After the meeting with Sirius and Hazel, Andy had set about getting her armor and thorn wrappings ready for the fight to come. She had also sent Leo to let Kite know about the challenge so that her sister will have the same amount of time to prepare that she has. Because this is such an important fight, the lavender girl wants to make sure that Kite has a fighting chance as well. That is also why she waits for night to fully set in before she heads out to the training rings where the fight will take place.

There are a few torches lit along the trail she walks out to the cove but, as she approaches the rings, Andy makes sure to douse the ones that might catch and shine in her sister’s crystalized eyes. Her leather armor is fully oiled and the thorn wrapping are wrapped tightly around her horns as she steps to the middle of the largest ring. The girl’s companions gather with her, the two snow leopards seating themselves in the sand while Aquila lazily wheels in the sky above them.

Nervousness causes her heart to flutter a moment as she takes a deep breath in before tilting her head back to release the summons for Kite and their father. The time has come to prove herself in combat. As the call drifts off into the chilly night air and Andy allows her head to fall back down, she silently prays that, no matter what happens, Kite will not hate her after this.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

Kite came to the meeting fully understanding her place in the pack. She was a spare child. A stepping stone for those that actually mattered. Torchlight danced so lightly in her crystal eyes that she felt no pain. She did not realise the care her sister placed into this fight. All she saw was her adversary. Her chance. Sirius has set up this fight so that Andy could win, but Kite intended to prove them all wrong. They had given her a chance by pure accident, and she did not intend to waste it. She needed to win this fight. She NEEDED to, if she was ever going to be anything in this pack. Her father refused to allow her to take the warrior's path, and for her ambition she remained in the rank of a child while the rest of her siblings ascended. 

Today changed that. Today changed everything.

Lioness stayed close to her paws as she approached the ring. Her peregrine gave a hunting cry above her as she stepped into the ring. Her crystal eyes glowed in the dark cave, and gave little away. But the stubborn tilt of her chin told a whole story. "I'm sorry, Andy. I know you want to win this, but I can't let you." She loved Andy for who she was to Kite, and she hated her for who was to Sirius. 

She dove forward at that, going low as she attempted to strike at her sister's leg in a passing attack.

The dark cave is soon filled with the glowing eyes of her sister and a smile pulls Andy’s lips up. Her tail gives a wag as Kite steps into the ring but, before she can greet her, Andy sees the stubborn tilt of her sister’s chin. Kite offers her some short words and sadness tugs at her heart. Andy allows her features fall into a neutral mask as she quickly sets her defenses.

Kite moves without warning, going low for her leg in swift, passing attack. Andy lefts it out of harm’s way and pivots, bringing her hind end up as she throws her hips sideways before planting her paws once more. Now at a roughly, ‘T’ shape, she strikes out, aiming for Kite’s passing hind leg in an attempt to grab it and pull it out from underneath her sister.

It hurts Andy’s heart to have to fight Kite and it hurts even more that her sibling feels so disposable and, for a moment, she considers throwing the fight and allowing her crystal-eyed sister to claim the victory. But, as much as she loves Kite, the purple girl knows she cannot do that… for both of their sakes. So, fights with everything she has.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

She almost didn’t care if her words hurt Andy. the system was broken, and Andy was a part of the system, or wanted to be. No matter, she would beat Andy, and when she had finally proven herself, she would try to kiss and make up with her sister, if Andy would let her. But not until after she had won. Her first strike missed, and she saw her sister pivot, but didn’t see the attack coming. Not until it was too late.

Her sister grabbed at her leg, and her own momentum kept her going forward. She hit the ground hard, and already started to roll, but the moment she began, Andy was already on her, holding her down. The fight was so short, but Andy had won. She glared up at her sister, seething behind her eyes. How had Andy beaten her so easily? “Get off me” She snarled.


"Speech"

This fight is important to both of the girls so, when Andy’s strike lands and she topples her taller sibling, the dusty lavender girl does not hesitate to step forward and claim the pin on Kite. It is a simple maneuver, one she has done countless times on other opponents but, as he paws gentle press in her sister’s back while their father watches them, the girl cannot help but feel sadness.

Kite glares up at her with seething anger in her crystallized gaze and her snarled words have Andy quickly releasing her hold and dancing backward. A frown tugs her lips downwards as she watches her sibling; the need to try and advance within the Armada warring with her desire to keep Kite happy. In the end, Andy dips her head and softly says, “Well fought.”

It is not a dig at her sister, simply an attempt to acknowledge the fact that Kite had tried her best and the lavender girl had merely bested her.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

The Warlord watched the fight, and he could almost see where he was going wrong with Kite unfolding before him. But the problem with Kite was that her desire did not steam from any desire to actually lead, or look after the wolves below her. She wanted nothing more than to be in front. To win for the sake of winning, and nothing else. He had hoped giving her a chance against Andy would help cool her jets, but he could see that he was wrong.

“Well fought, the both of you.” He said, “Kite, if you still want to progress past your current rank, come talk to me in an hour and we will go over it.” he told her, before turning his attention to Andy. “Walk with me” He told the purple girl.

He led her away from the ring, and once Marshal had confirmed that Kite was out of hearing and hadn’t followed them, he spoke. “I’m sorry. Leaders make mistakes, and I think a mistake is exactly what I’ve made. I thought giving Kite a chance would help her, but I see now it hasn’t. You understand why she can’t apply for the higher ranks, don’t you? And it’s not because of her eyes.”


"Speech"

Looking to Sirius, Andy offers a gentle smile as he speaks, dipping her head in thanks as he acknowledges that they both fought well. When he instructs her to walk with him, the girl is swift to obey. Together, they exit the den and she walks in comfortable silence alongside her father, waiting for him to speak. When he does, she looks over at him, compassion written plainly into her features as the man talks of Kite and why she cannot be a leader.

For a long moment, the girl is silent, mulling over her father’s words as she thinks over all her interactions with her sibling. Finally, Andy slowly says, “Kite is ambitious, like I am. However, her desire to advance in rank isn’t because she wants to help better the pack but for a more selfish desire.” Pale blue eyes flick back the way they came, worried that her sister might hear what she is saying and never wish to speak with her again.

But her father has asked a question and the girl wishes to talk this through, “She wants to get a higher rank because she feels that she needs to prove herself. Ever since we were little, she has felt less than because of her disability. While I have tried to make her feel accepted and loved no matter what, I feel like she is has been made to feel bad because of her eyes.” With a small sigh she shakes her head, sadness and sympathy crossing her features.

After a brief pauses Andy continues on, “I know what she feels and why she feels it but, to be a good leader, you need to be able and willing to put aside your own ego to approach problems from different angles. Right now, I don’t think Kite would be able do that.” With that she lapses into silence, curious what her father thinks of her assessment.  


"Andromeda Fatalis"

Andy showed her wisdom and perception, and he nodded gently to her. He did not mean to put Andy and Kite at odds, and hoped his actions hadn’t done so. “I love Kite, but I love the Armada, too. I can’t give her what she wants, without putting others in danger. I do not believe she wouldn’t abuse her power, if given.” He said with a soft, reluctant sigh.

Andy continued on, explaining what a leader needed to be capable of, and what Kite couldn’t do. “I agree, and I wish I was able to show her that she doesn't need her sight to be a warrior, and that it's not her disability that’s holding her back. But that’s not something she’s ready to hear.” But all this was spoken in way of apology, he had thought giving Kite a chance was the right move, but now he saw it wasn’t.

“Regardless, you fought well Andy.” He continued, bringing them back to the reason she had challenged Kite in the first place. He believed Andy to be strong, willing to fight for what she believed in despite adversary (As she had just proven). What he wasn’t sure of is how well she could make the hard decisions. Although, in choosing to win against Kite despite how much her sister had wanted, perhaps she had shown a little of that, as well. She had done what was right for the pack, instead of her sister. “As for the actual challenge for the rank of Champion. I want you to bring me back a worthy trophy. Something that you think is worthy, and something that you believe I would think is worthy. This can be one item, or two, depending on what you decide. Because choosing is half the challenge.”


"Speech"

Her father agrees with her and Andy feels a small grin tug at her lips. They both love Kite extremely but, in the end, it is Kite who is standing in her own way. She nods at his words and when he praises her again, the girl bows her head in thanks. Then, he challenges her to bring him a trophy that she believes in worthy of the rank of champion before quickly adding the cavoite that he must also believe it is a worthy of the rank.

Immediately, her mind turns to the puzzle at hand as she smiles warmly at her father. With bow of her head, the girl says, “I won’t let you down dad.” The pair share a special bond and Andy has never once felt that she has to prove herself to her father because she knows that he will love her; no matter what. If only she could show that same truth to her sister. With that said, she excuses herself and sets off to try and figure out a worthy trophy.

-exit Andy-


"Andromeda Fatalis"