Siiri held still as she felt the tremors rocking her bondmate’s body. She understood the girl’s internal struggle, using reason to override her natural animal instincts. Every wave of fear and confusion that coursed through Miharu’s being, Siiri felt acutely, the emotions raising the hair on her arms. It was a strange thing, their bond. It seemed that she could now feel everything the Kelvic did (as the girl did hers, she knew), as the connection between them grew stronger. It was peculiar, to experience another’s feelings and separating them from one’s own. Siiri had to remind herself that the fear coursing from her breast was not hers. Still, she did not deny or block the emotion, riding the turbulence until the very end.
“I would not do anything to harm you, Miharu,” While her words were meant to reassure the girl, as she wanted her to stay calm as they went through the execution of the move, Siiri realized she also meant every word she had just said. Even in just the space of a few days, as she explored the depth and meaning of their bond, the Myrian had come to discover that the welfare of the Kelvic has begun to mean a lot to her.
Miharu voiced her readiness and Siiri wrapped her right arm around the girl’s neck, positioning it so that the girl’s carotid arteries were pressed against her bicep and forearm. She did not squeeze but merely pulled the Kelvic towards her, cradling the girl’s head against her chest as she locked the hand of her choking arm on the crook of the elbow of her other arm and then placing the hand of that arm behind the girl’s head. A faint, pulsating sensation tapped lightly on her choking arm as blood flowing through Miharu’s neck. It seemed faster than normal; the girl must still be fighting her instinct to escape. Siiri kept the hold loose and her arms relaxed so as not to cause any more undue stress to her bondmate.
“Are you all right?” she asked. “This is a rear naked choke, one you can perform when you get your opponent’s back. You can hook your legs over theirs for leverage and also so they can’t escape. You execute it by squeezing your arm on the enemy’s neck, halting the flow of blood up their brain.” To demonstrate, Siiri tightened her hold and tensed her muscles for a moment. She loosened it again immediately before Miharu could begin to struggle. “If done right, it can cause unconsciousness in seconds. Hold it a little longer and would they die.”
Siiri repeated applying it, doing it in slow motion this time and pointing out to the girl which part of the arm was supposed to press against which part of the neck. She explained that the purpose of placing the hand of the locking arm behind the back of the head was so that the enemy could not struggle out of the hold or bang their head against her face. For tips, she told her that pulling up her shoulder once the hold was in place would increase the pressure on the neck. Finally, she released her bondmate and moved to face her.
“Holds like this one are much better than strangling with your hands. Leverage is used more than strength. It’s effective for subduing an opponent or if you don’t want to leave a mark on their body. It’s a simple move but getting into position to apply it is half the battle. That’s where strikes come in,” Siiri concluded. She turned around, offering her back to Miharu.
“Now you try it. On me.”