Kelrythis lowered her sword, her eyes narrowing as she tried to regain her normal breathing. She was dusty, dirty, sweating like a pig, her plate armor starting to chafe her ashen skin.
Removing a gauntlet, she swiped a wrist across her brow and muttered a free flowing stream of curses as she stepped over and lightly kicked her opponent, who was laying in an unceremonious pile of dinged armor on the ground. "Get up," she growled, offering her bare hand, "I didn't even hit'cha that hard." She shook her head, stark white ponytail swinging behind her as she looked down with scorn.
Wrapping her fingers around her sparring partner's wrist, she hauled the body upright. After ensuring steadiness, she rapped her knuckles against the helmet, shaking her head with a snort, "You puss. It's a good thing you're not out there in the world with moves like that. You'd be a fel beasts's dinner in no time."
The other warrior windmilled arms, pushing Kel away and pulling off the helmet, face flushed and sweaty. Her own pigtails bounced limply as she shook her head and glared at Kel. "Well sor-reeeee. Some of us weren't born with halberds in our hands," her lilting voice accused and whined.
Kel shook her head, giving the other girl another smack upside her head and retreating to pick up her gauntlet. She was young, the girl. Kel tucked her glove under her arm and took a long swallow of water from the wineskin in her bags. She had a long way to go, if she were to ever lead a group of fighters into the fray. Putting her gauntlet back on, she picked up her swords, eyes glinting as she held them properly, smiling at their perfect balance. She had made them quite well, and was thoroughly proud of her craft.
Whirling around to the younger warrior, she adopted an attack stance, glaring and sighing impatiently as she waited for her to affix her shield, pick up her sword. "Faster," Kel growled, lunging forward and purposely bringing her left sword down hard against the shield. "If I wasn't looking out for your well-being, you'd be dead right now. And then your entire party would be trampled. You are point. You have to be more prepared than the others." She stepped back and lunged again, this time sweeping her right sword close to the girl's hooves, making her leap backwards, her eyes wide. "You have to be better than that. Fearless. Angry." Kel's eyes narrowed, remembering fights gone by.
The other warrior hadn't put her helmet back on and watched Kel with shining eyes. Was that admiration that Kel detected? She swallowed hard and shook her head, trying to shake it away. She didn't need a complication now. Training. This girl needed training.
The girl's sword lowered slowly, eyeing Kel tentatively. Gently. Interested. Attractive. She really was, despite her shit fighting skills, with her hair in those long black pigtails. Kel's hands worked hard, gripping and grinding the handles. She set her jaw and growled again, whirling fast and throwing her right hand sword with a loud grunt, impaling a training dummy across the way.
Kelrythis stalked away, leaving her sword and bags where they were, eyes furious as she left the young warrior standing there, shield lowered, mouth agape, watching her go. Her eyes were hurt. Kel could feel them boring into her skull as she rounded a corner and started to sprint.
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