Oh gods, it has been a day and an age since I've been here.
I used to enjoy mock battles, and even the occasional challenge in my younger days. For someone who avoids working very hard, I have a rather silly affection for fighting.
In all things physical I am average. Dark bay coat, brown eyes. I stand a little over fifteen hands high, and my frame is muscular and stocky. I am, perhaps, slower than I would like to be, but I have a great deal of strength in my shoulders and back from years upon years of flying.
Still, I am rusty. And a rusty fighter is of absolutely no use to the Valley.
(The things I do for love of her)
Thankfully, there is always someone willing to test their mettle against an opponent and I have found such a one in the bright green Chamber maid known as Astri. Aside from her eye popping shade of emerald, she seems to be without traits, and I ever so reluctantly (but oh so kindly in my opinion) stifle my mind reading. It isn't easy to do, but it's something I've developed for times when I really need my own thoughts and no one else's.
I really don't know how everyone else does it, though.
She is young, but not necessarily inexperienced so I approach her with due wariness. My wings tucked tight against my side (although they will unavoidably make me slower than the unencumbered Astri), I pick up into a quick canter. I come at her straight on, but slightly to her right. Upon closing the gap between us, I unfurl my right wing to create drag. This helps me twist my body suddenly, aiming my knees up and into Astri's right side, directly behind her front legs. I hope, of course, because one can never tell in a fight how their opponent will react.
My move is not pretty, but it's generally an effective one. At best, I've thrown Astri off balance and given her a lovely bruise to remember me by, and at worst, I've thrown myself off balance and bruised myself by connecting with her shoulder or hips. It's also possible that she escaped me entirely, which would most likely require that she rear or sidestep, as my hawk wings have a long wing span, and the right one is stretched fully out in front of my opponent.
My first attack finished, I back off a bit, but still close by.
I grin wickedly. This will be very amusing.
G A L L O W S
We must all hang together or, assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
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