The Beast Within {Discontinued ~ Mori no Ko)

Chapter Four

[Third Person POV]

It's a Duel!

Aoi unstrapped her bow and arrows, placing them gently against a nearby stone---close enough for her to grab in case things turned out the opposite of how she wanted them to.

After walking agonizingly slow to the center of the tree inclosed grassy field, they were at least twenty feet off from one another---a reasonable distance for two adolescents facing each other, both taking up their offensive stances.

"I'm going to enjoy kicking your ass!" Aoi cried out savagely, unsheathing her sai slightly, both hilts of the blades clutched in each of her hands.

Almost immediately after Toru gave the signal to begin their battle, the peeved dark-haired girl had lunged for Ken at rapid speeds, each of her weapons trained on his sun-kissed throat.

Ken opted for performing a set of rapid hand signs, too difficult to recognize with the untrained eye. Horse, Tiger, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger, Ken thought, then placed his slender fingers in an o shape around his mouth.

"Fire-Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Ken shouted as a large fireball shot toward Aoi, the heat searing part of Ken's black fingerless glove as it left his mouth.

"Shit!" Aoi yelled in annoyance, attempting to move out of the way fast enough so she would't get hit; however, since his attack had been on such a massive scale, most of her leg ended up getting scorched in the process.

"Dammit! I wasn't planning on getting burned so quickly in." she angrily muttered as she glanced down at the wound, before landing on the, now incinerated, ground ungracefully---irritating the freshly burnt flesh.

Ken, trying to take advantage of her weakened state, pulled out three kunai from the pouch on his right leg, but before his amber orbs could blink something barely grazed his cheek.

Aoi tsk'd in irritation for just barely missing her target, at least she was able to graze him though---just enough to get his mind off of her.

The redhead looked behind him, noticing the navy blue hilted sai stuck into the ground. His eyebrows furrowed when he felt the blood trickling from his fresh cut.

While he had been occupied at the revelation of her diversion, Aoi snatched up her bow and specially-forged arrows and silently leapt into the trees above, taking cover in their leaves.

Toru squinted his obsidian eyes at the two youth whom were fighting. These kids, they're quite interesting. He thought.

Ken glared up at the tree, an emotion finally finding its way onto his usual don't-give-a-damn face: Rage.

"You're gonna pay for that!" he shouted, as he started performing more hand signs, unlike the ones from before. "Fire style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" He blew out a medium-sized ball of inferno, one after the other, each aiming at different trees, setting the lush plant-life aflame.

The area where Aoi had been hiding in, slowly began heating up. She peered around and noticed an orange glow swiftly creeping up on her. Her eyes widened in realization, and she swiftly leapt onto the ground below. Reaching back into her quiver, she quickly strung out an arrow and aimed it through the burning bushes.

Suddenly an abundance of flaming arrows came toward the redheaded boy, catching him off guard since he'd been focused on the blazing trees. Ken quickly shifted out of the way trying to avoid the barrage, attempting to shield himself by putting his arms in front of his face.

One of the arrows managed to strike the armor covering his right arm. The intense heat from the dancing flames managed to ease their way through the metal, striking his flesh, almost branding it. The stray flames licked at his now marginally exposed skin as he fruitlessly tried to put them out.