Maren pulled her punches for two rounds.
The Class B student across from her was a boy named Galt with a stone-type boar, and he came in heavy each exchange, telegraphing his haymakers from half the arena away.
She dodged the first.
Sidestepped the second.
Let the third graze her ribs because she was too busy keeping her temperature in check to move properly.
The fourth one caught her clean.
An earth-hammer fist crushed into her left side.
Maren's feet left the ground for a half second. When she landed her eyes were gold.
One tail ignited behind her.
Full foxfire, bright enough to throw shadows across the training yard.
The practice dummy six feet behind her turned to slag in two seconds, metal dripping into the sand.
Six hundred students went quiet.
Vesna blew the whistle.
"Match concluded, Class B wins on points." Vesna's voice carried across the yard. "Clear the ring."
Maren's eyes went back to brown.
The tail pulled in.
