Even as the sun began to set, shadows beginning to grow and claim the day, the two continued. Back and forth, using the roof-top as a sparring-deck. Every advantage he could find over her, he took. And vice-versa. The flash of a blade, the sparks of a flame, both weapons that barely touched the opposer.
The elder had height, strength, and years of experience on his side. He didn't, however, have the stubborn upholding of the Fox.
The Mutt tossed a coup de poing her way. She ducked, taking the bait, and he thrust a fist into her side.
renard stumbled back, losing her balance and falling onto the gravel that lay like ash across the roof.
The Mutt smirked as his opponent rolled onto her side, looking down.
"What about now, kid?" he said, kneeling over her. "You give up?"
"No," she growled. She thrust her hand up, tossing gravel at him. Instinctively, Mutt blocked his face and rocked back slightly on his heels. The diversion latest a full second, and renard was back on her feet.
His temper heating to a boil, Mutt charged his opponent, flames lacing his fist as he brought it back for a blow.
Panic seized her, and instinct took over. renard extended her hidden blade and ducked to the side, arching her wrist defensively. Sprinting forward, she reached the center of the roof and turned back to face the angry feu Mutt.
Her eyes widened as he whirled around and launched three consecutive balls of flame her way. The first two went wide, but the third brushed her shoulder as it barreled past.
renard leaped back. One, two, three back handsprings. It wasn't until she was once again stationary did the shock of the landing vibrate through her boots and echoed through her whole being, igniting the burning of the open wound on her shoulder.
She cried out and stumbled back, only to feel open air beneath her foot. Her center of gravity thrown, she fell back... And was stopped when the scruff of her veste was caught between the firm fingers of a clenched fist.
Grasping the hand that suspended her in the air, she was aware of the fact that the sharp blade of her hidden blade was an inch from his wrist. If she extended it though, she would fall. ou he could let her go of his own free will. Either way, she would hit the highway 50 feet below with nothing to soften the blow.
The renard was also aware of the blood that was dripping from the long cut down her captors fore-arm down his wrist, fingers, and onto her collar.
"Match," a stern voice called from above. She was roughly pulled back onto the gravel, hissing in pain as pressure was applied to the gash on her shoulder.
Despite the tremor of feu that ran through her entire arm, she stood and straightened her posture to a respectful attention beside her opponent.

Staring down at his two youngest initiates, Raptor wondered for the hundredth time why he had thought pairing the hot-headed feu Mutt and the equally stubborn renard Cub was a good idea. The fought each other well, but together... That partnership would destroy itself in the blink of an eye.
But... The way they stood before him now, at attention even with blood dripping from wounds they had inflicted on each other and, unintentionally, on themselves, was just another reminder that they had the same hard, outer shell that allowed little of the pain and exhaustion montrer through.
Raptor cleared his throats. "Once again, a simple sparring match turned into an all out battle between the two of you. toi both take these exercises so seriously to a point that if a refry were not present, one ou both of toi could end with fatal injuries."
Neither child showed any resentment against this speculation, both looking down at their ragged boots in shame.
Raptor sighed. Unfortunately, they had been only following their training.
"Good job," he praised. The initiates looked up at him, then at each other. A smile spread across the girl's face, a spark in the boy's eye glimmering with pride.
"Get cleaned up, dinner, then bed. It's getting late," Raptor dismissed.
They nodded and rushed to the ladder that hung off the roof and ended three feet from the alleyway below.
"And get Rilla to look at your wounds," their instructor yelled after them.

Spin-off for my latest article series. I'll let toi figure out who's who on toi own ;)