[Sanctuary] Long Days and Nights(Kavala)

[Hatot]

51st Day of Summer, 510 A.V.
Continued from: http://www.mizahar.com/forums/topic3352.html

Hatot’s form rested kneeling at the edge of the cliff, only a simple loose pair of pants that he generally woke in was worn. The rising sun of the morning beat down on him, casting a long shadow of his shape towards the west. A breeze, carrying the scent of the ocean waves that rocked along the cliffs overlooking the vast sea, ruffled the lengths of his black hair slightly as his eyes remained closed. His body was motionless, stuck in a heavy meditative state as he waited patiently. Kavala had woken up earlier than he did, making her way out of Sanctuary for a morning run. Hatot had spotted her from the high vantage point of the cliff. Her frame small, barely more than a spec from the distance she was already from, but even at a great distance, she was unmistakable to him.

He waited, communing with Radris in his deep meditative, as inside his mind, he stood along that same cliff, Sanctuary to his back, the ocean to his front, and Radris to his left. It was the only time the two of them stood face to face. Inside his own little world where their was only one other occupant. It used to be that his point of focus used to be the great Waterfall near the city, but that was another time, where it was only him standing in front of it, and Radris was locked in a cage facing his back, snarling for freedom. New beginnings, in so many ways, happened over the course of just a couple of short seasons. “I still say you were too harsh.” Hatot said, his arms folded as he looked over the ocean.

“She needs harsh.” Radris countered, his hands on his waist as he just looked to Hatot. “You can’t conquer fear if there isn’t any fear confronting you.”

“I still have reservations about it.” Hatot then simply said, lowering his gaze for a moment.

Radris just grumbled before both of his hands grabbed Hatot by his armor, causing a look of surprise from Hatot himself as he was suddenly tossed off the cliff they both stood over. A short scream echoed out from Hatot before he was suddenly back up along the cliff, unharmed. “Why the hell would you do such a thing?” Hatot barked, shooting a gaze at Radris.

“Because it was fun, and you were thinking too much of sheltering Kavala from me.” Radris said, poking a finger into Hatot’s chest before it was swatted aside. “Do you really think me capable of hurting her?”

“Yes.” Hatot said plainly, staring Radris in the eyes.

“Well, yes, I could. I suppose you got me there.” Radris said with a chuckle for a moment. “Still, I don’t have any intentions too. You know this without even having to beat it out of me, which you couldn’t anyhow.”

Hatot gave another slow sigh, looking back out to the sea once again. “I still don’t know.” Hatot said.

“Listen,” Radris said, smacking Hatot along the back of his head, “she needs this, and you can’t give it to her. I know this, you know this, and on some level, she likely knows this too. So let me handle making sure she isn’t afraid. You handle her ability to kick the ever loving shyke out of whatever is trying to make her afraid.”

Hatot remained silent for a moment, his arms coming to a fold over his chest. Eventually, he looked to Radris. “Even if it means I’m in pain the next morning, I’m going to train her to bring the pain to you for these lessons of yours.” Hatot said.

“You better,” Radris said, raising his hand as he began patting Hatot’s back, “otherwise it won’t matter if she isn’t afraid.”

Radris then just gave a barreling laugh as he pushed Hatot off the cliff once again, sending Hatot to a falling scream in their meditative world. He laughed with a tone of glee and entertainment. “Wow, that never gets old, and he keeps falling for it.” Radris said.

Hatot’s eyes shot open, a quick gasp taken as he stared out to the ocean, his knees only a half foot away from the edge of the cliff. “Damn you Radris,” Hatot uttered, edging away from the cliff slightly.

Hatot’s gaze once again moved to the beach below, checking for Kavala’s return. He would have to cram a lot of lessons into little time. He only hoped that the whole thing, on top of her normal activities for the day, wouldn’t become too taxing for her in the long run.

[Kavala]

She rose before Syna, carefully unwrapping herself from Akela and Hatot, and at least one Kelvic who'd decided her stomach was a perfect pillow and had actually fluffed it before making it a reality. There was a bit of grumbling, but she managed to free herself without waking anyone up. She padded off to the wardrobe and switched from the sheath of her nightdress to a pair of special pants she'd had made in the city. They were the type of pants some of the boys in Hatot's class wore, cut in an unusual style so that they had an extra piece of cloth in their crotch military style so that the kicks martial artists used would not overburden inner seams. Kavala found them suitable for riding and training - just about any work around Sanctuary in fact. The ones she chose were a dark gray streaked with black and lighter gray and white topped with a tight white tank top that left her navel bare. She'd need the freedom of movement for her run. A belt encased her waist with Hatot's sheathed Lakan hanging from it. That was another vow Kavala had made. She'd learn to use the weapons soon - because she'd never not carry it - at least not until Hatot saved her life back. In a way, she thought, he was doing just that via Radris, trying to help her through the damage that was her life. Kavala finished dressing with soft boots suitable for the run down to the beach were added to the outfit while her hair was caught up in a ponytail and she was ready to go.

When she was ready, she set out with swift feet running across the courtyard and down the hill. Kavala took Savan with her, the dog running eagerly along beside her - not much protection - but happy enough company to keep her motivated. At the base of the hill where the road hit the beach, the Konti slipped out of her boots to go barefoot. Kavala planned to jog down to the city and back to Sanctuary along the surf, keeping her eyes sharp and her wit focused. It was easier said than done. The Konti was fit, time and necessity having taken care of that through her work with Sanctuary. But her endurance really needed some work, and it was a lot to ask of her self to set one leg in front of another and force herself forward at a run. It was a challenge to find a rhythm and settle into a gait that made the going smoother and easier. Breath in... hold it... breath out... forcing air to power her stride and give her enough breath to keep going.

As she ran, dog at her side, the sweat broke out on her, plastering stray strands of translucent hair to her head and causing her white tank to streak with wetness where she sweated. Kavala kept the stride she found though, forcing herself forward and telling herself it would get easier as time passed. She had to be stronger. They were right, both of the Akalaks she called her friends. Radris' voice echoed in her mind with the words 'Meat Shield' and how he claimed she fled from herself and reality at the first threat. If someone asked her how it had happened she'd be hard pressed to tell them. She herself didn't know. Kavala couldn't have even told anyone where exactly she went. Deep inside of herself was the easiest answer, but it wouldn't exactly be true. It was a place of darkness - where there was no pain, no fear, no time. The Konti called it 'The Nothing' and it had become her shelter over the course of her slavery.

Radris wanted to eliminate that from her life. He had a good reason to want her behavior to change. And Kavala, on her part, had to make a conscious decision to give it up. It had served its purpose. It had saved her life. Radris might not understand that, but Kavala knew Hatot would. As she reached Riverfall and made her turn to follow her own bare footprints back to Sanctuary, Kavala thought of the two men. They where so opposite. Their strengths were diametrically opposed. Hatot was amazing. There was no doubt about that in Kavala's mind. He was a solid steady presence in her life and she would give that very life if she could to make sure he survived and thrived. Radris was a surprise she was still reeling from. He had turned out to be as deep as the Suvan and as intelligent as anyone she'd never met. If it wasn't for his assery, the Konti knew she'd have no trouble warming to him and broadening her relationship with Hatot to include the dark brother as well. As it was, Kavala felt a deep seeded need to please Radris... and that in itself was unusual. With Hatot, Kavala felt safe and like she didn't have to be anyone but herself. And in feeling that way, she know Hatot had a gift whether he realized it or not. Women and children would always feel a comfort around him. More than that, he had a knack for empowering them. She could attest to that first hand. Radris, on the other hand, had a knack for tearing them wide open and exposing their flaws like a healer would strip open a septic wound and let the air and sunlight begin the healing.

Kavala began to smile. The truth was, she liked them both, and that surprised her.

And though she had no breath left as she hit the base of the hill again, her mind had firmly organized some of its turmoil until she could slip back into her boots, hike up the hill, and join Hatot at his meditation. The run had taken her longer than she guessed, so he'd obviously been waiting for a while. So when she arrived, she bowed respectfully to him as her instructor, and knelt down to allow her breath to finish finding its way back into her lungs and to allow her to find a sense of peace within herself, quiet her thinking, and give a silent thanks for the learning she was about to receive. She knew nothing about meditation, and would have been surprised to learn about Hatot and his ever changing inner landscapes.

[Hatot]

A slow nod was given to Kavala as she approached and bowed. He remained motionless and quiet as she knelt down beside him, catching her breath. “It sounds as though you had a tiring run. This is good.” Hatot commented. “Meditation becomes easier when it is first practiced after you are driven to your limits. Like your graceful hand, it has restorative abilities. I was once told by my own teacher, that many magic wielders use it for restoring lost energies they’ve expelled during casting, and minimizing the side-effects that sometimes comes with it. Those much more practiced in the art of meditation have found it can actually replace sleep, and that less meditation is needed for the same rejuvenating effects that sleep provides. ”

Radris let a slow exhale then escape his lips. “There are many different ways to explain meditation, but for me, it’s a means of finding calm, of finding my center. It is also where I commune with Radris.” Hatot continued as his eyes opened, looking over to Kavala. “Most often, my place of calm resembles places familiar to me. The comfort of your room in Sanctuary, the Riverfall outside of the city. Today the very cliffs we kneel along. This is only a means to reach a meditative state though, imagining things that bring a sense of calm to yourself.”

Hatot then slowly stood, stepping in front of Kavala and sitting down before her. His hands slowly reached out, sliding into her own as he lifted them for a moment and lowered them, repeating the motion. “Relax your body,” Hatot instructed, calmly and with a soothing voice, “imagine that place which brings you a sense of calm, of comfort, of warmth. Slow your breathing, let it become long breaths, continuous and even, with no pauses. Centered more from your stomach, than your chest.”

Hatot slowly observed her, his voice becoming more silent. “As you continue, continue to relax. Push aside all distractions, starting with the exhaustion from your run. Do so by first focusing on something else. Whether it’s the sound of the ocean, the feel of the breeze, the smell of your garden. Whatever comes easiest to you.” Hatot said, looking down to her hands for a moment, checking for any tension that may have still be there from her run. “Focus on that and slowly begin to push out the slight aches and panes that have been garnered from your running. The pressure of your heart and it’s elevated pace. Just let them fade away on whatever you are focusing on.”

Hatot then slowly closed his own eyes, lowering his head as he began to practice what he taught. “Eventually, begin to push out the other things that surround you. The sounds, the smells, even the feeling of touch. Let them all go away except what you are focusing on to push them aside. Let that one thing be your anchor for now.” Hatot said as his own voice began to grow more silent. “Let the place of serenity become a place where you can draw strength from, where you can draw energy and vitality. Just standing there, making you feel more energetic, more alive. In this place, nothing can make you feel tired and everything makes you feel like you could push on without faltering.”

Hatot’s voice then fell silent, as his own center was found, once again resuming the cliff setting he was previously. Only this time Radris and him sat along the veranda, staring into the sea in silence. If Kavala found her own place, it would seem like bell had passed by where she was, drawing from it like she was being embraced by the God who marked her, restoring her. If she snapped out from it, as most beginners did, she would find that only mere chimes had passed during what seemed like bells. Her heart rate would be lowered, her lungs that burned from running feeling cooled, aches that rose from physical exertion lessened. It was a place she would have trouble finding at first, most often needing several chimes to do so. With practice, however, she would soon begin slipping into it as easily as she did a pair of pants.

[Kavala]

She listened to the sound of his voice, letting the words wrap around her. As he spoke she concentrated on relaxing one muscle group at a time, lulled into that sense of security she always felt around Hatot. From the first moment she'd saw him, meditating down by the river, she'd not been afraid of him. Picking snowberries, dressed like a boy to protect herself, Kavala had followed him home like a stray dog. Even now, she was still following him even if the way she was doing it was a little more sophisticated and a whole lot less obvious. Whether he realized it or not, Hatot's presence was one of the reasons she tended to sleep through the night when the first two seasons here she rarely slept at all. He pushed her, too, in gentle incredibly subtle ways that made her strive to be a better person. But, as was his way, the improvements were designed to make her stronger for the group, not just for herself. Hatot was selfless in so many ways, and that selflessness rubbed off on a great deal of people around him.

And so when he shifted, took her hands, and asked her to focus she simply nodded quietly and began to focus on the sound of his voice. In a way, it was like a road map to a land she'd never visited before. His language stretched out, creating a pathway for her in her mind, and she set her feet upon the ribbon of verbal roadway and began to walk. Deep within her mind the walk became a run because in her thoughts were centered on strengthening herself. Gradually she relaxed, for running in her mind was exhilarating - expansive - incredible. It was neither exhausting or taxing. As his voice kept filling her senses, she gradually slowed to a walk, stopped, and sat down exactly where she was.

Kavala found herself in tall grass that swayed gently in the wind. It was a vivid green color, like that of grass in the summer, and it was filled with the tuffs of dandelions drifting by like luminous visitors from far off lands. And as she looked around and relaxed more, the swaying grass became seaweed and she realized she was sitting cross legged in a beautiful patch of cerulean ocean - warm - in the midst of a seaweed forest that was a hundred thousand shades of blue. Fish swam by as jellyfish danced in and out of the swaying fronds. Light filtered down, illuminating the Konti to the point she realized she wasn't wearing anything anymore. There was an ultimate freedom resting there - unlike anything she'd experienced in The Nothing where she was so fond of fleeing.

She stayed for a long time, lost in the peace of the place. And though it might have surprised Hatot, who thought she'd be under for a few chimes, Kavala sat quietly in the peace of the sea within her mind for over a bell in truth. She sat so long in fact that someone else did the morning feeding and drew more waters for the troughs. Someone else took care of breakfast and rang the triangle that signaled there was food ready. She sat so long, like an alabaster statue, unblinking and unmoving that he realized she was rather adept at the withdrawl part of meditation. And on her part, being where there was sight, sound, and emotion was far better than the Nothing she was absolutely used too.

Kavala came out of her reverie only when she realized Hatot had stopped speaking for a long long time. She came back to the surface, somewhat braced for pain and the fact that something might have happened to her while she was gone. It wasn't because she expected it. But rather, it was because she was used to it. Hatot, had he been paying attention, would see her do a quick self assessment, flexing first one hand then the other, flexing one arm, then the other... stretching out one leg, then the other. She seemed genuinely surprised at how good she felt and offered him - after a long moment - a small smile.

[Hatot]

When Kavala opened her eyes and began checking over her body, her limps extending and bending, muscles flexing and contracting, Hatot gave a simple smile, standing beside her. When she looked up at him and smiled, a sense of warmth and energy seemed to radiate off of her, like the shining sun on a mild summer day. “Well, you must have found a place very peaceful indeed.” Hatot said, lowering a plate of food to Kavala. “You sister took care of cooking breakfast, after a small amount of insisting that you be allowed to continue meditating. Flick has fed the animals and Dyrid has added more water to the troughs. Both of them laid next to you for short while as well before the Akela rang the bell for breakfast and started yelling at them to, if I recall correctly, “get their furry asses in there and eat,” I believe her exact words were.”

“Eat though.” Hatot said, looking back to Sanctuary for a moment. “You can decide after if you would like to get some work done first and then some training, or the other way around.”

Hatot slowly sat down, one of his hands slipping to the ground to support his weight while the other laid along the knee of a bent leg propped upward. “You were at it for a little over a full bell.” Hatot said with a smile and some pride along his face. “So how do you feel and, if you don’t mind me asking, where did you go?”

[Kavala]

Kavala looked genuinely surprised then glanced around and noted how much alter in the morning it seemed. She took the plate of food and couldn't believe how hungry she was. Between bites of the griddle cakes that Akela actually did a great job making, she began to slowly tell Hatot what she learned. "Training first... I need to work the weanlings and two of the horses I'm training to accept riders. I'd rather they digest their food first... before I make them sweat." She said with a grin, grateful the Kelvics had stepped up to take care of some of the work. They were proving to be valuable members of Sanctuary, where they enjoyed an equal status to all the rest of the denizens - akalak and konti or a weird blend of the two combined.

"It was... your voice." She said, taking another enormous bite. Kavala chewed a few minutes and then swallowed. "It formed a silver ribbon that lead off into the darkness, but not to the nothingness I usually find myself in when I... withdraw." She said, shoveling another bite of the griddle cake dipped into maple syrup into her mouth. Kavala smiled apologetically then swallowed before speaking again. "Instead I found myself running for joy... first walking then running... and when I stopped I sat down cross-legged and was surrounded by tall waving grass. It turned into a kelp forest beneath the sea. It was so absolutely peaceful and beautiful there I didn't want to leave." She said with a smile. "I had no one to talk too though. I would have liked to have someone there... " She paused, taking another bite and chewing it thoroughly. Kavala never seemed to have a problem with food of any sort. She ate whether she thought she needed it or not. Lately, she'd been eating even more - probably a direct result of all the work she'd been doing.

"What kinds of things do you and Radris speak of? Did you... talk about yesterday? He really scared me... in such a calculated way that I think I'm even more disturbed by it today. But I think... I think I misjudged him badly, Hatot.. and his motivations. He might be trying to fool me... but somehow I don't think so. He... was almost fun." She admitted between bites, quickly consuming the food. Once her plate was clean, she rose, to stand beside him, and looked thoughtful. She glanced towards the Veranda, and began walking that direction, knowing Hatot would follow. She would clean the plate, put it up, and be ready for whatever the next step was.

As they walked, she spoke again. This time her voice was firmer, committed. "Hatot... I.. Radris didn't let me do this yesterday. But I'd really really like to thank you. I feel like we were supposed to meet. Like we were supposed to help each other. He told me about your Lakan and what it meant. I... I wear it gladly, though I don't think I will be needing to wear it for very long. All this ... I didn't realize how... well how much I could endanger others being the way I am... like something is broken." She finished.

Then he realized something very important. Kavala would have never agreed to this for her own sake. In truth, she was agreeing to the training and the work and the discipline in order to protect her friends and family - and any children that would come.

[Hatot]

Hatot watched as she described her inner world and ate, His gaze shifting over his subtle movements, his ears catching the tone of her voice. There was a fascination there, something that would be beneficial for Kavala in reaching her center on a second attempt. He nodded slightly as she described the where the ribbon had lead. First to a field of tall grass, no doubt reminding her of time spent with the Drykas, then of the ocean bed, full of kelp and vibrant sea life. He knew full and well how much Kavala enjoyed swimming in the sea. “A calming place indeed. It may even be beneficial for you to attempt reaching a meditative state in the sea when you wish to attempt such without my voice being a guide. Especially since you can breath under the waters.” Hatot said before giving a nod to Kavala about the lack of someone to talk with. There were times he wished he sat alone in his meditative world. “Perhaps there may be a way that I am not aware of. I am still just a novice at meditation myself, after all.”

Hatot’s gaze simply looked out to the sea for a moment when she asked about what Radris and him discuss. “We discussed your time with him last night briefly. Generally our conversations touch base on the events of our lives, but eventually just turn into the trivial, or into bickering.” Hatot explained as he slowly stood up, following Kavala towards Sanctuary proper. “He’s correct in saying that I think setting up a training room and temple in the basement is a good idea, by the way.”

Hatot gave a small smirk, almost trying to hide it as he lowered his head. “Radris, despite his brash and grating personality, has a deviously sharp mind. I’ve learned he’ll most often be able to tell a person what they need to hear, even if they don’t want to hear it. He’s been doing it with me, making me look at myself deeper. I suspect sometimes, he holds things from me though, as difficult as that is. It’s just that whenever I talk with him, I always have the suspicion he knows something I don’t.” Hatot explained as he stood patiently as Kavala cleaned, putting the plate back into the cupboard for her. Walking back out into the grounds, he stopped and turned to face Kavala as she began thanking him, a slow smile forming over his face. His hand then slowly reached out, cupping her cheek as his thumb slid lightly over his skin. “I don’t often think about fate myself, but I tend to agree that our meeting was more than just a simple coincidence that turned out well.”

Hatot then leaned forward, kissing Kavala’s brow for a moment before withdrawing and laying his hand on her shoulder. “Radris said it best when he said you had a grand dream Kavala. I agree with him fully on it. And what’s more, he motivated you in ways that would have taken me so much longer.” Hatot said as a smile crossed his lips. “So, let us work on making you feel as if your not broken, if for no other reason, then to give Radris one less thing to rant over. Because he does like to rant.”

Hatot then slowly began circling around Kavala, his hand still lightly touching her shoulder. “Before we get into more basic movements, I feel I should teach you something useful.” Hatot said, his voice calm and soothing, keeping her calm. “I’m going to step behind you Kavala, but this is not to test your psyche, that will be Radris’ job from now on. What I want to do, is teach you.”

Hatot’s arm then slowly began sliding across Kavala’s front, forming the hold on her that Radris had the night before, but his touch was gentle, having no force in it at all as his hand rested along her arm, rather than gripping it, his chest and stomach pressing lightly along her back. His head then leaned forward, resting along her shoulder as he looked down to his own arm. “You first tried leaning forward. This was a mistake. Most often, due to your size, your opponent will outweigh you. Trying to force your way out will be futile and waste energy.“ Hatot said as his other arm hung lightly over her other shoulder, reaching his other arm wrapped over her front. “Instead, focus on the arm that is restraining you first.”

Hatot then lightly grasped Kavala’s hand, pulling it upward as he laid it along that hand that rested long her arm. “In a quick motion, grab an offender’s thumb, just the thumb, and pull it outwards, twisting it away.” Hatot explain as he looped Kavala’s fingers around his thump, demonstrating what he was saying. “If it’s done quick enough, his hand will instinctively pull away with your twist in an attempt to avoid the pain and potential damage. An offender may realize that they can then just use their strength, closing their hand into a fist to counter this, but by that time, you should be able to create a small window of opportunity to break free from their hold.”

Hatot then moved Kavala's hand over to his elbow, guiding her fingers around the joint until she could feel a smooth ridge between the surface of his skin on the inside part of his arm. It felt almost like a cord that under the surface of his skin, as it rolled between her fingers when even a slight amount of pressure was applied. "Here as well, is a nerve bundle that when even grazed, causes the person's arm to fill with a tingling, almost burning sensation." Hatot explained, his hand still resting lightly over the back of her hand. "If struck with enough force and precisely enough, it will first cause intense pain, and quickly after temporary loss of function of that arm and hand."

Hatot’s hand then lowered, tapping at her knee. “Using your foot to stomp was a step in the right direction, but instead of kicking and stomping at someone’s foot, swing it back into the shin. Their legs will most likely be locked, and it kicking strait back will cause force that will hurt, as it‘s directed the opposite way a leg is supposed to bend at the knee. This also serves as a distraction for you to reach up and bend the hand away.” Hatot explained, his hand resting along Kavala’s shoulder. “Finally, if all else fails, while unorthodox to our style of combat, using your head to assault an opponent is not frowned upon. Swinging it back or to the side into their face when it’s close can knock out a tooth or break a nose. Daze them for a moment.”

“Now, try and break free.” Hatot then, tightening his hold slightly along Kavala, allowing her to use him as a practice doll this time around.

[Kavala]

She glanced up at him, gave him a measured look, and slowly nodded. "Someday I will learn about Meditation, Hatot, and strengthen inner bonds. I know that is what it is for and I can see how much good it has done you two." She said thoughtfully as she rose to lead the way back to Sanctuary proper. "Perhaps you should try talking to him with your fists. I'm not sure how that would work, but it seems to be his preferred method of discourse." She said with a grin. "I think that would make pillow talk with him interesting..." The Konti smiled softly and linked her fingers with the tall Akalak's for the few strides to the main Veranda. There she made quick work of the dishes, thanking Hatot for his help when he started putting things away. "You know, I've always suspected hes a lot smarter than he likes to let on. Just because your smart though doesn't mean you like to come across as being so." She added, then once more followed him out to what she'd started thinking of as Hatot's Training Area.

When he touched her forehead with his lips, the Konti leaned into him for a moment. Her caresses and affections weren't overt, especially in public for she tended to dislike any sort of attention such things would draw. But when they were alone, she wasn't shy about touching him or making him understand that she enjoyed simply just being with him. In fact, as their time together stretched out, she opened up more and more so that unexpectedly she'd draw him from a topic or a teaching and lure him into more carnal pleasures. He knew it was partly because she trusted him, but he was also realistic enough to understand that she was testing boundaries within herself and healing places that still festered with violence and soothing those wounds with gentler easier memories - even though she wasn't always gentle or easy. Kavala was as passionate as she was driven, and although they made promises to the Council to pursue nothing active, Kavala's idea of recreation was indeed going to result in a child sooner or later.

When Hatot went into teaching mode, fully warning Kavala what he was up too before he got too involved, she settled into paying attention and trying to learn what he was teaching her. She tucked into him, shivering only slightly at the size difference and how easy it was for the lanky Akalak to restrain her. But she nodded at his advice, then turned slightly. "I know, Hatot. It seems so simple, doesn't it? Bigger, stronger, you can't get away unless you think and calculate your escape. But when Radris grabbed me, I couldn't think. I was like a rabbit fleeing from a coyote, only I couldn't get out of his jaws. It's so hard to simply shut down that response and think. I don't think I'll be able too unless the ass keeps grabbing me abruptly until my mind kicks out of the flight habit. He scared me, Hatot. He scared me so badly I almost wet myself. I wasn't ready for it. But... it helped, you know? It really did help." She whispered, almost ashamed.

Then she did what he asked and examined his thumb. She really looked at it, the way it was designed, and how best to twist it to get away. He knew she knew she couldn't afford to take that kind of time in a situation of restraint, but for now if she could wrap her mind around what needed to be done, the memories of anatomy would help a great deal. Suddenly, abruptly, she seized his thumb and yanked hard. She used her nails, not quite breaking the skin, but if he'd been an attacker he could easily see her konti-firm nails ripping into the flesh of his thumb to get the job done.

She went on to listen about the nerve bundle and nodded. That was a handy piece of information to have. Kavala realized too if she could get loose enough with the thumb to twist, it wouldn't be hard to elbow a crotch or free a dagger to otherwise make it harder to catch her. "Show me exactly where to hit the nerve, Hatot." She said softly, then listened to his explanation on the why of it. Then, she'd touch the spot and make sure she had the location memorized.

She shifted still tucked against him, restrained, as he explained about kicking for the shin. "I know I've been listening to you for two seasons in class, Hatot, and truthfully I'm a little ashamed you witnessed that as my instructor, even inadvertently. I should have known better. I just wanted to get away. I didn't even think. It was like there was an animal in me reacting." She said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "And... I know this sounds completely unrealistic, but its the whole truth. I know the difference, even without hearing the sound of your voice or the expression on your face.... I know the difference between Radris' touch and your own." The Konti admitted, glancing up at him. She lifted a foot then, and practiced kicking gently backwards, bouncing it softly off Hatot's shin and thinking about the leg's muscle structure, so she could figure out where best to hit and indeed how hard.

She absorbed the knowledge about using her head, and then really carefully felt how he had her in his arms. When he encouraged her to break free, she took a deep breath and worked through all the steps he'd suggested. Only she rose up first, because straight up and down gave her the most movement whereas forward met the resistance of his arms and backwards met the resistance of the rest of his body. Upwards she simply wanted to crash into the bottom of his jaw, to maybe jar his head, while at the same time she lifted a leg and tried an unrestrained kick to his shin. At the same time as she was letting go of the kick, fingers were prying at his thumb, trying to peel it away enough to get her to break free. It was an awkward attempt, but he could tell his words had her thinking. In fact, the words had her thinking so much that as she pried at this thumb and he was distracted by that, her free elbow came up and drove into the less muscled tissue slightly above his genitals and below his abdominal muscles. Kavala wasn't underhanded enough to strike him in a sensitive spot, and knew his abdominal weren't going to be a weak muscle group to penetrate with a stray limb, so she tried that spot knowing the muscle structure was weaker there - directly over his bladder.

If the none of the other attempts worked, she'd opt for sinking her teeth into a wrist, preferably where the nerve bundle there was. If the funny bone bundle was a weakness, perhaps that one was as well.

[Hatot]

Hatot gave a nod, walking beside her as they headed into Sanctuary. “It’s not only good for strengthening your inner bonds, but bringing focus. I believe it will help you in your training with Radris.” Hatot explained, looking to Kavala. “Meditation allows your mind to be more focused overall. If you have that focus, especially during times of crisis, it could help you with resisting the urge to retreat. Though, admittedly, Radris’ way of helping you to overcome your fears, will be much quicker.”

Hatot slowly smirked, looking at Kavala. “The last time him and I fought in the Meditative world, we nearly killed each other,” Hatot replied over Kavala’s suggestion, “and I mean that on a spiritual sense. We’re not affected by the elements of our meditative world, but we are very much affected by strikes and grabs we give to each other’s spirits. It’s why I sometimes get a headache unexpectedly. There may come a time where we could begin sparing with each other, but so close to a Rite, and the differences we still harbor, the aftermath would prove too taxing.” Hatot then chuckled. “You would need to care for us as we would likely be bed ridden for a day or two. I‘m sure his pillow talk would amount to me pulling some trick dirtier than his to have actually gotten a strike in.”

Hatot nodded. “I admit to his mind being more deviously clever than my own. Our thoughts are unhidden to one another, but often I get the eerie feeling that he knows something I do not.” Hatot then said as he took a moment to look over the training grounds. “Half of his reasoning for letting on about his intelligence would be to keep an upper hand. If an opponent expects you to be a large, dumb brute, then they’ll be twice as surprised to learn differently. Same will be said of you eventually, I suspect. Most men will look at you and think nothing more than a small, frail Konti female. Imagine their surprise after you’ve sent them to their knees after just two or three strikes at the most?”

Hatot paused when Kavala began explaining how she retreated, his chin resting lightly along the top of her head as her hand caressed his arm. When she had finished, a slow silence passed over them for a moment. “In honesty, Kavala, I understand. Truly I do.” Hatot said softly, his free hand resting along the back of her own. “Pain became my signal to retreat. I couldn’t deal with physical pain, and when it was inflicted on me, I fled inside myself as well. The only difference between us was, that Radris came out to take my place when I fled, venting all his rage on the source as if blaming it for not coming sooner. Then you came along, and you subtle suggestion of letting him out willingly opened doors I would have never thought of because of the fear I had of him myself.”

Hatot’s head then lowered, his face resting along side of Kavala’s own for a moment. “All living things have fear, Kavala. It’s learning to face those fears and persevere in the presence of them that truly allows us to grow in ways we never imagined. You’ve taught that to us, whether you realized it or not, and now we can impart that same lesson to you.” Hatot encouraged as he turned his head slightly to look into her eyes. A slow smirk then crossed his featuers. "And it's good you can tell the difference in our touch. I've picked up on Radris' thoughts, and he was intending on impersonating me one of these nights in an attempt to sleep with you."

“Now,” Hatot said as he readied his grip once again, “begin growing.”

Hatot then waited for her to make her move, leaning his head forward to watch how she moved her hands and foot. Such was his first mistake as she suddenly shot strait up, starting her flurry with crashing her head into his, rocking his head back slightly. He then winced, letting out a slight his as he felt the hard heel of her boot crash into his shin, just below the knee. His hand instinctively twisted, prying away from her body as he began to bend the thumb in ways it wasn’t meant to be bent, the joint nearly being pulled from it’s socket(a little tidbit he failed to mention to her for fear that it might cause her to hold back). Finally, his eyes went a little wider as he felt her elbow crash into his pelvic muscle, a swarm of a burning stings lingering where she had struck as she twisted her body free from his grasp as he fell to a knee, grunting slightly in pain.

Hatot slowly looked up to her, his lower lip bleeding slightly from where her head had crashed into his face. Yet a slow smile spread across his lips as her frame blocked the light of the rising sun in the sky. “Very well done.” Hatot said with a slight chuckle as he rubbed his pelvis for a moment. “Changing the order in which I described to you as well as adding a different strike. Doing the unexpected will get you the results you want well over half of the time.”

[Kavala]

She spun to face him after twisting free, not too proud to rub her elbow which she suspected wasn't exactly as tough as his abdomen was. Kavala thought a few moments about what he said, mentally ticking off a checklist of what he'd taught her. Joints. Nerve centers. Sly moves in unexpected ways rather than brute force. Finesse was going to get her a lot further than the non-existant strength she'd never have.

She nodded, more to herself than to him, as she met his eyes and checked over his form deciding there was probably very little damage - at least nothing that came close to what he was used to in the course of Radris' nocturnal wanderings. Kavala stepped closer and knelt down on one knee before him, mirroring his position and then met his gaze. "I fall from a horse. I get knocked down or pushed, tripped or shoved so I loose my feet. It's so easy to kick a woman in the ribs with a boot and wind her so she can't fight or so she falls forward. Then its even easier to pin her down..." Kavala said softly, reaching out and taking his hands in hers. The Konti shifted how she was sitting until she went down on her rump and then pulled him forward gently until she stretched out in the grass beneath him on her back. It was a vulnerable position - the position of rape. "It is the most horrible feeling in the world... being like this... being pinned." The healer said, her blue eyes staring up at his, glad they weren't the darker crimson tint.

"Talk me through how to get out of it?" She asked, waiting for the feeling of terror to overwhelm her and make her feel powerless.

Only, she didn't feel powerless. Not now. Kavala felt like she could arch upwards, wrap herself around Hatot, and ask him for the world and he'd give it. Later, perhaps, she'd make sure he had it for himself even though she knew he wouldn't ask. But for now, there was something important to learn. So smiling softly, she gazed up at him and shifted her hands so he didn't have his fingers locked in hers but rather she laid her wrists in his grasp. The first time she'd been like this with him she'd been on a table in the veranda. Somehow, the grass felt more fitting.

Glancing down between their bodies, she started to do her own assessment. Thumbs would be impossible to grab. Her knees were mostly free if he got his body out of the way long enough to strike at him with them. Her forehead was loose, well able to be used as a weapon if she could hit without stunning herself in the process. But as far as she could tell, twisting and turning would do her no good. And in addition, strength wouldn't do her any good at all either. Kavala suddenly wondered if she could spit or use her teeth. Better yet, if she could grab a handful of dirt perhaps having that in her fist until she could get a chance to throw it in one's face could help too.

But she waited, instead, curious as to how Hatot would want her to address it.