A howl echoed through the clearing. Then a snarl. Claws met fur, teeth met flesh. Blowing Wind struggled to hold back a yelp. Minnow was starting to get good. He saw her hackles stand up as her pupils dilated. The wolf was slowly but surely starting to come out. They had been training for months, and both Freezing Rain and Blowing Wind had enough wounds from Minnow to prove it. The husky that they found all those years ago was all but gone. Instead of a minnow, she was a piranha. Quick and ruthless. She picked up on the slightest disturbance during training but was able to relax when the threat of battle was gone.

Blowing Wind flipped over, landing on top of Minnow. He growled in her ear, "Not so quick little Piranha. I'm not getting down that easily." He nipped at her ear. He was careful not to tear a piece off. That wouldn't make for a good "battle scar" story. He thought. Minnow growled back, trying to force him off of her. Blowing Wind laughed at her efforts which just seemed to make her angrier. She barked, struggling to get out. Blowing Wind scratched at her shoulder, then her belly, finally-after sheathing his claws- he scratched her neck gently. "Dead." He said quietly, knowing full well that the wolf-or as Freezing Rain had dubbed "Piranha"- was still in control. He got off her slowly. Minnow jumped up breathing heavily. Her hackles were still raised. She stalked closer to him seemingly unaware the battle was over.

"Blowing Wind," Freezing Rain warned.

He waved his tail in acknowledgment. "It's ok I got this." He turned his attention back to Minnow. "Piranha, it's time to stop. The battle is over." Blowing Wind barked. Minnow shook her head. As she did this her hackles flattened and her pupils went back to their original size. She looked back at Blowing Wind and whined, "Sorry Blowing Wind. I'll get a handle on this soon." Blowing Wind padded over and affectionately licked her cheek. "It's ok. You're getting there. You've come a long way from the pup you used to be." She barked and wagged her tail. Freezing Rain walked over and wrapped her tail with Blowing Wind's. Not before planting a quick kiss on his lips. "Good job you two, but now I think it's my turn to battle Blowing Wind." Blowing Wind took a step back when he heard her say his name. His eyes widen. "M-me?" He stuttered. She nodded.

"Come on! It'll be fun! I haven't properly attacked something in forever!" Now it was Minnow's turn to look affronted. "Properly attacked something? What about my training?"

"It's not the fact that you're weak Minnow, we just don't want to give you battle scars. Mainly because they wouldn't be battle scars, but training scars and that's boring. Once you've gotten a little better we will start to go harder on you. Blowing Wind, however, is well trained so I can go harder on him than we can on you."

Minnow sighed knowing all of that was true. "Fine, go get her Blowing Wind!" She yipped as she ran out of the clearing. Blowing Wind jumped on Freezing Rain the same time he unsheathed his claws. Freezing Rain jumped out of the way. Blowing Wind landed and knocked the wind out of himself. As he struggled to get it back Freezing Rain jumped on him instead. " You know your muscles bunch up right before you jump right?" She whispered in his ear. She unsheathed her own claws and attacked him. At that point, air rushed into Blowing Wind's lungs. With a burst of adrenaline, he stood up, making Freezing Rain dig her claws in deeper. Then an idea hit Blowing Wind. He could take to the skies instead. He unfurled his wings and jumped pulling them down so quickly he launched into the air. He didn't go as high as he usually would because of Freezing Rain's added weight but he still managed to get higher than the tops of the trees.

Freezing Rain felt this and let her claws plunge deeper into Blowing Winds back. Her heart hammered in her chest as she momentarily forgot that she too had wings. Suddenly she felt them aching to open. She pulled her claws out of his back and allowed them to open taking her higher in the sky. Blowing Wind followed all the while scratching her. She howled and turned to face him. Just then she felt the familiar rush of heat as her body started to catch on fire. She took a breath and allowed that breath to rush out of her like she was blowing on the fire to put it out. She let out a sigh as the heat left her body. Blowing Wind noticed this and backed up as she got control of her fire.

"You ok?" He asked. Freezing Rain nodded. They all knew how fearful she still was of her fire. There were several instances Blowing Wind had to shove her in the lake to cool her off. "You know you're going to have to stop being fearful of the fire. It's a part of you and it's never leaving."

Freezing Rain sighed, "I know, but that doesn't make it any easier to cope with. It's still scary. I can accidentally put the whole forest on fire. I could burn down our home without meaning to."

Blowing Wind flew over to her knowing her fears as she has voiced them on several occasions after training her with using it. "You would never do that. You are too kind of a soul to ever let that happen ok? Plus if you ever get that angry, I can and will push you into the lake to put you out. So you don't need to let that worry you." Freezing Rain laughed a high tinkling laugh. Blowing Wind smiled, glad he could make her laugh.

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Minnow watched as Blowing Wind landed hard on his stomach and when Freezing Rain jumped on him. She gasped thinking that this was it. Blowing Wind jumped up and flew high into the sky. She just gaped at them not sure what was going on. As they attacked each other in the sky she tried to understand their moves. How are they going so fast? It's like they're telepathic or something! What she didn't know was that they basically were. After training with each other for so long they knew the others moves by heart. Then they stopped and just hovered in the baby blue sky. Minnow creased her eyebrows. What's going on? What are they saying? She didn't have to wonder long because they started to fly back down. As they landed Minnow bounded over to them.

"Was it a tie? It seemed like a tie to me." Minnow questioned. Freezing Rain and Blowing Wind looked at each other and laughed. Minnow sure was special, but before they could answer she fired another question at them. "How were you guys able to respond so quickly to the other's moves?"

Blowing Wind thought for a moment before answering, "It's all about practice. You have to look for the telltale signs in an animal's body that happens before they attack. It will take time but I believe that you can do it." Minnow nodded before looking at Freezing Rain. "Hey, Rain?"

"Hey what?"

"You want to train with me?"

Freezing Rain gave a look. She knew that if she fought she would potentially hurt Minnow with her flames. She knew how hard it was to hold them back in the heat of battle. Blowing Wind saw the look and told her, "You should go for it!"

She stared at him, eyes full of fear. "I could hurt her! I don't want to hurt her!"

Blowing Wind shook his head. "Could not would. You can control it. That's what we have been working on, no?"

She swallowed then nodded her head slowly. "I guess. Come on Minnow." They both bounded into the arena. Remember what Blowing Wind has taught you. Deep breaths. In two, three, four. Out two, three, four. Minnow looked Freezing Rain dead in the eye. She felt the wolf start to come out. Closing her eyes she allowed it to take control of everything but her ears. She knew if it controlled them she would never hear them tell her it's over. Her pupils dilated, and her hackles rose. Then she faked a right attack moving to the left just as Freezing Rain's claws were about to meet her flesh. Minnow-now Piranha- attacked Freezing Rain's left side-her right. Freezing Rain whirled around to meet nothing. She smiled. She's getting better, but she's still a pup and I won't let a pup beat me. She took a big sniff of the air and closed her eyes. Letting Piranha's scent wash over her. She jumped to the side just as Piranha jumped through the bushes to attack her. Piranha landed neatly on all fours. She then rose up to two legs and scratched Freezing Rain. Seeing the blood, heat rose up Freezing Rain. This time she let the flames consume her.

She howled with fury before scratching Piranha. On the back, on the shoulder, everywhere. All she was  red. "How dare she? HOW DARE SHE?!" Before she could do any real damage Piranha danced a few feet away from her flaming paws. She ran into the forest looking for cover. Freezing Rain looked this way and that flames dancing on her fur. Blowing Wind looked from the sidelines seeing the true damage Freezing Rain could do with the fire. He too took a few steps backward. Getting closer to the lake should he need to douse her with some water. Then he heard a howl. "Oh no, Minnow. Don't do this. You're hurt enough. Stop." He pleaded with her mentally. He knew that Minnow was still inside, but what he didn't know was in order to save herself from the hurt she retreated completely into herself. Allowing Piranha complete control over her body.

Freezing Rain's ears perked up when she heard the howl and she took off running after it. The fury still dancing in her eyes. "Come on little 'Piranha'. You should come out to play!" She thought mockingly. She wanted revenge on the pup who thought could hurt her. She took a look around her. Trying to find the source of the howl, and just before she ran into the forest she saw Blowing Wind's concerned face. "Oh no, what have I done?" Freezing Rain backed out of the forest. She kept backing out until she felt the light from the sun hit her back. The warmth creeping up her body. But not in the same way the flames did. It was comforting. Freezing Rain shook her head, and before the flames could completely take control of her again she jumped into the lake.

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Minnow waited a moment. She knew Freezing Rain could be coming back any moment. In the shade of the forest, she decided that she should take control of her body again so she forced the wolf back down. She took a deep breath to howl again before she heard Blowing Wind howl, "Minnow! It's ok! You can come out!" Releasing the pent-up breath she walked out to see Freezing Rain climbing out of the lake then shaking off. Realizing it was safe she ran up to them.

"Freezing Rain! Are you ok now?"

She nodded. "I am now. I'm so sorry that happened! I guess you might've made me a little angry when you scratched me. I shouldn't have let it get that far. Are you ok?"

Minnow nodded, but in fact, she really wasn't. After having its first taste of freedom, Piranha wanted out now more than ever. Blowing Wind glanced up at the sky to see the sun hanging directly overhead. His stomach grumbled. "I think it's time for lunch don't you?" Freezing Rain smiled then nodded. "Minnow and I can go hunting. "

"I think that's a wonderful idea! She's been hunting with me a lot lately so it'll do her some good to see how other wolves hunt."

Freezing Rain and Minnow started to walk into the forest but before they could go very far Blowing Wind tapped Freezing Rain on the back. She turned around to see what he wanted but saw his kind eyes staring at her lips. She knew exactly what he wanted and leaned in. Their lips met and for the hundredth time, she thanked the gods above and below for the wonderful wolf that she fell in love with and with whom would soon become her mate.