Page 11 of Sol Survivor

He clenched his jaw and raised his hands.All Ulvus had to do was sit on Drafe to end the challenge.He had to ensure that didn’t happen.Which meant more dodging, strategic kicks, and punches to the knees, thighs, eyes, ears.The first two were doable, the last two required a longer arm-reach than Drafe had.

As soon as Ulvus assumed position, Drafe struck with a kick to the knee.He leaped back and orbited while Ulvus howled and hopped on one leg.

“Holy Kreta, Drafe,” he whined and rested the toes of his injured leg on the sand.

Drafe bounced, weaved, ducked, constantly moving between feints.Ulvus struggled to focus on Drafe, his gaze darting a second or two after Drafe moved.He pecked at the lumbering hudu, jabbed, kicked at newly healed wounds, at sore points, at weaknesses.With one arm-swing, Ulvus caught Drafe across the chest and sent him flying.He landed on his back with a grunt, sliding across the sand and stopping too close to the circle’s edge.Moving out of it with any part of his body forfeited the challenge.

The ground trembled when Ulvus charged.Drafe’s symbiotes whispered a warning, and he rolled several times to the side.When he leaped to his feet, he was in time to catch a kick to his stomach.Again he hit the sand and skimmed backward.He struggled to rise.Something squeezed his throat with his ability to breathe taken from him.A shadow fell across him.Ulvus prepared to throw his weight on Drafe, who raised his knees at the last minute.Ulvus’s eyes bulged as his chest met Drafe’s knees.The stale stench of salt cakes on his breath bathed Drafe’s face, and he grimaced.Howling, Ulvus fell to the sand and curled on his side.Drafe rolled again and scrambled to his feet, swaying where he stood.

He brought his heel down on Ulvus's jaw, but the male caught his foot and dragged him off his feet.As pain throbbed in his shoulder and the sharp bolt of fire shot up his leg, Ulvus landed on top of him, pinning him to the ground.Drafe sank into the sand, hindering his ability to fight, to escape.Failure loomed while his symbiotes screamed suggestions.

His gaze fell to the side, to where Larya bit a clenched fist while Kael spoke to an animated Umda.No expression crossed the exposed part of the Ivoys’s faces.Bavu frowned, no doubt unhappy with Ulvus winning.

Drafe slumped, dropped his hands, and pretended to pass out.In times like this, he would play the weakling.Ulvus chuckled and jerked back, a slave to his nature.

Drafe struck, punching the male in the face.Clear blood drenched him at the snap of a bone.Ulvus howled, pulling away to wipe his chin.His eyes paled to white, and before Drafe could thrust the male off him, Ulvus punched him.His body registered the excruciating burn of agony as his head snapped to the side.By the fourth blow across his jaw and cheek, the pain merged into one.

“Enough.”

The blue sky filled Drafe’s fading vision when someone dragged Ulvus off him.Drafe’s symbiotes muttered, cursed, but hurried to heal him.Yesterday and today had tested them, and for that, he was sorry.One eye began to close when Bavu leaned over him.

“Young Drafe, do you require a healer?”

Drafe winced.To summon a healer proved his unworthiness.“Is itthatbad?”His words were mumbled with his lips smashed against his teeth.The salty tang of his blood coated his tongue.He chuckled, then moaned when his ribs constricted.

“I have seen worse.”Bavu grinned and offered a hand.

“I lost.That is worse enough for me,” Drafe mumbled.

“Against Ulvus you could never have won, Drafe.”

Hoisted to his feet, he smothered a groan and focused on standing still.His world tilted.Trickling blood from his ear dripped onto his shoulder.

“This day is not set.”Bavu patted Drafe on the shoulder.“The Ivoy will choose, and there is the small matter of your stolen water pouch.”

Drafe whipped his head up and gaped, despite his vision spinning.“How did you—?”

“Umda is our finest peacekeeper, Drafe.Did you doubt he would look into this?”Bavu shook his head.“The theft of a water pouch is not to be taken lightly.”

Ulvus stood to the side, laughing despite his bloody nose.Hanging from his belt was the evidence of his crime, but the foolish male was too arrogant for his own good.

Bavu strode toward the Ivoy instead of confronting Ulvus.A discussion ensued with Bavu pointing and gesticulating before he pulled his lips into a grim line.Marching to the center of the circle, he waved his hand, summoning Ulvus to his side.

“The Ivoy have chosen, but before I announce the next Qaldreth trainee or Karu, I would like to discuss Ulvus’s punishment.”

His mother gasped, her cheeks darkening.

Ulvus blustered, as if he was innocent of whatever crime Bavu would mention.

“Whose water pouch is that, Ulvus?”Umda called from beside Tiyl, both having thrust the butts of their spears into the sand.

“Mine?”

Drafe laughed.“You are not sure?”

Ulvus glared at him.“Of course I am sure.It is mine.”

“It bears your father’s symbol?”Bavu arched a brow.

---