#thread: kyle

ELIAS: When dusk settled on Carden Manor, Elias was waiting near the treeline behind the barn. “Alright, you made it,” he said, excitement lifting his voice as he saw a familiar blonde head approaching. “Come on, come on, let’s not keep everybody waiting.”

PRESLEY: Presley did as instructed, meeting Elias by the treeline when the sun started to set. Her sentry shift had been that morning, so she wouldn’t have another so soon. No one would need her, and while she doubted training with Elias was her ideal way of training, some part of her was itching with curiosity and the vague sense that maybe she wasn’t the new kid anymore. And that that meant something. So she showed up, leather jacket over her usual t-shirt, boots heavy in the soft grass and stood with as much determined authority in front of Elias as she could muster. “Course I made it,” she answered almost immediately, and followed his lead into the woods.

ELIAS: The clearing wasn't far into the woods, but just enough that the darkness and underbrush began to strain even at Elias' heightened wolf eye sight. He hummed happily to himself as he led the way, listening to the sound of Presley's boot steps as she followed behind him. "Just up in this clearing, Pelvis," he said, calling over his shoulder. "You're the star of the show tonight. Our first featured guest, if you will."

PRESLEY: Elias's words immediately told Presley that this was a bad idea. But by then, they were far enough out that she was already committed. Anything that involved that particular tone of Elias's didn't suggest that maybe she was going to really get a chance to prove herself. But she followed anyway, setting her jaw tight and her shoulders straight and determined until they neared a clearing. Eden was there. Kyle, Ronan. Presley eyed all of them and then looked to Elias. "What are we doing here?"

EDEN: Eden had received a message that they were having a new pack meeting, which typically tended to mean that Boys Club were going to drink and wax weirdly homoerotic poetic about justice and vengeance until they either started fucking or punching each other. Sometimes it was both. Eden tended to leave after the first half when she gave her rundown of everything that had been going on and what still needed to be accomplished, not particularly keen on whatever bonding slash mating ritual the others had in mind. She was standing in the woods, in the dark, arms crossed over her chest as she waited for Elias to show up 'fashionably late' so they could get this all over with. And then suddenly there was Presley. Their eyes met for a brief moment, a flicker of confusion and fear going through Eden's before she shut her features down completely. "Worthy question, Elias. Is this supposed to be some kind of wolf camp?

KYLE: Kyle threw his arm around Eden's shoulder and grinned. "Just adding to our ranks, I'm sure. Lil' P is basically the most senior wolf here aside from ourselves, right Elias? It's high time she joined our club."

ELIAS: Elias' gaze flicked over the lot of them, grin rounding out his cheeks at Kyle's words. "She sure is," he said, reaching out to clap Presley roughly about the shoulder. "That's why we've invited her to the first round of our new training program, now that we're here at Carden Manor. It's a one on one match, that lasts until someone yells stop, taps out, or goes limp." He looks from Presley to Kyle. "Since it's your first night, Satnin, you're gonna fight. Against Kyle." His grin spread wide.

PRESLEY: Presley looked around, from Elias to Eden, who also seemed to not know what was going on, and then to Kyle. To Ronan, grinning like he was in on some kind of secret. And then she heard the task, looking up at Elias with pursed lips and a deep slow inhale as she lifted her chin about as high as she dared. "Okay." The answer came out even. Determined. Not riddled with the thousand questions she had about why her and why now and what the rules were. She tugged the zipper down on her jacket, and discarded it on the ground, shooting just one more look at Eden and then Kyle.

EDEN: Eden dug her fingers into her arms as Elias spoke, not allowing any of her frustration to show in any way the others would notice. This was bullshit, Elias was posturing and using Presley as an example because he apparently had a schoolyard bully vendetta against her, but there was nothing that Eden could do. If she spoke up in Presley's defense everything would just be worse for her and everyone would question her own alliance. Meeting Presley's eyes one more time, she tried to convey fear and apologies, but she said nothing and dared not move.

KYLE: Kyle cracked his knuckles and moved forward. "I want you all to know that it's an honor just to be nominated, I hope to make you proud," he quipped, a grin crossing his face as he took his stance. His knuckles carried at least as many scars as his back, a history of fighting written in tiny white lines. "Tell me, Pres, if you had one shot, one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted would you capture it? Or just let it slip?"

PRESLEY It's there, on Eden's face. More confirmation that she hadn't known what was going to happen. Not that Presley would have had much to say about it if she had. In a way, they were still letting her in, still giving her a chance. And she had every plan to take it. Even when Kyle's being obnoxious -- especially when Kyle's being obnoxious. The grin on his face is all it takes. Presley doesn't wait for a go ahead or for Elias to get further involved. She takes this one for herself. And in some way, for Eden to. To show her she's not afraid, or going to let them make a mockery of her. She takes one step forward, pulls her hand back with the perfect fist her brother had taught her years ago, and lands it square against Kyle's jaw. It might be the only hit she'll get in. But it's worth it the second she feels his face knock against her knuckles.

KYLE:  Her fist cracked across his jaw and he couldn't help but grin again. He rocked back on his heel, then lunged forward, swinging low to slam his fist into her exposed ribs. "Not bad, Buffy, not bad."

PRESLEY: Presley could have anticipated this fight wasn't going to go her way. She'd gotten in her hit but beyond that, once he was expecting it, Kyle was at least a head taller than her, with longer arms and bigger hands. His fist hit her ribs and nearly knocked her into the air, taking her wind with it. Presley doubled over a little, one hand on her knee and looked up. "Buffy was stronger than the average werewolf." And then she swung again, this time low from where she was crouched and into his side.(edited)

KYLE: He dropped his shoulder, moving with her punch to lessen the blow. Dancing on the balls of his feet, he reveled in the feeling of adrenaline flowing in his veins. He took advantage of the fact that she was crouched and brought his knee up to slam under her chin.

PRESLEY: She figured it was mostly in vein, swinging at Kyle but it felt satisfying anyway. Until some part of him connected under her chin and Presley felt her teeth clash together and her had knock backward, fast enough to give her whip lash and knock her straight onto her own back. She sees stars for a second, but splits a glob of blood out of her mouth into the dirt.

KYLE: "You know, they say you're not supposed to kick a person when they're down, but..." He trails off, swinging his leg back and kicking her in the stomach. "No hunter's going to follow that rule so we shouldn't either, right?" Staring down at her he rolls his eyes. "Oh, c'mon, get up. It can't be that easy to take you out." He kicks her again. "You wanna die? GET UP!"

PRESLEY: Presley should have seen the blow coming, the kick to her abdomen so hard it takes her breath again. It's a lot like before, like years ago when it had been all three of them, and there'd been that spinning feeling, and the taste of blood and no wind in her chest. Only this time, she can fight. She knows how. And they're telling her to. There's one of them and one of her. So Presley takes Kyle's words, forces herself to hear them and gets back to her feet, at first as though she's going to do so slowly. But then, she runs forward instead of standing up straight, shoulders lined straight into Kyle's hips with all the strength she has in her body, backed by the sound of a true, angry, determined growl, toppling them both over to the ground.

KYLE: He wasn't expecting her to charge him, he has to give her that. Being knocked back on his ass wasn't part of the plan but he could work with it. He grabbed her arms, flipping them over so she was on her back instead and he was over her. "Not your best move, guitar hero," he growled, slamming his fist into her face, followed quickly by the other into her ribs in the same spot where he'd kicked her.

PRESLEY: It worked. It worked in doing exactly what Presley wanted to do which was to feel like she was at least going to go down swinging, that she'd try, that she could hold her own, knock Kyle down. He swung her over easily, got one up on her and drove his fist straight into her face, which was enough to make her whole head spin for a second, the taste of blood strong in her mouth and nose again. That was when the panic started in her chest, the fight or flight instinct and she shoved her hands against his chest, like she could push him off, speaking through her ground down teeth. "Get-- off me."(edited)

KLYE: "Make me," he snapped, shifting his weight so that he was putting more on her bad leg. His hand wrapped around her neck, cutting off her airway just for the satisfaction of watching her face redden and her eyes bulge.

EDEN: Eden couldn't stand to watch anymore, not with Presley still working on her martyr complex and obviously not willing to back down. Elias wasn't doing a damn thing, didn't seem to mind if Kyle killed her, and she finally had a reason to intervene that wouldn't blow her cover. Her voice rang out like a bell, sharp and clear and brooking no nonsense as she stepped forward and grabbed Kyle by a fistful of his hair. "Enough! Let her go or I WILL make you. Now."

KYLE: Kyle grunted as Eden pulled him back by his hair. "You know, E, she's the one who's supposed to tap out," he grumbled. Still, he got up, leaving Presley on the ground. As he stood, he intentionally let his foot catch her injured knee, twisting it slightly.

EDEN: Eden tugged on Kyle's hair as she pulled him back, wrenching his neck a little as she did so. "You're the one who isn't supposed to kill her, idiot. What's the point of any of this if all we get out of it is dead wolves?" Pushing him away from her as he stood, she looked down at Presley with concern, as quickly as she could, before crossing her arms again and looking at Elias. "So? What was the point of that? Did she make the cheer squad, coach?"February 14, 2020

ELIAS: Elias watched the fight with rapt attention, his eyes darting from Presley to Kyle and back again as they traded blows. His brows lifted in (almost) impressed surprised when she tackled him to the ground; he chuckled lowly at the rumbled taunt of 'guitar hero.' His eyes rolled when Eden intervened, arms crossing as he stepped further into the center of the clearing. He should have known she'd be the one to say they were going 'too far,' as though any hunter wouldn't go all the way. Just because it was fun didn't mean it wasn't also good practice. "He's not going to kill her," he said, eyes hard as he looked at Eden, then Kyle in turn. "The point is that Presley here is better than she used to be." A compliment that rolls strangely off the tongue, but true nonetheless. "She knows she can fight back now. But she still doesn't know her limits." He raised his brows at the bruised, bloodied blonde. "You knew he would taunt you, and you let him goad you. I gave you clear rules. You should have tapped out."

PRESLEY: Presley had her hands wrapped around Kyle's grip on her throat, at his wrists. Her knee was nearly on fire under his weight and her head was throbbing. But she wanted to fight. She wanted to keep fighting. To get out, to prove she could. Eden's voice rang in her head, telling her to tap out when she needed to, not to push to not be stupid. And this felt particularly stupid. Eden seemed to be having the same debate in real time because in seconds she swooped in, stopping Kyle until he got up. Presley nearly cried out, a pained sound as his foot caught her knee, and she grit her teeth down, curling in on herself just enough to one side that when Elias finally spoke, she was doing her best to stand again. Presley felt woozy. Her head spinning, chest heaving, leg barely willing to stand beneath her. But she stood nonetheless. As Elias scolded her for not stopping. "For what?" She breathed out, with a little more confidence than she normally had, "so you could all spend the next five years telling me I can't take it? No." She pressed her teeth into her lip, shook her head, and reached gingerly for her jacket on the ground, trying her best not to move her ribs on the way. "Can I go now?"