Zara was not surprised when the attack was ineffective. The longer sword of the two swished through the air as it cut towards Walker, and it continued to cut air until the moment when a fist connected with her face. There was no force behind the swing only the force necessary to not be moved. Zara slammed into the knuckles hard enough to send her skull swinging back, bending her spine.

She found herself a moment later face down on the ground. The surprise hid the pain for only a moment while all the Stars danced and spun around her in the morning air. Then after a few blinks to disperse them the pain arrived. The left side of her face erupted as Zara felt like her skin was trying to break her skull and the skull was trying to rip her skin.

When she tried to touch the painful patch of flesh to maybe determine the size of the damage or just to convince herself that the pain was real, her left arm screamed from wrist to shoulder as she could, almost painlessly, feel the top of the skin of her arm split in two. She screamed out, wrapping herself around her cut arm. She rolled around on the ground for a while as tears, and pain-sweat moistened the grass mixing with the blood that was slowly being staunched by itself.

“WHY?!” she screamed at Walker, not waiting for a replay she proceeded to drag his name and family through all the curses she could muster. As moments passed so did the pain and with its quicker than expected departure came shame for overreacting.

Zara pushed herself to her knees, her swords strewn on her sides, and sent every ounce of murder she could muster through her stare at Walker standing not a step from where he started.

“What?” he asked earnestly and innocently.

That only angered Zara more.

“Why did you CUT me?!” She demanded. She let go of her left hand and touched the left side of her face smearing the blood on her cheek and wincing at the pain.

“The punch I can understand, I wasn’t paying attention.” She returned her hand to her shoulder trying to stop the pain from spreading by squeezing it.

“Why in all the Stars of Heaven would you cut me?” she demanded once more spittle spraying at Walker.

“You have another sword to deflect.” He stated calmly. “And even a dull blade…” he motioned to the offending instrument “can cut you.” He finished.

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THAT. IS. IT. Zara screamed in side herself, anger overwhelming the pain as her hands grasped blindly for her swords. The moment she grasped the handles she herd Walker say

“Try again.”

Everything fell away and Zara jumped again at Walker, rage focusing her as she tried to surprise him with a sudden strike from below. She missed but this time she managed to stop Walkers blade with her off-hand when another fist landed on the right side of her face. This time she spun with the force and managed to stay on her feet, she took a breath to steady herself and attacked again.

This went on for longer than Zara anticipated. When she finally fell to her knees out of exhaustion and accumulated damage that never went deeper than the skin Walker spoke again.

“You did well. Remember the wounds, plan for them in the future.” He stepped closer to her and crouched so that they were face to face.

“Anger is a good fuel but it will blind you in the end. Don’t let it control you. Use it for yourself.” He said letting go of his sword and reaching to a pouch inside of his fur vest.

Now! Zara’s body and mind screamed as her left hand came streaking at Walkers neck. He rocked back a little on his feet letting the blade pull Zara to the ground and on to her bruised and cut side. Oh come on. She thought as she lay on her side numbing to the pain.

“Good try.” Walker said “To obvious though.” He rummaged through his pouch and pulled out a few leaves Zara never saw before.

“Go to the spring. Wash your wounds. Then chew this.” He shoved the leaf into her face then into her hand “Do not eat it. It will help with the pain. When you chew it into a paste spread it on the biggest wounds, it will help close them correctly. But remember do not swallow. It can kill you.” He stood and turned his back to Zara.

“I’ll wait at the camp.” He said leaving Zara to herself.

It’s not that bad… Zara thought to herself as she lay on the ground panting and watching Walker walk away. If I don’t move I won’t feel the pain.

So she did. And in a matter of moments, as if the notion of ignoring it summoned it to the front of her being, the pain returned. It was different this time, though. Instead of the wounds hurting her they just annoyed her and laying on the ground drying her sweat, blood and tears on her skin was unappealing. So with a sigh Zara puled herself to her knees then she stood, shakily.

Another breath and she slowly picked up her swords and sheathed them. Then after staring at the leafs Walker gave her for a while. She headed to a stream that was close to their camp.

The sun set and the Stars were out when she arrived back to camp. The leafs did wonders. The moment she applied the paste to cuts she sustained the sting disappeared, the bruises lost most of the pulsating pain they created from the chewing too.

When Zara entered the camp she found Walker in his lean-too, depositing his training sword and getting ready to turn in. There was no food prepared like she was hoping, but she was also too tired to care much. She painfully wrapped her blanket around herself and slept.