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Ryder rolled his eyes. "Yes and it would be simply terrifying if you weren't a Rabin. You're all too noble for murder. Somehow I'm not worried." He adjusted his weight slightly, ready to spring away should she try to prove him wrong.

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Nova grinded her teeth angrily for a moment, narrowing her eyes. She knew very well in her heart he was right, but she'd do nearly anything to wipe the smug smile off of his face. She closed one eye and carefully took aim for a tree directly to the right of his head, a safe distance to not hit him, just to startle and prove him wrong. She let the arrow fly with a rebellious glint in her eye.

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Ryder jumped away from the arrow, trying to plan the best way to cross the river to attack but when he turned to see where the arrow had lodged, he laughed. "Either you're a terrible shot or you've just proven me right. That arrow wouldn't have hit me."

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"It slipped," Nova muttered, her cheeks flushing pink as she turned away angrily. She clenched her fists and stepped towards the river, growling at him, "I may not be keen on committing murder, but don't think I won't kick your ass."

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Ryder laughed even harder, enjoying getting under the Rabin's skin. "Please. Be my guest. Cross this river and see how long it takes me to throw you back over it bleeding." He fixed her with a stare as he casually rested a hand on the hilt of one of his daggers.

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Nova eyed her surroundings carefully. She located one rock in the river she could cross swiftly if she walked lightly. She slowly looked back to him and narrowed her eyes. "If you insist," she sneered, before suddenly leaping onto the rock and darting to the opposite bank. She knew she was in enemy territory, but was ready to fight this cocky Brom. She was standing about twenty feet from her, bow raised, awaiting his next move.

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Ryder began casually pacing back and forth, hands clasped behind his back. "Well well. Seems to me I have a Rabin in my territory. Which means you are fair game. How do you know I don't have backup? Perhaps I wasn't patrolling alone? What if I had an archer in the trees right now aimed right at you?" He began slowly getting closer to her as he paced, trying to remain a moving target. "That's the problem with you Rabins. You're stupid. You don't think things through. You could be throwing your life away right now. And for what? To avenge your honor which I've so cruelly insulted?"

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Nova narrowed her eyes at him. "I patrol quite a bit, actually, enough to know that your midday patrol along the river only includes one Brom because you have others hunting during the daytime." She gave him a challenging smirk. "So I guess it's just you and me."

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Ryder grinned. "Touché." He inches a little closer. "Just you and me indeed. Would you like to tell me your name? I tend to try to know to be on a first name basis before I start stabbing someone." Just need to keep her talking...

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"You first..." Nova growled, stepping backwards to match his each step forwards. She stayed wary, in spite of the fact that he seemed to be trying to bring her guard down. "I'm not playing games with you," she snarled.

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"No games?" Ryder feigned despair. "I was really hoping for some monopoly." Once he sees her stepping backwards, he stops advancing, opting istead to slowly inch toward the cover of the trees. I suppose I could hurl a dagger... Probably not the most effective strategy but it's something... He turned to her and smiled. "I'm Ryder. At your service. I'd shake your hand but you're all the way over there..." He trailed off, extending his right hand and leaving his left in easy reach of a dagger.

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Nova snorted contemptuously and raised an eyebrow. "Well, Ryder, I'll have to shake your hand some other time." She slowly drummed her fingers on her bow. "But this isn't quite a fair fight. An archer against a fighter," she pointed out coldly.

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"Exactly! I'm so glad you agree!" Ryder threw up a hand as if that was a point he'd been arguing the whole time. "You're not playing fair. I can't participate in this "fight" if I get shishkebabed by an arrow. And it's not a fight with only one participant. So if you'd just toss down the bow and make it fair, that'd be wonderful."

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Nova laughed scornfully. "I find it hard to believe you'd be out here without a weapon," she snarled. "I'm not gonna throw down my bow and let you whip out your sword or knife or whatever." She thought for a moment about if it came to a hand-to-hand fight. He's obviously much bigger and stronger... But I can hit pretty hard. And I guess I'm pretty quick, she reasoned.

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Ryder chuckled. "You think I would do that to you? I'm hurt. Really. That hurts me. How about this? I throw down my dagger and you throw down your bow and then we settle this with a rousing game of Rock Paper Scissors?" Theres really no need to mention I have two daggers. That would be excessive.

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Nova couldn't help but be the slightest bit amused by his unending sense of sarcasm and humor, and let out a slight chuckle. "You know, Ryder, I appreciate your ideas. Honestly, I do. But as much as I'm loving the idea of a fight, I'm afraid I'm not getting a very trustworthy vibe from you," she pointed out with a smirk.

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Ryder clutched his chest in mock agony. "Ack! Again with the insults! You wound me! Why don't you just rip my heart from my chest? It'll be faster." He chuckled. "Your lack of trust is agonizing. Truly. Know what? Here. Show of good faith." He pulled out the dagger on his left hip and tossed it on the ground.

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Nova eyed the dagger on the ground. "What's in it for you to have a fair fight?" she said slowly. His tone still drove her crazy but it seemed as though he'd just surrendered his weapon. She shook her head slightly, irritated that she wasn't able to fully concentrate as she met his gaze. I never have this problem fighting girls or ugly boys, she thought frustratedly.

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Ryder grinned. "Why not? I don't particularly relish the idea of being skewered by an arrow and its seems like a shame to ruin that lovely face of yours with an unsightly scar." He shrugged. "So if you wouldn't mind, either toss down the bow or hop back to your side of the river."

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Nova thought deeply for one last minute, before the corner of her mouth curled slightly into a smirk. "I'm gonna enjoy this," she growled, dropping her bow gently on the ground beside her. She flexed her fingers, narrowed her eyes, and twisted her braid into a bun. Meeting his cocky gaze, she bared her teeth ever so slightly.