BMMA: Bestial Mix Martial Arts

Lyra's fists slammed into the punching bag, each hit sending a jolt through her aching muscles. Sweat trickled down her forehead, stinging her eyes as she gritted her teeth, struggling to keep up the rhythm Kai had drilled into her.

'Just keep swinging,' she thought, her ragged breaths clawing at her throat. 'Left, right, left, right. How the heck does he make it look so easy?'

She stole a glance at Kai, who was working his own bag a few feet away. His movements were like a river: smooth, precise, every punch landing with textbook form. The guy barely seemed to break a sweat, while Lyra felt like she was drowning in her own exhaustion.

'So not fair,' she grumbled inwardly. 'He's human. I'm supposed to be stronger, faster. But here I am, scrambling to keep up.'

Kai caught her staring and paused his routine, wiping his brow with the back of his glove. "You good? Need a breather?"

Lyra shook her head, stubborn as ever. "I'm fine. This is nothing."

He studied her for a moment, sizing her up, before nodding. "Alright, 'cause we're short on time. Sign-ups for the next fight cycle start tomorrow"

He turned back to his bag, leaving her alone with her frustration.

'Sign-ups,' Lyra thought. 'That means I'll be fighting soon. In front of people. Against other Ferals and humans.'

Her stomach twisted, but she shoved the feeling aside. She needed to focus on getting better, on soaking up whatever Kai was trying to teach her.

As she resumed her punches, she tried picturing an opponent, like he'd told her to. First, she imagined Robber, the wolf Feral who'd chased her down once. But when she threw a jab, something felt off.

Her punches lacked power, restrained by the human fighting style Kai was forcing on her. He'd banned her natural Feral techniques: no leaping, no clawing. Just fists and feet, like some boring human.

'This is ridiculous,' she thought, her tail lashing the air in annoyance. 'I'm a Feral. I should be using my claws, my speed. Not this… human nonsense.'

But then she remembered how helpless she'd felt against Kai in their sparring match. If this was what it took to never feel that way again, she'd do it, even if she hated every second of it.

Kai's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "You're overthinking it. Just focus on the motion. Let your body figure out the pattern."

Lyra let out a low growl but tried to listen. She watched Kai's combos, struggling to mimic his fluidity.

He chained together a series of jabs, a hook, and a low kick, each move crisp and controlled. Lyra attempted to copy him, but her punches came out clumsy, her kicks wobbly.

'How does he do it?' she wondered, a mix of frustration and awe bubbling in her chest.

After what felt like hours, Kai finally called for a break. Lyra collapsed against the bag, her chest heaving.

Kai tossed her a water bottle, which she grabbed gratefully. As she chugged, she studied him: the faint sheen of sweat on his skin, his steady breathing that barely hinted at fatigue.

'He's gotta be tired too,' she thought. 'But he doesn't show it. He's… kinda amazing.'

The word caught her off guard. Since when did she think a human was amazing? Especially one who'd wiped the floor with her so easily.

But she couldn't deny the respect starting to take root. Kai's dedication, his skill, his unshakable focus… it was something she hadn't even seen in the toughest Ferals she knew.

As they rested, Lyra's mind wandered to the photo she'd seen in the lounge: Kai's dad. The man who, somehow, had sparked her desire to test her own strength.

Hesitantly, she broke the silence. "Kai, I've been thinking… about your dad."

Kai's face darkened, his eyes clouding over. "What about him?"

Lyra swallowed, second-guessing herself. "I saw his picture. He looked so… happy, even though he was beat up. I want to feel that too. To test my strength, like he did."

For a moment, Kai didn't say anything, his gaze drifting somewhere far off. Then he shook his head, like he was shaking off a memory. "No time for that now," he said sharply. "We need to focus on your training. If you want to prove something, do it pm the ring."

He stood, signaling the break was over. Lyra bit back a retort, sensing the wall he'd just thrown up.

'What's his deal?' she thought. 'What happened with his dad?'

She didn't push, figuring she'd ask Darius later. Instead, she got to her feet, a spark of determination flaring inside her.

'Fine,' she thought. 'I'll show you my strength.'

When they resumed training, Lyra threw herself into the drills with renewed fire. She pictured her opponents: Robber, the lion Feral from her past, even Kai himself. Every punch, every kick, was a step toward becoming something more.

But as the session wore on, she couldn't shake the feeling that Kai was hiding something—a piece of himself he wasn't ready to share.

And then, to her surprise, she realized she wanted to know more. Not just about his fighting technique, but about him.

That thought unnerved her, but she pushed it aside, focusing on the rhythm of her punches. Trying to lose herself in the training to drown out those feelings.

Left, right, left, right.

Then Lyra caught the sharp scent of Darius. Pausing for a split second, she turned her head to track it.

At the edge of the yard, Darius was watching from a lawn chair, his face twisted in a scowl. He was muttering to himself, clearly annoyed, until he seemed to make up his mind and shot to his feet.

"Kai, you bonehead, get over here!" he bellowed, startling Lyra.

Kai stopped, glancing at Darius with a raised brow. "We're busy, old man! Time's tight!" he shouted back, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"I know time's tight, that's why it ticks me off to see you wasting it!" Darius snapped, his tone dripping with authority. Then, pointing at Lyra too, he added, "You're coming too!"

Lyra flinched, a chill running down her spine. 'Is this it?' she thought, her mind flashing to the dozens of photos and trophies in the lounge. Darius, as a coach, had seen plenty of talent. What if, after watching her clumsy attempts, he'd decided she wasn't worth the effort?

She glanced at Kai, her ears flattening, but something about him threw her off. He was grinning ear to ear, his eyes sparkling with almost kid-like excitement.

"Finally!" Kai called back to Darius, laughing. "You know I'm no good at teaching!"

"You little punk…" Darius muttered, his voice sour as he realized he'd walked into Kai's trap. "What, you trying to get her killed? If she signs up, she's got a fight next week. No time to teach her the basics."