The task at hand...

[Kayla]

Sumi rolled her eyes, having enough. "Look stupid cat, we're both going to get in trouble if you don't work with me. We'll both die. What's so hard of a concept about that? Can your stupid feline mind not wrap around it?"

She took a momentary glance. "Look, you're going in circles anyway... there are faint traces of runes on the wall in here, but they're illegible. The only way we can find the Stone Legend is to follow them instead of going where ever your whim may lead. We're following MY lead from now on. Got it?"

[Hanna]

Tansa wasn't exactly paying attention to the 'annoying fish-girl' as she would put it, and only caught the last of what she said. "What makes you think I'll listen to you?" she replied. Lowering her head, she walked along the wall again but searched for any small cracks in the stone that may lead all the way to the other side. Maybe as a mousaokit or even a fly, she could get through. But as she reached the end of the wall, she found none.

[Kayla]

"Because I, unlike you who's a stupid naive fool, know what will happen if you don't!" she spat with steely eyes. They were purple now, though there was no sign of her using anything to do with her ability. They were this way out of anger. "Amett will take our lives, slowly and very painfully. You thought it was bad when I numbed your muscles back in our first fight? It'll be thousands of times worse with him. He'll tear you apart."

She spat on the ground at Tansa's feet, the little glob glistening even in the tiny amount of light. "Shut your mouth, listen to orders, and maybe I'll let you live for your impertinence."

[Hanna]

"You will let me live?" she started, somewhat amused. "Hah, I think it'd be the other way around. Only maybe I wouldn't let you live. The world would be a better place without you." She stepped over the spit at her paws and turned her attention back to the wall, though still she saw no way through.

[Kayla]

She snarled. "You want to make this personal, cat? Or should I? Because I've been holding back a few swings at you. Lord Amett may not be happy about fighting more, but I see it as a chance to show you exactly why you should listen to me."

[Hanna]

"For the last time, you won't beat me. I've got the strength of a tiger now and agility of a hummingbird as a letala. I can sense your emotions as a hound, your movement as a mousaokit, and avoid your sight as a tiny fly. I haven't yet discovered my strengths as the black roc or serpent, but you don't want to go up against that, now do you? Trust me, fighting will mean your death."

[Kayla]

"It'll be better I die by you than feel the sting of Lord Amett's punishments... however, I do not intend to die. You will not die either. I expect your total obedience. By the end of this battle, one of us will be boss while the other grovels at their feet." She said, her voice serious and flat. She unsheathed her sword and held it in one hand. Though the tip touched the ground, it was still at the ready.

[Hanna]

"Total obediance?" she laughed. "Just because I am able to assume the form of a hound dog, that does not make me a pet! I will not fight you, as I know it is best for me not to kill you, though you'll never know how much i desire that..." Tansa smirked. "No Shifter would ever take orders from a person like you, you... fish-person...human," she said, purposely adding the worst possible insult to anyone of Amaru.

[Kayla]

Her eyes widened when she heard the accursed word. It was a word any decent race of Amaru dreaded to hear...one of complete and total insult of the worst kind in the world. And that sent her sanity flying straight over the edge as if pushed off a cliff.

Natsumi jumped, her feet almost soundless as she pushed off with a delicate foot. She let out a war cry and brought the blade down, slashing relentlessly over and over. She didn't care if they missed... as long as one drew blood.

[Hanna]

Fool... I told her I was too quick, but the idiot just doesn't listen! Tansa had expected this reaction from the Saikana and was out of the way a split second before Natsumi began attacking. As a letala, she swiftly flew out of the room and down the hall.

[Kayla]

She didn't bother chasing Tansa. Now that the fight was started only a few words were needed to keep it going. "Come back here and fight, filthy coward! Only HUMANS run. Just. Like. You."

Marek dresh'ka shikrena! ...Filthy coward! Stupid mindless mangy excuse for a shifter! she spat insult after insult inside of her mind, venom in her thoughts as she waited for a reaction.

[Hanna]

Tansa landed outside the doorway, on a vine growing up near the ceiling. She waited patiently for Natsumi to come out to the corridor. She narrowed her eyes. I've been called that so many times I really don't care anymore... Remembering when she was younger, she recalled meeting many people who bullied her, even some she once considered friends, until they found out she was a shifter. She'd been insulted in every way at one time or another, even with that word she'd just used against Natsumi, that word which should never be spoken. "Why don't you come here, human?"

[Kayla]

Natsumi snorted. "Pathetic chicken." She steped out into the corridor, sword held at the ready. Tansa could be in any form... a fly to evade her, a letala to out-run her, the cat to hold her down, or anything else. It was madness to fight a shifter, yet she felt compelled to do so.

[Hanna]

Tansa considered shifting to a cat and leaping to tackle her to the floor, but she decided against it. "Why do you bother? You can't defeat a Shifter. You will never get obedience from me," she said, revealing her location as being directly above Natsumi's head. Hopping off the vine, she flew down the end of the corridor.

[Kayla]

Natsumi snarled. She tried to track the letala bird with her deep purple eyes, which were darkening every second to the point of almost an inky black shade. "I bother because I know I can beat you. I'm smarter than you know. Smarter than you'll ever be."