Crow's feathers - Naruto fanfiction

Chapter 37 Forever

Taryn wasn’t sure how long the battle went on after that, but it seemed to last forever. They chased each other all across the arena, attacked and blocked and took several hits. They managed to wear each other out, but refused to give in. Both were lying on their backs in the arena, not far apart. Neither had much more to give.

Taryn was sore all over. She didn’t have any chakra left, but had no intention to forfeit the match. She turned her head to the left where Itachi lay.

He didn’t look much better. He was panting heavily and she knew she had caused a lot of damage with her Gentle Fists.

In between them, a kunai dagger was stuck in the ground and it gave her an idea. She reached for it, but Itachi grabbed her wrist at te last moment and pulled her firmly towards him.

In the last second, Taryn managed to snatch the dagger from the ground. She placed it against his throat while at the same time he held one against her side.

“Give it up,” Itachi said.

“You give up,” Taryn retorted.

Both of them were completely worn out. Taryn felt the cuts on her body burn. But she wasn’t going to be the one to stop this match. She was lying on top of him, so she could feel his chest rise and fall. His breath was raspy and she knew she had caused it. He needed a medic soon. If he would only forfeit. But she knew he wouldn’t. Both of them had something to prove.

“Come on girl,” Itachi said, “you fought well. No one will think anything of it if you just quit now. You’re the youngest one here. You made it to the finals. This can end peacefully. Forfeit and I’ll let you go.” Taryn glared at him furiously. Who did he think he was, patronizing her like that. Bedsides, he wasn’t much older than her. A fight wasn’t over with until you had won. He had to kill her to win. It seemed he had similar thoughts though.

“I never quit,” she hissed at him.

He smirked at her. “No? Well neither do I… Have you killed before?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Have you?” she asked darkly.

He gritted his teeth and with a firm push he rolled her over so he was on top now. Taryn’s knife was still at his throat, but he had made a large cut in her side. She screamed in pain. Vaguely she heard mutters in the crowd. She had forgotten they were there.

Itachi pressed his hand against her wound. “Forfeit the match,” he said, “or you’ll bleed to death.” He coughed. The damage she had done to his organs earlier finally began showing result.

“Don’t be a fool Uchiha,” Taryn said, “you need medical attention. When I used gentle Fists on you I caused damage to your internal organs. You already have trouble breathing. If you don’t forfeit you’ll go into cardio arrest.”

“Then forfeit the match,” Itachi said and coughed again. This time some blood came with it.

“You’ll die,” Taryn said again.

He coughed again. “I’m not… quitting.”

“The only way for you to win is to kill me or forfeit,” Taryn hissed.

He gave a soft chuckle. “What is that? No ‘or I will kill you?’”

“I don’t have to kill you. You’ll die anyway if you keep this up. What is it? Can’t take it to be defeated by a girl?”

A wave of dizziness made Itachi waver for a second and his hand slid from her wound. Immediately blood gushed out from Taryn’s side and she gasped. He was right. She would bleed out. But she wasn’t giving in. Her father would yell at her like no tomorrow if she forfeit.