repeatedly. "Where is she?" He thought nervously. Tala took a few steps towards his best friend and said: "Relax Kai, it's her first day, give her a little time to get used to it."
Tala looked at Kai from his ice blue into his crimson eyes, the hard expression in them gave the impression of frozen lava. For his part, Kai took a few steps towards the red-haired Russian and hissed: "In case you have forgotten: Leylan is a professional, she doesn't need time to get used to. What she needs are rules and as you can see, she can obviously handle them badly . "
He had his arms crossed so tightly that the muscles were clearly visible and he no longer looked like the slender boy whom Tala had met in the far north of Russia what seemed an eternity ago."Kai, come on ..." Tala began. The look with which Kai then gave him was like a lash and reminded him of how dangerous his friend still was.
“Shut up, Tala.” Kai hadn't raised his voice, but his words were never unobserved. Snorting angrily, Tala turned and joined Tyson and Ray.
"You were right Ty, he IS even colder and more ruthless than usual." Ray muttered and Tyson nodded satisfied. Tala, however, still stood behind the leader of the Bladebreakers, his endless patience made him ignore such rude treatment again and again.
Leylan saw the four men from a distance and accelerated. Only a few inches in front of them, she slid to a standstill and leaned on her knees, struggling to breathe.
"You're too late."

Kai's icy voice reached her ear and she slowly straightened up again, her dark eyes fixed his own and briefly brushed the protruding muscles of his upper arms.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention and I forgot the time. It won't happen again.", She apologized formally and indicated a short bow. Kai didn't show his surprise, he just raised an eyebrow and looked down at Leylan.
"I hope so for you. You will run 5 extra laps later.", And to everyone: "Come on now, before it is swarming with people."
The five started moving and Tyson mumbled, "It just so happens that not all of them are crazy and jog through the park at 9:30 in the morning."
"Tyson, three extra rounds!"
While Tala and Ray had a hard time suppressing a grin, Tyson cursed softly to himself that he should have guessed. Leylan's thoughts wander continuously without her intervention, the rhythmic sound of her steps making her sleepy. Mechanically she put one foot in front of the other, but quickly realized that she was by no means in top form.After the 7th circumnavigation of the inner park area, she felt her breath becoming shallower and her lungs starting to ache. Every step became an effort, but her reluctance to fail drove her forward.
"Perhaps the two and a half years on the street have hurt me harder than I thought ..." thought Leylan, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Two steps in front of her, Tala jogged with concentration, her gaze fixed on the floor and her arms tight to her body. She raised her eyes and could see Ray and Kai a few meters away, walking silently and effortlessly next to each other.
Only Tyson turned it up and formed the head of the squad. The young woman's gaze slid back to Ray and Kai and finally stopped at the reserved half-Russian. She ran her eyes along his sports trousers, which flickered a little around his long legs and gave him enough freedom of movement, followed the course of his hips to his muscular shoulders. The deep blue sports t-shirt snuggled close to his upper body and adapted to his every movement. Leylan was so absorbed in watching Kai that she didn't even notice the fact that she was being watched.

When the team reached their starting point for the eighth time, Kai raised his hand and motioned for them to stop.
"Tyson, come here," he called to the overzealous blue-haired Blader and his voice echoed metallic in Leylan's ears. Immediately this turned off and ran towards his friends. Kai stood in front of his team members and examined everyone with a scrutinizing look. Leylan brought up the rear and tried hard not to let her exhaustion show. With clenched teeth, she tried to control her breathing and stop the twitching of her leg muscles. Kai's penetrating gaze slid from Ray to her and he raised his left brow slightly."No more extra laps for Leylan-Tyson, you run your three and then off to the training ground."
Obediently, Tyson ran off and Kai started to walk back. Leylan watched him with his mouth open, closed it and shouted: "What is the Leader about? How long have you been forbearance? I should run five laps as a punishment, so I do it too."

Leylan had straightened to her full height and was studying the turning quay. This was not the only one with a commanding and unmistakable voice, even without being loud. Tala and Ray stopped but didn't turn around.
"Forbearance? I'd rather call it mercy. It is obvious that you are not in shape for such a strenuous workout, and you also need to be able to muster enough energy for our subsequent practice fights. To keep running would be downright ridiculous, Leylan."
His answer sounded no less annoyed and cold, but he did not look at the black-haired woman but fixed any point on the floor. Leylan had barely noticeably winced at the sound of her name, but still recovered and replied, "Ridiculous? I ask for permission to run five more laps."
Her formal request made Kai look up and for a brief moment he saw himself transferred to the situation of their first meeting: She with a determined look and a serious pull around her mouth, the long black hair that gently caressed her hips, and he, who in she saw serious competition. She was incorrigible, a lone fighter who would rather collapse than accept defeat.
"Permission granted."
With these words he turned around and headed for the house, followed by his two silent teammates.