The Lost Girl, part ten

"Hey, wolf?" 

Chris turned to see Morri walking over to him. "Yes?"

"I need a punching bag," she said. "You're supposed to be tough. You game?" 

Chris looked down at the his bag, which he'd tossed beside the thick trunk of a massive white pine, then looked back at her. "I was going to gather firewood," he said, with a slight shrug.

She glanced at Elyssa, then at Agatha. "Let the other two handle that," she said. "I need to work some energy off, or it's going to be a problem later."

Chris frowned, and glanced at Peter, who was in the process of setting up a small, hexagonal tent. 

"I'll spar with Peter if I have to," Morri said, more quietly. "He has phrases for it so I don't hurt him and he's almost enough of a challenge, but..." Her expression twisted. "...that isn't a real fight."

He looked to Antoinette, who met his eyes and lifted one hand, turning the palm up in a gesture that he took to mean that she wasn't sure what was going on but had no particular objection. 

"All right," he said. "Elyssa, Agatha, are you okay with finding firewood without me?"

Elyssa quirked a grin at him. "Is that even a question?" Agatha just nodded. 

Chris shrugged and turned back to Morri. "All right, you're on. Rules? I'm assuming no claws, no biting."

Morri shook her head. "No, that's not going to do it. I need a real fight. I want you try to kill me -- claws, fangs, whatever. No firearms, but anything else goes."

Chris frowned at that. Morri was nearly his own height and more heavily built, with a square musculature that carried no excess bulk. She wasn't a wolf -- there was no hint of animal musk in her scent -- but she was a registered outsider and likely had her own tricks. This whole thing could get completely out of hand frighteningly quickly. "Can you give me a better idea of what to expect?" he asked. "I don't mind bruises, but I don't want anything broken -- or anything else that might screw the assignment."

She smiled hungrily. "All right. You're going to attack me -- as yourself, as a wolf, as something in between. I don't care. I don't have claws, but I'm strong and I'm tough. I'm going to punch you, kick you, grab you. I might take you to the ground. Does that give you enough of an idea?"

Chris nodded slowly. "We should move outside of the camp for this."

"Can I watch?" asked Agatha. Elyssa looked curious as well; for that matter, so did Antoinette and Peter. 

"Fine," said Peter with a shrug. "Fighting first, campfire later."