to dance is to live

"We shall!" squeaked Akira before the battle began. Sayuri noted the straightforward way the girl spoke and gave a gentle bow of her own. She spoke nothing, allowing her actions to do the talking for them. The koi woman didn't need to bark an order to the raccoon dog, though. He jumped upon her back as she took her blade in her jaws. She unsheathed it this time.

The other would fling herself headlong, turning at the last moment to pivot. Sayuri swung her blade directly at the woman. If Ngur-whatever-she-called-herself (Sayuri was not going to remember such a primitive name!) was going to be blunt, she might as well honor her foe with it back. Ngur would aim for her shoulder, slamming into her. Sayuri placed the blade between them and if Ngur would not back off, it could cut her shoulder.

Akira, however, took the time to bounce off Sayuri's neck and attempted to land on the other's back. They were close together, so the companion had a fair shot at this. He sought to bury his own little fangs into the woman's exposed neck. Gently. She wore no armor, nothing to protect... He did not wish to harm her.

"Speech"