Onya was wandering around the warrior's training ground.
She watched movements of some, analyzing their techniques and considering how she would correct their mistakes. A funny cry drew her from her contemplation, she looked up to find the Skaigada who was a few steps away, mimicking the movements of the warriors, with evident concentration painted on her face.
She seemed to know they wouldn't accept her entering the field, so she stayed on the edge of the forest, her white hair held up by a leather thong over her head. The reason for her cry? She had tangled her feet in a branch and found herself sprawled on the ground, moaning in pain.
Onya sighed and then walked towards her, wondering when the Skaigada would stop embarrassing herself. Seeing her arrive, Natshana managed to free her arm and gave her a happy wave, accompanied by a smile.
"Heeeey, bestie! Mind giving me a hand?"
Onya grabbed her by the collar and lifted her effortlessly, letting her fall to her feet. Natshana, delighted, dusted her clothes.
'Thanks! Sorry if I disturbed you, didn't mean to."
"What are you doing?"
"I'm… Talking to you," the Moon's Daughter offered, frowning. "I'm not doing anything else. I think."
"No, I mean, what are you doing here, on the training ground?" Onya clarified, annoyed.
"Oh. I'm… Break dancing. I'm joking!" She cried when Onya glared at her. "I'm trying to learn."
"By standing outside the field and doing ridiculous acrobatics?" Onya asked, raising a mocking eyebrow.
"See, that's something you learn by being a teacher. Kids learn by imitating you, they learn to tie their shoes by watching you do it every morning. I'm trying to learn their moves, even if they don't want me among them."
Onya glanced at the warriors, who seemed to ignore them completely. Natashana looked determined to learn to reproduce their movements, but Onya knew she would never be able to use them. There was a reason the Natblidas were encouraged to fight with each other.
Onya made a decision.
"Come on," she said before turning on her heel to walk onto the practice field.
After a second of hesitation, the Moon's Daughter trotted to follow her, tangling her feet behind her. Onya walked over to an empty space, got rid of her coat and stretched out her arms, cracking the knuckles of her fingers. When she turned, she found the Skaigada standing at the edge of the circle, waddling from one foot to the other in embarrassment.
"What are you waiting for?" Onya asked in annoyance. "You want to learn how to fight, you have to be ready to get hurt."
A sudden realization dawned on Natshanagada's face, who shed her coat and shawl, laying them in a heap on the ground.
She hopped to face Onya, fists clenched, a strange expression on her face. She cracked the knuckles of her neck, then smirked defiantly.
"Come on, bestie. Hit it."
Onya complied with joy. She punched her in the face, hitting her nose. Natshana immediately put her hands to her face with a cry of pain, Onya mowed her legs and the young woman found herself lying on the ground.
She deserved it, Onya thought.
Natshanagada got up quickly, however, her fists clenched in front of her.
"Again."
Onya threw her fist into her jaw, then into her stomach, taking her breath away. The Moon's Daughter fell to her seat with a moan of pain. Some warriors turned around without understanding.
Natshana straightened up again, covered in dirt, wiping the blood that dripped from her nose.
"Again."
Overwhelmed with rage, Onya threw herself on her, pinning her to the ground to hit her face again. Nasthana let her do so, bawling swear words as Onya's fists collided with her face.
Abruptly, Onya came to herself and pulled away, gasping. The Skaigada stood up, massaging her jaw in pain, out of breath. The Warriors watched the exchange with interest.
"Again."
"What are you doing?" Onya replied sharply.
"You're angry at me. Come on, take it out, you can do better than that."
Onya clenched her teeth, rage returning to her heart. She grabbed her arm and twisted it back, slapped her back to send her to the ground, her head slammed hard in the mud. Tris had come closer, making her way through the crowd of warriors, and was watching the spectacle in surprise.
Natshana spat blood, took a deep breath, and stood up painfully, her arms around her stomach. She deserved it. She had ruined everything, it was all her fault.
Onya punched her face again, waking up the wounds she had inflicted on her. Natshana fell to the ground, coughing and spitting blood. Onya threw herself at her with a cry of rage, raised her fist to hit her again.
The Skaigada did not shy away. She braced herself, as if waiting for the blow, gritting her teeth in pain. Tris, at the edge of the pitch, had wide eyes with anguish.
And Onya realized. If she had lost someone she loved, like Lexa, or even Tris, she too would have wanted to die. She too would have liked to get rid of the pain and the sadness.
She groaned in annoyance, dug her hand into the mud, and then clapped it to Natshana's face.
"Hey!" She exclaimed.
But Onya did it again, smearing mud on her face. Natshana spat out dirt with exclamations of disgust.
"Not fair!"
"You're not fair!"
"No you!"
"You!"
Abruptly, Natshana smiled, Onya pulled away and caught her breath.
Kassy had allowed Onya to hit her, she had allowed her to inflict injuries on her to vent her anger and rage towards her. Onya realized that it had worked, she didn't blame her anymore, at least not that much.
"So, you feeling better?"
Onya threw another handful of mud at her.