As usual, I don't own Darksiders. On a side and completely unrelated note, today's phrase of the day is Bean Fish!

Briar

Not waiting on War, Briar ran through the castle, trying to find her way out. Unfortunately, she only succeeded in getting herself lost among the many halls and rooms.

"Why does he need such a huge ass house?" she asked the empty walls, "Maybe I should have waited for him… Nah."

Eventually, the she demon ended up just jumping out of a low window and running around to the back of the castle where she found the Horseman waiting for her. Briar skidded to a stop upon noticing that his back was turned to her. She couldn't help the malicious smile that slowly split her features.

Surprise attacks are always a good idea, right? she thought, silently creeping closer to him on the soft grass.

Once she felt she was close enough, Briar launched herself at War, yelling out "Surprise!"

Apparently it wasn't much of a surprise as the Horseman dodged out of the way, letting the she demon fall to the ground.

She got up, spitting out grass, dirt, and curses, "Jerk…"

"Was I supposed to let you hit me?" he asked innocently enough.

"Yes."

"Then this will not be much of a fight."

"I told you, training, not a fight."

"What is the difference?"

"Hm, good point. I suppose the difference is that I'm going to win!"

Before War could figure out how exactly that made any sense, Briar had tackled his middle, sending him crashing to the ground. As he fell, the she demon pushed off of him, flipped through the air, and stuck the landing right above his head.

She looked down at the fallen Horseman, unable to hide her grin, "What was that about this not being much of a fight?"

Instead of answering, War grabbed the she demon's ankle and threw her as he sat up.

Briar let out a small yelp of surprise as she flew through the air and hit a tree the Horseman hadn't noticed. She fell to the ground, not moving.

War worried that he had thrown her too hard and had seriously injured the she demon. Just as he was about to go to her to make sure she was alright, she got up with a groan.

"That's what I'm talking about!"

Even from where he was, he could see the wild light in her eyes and wondered if-

"I'm not drunk! Shut up and come get some, Rider of the Red Horse!" Briar drew her twin blades and crossed them in front of her as she made her challenge, making both literal and figurative sparks fly.

Still suspicious and wondering if the she demon was a mind reader also, War drew Chaoseater in response to her challenge.

Briar's iridescent eyes widened in realization that this was about to get serious. Far too serious for just a sparring match.

Sheathing her blades, she made a T with her hands, "Time out. Rule change, no weapons. I'm liable to get killed."

War, seeing the she demon's reasoning, walked over and dug the angry blade into the ground beside the tree. While he would never intentionally hurt her, accidents did happen. Especially in the heat of battle. Following his example, Briar removed the belt holding her short swords and draped it around Chaoseater's hilt.

The she demon popped her knuckles, a smile on her face, "Shall we begin? Don't hit too hard now, gotta keep this face pretty for my man."

"Your… man?" The Horseman asked, confused.

Briar sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Nevermind…"

"Who's-"

She let out another sigh before rushing War and knocking him to the ground again, successfully cutting him off and making him drop the subject.

"Oh I'm sorry, were you talking?"

Instead of answering, War flung the demon off of his chest. She flipped through the air until she landed on her feet.

"That's twice not that I've gotten you on your back. Here I was thinking that this would be hard. Looks like I might to have to actually go easy on you."

The Horseman got up, refusing to fall for the taunts.

Briar watched him with a sly smile on her face and War knew she was planning something.

"So," she began, "shall we get serious?"

"I was waiting on you." War answered, throwing the taunt back at her.

The she demon's smile grew wider in response yet neither of them moved to attack the other. Each waiting for the other to go first. To make the first mistake.

I'm no match for him and he knows it. We all know it. Thought Briar, wondering for a moment who "we" actually was.

Her musings were cut short as War charged at her. He was there standing in front of her before she even had the chance to move, left gauntlet an inch from her nose. Her hair was blown back from the force of the impact that never came.

"You should not let yourself be distracted during a fight." He warned her.

"Me? Distracted? Never. I was just letting you get in a free shot since I've already gotten two."

"Then allow me to try again." He said, lowering his fist.

"Nope, you've already lost your chance." She dropped to the ground, scything the Horseman's legs out from under him and causing him to fall on his back… again.

"That's three!" she laughed, dancing out of his reach. "Now who's distracted?"

War quickly got up, grabbed Briar and launched her into the air. She let out another small yelp as she fell back to the ground and landed hard on the soft grass. He wanted to catch her but knew that she would be angry with him if he did. After all, they were fighting.

Despite the pain she was in, the she demon grinned up at the Horseman, "There ya go, now you're getting it."

Slowly she got to her feet and War waited for her as she stretched, getting the new kinks out of her back and neck. Leaning her head back, she looked up at the sky and let out a satisfied sigh, "Such a beautiful day."

War was about to ask if their sparring match was over but was unable to as, without warning, Briar tackled him to the ground again. Before he could make contact with the ground, he turned the fall into a roll, pinning the she demon under him.

She looked up at him, faking a pout, "That was supposed to be four."

"When did this turn into seeing how many times you could get me onto my back?"

"Since I decided that it would be fun. Speaking of which…"

Briar kicked War in the side, knocking him off of her and back onto his back. He refused to stop and kept rolling, taking her with him.

"Four, five six!" she counted every time the Horseman's back came into contact with the grass. Still, they ended up with Briar on the ground and War kneeling over her. "C'mon, let me make it an even seven."

"Seven is not even." He needlessly reminded her.

"I know. I just wanted an excuse to get you on your back so I could do this." She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his.

In his surprise, or perhaps it was on purpose, War lost his balance and was, again, on his back with Briar laying on his chest.

"Seven." She giggled into their kiss.

War just growled at her counting and deepened their kiss.

She broke their kiss to look at him in his glowing blue eyes, "You were going easy on me weren't you?"

"Of course." He said sitting up, bringing her with him. "I could never hurt you." He took her face in his hand and she leaned into the touch.

Their moment, however, was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. They looked over to see one of the female Watchers floating nearby.

"Can we help you?" Briar asked, obviously ticked off.

"The Council wants to see you." The Watcher answered.

With a sigh the she demon rolled off the Horseman, "You better go see what they want."

"Not him," the sprite said, "you."

Both Briar and War looked at the Watcher then at each other in surprise.

"Dammit…" She sighed again before getting up to retrieve her swords and taking to the air.

"Wait." War stopped her.

"Hm? What, do you want a goodbye kiss?"

"How long has your wing been healed?"

She smiled at him, "Since the beginning of our match." She took off, opening a tear in the Veil.

Yeah… Sorry bout that… No I'm not.