“You know, you can take that off,” Dhomhes said, staring at the wide pendant.
Stron blinked. “So you can steal it and sell my family crest to one of the miners? No thank you.”
“You think so lowly of me.”
“Probably why I enjoy sparring with you.”
Dhomhes chuckled. “So, who is on the breaking stone this week?” he asked as he picked up a sword to fight with.
Stron followed suit. “No one.”
And he felt that pang of withdrawal. Since telling Patrie that they were done, he had not bothered looking for a new partner to pass the time. He didn't desire anyone. He found himself drifting to thoughts of new women, those who had not been there before.
That had to be the reason he felt little draw to any Kantenan females. It wasn’t that he did not admire their forms, he just was reluctant to get a new one in his bed.
Regardless of his mother's efforts to encourage him to find a mate from their world, and not from the stars, he held no enthusiasm for it.
Instead, he kept thinking about these new females that were on their way.
He told himself he had a much more practical reason for his interest. He could use all his old techniques and they would never know that he’d used them before during the courting phase of the relationship. Would make the courting phase much easier, if they didn’t already know the steps.
Dhomhes popped his sword and twisted it to the side. “I find it hard to believe that you're leaning into this experiment of Khalzin's.”
“Why wouldn't I?”
“Because it will never work.”
“You seem convinced you're right.”
“I know that I am. We are too different. For one, the horns would tear up another female's reproductive organs,” he said.
Stron raised his eyebrow. “What are you doing that you're tearing up females with your horns, Dhomhes?” He glanced at his friend's horns, and the two, pointing straight and high over his head, resembled a double-crown shape.
Dhomhes smiled. “Need some tips?”
“Not from you,” Stron said, and held out his sword.
Stron’s horns spread wider and curled outward. Overall thicker than Dhomhes’s tall thin ones. Even the green coloring varied slightly between them. There were many differences like that between them, maybe that had something to do with why Khalzin had asked them—different Kantenans with different features for the foreign females.
The two of them continued their sparring. Dhomhes took the lead, attacking, and Stron blocked his moves.
His armor started to wake, pushing out over his arms and shoulders to protect him from injury. It always felt like an eruption when the armor burst from his skin to create a shielding. His armor, unusual even for a Kantenan, was almost like a lattice over his body, leaving tiny holes that someone could--
“Watch it,” Stron said, shoving Dhomhes back.
The tip of Dhomhes's weapon pricked his skin underneath the armor.
“Perhaps you need some armor enhancements.” Dhomhes came at him again.
Stron wasn't taking any of his jabs today. He met him hard, and their weapons clattered together as they slammed into each other. He would move left, and Dhomhes countered. They were bouncing off one another, and Stron really didn't want to give Dhomhes and his smart mouth any leeway today.
“You talk too much.”
“I'm sure that's not the first time you've said that to a partner.”
Stron growled and shoved him hard, with three quick snaps, he sent Dhomhes to the ground.
Dhomhes rose, wiping blood from his lip, and grinned. “Well, I see that I hit a mark.”
