as we collide

The first thing that he began to do, was sway. Chrysanthe would watch him carefully, not knowing exacrly what this tactic was or why he chose to use it - but he was definitely there, moving back and forth as if he was dancing. She had to admit, this was not something that she had seen before, but she wouldn't let it throw her off, instead she would be even more careful, until she could properly find out just how good or bad a warrior this crazy king was. She had left enough too properly watch him, a distance at which he had the choice to speak - but it would seem both parties had enough of the other's words.

Clearly they were not enough to solve this dispute.

He darted toward her left, and she held back a snarl, her hackles raised along her spine in both anger and because of the sudden burst of adrenaline with the now imminent fight. Her jaw dropped, now agape and ready to attack. As he rushed toward her left she planned to charge forward and do the same, and crash her left shoulder into his own - but after his single bound toward her that covered much of the distance, he swayed on a dime and shifted to her right. With his surprise movement it left the alpha moving swiftly toward nothingness - and she leaped forward and to her left as he was coming at her, only to pull away from Isardis as he tried to wrap his jaws around the right side of her face. Although she cleared the paw that had been aimed to wrap around her own leg in her movement - she didn't manage to dodge all of his attacks. His jaws scraped along the top half of her head, leaving minor bleeding scrapes from the middle of her head down its side. He missed his mark because the alpha pulled away due to him switching positions so quickly - but it was far too close for the woman to take any comfort from the dodge. It was a fluke and the King was quick on his paws, she would give him that and do her best to react accordingly.

Chrysanthe would not waste time in retaliating either, the alpha's jaws snapped at Isardis's middle on his right side, attempting to bite just above his flank. Her head was lowered over her throat, her muzzle crinkled in a silent snarl and her shoulders rolled to protect the sides of her neck. Narrowed eyes would glance at his movements as she tried to get a proper feel for them, knowing that the brute was tricky, but she focused on her target and threw herself properly into her attack. She would attempt to ram her right shoulder into his side as she attacked with her jaws, attempting to put him as off balance as possible - perhaps she would get lucky and get him to wobble, and she could find a way to get this king on the ground. Her back legs were squared in case he tried to throw her off as well, and her nails dug into the earth as best they could, creating whatever friction she could manage. Her tail was lowered to protect her backside and placed out of the way.

defenses: head lowered over throat, ears pinned, eyes narrowed, jaws agape, hackles raised, tail lowered and out of the way, back legs squared, nails digging for traction, shoulders rolled
attacks: trying to ram into Isardis's right side, trying to bite above his right flank
injuries: scrapes from Isardis's teeth above her right eye where she pulled away

move one of three