The men went ballistic, swinging their wooden staffs. Each heave met equal resistance halfway when the staffs struck; the men grappled and then separated; they reset their footing and swung again.
Intense, Malia thought. She sensed a long association in the aura of their shared rage. It linked the men, if not in friendship, in some other primal way she could not grasp but felt.
The clashing ceased, and the men dropped their wooden rods. They caught their breath and exchanged a few words, inaudible from afar. Charles picked up two blades and offered them handles out on his palms to Todd. Todd picked the longer one.
Their engagement shifted to crouched stances, circling each other. Todd lunged with his knife. Charles dodged and swung around, attempting to stab. Todd deflected it with his
