Mira's Black Coin

“Gnak’urkah.” 

 

Mira whorled around eyes blazing, ears pinned.  “Why do you always say that to me?”

 

“Because I want the truth,” Cindy growled back.

 

Mira’s rolled her shoulders, water started to well in her eyes.  “I’m afraid....” Mira stopped straightening. She looked down and stepped back.  Cindy tilted her head and rolled her hand, a sign that her ring mate should continue.  

 

Mira sighed and looked up at Cindy.  “I’m afraid that you will hate me if I tell you the truth.”

 

Cindy nodded slowly.  She stepped closer to Mira.   “I might….” She saw the blaze in Cindy’s eyes even as Cindy shrugged.  It was a hardness that Mira had come to recognize not as anger but strength to endure.   “So you must decide…. Will I love the lie? And nothing will change…. Or will I be hurt by the truth for a moment…. Then learn to love…. that truth.”

 

Tears began to fall from Mira’s eyes.  “I am K’ass. I will never be Sar(warrior)....  Words hit me, and slice at me more effectively than any blow could.”  Mira took a shuddering breath, “When you….” she stopped swallowing hard.  She gathered all her courage to continue. “When you strike out at me…. It…. is almost unbearable.” 

 

Mira’s tears were flowing in earnest now.  She flung her arm wide towards the door. “I cannot leave this ring,” she shouted.  “The warriors would have me de…. Dead. But…. I…. am dying here. Slowly bit by bit”  She covered her eyes with her hands and sobbed.

Mira winced when she felt Cindy’s arms flung around her, holding her close.  “I never know…. If… you are going to….” she stammered into Cindy’s shoulder.

 

“I understand,” Cindy murmured back.  Mira sobbed again, wrapping her own arms around her ring mate and laying her head on the other’s shoulder.  “Thank you for being brave,” Cindy whispered.

 

Mira stiffened and pushed away from Cindy.  She searched her ring mates face. “I am….” Mira shook her head, “I don’t understand.”

Cindy sniffed and smiled lightly though her eyes held a sadness, “It is brave to speak our truth.  To stand in front of another and say this is how we see it. It is braver than facing the enemy in battle.  I speak true in this.”

 

Mira’s mouth hung slack.  She had never thought to hear the word brave in association with herself.  From a warrior such as Cindy, the weight of it carried to her heart. Mira slowly closed her mouth and took a deep breath straightening. 

 

Cindy took two steps back and then turned and walked away.  Mira swayed unsteadily. She was drained and now confused. She sat down to contemplate all that happened.  Carr came and sat beside her. Shemar went the direction Cindy had gone.

 

Shemar reappeared shortly and sat with Mira.  Carr left and started some stew for them all. Mira dozed off.

 

When Mira awoke Carr fetched a bowl of stew for her.  Mira ate slowly. She was afraid to say more than she already had.  She was unsure about her future in this ring. Her stomach began to hurt and she gave the bowl back to Carr only half-eaten.

 

“Cindy is working on something,” Shemar whispered to her.  “Don’t fret so. We stand with you.” she indicated Carr who nodded her agreement to the statement.

 

“Thank you,” Mira whispered back.  Somehow it made her feel stronger to know they were with her.

 

“How about a game?” Shemar asked getting up and moving to the proper sitting area.  

 

Mira sniffed sadly, “I am not that good at batin.”

 

“I wasn’t thinking of batin.  I have this new game. It has to do with words.” Shemar said easily.  Mira followed Shemar suddenly intrigued.  

 

Cindy found her ring mates sitting around a board in the middle of the sitting pit.  They were playing Shemar’s word game from earth called scramble. Cindy shook her head.  Mira looked to be winning. Cindy smiled slightly, Mira looked happy. 

 

“Mira,” she said.  Mira looked in her direction and Cindy watched her smile slide from her face.  Cindy stood into her two-legged stance hands behind her back and jerked her head backward, indicating that Mira should come to her.  

 

Mira looked apprehensively at Shemar.  Shemar nodded encouragingly. Mira rose and walked to her ring mate.  As she stopped before Cindy all of the uncertainty from earlier flooded back into her and Mira was hard-pressed to keep from crying.  

 

Cindy looked hard at her.  Then she knelt and held up one hand.  “I have hurt you deeply. I apologize for striking you.  I will do better. Shemar and Carr will help remind me. As I am sure you will too.  I should not hit K’ass. They are different. I need to use my words with them instead of my hands.”  Her voice faded away and she held her breath as she waited for her ring mates answer.

 

Tears once again filled Mira’s eyes.  She hated them but ignored them. “Promise…. Promise me you will not hit me again,” she whispered.

 

“I promise not to hit you in order to discipline you again.  Shemar and Carr will help in this.” Cindy answered.

 

“We will,” Shemar said.  Mira looked behind her to see her other two ring mates standing not far off.  Carr nodded her agreement. 

Mira looked back to Cindy and tilted her head.  “You said not to discipline me. Does that mean there will be other times that you might?”

 

Cindy sniffed.  “K’ass,” amusement was in the word instead of the usual curse.  “I mean that sometimes I flick my hand and hit someone to get their attention.  I do not want this to constitute a break in my promise.”

 

Mira narrowed her eyes even though Cindy could not see her.  She took a moment to think. “Can we work on what is and is not acceptable?”

 

“Please,” Cindy almost pleaded.  “I…. I value you. I value what YOU bring to this ring.  I was…. I was mistaken to ever try and make you anything other than the fine K’ass you are.”  Cindy shook her head, “You are not warrior and you will never be. I accept that.”

 

Tears once again slipped from Mira’s eyes.  “Then I accept your apology.” Mira touched the raised hand.  Cindy turned it over and opened it. Mira gasped at the black coin that lay in it.

 

Cindy did not move but waited.  Mira opened her mouth to protest, but then stopped.  This she knew was a sign that her ring mate had taken her words to heart.  It should not be cast aside lightly. She gently picked it up out of Cindy’s hand and held it close to her.

 

Cindy shot up and Mira took a step back.  Cindy paused a moment but then took a step forward and spread her arms wide, but waited.  Mira took the step forward. They hugged.  

 

“Love ya Mira.  Our ring would be incomplete without you.” Cindy murmured to her.  

 

“Thank you,” Mira whispered back once again laying her head on Cindy’s shoulder.  Cindy tilted her own head so that it rested on Mira’s.

 

“Ugh,” Commented Carr.  “Can we get back to the game.  All this mushy stuff….” she waved a hand at the two.

 

Mira laughed and parted from Cindy.  “I’m teaming with Shemar,” Cindy said as they walked back to the pit.