Leonidas and Xerxes stood as the rain began to fall. It soaked thier fluff, drawing the mud from Leo’s coat, turning Xerxes from a golden giant to a sopping wretch. They circled each other, eyes locked together as if their struggle had already begun. There was no exchange between the two, their gaze speaking volumes. No quarter, no mercy, no surrender, to the death.
Steam began to rise from the fires that Leo had started. Lightning flashed again and the two leapt.
There was a thump as the two fluffied banged chests together tumbling into the quickly gathering mud. Both back on the feet in a flash, and swiping horns at each other. A clack as the horns met, Leo parrying with his little grey spike like a sword. Xerxes swept his head down again, slicing Leo’s shoulder. Leo twisted, giving a growl of pain and swung his hoof up in an arc. A swinging blow from right field which normally Xerxes would have dodged or simply taken on his large chin, connected with all the force Leo could muster and Xerxes world turned white, his head snapping away. Leo pressed the attack, and while Xerxes head was lifted, Leo hit him again. Xerxes reared and Leo answered stamping forward on his hind legs, his front hooves beating rapidly against the giant fluffy in a combination of blows that would have been the highlight of a boxer’s career. Xerxes made grunts and yelps, staggering back before he fell over the edge of a boulder and fell. Leo leapt down but was met midway in the air by a massive golden hoof. Something hin his chest snapped and he tumbled heavily. They both stood, Xerxes snatching Leo’s leg in his teeth, and twisting, throwing Leo onto his back. Xerxes loomed over Leon hoof raised but Leo rolled the massive golden hoof missing his head by inches. Back on his feet, Leo drove his horn into Xerxes shoulder, twisting and ripping it away. Xerxes hissed in pain and pushed the other fluffy away. They paused, coiled, and leapt at each other again. The fluffies crashed together, a squabbling tangle of limbs and snapping teeth. They tumbled together into the creek. Swept away by the shallow current they splashed and swung hooves as they were battered against rocks plunged under trees and finally spun out onto a muddy beach near a cliff overlooking the forest and the edge of town.
Both fluffies lay in the rain soaked dirt, huffing and gasping, bleeding from deep cuts. Xerxes eye was swollen shut, Leo’s ribs ground together when he breathed, and he could no longer feel his scarred eye. Their manes were pulled out in patches, tails ragged. They stared at one another, wincing as they raised themselves on shaking legs and then limping, limbs grinding scrwaming they charged together. Their heads met with an audible, sickening thud!
Leonidas braced himself, remembering the Pushies Game that big Oingo had taught him so long ago. He remembered playing it with Oingo, relishing the first real challenge of strength and learning that losing to a friend felt just as good as winning. He recalled playing it gently with his foals, pride and love filling his heart. He remembered teaching it to stallions of his herd, discipline and purpose filling him. And finally with little Clyntius, who always was slipping his head away and taking his hugs before the pushing was over, his happy peeps of “wub! wub!” sounding like music to Leo. He filled with righteous wrath… and pushed. Xerxes slide backward in the mud, pushing back harder. Leo’s teeth ground and he pushed again, feeling something in his back leg cracking. Xerxes hooves slipped in the mud and pushed off, swiped his head around, and felt his horn slicing into Leo’s neck. Leonidas reared and drove both hooves into Xerxes face. “EEPOW!” He cried. He turned and bucked his back feet into Xerxes nose which collapsed in a bloody spurt his eyes blinded. “NIKE!” Leo shouted. Xerxes stagger back turning head snapping about in his sudden blindness. “CWIIINNNNTEEEEUUUUSSSSHHHHH” Leonidas roared and drove his head forward, his horn piercing high into Xerxes chest and breaking off.
Xerxes’ mouth snapped open and a gout of blood splashed out. Leo fell over and gasped, his flank rising and falling rapidly. His vision was blurring, growing ever darker. Xerxes staggered backward one step, two steps, three…and his back hoof missed the edge of the cliff and he tumbled out of sight with a scream. The rain began to lessen, becoming a dribble and finally, blessedly stopping. Leo cast his eye about, listening to the sudden silence.
It…was over.
