There. Merrick pinpoints the exact moment to strike, then throws Zevran off him and back down into the mud. He gets to his feet then, sharp-eyed and full of fury, and aims a kick to the other elf's head. Blood is pounding in his ears; would that this were a real fight, one where he could grab this bastard by the hair and yank his head back, slit his throat...

'Beast', he'd said. 'He's an animal. He shouldn't be allowed to live among us, we should exile him.'