And fly to the skies from your land
The moment his words land I’m already grinning.
“You didn’t ask for fair,” I shoot back, bouncing lightly on my toes, still riding the satisfaction of that kick. He’s bent just enough to look like he’s hurting, but the glint in his eyes tells me better. I’m not falling for it—
Except I do.
The blur of white hits my face before I can fully register he’s moving. Snow stings my cheek, melts against my lashes, and for half a second my vision’s nothing but bright cold and shadows.
“Oh, you ass—” I start swiping snow from my face, but he’s already inside my guard.
I feel the hook of his leg behind my knee and my balance lurches with a sharp gasp—damn, he’s quick for someone who swears he’s no expert. Instinct takes over before I can think about it. I grapple for him, shifting my weight and trying to pull him down with me, aiming to land straddled over his waist if I can. My fist comes up in a controlled arc, aimed for his jaw but with no real intent to bruise—it’s just the motion, the threat, the fun of a real spar. Really, it's the best way I bond.
“Which was your favorite fight?” I ask in the middle of it all, breath puffing in the cold, skin warm from the movement now.
The land that you love and all that you are
