Virus vs. Ifrit

[[akante] [hiatus]]

+ This is a fight thread between Virus of Eirhel vs Ifrit of Nazcin over all land claimed as Nazcin.

+ This is a 1 on 1 fight. Each side may bring one supporter and witness to the fight.  This Supporter/Witness are only to watch and are not allowed to enter the fight at any time.

+ The marshland fight rules apply.  Please make sure you have read over all rules regarding posting requirements on length, spelling and grammar.  Please write your fight posts out as detailed and clear as possible.  At anytime an organizer may lock the thread if a complaint is made that requires the thread to be reread.  Unless an action by a fighter is deemed quite serious, each SIDE/TEAM may be asked to make corrections to posts involving vague/hard to understand statements within the post, autos etc.  These are individually determined by one or more organizers.

+ Each individual has the right to edit their fight post any time within FIVE HOURS from the time they posted it.  Any editing of a post after five hours without the okay of an organizer is automatic loss.

+ A fight thread automatically ends when one character dies, when a thread has been up and active up to six weeks, OR when one fighter on either side fails to post within exactly 10 days of the last RP post.

+ This fight is CONSENT, meaning individuals may not maim and/or kill without permission, may the best fighter(s) win!

+ For organization purposes, this fight's six week limit ends on September 20th.

[Kero]

   The sun was still high in the sky, shimmering brightly over the shore of Nazcin's territory. The ground was extremely soggy and wet, with each step collecting water in the newly made prints as he moved further towards the beach and the stagnant water which climbed over the land.

   Paws touched the water, splashing into the deeper reaches of the shallow beach until he was standing in water that was a few inches in depth, roughly reaching his 'wrists' to not hamper speed or mobility much but it would make it more of a challenge to grasp the ground as they moved, hopefully more for the lion than him. Virus had much experience backing him from wandering the marshlands in his younger years and in recent times to use this wet terrain to his advantage, but cats were another story. They were used to dry and solid ground, their paws could not grip the soft muck like a canine could as their claws were designed for added traction and slight webbing to their paws aided with wet soil.

   Turning, he faced Nazcin's main land, waiting and readying himself mentally for the showdown which would occur in these final moments. If this 'Ifrit' character had any common sense, he would arrive as soon as possible to defend his land. If not... well them... guess the victory was theirs.

[Ifrit [RP]]

Ifrit prowled along the marshlands closing in on the location were he and the challenger, Virus, had agreed to meet. the ground was wet and there was a thin layer of mud upon the ground. Ifrits paws were bigger than a wolfs so they only sunk halfway into the mud. His wider stance also distributed his weight evenly across the ground. He made his way easily to the spot where the wolf awaited him.

He stood in front of the wolf and bowed his head. He had already decided to speak a few words before the fight truly began. Virus wished to make a home in these lands as Ifrit had. Naczin had made him proud but things had not gone as he had hoped. Members had been sinking into seclusion and had left Ifrit alone. But he would defend his home, though wounded. He would defend it for hopes of his family coming back and to give them a home to come back to. He lifted his head and looked at Virus.

"I bow to thee because while I am King of these lands, for now, you are a king in the making. And I am the one you attempt to overthrow. In many ways we are of the same rank. And you have earned my respect by meeting me here to face in one on one combat. You are a noble warrior. May this fight decide who will rule for the years to come. Win or loose, know that you have my respect Ser Virus. May our fight be honorable and true as how any fight between warriors should be."

Here was Ifrits chance to prove his worth. If he could not beat this wolf now, he couldn't expect to keep the title of Naczins king. He would be unworthy and he could never hope to have such a title unless he were to best those who stood before him in single combat. Ifrit had been in a few fights before, but none like this. He felt anxious. He prepared himself mentally and physically, his limbs ready to spring into action, whether to defend or attack.

He would hear what this wolf had to say before he attacked. He wished to give the challenger the first move. He needed to see with his own eyes what he was up against.

[Kero]

   (Just to clarify, Virus is standing on the shallow shoreline of Nazcin which stretches over half of one of your islands. It has a thin layer of water which reaches a few inches in height over his paws until his 'wrists' so they are not moving over mud but actually a mixture of stagnant water and wet ground, think of a beach with the sand and the water seperate.)

   Acid eyes narrowed at the bowing of the lion's head, his dark mane covering some of his face as he did so. Torn ears listened to the words carefully but the manner in which he spoke and how he had chose his words brought a sick smile to the wolf's maw and his pupils narrowed sharply, muscles tensing.

   "You do not know me, Ifrit. A king in the making, I am not. I am a God. A deity of pain and suffering. A monster born into torn flesh with desires you, nor anyone else asides from one, can imagine. I have survived much and I shall not yeild in my determination for what is rightfully mine to grasp. I shall accept your respect... know that you have mine. I'm sure mother would have been proud that I have fought an honorable lion as yourself."

   His teeth grit together, making a distinctive sound as his eyes searched the lion for weak points. Lions were quite large and fearsome opponents but unfortunately their sheer size and strength was easily countered by speed and the fact that lions were notorious for quickly tiring out, particularly the males. That's why the females did all the hunting and the males simply protected their prides from other males every once in a while. As long as he could stay away from his front end with those claws... he should be in the clear.

   Virus slowly moved forward, body tense for anything as he approached before kicking into a leap to the left, veering quickly at a run around the form of the lion a few feet away, just barely out of reach of his claws. He would attempt to get behind the larger foe, his teeth aiming to snap at his flank and cut the flesh from his hip. If successful, he would bite down a small chunk of flesh and whip his head back and forth until a piece of his skin, muscle and fat was torn from his body. If he missed, Virus would instead keep moving until his fangs reached the tail, attempting to snap down on the length of it and either rip it off or break it in two. His smaller frame would be too small to attempt to reach around, his back end would only reach the lion's ribs at best and unless he shifted his position, he should be unable to counter with his head blocked by his own shoulder and his front claws unable to wrap around his body at that angle.
   

[Ifrit [RP]]

Ifrit accepted the wolfs words. He wasn't so sure that this wolf would be a god, he could not hope to reach the heavens as a groundling. Not even the eagles could touch the sky. Still, the gods would not help Ifrit now. This was his battle.

"May the one with the strongest will be the victor." Ifrit said simply. The wolf gritted it's teeth and slowly walked toward Ifrit. As like all felines his head hung low as he prepared for battle. A loud rumble sounded in his chest. His tail lashed back and forth violently and he squared his shoulders. His muscles tensing under the large coat. His eyes never missed a beat as the wolf bounded to the left just out of his reach and attempted to flank him. If only Ifrit was going to make it that easy for him. His claws may be formidable but his fangs were just as deadly.

Seeing the jump Ifrit moved to be in front of the wolf when he landed. His head being low he would attempt to throw it up and forward into the wolfs jaw and neck, then, with Ifrits superior weight, push the wolf onto it's back. He would clamp his teeth on the wolfs throat and hold them, his right paw would hold the wolf by the jaw while his left would hold the sternum. He would bite down enough to break skin and cause pain but not permanent damage. He would do this until the wolf submitted but Ifrit didn't believe it would be that easy.

If the wolf saw this advance and tried to flank Ifrit. The large cat, having a wide stance, would be able to lash out with his claws to tag the wolfs face or side and tear open a wound. Which would throw the wolf off course Then Ifrit would turn to meet the wolfs next attack head on and fought what came. He needed to live in the moment, he needed to have the fastest reaction time possible because in a fight, there is no plan. You have a plan until someone sinks their teeth into your flesh, then it's pure instinct. And Ifrit had a lot of Instinct.

On the chance that the wolf did neither of these things and retreated back then Ifrit would keep the pressure on by matching his retreat with an advance of his own, paw for paw. He would have to keep his eyes on the wolfs entire body, he was sure the creature had some tricks. He had to have a plan, a smaller creature couldn't fight a larger one without a proper game plan, Ifrits plan was to pressure him enough to not be able to make a plan. He would charge forward and with his claws he would swipe at whatever he could hit. Face, leg, side, stomach, hindquarters, anything exposed to the lions brutal assault. He had a family to fight for and he was prepared to give it all he had.

[Kero]

The run was cut off by the sudden shift of the feline's body to block his path and with his speed he could not help but have to take what came along with it. Shifting his body so that his head was safe, the lion's forehead hit him square in the area halfway between his shoulder and his ribs with such blunt force that it shook his frame and forced his smaller body to slide to the side and out of the direct line of attack from the lion but more so that Virus now faced him from  the side instead of in front of him. Before he was finished being wheeled around by the feline's superior strength, teeth snapped in the air, aiming for the lion's eye in an attempt to blind him, the bottom fangs reaching directly for the socket but would retract quickly to keep from getting a face full of claws. Regardless if he got the eye or not, his rear paws kicked off of the ground as they landed from the lion's push and rotated his body so that he was side by side of the cat, shoulders nearly touching.

His fangs, bloodied or not from the attack to Ifrit's face, would part, dipping his head at an angle as he jumped backwards so that his front end still faced the same direction as the lion but he was more towards the flank and paws touched the ground where his shoulder was now brushing the cat's hind leg. Teeth reached to the side, attempting to sink into the soft flank before the knee and tear a piece of the tender flesh from his body. If that failed by Ifrit pushing his leg in the way, he would double back again and reach to grasp his ankle, lips parting wide in attempt to take it into his bone-crushing jaws and rip, tear and mangle the joint but not to the point of complete uselessness (as it was agreed they would not) but to put such pressure and damage to cause a limp in the wound for some time, if not permanently if he tried to pull away from him.

If Ifrit attempted to turn around, Virus would sidestep quickly to remain at his rear end, out of the way of those claws and jaws. His fangs would snap at anything close by, being anything from the flank, legs or tail, attempting to puncture numerous bites into any piece of flesh he could and tear his fangs away to rip out chunks of muscle and hide.

[Ifrit [RP]]

Ifrit made contact with his skull. But not with the intended result. The wolf just seemed to roll with Ifrits mass. Coming to the side of Ifrits face. It seemed the wolf was still on the offensive. Which meant he still had a plan. Ifrit could not let the wolf get the upper hand. Ifrit hatched a plan of his own in that very instant. The wolf was not past him yet and he was in  too close to strike with his claws. But the wolf was still in the area where Ifrit was best, up close and personal. Ifrit would tuck his head down and he felt a small pinch on his ear as Virus's teeth came at where Ifrits eye once was. Ifrit would attempt to put his head under the wolfs chin, turning his head to close around the wolfs throat.

While his front right leg came around to knock the wolf in the ribs and grab hold with his claws at the flank. Ifrit would then control the wolfs fall with his throat. Dragging him to the ground. If the wolf attempted a jump then he would have no choice to go where Ifrit wanted. His weight would be in the air and under Ifrits control. Ifrit would keep his left paw ready to catch the wolf if he tried to evade. And Ifrit kept his weight forward. There was no going back for the wolf.

If the wolf managed to evade this trap. And continued past Ifrit, he would be too close not to get tagged along the side with Ifrits claws. He would lash out at anything the wolf left exposed. The shoulder, legs, and the flank as Virus traveled past him. Ifrits intended target would be the legs to hamper Virus's mobility, but Ifrit would settle for anything if the legs were not an option.

If Ifrit did indeed tag him across the side with his claws. Then Ifrit would push at him, digging his claws a bit deeper, but, more importantly, push Virus farther than his intended target. His target, Ifrit had no doubt, was his flank. Ifrit could not let that happen. Ifrit would attempt to push Virus wide of his intended target. And out of the wolfs striking zone. Then Ifrit would continue the motion, hastening it with a push from his left paw. Spinning him to face the wolf once more. Just as the fight had started.

[Kero]

(( I'm sorry to mention but I think you've misunderstood my position in your response, as well as other concerns I have regarding to your post.

Due to Ifrit's hit with his head and his massive strength, I had him wheel Virus around, forcing him to slide and face Ifrit from the side, not the front (he would be almost facing his neck/shoulder area head on at a 90 degree angle) and at the same time that he was being swung around he would attempt to take out his eye. While I find it a little hard  for Ifrit to have that short amount of time to notice the attack and duck his head again after using so much force to lift it up into Virus's jaw in the first place (since he was trying to knock him over), I find it more difficult for Ifrit to try and grasp Virus's throat from his position as not only as he at an angle that makes it a little hard to do so, but also because I mentioned in my post that regardless if he hit or not (the eye), he would retract his face fast enough to prevent getting hit and kick off the ground (as soon as his paws touched the ground from being swung before), sliding his rear to do another 90 degree turn so that he faced the same direction as Ifrit (being shoulder to shoulder) and then jump backwards so that his head was then near his flank, along with the rest of his body being well out of harm's way. Ifrit would have an incredibly short amount of time to react to all of this as he should still be recovering from his attack before and how quickly I had Virus move, using Ifrit's strength against him when he had hit him earlier.

Another concern I have is that you mentioned in your first paragraph that Virus "was in too close to strike with his claws" but without making any move on Ifrit's part throughout the post, you then mention he's trying to 'tag' and use said claws on Virus, which would not only be impossible for him to do at the angle Virus was in (being on the side and not infront of him as a cat's leg cannot move that way) but he was, as you had mentioned, too close to strike.

I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm whining but I feel like you's misunderstood how my character was placed and how things were going on. It is past the 5 hr limit for you to edit but you have my permission to do so since I will be unable to respond until you do. If you have any issues/questions about my posts, please feel free to message me for clarification if you are having any difficulties.))

[Sukara (2 RPs)]

I'm getting an expert opinion on this from another MO but in the meantime I'll speak my mind on the eye/ear concern. I, personally, can see the Ifrit doing the head thrust, swinging/sliding Virus at an angle, and immediately tucking his head down enough (I imagine almost like flinching?) last minute to put his ear where his eye was. Especially since Virus didn't fall back like the Ifrit's attack intended, I can see where the attack didn't go as planned and the lion just naturally reacting with tucking his head down after following through with the head thrust. Again I could be wrong, so I'm getting another opinion, but that's just how I'm imagining it.

---

As for Ifrit's attempt to go for the throat, it's a valid attempt. In Virus' next post you can easily dodge the attempt with the previous tactic posted in your last post and it'd be a reasonable dodge because his throat would no longer be in range. So I don't see how that part of the Ifrit's post needs changed. Just acknowledge the attack the same way you said Virus would in his previous and it's all good.

---

"Regardless if he got the eye or not, his rear paws kicked off of the ground as they landed from the lion's push and rotated his body so that he was side by side of the cat, shoulders nearly touching."

So I'm a little confused, myself, as to how that's even possible. But just trying to picture and go with it, Virus never really kicked off the ground as a "jump back" kinda motion right? More like his back legs kicked him off to the side, making the two shoulder to shoulder? Because if so then I see how the attack to the throat would be dodged, since the throat is no longer where it was, but I don't see how the lion couldn't claw at him during that process of the movement since he's swinging his claws closely after the attempt to the throat? And with Virus swinging his body towards the lion, to be shoulder to shoulder, he's almost swinging towards the swiping claw :/ Again I don't know how slow a lion is vs a wolf in reaction time but it's coming across as Virus is too fast/out of range for any of Ifrit's attacks to even be attempted which kinda comes across unfair to me.

[Master Gunner Fluttershy]

I'm not going to put a whole lot because Sukara has already addressed most of my main points. As far as reaction time goes it's fairly reasonable to say a creature ducks as soon as something is coming for it's eye. I think felines do have faster reaction times than canines, not by much but they do. That also helps because Lions are fast fighters, reaction fighters. And that your attack did land in a way, when Ifrits ear was nicked he was coming in for Virus's throat. Also when a plan goes array you are caught off guard for a few milliseconds, and those seconds are crucial in a fight as up close as this. Where as Ifrit has been fighting out of instinct.

A wolf could beat a Lion when it comes to running, because Lions are sprinters and tire from running. But Wolves can go into a running trot from which they will never tire. While a lion would tire if this fight drug on to minutes or hours but, though the posts have been long, this fight has probably only gone on for a handful of seconds. I think you would be correct if you were playing a grey wolf. Because grey wolves are a lot faster than dires. That's why they survived and the dires didn't. They aren't as fast.

As far as my claw swipe goes. Seeing as you are in the air when he swings his paw (if you dodge and go for the 'shoulder to shoulder' idea), you can't really dodge it. You'd be caught by his forearm and prevented from going further. The claws would travel around to Virus's flank if that happens. If you manage to avoid getting caught by jumping further away you'd be out of attack range and still get caught by the claws but not drug down.

At least, that's how I see it, I could be dead wrong but there's my opinion.

[Sukara (2 RPs)]

^Pretty much this. Also I talked to my fellow MO, Vana, and she said it's very possible for a lion to duck fast enough to take the half hit to the ear. So, if anything I think everythings fine as far as Ifrit's post goes. Virus' hock attacks and what not would be countered/nulled because Ifrit, even if he misses the throat, is still swinging his forearm and claws at the same time so that kinda hinders Virus' positioning

[Kero]

(( Referring to your previous, Sukara. I had Virus use Ifrit's 'headbutt' to help swing his body around, so that his direction is facing near the lion's side at a 90 degree angle (aka pivoting on his front paws). Before his paws touch the ground after being 'swung' he attacks Ifrit's face to try and deal some damage but does not stick around long enough to get counter attack, so regardless if he hit his intended target or not, he would retract his head before Ifrit could counter. As soon as his paws touched the ground, he pivoted again to land in the same facing direction as Ifrit (shoulder to shoulder) then jumped backwards to land near his flank to attack him.

The issue I brought up about the claws is because the player stated in his first paragraph that Virus "was in  too close to strike with his claws" but then mentions in his third paragraph that "he would be too close not to get tagged along the side with Ifrits claws.", so you can understand my confusion on the subject? And where Virus is positioned in terms to Ifrit (being at his side and not in front of him)... UNLESS Ifrit moved his body (which in no way was stated he did to try and direct himself towards Virus because it was assumed that Virus is in front of him when he is not) it would be impossible for him to pull his arm back that far to tag him on the side where Virus IS positioned.

The main issue is that in Ifrit's post it's suggested that Virus is in front of him, trying to run past him to attack when that is not the case and why I'm having concerns because almost all the attacks are connected to that. Here is what I mean:

"The wolf was not past him yet" (Virus was at a 90 degree angle facing him at this time)
"If the wolf managed to evade this trap. And continued past Ifrit, he would be too close not to get tagged along the side with Ifrits claws. He would lash out at anything the wolf left exposed. The shoulder, legs, and the flank as Virus traveled past him." (Virus is already directly facing his side, so he's NOT running past him, he's rotating on his front paws to force his body side-by-side)

[Sukara (2 RPs)]

Then ignore that? If Virus isn't running past then those attacks wouldn't be attempted due to positioning issues, ergo nulled.

As far as the position, I understand it all very clearly. The thing is, even using Ifrit's headbutt you said:

"and forced his smaller body to slide to the side and out of the direct line of attack from the lion but more so that Virus now faced him from  the side instead of in front of him."

So my thing is is that if Virus was slid to the side, how does that stop Ifrit from swinging and reaching for him with claws? And even if Virus was out of direct line of attack, how is it he's able to reach over and go for the eye? That's what's confusing me. If Virus is in range of going for Ifrit's eyes and merely pivoting when he lands, then he's close enough to possibly be hit by an incoming claw swing.

Basicallly it's safe to say Ifrit moved a little bit, when he went for the throat attack shortly after being nicked in the ear. I can see how Virus' instant land and pivot would get him to reasonably dodge the throat attack but the swinging paw is what counters everything. Ifrit's doing it at the same time so even if Virus is pivoting, to the point of being shoulder to shoulder, then he's close enough to be countered by Ifrit's claw swipe

[Master Gunner Fluttershy]

Which would then block you from continuing to go anywhere. The claw would either tag you or you'd be hit by the forearm and the claw would go around and hit your flank. Either way I think Virus would be pushed back and in front of Ifrit again, giving him nowhere to go but back which is also not really an option because Ifrit is keeping his momentum forward.

[Sukara (2 RPs)]

Also, no offense, I don't see how Virus could use the headbutt and keep his ground just to pivot and somehow get into a fully 90 degree angle. If he got headbutted by a big ass lion, no matter where on the chest, there's no way he's just going to pivot. He'd be sent back even a little. So, again, even the possibily to pivot to a full 90 degree angle, all while snapping at the eye, is a little iffy to me :/

I imagined the whole headbutt position as this.

After the headbutt

  /V <obviously ghetto diagram, i did imagine him a little more
I      angled yet not fully 90 degrees

Then immediately after vius landed he kick/pivotes/swings around to be shoulder to shoulder

IV

So as virus starts his second pivote/swing/whatever, thus dodging the throat attack, Ifrit's claw is still swiping at him and if anything blocks him form even getting to the shoulder to shoulder point.

So exactly what's the problem here because I'm not seeing it.