It Takes Two to Spar

Writers: Devin, Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 10th September 2013

Characters: Pierka, J'ackt, N'vanik, R'enh
Description: N'vanik and Jenackt test each other's sword skills
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 5 of Turn 7

Pierka

J'ackt

N'vanik

R'enh

The slender pole in Jenackt's hand whirled as he struck against an
upright pole, his face set in concentration. The past few days had
been an exercise in frustration for him; his classes confused him, he
had little in common with the candidates in the barracks and his brain
felt strained from all of the new information being shoved into it. As
he moved to another form, his movements became a little more savage,
becoming an outlet for all of his pent up irritation and frustration.
It was only allowing himself to practice, even though it was just with
a pole instead of a real blade, that he was able to calm himself
enough to avoid erupting around others. It helped.

"Planning on getting into a fight?" N'vanik called as he walked up.

Jenackt whirled, his practice pole in his hand. He had already half
crouched in readiness before he caught himself and exhaled, resting
the tip of the pole on the ground. "Not really.
Just...uhm..exercising."

"I don't think that pole is putting up much of a fight." N'vanik
nodded to the pole stuck in the sand.

Jenackt shrugged again. "Better than nothing, isn't it? And better
than whapping other Candidates over the head."

"I'm glad you have some restraint," N'vanik said with dry humor. He
lifted the pole and tested the balance of it. "I used to be good at
this."

"I figure you need them for the clutch." He looked as the Weyrleader
lifted a pole and one brow quirked upwards, watching as N'vanik
handled the practice weapon. "Did you?" There was interest in his
eyes, more light than had been present in sevendays.

As the Weyrleader took interest in what the boy had been doing with
his staff, so did some others around the bowl. Among them Pierka
walked toward where N'vanik stood with a similar item in his own
hands. Her brows quirked together as she watched the two.

"Maybe you can help me get back in form." N'vanik lifted the false
sword and dropped into a fighting stance.

There was a glint in Jenackt's eyes and a slow smile, the first he'd
shown anyone at the weyr grew on his face. His eyes flicked over
N'vanik's stance, but his face betrayed nothing of his thoughts. His
posture became fluid, relaxed and began a slow stalking walk forward.
With a sudden dash, he feinted left and then lunged to the center,
practice pole flicking to strike towards N'vanik's wrist.

N'vanik blocked just in time and hopped back to put distance between
them. This boy was going to test him, that was for sure. N'vanik made
his own attack, twisting at the last second to aim for Amitko's side.

Jeanckt danced easily away, the blade missing his side by only a
fraction. A smirk suddenly appeared on his face and with a whirl, he
launched into a full attack, practice blade striking at N'vaniks arms,
chest and abdomen.

Pierka gasped at the sudden attack. She'd seen guards spar like that
when she was at Topaz Seahold, and sometimes fingers and other things
got broken in the process. There were invariably bruises.

One of the attacks clipped N'vanik on the left side. He grunted at the
sting and with disappointment in himself. "I've gotten old and slow."

A husky laugh from under a nearby tree was followed by, "Haven't I
been telling you that?" R'enh grinned at his friend and Weyrleader.
"The kid has moves, gotta give him that."

Jenackt snorted. "Maybe you should have been practicing." There was a
confidence there as if he were completely in his element before he
took a step forward to launch another attack on the man, refusing to
let up. He didn't fight fair; he'd been taught to fight dirty and win.
It showed.

A dry voice sounded behind R'ehn as D'hol stepped forward to join the
small crowd. "I'd have to agree with you." He peered at the pair.
"I'll wager you a mark that the boy will bring our esteemed Weyrleader
to the ground."

N'vanik found that his body remembered some of this, and it was
obvious the kid had been taught to win no matter what. He took an
opportunity to kick sand at Amitko. Not something a proper Weyrleader

should do, but it was better than having his arse handed to him.

Jenackt spat the sand from his mouth. Though the sand had hit his
face, only a few grains got into his eyes; it was enough to make them
water like crazy. It was a distraction, but not an overwhelming one.
But then a flash of insight. He squinted as if having more trouble
seeing than he truly was.

N'vanik went in for another attack.

R'enh gave a rather feral grin. "I'll take that bet," he stood up
straight confident in N'vanik. "Old age and treachery will win out
over youth and strength every time." It was an old harper saying that
most young people didn't appreciate but his own father had proven it
to him often enough.

Pierka lurched forward in fascination. She was concerned for both of
them they might be only sparring but bones could be broken with those
sticks.

"Normally I'd agree with you, R'ehn, but I think that N'vanik may have
underestimated the boy."

Jenackt took the chance and let N'vanik close, but before the
Weyrleader could land a blow, he whirled around N'vanik's side and
struck quickly. His practice blade struck at shoulders, arms and back
before he leveled a kick to the back of the man's knees.

N'vanik dropped to the sand, but managed to stay on his knees. Had
this been a sparring match with someone else, he would've laughed it
off and gotten up to try again, but he didn't trust Amitko to leave
it at that. The boy was too fresh from a hard life. N'vanik had kept
hold of his pole and swept it around, hoping to catch him in the legs.

"You owe me a mark." D'hol turned to R'ehn with a curling of the lips.
"He hit the ground."

The pole hit his shin and his knee causing him to spit out a vicious
curse. He had gotten too close and too confident. He stumbled back,
lost his balance and fell on his rear with an 'oof'.

N'vanik got to his feet and stood over Amitko, making sure to step on
the boy's false sword so he couldn't swing at him. "All right, I think
that's enough for now." N'vanik offered his hand.

R'enh chuckled and shook his head at D'hol "Technicality," but he
flipped at mark at the other bronzer and walked over to N'vanik and
the boy. "Nice display" he grinned at them both.

Eyes watering from the grains of sand, Jenackt scowled up at N'vanik,
but shrugged, released the pole and finally took the proffered hand,
rising. He turned to R'ehn and shrugged again, wiping lightly at his
watery eyes.

With a flash of a smile, D'hol caught the mark and palmed it before
looking at Pierka. "I think your esteemed Weyrleader will be just
fine."

"Thanks for not making me look _too_ bad," N'vanik said with a smile.

Pierka blushed and her eyes slid away from the bronzerider in
embarrassment. **How could he know how much she admired him.** She bit
her lips and walked away from the display as others turned as well.

"Good Job," R'enh smiled and reached to shake the young man's hand.

Jenackt arched a brow at N'vanik. "I don't know how well I did
preventing that. You're rusty." There was finally a hint of a smile
playing around his mouth and a glint of humor in his eyes before he
turned to R'ehn. He didn't offer his hand right away, his brow
furrowing. He glanced at N'vanik and then back at the other rider
before slowly and warily taking the man's hand for a quick grip before
releasing it.

"I am," N'vanik agreed. "But I don't need to rely on a sword when I've
got a bronze dragon to protect me." Loseth bugled his agreement from
the heights.

Last updated on the November 1st 2013

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It Takes Two to Spar