writing_shadows

((This the write up of her fight with Onslaught at the National in which she almost died twice. Once from the amount of damage and the second because if she had exited death rage without healing she died. Comment are appreciated, I am hoping to get Glory 5 from this. Sheena's opponent beat her with aggravated damage, she hit her with lethal, she still won.))

The two uratha, both Garmir trained, eyed each other across the area marked out for the ritual combat that was about to take place. Both women were obviously trained warriors by their stance and the various scars that marked their bodies. Tension made the air bristle like a storm was about to break and from the looks that passed between the two it was obviously that this fight would be bloody and it would be vicious.

Sheena McLetchie, or Ragna, fought in the belief that the other had given her elder brother to bale hounds to be tortured and converted to their cause. He had been rescued from such a fate the year before and after hearing that Onslaught had been the one who had found him and given him over to the bale hounds, she had made it her quest to track her down and confront her over it, Garmir to Garmir.

Onslaught, or One who is Mighty, came to dispute that belief and to fight to clear her name. Her mentor, John the Axe, had told her of Sheena’s claims and arranged for the challenge to honourable combat to be issued to Sheena at the gathering in Leeds. Sheena had accepted the challenge and now the two opponents circled each other, waiting for the call to combat to begin.

The conditions for the fight had been set and agreed, with little other than the stipulation that the fight was not to be to the death having been made. Other than that silver would not be used and no outside interference was allowed.

As the fight was called the two women leapt at each other, both of their forms flowing liquidly until the two dire wolves clashed into each other with a loud snarl, their teeth and fangs reaching out for their opponent. Ragna’s first strike went wide and left her flank open to a vicious rake by Onslaught’s claws, the damage of a sort only caused by silver or certain gifts. The fight now taking on even more deadly seriousness for Ragna, since there was no way she could heal those wounds and if she took too much damage she would be unable to shift back without the change claiming her life.

The trading of blows continued, each strike biting deep into Ragna’s flesh, the blood flowing from wounds in a dozen places. Still she fought on; despite the fact that some of the damage she gave Onslaught was being healed, stubborn pride and the honour of the Garmir and of her family was at stake.

Ducking under Onslaught’s defences, Ragna dove in and tore viciously into her unprotected neck, receiving a deep gash to her side in response. Onslaught roared in pain and lost herself to the burning anger within her, her form shifted to Gauru and all reason fled. Roaring in pain and anger she bit deep into Ragna’s shoulder, tearing the flesh deeply. Ragna’s scream of pain changed into a similar one of rage as she too lost control, driven over the edge by the sheer amount of damage she had taken, her wounds now beyond the capacity for her unchanged body to survive.

The bystanders looked on in horror as there had been no rules set against death rages and they could not interfere in the fight without breaking the rules set by the combatants. It looked very likely that Ragna would not long survive in her condition, but to interfere would be to make a ruin of her honour, those who knew her held their peace and let the fight continue.

Another hit from Onslaught took Ragna across the back of her legs, the manoeuvre almost hamstringing her, she roared in anger and swung back, but the damage to her legs overbalanced her, causing her swipe to go wide and hit empty air. The onlookers held their breath as Onslaught hit back, but her swing had been directed on the assumption that Ragna would be closer and the hit that might have killed Ragna fell short instead.

With a roar of primal anger, Ragna surged forward, swiping at Onslaught’s stomach with her claws, the flesh tore, blood spraying across both of them and Onslaught fell to the floor, her form changing back to that of her birth as she was knocked unconscious.

Harmony and her apprentice moved like lightning to pin Sheena, still in death rage her anger would otherwise seek to end the life of the woman on the floor. There was another, more urgent reason, for if Ragna were to come out of the death rage without healing she would not survive the transition.

A healer had already been sent for as the fight was ending. Onslaught was now carried off by her mentor, John the Axe, who’s parting words declaring Ragna the winner fell on deaf ears to the woman still consumed by her inner rage.

Desperately Harmony fought to keep Ragna in death rage while the Itheaur, Harangued by Spirits, went through a rite of healing. As the hasted rite came to a close and Harangued fell to the ground, it was finally safe to bring the victor from her rage.

Supported by Harmony and weakened from wounds all over her body, the wound in her shoulder and across the back of her legs still not entirely healed, she came back to her senses and turned to Harmony and grinned, "I got the bitch."

So Sheena’s cause was proved righteous and the fight showed Onslaught’s true colours. For while use of gifts such as Savage Rending was not forbidden, no true Garmir would ever employ such a gift in a fight against another uratha, let alone in an honourable combat. Onslaught is thus to be considered a bale hound, or working for them and should be treated as such, let her find no succour in this land.

It should also be said that you should never underestimate your opponent because she is not a Rahu. The fight was between two Garmir, two trained warriors and while one of them had the edge as a rahu, the cahalith was the one who was victorious.