It had been four days since the party had left Vaerthruin now deeper into the hills that made up the edged of the Heartlands, the forest long gone from sight behind them to the north, With Lyra in tow, Zarath allowed her to have his Kraan-thur and letting her share it with Hura as add protection when every they set up camp, him and Tharon sharing Tharon’s and taking turns on watch. Lyra took to cooking the meals for the three and always making sure that Hura had a share of the dried meat each night, Tharon joked that their Brakkon companion wouldn’t be able to tell who her master was if Lyra kept spoiling Hura. Weather permitting, they might be able to make the whole journey to the town of Frotnier in less than two weeks.

          “You know we should probably stop for the day it looks like a bit of rain in the distance.” Tharon used his spear to point in the direction he mentioned the serrated bone lined with the wyvern fangs the light glinting off the tip of the bone spear.

          “Yeah, it would probably do some good, the three of us can get some combat practice in and it gives us a chance to see how skilled Lyra actually is with those fancy knives.” Zarath took the pack off his back, followed by his wyvern bone longbow. He stretched out the fur along his face and tail, frizzing up as he did.

          “Hey, what is that supposed to mean Zarath?” Lyra’s voice was a bit higher pitched than she intended as she pouted at him her muzzle scrunching the way it always did when she pouted, which seemed to be a daily occurrence since she started traveling with the boys.

          “Nothing it’s just we actually don’t know how skilled you are or if you would be any help in a fight if something happens.” Zarath drew the bronze sword from his hip giving it a few practice swings before swinging it slightly behind his right side and bending his knees.

          “Zarath is right the two of use have been sparring and training together for seven years now we know how to work as a team.” Tharon took the wooden shield and dropped into a ready stance using the shield to balance his spear.

          Lyra noticed that both Zarath and Tharon were ready for this mock fight as they looked at each other, she back up slightly giving them room. Suddenly Zarath rushed forward his sword arm drawn back behind him as if to swing in a wide horizontal arch. Tharon lunged forward aiming his spear at Zarath thigh to which Zarath using his superior agility quickly sidestepped into a spin, changing the angel of his strike into a downward diagonal strike. Tharon raised his reinforced wooden shield and blocked the strike quickly throwing his heavier weight behind it to throw Zarath a few feet back.

          Planting his feet Zarath dropped to an almost animalist all fours position using his unarmed hand to add an extra pit of power behind his next lung, Tharon responded in kind gripping the base of his spear and swinging it in a wide arch. Zarath used his bronze sword to block rolled midair to avoid the hit. Lyra and Hura watched from the sidelines of the match. Lyra could tell that Tharon wasn’t bluffing when he said the two of them have trained for combat.

          The mock battle between Tharon and Zarath lasted all but a few minutes, each one striking and blocking until they were satisfied with the resulting tie, both boys slightly out of breath as Zarath turned to Lyra.

          “Alright Lyra you and Tharon go next.” Zarath sheathed his sword and stepped a few feet back nodding to Tharon to go easy.

          “Wait why am I sparring against Tharon and not you?” Lyra asked as she stood up and moved closer.

          “Well Tharon has a shield even if it’s just practice hitting his shield would be much better than accidentally cutting one of us so just focus on hitting his shield.” Zarath scratched Hura as she brushed against his leg.

          “Ugh fine I told the two of you I know what I’m doing.” Giving Zarath a small pout, she reached behind her and drew her two curved knives looping her pinky finger into the rings at the end of each pommel and dropping into a slightly crouched position. Tharon assumed the same ready position he did with Zarath raising his shield and using it to brace his spear.

          Lyra launched herself at him, her boots digging into the dirt and leaving small holes where they kicked up a few clumps of the ground. Tharon lunged his spear towards her, not putting in as much force as he did with Zarath. Lyra was trained both boys could tell by how she used the sharpened edge of one of her knives to redirect Tharon’s spear, but it was obvious she didn’t practice that much, despite her small size she wasn’t very agile or fast, and only after a minute or two she was already out of breath.

          “Not bad but you clearly haven’t been practicing any of your combat skills since you were taught how to fight.” Tharon reached out to help Lyra off the ground as she tried to catch her breath.

          “We will work on it with you, but you definitely need to work on getting your muscles built up if I had put my full force behind that first blow, I might have seriously hurt you.” Tharon planted the base of his spear into the ground making it stand up on its own as he removed his shield for this forearm.

          “Well, what did you think Zarath?” Lyra as she sheathed her knives and whipped her brow. Her tail wagging slightly behind her. Zarath was busy sharpening his sword and arrow tips with a wet stone quickly stopping when he heard Lyra call his name.

          “Well, I mean like Tharon said it wasn’t bad.” Zarath gave a noncommittal answer as he was clearly caught not paying attention to her sparring match at all.

          “You weren’t paying attention at all where you.” Lyra’s muzzle scrunched up into her usual pout the ears atop her head twitching from her annoyance, her cheeks puffed out slightly.

          “No, I was I was just also doing other things.” Zarath sheathed his sword and tucked the wet stone back into his bag standing up and moving closer to Lyra. He took one of her wrists in his hand and positioned it at an upward angle showing her the proper hand position for using a knife.

          “For one you grip on the knife is too tight those ring loops at the end are so that you can spin them from a normal grip to a reverse grip, making it easier for slashing or stabbing, and on top of that you could easily swap to a defensive position if needed.” Zarath was now standing behind Lyra holding both her hands out to demonstrate his meaning unaware of how red the face under her fur was but quickly caught on when her tail started to wag. Zarath quickly let go of Lyra and stepped back, clearing his throat.

          “Umm yeah but like Tharon said we can work on it, plus it will be easier to build your muscle the more we spare.” Zarath’s ears twitched atop his head as he scratched his neck.

          “Yeah, that sounds good, and you can show me how to fight better with my knives right.” Lyra rubbed her wrist slightly not because they hurt but even, she wasn’t sure why she felt this way around Zarath.

          “You ever think they will figure out they like each other huh Hura.” Tharon looked at the groups Brakkon companion who barked at his question. The two watching the awkward interaction between Zarath and Lyra. After a few more minutes of the awkward interaction the group got to setting up camp Zarath and Tharon setting up their Kraan-thur tonight was Tharon’s turn to cook for the group so after pitching his yurt like tent he got the fire going and took out some of the dried meat they had stocked up. Lyra was setting up her bedding in Zarath’s tent since she had been using it for the last four days, and Zarath and Hura went out hunting.

          “So, Tharon, um is Zarath always like this?” Lyra laid down across her pelt sleeping bag. Her tail wagging softly

          “You mean stubborn and lazy, yeah before this trip he would normally sleep in until noon every day.” Tharon turned the meat skewers he was cooking so they didn’t burn.

          “No that, wait really till noon. But never mind that no I mean frustrating and annoying.” Lyra rubbed her face with her hands in an exaggerated long sigh as she tried to picture Zarath, who she had only known for a week sleeping till noon.

          “ Yeah, somewhat though I’m sure my frustration with him is a lot different then yours, but if your asking if he is usual like this around girls then no, to be honest he never really talked to any of the girls are age when we were with our tribe and you’re the first person he has every shown how to properly fight at least to my knowledge.” Tharon turned to look at Lyra clearly knowing what she was asking.