She sat up from her fall, rubbing her arm as she took in the sight before her. The chair beside the bed, slightly askew, told her all she needed to know—he had slept next to her all night.
Was he the reason her body had calmed? In the short time she had spent with Shin, she realized his presence brought a strange sense of security she wasn't used to.
She hated the thought, yet a small part of her found solace in it. Still, she pushed the feeling aside and watched as he stretched, rolling his shoulders with a satisfied sigh.
"What exactly is training going to consist of?" she asked, letting out a soft yawn. Her orange locks tumbled around her face as she ran her fingers through her hair, untangling the knots as she studied him curiously.
Shin cracked his neck before answering. "We'll start with exercises before breakfast—testing your endurance, flexibility, and control."
Control. She frowned slightly, pondering his words.
Was he referring to physical control? Mental discipline? Knowing him, it was probably both. Her body was weak from years of mistreatment, but her mind had been forced to adapt, to survive.
If she wanted to keep up, she'd need to master both aspects.
Shin smirked, catching her off guard as he winked at her. He pointed toward the window. "Let's head back to the deep woods where we can train. You know, where you were heading before."
Laverna nodded. "That's probably a good call. We don't need unnecessary attention on ourselves."
As she spoke, he unlocked the window, allowing the fresh morning air to sweep into the room. The scent of cooked meat and fresh bread wafted in, making her stomach tighten with hunger.
She closed her eyes, savoring the aroma, but when she opened them, Shin had a mischievous grin plastered across his face.
Without warning, he walked up to her and lifted her effortlessly, making her stomach drop. "FUCK!" she yelped as he set her down abruptly on the futon. Before she could process what had just happened, he poked her cheeks, taunting her before darting away.
Winking at her, he leaped onto the windowsill. "Last one there is a rotten, stinky, smelly egg!"
Anger boiled in her chest. The audacity!
Not only had he breached her personal space, but he also had the nerve to poke fun at her. She lashed out, trying to catch his hand between her teeth, but he was already gone, vaulting out the window with an excited "Woohoo!"
Flinging herself from the futon, she hurried to follow, though her movements were not nearly as smooth. As she landed, her knee hit the ground harder than she intended, causing a sharp sting to shoot up her leg.
Her ears twitched as she heard his laughter up ahead.
"Rotten egg? You're the rotten egg," she muttered, a smirk creeping onto her lips despite herself. Kicking off the ground, she sprinted after him, her irritation fueling her movements.
Shin glanced back at her, grinning as he effortlessly maneuvered through the terrain. His balance was impeccable, his body moving with a fluidity that made it seem as though he had eyes in the back of his head.
He dodged fallen branches and leapt over rocks without breaking his stride. Meanwhile, Laverna struggled to keep pace. Her foot caught on a root, nearly sending her sprawling, but she recovered, using her arms to propel herself forward.
His laughter echoed through the trees as he continued to taunt her. He was toying with her, she realized, testing her endurance.
The fact that he didn't even seem winded only added to her frustration.
As they reached the deep woods, Shin suddenly disappeared, vanishing into the dense foliage like a ghost. The woods swallowed him whole, leaving only the distant sound of his amusement behind.
Laverna skidded to a halt, her heart hammering in her chest. She was out of shape.
Malnutrition, lack of sleep, and past injuries had left her weaker than she cared to admit. But she knew how to push past discomfort.
She had learned to suppress pain, to compartmentalize it into a mental box and shove it aside.
Her pupils dilated, adjusting to the dim light beneath the thick canopy. The sounds of the forest grew sharper, the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of unseen creatures filling her ears.
Small wisps of light flickered in the darkness, guiding her deeper into the trees, but they vanished as quickly as they appeared. She could hear Shin, but she couldn't see him.
Irritation prickled at her skin. She was being hunted... again.
He smirked, knowing she couldn't see him in the dark, but wondering if her Kitsune instincts were beginning to awaken. He spoke, his voice carrying through the shadows.
"This exercise will test your endurance and your stamina. Try to locate me in the dark and try to tag me whenever you can."
He toyed with her, effortlessly slipping away whenever she lunged. No matter how sharp her instincts felt, he was always a step ahead.
Her irritation flared with every missed attempt. His voice echoed within the darkness, teasing, just out of reach. Then, before she could react, he tapped her shoulder. As she whirled around, he poked her cheek with a grin.
"Bam! You're dead!"
Whenever she tried to swipe at him, he would meet her gaze, wink, and then vanish once more into the shadows. Her frustration mounted.
She was moving on instinct, but it wasn't enough. She should be able to track him, to catch him, yet every time she thought she had him, he disappeared.
His laughter mixed with the rustling leaves, his voice drifting through the forest like a phantom. "Make the darkness your friend. Your instincts should guide you, then the techniques will follow through."
He smiles, jumping from one branch to the other, playing as if he's a trickster, a ghost within the darkness.
"Don't let your anger and your emotions blind you. Make your emotions your ally. Concentrate and remember who you are as a Kitsune."
After a few moments of testing her patience, he finally stepped into view, waiting, daring her to strike. Laverna didn't hesitate.
She lunged, her movements sharper now, driven by both instinct and raw frustration. But still, he slipped past her.
Every attack she threw was dodged, every movement countered with a simple block or a light push that sent her stumbling.
"Damn it!" she snapped, pushing herself up again. "Why can't I touch you?!"
Her breath came in ragged gasps, her hands shaking with exertion. The more she missed, the more her irritation grew.
Memories flashed in her mind, being caged, being powerless, being at someone else's mercy. She gritted her teeth, refusing to let those thoughts take hold.
"I am not weak anymore!" she growled, her voice laced with anger and desperation. "I won't be helpless again!"
Her legs ached, her muscles screamed, but she forced herself forward, lunging again. This wasn't just training. It was a battle against her past, against the fear still gripping her heart. And she refused to lose.
When she stumbled again, her breath coming in ragged pants, he simply chuckled. "Is that all you've got? Come on! Get up! You can do better than that!"
He could see the effort she was putting in, the way she pushed herself even when frustration and exhaustion threatened to break her. Her breath came in short, uneven gasps, her muscles trembling with exertion.
He knew they had been at this for hours, the sun now high in the sky, signaling that lunchtime was near. Just as she was about to collapse, he caught her arm, steadying her.
Smiling, he reached out and ruffled her hair, a rare moment of praise.
"Good work today, Laverna. Not bad for a beginner."
The words washed over her, and for a moment, she felt a warmth spread through her chest. It wasn't just his praise, it was something deeper.
A sensation pulsed through the crest on her skin, an unfamiliar yet undeniable wave of pleasure that made her breath hitch. Her cheeks burned, and she quickly looked away, confused and frustrated by the involuntary reaction.
She clenched her fists, exhaling sharply before mumbling, "T-thank you... for the lesson."
He then nodded, making a mental note of her endurance, flexibility, and adaptability. He observed how long she could maintain her stamina, how well she adjusted to sudden changes in position and environment, and how quickly she recovered from exertion.
But as he studied her closely, a nagging doubt crept into his mind. She hadn't had a proper meal in days! How long could she truly last? Would she even make it through the day before exhaustion took its toll? He frowned slightly, the thought unsettling him more than he cared to admit.