You and me

He could only chuckle at the enthusiasm in her voice. Pleased he wasn’t the only one itching to work off some extra steam in a friendly combat. He was ready to prove to himself he was fighting fit, though his injuries still itched, and he ached if he turned a certain way. He was a lot skinnier than he had been only a few months past. His months at sea on slim rations had melted the fat right off his bones. But Mercury would no longer be a victim to fate.

Keahi set her stance, and Merc did the same. As he fell into the familiar battle pose, he felt the cool wind slice through his coat, and then the first few snowflakes fell upon their coats. Instinctively, he sticks out his tongue and lets a cool droplet land. Melted by the warmth of his breath.

And then Keahi was lunging forward, and he had no time to marvel at the falling snow. Snow that picked up even as they fought, no longer just the occasional flake, but a flurry of them. Tossed about in the wind, so his vision was obscured something awful. That just added flavour to their fight. He listened to the sounds of her breath and the fall of her paws to help guide him.

Keahi’s lunge brought her to his right. While he was still adjusting to the snow, he felt her bite graze his shoulder. He shoved his weight into the limb, throwing his shoulder forward in an attempt to smack her nose and loosen her grip.

He felt her weight slam into his, and there was huffed laughter in his breath as he enjoyed the thrill of the fight. He attempted to hook his paw behind hers, with the aim of dragging it out from under her. As he did so, his own teeth sought out the soft fur below her ear. His taller grip giving him an advantage of height. While all around them the snow fell, landing on warm bodies and icy water. The brighter reds of his opponent shone like a beacon in the confusion of wind

WC: 358
Total: 925


"Speech"