starting
stance, he went through the motions of a routine that Galena knew
like the back of her hand.
Galena sat and watched Tark for a while,
marveling at the way that he moved with effortless ease. Finishing
her fruit, she stood and dusted off the seat of her own leggings.
She reached toward her pack and removing her own sword, she
prepared herself to spar with Tark. She stood facing him, getting
into her own stance. He struck the first blow, which she deflected
easily, spinning around and swinging the blade toward his side.
They continued in this fashion for some time until they were both
breathless. Galena eyed Elenio as he stooped to retrieve his sword.
Grinning wickedly, Elenio moved in front of Galena, indicating that
he was ready for his turn to practice.
“You always have to wait until I’m worn out,
don’t you?” Galena murmured, still trying to catch her breath.
“Of course, how else will you learn to push
your limits?”
Galena grumbled as she prepared herself for
his attack. She surprised him though, stabbing out at him first. He
blocked the blow, but just narrowly. He jumped up and over her,
spinning around after he landed. He tried to strike her in the
back, but she had followed him, and was ready. She deflected the
strike, and feinted toward the right, changing directions at the
last moment. They returned blow after blow, both sweating
profusely, until Tark called a halt to their fight.
“There is no sense in wearing each other out
completely. We still have a ways to go before the next village and
I would rather get there before we run out of supplies.”
Still trying to catch their breath, they
packed up, and started on their way once again. They walked for
miles and late into the night. Galena felt as if she was going to
fall asleep standing up. Between the practicing with her sword and
magic, she was exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to eat
something and curl up on her blanket. At the very thought of sleep,
she felt herself begin to sway. Elenio caught her before she could
topple to the ground though, wrapping a firm arm around her
waist.
“We need to stop. Galena can’t go much
further.”
Tark looked back and seeing Elenio supporting
Galena, nodded. They turned off the road and searched for a spot
where they could rest and keep watch easily. Finding a small
clearing among a thicket of brush, they made camp, risking a small
campfire so that Tark could make stew from the plants surrounding
them. Galena was so tired that she drifted in and out until the
food was done, gulping down the hot liquid quickly. She wrapped a
blanket around her and laid her head down on her pack. She vaguely
heard Elenio and Tark discussing who would take the first watch and
when they should switch.
“I’ll take the last watch,” Galena mumbled
loud enough for them to hear her before she drifted off into a
dreamless sleep.
Galena woke to Tark shaking her gently. She
opened eyes, noting that the forest around them was vaguely dim,
indicating that the sun would be rising soon. She sat up and rubbed
the sleep from her still tired eyes. “My turn for watch?” she
asked, stifling a yawn. Wearily, Tark nodded. He retrieved his own
blanket and stretched out under it, laying his head on his own
pack. Within seconds, Galena could hear him breathing deep and
evenly.
She got up and stretched, reaching her hands
high into the sky. She bent down, touching the ground under her
feet and effectively stretching her back and legs. Standing up, she
walked over to her pack and rummaged around for a piece or two of
dried fruit to hold her over until they ate their morning meal.
Popping both pieces into her mouth at once, she chewed as she
retrieved her sword. She unsheathed it and began to practice,
keeping alert as she went through the motions. She felt her muscles
beginning to warm up as she gracefully swung her sword this way and
arching that way. Feeling rejuvenated and ready for the day to
begin, she sat on the ground,
stance, he went through the motions of a routine that Galena knew
like the back of her hand.
Galena sat and watched Tark for a while,
marveling at the way that he moved with effortless ease. Finishing
her fruit, she stood and dusted off the seat of her own leggings.
She reached toward her pack and removing her own sword, she
prepared herself to spar with Tark. She stood facing him, getting
into her own stance. He struck the first blow, which she deflected
easily, spinning around and swinging the blade toward his side.
They continued in this fashion for some time until they were both
breathless. Galena eyed Elenio as he stooped to retrieve his sword.
Grinning wickedly, Elenio moved in front of Galena, indicating that
he was ready for his turn to practice.
“You always have to wait until I’m worn out,
don’t you?” Galena murmured, still trying to catch her breath.
“Of course, how else will you learn to push
your limits?”
Galena grumbled as she prepared herself for
his attack. She surprised him though, stabbing out at him first. He
blocked the blow, but just narrowly. He jumped up and over her,
spinning around after he landed. He tried to strike her in the
back, but she had followed him, and was ready. She deflected the
strike, and feinted toward the right, changing directions at the
last moment. They returned blow after blow, both sweating
profusely, until Tark called a halt to their fight.
“There is no sense in wearing each other out
completely. We still have a ways to go before the next village and
I would rather get there before we run out of supplies.”
Still trying to catch their breath, they
packed up, and started on their way once again. They walked for
miles and late into the night. Galena felt as if she was going to
fall asleep standing up. Between the practicing with her sword and
magic, she was exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to eat
something and curl up on her blanket. At the very thought of sleep,
she felt herself begin to sway. Elenio caught her before she could
topple to the ground though, wrapping a firm arm around her
waist.
“We need to stop. Galena can’t go much
further.”
Tark looked back and seeing Elenio supporting
Galena, nodded. They turned off the road and searched for a spot
where they could rest and keep watch easily. Finding a small
clearing among a thicket of brush, they made camp, risking a small
campfire so that Tark could make stew from the plants surrounding
them. Galena was so tired that she drifted in and out until the
food was done, gulping down the hot liquid quickly. She wrapped a
blanket around her and laid her head down on her pack. She vaguely
heard Elenio and Tark discussing who would take the first watch and
when they should switch.
“I’ll take the last watch,” Galena mumbled
loud enough for them to hear her before she drifted off into a
dreamless sleep.
Galena woke to Tark shaking her gently. She
opened eyes, noting that the forest around them was vaguely dim,
indicating that the sun would be rising soon. She sat up and rubbed
the sleep from her still tired eyes. “My turn for watch?” she
asked, stifling a yawn. Wearily, Tark nodded. He retrieved his own
blanket and stretched out under it, laying his head on his own
pack. Within seconds, Galena could hear him breathing deep and
evenly.
She got up and stretched, reaching her hands
high into the sky. She bent down, touching the ground under her
feet and effectively stretching her back and legs. Standing up, she
walked over to her pack and rummaged around for a piece or two of
dried fruit to hold her over until they ate their morning meal.
Popping both pieces into her mouth at once, she chewed as she
retrieved her sword. She unsheathed it and began to practice,
keeping alert as she went through the motions. She felt her muscles
beginning to warm up as she gracefully swung her sword this way and
arching that way. Feeling rejuvenated and ready for the day to
begin, she sat on the ground,
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