In Form

More Bark Than Bite

Hex spoke casually, like this was a normal thing to him; being threatened. "...but I used the back way through Rockport and we lost them."
I had remained quiet for the rest of the ride back, it looked like Hex didn't really want to talk right then. It gets pretty scary when he is upset like this, or just scary in general too, he's always creeped me out.
Dragolya cracked open her coke and took a sip. She looked stressed. "This is just, stupid." She sighed.
"Complete rubbish." Mistory added.
"I mean, why can't we all just get along? I mean, I know why... But we just need to keep out of others' business. Our business is ours and theirs is theirs, we may not agree each, but who cares? Mind your own bloody business!" She was getting upset at nobody. Hex came to comfort her but never touched her.
Mistory nodded in a agreement. "Do you wanna throw your knifes at a tree to blow off steam?" Mistory tried.
Dragolya shook her head. "No. No, I'm fine." She kept shaking her head and stormed off. Hex glanced at the both of us before zipping off after her.
"She'll blow off steam some how." Mistory said nodding.
Just then we heard a loud roar of anger come a little ways in the woods. It went for a few seconds, then I saw light from fire and more growling and roaring. A tree fell and brush was trampled, at least that's what it sounded like.
I pointed in Dragolya's direction. "Like that?"
Mistory and I laughed. Just after, Dragolya blew some fire at the ground somewhere back in the woods some more, Mistory took in an irritated breath and had a quick smile. "She's gonna start a forest fire... I'll take care of it." With that she turned into form and grunted as she walked towards Dragolya.
I could hear bodies clashing and more roars, but at least she was done blowing fire. This went on for a few minutes before the racket went down. Mistory walked into view clapping her hands together as if wiping off dirt, she wore a smug smile on her face.
I made a nervous smile. "What did you do?"
She raised her brows. "Just a little brawl, nothing big." She still smiled.
"Who won?"
She looked at me as if I was joking. "Please, don't be so daft. None of us really win here. Just all in fun." She shrugged. She looked as happy as could be considering she had just come from a fight.
"Except me."
I flinched at Hex's voice that suddenly appeared with us. Mistory glared at him. "Really?" She lengthened sarcastically.
Dragolya came into view and glanced warily between them.
"I have won some of our battles, Mistory." He was so calm with his words, other than Mistory who always seemed to suddenly turn into a time bomb around him. "And you and Dragolya, of course..."
Dragolya sighed and spoke like she was tired of their fighting. "You guys, come now, please don't start again."
"Yeah, what's up with you guys?" I said.
"Butt out." Mistory said harshly.
I stepped back and looked down. Hex looked at me curiously, which made me even more uncomfortable.
"Amber, bring your head up." Dragolya said like a mother telling her child to sit up straight. I did what she said.
Hex continued to stare.
Mistory decided to continue. "So let's start right now then! We'll have at it! If I had a gauntlet, I would throw it out right in front of you Hexacious!"
Hex was ignoring her now. "Amber, why do you do that?" 
I looked at him and shrugged. "I don't know."
"Hey! I'm talking to you, fang face!" Mistory tried.
He ignored her once more. He walked up to me, I didn't know what to expect. He moved forward a said, "BOO!" I flinched back and gasped at his sudden scare. He seemed to be weirded out by my effect to his "boo".
"What the heck was that for?" I asked defensively.
He raised his brows in surprise. He looked at Dragolya then back to me. "What was that? Don't ever talk to me in that tone, Amber." He said very seriously, leaning over me.
I shrunk back and looked at the ground away from his eyes. I could barely glance up at him.
He backed off and scoffed. "Huh. All bark, no bite." He stated almost as a question. He looked to Dragolya. "Have you noticed?"
Dragolya shrugged. "I've noticed she isn't very confident."
My brows stitched together. "What? I'm confident!" I proclaim.
Hex turned back to me. "Yeah, but only verbally, you are. You can make yourself larger with your words, but that's just a wall waiting for someone to take down. Your not..." He tilted his head. "Confident when it comes to knuckles and blood."
He was right, though I don't want him to be, but he's right. I'm all bark and no bite. I wish I could toughen up some how, but, I'm just too scared of the consequences for when or if I do get into something that involves a brawl or physically showing someone up. Of course these guys are tough, they grew up in those rough times with swords and horses, plus, years and years of experience. I guess you would really have to be tough from the start in those days in order to survive.
I lowered my head. "Yeah, I-I guess your right."
Right at the end of my sentence, Hex lifted my chin then pointed at me for a reminder. "Don't let down your head, shows weakness." He said almost like an old native would.
I almost laughed at how he said that. I nodded tucking in my lips to hold back a smile.
He turned to Dragolya. "For an Elder she sure is jumpy." I glared at him. He turned to me. "This is a very important subject you need to learn." He nodded.
I felt determined to get better and stronger. "Okay then, how will we start?"
After it was decided to make me less prone to being a scaredy cat, and more hardened like a rock, we worked for a couple weeks before I wouldn't even flinch when they repeatedly scared me before a practice. Now I just expect to be spooked every time I come to practice. They also teaches me how to defend myself and how to be ready for combat mentally.
A couple months pass into June and still no word or sight of Onyx. They've made themselves scarce, but this only worries me.
My skills have improved a little as I am able to deflect punches now, disarm someone of their gun, and I'm still working on persuasion though. It's fun being able to finally be confident about myself and not cower away from people who try to physically over power me. Schools out in a couple days, I'm really excited for longer practice days.
"Okay, just focus on me, my voice." Hex said slowly backing away from me.
I have been quite a failure at detecting moves before there thrown, especially Hex's moves because he's so fast. He likes to remind me when I 'die' when we practice on fighting skills. He also likes to constantly remind me about the bad people and creatures and what they would have done like, wolves, bears, other dragons, moose, and other animals. People like, "evil humans", Elven people, dragons in human form, hunters, and shifters. Creatures like, werewolves, nymphs, and vampires, he especially has a dislike to vampires.
I focused all my senses on Hex. I had already put to memory what he smells  like, almost exactly like Dragolya does. Mistory has more of a camp fire smell. I locked my eyes on Hex as if he was my prey.
He used his speed to run one circle around me then back to his spot in front of me. "Got it?"
I nodded.
He sighed like he was relieved and came towards me. He raised his hand up for a high five. "Good job today." I looked at him questionably. He glanced at his hand and motioned me to give him a high five. "Don't leave me hanging now."
At my slightest move to go for his high five I saw Hex's grin spread across his face. That high five turned into a fist headed straight for my face. I bent backwards to avoid it but went to far because I had to hold myself up with my hands. Hex found this opportunity to grab my shoulder and pull me up and flew me forward passed him while kicking me in the back for good measure. I hit the ground like a sack of flour.
Hex laughed shortly. "I can't believe you fell for that! You were doing so good!"
I got up quickly and ready. "I wasn't ready for that."
"It's almost too easy." He mocked. "You can't fight if your father depended on it! You weak, tame, lizard!" He yelled.
I know he was yelling those things just to get me angry, just so I fight him more furiously. Mistory told me that calling a dragon a lizard is one of the most rude and insulting things you could call them, because lizards are small, vulnerable, and weak. Tame, is a term used by wild and older dragons to mock those who live like humans.
Mistory was gone right now. Dragolya said she would be gone for "no more than a fort night". I think it means two weeks. She says that Mistory has gone to visit an old friend. So, Dragolya's here watching and interacting with my lessons.
I stood up straight and I smiled. My eyes glowed as I looked at the ground, willing it to grow vines around his legs. As he realized what I was doing he tried to hop out of the vines grasp but it was too late. I wound them tightly around his legs, permanently keeping him in the same spot.
I walked up to him but not too close to where he could reach out and grab me. Dragolya laughed in the distance.
I got a little worried when I saw on Hex's face that he had more up his sleeve, that cunning pursed lip grin that said he was up to something. His eyes turned red.
"Looks like I got ya." I said rocking back and forth on my heels, that nervous tug of my trust to my own thoughts had me recoil from saying anything else that may distract me.
He nodded. "Yeah, could you bring me a cup of tea and a book funnies while I wait?"
    I shook my head. "No specialties this time, not everyone gets pampered when there stuck!" I pointed at him.
    "Hm." He laughed once. "You forgot one thing though."
   My brows furrowed together. What did I forget?
   Hex's fingers waved back and forth.
   I dropped my smile when I realized I had forgotten to bind his hands, again.
   He extended his hand out and I was flown forward until my neck was in his hand. In my struggle, his vine grasp was broken as the vines died at my loss of oxygen. I clawed at his hand that wouldn't let go. He loosened his grip so that I could breath. "What do you do now?"
    I grabbed his arm, brought up my legs and pushed off his chest with my feet. It felt like slow motion as I flew horizontal with the world. I could feel Hex's hand going down my leg till he could grasp my ankle, he stopped my flight and pulled me down to the ground with a slam. I coughed from the dirt flying into my face, the wind being knocked out of me really took its toll and my chest hurt from the impact.
    Hex grabbed both my ankles and pulled me around, this was a practice act, like if someone were to drag me somewhere else. I let him drag me in circles, we've already gone through three lessons today, I was done. He stopped and dropped my ankles. He leaned over me. "Your dead."
    I raised my eye brow. "What?" I questioned. "No way, you literally just dragged me around."
    "Uh, yes way." He mimicked. "A hunter just stabbed you in the chest, in an alleyway, and stuffed you into a dumpster. Your dead. Too bad, too sad." He made a face and stuck out his tongue.
    I grabbed his legs with mine, grabbed his shirt and brought him to the ground. We began to wrestle, which was a big mistake because he's way stronger than me. I kicked and hit like a sissy while he tried to hold my arms back. I finally got the upper hand and ended up on top of him, unfortunately he seemed pretty entertained whenever he would simply slap away my hands as I tried to reach his throat. He brought his feet under me and pushed on my stomach. I flew through the air and did a flip till I landed hard on my back. I coughed after, once again, the breath being knocked out of me.
    I heard Hex get up, dust himself off and walk towards me. He leaned over me again. "Ready to submit?"
    "Never..." I said weakly and sarcastically. I coughed again. I tried to go for his legs again but he kicked me in the side. I rolled over onto my belly and made the most unattractive cough ever in the dirt. He tapped me with his boot.
    Okay, now I'm really done.
   He stepped around me and grabbed on hard to the back of my neck for a few seconds, I tried to move away but it was no use. He let go. I scrambled away and held onto the back of my neck. "Ow."
    "Hex!" Dragolya scolded.
   "What?" He whined.
    "I told you not to do that!" I heard her walk up to to him. I remained motionless.
    "I didn't actually do it. We might as well teach her now, without really doing it." He countered.
    I turned my head to speak. "Tell me what?" I said boringly.
    "Why I grabbed the back of your neck." Hex said still sounding like the argument was stupid.
     Dragolya motioned with her hands. "In a challenge or fair battle, whoever wins will bite the back of the losers neck as a form of dominance over them. Usually done in dragon form." She looked at Hex and lowered her voice. "And Hexacious was certainly not going to do that."
    Hex put his hands out in defense. "I used my hand. I didn't actually bite her nor was I going to anyways."
    I got up and dusted off my pants. I grabbed at the back of my sore neck. "That hurt Hex." I whined.
    He waved down. "Your fine. You got to face what's reality alright." He rolled his eyes.
    "Hey! I not gonna be pushed off like some... Child!" I stamped my foot at him.
    "I already made my dominance clear, Amber. Do I need give you a reminder?" He asked, his eyes turning red.
    I shrugged and kept my arms loose. "Maybe." I turned my eyes gold at him,
    He attempted to take a step towards me but Dragolya came forward quicker. "No, we're done fighting today. And you can't afford a real fight with Hex." She pointed at me.
    Hex stepped back but gave me a glare which probably meant he was going to get me later.

************************************************
Remember to vote!

I know this chapter may be a little... Unimportant. But it's somewhat informational.😉

Read on!