But it seemed she had incensed Archibald, and understandably so. He had replaced his dog as her main threat, and her warrior's mind instantly zoned in on him. He shot towards her, and Nyx gritted her teeth, spinning to her right and throwing her weight onto her forehooves as he charged towards her in the hope of reaching her right ribcage. Agony exploded in her injured chest and a bellow of agony fled her jaws - oh, she would regret this movement afterwards, as she could feel the tender muscles of her chest rubbing together, sending electric shocks down her spine. Her hind legs unfurled from beneath her and she aimed to kick him sharply in his own chest and leading left shoulder as he attempted to ram it into her. His bites peppered her dock and rump, bruises erupting where his teeth hit until her backside resembled a minefield. But the pain would all be worth it if she managed to kick her obsidian hooves into his onrushing chest - they didn't have the sheer wrecking-ball power that his own feathered weapons possessed, but they could sure as hell pack a punch, especially when the stones of the cave floor clung to them and gave them numerous sharp edges.

After a single kick she returned her hindlegs to the ground, hoping to prevent him barging her over should he redouble his efforts. As she did, a sensation spread through her - she felt stiff, her muscles seizing up and her bones solidifying. Her ears pinned, but even that felt sluggish; it was like she was in a dream, running through concrete. She had thought he held only his earth-shaking magic, but this was something else, and a vicious hiss of disgust fled the mare's stone lips. She tried to turn to face him, but each movement was a huge effort - his hoof struck out, crashing into her right hindleg, mercifully just above the joint so her bone wasn't shattered. Instead a spasm of agony shot through her frozen body, this bruise large enough to rival the one on her chest. She continued to try and turn, her still-lowered head pointing in the direction of his chest with a desire to use that black sword of hers to do as much damage as possible, as now she, too, was angry and hell hath no fury like a woman with stone bones. Time seemed to slow down but finally, mercifully, she began to unfreeze. She had no idea how long it had taken, nor what untold damage had been done to her insides; a cold smile spread across one side of her face as it began to regain feeling. "That was just rude," she said, but her tones were equal amounts amused and jealous. She wanted power like that, and dammit, one day she would get it.

She shot towards him, horn still pointed at his chest as she aimed to sink the lethal point right into the muscle and meat of the area. She aimed for the right side, not wanting to penetrate his heart and kill him; she wasn't that pissed off, but she did hope to cause considerable pain. At the same time, her left forehoof lifted a fraction off the ground and aimed to stomp sharply down, hoping to rasp down his right foreleg just below the knee. Again she hoped the sharp stones that clung to her hoof would give the attack a razor edge; would serve him bloody right if she cut his leg open after what he had just done to her.

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