The Scuffle

Aunora kicked Umbra square in the chest, sending him flying into the snow and gasping for breath.

Umbra rubbed his ribs, closing his eyes and trying to calm himself. You idiot, Umbra thought, bitting the inside of his cheek until the metallic taste of blood flooded into his mouth, don't let that clod bother you like that. You almost completely lost control of yourself.

Swallowing down embarrassment and a twinge of anxiety, Umbra shakily rose to his feet, running his hand down his face to wipe off the sweat. He moved in front of Aunora, begrudgingly walking off of the road, which was the only unique and identifying feature of the mountain valley. He made sure to memorize the generic and near featureless landscape, in the event that he and Aunora could not find their way back to the elven village.

Clenching his fists tight, Umbra felt his sharp fingernails dig into the smooth skin under his thumb. It hurt, but he felt it was a fair trade for the situation he had gotten himself (and Aunora, by some extension) into.

Keeping his head turned up to still appear pleasing to the eye, Umbra fought the sick feeling that was festering in his stomach. Guilt, anger, and fear battled each other in the pit of his gut, nearly making the food Umbra had eaten for breakfast flee the area. He swallowed down bile as he watched Aunora nurse the injury Umbra had inflicted upon her.

It's okay that I cut her, he assured himself, absentmidedly trudging through the deep snow. It's not like she's a good person. I did nothing wrong.

Licking the bleeding spot in his cheek, Umbra took another shuddering breath.

I'm okay.

Whomp!

A wave of ice and cold washed over his neck, breaking every trace of okay-ness and fragile tranquility he had managed to achieve. Umbra turned on his heels, steaming clouds of breath leaking from his nostrils and mouth.

Aunora stood, her wild eyes wide with amusement. In her hands, she held a messily made snowball, tossing it up and down.

She cackled, slapping her knee. "I totally nailed you!"

"What was that for?!" Umbra snapped, his shrill cry bouncing through the valley.

"Oh, you know, I just thought you needed to chill a little bit." Aunora threw her other snowball, the sphere hitting Umbra directly in the face before he had the sense to dodge. With the movement of her arm, her wound bled, red droplets splattering into the snow around them.

Umbra gasped in offense, wiping the cold ice off his face. "Stop it," he snarled, his lips involuntarily raising to show his fangs. The stark white teeth contrasted to his dark skin.

Aunora grinned, her long hair lashing from side to side like the tail of a horse. "Oh, so you do got a little kick to you, huh, Purse Puppy? I coulda swore every trace of animal had been crushed out of you after years of living like a human."

"It's better than acting like a filthy animal," Umbra hissed, fighting to keep his back straight.

"Gee, I don't know," Aunora murmured, picking at her fingernails. "For such a 'filthy animal', Victor really seems to like me." Aunora gave Umbra a toothy grin.

Umbra's nostils flared, his breath growing ragged. "Shut up," he growled. His anger was climbing towards the outreaches of his body, making his fingers and face twitch.

"What, did I offend your fragile little feelings? Are you gonna run home and cry about it?" Aunora blinked, walking towards Umbra and smirking. "Or do you even have feelings? I don't think I've ever seen you cry, Pretty Boy. Maybe that's why Victor's clinging to me. Because he wants a parent that actually feels."

"That's it," Umbra held out his palms, a circle of magic surrounding him. Purple sparks materialized into a wicked blade in his hands, the mighty war scythe shimmering in the sunlight. Umbra held the long pole out, the jagged blade aimed for the demon horse before him. "You want to fight? I'll fight you, Aunora."

Aunora licked the saliva that drizzled from her lips, her shoulders shaking with laughter. A mad look flashed in her eyes. "Then let's go, Pretty Boy."

Author's Notes: uh oh! Also, are by Kreiigon :)