Red as the Dawn

Chapter 12

Chapter 12 

 (/Mare/)

I let out a battle cry, as I brought my foot around in what would have been a sharp roundhouse kick, had I not been fighting Cal. He caught my foot with minimal effort and admonished, "You're supposed to be working on the act of surprise, and battle cries don't really help you there."

I stumbled as he let go of my foot, and settling back into my stance. As he turned his head to instruct the other's sitting on the ground, I dropped down into a crouch and swept my foot. He let out a cry of shock as I hooked his ankles and ended up sweeping his feet out from underneath him. He landed on his back with a thud, and I heard him gasp as he rolled onto his side, his arms wrapping around his middle as his diaphragm hitched.

Rising slowly, I glanced down at him with a smile and stated, "It's a pretty good distraction though."

His lips twisted slightly, and he sat up slowly as his breathing leveled out. He began to get up as I crossed my arms, pride radiating off of me at finally besting him, even if I did cheat. He massages his lower back as he replied, "Well, you wouldn't have gotten the second chance in a real fight."

"She might have," Chelsea offered from below. She was sitting cross-legged watching our fight, her eyes analyzing every move. Next to her, Torin was tying his boots to begin his fitness portion, but he looked up momentarily to see what we were all talking about.

Since Cal's return a few weeks ago, Torin had gradually opened up to him. He'd spoken with Cal quietly about something a few days ago, and after that, they'd been attached at the hip. He'd followed him around during training, asked more questions than were necessary, and begged for scraps of information and tips. It was nice to see, though, and Cal had adapted well. From what I had noticed, he'd been uncomfortable at first with Torin's sudden change, but slowly he had begun to open up to him as well. In fact, I had heard them talking a few nights ago after lights out. They had believed everyone was asleep, and normally, I would have been, but Maggie had kicked my knee while she rolling over. I'd listened to the two of them talk about nothing, then Torin had asked about Maven. In the silence that followed, I had heard the hum of far off machinery, and the pounding of Cal's pulse as he tried to decide between ignoring and answering the question. Eventually he had whispered, "I was a terrible brother that put my ambitions before my brother's happiness, that's all you need to know."

Torin had responded that maybe Cal wasn't to blame, maybe Maven was too. Cal had remained silent and rolled over. Apparently, deciding that the conversation was over.

"Yes, but the kick was sloppy because Mare didn't lock her ankle. I could have easily turned her foot and broken it." Cal's words snapped me out of my reprieve, and I saw that he had now turned his attention to Torin who was asking about the technique of the move. The young burner only shrugged and replied, "Well, her ankle was locked the second time around."

Chelsea let out a fit of giggles, and I felt a smug smile tugging at my lips again. Cal huffed in response to the comment, and replied, "Point noted and taken, but in a fight with a Silver, you won't be in the tight quarters like the ones I'm trying to create. You'll be fighting in wider spaces, where they will have an easier time manipulating the terrain around them."

"So then just push them into a corner." Torin argued, his eyes lightening up at the prospect of an argument. Cal narrowed his eyes and inquired, "Oh? And how exactly do you fight them then?"

"KIck 'em in the shins," Chelsea offered.

"Elbow to the stomach, then flip them over your shoulder," Torin shrugged, as he looked down at Chelsea for confirmation.