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 Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 11:07 am
Uuo was more than just his teacher now. She was his idol, someone he would strive to become. Someone he would strive to impress and maybe even someday - beat. He was bouncing towards their usual meeting spot, full of energy from the duel he had come to witness firsthand.
And what a duel it had been!
His heart still raced to think of it. To think that a Guard could do that! To think that someday, under Uuo's guidance and nurturing - that he could do that too. Then he'd show them all. All those stuck-up soldiers that being a guard wasn't so bad after all.
Ah ha! That would be a day to remember!
He drew up to the meeting spot and threw his gaze out across the windswept sand. He had a good feeling about today's training.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 11:52 am
The day before had certainly been eventful enough, at least the duel had been enough of a rush to get her happily through the rest of the day. It wasn't because she'd won (Though that was certainly a nice plus.), but because it had come from the heart on both sides. It had been very enjoyable to feel such intensity, and if others didn't think so before they certainly would now. Uuo was born to fight.
Compared to that some might see today as a let down, duller, but Uuo was looking forward to seeing if inviting Azar to the duel had had the desired effect to bolster his confidence in his chosen career path. Training today would be interesting if so, and a part of her was definitely proud that she'd been able to incite such an excited reaction from the boy, he'd come a very long way already from that cub she'd met brooding on the sands.
Speaking of whom-- there he was now. Uuo rose to stand, not for the first time noticing how much he had grown, too, physically. He wasn't at his full adult size yet but soon enough that challenge she'd issued him in his youth would be able to be met. He'd be big enough to take her on evenly soon, and in the meantime he was surely big enough now that he wouldn't have to settle for cubs for sparring partners. She intended to give him the news today.
"Can I assume that this good mood of yours will last for a while?" She smirked in greeting.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 11:55 am
Where was sheeee?
Oh, there she was! He rounded the dune she'd appeared from and skidded to a halt, eagerly, nodding his head. "For a while I think. Yes." He beamed and the smile was large and full of white teeth. "I can't stop thinking about your duel yesterday, Uuo. It was amazing. Really." When he closed his eyes he could see it.
The clash of Firekin. The ferocity even in sparring. It had his heart racing with the thirst for his own proper fight.
"I can't wait to challenge someone like that, Uuo." The day seemed so far off, but in reality, it was closer. He hadn't really realised how much he had grown, how big he was compared to when he had started out.
"What are we doing today?"
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 12:01 pm
Slowly a grin spread over her maw as she listened to him go on. Yep, that mood would last for a while alright.
"You'll get your chance to duel soon enough, Azar." She laughed quietly, his good mood maybe infectious, not that she was in a bad mood herself by any means, but his raw energy was catching a little bit. For just a moment the air was casual instead of strict and intense as their training sessions and lesson time usually tended to be, but she quickly shifted into instructor mode at his question, her smirk returning. "I hope you took good notes. I think you're big enough now that you can maybe handle me for a sparring partner."
Truth be told he was certainly too big to spar with some of the other apprentices, at least.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 12:04 pm
He blinked, surprised; the surprise sobering him for a moment. Did she really mean that? Did she really think he was ready? The shock faded again under excitement and determination. This was it! The moment he had been waiting for! To prove himself to her! To the one female he really looked up to more than any other.
He felt himself grow giddy with the knowledge that he'd soon be testing out the skils he'd learned. Fear, too, perhaps? For after seeing what she was capable of, he knew he could not underestimate her as he tended to do.
She was strong - even for a girl!
He drew in a sharp breath, braced himself and nodded. "Okay! I'm totally ready for this."
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Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 2:47 pm
The shaggy pawed lioness smirked, tossing her head and getting some fur out of her eyes. Straightening up again she explained what she wanted to see.
"First we're going to see how well you can stand up against me. We're working on your defensive stance first, then we'll go from there."
She wanted to make sure he had a solid defense before moving into the more aggressive techniques, though given his instinctive talent for that she was sure it would move quickly enough.
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 5:59 am
He nodded, understanding and psyching himself up for this sparring match. He was going to try his best, impress her with how much he had learned. Yes, he had been practising and whilst he still had a long way to go he was a lot better than he had been. It was good, really, that he'd been given Uuo as a teacher. Her way of instructing suited this boy and she seemed to understand what he would like and what he would find boring.
He was on his paws now, stretching each leg in turn, feeling the sand beneath his claws.
"Okay." He announced readily. "Ready when you are, Uuo."
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Tahja Estes generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:25 pm
She didn't need the announcement, she felt it when they were both ready, and even as he spoke she was already moving. This wouldn't be an empty practice duel either though, she would turn it into a lesson, illustrating key points and reiterating and emphasizing what had been taught in the weeks before.
She had first strike, landing a heavy blow against his neck, but made sure not to use claws or to put all of her weight into it. She didn't want to hurt the boy, after all, but she wouldn't go easy either, not too easy, just not full out.
"Remember your basics, most importantly! List them off!" She instructed, circling after landing her first strike, wondering how he'd recover, retaliate, or otherwise move next.
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Kimaria generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:37 pm
He hadn't even seen the first hit come until the pain rattled across his neck and shoulders, a helpful little reminder that Uuo was strong and she would never go easy on him. Being ready meant being ready. Okay, very well then, he'd pay more attention.
Shaking his head to ease the ache of that first strike, his settled his eyes upon her circling form.
"Number one." He barked. "Never underestimate an opponent." This was one of the basics that Azar always fell down on. He'd had a habit of blundering in thinking himself amazingly strong and coming out a failure. He was slowly learning not to do this and was taking more care, but he couldn't help it if his ego was big, could he?
He leapt at her the moment the first sentence had left his mouth, aiming a strike at her shoulder.
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Tahja Estes generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:38 pm
Uuo grunted in surprise as his hit landed, staggering back a step to dodge further damage but immediately moving back into the dance. She circled him with keen eyes, looking for her next opening while also guaging his defenses-- which had always been his strongest point --and reaction time.
"Good! Keep going!"
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Kimaria generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:39 pm
He backed up a little, afraid that she might wallop him one. Luckily it didn't seem as if she wanted to counter it and he was safe - for now. He increased the size of the circle, hesitant at getting too close.
When he deemed himself at a safe enough distance he allowed a smirk to work its way across his face.
"Number two." He said, in a more matter-of-fact manner. "Never allow an opponent to distract you."
Again, something that Azar'bijan had yet to master. If someone insulted him or generally said something he didn't like, his anger would rise and cut off the line between brain and claw. At least he'd made a start by memorising them.
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Tahja Estes generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
2!
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:40 pm
"Don't look so smug!" She called back, reminding him that the lesson was far from over. "There are still three more rules!"
She kept him on his paws, advancing closer, always closing the distance between them with the intention of making him understand that she had no intention of giving him time to plot when she clearly had the advantage of size and experience.
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Kimaria generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
1!
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:43 pm
He rolled his eyes. Gosh she was being impatient today! He was getting there! "Number three." He called to her, that smile still evident on his features though it had faded somewhat at her words.
"A real opponent won't show mercy. Keep your head on the battle." And he lunged for her again, lifting himself up a little so he could aim a strike at her.
Lets see if she could dodge this one!
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Tahja Estes generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:51 pm
It was an opening. She didn't expect for him to be able to fight by her rules completely yet, but that was why they were going to spar during training now.
She took it, when he moved for the strike, lifting himself up, she took it. Swinging a heavy, extra large frying pan sized paw for him it was to block his own strike and also to send him crashing to the ground.
Her weight shifted on the sand as Uuo moved from paw to paw, circling again.
"Told you to wipe that smirk off, didn't I?" She herself smirked.
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Kimaria generated a random number between
1 and 3 ...
3!
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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:52 pm
The attack did indeed have the desired effect. He fell heavily, rolling on his side as he tried to gain his paws. Shaking his head he tasted blood in his mouth and spat, bringing himself back into a defensive position.
His red eyes narrowed and he looked across at her. Yes. She was strong. Too strong. What was this? Him getting beaten by a woman! He felt a little of his pride chip away.
"Four." He growled. "Remember your basics. Even the best fighter can be taken down if you can manage to break their roots. Even the most experienced of warriors will sometimes make crucial mistakes from forgetting the ground rules of fighting!" With another growl he lunged again, ducking his head as he attempted to bowl right into her.
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