Another day of training // ENG

Place: Training grounds of the Tortilians
Time: 2 pm
Season: Late spring
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Fenrir sighed as he donned his chainmail, then the rest of his clothes. He'd heard they were to fight with the warriors of the third rank. Aka; they were teaching the newbies today.

Well, you hard to start at some point, he knew that very well himself. Having been a servant boy before he became a warrior, he knew. He walked over to the wash basin and splashed some water in his face, being careful to clean the black rhinestones adorning his jaw, and not to scratch them. All four of them cleaned, and his face washed, he ran a hand through his hair with a smile - then donned a pair of leather gloves he used for fighting, grabbed his staff and went out into the training grounds, joining the other warriors of the second rank, like himself.

Lucy had probably been the first one in the Tortilian-clan to get up. The sun had barely rosen before she was up and outside, her quiver and bow hanging over her shoulder as she ran to the training grounds, eager to once again learn something new. She learned something almost every day, her knowledge of this country growing day by day. By her side were as always the dog that had been given to her the day she arrived. He looked sleepy compared to her, and found the nearest place to lay down and sleep as Lucy began practicing her skills by trying to hit the target with her arrows - she was too eager to wait for the others, though her arrows missed by miles and hit the nearby trees instead. She had been there for hours when the others started to show up.

"Oi! You!" Fenrir spoke up when he heard the distinct thud's from the arrows sinking into the trees. "If you are to be part of today's training, get over here and join your group."

"I'm on my way!" Lucy quickly replied as she ran over to fetch the few arrows that had actually hit the target, then she hurried over to her group, soon she was joined by her dog, who sat right by her feet, watching the people around them.

Before long, the one supervising the training today - an injured first rank warrior, who could not train himself - had split everybody into pairs. One second rank one third rank, together.

And fate just so happened to bring Fenrir and Lucy together as a pair for today's training. He gave her a small nod. "I'm Meili." he introduced himself. He didn't bring out his hand, both were firmly placed on his staff. And besides, he didn't need to show her that courtesy. He had one more rhinestone than her - he was above her.

"I'm Lucy." Lucy introduced herself with a smile on her lips. She one of her hands on the bow over her shoulder, the other was down her side, briefly touching the head of her dog. Charlie - which was the dog's name - looked up at Fenrir, and showed his teeth, growling low while he slowly stood up, taking a step forwards to stand in front of Lucy.
"No. Charlie. Be quiet, there is no reason for that." Lucy corrected the dog, who obeyed and stopped growling, but still kept a very close eye on Fenrir, not wanting to let him get too close to Lucy.

"... He's got a problem with strangers?" he asked, eyeing the small dog. A magpie was starting to circle them from above, until it eventually landed atop Fenrir's staff, obviously so used to the spikes there that it knew where to sit to not get hurt.

Lucy shook her head. "Not normally no. I don't know why he is acting like this." she said confused, petting the dog on his head. She then looked up and noticed the magpie, but chose to stay quiet. She had recently learned that it was rather normal to have an animal by your side as a warrior, and the animal could be just about any animal.

"Hmm. Yeah, that's odd." he muttered and pet the magpie for a bit. "I see you use bow and arrow? Myself I prefer a solid staff."

Lucy shrugged and just pet her dog. "I'm useless with a staff, or a sword. I nearly cut myself with the sword and a staff is too heavy, so I drop it instead. I'm better with a bow, although my aim isn't that good yet." she said with a smile.

He nodded. "Well, then. If you don't mind me asking, what's your defense? The ones using sword, axes and spears use a shield. With me, my staff is both my offense and my defense. But how do you protect yourself if someone gets too close or shoot an arrow straight at you?"

"I... dodge?" a weak smile and she scratched the back of her head, laughing softly. "To be honest then I don't know. I haven't gone that far yet. I'm still new at all of this."

"How new? How long have you been a warrior for?" he turned then, though, as someone shot far off the mark, and swung his staff, deflecting the arrow that then burrowed into a tree. "Marcus, keep an eye on the freshie!" he scolded, and a 'Sorry!' as heard from Marcus(one of the second rank warriors). "... Sorry for that. You've gotta keep an eye out for everything when you train in big groups." he offered Lucy a weak smile.

"About a month, I think." a soft smile and another shrug, then she looked after the arrow with slightly impressed eyes, her mouth dropping slightly, had she been alone then she wasn't sure if she could've dodged that one. At the same time she felt her dog leave her side and seek cover in the house that Lucy was currently living in along with her aunt - her father's sister, the only family she had left.

"Really? My, then you're really new at this... Even I'm considered new and I've barely been here 18 months as a warrior. Been in this clan for 9 years, though." the magpie now landed on his shoulder instead, used to the tumult on the training field. "Either way - you should probably get some training with dodging, better than you do now, either way. I'll find a training staff, then we can start, okay?" the training staffs were made of light wood and nothing else, so there would be no metal to harm her and the hits would be softer. "I can't really help you with the archery; you'll have to find someone else for that."

"That's alright. My aunt helps me when she has the time, and I train on my own as well. I want to get better, I want to be the best some day." a huge smile and she put down her quiver and bow, to get rid of the weight - she wasn't quite used to having it hanging over her shoulder yet.

He nodded. "I'll be back soon." then he went off to fetch the training staff. And true enough, not even five minutes had gone by, then he returned with that staff. "You ready?"

She took a soft hold of the staff, switching it between her hands, quite unsteady. "I think so." she said, her eyes only on the staff, almost as if she was afraid that the staff itself would attack her if she didn't watch out.

"Either block or dodge, okay? I'll start out easy." when he was sure she was ready, he went for a blow towards her side, then towards her ankles.

"Okay." she nodded and just barely managed to block out the first hit, by the second she tried to jump and dodge, but instead slipped and fell backwards, landing hard on her back with the staff beside her.

"Keep an eye on everything your opponent does, or this happens." he offered her a hand to help her up again.

"I'll make sure to remember that." she said and gratefully took his hand, letting him help her back up on her feet.

He nodded. "Again." he went at it again once she was ready - hip, knees, midriff.

She tried to block the blows, but she wasn't that steady on her feet, nor was she fast enough with the stick and this time she didn't manage to block the last hit.

"Hmm. You need to train your reflexes."he noticed, and helped her up to a stand again. "Nothing but lots of training's gonna do that for you. And preferably with someone your level, first, after today. I could help you outside normal training hours, though, if you want."

She brushed the dust off of her after she had let him help her get back up. She smiled softly at him. "I would be glad if you would help me. I feel a bit lost when I train on my own." she said and picked the staff off of the ground.

Henodded. "Every tuesday and thursday after 3 pm?" he asked, letting her get a small break while they talked.

"That sounds perfect." a smile and she got a firm grip around the staff, trying to find out how it was best to hold it.

"That's a deal, then." he smiled. "Meet me in the forest? Just so that no-one''ll interrupt us." or see his magic.

A nod. "Yes, that sounds like a plan." she smiled.

"Great. Then that's a deal." he smiled. "I'l be sure to bring some food along. Training makes you hungry, after all." Especially magic training, since it drained so much energy.

Another nod and she smiled brightly. "That's fine by me." a short giggle and she tried to hold the staff in only one hand, without dropping it or slamming someone in the face with it - she truly was really bad with anything that wasn't a bow and arrow.

"Be careful with that. You might stab someone's eye out like that."he gently pointed the edge of the staff away.

"Sorry. I really have no control with this." a small giggle and she put both hands on the staff again, making it more steady.

"I can see that." he grinned. "Find a balance with it. Once you find the point of balance, just let your hands go equally to either side of it, and you won't lose control of it. Like this, see?" he showed her where the balance point was - by balancing the staff on one finger by that very point. Then he showed her where he placed his hands, about 20 cm from the spot on either side.

She held the staff horizontal, with both hands firmly at the middle of it. Slowly she moved her hands out against the ends of the staff, loosening the grip until the staff was only lying in the palms of her hand. She kept her eyes on it, especially as she slowly moved her hands back against the middle, very carefully removing one of them so the staff was only balancing in the palm of her left hand - her pendant of Mjölnir hanging loosely under her hand. "I-I'm doing it." she laughed, although the staff was moving unsteadily in her hand.

He smiled, and nodded. "Good. Once you find the center of balance, it's easy. I'm told it's easy with the sword, too, but I wouldn't know... I don't do swords, shields... Or bow and arrow." he laughed. "Staffs and spears are my thing."

"The bow is so easy, especially if it's a light one like mine." a happy smile and she dropped the staff, picking up her bow like it weighed nothing and balanced it perfectly in her hands. "I was told that this belonged to my father. He was a great man, or so I've heard." her smile turned slightly sadder and she held the bow in one hand, her glance lowering itself to the ground.

"Oh. Well... Hey, I guess not knowing your father is better than him having beaten you all the time hen you grew up, eh?" that's what his father'd done.

"I guess..." a sigh and she put the bow away again, picking up the staff. "Well, should we continue?" she asked, trying to change the subject.