WE WERE STRONG.
we stayed bright as lightning. we sang loud as thunder.
we moved ever forward.</style>
Perhaps the reason I had not feared traveling to the Basin alone lies in the fact that I trusted my skill in battle. A natural rhythm existed between my heart and the din of war, the dance of violent blows, the mix of sweat and blood and desperate cries. I felt it rise in my bones and sooth the anger that had clouded my mind so desperately on the way here. No matter who my opponent was, no matter the danger which lay before me, nothing could alter the fact that I loved fighting. I am a soldier. I am a soldier. I am a soldier, damn it.

The lack of calm displayed by the queen of the Basin tells me she is anything but.

As I soar through the air, the chill of an Orangemoon morning settles in around my frame, cradling my body and bringing attention briefly to the sweat which begins to form along my sides. The bruise, fresh from the keen impact of hooves, stings, but the chill of the north, despite the discomfort it brings to me, is refreshing to the wound. By the time I am banking down to aim my hooves at Psyche, the joy I felt, the exhilaration which is paired with battle has lightened my heart but strengthened my determination. I am fearless, but she should fear me. I have come with steady purpose, and I would not leave here until I received what I came here to win. Athena, my precious sister, would no longer stand in chains here.

My hooves sink but not fast enough to catch up with the retreating black form of Psyche. In confusion, my dark blue eyes glance downward at the floor, a most disturbing sight. The figure of the proud unicorn melts and turns into one I do not recognize - a cur. I have to resist a laugh as I think to myself... so, she really is a bitch. I realize all too soon, however, that this would alter my plans. I had prepared mentally for a messy landing, so why not bring it in with blood, aye?

I flap my wings the moment I notice her chasing my heels, locking my slope of descent, trying to keep parallel with the earth before sinking violently downward. I was close, far too close, to keep entirely out of the reach of the fucking jackal, but it was of no matter. My wings flare out sideways, catching the air, slowing my pace, altering my trajectory more. My front end slides upward in attention, but my back end is far from coming to such an abrupt stop, throwing itself forward, back hooves skidding uncomfortably on the hard floor for a moment before I tuck my hind end swings away from the grasp of the bitch. Not everything is out of her reach, though, as small jaws clamp tightly upon my golden tail for a brilliant moment before the weight of my body sends my back end back down toward the earth, its momentum spent.

I follow through with the movement, throwing my weight downward toward my back hooves which extend in a kick, aiming for the dog who is busy tearing out long strands of blonde, annoying stings ringing up the flesh of my tail. I do not care if she gets her skull crush in, I just wanted to be freed from her grasp. My hooves attempt to push off, their speed and violent toss hopefully enough to deter her from trying to take a bite out of my hocks, a graceful arc as my wings fold and my front end lurching forward, front hooves slamming with harsh shudders onto the ground as I attempt to peel away from the short little mutt.
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[ WC: 628; 3/4; 0/2. ]