Round 1 Part 5 vs. The Hylan

True, she was acting on the assumption that hers was the right clue. But it was something to go on, because otherwise she had no idea as to how one injured a kind of living water. Qith swift, easy movements she squinted in the starlight and cut and folded the sheets of bark to make a regal figure akin to a deer - except it was different.

"Antelope" she whispered, and swung herself onto its back, feeling the knobs and whorls beneath her hands. She took out her knife again, preparing to attack as she urged the origami creation forward.

Avon was still dithering, still very unsure of what was even going on. It looked all around, delighting in the grass and the trees and the things for which it had no name, the coolness of the air and the stars. But underneath its delight of seeing and learning was a strange feeling...if it could name it, it would call it apprehension.

A snap behind it made the being turn its body as a dark shape crashed through its side, pinning it to the ground as it flailed around, antennae whipping wildly.

The Hylan cursed. So close! If she hadn't stepped on a twig...curse this darkness. Still...

"As you can't move, I'd say I'd won. Now, is this pencil your manipulator, or what?"

Avon's eyes narrowed. Though it couldn't feel pain, the part of the leg in its side was causing it great discomfort. All its reluctance toward fighting the teacher lady were gone - its mind was focused on fighting.

With a push of effort, it turned one of its hands into a knife of ice and slashed off the part of the leg stuck in it, then slid backwards, standing up right. It leapt at the Hylan, but somehow she simply used its own momentum to throw it backward, and it skid on the ground.

Oh, what do now? It thought worriedly, as the Hylan urged her antelope into a charge, throwing up clouds of dust. Thinking quickly, it hopped to the side and jumped at her again...and got thrown off...again.

Nnngh, not working! Can't get close to her, Avon thought it as it dodged the other front leg of the antelope. Got to get her off this thing...but how?

Then an idea occurred to it, and if it had had a mouth it would have grinned.