My mind fills with a sense of dread as my hooves crack against Onni's chest and I hear her cry out. As her body turns from mine and my head jerks up, thankfully having missed her, my mind begins to reel at the thought of having actually hurt her, and the scent of her blood hanging stark in the air sends waves of disorientation through my frail form. My teeth snap on air and the shock of it sends a violent shudder through me, causing my tail to lash swiftly at my back and my beard to ruffle with the motion. I feel suddenly weak and unable to control myself, and I shuffle back with a mixture of fear and nervousness. I become aware of the fact that I cannot see Arbutus, and my worry grows. With a yellow gaze I search for the phoenix, but his cries have diminished and his flame is no longer brightening the clearing. The fire upon my shoulder grows and stretches, beginning to take on the shape of wings, and their light provides me with the slightest hint of warning.

In the pale firelight I glimpse Onni's body shifting to deliver a kick with her hind legs, and I rear in response. With a snap like flint my wings unfurl and extend to their full potential, lifting up and catching the air to steady myself as I balance weakly on my hind legs. Her hooves strike my own as they churn and paw at the air towards her, and with the impact I receive a cut to the weak area around my left fore-hock. Above me there is only darkness, and as a neigh forces itself from between my lips I find myself longing for Arbutus. The pain from her kick, fully extended and lethally charged, washes over me in waves, and as she winds up and leaves me to take flight, I find myself falling heavily to all fours, and taking the impact of the earth against me hard. I shudder with the force of it all, barely able to watch Onni as she gallops towards the tree with her wings spread.

And then from behind me comes a familiar cry; that of all the birds in Helovia singing at once. I let out a desperate prayer to the gods as Arbutus flies above me, a torch lighting up the clearing with a confidence, bravery, and loyalty, that I will never cease to admire.

First landing upon my nose, I feel a drop of silver and look up to see that Arbutus' calls are accompanied by tears. At once I feel my fear and nervousness begin to ease as I watch him soar above us, shedding tears on the scene below. Onni at last reaches her target, which until now I had not understood, and as she is vertical I notice one of Arbutus' tears falling towards her, and wonder fleetingly if it will land upon the chest wounds I've just regretfully given her.

But the moment is only brief as I regain my confidence and understand the occurrences more fully. I set off at a gallop in the opposite direction, limping slightly and wincing as the pressure of the earth presses against my injured and bleeding hock, yet still gaining enough momentum to grip the air between my flames. In moments I am in the air and banking to the right to turn around completely and face Onni as she rams towards me. Having successfully changed position, I avoid her hooves neatly. Instead I face her in an almost perpendicular position and aim for her left flank with my own dangerous hooves curled in for her safety, leaving my knees the only portion of my body liable to make immediate contact. I catch her gaze for a moment and see a fleeting look of recognition, and hope that she will end this fight. To protect for my herd or to train to gain skill is one thing, but this... these dealing in the dark seem dirty and dishonest. I've no desire to keep them going.

[[ Tares rears to take Onni's buck with her hooves and then recieves a wound on her left hock. Her wings extend as she rears. Arbutus flies above them both, crying- he heals Tares' nerves and possibly one of Onni's more minor injuries as well, if the tears land on her. Tares turns to run the opposite direction as Onni springs off of the tree and takes flight herself. She turns in the air and flies downwards towards Onni's right flank with her hooves curled in and her knees jutting out to strike Onni's side. || WC: 683 || P: 3/3 || C/M-U: 2/2 || Note: Third time's the charm. :x Thanks for the sparring and teaching, Boom! ]]