Comet

Arctic Wolf

Comet was confused as to why the cat didn't try and get out of the way when she was clearly trying to attack them. Oh right, they had blurry vision. But even with a clear shot, she had somehow missed. How was that possible? Her head overshot to the side a bit, and heard a whoosh of air as they tried to slam down their paws on her head. But luckily, their vision must've been really bad because they missed a close range shot like that one.

Comet couldn't believe that she missed! This time it would have to count. She felt the adrenaline and anger surging through her. Telling her that she could do it. Because she COULD do it! She gathered up the energy in her chest and tried using fountain that was aimed directly at the cat's face. And at close range too.

@Madhukar

Round: 4/5
Attempt: Fountain that cat in the face
Defense: Defensive stance, folded ears, thick fur
Injuries: Burnt fur, lightning wound on back, and ringing ears

Oh wow, Madhukar's vision must've been worse than she'd thought. She'd missed the object that had been right there. The cat would have to bite back that embarrassment, now was not the time. Her vision was starting to clear and it looked like another one of those water blasts might be coming. Madhukar stared at the fluffy's stone, a big old loaf sitting right where its ear should be. Madhukar remembered Tahi once sparking her own stone.

The spark left her before she could even really think about it. Oh. So I can do that too. It shouldn't have been a surprise, really...

Round: 5/5
Attempt: Short circuit the spell so it don't happen
Defense: Ears pinned, fluffed fur, narrowed eyes
Injuries: Face & eyes hurt by water (blurry vision clearing), scrapes on paws from being pushed back against the ground by force

@Comet

Comet

Arctic Wolf

Right when she was about to fountain that cat to the ground, she felt something hit her gemstone ear. Bang! And just like that, the magic and energy she had stored up for her spell didn't work. Ugh, so annoying! But now she had learned that the cat could stop any of her spells that way, which was not good. They couldn't stop more physical things though, so that was good.

They were close, very close, so that meant less reaction time, right? She stored up the energy in her legs, and attempted to tackle to cat.

@Madhukar

Round: 5/5
Attempt: Tackle the cat
Defense: Defensive stance, folded ears, thick fur
Injuries: Burnt fur, lightning wound on back, and ringing ears

Character: Madhukar Age: +3 (3 Cycles) Magic Level: +3 (Pupil) ROUND 1 Attempt: +19 Penalties: -0 ROUND 2 Attempt: +11 Penalties: -0 ROUND 3 Attempt: +19 Penalties: -0 ROUND 4 Attempt: +4 Penalties: -0 ROUND 5 Attempt: +18 Penalties: -0 Total: 77

Character: Comet Age: +1 (1 Cycle) Magic Level: +3 (Pupil) ROUND 1 Attempt: +19 Penalties: -0 ROUND 2 Attempt: +19 Penalties: -0 ROUND 3 Attempt: +2 Penalties: -0 ROUND 4 Attempt: +6 Penalties: -0 ROUND 5 Attempt: +5 Penalties: -0 Total: 55

WINNER: Madhukar

Judging Note: It doesn't particularly matter because they would've both been the same rank anyways - but please note down the current Level of the characters at the beginning of their fight! Madhukar and Comet would have both been Pupils at the beginning of this thread, so I judged them as such <3

@Madhukar @Comet

Madhukar stumbled back, but the fluffy caught her anyways. She was tackled to ground, albeit not that powerfully. All she could do was try to wiggle away and retreat back to a corner where she could deal with her thoughts in private.

But while she was here:

'HOLY CRAP MADHUKAR YOU JUST NEARLY MURDERED A CHILD! AN ACTUAL CHILD!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE?! IRREPARABLE DAMAGE! UNFORGIVABLE! AND WHY?! BECAUSE YOU WERE AAAANGRY? SCREW YOU! SCREW YOUR ANGER, SCREW YOUR STORMS, YOU CAN'T JUST TRY TO KILL A KID FOR MAKING MISTAKES!!!'

The thoughts would continue, she knew, once she was out of this situation. Fear began reaching her her chest, for her stomach. She'd lost control, or, at least, she could've come close. And now she was stronger, what could her emotions do if she chose to give into them? What could lightning accomplish without her restraint? Images began to flash in her mind: Tahi, suddenly spasming and burning-- NO-- Sunny eviscerated in a glance--

She could destroy Eridanus. She could murder a room full of spiders. 'Do you really know the power you've been given, Madhukar? Are you REALLY in control here?'

She wanted to go home.

@Comet @Aran

Comet

Arctic Wolf

Comet allowed the cat to wiggle away from under her paws and retreat to a corner. She left them alone, and curled up in a ball herself. Now that the adrenaline of the battle was gone, the pain came back worse than ever. A reminder that she hadn't been good enough, or strong enough, to defend herself. If you can't even defend yourself how would you be able to defend your family? the thought came into her head. She had been defeated by a young cat! Two cycles older than her, yes, but still!

That left only one option. She needed to train harder than ever, and one day, she would be able to protect those she loved. But that day was not today. Even though there were no such stakes in this battle, she looked at it as a reminder of how weak she was. Someday, when they really were in danger, she would have to be ready. That day could be tomorrow, in a week, or a cycle! But she would have to be ready. Because that day would come.

Comet stumbled onto her feet, the lightning wound had burnt away the fur on her back. The smell of burning flesh was prevalent. She would need to wash that. Mostly, she didn't want her family to worry about her. They would tell her that she was trying to hard, but she wasn't. It would all be worth it in the end. And one day, when she returned, hopefully she would have enough power to defeat that cat.

Looking at them now, the wolf tried the read their expressions. Did they feel a scintilla of remorse? Perhaps. But she couldn't be sure, as their back was to her, and even if they were facing her she wasn't the best at reading faces. That would come with practice. Like her magic.

But good sportsmanship was good sportsmanship, and she forced her legs to carry her over to the cat despite her pain. "You did great!" Comet tried to put a little bit of enthusiasm behind her words.

@Madhukar

Aran mostly ignored the fight that came from those two creatures. Despite all of the noise they were making, and he couldn't concentrate because of it. With a grunt he looked over to them, to find the aftermath.

One, freaking out, the other not so much. He wondered if either of them had come across death before. Surely at least one of them had.

"Are you done with your childish squabble?" he questioned. Aran didn't want to deal with a bunch of kids. [At his age, he would consider mad a kid, still]

He might have healed them if he could, but Aran had nothing for that. And he wasn't sure if either of them even deserved to be in the first place.

@Madhukar @comet

The fluffy's response... what? WHAT? "WHAT?!" Madhukar nearly screamed, her eyes bug-eyed as she found herself panting, struggling to breathe. SCARS. "WHAT?!" It was all she felt she could say. HOW CAN IT EVEN SPEAK? THEY. Madhukar didn't have the right to separate this child from their intelligence anymore. Madhukar had nearly killed them. Again, the thought. SCARS.

She breathed in deep. Another voice-- wait, CHILDISH SQUABBLE?! Madhukar spun to the direction of the Tahi-like creature she'd been ignoring earlier. This one, she thought, had been smarter than the fluffy, because it had stayed out of her way. Oh, how that judgement had turned and twisted. "YO'. SHUT UP," she boomed at the deer (Aran). "YO' WANNA TALK? TALK T' A MEDIC.' Her eyes crackled with a glowing storm of fury. Her tail stuck up, her fur puffed out. There were no scars on her body. How could there be no scars on her body...

She turned back to the fluffy, their flesh made bare in wild strips, their body slowly seeming to fall like how a cloud falls when it is too encumbered with water to stay afloat. Madhukar's eyes, too, were scarcely able to barricade the incoming rain. "I-- I..." The cat faltered. Simmered down a little. What could she say? 'Sorry for almost killing you, that was really rude of me.' Yeah, no. Madhukar knew what this was like, the pain of electrocution. She was honestly impressed that the child was still holding on at this point.

Madhukar turned back to the deer and hissed. "GET A MEDIC O' BE ONE." She didn't trust any fools with understanding indirect demands. So there it was, crystal clear, laid bare for all to see. Madhukar did not want to have to serve up another deadly buffet of lightning just to get a message across.

@Aran @Comet

Comet

Arctic Wolf

Comet had only been congratulating the cat, she wondered why they started screaming. Their eyes started to bulge out and their fur stuck up. Was it something she had said? Or was it how she looked like? She turned around and saw that the wound had been worse than she thought it would be. "Oh no." Although it had been some time after the fight had ended, the wound was still burning, and it felt like being cooked alive. With all the fur burnt away, she saw the web of lightning and the third degree burns that surrounded it.

Now that she had seen herself, she came out of her shock, and the pain hit hard. Harder than before, and her legs started to wobble. This was not good, not good at all. Comet's brain was going crazy, her ear only barely catching the sounds of the cat yelling at the deer. Something about calling a medic?

The cat was about to say something, but stopped. What were they trying to say? Comet's legs gave away, and she fell on her side, the snow almost swallowing her up. She had been struck by lightning. Electrocuted. The noises around her were replaced with a buzzing, but her eyes stayed wide open, still shocked at what had just happened. The cat was yelling something. But all she heard was a buzzing. Was she going to die now? Was this it?

@Madhukar
@Aran

The cat started throwing a fit and Aran had half the mind to ignore it. The two of them started it and the two of them should finish it. With the yelling, Aran wasn't sure if he even wanted to help. Maybe if the cat asked nicely.

And then the wolf collapsed and the deer gritted his teeth. He was no hero. No matter what any of them told him. He saved that horse before because he shouldn't have been involved in the first place. Now though, Aran knew a painful death wasn't one any should have. If his encounter with it said anything.

Magic fluttered to his senses and he tried something he had never tried before.

Except nothing happened that time.