Fell is lulled into a false sense of victory when his first charge results in the sprawling tumble of his opponent. The Marwari stallion is a stocky mutt, mustangish in build, feathered and shaggy with winter fur. Zurok might have expected him to move like a draft, heavy and slow. Beneath his protective winter coat and a healthy layer of fat, however, Fell is more lean of build than one might guess at first glance. He is deceptively quick, and his speed pays off.

His agility, however, is not so keen. Fell gloats for only a brief moment before Zurok is darting up and about again, much more flexibly than Fell could have managed. It seems they both had been tricked in the beginning of their duel, but now they are rapidly adjusting their perceptions. The lithe black stallion is no longer an easy win, that notion being knocked expeditiously out of Fell’s mind as he finds himself suddenly on his knees, pinned by the crest under Zurok’s wiry strength.

Fell wriggles free, undeterred, and the rest of their duel goes more smoothly now that each of them has had a chance to adjust their styles to one another. They crash against each other in a violent but graceful dance, and Zurok’s joyful and saturated laugh only encourages Fell. The Arabian is not pulling any punches, and the challenge is frustrating and euphoric in equal measures.

They fight for what feels like hours on the beach, until Zurok’s endurance wins out. Fell is a creature of brutality, his strength lying in the beginnings of his fights, fueled by rage to hold out longer than he should be able to if necessary. He is a dirty fighter, a hard hitter, and rapid victor when he meets true opponents; he has to be. With the assistance of anger in a battle, he might draw out a losing battle, but his stamina has never been a winning element for Fell. With Zurok, Fell had not managed to shut down the duel quickly enough, and his strength is unaided by fury. He does not hold back, but he also does not go out of his way to maim or disfigure; to cheat, in many people’s eyes, in order to win. Thus, in the end, Fell kneels in the sand, blowing heavy breaths at Zurok’s hooves.

After a moment, Fell lurches to his feet. He feigns outrage at the loss, but he’s not actually offended by it; he might have been more insulted had he won. His ears pin and he throws his back hooves out in a half-assed crow hop, but he loses the bit as soon as he’s back on the ground. He heaves one more huge sigh, his lungs burning as they fill to the brim with chilly Tinuvel air, and then he jerks his head toward inland in a ‘follow me’ gesture.

FELL

stallion. 16hh. black. marwari x. Rougaru x visurix.