WC - 364 :: ^^
The seemingly unconditional acceptance from the strong woman made the she-yote’s heart soar. She would still have to get used to this, but for now, she allowed herself to be simply happy, relishing the warmth transferred between their paws before X’yrin lowered hers. She spoke then of preparation and the difference between attacking and being attacked, and Vesper pricked her ears with obvious attention as she listened. It was something that she had not quite considered before; she had always assumed that first moves were often the rasher ones, at least in her own silly experience as a wild yearling. However, the state of mind of sitting and waiting for an attack was one she could understand the downsides of, and she nodded quickly—her hand tapping her head lightly in the gesture for understanding that she had communicated with their first rendezvous.
It was Ezekiel’s words that came back to her as her new mentor continued to offer her advice: “You should always fight to kill; even when we spar, you must think I am trying to kill you.”
While X’yrin was not urging her to want to kill, she was urging her to want to be able to attack confidently rather than be a passive force in conflict, and the two states of mind were similar. Practicing with her Aquila, Vesper had not been fighting to better herself—she had been fighting for her life, which made success far more important than if she were casual about the affair.
X’yrin grasped her hand again, and Vesper smiled at her softly, nodding once more in understanding. “I find I do well in the moment,” she said, thinking of her fast-paced movements and thinking when Ezekiel was fighting her. She had failed horribly at most of the attacks, but she hadn’t given up and had practiced moves even after he’d left. “I believe my body will surprise me when the time comes.” She would get used to it in time, so long as she could think of it as herself rather than this alien frame she had been placed into—extensions, not attachments.
Vesper looked warmly but seriously at the woman, ready to begin.
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