Fucking fire!

Quickly I tuck wings, then snap them out in a sharp flap, hurling my body away from the flames. I feel the heat burn past, the frogs of my feet prickling almost painfully. Before I knew it the paint was upon me, and I tightened my body as he hit, teeth scoring, sinking down and clamping onto my neck with a vice-like grip.

With a furious bellow I kicked out with both forelegs and hind, his own pummeling at my chest. Neither of us bothered to use our wings; it would do no good, not with the weight of our locked bodies. So we fell, kicking and lashing at each other with our hooves. Heat dripped down one of my legs, across my chest, and it was with satisfaction that I saw red beginning to fly from my strikes as well.

A shrill shriek from Azeeza tearing through my mind jerked my attention from the painted brute to our plummet, and my hind legs kicked out again, but for purchase this time. The paint seems to be aware of our fall and pushes away from me, tearing a nice chunk of hair and skin from my nape. Fucking bastard! I whirl, not intending to give him rest before my hooves are snapping across his back, driving him further and further towards the ground. He tries to slide out from under me, and I correct my own flight the second I see his feathers twitching, determined to keep the barrage going, to force him to the earth.

Finally he slips away, back criss-crossed with cuts from my feet, and I bare my teeth, giving chase. He's faster, which is mildly surprising, and quickly we climb again, and before I know it he triggers another amulet...and vanishes. Startled I balk, wings snapping out to stop my ascension, my head whipping around. The bastard was gone, vanished. My senses strained to listen, but the wind snatched away sound before it could be carried to my ears.

It was a battle-shriek that drew my attention downwards, where Azeeza shot from her perch in the tree, climbing quickly towards me. Those long talons unfurled, and with the grace of a predator she flipped her rear forward, legs stretched out at seemingly nothing. However whatever she struck, she struck true for red went flying, a hoarse scream reaching me. She clung to the invisible pegasus, and terror made me twist in the air and rocket down towards her and our prey as he tossed her around. The sight downright PISSED me off, and Azeeza and I scream our rage, her letting go as I felt my outstretched hooves hit home.

Something snapped, whether it was in my own body or my opponents I did not know.

And I did not care.

Red clouded my vision, and I struck out again and again at the invisible mass until, without warning, he reappeared. His wings labored, hind legs hanging unnaturally. But I do not see this. All I can see is him tossing Azeeza around. He could have hurt her. I intended to make sure he NEVER touched her. The dark fury boiled within my chest, and I rolled away as he triggered another amulet, the spot I had been in exploding in fire. The edge of my wing caught it, and the searing pain did little but to piss me off further.

Azeeza dove again, her long claws curling around the stallion's wing joint. Talons dug in, seeking the flesh that would sever his flight even as my bulk crashed into the other wing. All three of us spiral, until at a word unspoken Azeeza and I release him, darting away from the ever-growing ground.

It was with satisfaction that I watched him crash to the ground, breaking, cracking, and quickly I turn to Azeeza, making sure she was alright. Aside from dizziness she seems alright, and she settled between my shoulder blades as I circle above. I could celebrate my victory later, my gaze flickering over the battle scene below. We dropped down to the ground, Azeeza choosing our target for us.

With another shrill shriek she took wing, gaining height before diving down, talons extended. Her mark is true once again, and her sudden hit on the vine makes it snap to free the black mare even as I land, armor snapping over my body as I charge. He whirls to greet me, and our chests slammed into each other even as we reared, the wind knocked out of me but my legs pummel at him as is own does at me, my armor blunting the worst of it.

"Altan's speech."