The Darkness Within

33 - Talking and Playing

After winning, neither of her opponents being able to oppose her, Ciara stepped back and let them stand once more. She was calm now, relaxed, and as such her hold on her power lessened and she could no longer see her surroundings. Tala, ever the dutiful wolf, was immediately at her side to guide her to her clothing.

The movements were awkward, Ciara not used to being guided in this form, but they managed to arrive where she had left her clothing on the snowy ground. She shifted back, reluctantly, into the werewolf version of herself that she had taken on earlier in the war council. She enjoyed the sharper senses and the canines that made up the form. Then, as fast as she could identify clothing items and their directions, she dressed again. Unfortunately, she could feel the burning stares of everyone else present, even without her sight, and dressing without her eyes or help was certainly a harder task. She was relieved when her skin was covered once more and put her hand on Tala's shoulder. She enjoyed the larger size of the wolf- closer to her true form- and decided not to change her back.

"Thank you for sparring with me," Ciara said to Lila when she sensed her beside her, "sorry about your shoulder."

"I'm happy to spar with you, it's always a challenge. As for the shoulder, nothing time won't heal."

Ciara nodded her head, "Just make sure you get it looked at."

"Will do."

Tala stopped walking making Ciara stop as well.

"I've never seen sparring like that," Princess Oriel commented, likely the reason Tala had stopped walking. "I am not sure what I expected but it was not such amazing proficiency from all three of you."

Ciara just hummed in agreement, holding tighter to Tala's fur to let her know she too was proud of the wolf.

"You should see Ciara with a bow," Lila said as they started walking again, following where Ciara led. "She used to hunt with it in the forest, that's how she found us, and it's certainly the best I've ever seen anyone with one. She shocked even my pack's Gammas with her skill."

Ciara's mood dampened considerably at that. "I'm not sure I could ever use a bow again, Lila."

A quiet 'oh' was all Lila said and with her werewolf nose, Ciara could smell the female's sadness at remembering why.

"How were your movements so fluid when fighting then?" the vampire princess asked. "You clearly have lost your sight and yet your fighting seemed as if you could see the world around you. You rely on your wolf to guide you while you can fight with a complete accuracy that others might deem impossible."

"I can sense my surroundings in a manner that is much like seeing if I focus enough, and I did that while fighting," Ciara explained, deciding to indulge the crown princess's questioning. "However, I can't use it all the time and it is different enough from how my sight used to be that I'm not sure I would be able to aim properly."

"It might be worth a try, you could try your sword again too," Lila spoke up and Ciara agreed.

"We should spar sometime," Princess Oriel said, her voice holding a tone of challenge.

"Gladly. Just don't be too hurt when you lose," Ciara said back, enjoying the bold personality of the future vampire queen. Oriel scoffed at that and Ciara knew she would indeed look forward to fighting the female.

"What of your scars?" Arytha asked after a break in the conversation, speaking up for the first time since the war council.

Ciara decided not to answer that herself, motioning her hand towards where she thought Lila was to have her answer the question.