"Take that off first," Wild pointed his claw at Aqua's flower crown.

Aqua took it off and placed it on Lunar. The larger flower crown slipped over her head and fell around her neck.

She brought her paws together and closed her eyes. "Dear Lord, please don't let Aqua die…"

"Hey, stop that." Aqua smiled nervously.

Him and Wild met at the center of the clearing and stood a few tail lengths apart from each other.

They both drew into a crouch and coiled their muscles.

Wild burst into motion, bolting forward.

Aqua sprinted towards the Fire Kind.

As he tried to snap at Wild, the cat twisted sideways with his free claw slashing Aqua's side. Blue blood dripped from the wound.

Aqua swung around and swiped at him, his claws meeting the air.

With a leap, Wild brought a seething scratch across Aqua's face.

The lynx retracted from the next blow and feinted left.

Power bundling in his legs, he barrelled into the side of Wild.

They tumbled across each other. Aqua grabbed Wild's paw with his teeth and bit down.

Wild leaned upwards to Aqua's face and brought flames up from his arm.

Aqua let go as the flickers crawled towards his eyes.

The world spun around him as he was forced off his paws and onto his back. He stifled a cry as fire streaked out of Wild's claws into his arms.

"Why don't you use your powers?" The cat snarled.

Aqua tried to lift himself off the ground but was pushed back into the soil.

"Or maybe," Wild grinned savagely. "You don't have them."

Aqua roared and kicked with all his might.

The Fire Kind was flung off, rolling away near the forest boundary.

Large flames which clung to Wild's fur quickly dissipated as he wobbled up and away from the trees.

The brief vulnerability didn't escape Aqua's eyes. He flipped onto his paws and ran towards his rival.

But Wild also knew his own disadvantaged position in the battleground. Almost within arms reach from Aqua, Wild sprung and twirled over the lynx.

When he landed, a clawful of dirt was flung into his eyes.

The cat cursed and spat as he desperately wiped the sediments away.

Lunar held her breath as she watched Aqua disappear from the ground and reappear at the top of a tree.

He bunched his haunches and leapt.

The sound of rushing water thundered throughout the forest as the Fire Kind was pinned under the weight of the wave.

Wild Fire coughed out water. He smiled with satisfaction and closed his eyes.

"I forfeit."

Aqua took his claws off the sodden cat and stood to the side to catch his breath.

Lunar ran forwards urgently. "Should I call a Water and Fire Kind response team?"

"I'm fine." The two bleeding and bruised Kinds said in unison.

Aqua scratched his forehead in exhausted thought. "Uh, Lunar. The um…"

"Oh! Yes!" she reached for the item Mists had given. "Mists wanted you to have this."

Wild sat up and flicked droplets of his paw. With care, he gently received the flower.

As his paws made contact with its stem the black petals turned orange and small flames lit on the edges.

His sharp expression softened and a sad smile grew across his face. But when he saw the two lynxes staring, his face hardened again. "What're ya looking at?" he snapped.