Grace of An Elder

Chapter 35

"Get up. You cannot stay on the ground. It is a sign of weakness, and it provides your enemy with an advantage. Never risk yourself in this way." Dhadtoudi pushed herself to a standing position in front of her father, returning to her previous battle stance with her feet spread shoulder width apart and her fists up in a defensive position to block her face. The Elder moved to strike the young girl again, and despite her attempt to dodge the attack he was too quick. His fist connected with the side of her face with more force than she would have liked, but she didn't protest. "Try again. We have been over this, Dhadtoudi."

She landed a kick to his side with no effect and he grabbed her leg before pushing her off kilter and slamming her to the ground. "Stop doing that! I'm not as strong as you! We're only supposed to be working on defense blocks!"

"You cannot make excuses for your failure. You do not have power, but you have speed and agility. You are smart. Use that to your advantage. Make it your strength. Find a weakness and exploit it. You must find other ways to defeat your opponents. You cannot give up simply because someone is stronger than you. If they knock you down, get up and rip their spine from their neck! Do not allow anyone to disrespect you!"
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Her grey eyes fluttered open to see the hulking form of Bhihtu stomping toward her collapsed body. Dahdtoudi was face down on the metallic floor and could still feel the knife against her fingertips. Slowly, she clutched it against her chest as Bhihtu drew nearer. The human picked up on the unique sound of gauntlet blades sliding out of their sheaths, and she gripped her own weapon a little tighter.

Dahdtoudi nearly flinched as an angry, threatening roar echoed through the building. The source had come from the sideline, and it had been enough to throw Bhihtu off guard. She rolled to her side and slammed the hilt of the dagger against the male's temple, sending him staggering to the left. She managed to grab his wrist and forearm before slamming her shin into the side of his arm bone with a sickening SNAP filling the air. Bhihtu roared in anger and she punched him in the head once more before moving to snap his remaining arm as well. As a last-ditch precautionary measure, she threw her shin against the side of her foe's kneecap which dislocated the delicate cartilage. Another roar leapt from his throat as he fell to the ground uselessly.

"Yield, Bhihtu..!" Dahdtoudi was barely able to hear herself over the crowd, let alone over the male's enraged and pain-filled screams. She placed the serrated blade against his throat and gave the command again. The large Yautja spit in her masked face, and her temper flared. 'Do not allow anyone to disrespect you!' Her father's words called out clearly in her mind as the rest of the chaos was pushed to the side momentarily.

She noticed Bhihtu look to the side before yelling something defiantly, and Dhadtoudi gave him one final opportunity to surrender. He roared in her face now; he refused the offer of survival. The small human slit Bhihtu's thick neck with more ease than she'd expected, and the only sounds she could hear was the squirting of his fluorescent blood and the thumping of her own pulse racing through her body.