A/N: This isn't edited and is a work in progress. I'll fix mistakes when I'm editing for publication. I just wanted to get this out in the meantime, as it's been a while. A. xxx
Waking alone always induced dread, and despite everything currently going to plan, from Vili and Ve's meeting with Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu, to Beaivi turning up two days later to confirm that her people would fight alongside us, my heart still stuttered when I discovered Leof's absence. It took several minutes for my groggy yet alarmed brain to catch up, for my second sight to confirm that he was ok, and for my empathic ability to assess the moods of both the men laying into each other in the dojo, many floors below. One felt calm and determined; a testament to how far he'd come. The other remained anxious, but less so with each passing second of focus. Sparring with Leof had always demanded concentration, and that would do Fenn good. It soothed me a little to realise the wolf had taken my advice to heart, and sought out Leof to work through some of his frustration.
Sliding out of bed, I grabbed my jeans from where I'd discarded them the night before, and pulled on a clean t-shirt, then headed for the door. Unfortunately, the menagerie decided they wanted to join me, and the mass of fur and feathers that crammed after me had me tumbling out of the Sire's suite, rather than exiting with any veneer of dignity. At least the ravens glided down the stairs ahead of me, not getting under my feet. The wolves and lynxes were another matter, choosing to wrap themselves around my legs again and again. Luck alone got me down to the ground floor, and agility played no part in the feat.
Descending into the basement proved just as difficult, and I was ready to take the whole zoo out behind the nearest barn, to go the way of Old Yeller, long before I reached the dojo. But once we stepped inside the training room, even the animals paused as if entranced. I, myself, stopped just across the threshold; watching in awe as Leof and Ábrođen circled each other. One thing was certain; I had phenomenal taste.
Both men were bare chested, with hands raised in defensive positions, but where Leof had donned gi bottoms, Ábrođen had borrowed some of our cohort branded joggers, attire which Gunner kept stocked up and stored in cupboards along with the various items of training equipment he provided for sentry use. It was odd seeing the huge wolf sporting the cohort’s raven shield, and yet that thought barely formed before appreciation washed away the surprise which I felt at seeing him dressed as one of us.
Both men looked strong, and not just physically stong. Yes, both were tall and muscular, and both moved with practised ease - Leof with the grace and precision of a trained warrior, and Ábrođen with the power and focus of a predator – but their strength went deeper than that. It shone molten gold in the irises of two divine beings. It shimmered in the magic that sparked around both of them, testing each other’s defences, even as they appraised each twitch and bunch of muscle as they prepared to attack or feint. They were beautiful, enchanting, and in many ways, they were daunting. I could feel the energy rolling off them, and the focus in their minds as the studied each movement the other made.
When Leof lashed out, his fist barely grazed Ábrođen's cheek before the wolf twisted away and struck out himself, aiming a bow at Leof's side. Leof blocked easily enough, although his flinch and the burst of pain which radiated from him said he’d underestimated just how much strength Fenn possessed. It wasn't be the first time he’d underestimated his opponent. Hel, there were times when I'd underestimated Fenn, even after everything that happened.
Perching on one of the long, school-gymnasium style benches, which sat along one wall, I settled down to watch the two men I loved most in the world attempt to take each other down, relieved that they could spar together, good-natured, without any residual competitiveness or anger. What hate there'd been, had gone, and I could feel their mutual respect as they attacked and retreated, with fists, and feet, and with streamers of crackling magic that attempted to bind or block, depending what seemed most necessary at any given moment. The briefest smirk flickered in Ábrođen's expression as a ball of fire erupted from his fingertips, hot enough and precise enough for Leof to hiss as his skin singed before he managed to extinguish the burning missile. He retaliated by using a rod of sorcery to knock Ábrođen's legs from under him, so he landed hard, winded, and barely managed to scramble back to his feet in time to prevent Leof pinning him.
