Page 62 of Beyond The Maples
Tane seems to catch my attitude and straightens. He nods his head, bending down to pick up the cloth used to cushion our hands.
I pause, very aware that instead of standing outside the ring, he's now in the lowered section with me. He stalks closer, intensity rippling off him, wrapping his hands as he speaks.
"You see, I just don't think that's true." He doesn't bother looking at me now, as he motions for me to get back in stance.
I nearly groan, but I manage to contain it. I get in position, and although I should be nervous to spar with the ever-so-great-and-intimidating Lieutenant Tane Valo, all I can muster is annoyance.
Which I recognize is not a very good survival instinct.
Tane radiates power. From the way his muscles ripple, to the confident way he moves, he's a predator in every sense of the word.
He circles me slowly, his gaze lighting a fire everywhere it lands on my skin. I want to move my hands, to cover myself up or hide, but I don't. I stay in stance and feign indifference.
"hmm," he continues more quietly, "I think you're actually much better than that. But you lack one essential thing."
He's baiting me. I know he's baiting me. So instead of asking, I just wait.
"Aren't you going to ask what that is?"
"I'm sure you'll tell me either way; you seem to like the sound of your own voice," I say, chewing the inside of my cheek after the words are out, internally scolding myself. What is it about him that makes me lose all common sense?
"There.Thatis the problem. You're in your head, Treow. I've seen you fight when you're pissed off, as opposed to when you're restrained and it's night and day."
He steps closer to me, and I take the opportunity to lunge at him, knowing surprise is my only option for even the smallest hope of gaining the upper hand.Tane is huge. It's easy to forget until you're trying to duck under one of his gigantic fists as it's flying towards your face.
He pivots at the last second and then slaps––slaps––my fist away.
"Sloppy." He tsks.
This fucking man,I think bitterly. I move again, hoping to land something, and he actually has the audacity to look bored.
"You seem to be paying an awful lot of attention to me,Lieutenant. I'm sure you have better things to do with your time, no?" I sneer.
A hint of a smirk passes over his perfect, pouty lips as he shakes his head. "Actually, it's kind of my job to pay attention to training cadets, Treow. Especially when they’re liabilities."
He moves towards me with a strike and I try to duck, but get caught as his other arm surrounds me, throwing me back like a rag doll. He doesn't move to hit, just hold or push.
"The problem with you is that you seem to be gaining quite the fan club. The others have started to look up to you, even outside of your unit. That's a problem if you're going to half-ass it. Makes me wonder if you'll do the same out there." He quirks an eyebrow at me.
I hear my dad's foggy voice echo in my head,"Don't fight nice, Maple."
I don't answer. I charge, jutting my leg out behind his knees, and use my entire body to spear him from the middle, pushing him backwards. The move catches him off guard. It's not one we’re taught, since it puts you too close to the opponent, but when your opponent has double your reach, what else can you do?
He stumbles back but, catches himself, so I try again. This time I jump up to wrap my arm tight around his throat, securing it with my other hand, and pull him back down towards the ground in a headlock. I know this is a stupid move against such a huge guy. If he goes down hard he'll knock the wind out of me, or worse, but in this moment I don't care––I need to inflict the most amount of injury possible. He stumbles again, and a thrill of satisfaction washes over me as we both fall to the ground. I squeeze and I hear the faintest garble escape his windpipe. Maybeif I make him pass out that will be as good as completing the tower and I can get ahead. My hair slips from its tie and falls wildly around us. Tane tries to brush it off his face, but fails because theres just too much of it. This would be great––if it wasn't also inmyway. I curse the hair ties we're given; they never work.
Unfortunately, he somehow rolls to his knees with me still attempting to choke him, my weight a mere annoyance as he catapults me in the air. My body slams into the ground with a loud crack.
He straddles me, pinning my arms above my head so I'm completely at his mercy. Towering over me, he searches my face. For what? I don't know. He leans over me so his face is an inch away and my eyes widen.
"Cute moves, Treow. Where'd you learn them?"
I don't answer, rage sweeping through my body in thick lapping waves until it consumes me. I try to lock it down, to put it carefully away like I always do, but the utter lack of control makes it impossible. When he smirks, something inside of me snaps.
Pushing my shoulder blades up so I have a little leverage, I angle my neck back, and I see a hint of confusion on his face. It almost looks like I'm offering my neck to him.
Then I cock my head back up and smash my forehead into his face. Hard.
He rolls off me, and I see a spatter of red.
