Tussle
Elle swayed lazily in motion with her horse. Not bothering to hold onto the reins she happily let the animal carry her, trusting the horse to follow after the group. Elle was not a straight back, pristine rider, if anything she should be classed as baggage because sitting in a slouch on the saddle and plaiting the mare's mane was anything but riding.
"You should watch where you're riding, Hart," Martyn commented from where he was watching her. He had dropped a little bit behind her in their silent ride, having took the time to swerve towards a bush with small red berries in ordered to grab a few.
"Why?" Elle questioned. She finished the small plait she was working on before she turned to cast a look at Martyn. She was going to add something snappy but instead chose to raise a brow at him and the piece of bush he was carrying. "What the hell are you doing with that?" She shook her head.
Martyn looked at the large sprig of shrubbery in his hand. The gnarled wood reaching out with a few small leaves was rather ugly but the berries looked sweet; it was only after he'd yanked off the small branch and plucked one of the berries he realised they were rather solid. "I thought it'd be a good snack?" He offered as an answer, throwing in a shrug too.
Elle let a frown come to her brows as she thought a moment, "Are you sure they're not poisonous?" She questioned to which he shrugged again.
"I dunno?" He shook his head, "That's why I'm not eating them!"
She looked him over a moment, her eyes dropping down his form and back up, clearly unimpressed "Your survival skills amaze me." She droned sarcastically with a blank look and simple shake of the head.
"Oi!" Martyn frowned as he plucked a berry and tossed it at her.
The small solid berry struck Elle right on the forehead- much to both their amazement as neither thought he'd land a hit.
"Ow!" She spoke with a scoff. The great lump on her forehead was rather tender!
Elle picked up her reins and slowed the chestnut mare to bring her next to Martyn, she then snatched a bit of his stolen shrub and armed herself. "Rude shit!" She commented as she plucked a berry and threw it, watching it hit his cheek and bounce off before she kicked her horse to move in front again.
The pair engaged in a silent war of the berries for the next few minutes. They lobbed the hard little fruits at one another and tried to dodge the other's attack; all with out making a sound so they wouldn't be noticed.
"Shit." Elle hissed once she'd disarmed herself of her last berry and scowled back at Martyn and his victorious grin.
The man gave a quiet triumphant laugh, holding his bountiful sprig aloft to show case his plentiful ammo supply and in reply Elle flipped him a quick middle finger.
With a smirk Martyn readied another red pellet and fired it at her, but Elle was quick. She swerved out the way and retaliated with the twig she'd stolen from him. Giving it a hard over arm throw, the bit of wood and leaves soared wonderfully between the horses and slapped Martyn square in the face.
Elle snickered as he shook both the leaves and surprise from his face. He then kicked his horse to come up next to hers and plucked off another berry. "Looks like you're all out of ideas, Hart!" He grinned.
"Will you two fucking stop!" Niki hissed back at them, having had to brush the berry Elle had dodged off her shoulder.
With a scoff, Martyn rolled his eyes as his attention came to the auburn haired woman in front of them, "Moody bitch," He clipped and put all his might into his throw as he lobbed a berry at her.
Niki was quick to duck her head down and both Elle and Martyn could do nothing more than watch in unfiltered horror.
The solid little berry stayed it's course, soaring straight and true till it collided with the back of the Captain's head. That jet black hair of his shifted out of place from the hit and instantly he pulled his horse to a dead stop.
The three trailing him stumbled to halt their horses and waited in fear but to Elle's surprise she received a face full of shrubbery.
She looked down at the berry branch in hand before her alarmed eyes shot up just as Levi turned with a look of death.
His eyes landed on her and her jaw instantly dropped, excuses and explanations lost to her tongue as the painful lashing that came with his glare struck the very soul from her.
She couldn't look anymore guilty if she tried. There was no point in trying for innocence, but anger was an option!
Elle turned to Martyn with a deep scowl as she lifted the berry branch and swatted him over the head with it, "Dick!" She hollered at him before hitting him again and again.
Martyn gave a wail at the attack, screwing his eyes closed and lifting his arms to try and protect his head, "Stop!" He tried for a truce but she didn't calm. With one eye peeking open he reached out to grapple with her arms, fighting to still her.
"Enough!" The anger in Levi gave his voice a roughness that not only berated Martyn and Elle, but also had Niki's skin prickling.
The three could only look to the Captain like children that had been scolded. All wide eyed and waiting to receive punishment. But Levi took too long.
Ever the opportunist, Martyn used Elle's moment of stun to retake the branch. He snatched it away in an upwards motion, clipping the woman in the chin and causing the twigs to scratch up her face. Her fury was back. Elle turned on him, bring her fist along with her and struck the man so hard it forced him from his saddle.
Martyn fell from his horse with impressive flare and Niki choked on a laugh she failed to hide.
To their surprise the man could take a hit and a fall. He'd rolled back once he hit the ground and bounced up onto his feet effortlessly.
Martyn was one of the most skilled in their lower division but he wasn't without his flaws. He had the skills and strengths to make it in a higher ranked division but he was notoriously difficult. Martyn was stuck in his ways and had a major problem with criticism. He'd passed by chance after chance of getting moved up ranks because pride would not have him change.
Elle guessed it was the snobbery that came from his upbringing.
Martyn Wyre was from the safety of wall Sina. His family was of comfort and wealth. His upbringing had been rather luxurious in comparison to some but he acted as if he'd been given the worst hardships; and he gained few friends because of it.
From the moment Elle had met him, she'd thought of him as nothing more than a spoilt brat. Yet he'd left that comfortable life of his to join the military. He'd given up his wealth and safety to join the scouts.
She'd never wondered why before now.
Martyn's sandy brown hair remained dishevelled but it was the least of his worries as he came marching around his horse's rear, yelling, "What is your problem!?"
Elle fully released her reins so she could better turn in the saddle. "You're my problem at the moment!" She frowned at him. She had the mother of all headaches and had little patience for him.
"Fight!" Came the grinning encouragement from Niki up front.
"Holt!" Levi scolded, his scowl near thundering it was such a powerful look.
Instantly Niki's devilish grin faded but she wouldn't be silenced by him again. "Just a word of warning Cap, you can't place those two anywhere together." She motioned towards the bickering two, momentarily blocking out their slanging match.
Levi's eyes nearly cut Niki they flashed back to her so quickly. There was enough fury and disgust in the slight knot in his brow that he didn't even need to raise his voice. "If you address me as anything other than Captain or Sir, I'll kick your teeth clean from your mouth." With that he turned his horse and moved back to the other insubordinate little shits. Levi did not notice nor care about the look that came to Niki's face after.
She decided then and there that she hated him. Her lips were turned down in a sneer and eyes in a deadly lust for his blood. That look was her true self; dark and unforgiving.
Martyn and Elle didn't hear their Captain calling for them again. Martyn was too focused on the mighty swat he'd landed on the chestnut mare's rump and Elle horrified by it.
The animal gave a whine of protest at the hit. She threw her head back and rose up, uncaring as her rider flopped awkwardly back in the saddle and legs swung up to try and counter balance. The mare was unforgiving once she brought her front hooves back to the ground, bucking up her rear next and bouncing Elle right off her back.
Levi could only scoff as he watched Elle tumble down from her mount. His anger was forgotten a moment and replaced with annoyance. Cadet brats weren't half as childish as these two adults that were about to start rolling around in the dirt in battle.
Elle wheezed into the soil. She was a little winded from the landing but still pushed herself up, ready to get up and pummel Martyn- but the man was on her.
He was unrelenting and obviously had some major pent up anger directed towards her. He flew at her, aiming to get on top of her and get her pinned to the floor; but Elle saw it coming. She kept in a crouch and only stood a little when Martyn came in range.
Fisting both hands into his shirt she then let her body drop back to the floor. Once she was on her back again she swiftly got her feet under him and adding the power of her kick and his own attacking momentum she sent him over her and away from her.
Martyn flew an impressive distance and landed far worse than when he'd fallen from the horse. He lay a moment in stun, confused as to why he was looking at the sky and wondering what had happened.
Elle however was still in motion, after she'd thrown Martyn she'd used the power of the kick to then rock back forwards. Her core squeezed with the effort of pulling her torso up and her arms swung forwards to help with propelling her sit up. Her legs were quick to kick back under her and she was on her feet and turned to lock onto her prey with in seconds.
She readied for a pounce but her target was blocked.
Her blazing scowl lifted to the person who dared to step in her way. Or rather their boot.
"I said enough!" Levi barked at her. He planted a foot to her chest and shoved her back onto her arse before she could get her strike in.
"Where the fuck did you learn that!?" Martyn yelled, having finally recovered. He had yet to realise the Captain's presence, too busy with rolling onto his hands and knees. "You're shit at combat cla-" He couldn't finish his sentence.
The Captain had turned on him the moment he'd stilled Elle, swing an unforgiving foot under Martyn and booting him so hard in the gut he not only lost his words but what he'd recently had to drink.
Elle winced a little. She wasn't Martyn's biggest fan but she knew he didn't quiet deserve that.
Her eyes flicked back up to Levi with a frown, her lips parting ready to retort but the moment his eyes came back to her as he looked down her with that dark glare, she kept quiet.
"Get your shit off the horse." He ordered and Elle had to stay where she was for a minute; either in stun or confusion, she wasn't sure which.
"Sent packing already?" Niki commented with a smile, "Amazing!" A grin parted her lips but it didn't last long.
"The three of you!" Levi added to his order, "You can all carry your own shit and you can all walk!"