CHAPTER 126: MEET THE PARENTS (5)

First Mark sliced through the air and blocked the spear, surprising both women and the onlookers who began gathering around them. Nova felt the weight of the feline’s strength shuddering through her arms and shoulders. Still, she managed to knock it away from her.

"Now we’re talking," The woman grinned wickedly, her teeth jagged, sharpened even in her human form. Nova’s face paled upon seeing it, and the way her eyes lit up. She was raving mad!

Nova’s arms were spread wide, First Mark holding steady in her right hand, watching and waiting for her attacker to make her move.

Why wait? Because she is clearly stronger? Bigger?

The woman’s amber eyes glimmered before she lunged forward. Nova dodged it, spinning, and blocked the next attack. Her body moved before she could think. She’d never been exceptionally gifted when it came to sports, but she used to go to the gym.

Here in the wild, that had proved to be pointless. Compared to these guys, she really was a little mouse, barely surviving. That was before Aiyana, Atia, and her beloved Yohuali started training her up. She was still getting her ass handed to her, but right now, she felt a spark ignite in her chest, a thrill of the fight thrumming along her bloodstream.

She was... Keeping up. Right? This was too good to be true?!

A smack to the face by the other end of the spear knocked her senses back into her rambling mind, and she focused on the fight again. She couldn’t get ahead of herself. Not now, not in the middle of it.

She was keeping up, so what? This woman was built differently and had years on top of her, where she probably picked up that spear from birth, much like the others. Yet...

Nova ducked and spun, kicking the spear aside, then swept out with her blade. The girl blocked with her arm, grunting as the blade sliced along her forearm before kicking Nova in the gut. She flew back and smacked into a tree, First Mark falling from her fingers as she slid onto her backside, and stared wide-eyed at the woman.

She coughed, trying to catch the breath that had blown out of her lungs from that mighty kick. The woman lunged for her, the spear raised in the air, ready to strike into Nova’s chest. But the spear stabbed into the dirt.

"Huh?"

The feline’s head snapped to the side as the leaves crunched under Nova’s weight. She’d leapt out of the way before she could land her blow, and swiftly got to her feet. First Mark sliced through the air between them, narrowly missing the woman’s face, cutting the side of her cheek in the process. Her opponent growled, grabbed Nova’s wrist and yanked her towards her.

In that split second a familiar face came into view. Atia?

Hold on, why is Atia chilling in a tree... Is he.... The damned cat was eating acai berries like it was damned popcorn! There was no way this woman, this... Veyra was going to kill her. Atia wouldn’t act so calm. Nobody was getting involved either.

This had to be some sort of initiation. Or maybe it was that Veyra fancied Yoa and wanted to take her down and the tribe rules were that nobody intervened?

"Ugh!" Pain exploded in Nova’s gut, and her body bent over from where the woman had kneed her.

More people gathered, turning this fight into a show. People whooped and hooted. The woman tried to punch her in the face, but Nova’s arms went up to shield herself. The woman kept pummeling into her arms, making no other moves. She didn’t need to. She was so strong!

Each hit made Nova’s bones rattle, pain exploding along her arms. She swore if it continued, something was going to break!

"Veyra! Veyra! Veyra!" They chanted.

Nova assumed that was the girl’s name.

Think, Nova, think!!!

Veyra continued to strike her, but didn’t make any other moves with the spear. Nova stared through the small gap between her arms at her legs. This woman was huge, but if she could just knock her off-balance...

First Mark was still between them, but Nova had no intention of using it. She wouldn’t kill her. Even in training, she’d never thought that far ahead. To take a life was a line she didn’t really want to cross. Obviously, if it came down to it... If it came down to survival, then she would, but that wasn’t today, that wasn’t now.

Veyra hadn’t picked up her spear and finished this, which would have ended quickly. Or maybe she was just playing with her food. Either way, Nova wasn’t going to just continue being someone else’s punching bag! She was only small after all! There would be nothing left of her if it continues!

The aim right now was to disarm Veyra and get her to yield... Hopefully, if she can keep up and endure, that is.

Taking another breath, ignoring the pain shooting through her arms, she moved one arm in front of her face, trying to shield as best she could with one hand and hooked her free arm around the back of Veyra’s knees before she pounded into her face too much. She yanked behind her knees and barged forward into Veyra’s shoulder.

The giant feline toppled back with a shocked expression. The crowds roared out, hooting for Nova, the woman, almost half her size. Seriously, was she over 6ft?

Nova jumped forward, striking with her fist into her nose, internally swearing at the pain ricocheting in her arm. Blood spattered across the earth to the side from the impact of Nova’s fist. Before she could strike again, Veyra grabbed Nova’s ankle and yanked hard, dragging her down in one swift move.

Nova yelped, her breath catching as she tumbled into the dirt, and was instantly grappling with Veyra. The giant woman was trying to roll on top. Nova knew she couldn’t allow that. Once she was on top, it was either going to finish swiftly because of the apparent differences in strength or they’d continue to grapple until one of them tired out.

She might have been training, but her endurance probably wasn’t up to the same standards as everyone else here.

Veyra was almost on top! Nova snarled, putting all her effort into keeping her on her side. Then, with a burst of energy, she dug her elbow into Veyra’s ribs before twisting her wrist free and slamming her forearm across Veyra’s throat to hold her down. Veyra squirmed, her hips jolting up to thrust her off.

But all of her movements halted as her eyes zeroed in on the dagger gleaming inches from her face.