A-muse-ment

For the thirty-seventh time since recieving it, Kallista grinned at the dark red pawprint on her chest in the mirror and ran her fingers over it, tracing the drawing's outline on her skin. She hadn't been expecting to get another tattoo quite so soon, but she had to admit it looked good on her, and she'd certainly earned it.

She giggled to herself and pulled her shirt and leather vest back on. She felt far too good to be cooped up in the barracks. She should be out enjoying her newly rediscovered good spirits.

As she exited to the outside courtyard she took a deep breath. The whole world seemed to smell sweeter than it had the day before. The warm breeze felt good on her skin, and the smiles she got from passing guild members left her almost giddy.

After a short walk she finally found the Shadar-Kai she was looking for doing training exercises in one of the courtyards. Kallista beemed when she spotted her.

"Tzesira!" She cried, practically bounding towards her, arms outstretched, "My battle muse!"

Tzesira was practicing her forms. More than just going through the physical movements, her training required her to focus her mind, to turn her psychic emotional energy into a deadly force. Caught up in her exercises, she didn't hear the Tiefling's cries of excited greeting until she was almost upon her. She grinned as she recognized the target in front of her, going ahead with the high roundhouse kick she'd been planning but stopping her blow inches from Kallista's head and nudging a horn harmlessly with a waggle of her bare toes.

"Hey - what's up?"

"Eeeee!" Kallista squeaked, throwing up and arm to try to block the attack before realizing that Tzesira was only playing with her. When she felt T's toes tickling her horn she stuck her tongue out and pushed the foot away from her face.

"Heh, very cute", she grinned, "I'm glad I found you. I wanted to thank you properly for what you said the other night. The arena fight yesterday was the best fight of my life, and I have you and Selgrumel to thank for it."

Tzesira hopped back when Kallista pushed her toes away, then shrugged with another grin.

"Fuck, I'm glad one of us brought their a-game - my head was just not in that shit, I guess. But yeah, that was pretty fuckin' kickass."

She paused for only a heartbeat before adding "What did Selgrumel say?"

Kallista smiled.

"She talked me out of the funk I was in after our test. I was feeling pretty down about it, and about my family... just life in general. She's the one who convinced me to open up to you guys."

She grinned and punched Tzesira on the shoulder in a friendly manner.

"But you... you're the one really dragged me back. That... conversation... we had the other night. Like I said, you're my muse. My good luck charm. And by the way, you did awesome in the blooding. Hell, I couldn't have done nearly as much damage to that thing without you helping me flank it. We're a team, remember? That's what you and Selgrumel taught me."

"Heh - glad to be of service, K." Her grin deepened when the Tiefling punched her. "We do pretty fuckin' good as a team."

Her grin faltered a bit at that point, turning into a scowl. "Fuckit, though, I'm probably gonna miss whatever shit you jerks get into next."

The tiefling furrowed her brow. That sounded somewhat ominous.

"What do you mean? Aren't you gonna be with us?"

"Well, I'll be back. I just have shit to take care of back home. Probably I'll be back just in time to miss the next mission and I'll just be sitting on my ass gettin' pissed about all the fun I'm missing."

Kallista grinned.

"That's what I love about you, T, you're positive attitude", she said with a laugh.

Kallista looked around briefly and turned back to Tzesira. She was glad that her pink skin made it almost impossible for a non-tiefling to tell when she was blushing.

"Well... before you leave... can I get another good luck kiss?"

This time it was Tzesira's turn to laugh - really more of a predatory chuckle.

"Well I ain't leavin' just yet, but I figure I can come up with something to tide you over. Myabe you oughtta find Selgrumel and thank her too... I could help with that."

Kallista grinned.

"Oh, I have plans to go drinking with her one of these nights. I'll have plenty of chance to thank her if she's amenable."

She shrugged with a shy but mischievous smile.

"I just wanted you to know that I appreciate what you did for me... and that you're a good friend. Thank you."

She shrugged off the praise.
"Eh, it's fuckin' nothing - Glad yer doing better. You can't let that shit get to you or its fucking all over. Just tell me how that drinking goes eh? Maybe we can get her to help us with our grappling techniques. She's a fuckin' warlord, she can be all... telling us what to do an' shit, and then maybe she'll have to show us..." Tzesira gave her friend a particularly devious smirk. "You know. If she's into ..grappling."

Kallista's grin widened and she stepped closer to her friend.

"Well... you know..." she said, putting her hand on Tzesira's arm, "If we're gonna be putting on a grappling exhibition for someone, maybe we should get some practice in."

Tzesira's evil grin widened. "Yeah. I don't really think I need and fuckin' practice to put *you* in your place, but I'd be down for a demonstration."

She casually flipped off another monk who'd paused his own katas to listen to the women. "And fuck you too, buddy!" She turned back to her friend. "Come on, let's get the fuck out of here."

"You're on." Kallista said with a wink.

The next moment she was full out sprinting back to the barracks.

"Race ya!" she called back over her shoulder.