Tam Tenderpaw vs. Raynare - A Battle of Grace and Wind

While Tam certainly packed a punch on her own, the Sciuro’s tail was less of a clubbing fist and more of a wrecking ball. Raynare would be the second person to fall victim to just how devastating it could be when weaponized. Tam hadn’t seen the impact but felt the numbing crack of her tail flatting her opponent before popping out of her spin to land in a three-point pose, not unlike Raynare at the start of the match. Her keen eyes scanned the first, locking in on the dispersing cloud of dust and she was off again, darting towards where the fallen angel had vanished amongst the debris.

Bounding up over the ropes, she gave her Tonfa a twirl, the blue runes igniting. She thrust her fists out with each long stride, a small pink disc of light appearing in the air before her as stepping stones within the void of the air. She was climbing on nothing, practically leaping from disc to disc before the one that trailed behind her vanished. From the distance she gained in height, Rayne’s position had become clear even before the clouds had settled along the ground.

Jumping out into the open air, Tam created another barrier of light above her, turning herself upside down in the air just beneath it. With a hard thrust of her legs she pushed off the barrier, hurling herself down towards Raynare from high above. A flourish of her tonfa and a cascade of sparks as she struck them together. Pink light wrapped around her again, much like her impromptu bubble, only this one was an inverted pyramid, the point pointed down at her opponent as she came screaming from above.

Within the inverted pyramid, Tam crouched from the landing, the force of which seemingly did little to nothing to her. As she rose, she cast her eyes upward to lock with Raynare’s. Abjuration magic was certainly not something new, many Gaians were practitioners of the arcane field but Tam’s particular means of its application were quite the oddity. It was magic meant for protection and deflection but the Sciuro’s creative manifestation of surfaces to traverse and the weaponization of her barriers were unheard of in arcanist circles.

A single bead of sweat rolled down the side of Tam’s face, hesitant to allow her shield of light to drop but knowing she had to if things were to continue. She flexed her fingers around the grip of her tonfa and stepped up to position herself along the sloped wall of the inverted pyramid. When the pink barrier fell, she dropped easily onto the debris beneath her making sure to find her balance before dashing up the crater wall she had left towards Raynare. She came out swinging, snappy wide haymakers in combination as she rushed forward, throwing one after the other to try to land as many shots as she could in her charge to drive the fallen angel back.

With mounting frustration, each swing of Tammy's tonfa grew more forceful, creating a whirlwind of silver and gold streaks in the air. Despite the intense barrage, Raynare skillfully dodged every attack, prompting Tammy to question if the fallen angel had penetrated not just her mind, but her very instincts. Undeterred, Tammy unleashed a flurry of violent wild strikes, hoping that having unpredictable chaotic blows that even she wasn’t sure where she was striking would catch her opponent off guard.

"Kuh!" Tammy's forward momentum abruptly ceased as a roundhouse kick connected with her jawline. She adjusted, taking a few swift strides to the side to maintain balance. Raynare’s onslaught continued, with Tammy intercepting the next attack using her tonfa as a metallic barrier. The clash of forces pushed her back along the ground, but she swiftly rebounded, meeting the next kick head-on with a powerful backhand, defiantly resisting the force in a clash with her weapon.

Dipping back, Tammy prepared for the next assault, her eyes focused and determined. As a kick soared high, she vividly recalled her earlier battering from the sky and instinctively raised her arms to intercept. This time, she crossed her tonfa-shielded forearms, absorbing the impact of the descending kick. The shock reverberated through her, nearly buckling her knees, yet she held her ground, staring at Raynare with unwavering resolve.

The confrontation reached a temporary impasse, with Tammy defiantly holding Raynare's outstretched leg at bay. Suddenly, a burst of unexpected movement ensued as Tammy's lower body surged forward. Planting her tail firmly, she executed a surprising maneuver, kicking out both legs at Raynare's chest, akin to a dropkick while keeping herself rooted with her extra limb.

Tam gracefully lifted herself off her tail, the movement flowing from one foot to the other in a deliberate and elegant manner. Her arms lowered into a poised fighting stance, and her legs widened, forming a semblance of what looked like a martial artist's pose. The truth was, the Sciuro girl had no hermit in secluded mountains guiding her, no hidden training regimen tucked away in her past. In fact, she lacked any formal fighting training altogether. The pose, much like her tail, was all fluff. It just… felt cool, so Tam couldn’t resist. She struck the pose fearlessly, hoping that the spectacle exuded the awesomeness she was feeling in that moment to the audience.

Challenging Raynare, Tam tilted her chin upward with cocky acknowledgement. Her ability to not only keep pace but also land strikes on the fallen angel fueled a surge of confidence that contrasted sharply with her previous unease under Raynare's cold, white gaze. Turning her hand over, palm facing upward, she beckoned her opponent with a curl of her fingers, mirroring the challenge that had been thrown earlier, inviting Raynare to bring it on.

Tam, having issued her bold challenge, braced herself for whatever onslaught the fallen angel had in store. The adrenaline coursing through her veins heightened her senses, and with a subtle swivel of her foot, she ground her boot heel into the dirt, preparing for the imminent retribution the fallen angel might try to rain on her.

As Raynare closed the distance, Tam twirled her tonfa with idle showmanship, willing the brief pause in the fight  with some flare to keep the crowd's attention. The spectators, gathered in the open-air arena, watched with bated breath as the two formidable opponents were about to clash again.

Tam's body twitched in anticipation as she shifted into a defensive stance, eager to rebuff Raynare once again and erase the embarrassment of the initial moments of their bout. Through her raised arms, she closely observed Raynare's movements, anticipating the signature flap of the fallen angel's wings that signaled a surge in speed. When Raynare dipped low, Tam lowered herself, bending at the knees, her guard shifting toward her lower body in preparation for the impending burst of speed.

There!

Raynare's feet collided with crossed tonfa, producing a loud metallic ring that resonated like a bell had fallen from its tower. The Sciuro held her ground for a fleeting moment, but the force Raynare unleashed was overwhelming. Like a crashing tidal wave, Tam was swept off her feet, the full power of the blow traveling through her block and into her body sending her flying.

She tumbled backward, bouncing like a stone skipped across a still pond. The crowd collectively gasped, the impact of the collision echoing through the open space. Tam finally came to a stop on her side, some distance away from the point of impact. The arena fell into a momentary hush as the crowd processed the intensity of the exchange.

After a brief stillness, Tam sat up, a bit battered with dirt dusting her face. Her ears wiggled, and a few pieces of grass flaked out of her fur as she assessed how far she had traveled.