First mission!(Stella/Natasha

"With enough development in your spirit weapon discipline, a tall order as it is, I reckon you'll be able to create more spirit weapons beyond yer initial axe. Messy or not, it got the job done, and that's the best one can ask for on the battlefield. Now, let's move on."

Forming a towel of reishi, Natasha handed it to Stella to allow herself to wipe off any blood that stained her eyes. With a poised stride, she continued to navigate the secluded area until a group of foes stepped into their path. A pack of hollow wolves. They appeared far more mindless than the primate, but in exchange, their aggression was almost unparalleled. Such ferocity was put on display the moment Natasha and Stella stepped forward as the three of the wolves leaped toward her. This multidirectional assault would be entirely up to Stella to gauge her sense of direction. Natasha played the role of backup as she shot down one of the wolves, turning her focus to the other part of the group.

"Part two. Awareness. Think of when and where these mindless wolves might strike from. Don't wait for them to attack. Be aggressive. Respond in kind."

The wolve that charged her from the front was promptly felled within a single blow. The other wolf, took the moment to open its maw, firing off a quick bala in Stella's direction. Maintaining her own focus, Natasha spun around with the precision of a seasoned veteran, releasing a bombard of bullets in rapid succession.

Pelted by blasts of reishi, most of the group was properly defeated. If she required her aid, Natasha would assist Stella, but she believed she was strong enough to handle the wolf. She didn't expect it to know some measure of projectile use, but such was the unpredictable nature of the battlefield.

Stella's hopes were answered as that axe promptly sliced through the wolf hollow's head. He was far from quick enough to react in time, and that meant he had no proper means to escape or counter her strike. Another gush of blood followed, and the beast fell to the ground limply. All of them properly slain, Natasha swung her revolver around as she stepped beside Stella, whistling as she launched a soft punch at Stella's shoulder.

"I saw ya takin' a glimpse of my prowess in action. Pay attention next time, sugar. Distraction can get ya killed in battle. Anyway, we're nearly finished with most of the threats, but there's one more on the map we need to handle. Judging by the way my watch is going off, this one will require a concerted effort, so follow my lead and direction, alright?"

With that, they progressed further. This navigation was longer, which left an ample period for them to converse if Stella posed any questions during their trek.

"I get that a lot, I reckon. I appreciate the compliment, sweetheart."

Far from one to deflect praise, Natasha softly ruffled Stella's hair as they navigated their clearing. Again, it would take them some time before they reached the final enemy, allowing the two of them to take a small break. Natasha motioned for Stella to stop, instructing her to sit down on a group of rocks.

When her order was followed, she would pull a bandage from her pocket. Leaning down beside her leg, she used her reishi as a healing agent to numb the pain, wrapping her wound in a slow, but practiced rhythm. As they sat, Natasha decided to inquire about her mood so far.

"Don't worry. You're doin' fine. I'm just bein' difficult to ensure ya know the way live-action battle works during a mission. All in all, how do ya think you've fared so far, sweetheart? I'd give ya a solid C+."

"Aw, shucks. Lookit you, tryin' to bump yer grade up. Fine, I'll give you a B for flattery."

Natasha ruffled Stella's hair as she lifted her off the ground. Properly bandaged, Stella could walk again without much issue. Beyond a small, nagging sting, she could walk with relative ease now. Although their mission was nearing its end, maintaining ideal conditions on the battlefield was another crucial piece of the puzzle.

A wounded warrior, unless they sported some of the finest will imaginable, was little more than deadweight in coordinated missions. In the best-case scenario, one would be lucky to rescue them during conflict. At worse? They had to begrudgingly cut their losses and survive where the others faltered.

That was the cruel nature of war. Reaching their destination, a large skeletal panther with hollowed eyes rushed from the shadows. Seemingly blind at first glance, it was a creature who relied solely on its senses. In exchange for eyesight, anything within its vicinity was capable of being tracked with relative ease. Following behind it was what could only be described as a bipedal lion with elongated fangs.

The two predators charged the women in short order. Natasha met the panther in close combat, swinging a fist forward to punch it across the dirt. Contending with one hollow, while she left the other to her partner, it was up to Stella to subdue the approaching lion.