Яikyn

Even as we pulled away from the danger of the falling fire, into the clearer heart of the cavern, I couldn’t help but inwardly delight at both the thought of sparring Erebos, and our future adventure to the Falls – of which, he could be assured, I’d drag him to whenever the itch to be threatened by some big boss or another grew too strong.

With any luck, the two of us could toughen up enough between then and now that we could hand the big boss their ass, instead of the other way around (the number of times I’d been bloodied for my nosiness conveniently left out in the stories I’d shared).

I thought of how much I had learned, what I could show him, and as I ran my golden eyes across his figure again, looking at him as an opponent rather than a friend, I couldn’t help but wonder what he could teach me, too. It’s the first time I’ve noticed the amount of muscle layered over his frame, how he seems built to bludgeon in all the ways I’m streamlined for speed. I can’t help but wonder if all that muscle means he can take a few more hits than me, too.

He’s quiet, almost like he’s nervous, as we square off. I’m all bounce, unspoken laughter lighting up my face as I make eye contact with him, the red light flickering across our faces, our man’s bodies. Maybe I should be nervous, too. Maybe I should be worried that he’ll go too far, that I might slip on all this stone debris at hoof and hurt him, or he I; that we will leave this cavern irreparably separate, and changed.

All I can feel is the hot rush of my blood as it thunders through me, too roused by the notion of fighting a true equal, the only I’ve ever faced, to bother with dark thoughts of brotherhood lost. For the first time since we were children, playing Knight, our small weapons brandished under a mountain’s shadow, we’ve the chance to pit our bodies against the other, and I feel that same childish elation move through me in an anxious rattle.

"Come on, then!" I jest with a laugh, a half second too late as Erebos’ hooves come to life beneath him. My own are spurred by the sound of his cloven blades against the stone, the enthusiasm brewing within me sizzling against the brim and threatening to overflow.

The enthusiasm cost me; as our bodies come together in a glorious melding of pure unicorn power I am forced to accept that I may have charged with too much speed. There is not enough time to pull away from the reach of his teeth, nor enough to avoid my right hind ankle kicking violently into one of my left fore hoof as I skitter gracelessly to a pseudo halt, leaning into our battle embrace.

Dumbass, I think to myself, hope he didn’t notice that…

The ankle throbs, a bright note over the swiftly flashing pain of his teeth grasp my left neck and shoulder in numerous places, dappling the flesh with bites despite the thick coat I’ve grown for Frostfall; the assault draws ridges of flesh upwards that bruise instantly, and sting like a thousand bee barbs have been left behind when he pulls his teeth away to bite down again elsewhere. I slap towards him with my horn as his teeth clamp down, a leftward strike, hoping to press its spiraled ridges into his fleshy right hip and return the favor of the raised bruises he’s making on my skin. His teeth continue to chomp down places (though I suspect he could bite me much harder than he has), leaving behind some four or five welts from my neck to my mid-back.

Throwing my weight to the left as I pull my head and horn up and out of the way, cautious to keep the honed tip of my rapier away from my heart brother’s skin, I make a single leaping motion forward, hoping to plough my shoulder into his side or rump. With the loose gravel under foot, there was a good chance I could send him spinning, or at least throw his guard off somewhat if I actually manage to knock into him. Pulling, the skin around my new bite marks makes it feel like there are smaller Erebos mouth’s continuing the work he’d started, but they are small pains, nothing in comparison to how the broken ribs had felt.

1/3 | 758 words
[ OOC: :D eeeeee *throws them on a Ship and sails away* ]

in every heart a hole