belligerent

someone who fights (or is fighting)

Waging war; carrying on war.

Latin belligerare, to fight

“One of the rare women who never pout or attitudinize, she could fling her glove gracefully--one might add, capturingly under every aspect, she was a handsome belligerent.”

— George Meredith, Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith

In Beirut’s chaotic market, Stellan dodged belligerent pigeons as they lunged at crumbs with surprising aggression. "Peace on earth," he muttered, swatting a particularly tenacious bird away from his lunch. Even the pigeons knew how to fight here.

At the narrow stalls of Kathmandu's Asan Tole market, Manon's eyes met those of a vendor as she haggled over the price of handwoven pashminas. Her voice rose with each counteroffer until, frustrated, she slammed her palm on the rough wooden table, her belligerent stance daring him to challenge her again.

“The prospective enemy for Britain had shifted from a Franco-Russian alliance with many armoured cruisers to a resurgent and increasingly belligerent Germany.”