Cats claw

CHAPTER FOUR

It was Saturday, and I was crouched in a bush in the training ring, waiting for Ryan. My sword out of its sheath, I was holding it across my body, it was pressed against my chest, when Ryan entered he looked all around. "Shade?," he asked "Shade!," I waited until his back was turned, then I jumped at him, my sword back safely in its sheath. I landed on his back, Ryan shot around, his sword in hand, I jumped off and met his sword half way in the air with mine. He put his away, I copied him, he put his hands on his hips, I copied "what are you doing?," Ryan asked I smiled, Ryan smiled then crouched "don't you dare!," I shouted, realizing too late what he was gonna do, it was to late, he jumped and he swung his arms around me and I was on the ground, pined with his hands on my shoulders. I slithered and pushed Ryan on the ground, pressing my hands to his shoulders, but he lightly thew me off, and he captured me again. His whole body only a few inches from my own, his body hovered over me, "never try to beat me in a game of strength, I'll win," Ryan smiled. So I ticked him, he laughed and fell on me, he tickled me back, "stop it!," I tried shouting at him. Only it came out as laughter and soon I was out of breath. We stood up and gasped, realized his sheath was black, mostly only the Darkhbra had black sheaths. "Ryan? Why is your sheath black?," Ryan's hand flew to his sheath, "I like black, it's my second favourite colour, next to blue," Ryan smiled. Padding his sheath. "The black ink. . .?," I asked slowly "oh, that's one of my tattoos, I have more than one," Ryan slipped his sleeve up; and on his shoulder was a beautiful black lion, walking on a bed of flames, his main was black then fanned out ending in flames, it's tail curled up Ryan's collar bone. "It's beautiful," I whispered "is it your crest?," "no, my crest is on my back," Ryan replied putting his sleeve down. After that we practiced, we swung and tackled, after awhile I gasped "I need a break!," "I agree!," Ryan sighed. We sat next to each other and we touched shoulders, "when did you get your lion tattoo?," I asked "last weekend,'' Ryan laughed "your the first to notice it," "all I have to say, is I'm glad your not trying to kill me," I murmured "why do you think I would kill you?," Ryan asked startled "the black sheath, and the black tail of the lion I saw, I thought you were one of the Darkhbra,", Ryan looked away, and changed the subject. "Anyways if you could get another tattoo what would it be?," Ryan asked "a cat," I said simply "with flames?," Ryan teased "oh probably," I shrugged smiling. We sat silently, then I looked at the tail, I reached out my hand and traced it. He smiled and winked, I blushed. Ryan touched my hand and brought it to his other hand, my hand was gently cusped with his own, "I hear Eric is so curl he tried to kill his own apprentice," that made me smile, "he's so mean I bet he eats puppies and kittens for breakfast!," we both burst out laughing. I sighed, and asked "can I see your lion again?," automatically Ryan lifted his sleeve and the elegant lion stood tall and proud, I reached out and traced it with my fingertip, "your touch is very gentle," Ryan whispered "I know," I pulled back my hand. Ryan was looking at me, I wrapped my arms around him, my head on his chest, he copied me, except his head on mine. "I should've never been picked to be a Cattra warrior," I sighed "why not?," Ryan asked gently, "I was so scared when Eric appeared, and when I saw that he was bleeding I felt sorry!," I sobbed into Ryan's shirt. He lowered himself to my eye level "your the best Cattra for this 'warrior' name, your a wonderful fighter, and a great leader," his eyes locked with mine, his eyes were no longer protected, they where sea blue and readable, "your eyes get really green when your thinking " Ryan replied. "I can read eyes too," "thank you, your eyes are breath taking when their not so protected," I smiled back "they were only protected so you couldn't read them, but I guess I'm letting you now," he smiled, and his smile made me smile. Then I heard a footstep, I swung around, and a shape was coming from the shadows, "hello Shade," Eric smiled evilly, Ryan had one hand on my shoulder, he stiffened, "hello Ryan," Ryan went rigged, "why are you here?," I spat "hmmm can I ask you the same question?," Eric evilly smiled "your stalling," I put all my weight on my balls of my feet, and slid out my sword, Eric copied "why is he here," Eric pointed his sword at Ryan who's teeth where bard "it's a free county, wait, you don't know that, do you?," Ryan stepped forward, I copied, but Ryan's hand stopped me from going much farther, Ryan slid his sword out of his sheath, and held it out. "It's going to be a pity wasting that beauty," he smirked, "oh yeah, you don't have any!," I started to growl, a deep threatening sound, "your both cowards!," he snapped, Ryan jumped forward, I was afraid but I stepped forward, three swords swung. Mine long and shiny, Ryan's long and more plump and silver, then Eric's long and black, like the soul he has within. I hit Eric's sword, and Ryan hit his side, I swung lower and got his shoulder, where the evil death tattoo stood out. Eric stumbled backwards and spat shaking of some blood "no matter how many times you beat me, I'll always come back," and Eric turned and looked over his shoulder at the bushes, he took a step forward and he had to stumble out.