Black Ice-Completed
Chapter 41

“You have to look for openings while fighting, Nyota. Everyone always makes mistakes and leaves themselves open to a hit or a kick that could knock them out!” Syn said as he peeled off his leather jacket and kicked off his boots.

Nyota blinked as he swept off his shirt and felt herself go into a daze. He had certainly gotten bigger as she watched his muscles ripple and shift. If anything, he looked to be around the same size as the damn saber.

She had to force herself to actually pay attention to what Syn was saying as drool pooled in her mouth, “We’re going to start with the basics. Braytek taught you hand to hand so-“

“He didn’t,” Nyota said as she blinked and shuffled her feet fretfully.

“What?” Syn asked in bewilderment. Surely Braytek had taught her how to fight. It was the first thing pups learned right after walking.

“Braytek always stayed in wolf form when he came to see me. Only time he really went human was when he talked to my Aunt,” Nyota said as she glanced away.

Syn stared at her dumbfounded, “But Aleric?” he asked in confusion, not understanding how Nyota had been able to kill him.

Nyota sighed and wiped her forehead, sweat already dripping as the desert sun tried to sap her strength but the coolness of the Ice Floes kept it moderate in temperature. “Aleric, as you said, was luck. I used my defensive skills in hunting to take him down. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to fight off big cats for my own kills. And then when you came, we fought as wolves. Nobody has ever taught me hand to hand combat, much less with a sword.”

At the enormity of what Nyota was telling Syn, he was surprised that she had survived at all. Moving towards her, he framed her cheeks with his hands and gently kissed her nose, “We’ll start with the beginning basics then. There’s not much difference to defensive fighting.” He smiled as her beautiful face blushed a deep red and she fumbled with trying to replace something to do.

Syn hadn’t been kidding when he had told her they would start at the beginning. The fires thing he taught her was the correct stance so that Nyota would be prepared for any attack. “Widen your legs a little more and turn slightly so you’re a smaller target,” he said and nodded in approval when Nyota did what he said, “Good!”

As the morning progressed, both started to get irritated with the other. Nyota would make a mistake and Syn, who was not a patient man by nature, started growling which in turn raised Nyota’s own hackles.

“You’ll never be able to go up against Lyosha at this rate! How in Allaidh’s name did you ever become proficient with a sword?” he snapped when she had moved through a series of stances that held many mistakes.

Nyota huffed in irritation and stared him head on, her eyes glowing dimly, “I can only learn so quickly, Syn. You’ve had all your life to learn this and change the techniques to suit your needs!”

Syn blinked as understanding came to him and he felt shame well up. Nyota was right and the fact that she hadn’t attacked him in irritation or run away like she had done in the past told him that she too had grown up, “You’re right, I’m sorry,” he said softly. Wrapping his arms around her, he cuddled her close and breathed in, “I’ve been leading other wolves for the past ten years that I’m used to perfection when I ask for it.”

Nyota smiled but hugged him back. She was about to say something as she nuzzled his chest when he moved away, “Alright, lets continue!”

Feeling irritated well up once again, she buried it down. They would have plenty of time to talk, it was only a matter of time.

The training went a lot smoother afterwards. Syn had decided to change it up and do the mirror technique. He stood opposite of Nyota and she would follow his moves as if looking in a mirror. It went better for both and Nyota was learning quicker than before.

When she had thought they would have time to talk, she never realized they would train well into the night. Any break they took, Syn would go on patrol for dangers and other wolves. When Nyota had offered to go with him, Syn had declined, stating she needed to rest. When they finally stopped for the night, she never felt much like talking and would fall into her bed furs, promptly going to sleep.

As the days turned into a week, Nyota felt her frustration start to build up from their lack of communication. They had yet to talk about what had happened years ago. Did Syn even really remember or had he let it go? Should she let it go? To her, it was something they needed to talk about, to get through it so they understood one another.

After several days of the mirror technique, they moved onto fighting each other, her frustrations morphing into anger as Syn was able to hit her in rapid succession without her getting an edge in.

“Concentrate! Watch your opponent! The smallest muscle twitch can give away what they’re about to do! But you won’t figure that out if you don’t watch!” Syn snarled as he landed a particularly hard punch into Nyota’s stomach.

Nyota growled and clenched her teeth as she curled into a ball, “I’m trying!” she said once she got her breath back. Not only was she angry, but Syn had been training bare chested for the last few hours and the itchiness that had abated years ago was slowly making a comeback. If anything it was worse than it had been before.

All she wanted to do was attack Syn, nibble and bite along the column of his neck and slowly make her way down to the furry little trail that led to his pants. She wanted to lick and nibble the firm muscles that were dripping sweat and twitching while she looked.

At that thought, Nyota licked her lips as her eyes landed back on his neck and felt her head ring as Syn landed a punch against her jaw. There was no fear that she would get loose teeth because Syn was holding back his full strength but it still rang her head and she knew there would be a bruise.

“It doesn’t look like it Nyota,” Syn snapped as he stood over her, “Are you even serious about challenging Lyosha?” he growled in contempt and Nyota snarled at him, her eyes narrowing at his attitude.

“Of course I’m serious!” she hissed as she stood back up straight, ignoring the twinges from her stomach.

“Show me!” he snarled, angry that he had landed so many hits on her, “Be the Alpha that I know you can be! Show me what you want!” he said as he beckoned Nyota to come and get him, a smirk on his face to irritate her even more.

Narrowing her eyes, Nyota went after Syn and started throwing punches and kicks. She got some in but the majority was blocked. She blocked most of his punches as well when he threw them. The fighting became more intense as Nyota quit holding back her own strength. She needed to show Syn what she wanted. There was no way around it.

Finally after many punches and kicks, Nyota saw an opening and tripped him by hooking her foot behind his and pulling. At the last second, Syn grabbed her shirt and pulled her down on top of him. Both stared in shock at the other and before either knew, Nyota bent down and started attacking his lips with her own. After a pause of surprise, Syn began to attack her lips as well and Nyota sighed. This was no gentle kiss as Syn drew her tongue into his and sucked, teeth and tongue slashing at the other as Nyota gripped his hair to try to control his movements.

Syn would have none of that, gripping her waist he flipped them so that Nyota was beneath him. Before she could move, he pinned her hands to either side of her head and grounded himself against her. Both groaned in union as their instincts took over.