I stood with my arms raised and fists clenched, my eyes trying to take in every movement of Jasper, who danced just out of arm's reach. Waiting for the moment his left foot was in the air, I kicked my right leg forward towards his chest.
Jasper just lowered his body and took the hit on his arms, the impact only sent him a single step back. He quickly jumped into my guard as my leg was resetting itself on the ground and threw a right hook, trying to get around my own guard.
His movements were blindingly fast, but I could still see them if only barely. Knowing my guard would break if I pulled back, I shifter forward and allowed the blow to land on the meat of my left shoulder.
Knowing my shoulder was going to be numb for a few seconds after the impact, I shifted my weight to allow a body blow with my right fist. My hit landed on Jasper's ribs, but to minimal effect.
Still, he stepped back outside my range and gave me a smile. I returned the smile with a left jab that was as much me shaking off the numbness in my shoulder as an attempt to keep him at a distance. Thankfully, the action did both.
Jasper kicked this time, a low sweeping kick designed to get me off balance. I blocked with my leg, and it felt like someone hit my shin with a metal baseball bat. It was tricky to acknowledge the pain and still try to keep my mind on the heat that entered my body from my mind, but I managed to hold on.
Trying to get him on the defensive, I made another swing toward his ribs, and when he dropped his hands to protect himself from the body blow, I turned it into an uppercut. I thought I had him dead to rights, but the bastard just tilted his head to the side as the blow barely grazed his cheek.
Jasper sent a light jab that connected to my face and followed it with an overhand right that felt like it had been shot from a cannon. The blow had me stumbling back a couple of steps.
"Yeahh, get him, Jaz. He got your shirt dirty, and I liked that one." Alice cheered from the side.
I shook the stars from my head and tried to focus on Jasper again. I caught the telltale movement of his left shoulder and knew he was going for another hook, but this time with his off hand to catch me unaware. In response, I sent a counter and put more strength into it, hoping to score my first knockdown ever on him.
Unfortunately, we both missed as I put too much focus on my punch and lost control of the fire in my head, and made the full change. My first impulse was to leap forward and tackle Jasper to the ground and pin him under my paws. However, today we were working on my control.
Jasper stepped back and dropped his gloved hands just in time to catch Alice as she jumped at him and smothered his face in kisses.
"My hero." She cried out. "Edythe has my chores for the next week now."
I stood there on all fours, panting in exhaustion. Even in my tiger form, my arms (Well, legs.) still ached from the many absorbed blows. I shook my head and turned toward Edythe and Rohan, who stood off to the side.
I shifted back to human as Edythe handed me another pair of shorts to put on while I tried to catch my breath.
"I need to work on my stamina more. It's the one thing both my forms lack."
Rohan agreed with my statement, "That is one weakness your whole Clan possesses. Though many ignore it and continue to rely only on strength. Still, you are learning to control your inner fire with remarkable speed."
I acknowledged his comment with a nod. It had been two weeks now since he had given me the mental exercise. I enjoyed the way it helped calm me down. I could go about 10 minutes with me actively pulling on the heat from my inner fire while keeping the rest in my mind.
This allowed me near vampire strength and sturdiness. This also granted me and Jasper the ability to actually fight in my human form during training now. That fighting helped me practice more and get better quickly. Rohan said that eventually it will become second nature to control the fire and discover the full range of my abilities.
Rohan also seemed to believe that my early shifting had to do with my grandmother's gift. He explained that Nepal Clan members all had to wait until their bodies were at their physical peak, typically around age 25, to begin working on allowing the fire to enter their bodies. However, the Quileute gift appears to accelerate the body's change to its peak shape quickly after the first change occurs, provided it occurs before maturity.
I told him about the belief that the Quileute's have about the proximity of a Vampire awakening their gift, he showed excitement for the first time since meeting him learning that bit of lore. I, however, still had questions about little things like my lifespan. Will I lose the years my body seems to be blowing past? Will I continue to age after my body is at its peak?
Rohan had no answers for me. Just the little he knew about my grandmother. She had no reason to shift in an area that had no Vampires, and she did age, apparently. From what he knew, she did not look young when she left the Clan once her husband died of old age, but nor was she reported to be elderly. He didn't know the reason she left either. He just assumed it was because her mate died.
So, on one hand, I could possibly be 25 forever so long as I continued to shift often. But on the other hand, there was a worry that the energy to make the shift had to come from somewhere, and that was possibly my lifespan. I needed to go visit the Quileute tribe and see if they have any answers. But oh yeah, I also just happened to kick mud all over the one elder who would have most of the answers. Go figure!
My best bet would be to go ask Sam and plant the same worry in him so he can be the one asking the questions. That or go back with my hat in my hand and ask forgiveness for being a rude prick to the eldest elder… Yeah, that wasn't happening!
Rohan was also getting impatient with my delaying our return to Nepal, but I was insisting that I not miss my girlfriend's first birthday since we got together. I felt guilty enough about what could be considered abandonment in the vampire circles. No one was saying anything, but I could still feel it. It doesn't help that I am my own worst critic, and just my luck, I have to live with myself!
Edythe flicked my forehead, "Get out of your own head, Thomas." Then she handed me my mother's locket. I was wary about wearing it because if I had to make the shift quickly, it would definitely break the chain and possibly get lost. But it didn't feel right leaving it in a box on my dresser.
I ran my thumb across the front of it after hanging it around my neck, then shot Edythe a smile. She really went above and beyond for me, seeing things I never would have. I halted my thoughts there because if I didn't, then I would just start my downward spiral again. It's time better spent enjoying her company while I can.