Valia threw the axe down at Katya's tiny feet and watched the dead leaves jump and flutter as the iron crashed down on the ground with a thump. 

"Pick it up."

Katya looked up at Valia as she sat smug upon her dark horse. Her eyes narrow and almost twitching with anger.  "No."

Valia pulled her reins to steady her horse. She continued to look down at the petite girl as if she was an ant. Maybe smaller than that, if such a creature was recognizable. "I said...pick it up."

"You want me to kill--"

"Yes! I want you to kill!," she interrupted with a grandiose yell. "Yes, little puny village girl! Of course I do!" She took a breath and shook her head. "But that is a long way for you. First, you have to know what it feels like to pick up a weapon with a means to kill something with it. So pick up that axe like you're defending your life. As pitiful as it is."

Ksenia stepped in front of Katya. "That is enough, Valia."

"No. It's not even the beginning Kenzi!  She pointed at Katya. "If she cannot fight, she is useless to us. She's no more than bait!  I will not allow you to spoil her and make her a burden to the rest of us!" Valia shifted her eyes to Katya with disgust. "And you--should be ashamed! Did you cower while your mother and father and clergyman were ripped and slashed as your village burned down?  Is that how you survived? By cowering?"

Katya felt herself shiver as the images flashed through her head. The blood. The screams.  She didn't hide. She had welcomed death after finding her parents on the floor. But instead, Death only bit her. Not even worthy of a death to share with her family. The anger and fury bubbled up within her as she watched the bitch on the steed belittle her like she was an ant. Maybe smaller than that--but she couldn't hear Valia's words, only see her mouth move. The vengeful crease of her eyebrows. The rueful curl of her lips. I'd give anything just to put an end to that mouth of hers.

"That is enough! Valia!" Ksenia warned. "This isn't productive." She turned to Katya who still stared at Valia. "Katya will fight in time."

Valia scoffed. "Time?" She pointed at the dirty bandage wrapped around Katya's forearm. Blood still seeped through the fabric, though she was bitten days ago.  Lycan bites take a long time to heal. "That is the one thing, little village girl here, doesn't have." She steered her horse around and started to slowly move away. "If you do not fight, you will die. Do us all a favor and join your family."

Like a twig snapping, Katya's composure broke as she grabbed Valia by her leg with a guttural yell and pulled her off  her horse. Spooked, the horse veered away as Valia tumbled to the ground in surprise. Valia, found herself helpless as the little villager grabbed her ankle and dragged her back.  As Valia tried to shift her body when Katya released her ankle, she froze as she witnessed Katya with the battleaxe in her hand. A split second passed with her hands up as instinctive defense, when everyone silenced as Katya buried the axe just inches from Valia's head.  Her eyes wide, she stared at the large iron axe embedded in the ground, then turned the look up at Katya, who stood panting. Anger was a-lit in her eyes and her hands rested to her sides in fists. Her blood itched to fight; a dark invitation she never recieved before. Perhaps it was the Lycan poison in her body or perhaps Valia managed to provoke the wrong little puny village girl--she dared not ask. All that mattered was that she was ready.

Katya shook her head. "That will be the last time you insult my family. Or you will join them." 

Valia stood up and dusted herself off. Slowly, she stepped up to get within a hair's breadth of Katya. They eyed each other for a moment till a corner of Valia's mouth curved into a smirk. "Looks like someone is ready to find out their true mettle."

Katya stood still, intensity unwavering in her eyes. 

Valia nodded. "Good. If you can manage to knock me on my ass, then maybe you're someone actually worth fighting." She walked past her towards the sparring grounds. "Pick up your axe."

She turned around and winked. "And this time, don't be a sissy about it."

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Whatcha think?  Interested?