell the lion who's first instinct was to go for a swim just like he had? "Cold," he woofed, sitting down, tail curling around his paws, the creamsicle scales shimmering in the bright light of Polaris. "Too cold. Don't swim." It seemed that the white hound had settled down, though only because the cub hadn't tried to jump in yet.

"Freezes, can't swim. Sink to the bottom." The middle head began to lick at his chest, fixing a tuff of fur and cleaning up some of the gore that had splattered on to his ruff. The other heads seemed to figure out how to explain well enough. "Only just got out with... With special me-stuff."

The floppy eared head dipped, almost bowing to the feline. "Water will eat you like it ate my lizard. Swear not to do it or..." He trailed off, glancing at the other heads with concern.

"... Or I will eat you," the middle head finished, sharply, curtly.

The lion cub listened with great astonishment as the three heads started speaking. One mentioned cold – reasonable, another mentioned not being able to swim – well if three heads were bickering in the water surely it must be a challenge. The third mentioned something interesting though. Stole his lizard…? "Well, get a new lizard then,” he replied the other very matter-of-factly, in the most scientific and correct and straightforward answer that a child could give. Finally, the dogs gave a thread. The same thing. Usui was a most patient creature, but he was not a manservant. Pale green eyes grew cold as the puppy started the rude game again. "Stop threatening me,” he replied crossly, and, bunching his muscles, attempted to dodge past Kerberos and get into the water just to prove that the water was okay. Alas, he was thinking too much and ended up tripping over his paws on the spot, getting no where. "Oomph," he called out as he dramatically fell onto the floor on the spot. With a sigh, Usui got up slowly. How embarrassing it was. Pale eyes went to the corner head which had last spoken, wondering what it was thinking of.

Don't you ever tame your demons

But always keep 'em on a leash

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Usui would not have to wait very long to see what Kerberos was thinking, for as soon as the lion had started to move forward, towards the water, he leaped up to his paws, tail lashing. He snarled, bristling-- clearly intent on keeping his promise about the whole eating thing. "No, don't--" While part of him started to speak, trying to really drive home the point that he was trying to help, the rest of him lunged forwards.

If his tackle was successful, however, Kerberos wasn't really planning on eating Usui just yet-- the massive white dog just wanted to flop on the lion cub and pin him down. What was most important was that he didn't get to the dangerous water because Kerberos wouldn't be able to be able to chase him down and eat him there and then he'd never get to see the lion again. It was bad enough that he had lost his stupid lizard to it-- the feline could shut up about just getting another one okay that one was SPECIAL. (okay, maybe not really).

.. And for the first time, at least the white three headed hound didn't trip over his own paws. If Usui didn't get out of the way, he would be squashed for sure!

"Stop!" "Just hold still!" "No water!"

The bundle of puppy came rushing towards him with warnings as Usui attempted to get up. A feeling of annoyance washed over the lion and he turned to face the slightly smaller gembound, lips curled back and ivories bared in a fierce snarl just as the bundle of fur came flopping onto him. He succeeded in pinning Usui’s back back to the ground with his weight. The lion cub felt himself sink under the weight, then attempted to lash out with his hindquarters to break free from his grip. Alas, he did not get a proper grip onto the ground and so he felt himself jerk unsteadily, then fall back into a sitting position with Kerberos on his rump. Usui whipped around at Kerberos and glared fiercely at the heads. "let go of me,” he hissed.

Don't you ever tame your demons

But always keep 'em on a leash

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Kerberos got the lion pup right where he wanted him. The smell of another animal so close to him made him want to bite, to eat, to devour, but as the feline yowled, demanding to be let go, the puppy remembered that he was trying to keep the cat from the river. If he didn't focus on holding the cat down, it would escape into the world.

"No! Bad! Stop!" The hound snarled, pulling his lips back to reveal his three sets of sharp white baby teeth. "Not until you promise no river." He set down all three heads on the lion, putting most of his weight (the front half of him much heavier than the back half) on his capture. "No let go."

A snort came from the red nose, a cruel smirk crawling up around his features. "And if you don't promise, I eat you." Yet even as he spoke, the puppy's big, clumsy paws and weight seemed to shift, and he flopped rather uselessly to Usui's side, his six eyes going wide.

The lion snarled at Kerberos’ three head, pale green eyes glaring unforgivingly to the dog for encroaching his private space. What was with the water anyway? "The water is not dangerous you idiot,” he spat and snarled fiercer, lion tail lashing out from beneath Keberos. The red nose then spoke, with a smirk, and threatened to eat him. That. Was. It. Usui smirked back at the other and chuckled, eyes stone cold. Not bothering to reply, he bunched his muscles from beneath him and attempted to squirm out of Kerberos’ grip. However, he failed once again. Instead, he whirled around to face Kerberos, teeth parted in threat. "You let go right now."

Don't you ever tame your demons

But always keep 'em on a leash

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Kerberos' wide eyes narrowed as the lion had the nerve to not only tell him the water wasn't dangerous and pretty much imply he was a HUGE LIAR, but also straight up called him an idiot.

"THE WATER IS BAD AND YOU ARE THE IDIOT!!"

He roared, teeth snapping loudly at the end of each word, his noses prodding into the feline's tawny body, his snake tail twisting and trashing. Had he been older and his tail longer than an couple of inches, the reptilian tail might have tried to constrict the lion and strangle the life out of him, but as it was, he was only capable of thrashing his tail like the feline had.

"You will STAY away from the river!" He snapped, pushing the feline away from him, and then with an angry few barks-- "One!" "Two!" "NOW!" He let loose as much magic as he could, trying to push the lion far from him and the river so he could get back up and defend the bank from the nasty gembound.

It didn't push Usui away very far, the blast wasn't too strong, but he had a moment to scramble back to his paws. His hackles raised and he snarled, digging his claws into the ground. He'd fight and eat this lion if he had to... And it wasn't like he was giving the white pup many other options. If he was to save the feline from the horrible fate of drowning, Kerberos would have to devour him.

{ FIGHT STATISTICS }
KERBEROS v. USUI
ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE

{ ATTEMPT }

~ PUSH USUI AWAY.

{ DEFENSES }

~ hackles raised, body squared, ready to move

{ INJURIES }

~ prior injuries;;

• scratches under fur on his chest and left neck

~ current injuries;;

• none

The base of Usui’s throat started to itch as Kerberos hurled back his own insult at him, tail thrashing just as he had done in irritation. "Idiot!” he hissed, the same words flung back at the three headed dog. Usui snarled as Kerberos roared at him and counted down. Immediately, the cub was pushed back, disengaging from the dog which was exactly what he’d been trying to do all along, although this was still an unexpected move and caught him off-guard. Instinctively, the lion stretched out his front paws and brought his claws down upon the earth, raking it in with a shrill, long-drawn out screech as he brought his body to a halt. Combined with the slight lack of power in dispel, he was able to come to a stable halt about 3 metres away from Keberos. Usui’s paws and claws burned a little but the heat from the friction would die down. Immediately the lion tucked his neck in to protect his vitals, squared his haunches and kept a steady grip upon his earth, then felt hot fire gather within his insides as he attempted to summon forth his flame power to blast at the three-headed pup, then either left or right, to prevent escape.

Round: 1/5

Attempt: Burn baby burn

Defense: Neck tucked in, shoulders squared with firm footing, ready to dodge.

Injuries: Slightly heated paws and claws because of friction from dispel.

[quote='Kerberos' pid='5680' dateline='1436235066']

Don't you ever tame your demons

But always keep 'em on a leash

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It was a very, very good thing that cerberos was basically some kind of hound of hell with incredibly thick fur. The fire came roaring at him, so suddenly and so frighteningly, that the pup yelped and whimpered and squealed all at once, backpedaling towards the river. It swallowed up the air around him and he could not hear, see, or feel anything except for fire. It was blindingly bright and hot, scorching at his sensitive ears and burning up his nostrils.

If it wasn't for Kerberos' instinct, which might not have even been enough to save him, he would have probably died right then. As it was, the pup dropped down and threw his massive paws over his faces, the gem in his foot taking on a deep, rich maroon glow as he did his best to push the fire away, or rather, the air. Without air, or anything else, the flames would die quickly and the cerberos would escape without much harm. Otherwise, he'd probably have to take a dip in that horrible river and risk drowning.

However, if the spell was strong enough, it might be enough to push Usui even further back, or send his flames back at him. It was hard to tell-- the pup had his eyes closed and buried under his paws as it was, but still.

{ FIGHT STATISTICS }
KERBEROS v. USUI
ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE

{ ATTEMPT }

~ PUSH FIRE AWAY.

{ DEFENSES }

~ hindlegs and tail under body, paws covering his faces, pressed low to the ground to keep the fire from getting at his softer bits

{ INJURIES }

~ prior injuries;;

• scratches under fur on his chest and left neck

~ current injuries;;

• burns (severity: ????)