Chapter 3- Reflex

The fresh morning air swept into the concrete room, rustling the sticky-stiff hair that was lifelessly settled on a white face. Atheris stirred and inhaled deeply-her lungs ached. She opened mouth more and the scabs that wrought her lips crackled with the movement. But tasting the morning; the sun that always floated over the vast plains of her home; the cool water and the fresh air all made it completely worthwhile. The fog that clouded her mind started clearing away. She grit her teeth as details filled in the holes in her faded memory.

Another gust of crisp air filled the room - a sour reminder of what she cannot have this day. Surprisingly though, she had slept throughout the night. Exhaustion helped I suppose. She bought flatly,as she blinked the waking blur from her eyes and flexed her muscles. She pulled at her binds to find her shoulders hurt beyond all doubt and her spine felt like a boulder had been mercilessly beaten. But, feeling better, nonetheless. The morning earned a deep breath from her, washing her lungs with mountain air, paired with a smirk.

"-not long now," she heard outside, "the arena's nearly complete. I'm gonna kick ass - two years of training will pay off." She could almost hear the walking man flex his muscles, as his testosterone-filled voice started from one end of the door and traveled to the other. She sharply rolled her incandescent eyes, then furrowed her brows as his words sunk in. …Arena?

"You awake, yet?" A voice came from a crack in the door, "I brought ya something to eat!" Athris almost let a quiet laugh escape. She really likes sneaking in, doesn't she? Strange girl.

"Would it matter? You're already in here." She couldn't hide the amusement in her recently deadpanned voice.

"I came in earlier and you were sleeping like a rock; wouldn't wake for anything." Fang was holding - rather unceremoniously - a plate with a whole fish thrown on it.

"So you watch rock - wait… is that for me?" She unconsciously licked her dry lips as she caught sight of breakfast - definitely feeling better, her appetite was normal again. Bring that over here already!

"Isn't that what I said?" Fang spoke flatly as she stopped halfway to the apparently hungry prisoner.

"I was rather amused by your constant sneaking-in-though-the-door-crack move," she honestly replied, "I wasn't listening."

Fang scoffed. "Well then maybe I wasn't listening when you said thank-you,"

Athris met her eyes, "I didn't say thank-you."

"That's the point." Eyes glared, but after a few moments Fang crooked her head to the side, "I'll make you a deal,"

Immediately Athris didn't like her tone of voice. She hesitated. "…What is it." She spoke as a statement, with heavy suspicion dragging her words down.

"I'll give you this food," Fang started, nodding at the plate, "and you will tell me exactly how Nail ended up with his tail tucked between his legs." She finished with a long finger pointed at Atheris, while nodding a second time towards outside.

"…Which one was Nail?"

"Oh, um…" she scratched her head, "…the big one - that looks like a naked buffalo." She grinned like a cat.

Realization spread across Athris' still-dirty, but now rested face. "Oh," She smiled deviously, "deal."

Fang raised her brows at the speed of the answer, but doubts were pushed away by excitement, so she bent to set the plate down. Suddenly she realized that Athris couldn't eat her food without hands, she knelt down onto her knees and wore an over-serious look on her face. I have to feed you now? By the gods-

"It's alright," The prisoner interrupted her thoughts, "You can set it down."

"O-kay…?" Fang shook her head a moment later, deciding to just go with it and set the plate down, then she sat herself a couple feet away. Impatiently waiting to get her end of the deal.

The fuzzy limb that she had somehow forgotten about, unwrapped itself from the small waist and dashed over to the plate in front of her. It grabbed the delicious, juicy looking fish by the tail, which in whole was probably about two feet long, and brought it up to an eager, sharp and toothy mouth. Athris chomped down, hum-breathing in ecstasy. The lemony-sweet liquid that was cooked inside of it ran down the sides of her mouth, stinging the wounds, but not enough to take away the mouth-watering taste of it all. Fang couldn't help but to chuckle just once, yet eyes never leaving the suspicious furry appendage.

Atheris finished her meal down to the mostly preserved bones. Kinda like you would see on a cartoon.

"Okay," she started, "now tell me what you did to Nail!" Fang slapped her olive-skinned hand on the cement floor. Now it was Atheris' turn to chuckle, "And don't even think about not telling me! You'll still need food later on." Fang stated as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Don't worry, I have no intention of backing out - a deal is a deal… right?" Fang nodded at her just once. "Well, I was already on the ground, so it was easy to trip him up when he and his comrades charged me-"

"Wait" Fang briskly interrupted, "I thought they tried to help you?" This earned her a confused and confrontational stare from the woman in front of her.

Atheris snapped her mouth shut for a moment, broke any eye contact, sighed exasperatedly, and continued. Though speaking very shortly now. "The point is: I was on the ground, he was the first to reach me. He tried to hurt me. I tripped him and proceeded to pound his face into the dirt." She met Fang's eyes again with a newfound vigor.

"No way, he had deep cuts in his chest, you must have had a weapon. Don't lie to me, its really a moot point by now, anyways." Fang spoke annoyed, yet low. Warningly; "You wanna try that story again?"

She immediately bore her golden orbs deep inside Fang's crystal green, and sighed defeatedly. Someone as stubborn as she was. Shit.

An almost dangerous aura came about her as she spoke deeply, still maintaining the intense gaze. "Tell me why I'm still here."

"What?" She caught the warrior-woman off-guard.

"You're starving me, draining my abilities. Yet, you're still keeping me alive,"Still piercing. Speaking through her ever-present fangs, voice barely above a hoarse whisper. "what is it you want from me?"

Fang, having an acute sense of danger, narrowed her eyes and readied her hand to grab her knife. She thought about her words with detail, pondering if telling this… thing the truth would actually be a goodidea. "If I was in your place," she began, "I would want to know…"

Athris visibly relaxed, which, in-turn let Fang relax as well, hand no longer at the ready. "The people of Oerba are keeping you because they want you to fight our best warriors and soldiers, hunters and marksmen. "Everyone who wants a shot." Her heart sank as the words left her mouth, regretting them as soon as they left her mouth, which was suddenly very dry. She didn't let it be seen even through the intense gaze.

"Oh… I see." Atheris, however, dropped her own eyes in what could only be described as disappointment. "I'm guessing that means you?" She was holding her breath.

Fang spoke just above a whisper, her voice raspy, "Yeah,"

The only response was a nod from the soon-to-be arena fodder.

An awkward silence weighed heavy between them.

"Well, then I guess you'll find out exactly how I beat him then.