Dakelo. (Book 2 of the White Lily Trilogy)

Chapter 21- Preparing to leave.

 t use his large axe, being his most dangerous weapon, but rather a long thick sword. She could throw her full weight against him and he would hardly budge, it was like trying to move a rock. She would have to weaken him first.

    She had already vested Xnifo and Grey Paw and just Thiryqa remained, although she knew they weren’t putting in their full strength behind their attacks. She was rather enjoying the sparring matches; she was getting rather competitive as the minutes passed. 

      Fire tongue swung his huge blade around, which she quickly ducked underneath, in her rush attempt towards him. She slammed into his knees, forcing him to the ground. They were both wearing their armour, so she needn’t worry about doing too much damage. Using her tail like a spring, she bounced up. She swung Lillarth around making sure to use the flat side and clubbed him in the helmet. He stood up, apparently dazed as he staggered side to side. Using the few seconds she had, she charged and slammed her whole body into him. He took a few seconds to move but when he did, he went crashing backwards like a toppling tree, leaving her crouched on his breastplate and with Lillarth pointed as his face. Using the tip, she flicked the visor up on his helmet. She smiled. 

    “I win.” She stepped off so Fire tongue could scramble up. He took his helmet of fully. 

    “Ah, beaten by someone who is less than half my size, how humiliating.” She pulled up her visor to speak better. 

   “Oh admit it Fire Tongue, you weren’t being serious during that fight.” She knew it to be true, she still wasn’t as skilled. 

   “There is no fooling you.” He smiled and a small trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

    “Are you alright?” she asked out of concern. He reached up and wiped the trickle away with the back of his hand. 

    “You just hit me rather hard then, it’s nothing to worry about.” She removed her own helmet, letting her hair tumble down her back. She wiped the sweat off her brow. She had been fighting the three of them for the last hour, and knew she was at her limit. 

    “Thiryqa, would you mind if I call it a break. I don’t think I have enough strength right now to fight you as well.” He bowed and didn’t look too disappointed by the decision. 

   “If that is what you want,” he simply replied.  Then they left her alone to clean up. She sang to one of the trees to unfurl its trunk for her, leaving a hollow space inside for her to stash her armour. 

      The doors opened again a few minutes later, so she sniffed quickly and smelt it was Dakelo entering. She wondered what he would want with her this time. She didn’t change from the robes she wore underneath knowing that he would be appearing nearby very soon. 

    “What do you want?” she asked before he even appeared. 

    “I wanted to ask you something.” She turned around to regard him. She didn’t want to appear startled when she saw the cuts and scrapes over his face from his fight with Norv, the worst one being a cut that ran across his nose. 

   “What's wrong?” she asked. He walked over and sat down on one of the tree roots near her. He placed his hands on his knees and sighed deeply. She sat down next to him and waited for him to speak. She stared around the room for a few minutes, while he still remained silent. 

   After a dozen or so more minutes he finally said, “It’s about Silvermoon.”  She perked up. 

   “Really?” She leant in even closer. “Go on, what happened between you two.” He didn’t look at her, but she saw that the tips of his ears went red. Now she was starting to get curious.  It was almost like the confrontation he had with Lily never existed, though she can guess it was what caused the mild tension that still seemed to hover around him, whenever she saw him now.