When the Stars Align... (Raiha)

[Akasha]

Akasha hadn’t expected the Akontak to be so quick in her retaliation. For such a tall woman, her moves were agile, her intent quite clear. Her eyes could see clearly in the dark, but could Raiha’s as well? The leg was shot out, catching her off guard and she nearly tumbled had her balance not been retained and her sword nearly slipped from her grasp. But then out of the blue, came the punch of the same shade, connecting to her stomach. Akasha gasped aloud, her body jerked forward and her sword collided with the ground in a soft thud.

How… how?

Raiha hadn’t wasted any time. Within chimes she had the kelvic girl pinned to the ground, a looming, dark figure above her, and Akasha could do nothing but blink. Until finally she realized her situation. Almost immediately she had struck out with her knee, connecting it to Raiha’s gut and thrashed.

Don’t hold back, don’t hold back, come at me Akasha! She could feel it in her heart, the pounding heart of a dire eagle owl in desperate need of another. She couldn’t be alone any longer, not any more! She was so tired, so tired of searching, of rejection and heartbreak. Why was she going to make herself suffer when she had the opportunity now? The threads of her bond snaked out, clawing at Raiha’s subconscious, willing themselves to accept her. And there were tears, tears so fresh on Akasha’s face, that felt hot against her skin even when her strange, orange eyes were filled with so much passion and determination.

Please, it whispered, Please let me in… It had been a charade, a show of talent, a show of love. Akasha wanted the Akontak more than perhaps, the Akontak would know. I will serve you til the end of my days, I will be your guide, your protector, but you must let me in… Akasha tilted her head back and gazed at the stars, even when she was so vulnerable and exposed to the other girl. She awaited the rejection and the hate, she awaited the words, I’m sorry, you’re not for me. And at least she would build up her defenses for this moment.

[Raiha]

The Akontak grappled with the naked Kelvic under her, trying to pin her and knowing all the while the lithe female beneath her would hate being pinned down. If she could just manage it… it would pay off. But it was anathema to her nature, and the nature of any bird that flew. Being held down, being denied the freedom of the air and the sky sent urgency through them, and sometimes that induced a wild panic. That was when they got unpredictable. Kanikra was offering encouragement, praise, and suggestions, satisfied for once with how things were going as adrenalin raced through Raiha’s blood, even as it dripped down her arm. Get her legs next, Kanikra warned, because she’s fixing to…

Akasha’s knee caught Raiha’s gut, hard, knocking all the air out of her lungs, and the Akontak’s eyes widened with pain as she rolled off of her. …Do that, Kanikra finished. One arm wrapped around her midsection as she crouched, one hand gripping the grass as she gasped for air, trying to steady her breathing. Why did you get off? Kanikra snapped at her. Get back at it. She said you had to beat her to win her, didn’t she? Prove yourself! But as the winded Akontak got her breath back, she could feel it. She felt the way the Kelvic reached out to her in a way that transcended the physical. It was a feeling, Raiha knew, that many would go their whole lives never understanding, never realizing, never even knowing. It wasn’t new to her, but for each one… for each of them, it had been different. This, what Akasha offered, the promises she vowed between them, was unique.

But the denial, the painful, anticipated rejection never came.

Yes, came the Akontak’s unhesitating response. Yes. When the circling and striking are done… and you land… come back to my hand. For all of this life, I promise you this. Your search ends on a night where the stars align. You won’t be alone anymore. You’ll never be alone again, Akasha. You don’t have to fight any more. Raiha accepted, welcomed the bond, honored and humbled by the lively Kelvic’s display as she seized on the bond willingly, pulling Akasha to her feet. And at the same time, Akasha could feel another lurking deep down in the shadows… like her new bondmate wasn’t just one person, but two. There was something else there. Something that was dark and cold and forbidding all at once, pressing in along Raiha, together yet separate, the same and yet different.

A hand, then two, appeared in Akasha’s vision, one arm dripping blood that had reached her wrist, and Raiha took hold of the Kelvic’s hands and lifted her up easily. There was gentle, understated strength in the tall blue girl that Akasha had felt before when they had been wrestling, and she smiled down at her new bondmate before plucking a blade of grass from her hair. Still holding onto one of Akasha’s hands, she bent and picked up the katana’s sheath, and offered it to the Kelvic before letting going and getting her own suvai, discarded in the heat of battle, and Akasha's blade. She held it with two hands, one on the blade, one on the hilt, and offered it to its rightful owner, before having a look at her arm, focusing on Rak'keli's power. She couldn't heal it, not all the way, but she could close the deepest layer. When they were looking at each other again, weapons away, the crimson slash on Raiha’s arm somehow no longer bleeding, though still open and raw, the Akontak spoke up. In her quiet voice, as she reached out and touched a lock of Akasha’s hair, tucking it back behind one ear, she murmured, “I found my owl.”

[Gossamer]

. Character: Raiha Experience: 4 XP Hunting, 5 XP Observation, 2 XP Suvai Lore: Wandering Alone, Facing Dangerous Animals with Calmness, Logically thinking problems through, Remaining still for a long long time. Additional Note: I gave you hunting because you were hunting owls. Sure you aren’t there to kill them, but you did a good job describing the process. I did not give you auristics XP because when you say ‘an aura’ caught your eye, you didn’t actively move into auristics and look with your djed-filled eyes or whatever method you use to utilize auristics. The skill needs to be concentrated on and isn’t just passive. If you’d like to revise I can give you more experience. Too bad the thread ended so abruptly, the combat scenes were well written and interesting. .