š¹THORNE
She came at me low, jaws aiming for my front leg, a move meant to cripple, not just score points. I sidestepped, but she'd anticipated it, already pivoting to rake her claws across my ribs. The strike landed, shallow but precise.
She's not holding back.
Umbra pounced forward, catching her shoulder with enough force to send her rolling. Most wolves would have scrambled to recover. She turned the momentum into a controlled spin, came up on all fours, and lunged again before I'd finished my follow-through.
Her teeth caught the thick fur at my neck. It was not deep enough to kill enough to show she knew where to bite if she wanted to kill. I shook her off, and she landed in a crouch, muscles coiled, eyes blazing.
That's when I saw it, the slight curl of her muzzle, the way her eyes gleamed with something that looked almost like joy.
She's smiling.
