Flashback Harsher by Far [Kaie]

[Tinnok]

She could see the surprise on the girl's face, knew precisely what she must think imagined the half breed participating in anything having to do with full bloods.

It seemed only right that she tell the truth to the girl now. She had been a good sport in running along with the lie, now it was time to fess up.

Scaled fingers slid the knife out of her clothes, wiping the blood that had begun to dry off. "My family takes to me about as well as piranha takes to the desert. They push sometimes farther than my patience can take... Suffice to say my sister got what she deserved." Just as I will get it back tenfold as soon as I walk back to the compound.

Then she stepped away from the tree, gesturing towards the spear with her knife. "Why don't you take that thing out, show me what you can do with it. There has to be some reason you're lugging it around."

She took a half step back, body crouching low to the ground, in a ready stance. Strange...there was no honor in fighting this small child, yet she was a warrior as much as any other, just a younger version of what she would grow up to be.

"Taloba always has need of warriors, but it is run by much more. Do not think you have to spend your life in the Taloban army's embrace." Tinnok knew first hand what it felt like to be pressured into a path. The Tempered Steel found it their mission to spend their lives int he army if they were not black smiths or crafters of another nature. Tinnok had the distinct disadvantage of falling into neither of the categories available to her. Just another failure to mount upon the series that she saw in her mother's eyes every time she gazed into them.

But now was not time for that...not yet. Tinnok flipped her dagger into a reverse grip, curious to see what Kaie would do.

[Kaie]

Another round of surprise cast across her features briefly at Tinnok's confession. Imagine that. A half breed sticking a knife into a pure blooded Myrian, not to mention one of her own family members. Gutsy would be an understatement. Borderline suicidal might be a better description of her behavior. There was no doubt in the child's mind that Tinnok had a more serious reason so hiding up there in that tree. Not to really absorb her actions, to feel sorry for herself. If anything those were just natural repercussions. Her true purpose was to hide from whoever the hell might seek her out. "Seems like I'm not the only one watching my back out here," She thought darkly, fighting the urge to glance again behind her where the shadows laid. "I trust your dagger served justice well," She replied with an understanding expression. It wasn't entirely sympathetic this time, naturally. She could try to hold empathy toward the half breed but the Myrian in her cringed at the idea. After all, she had turned steel on one of her clansmen, her family. A pure child of Myri. Such an action was deeply frowned upon in their society. Still, a less manipulated piece of her mind reasoned she might've done worse had she been in Tinnok's situation. It was too bad. Even retaliating to defend her own pride would result in brutal punishment. Little things in life were considered fair and just. "Why don't you take that thing out, show me what you can do with it. There has to be some reason you're lugging it around." Kaie watched the woman gesture at her weapon with the dagger, blood on her clothes from wiping it. Brow raised at the challenge, eyes following Tinnok as she took her stance. Low to the ground. She had the advantage of age and experience, not to mention Kaie's lack in spear competence. Nerves would be an immediate reaction, but instead it created excitement. The little Myrian couldn't resist a challenge, even if the competition would inadvertently become one sided. "Taloba always has need of warriors, but it is run by much more. Do not think you have to spend your life in the Taloban army's embrace." Kaie cocked her head just then like a confused canine at her words. She hadn't even considered such a possibility and she wasn't so sure she wanted to. What had she meant by not having to spend her life in the Taloban army's embrace? It wasn't like there was anything else out there. Nothing else but a jungle. No, she would remain in Myri's service alone. That was her sole purpose for existing. To serve her Goddess Queen. It would be many years later when Tinnok's wise words had actually sunk into the Myrian woman, taking on a much broader meaning. One with deeper significance and value. She watched the half-breed switch her grip on her knife. She was familiar with her weapon. Time for Kaie to claim hers. She shoved her body weight off the tree trunk, stabilizing upright again. She grinned at Tinnok again in a "challenge accepted" sort of way. Reaching a bronzed hand out, she grasped the spear she had jammed into the ground. Yanking upward, it came out of the soil and into her grip. She created three points of contact with her hands and her side. A prop position which allowed her to jab and thrust the spear in any given direction. "Alright then. Give me a little competition, Tinnok."

[Tinnok]

Tinnok eyed the spear carefully. She had seen her sister use such a weapon to rather ill effect, though the pose that Kaie took up, was not familiar to her. She studied it carefully, gathering that it gave the little girl more leverage and mobility for the weapon, which she would certainly need.

Tinnok took a step forward, flipping the dagger comfortably in her hand. This particular blade was familiar to her, but she always liked to reassure her companionship with a piece of steel before combat.

"A friendly spar. Perhaps we can make a game of it. The first to draw blood three times is the victor. Shallow cuts only please." Tinnok grinned and took another step forward, watching Kaie's dark eyes assess her taller and older opponent.

She wondered if the girl would side on caution or try for an all out offense. Already she had put herself on the defensive. Tinnok took another careful step, slowly closing the distance between them, then suddenly lurched forward, body bent.

She aimed straight for the tip of the spear pointing outward, but twirled her body, dirt flying around her right foot as she used it as the pivoting point to lunge around to Kaie's right side, making a quick slashing motion across the ribs, curious to see how she would respond to the assault.

[Kaie]

A friendly spar. She liked how that sounded despite the fact no battle ever seemed "friendly." Yet, the terms sounded good to her and she was eager to begin. Tinnok seemed observant as she eyed Kaie and her hold on the weapon. Analyzing it for sure. Finding the weaknesses if there were any, though Kaie wouldn't have known for sure. So, all she had to do was draw blood three times? Simple enough. Or so she thought... "In that case, you should let me win. I think it might look worse if you draw blood on a pure Myrian than the other way around..." She joked darkly in a jest of poor taste. Now the game had begun. How would Tinnok attack? Would she come straight on? Maybe she'd throw in something fancy and unorthodox. For either scenario, Kaie tried to keep her options open. At first it looked like to half-breed was coming in slow. Just a casual swipe maybe to warm up. Had she been an idiot, Kaie might've even relaxed her tight grip on her spear. Lucky for her, she was raised better. Tinnok's pace changed drastically from slow to quick, twirling on her toes and upping the stakes from the get-go. Naturally, Kaie was both surprised and impressed with the scaled girl. The knife came fast toward her side and Kaie hadn't much room to react. It was more of a panic impulse really that caused Kaie to move as she did. All that saved her from steel was the way she held her weapon. Since the spear was held to the right of her body just below the strike range, all she needed to do was drop step and adjust. Just in time Kaie did just that. The child dropped her back foot and angled the shaft of the spear, letting the edge of her dagger slice into the wood. It could've just as easily been her side, but Kaie was going to hope she wouldn't come that close again. Seconds after she had drop stepped and the dagger glided down, Kaie quickly drew the pointed end of her spear down. If she was successful, the Myrian would've drawn the tip across Tinnok's shoulder in hopes to get ahead in their game.

[Tinnok]

Tinnok was impressed. Of course the move was easy for the girl, the advantage of her grip on the spear, but it was still fast reaction time for an opening move that Tinnok probably could have tempered a bit considering her opponents age. For the half breed though, she imagined it would do no good to hold back, at least not much. Myrians and Dhani alike certainly wouldn't give the girl any quarter given the chance, why should she, a perfect melding of the two, do any different?

She gave a bark of laughter at the joke, but it was rather humorless. Oh how they loved to jab at the sensitive spots. Speaking of which...Tinnok saw the tip of the spear in a blur of an arc come down across. Her body pivoted, working to get out of the way, but regardless of how lightly it hit her, the blade did scratch her flesh.

Yellow eyes darted to the patch of skin to see a thin line of red appear diagonally across her shoulder. It barely stung, but Tinnok couldn't help but grin.

"Pure Blood 1, Skurak 0."

She spun around so that they were facing each other once again, then danced forward, hopping lightly from one foot to another before ducking down. Instead of going for a cut with her dagger, along a leg or knee perhaps, she simply reached out with both arms and shoved the girl, whose arms were quite occupied with the spear, the flat of her palms aimed for the center of the chest. The half breed had gauged the advantages of the weapon, and now wanted to test how Kaie took the disadvantages of her opponents close range as well.

[Kaie]

Success! The thin slash across her shoulder was a beautiful sight for the Myrian child. Blood to signal a point on the scoreboard. Two more to go. Should be easy...Right? "Pure Blood 1, Skurak 0." She grinned at the idea, seeming to lose focus in her childish satisfaction. She had been celebrating victory before it had been earned and that would be costly. Kaie readjusted her grip while Tinnok spoke, situating her feet correctly once again. Much better. Back in her proper position, the child watched the half-breed curiously to see what she would do. Her first attack was smooth and graceful. Clever even. All that kept Kaie's skin intact was a spear grip she had observed her own father use and a panic response to danger. It wasn't skill or technique. Just luck. Had she been a little more focused, she would've seen it would what it really was. A single stroke of accidental fortune. "You know maybe you should let me-" She started but was abruptly cut off upon noticing her change in stance. Tinnok returned again in her same fatal dance, a stutter step sort of motion that was confusing for someone of Kaie's age to follow. Where was she headed? Which direction did she plan on going to strike? Probably a side again or straight on. She was down a point so she'd most likely try to jam her dagger in there. On all fronts she was wrong. Tinnok was around her spear, away from the point, and Kaie was vulnerable. Her hands were too occupied with what she was holding to sacrifice a hand for a fist. Such a move would be foolish to begin with. Her weapon was made for long range. Kaie had tunnel vision from that simple fact. In her mind there was no other use, no other defense against short range. The Myrian had half a mind to use her feet to maybe propel the opposition away from her, but Tinnok was far quicker than she was. Before she could even get a foot up the shove came. With the force, Kaie found herself stumbling back. Half falling and half back pedaling to keep herself in the game and off the ground. To her the forest floor was death. When she regathered her balance finally, she decided to take the offensive this time. After all, why let Tinnok have all the fun? Running forward, Kaie made an attempt to mimic what the older girl had done like kids often do. To the left, the right, then finalizing on the left side. Kaie made a short jabbing motion with the point of the spear aimed at Tinnok's ribs when she glided to the side. Hoping she could get away with the half-breed's own move.

[Tinnok]

She was glad to see the move worked, even if it didn't land a scratch that could have even their score in the game.

And then Kaie was upon her.

Tinnok's feet back pedaled swiftly, watching the tip of the spear stab one way, then another, yellow eyes darting to follow the movements. It reminded her somewhat of a serpent's head this spear. It might strike one way, but one always had to watch for where the final blow would land, and watch she did.

She saw that the girl was mimicking her own first attack, something that awarded merit, but would not take Tinnok by surprise. The half breed twisted out of the way of the side swipe and aimed a kick for Kaie's left knee, following up by closing the distance between her opponent again and going for a cut along her collar bone. It would be shallow at best if it managed to hit, but the point of this little duel wasn't for harm, after all.

[Kaie]

And just like that she was gone again, dancing away from the danger of Kaie's spear. The little Myrian was no better on her feet than earlier, with or without utilizing Tinnok's fancy trick. Instead she was back at square one still trying to gain a further edge. Of course her advantage was quickly lost as Tinnok countered with a swipe at her knee. Her attack was awarded thanks to Kaie's inability to get her small stature out of the way quick enough, just before she was punished with a slash across her collarbone. Pure blood dribbled out of the shallow, resembling a curse mark in Kaie's mind. The mark of failure. "Well done." She growled unhappily as soon as she regained herself. Now the little Myrian tried to think out of the box. Her wealth of spear combat knowledge was repulsive in that respect and therefore kept her limited. The closest thing to unconventional she managed to come up with in the time it took for Tinnok to slash her was aiming lower. Falling back, she turn the spear so the point faced outside her body and swung it out and down toward the half breed. If she was successful, though she doubted it, it would come in a diagonal downward slash across the hips. A thin mark at best due to the shoddy angle if the spear slid parallel with her body as intended.

[Tinnok]

Tinnok smirked at her success, but wouldn't let her tieing their little game get the best of her. Kaie had surprised her once already, and was about to do so again. It was a strange fight, this, but she couldn't help but enjoy the playfully competitive nature of it.

She watched the girl attempt a new attack. TInnok was not so familiar with spear work to be of any judge, but suddenly she was faced with the fast swipe of her opponent coming at a downward slash. Though it may have been shoddy, the attack did have the advantage of being strangely hard to block, and Tinnok rotated upon her right foot, pivoting in an attempt to get in a better position to take the strike The spear head did not break the flesh, but the wooden shaft sturck her hip bone, causing Tinnok to grit her teeth at the jarring impact.

"Ach." She grunted and grabbed the shaft of the spear in one hand tugging it hard, curious to see if Kaie would let go as she swung her body in. The dagger was closed in her fist and she aimed a bunch for Kaie's gut. A straight forward attack, but one that might be hard to dodge if she insisted on keeping her weapon.

[Kaie]

Miss. Well sort of. Her atrocious attempt at a swipe didn't draw blood but at least it made contact. Her eyes had closed, expecting some sort of malicious counter to slice her skin and make her bleed. All that let her know she skimmed her opponent was the sound of a short grunt. Her small arms were growing tired. Looks like Tinnok was right about the spear being too heavy. At least she somehow managed to keep her aim straight. That was some kind of progress in her spear incompetence...Right? Just as she was peeling her eyes open again, Tinnok took her by surprise. The embarrassing excuse of her spear's momentum halted mid down swipe. It was like catching a falcon's wing in mid flight. The abrupt halt and surprise at the loss of speed and control. Why had it stopped? Looking up Kaie could see exactly why. All too late. Brown eyes saw the half breed with a firm grip on her weapon. Next thing Kaie knew, Tinnok was tugging her in. Shyke. Goddess, she could be so childish. Just like any other stereotypical kid, Kaie was reluctant to relinquish her toy. After all what would she do without it? Tinnok had a dagger and Kaie would be left with her hands. How would she score points with her bare hands? Finger nails? Not likely. It was this naivety that would prove costly. So caught up in her own state of panic, of not knowing what to do, she found herself caught on the dagger. Just as Tinnok had probably expected her to. Kaie's own father had warned her about predictability and what had she done? Oh right. Walked straight into a half breed's knife edge. Always so clever, Kaie. Blood dribbled immediately from the jab. Now they were not longer tied. The pure blood was behind. And she hated every second of it.