Tellka charged, her staff thrust out infront of her, ready to strike. I dodged to the right with a few steps, but stumbled and fell when the impact of Tellka's staff smashed into my sid. I fell to the ground with an 'oof.'

"What happened?" I asked as she gave me a helping hand up. I rubbed my side.

"You were still in my range." She smirked. "You have to clear the range before I'll miss hitting you." She took a few steps away from me and held out her arm, extending her staff out as far as she would when striking. Then she did a little twirl. The slight wind caused by her movement made the sand under her shift and form a slightly circular shape. She pointed to the shape around her. "Anything within these borders is within my range. You'll have to clear it completely in order to dodge."

I nodded and muttered. "Why do you wait to tell me these things?"

Tellka grinned. "Experience is something we get only after we need it."

I thought about that for a moment. "I guess so."

"Good. Let's start again." Tellka got into position, staff ready. I placed myself a few feet away from her and lowered myself into a ready position. Tellka charged.

This time I eveaded her with quick jumps to my right.

"Good!" She congradulated me as her staff swing to my side and missed by a few inches. She withdrew her staff and began circling me. I mirrored her, keeping distance between the two of us. She struck out again and I lept back. Tellka paused.

"Can you do a backflip?"

"Huh?"

Tellka took a few steps back and exicuted a perfect backflip. "Can you do that?"

I blinked and gave Tellka an odd look. "When have you ever seen me do a backflip?"

Tellka grinned. "Right. We've got to get you into that fancy stuff."

"Eh?"

"You know." Tellka shrugged. "Backflips, cartwheels, spins, and twirls. Most people expect these things to be thrown into fights when the oppponent is a female. Especially if they're woren."

"Why?"

Tellka shrugged. "For show. It's what the people want to see."

So Tellka and I stopped fighting long enough for me to practice backflips. After about an hour of tumbling, twisting, jumping, and falling, I finally got my backflips good enough for her to consider it 'rookie level,' and we got ready to go home.

I was packing my claws into my backpack when I turned to Tellka. "How many times do I have to practice like this?"

"Until you get it right."

I groaned. "I suppose that means I should just go ahead and bring my claws to school tomorrow, so we don't have to head home first."

Tellka nodded. "Good idea. And we'll tell Carrie about these after school practices so she'll know that you'll be late."

I slung my backpack over my shoulder. I felt a bit sore from all the jumping, and I was more tired then ever. "Tellka, let's go home."

Tellka turned to retrieve the key but stopped. "Wait....." she paused. "Hold this." She tossed me her staff, the Meow Staff. I glanced down at it.

Katt used this in the battle against Deathevn...

'I know....' Tellka's answer came with a bit of distaste. It was then that I glanced up from the staff and noticed she had left.

Where do you go?

'To find my staff.'

I watied for a moment, but she didn't come back. Tellka?

'It's not where I left it... I think they've moved it to the weapons room.'

I waited a bit longer. Sure enough, Tellka appeared, staff in hand. "What's so special about that staff?" I asked her curiously. Tellka shrugged.

"Im just used to it."

"Where'd you get it?"

"I didn't. I made it." Tellka examined her staff. She checked it's weight, the jewels that had been set into it, the claw at one end and the tip at the other.

"You made that whole thing?" I blinked. Tellka nodded.

"It's not like it was my first try. There were many other ones too, this one is just the one that lasted longest."

"Where did you get the parts?"

Tellka gave me an odd look.

"You know, the jewels, the claw, that sharp tip..."

Tellka shrugged. "Picked them all up."

"Even the tiger paw?"

Tellka nodded.

"Is it real?" Tellka's only reply was her wide grin which exposed her sharp canines. I thought about her dislike for worens and decided not to ask anymore.

"So what about this one?" I help up the Meow Staff. Tellka shrugged.

"I dunno. Give it to the Colloseum."

"Why? This used to be Katt's.. it was said to be her strongest-"

"Then keep it." Tellka cut me off. "I don't want it." She picked up the keys to the door and we made our way out of the practice room, locking it as we left. Tellka dropped the keys of at the front desk and we made our way home. Carrie greeted us at the door.

"So how was your day?" She asked me with a smile. I shrugged.

"I dunno. Okay, I guess."

e-mail author, talonr@hotmail.com