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.

I'm impressed and gratified. I was hoping this fight would be a challenge, and I am not disappointed. I hope Astri feels the same. After all, it does one good to stretch out the kinks and build up a repertoire of attacks.

I curse mentally as her teeth grasp at a few of my flight feathers, tearing out several secondaries by the shaft. It's an aching hurt, although not a permanently damaging one. A blood feather is yanked loose along with the longer vaned ones and starts a trickle of dark liquid. My wings are a strength but when I am not wise, they are also a rather impressive target. I stretch them and then pull them in to my side, gritting my teeth. I won't know the full extent of the damage until I can test them later, but it's safe to say that my wings are not going to be my weapon of choice for this next round. At the very least they'll need grooming and rearranging for optimal flight.

We are facing at an angle to each other at close range, with her right side perpendicular to my chest. I close the short distance with a rush. I take a page from Astri's book and bare my teeth, snaking out to attempt a bite firmly on the base of her neck. If it lands it will be bruising. I also have the possibility of closing my teeth further up her neck or on a shoulder if she rears to get away. Of course there is danger that I will miss, or that in being so close it puts her at a better angle to retaliate, but there is no victory without attempt.