"Next time, don't pause when you have your enemy in the air. Drop him and drop him hard, preferably on his knees, his joints... anywhere that can break or shatter."
Breath coming in deep pants, she allowed herself to mull over his instruction, imagining ways that the situation could have gone differently. She could have pulled his legs back then slammed him down on his back. The impact would have sent the air from his lungs and left him dazed; gods knew she loved seeing him in that sort situation. Shaking her head of the brawl-induced-arousal, she refocused on re-examining their spar, things she could and should have done better. He was still going easy on her, of that there was no doubt, but she was starting to be able to hold her own on Razkar Tier One. Maybe one day, she would be able to truly hold her own against him. That, however, was eternally in doubt. Razkar was made for battle and brutality, Edreina most certainly was not.
"Much improved, tigress."
The Svefra flushed a pleasant pink across her nose and cheeks at his words, stepping close to him. "Growling Master teach good. Turn me give favor?" Gentle fingers brushed up and over his taut stomach before continuing up to flick her hair from her face. A tick she gave him to mull over her words, consider the many possible implications contained in her words. "Come..." she whispered, smiling gently.
"Time for their swimming lesson!" She called out to the crew, and then repeated to the Denvali, grinning brightly. In a matter of chimes, the ship was brought to a stop with furled sails and a dropped anchor. A small group of the refugees gathered on deck, shuffling awkwardly.
It was to the edge of the ship she led him, not the open hatch. At the look on his face, she laughed outright, teeth glinting in the Synalight. To the group she turned, hands on her hips as a few of the other Svefra who had offered to assist with such crucial lessons strode up to her side. By now, everyone knew how to swim; it was now simply about building up their strength and streamlining their figures so they looked the supposed Svefra part, at least to an untrained eye. To Razkar, she said: "You work on swimming, too. And then, to the rest: "Strength," she flexed her arm and then pointed to her bicep and shoulder, "endurance," after a tick of trying to come up with a mime for the word, she simply repeated it in Common tongue, "flexibility. All come from swim." It all but physically injured her to chop up her native tongue in such a way; sounded to her ears like waves crashing against a sheer wall of rock, halting the rhythm and destroying the natural music. "I practice with you. Do like me."
With bright, excited eyes, she reached up and over her head, touching the backs of her hands together at the summit. Her shoulders rolled, bringing her arms back, palms then touching behind her. Each movement was slow and gentle. Hesitantly, the group followed her, eyes darting about to their neighbors to make sure that they were not the only foolish ones. Heedless, Edreina moved on to her legs, taking her ankle and pulling it back so that her back arched, toes pointed as she stretched the entirety of each leg. From one side to the other she leaned, finally, stretching each side of her body. "Now... let's go!"
She was the first to leap overboard, but the others were not far behind. Some had caught on to her enthusiasm, others were just excited to get into water that was always so oddly warm, warmer than the air, even. Edreina just hoped she would not have to climb back into the ship to drag Razkar along with her.
Breath coming in deep pants, she allowed herself to mull over his instruction, imagining ways that the situation could have gone differently. She could have pulled his legs back then slammed him down on his back. The impact would have sent the air from his lungs and left him dazed; gods knew she loved seeing him in that sort situation. Shaking her head of the brawl-induced-arousal, she refocused on re-examining their spar, things she could and should have done better. He was still going easy on her, of that there was no doubt, but she was starting to be able to hold her own on Razkar Tier One. Maybe one day, she would be able to truly hold her own against him. That, however, was eternally in doubt. Razkar was made for battle and brutality, Edreina most certainly was not.
"Much improved, tigress."
The Svefra flushed a pleasant pink across her nose and cheeks at his words, stepping close to him. "Growling Master teach good. Turn me give favor?" Gentle fingers brushed up and over his taut stomach before continuing up to flick her hair from her face. A tick she gave him to mull over her words, consider the many possible implications contained in her words. "Come..." she whispered, smiling gently.
"Time for their swimming lesson!" She called out to the crew, and then repeated to the Denvali, grinning brightly. In a matter of chimes, the ship was brought to a stop with furled sails and a dropped anchor. A small group of the refugees gathered on deck, shuffling awkwardly.
It was to the edge of the ship she led him, not the open hatch. At the look on his face, she laughed outright, teeth glinting in the Synalight. To the group she turned, hands on her hips as a few of the other Svefra who had offered to assist with such crucial lessons strode up to her side. By now, everyone knew how to swim; it was now simply about building up their strength and streamlining their figures so they looked the supposed Svefra part, at least to an untrained eye. To Razkar, she said: "You work on swimming, too. And then, to the rest: "Strength," she flexed her arm and then pointed to her bicep and shoulder, "endurance," after a tick of trying to come up with a mime for the word, she simply repeated it in Common tongue, "flexibility. All come from swim." It all but physically injured her to chop up her native tongue in such a way; sounded to her ears like waves crashing against a sheer wall of rock, halting the rhythm and destroying the natural music. "I practice with you. Do like me."
With bright, excited eyes, she reached up and over her head, touching the backs of her hands together at the summit. Her shoulders rolled, bringing her arms back, palms then touching behind her. Each movement was slow and gentle. Hesitantly, the group followed her, eyes darting about to their neighbors to make sure that they were not the only foolish ones. Heedless, Edreina moved on to her legs, taking her ankle and pulling it back so that her back arched, toes pointed as she stretched the entirety of each leg. From one side to the other she leaned, finally, stretching each side of her body. "Now... let's go!"
She was the first to leap overboard, but the others were not far behind. Some had caught on to her enthusiasm, others were just excited to get into water that was always so oddly warm, warmer than the air, even. Edreina just hoped she would not have to climb back into the ship to drag Razkar along with her.
(c) Wanda Endust
