4/22/2026, 12:38 AM
![[Image: de30rbh-3b0683a6-441b-43e3-821f-97de2c91...kDaKDynxTk]](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/9de0281f-9de0-407a-a8c3-cff68eced06b/de30rbh-3b0683a6-441b-43e3-821f-97de2c917037.gif?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiIvZi85ZGUwMjgxZi05ZGUwLTQwN2EtYThjMy1jZmY2OGVjZWQwNmIvZGUzMHJiaC0zYjA2ODNhNi00NDFiLTQzZTMtODIxZi05N2RlMmM5MTcwMzcuZ2lmIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.X3AR7ztue9yyAPqjXnKt7hzjl9ocfI1zPkDaKDynxTk)
she watches the shift happen. such things are small—easy to miss, if you're not careful. she watches the frantic edge drain from him and draw inward, packed tight behind his ribs. the tremor in his limbs settles in preparation. good.
gjalla lowers her head a fraction, eyes narrowing as he gathers himself. she does not move to meet him early for fear of stealing the moment from him. the transition from civility to brutality is swift; he comes fast—long legs eating ground with eager, untempered force. the woman squares her shoulders, moving only at the last second to counter him.
quickly, she closes the space he thought he had, her body turning sharply into the line of his charge. his reach falters as the distance collapses; her shoulder meets his chest at an angle instead of taking the full brunt. impact controlled and redirected as her weight slams through him. her teeth snap to catch, a sharp warning graze aimed high along the thick of his shoulder as she drives forward.
