Chapter Twenty-One, 'Sins of the Father'

Ogini charged. Alicea sidetepped his blow, and struck to retaliate. The warrior deflected her first blow with his steel-rimmed shield, and the second he parried with his axe.

He was a determined opponent. Alicea could see that it was his skill that had brought him to the attention of the Alpha. Had he remained with the clan he would have been a war leader, chieftan even. He made the other warriors she'd fought look like mere brawlers.

"Fireblood, if you believe in the spirits Aurou taught then you would know that there is only one race who has there blessings."
"If you knew the spirits as I do then you would see that they choose no favorites. If you believed in them you would see that the justice you seek is not yours to administer."
"Your words are no sharper than your teeth, The spirits will see this day that the Ga-Vok alone are worthy of their favors."

Another blow, Alicea parried it and he again blocked her counter-blow. They spun, the dance of the blades continued for hours. Neither was stronger, even with magic she could not deliver the blow.

~I know his smell. His father's blood runs through him as it did our fangs.~
"Do you know what happened to the father you seek to avenge?"
"He was killed by you, as the moon brought forth your true form, you wretched beast."
"Do you want to know how he died? I could tell you the things he screamed in the depths of his mind as I tore his throat. Or the taste of his blood on my lips."

Ogini hurtled at her, sending forth a fury fulled cry for vengance. His attacks were more fierce, and she could feel that it was her blood now trickling down her cheek. But he was less careful, his blows were fast and wild but his shield was lowered.

She locked Onkai against his axe and forced herself past it. She brought Welvae back to deliver the blow. But the fangs. She had forgotten his natural weapons.

Alicea pulled herself out of the Warrior's deadly embrace, and collapsed against the paving stones of the shrine. Her axes were forgotten in her pain. The beast cried for vengance, for authority; it cried to live.

As darkness began to settle, the sun setting as her conciousness faded; she heard the wind, the lake stirred, and silence.