Thwack!
My horn struck his shoulder. I realized I probably could have killed him then and there, run right through him like I did the monster on the island. My horn wanted me to do it- it begged me to tilt my head just a little more, sink that dark spiral into flesh and push.
The night before, I had gone over the possibilities of the fight again and again in my mind. I had prepared myself to take a blow, imagined the feel of a kick landing on my shoulder, teeth scraping my chest. But I had not visualized landing a blow, least of all one where self control is all that kept it from becoming potentially fatal. In hindsight, it seems so stupid that I was not mentally prepared- but in that moment I was shocked. My eyes widened and I looked to August’s face to see his reaction. He seemed completely unphased by how easily I could have killed him, and in the course of a few seconds my emotions swung wildly from shock and guilt to annoyance and anger.
If I had been more experienced, less taken aback by my own abilities, I could have crafted a much better defense to his quick counterattack. But my wits had fled, and I was spending so much time just feeling things that I moved in slow motion. It was on instinct alone that I reared up and away from his buck. He hit me on my underbelly, a blow that sent the breath rushing from me in a soft gasp. It didn’t hurt too much, and I immediately sensed there would be no lasting damage from it; I’m sure I’d feel it immediately if I had broken or fractured ribs. If his buck had been aimed higher, I think I’d be in much more pain- it made me wonder if he had attacked with the same generosity that I did, making this fight for warden more like kids playing a strange game of tag.
My brain came back from its little vacation; I can only assume the pain is what summoned it. When it did, something clicked, some understanding fell into place. It was one of those things you can read about it a thousand times but never really understand until you experience it for yourself. I was fighting now, I was really doing this. We were fighting. Blows had been traded.
I had been smiling earlier, but I think I didn’t truly begin to have fun until that moment.
August maintained the obvious defensive, keeping his hindquarters toward me. I was sorely tempted to dart forward and smack him on the butt with my horn, and almost reckless enough to try it, but ultimately I was too wary of a kick to the face. Instead, I lunged perpendicular to the stallion, pivoted sharply on my hind legs, took two strides roughly parallel to him, and reared up to strike at his shoulder with my front hooves.
I was all too aware of how easily I could escalate things if I aimed for August with my horn instead of my hooves… I could have tried to tap him again, to make the point: I could have ended everything, just like that. But I did not feel like making a point. I wanted to hit him the way he had hit me- casco a casco. I wasn’t going to break any bones with this attack, but I wanted him to feel it.
I wanted to know me, in a way no one else had known me before.
"ah, perhaps I should have kept my sword" made me giggle. I love him so much <3
Summary: When Aspara hits it takes a second for the gravity of the situation to sink in... then she gets punched in the stomach and snaps back into it. Then she essentially tries to run around August's butt and rear up to strike him in the shoulder from behind- from about a 45 degree angle. (I deliberated this for too long, but eventually decided she wouldn't know this because horses studying geometry is just... I can't.)
Attack Used: 2
Attack(s) Left: 0
Block Used: 0
Block(s) Left: 1
Item(s) Used: N/A
Response Deadline: 12/20 (although 12/21 would be fine since I'm posting this on the very tail end of 12/17!)
Tags: @August, @Sid, @inkbone, @nestle, @layla
