I mulled over Alastar's teachings. The first few attempts had ended in nothing but a deep-rooted aching in my dry hand. I had spent days just learning how to gather some sort of liquid in my palm. Now I could do this with somewhat strained ease.
Water pooled at my feet and hardened into frosty ice.
That had been my next lesson: learning how to melt and freeze water at will. That one had been easier, once I had material I could see and work with.
I clenched my fist, pulling the ice upward and me with it. I shot into the branches, nearly unseating myself in the attempt. Now Ash definitely knew my location, but I could work that out later.
My feet were unsteady on the sturdy branches. The scratchy bark dug into my hands as I grabbed something to brace myself. This was not my turf. That just made things ten times more difficult.
Then, out of nowhere, a feathered shape shot into me and shifted into a familiar being.
"Hey," Ash said with a sneaky grin. "Nice to meet you here."
I returned the smile, launching him off of me. "You too, what a coincidence."
Ash backflipped onto a nearby branch easily, crouching, and using his wings to balance himself. He made a disapproving noise. "That wasn't too nice, why can't a guy just say hello?"
I made a noncommital noise, drawing my daggers. I knew Ash would be agile enough to dodge my strikes and I was planning on using the flats only anyway.
"Maybe when the guy flys out of the blue and tackles the girl, it'd be understandable."
He nodded. "True," he said and proceeded to unstrap his bow.
Over the last few weeks, Ash and switched from sword to bow under Alastar's command. He had originally learned because his family was renowned for their humble craft: sword making. It'd apparently always been his wish to learn the bow, but his father had insisted and Ash had given in to his demands.
He was more suited to learn the bow anyways. His build was lithe and he preferred to stay in the back. He would still keep up with his sword practice but fought with his bow much more.
Ash knocked an arrow -- the tips were blunt and rounded to leave nothing more than bruises -- and aimed.
I wasn't about to sit still and take the shot so I jumped hazardously from branch to branch, arms swinging wildly. I was a quarter way around the tree and had ducked behind a crevice in the trunk when it came to me.
He was missing on purpose.
The whole point was to unbalance me even more in this unfamiliar terrain. I was a land animal out of my depth in the sky, and Ash had pressed that advantage.
But instead of knocking me out of the tree, he was purposely aiming past me.
I had said before that if he didn't use the full extent of his power then I'd insulted, but I also felt an unexpected flare of warmth.
Which was then promptly lost in a sea of annoyance.
This time I ran along the branches leading towards Ash. He was caught unaware and refrained from using his next arrow. He dropped it as I swung at him and parried with a short sword that had replaced his original.
"What is it?" Ash asked, blocking me blow for blow.
"You better not hold back," I responded through gritted teeth. "I didn't agree to train with you for two months just for it to come to this."
My words had startled Ash and on my next strike, he didn't raise his sword in time. He clearly could have dodged, but for some reason chose not to. I skid to a halt, nearly nicking his skin but changing direction at the last minute.
We stood and stared at each other for a moment.
I was using the flat of my blade and could've gone through with the attack but I'd stopped. Why did I stop?
His piercing gaze locked on mine and for once there was no mask over his emotions. Surprise, amusement, confidence, compassion. Even one emotion I wasn't ready to identify but knew as clear as day.
In the heat of the moment, I slipped and tumbled down from the tree. Ash made a small noise and I forgot how to breathe as the ground rushed up towards me. What do I do, what do I do? I don't remember what Alastar told me to do, what do I do?
I tucked into a roll and summoned a swath of water to catch me, rolling up to my feet. I stood, untouched and dry, scanning the sky for my opponent. My breath came in gasps and sweat coated my neck. I felt cold.
Ash was above me, wings fully extended and working to keep him up in the sky. His expression was concealed once more, brow furrowed.
He was wondering if he should continue the fight.
I wasn't.
The tension was thick in the air again, and I hated it. But I didn't know what to do. How else was I supposed to react? Only Ash made me feel like this. Like I couldn't control myself. Like everything was as transparent as glass but as clouded as fog.
"Are you okay?" He asked, voice ringing out and rousing me from my stupor.
He got a dagger thrown at him in response.
Yes, I was okay.
"Stop waiting and fight!" I said. "I'm tired of you missing your attacks and treating me like this!" Words ran from my mouth. "I'm so done with all of this back and forth talking. I tired of not knowing what to do about -- about this feeling! About you! Just fight me already!"
That was probably more than I should've said, especially with Jinx and Sora still in the same room.
I heard nothing in response. Ash only circled in the air with that same concerned look. I realized that the only way I could get him to fight was to block off his escape: the sky.
Concentrating harder than I ever had, I summoned and called enough water to wring a tree dry. Water streamed from the leaves and exploded from the branches. Out of the corner of my eye, Ash was flying lower and lower to avoid the currents.
I spread my control paper-thin, commanding every drop to form a low dome over my head. Low enough that Ash couldn't fly. In sheets, the water crystalized and froze, creaking and groaning in its new position.
In my haste, I had also locked Jinx and Sora outside of the shell and I could hear their protests from a distance.
Ash landed in front of me.
He looked dead ahead at me. His mocking smile was gone, and in its place was a steely determination. "You want a real fight? You're about to get one."
With one quick motion, he jerked his short sword into his hand and swung. I was taken aback at his ferocity and barely managed to block the strike.
This was what I wanted, right? I had wanted him to stop holding back. I had wanted his approval and I had it.
No, that's not it.
I wanted him to look at me as an equal.
I wanted him to see me as more than just a clumsy Lupine.
The dagger that I had thrown was called back to my hand in a jet of water. I threw the other one at Ash but missed by a hair.
Ash stared at me, locking blades with me and pushing me back. I struggled to get a grip and hold my footing. I jerked back and stabbed towards him but he side-stepped.
"What's wrong?" He taunted. "I thought you wanted to fight. Where did all of your energy go?"
I faltered. He was right.
My swings weren't connecting. I'd purposely missed with my dagger, even knowing that I could have connected without worrying about him getting hurt. I wasn't using my ability to trap him like I knew I could.
Then I was angry. Angry with myself.
Why was I missing? Was I really so halfhearted? Was all the training just for this?
"Come on, Mel, your strikes are a little weak -- "
My hand clenched on the hilt of the dagger. I slashed a line and stopped right under his chin. I locked eyes and glared.
I am not weak.
My words echoed my thoughts as the ice walls I'd built came crumbling down.
Wait a second.
That wasn't me.
(Side Note: So this was supposed to be uploaded at around one but I was at a friend's house for about four hours longer than I thought I would be so...yeah.)