[The Stone Garden]A Quiet Fighter[OPEN]

[Colin Oliver]

Colin fervently shook his head,“I merely enjoy watching. In such a fight, I would surely lose.” To prove his point, Colin took a step backward. In a single fluid motion, his left hand drew a crossbow from behind his back while his right hand pulled an arrow from the quiver over his shoulder. With a practiced movement, he loaded and drew the crossbow as effortlessly as a violinist places his bow upon his instrument: “I prefer to fight from afar.” To show that he meant no harm, Colin unloaded the crossbow, swiftly replacing the weapon and its ammunition. Suddenly, it struck him how ungentlemanly he was acting. Even if he was in the presence of one of the most savage races, it would be wrong not to introduce himself. “How terribly rude of me,” Colin said as he saluted the white-girl and the Myrian, “The name's Colin. Colin Oliver.”

[Ethne]

Although Ethne was shocked by the crossbow, she was more shocked by the fact that the man acknowledged her as being a better fighter than him. A thirteen year old girl, beating up a man of his age? It was almost comical, but completely true. Saluting back to him, Ethne responded.
"I'm Ethne, just Ethne. Nice to meet you Colin."

[Colin Oliver]

Colin took note of the girl's name and walked over to a flat-topped boulder. Sitting upon it and crossing his legs, Colin assessed the white-girl. "So... Ethne," Colin said, working the unfamiliar name, "What is a pretty young girl like you doing here, training in the cold?"

OOCSorry, wasn't really sure what else to do

[Ethne]

Ethne almost laughed when Colin deliberately said her name. True, it was not a normal name, but it was her own, and she was proud of it. She answered.
"I'm training myself, I want to become a professional boxer one day. I know I'm pretty small, but I'm strong and fast. I'm pretty sure I could drop you. So, what is a handsome young man such as yourself doing out here in the cold? Colin."

She deliberately said his name, not having any trouble with it, but simply doing so as to be jocular with him. Hopefully he was the type of guy that could take a joke, seeing as Ethne was not the type of girl able to dodge an arrow at point blank range.

OOCIt's fine xD. I think Shyda is dropping out though. She hasn't posted or replied to me VIA PM yet...

[Colin Oliver]

Colin grinned at the back-handed compliment. Clearly Ethne saw him as a pansy-assed pretty boy, and Colin saw nothing wrong with that. However his humor quickly sobered when he answered Ethne's question. "I came here because it reminded me of home. And trust me, back home, this was considered perfect weather." Colin shook his head, clearing his mind of impossible thoughts. "It''s probably much harder there than it is here, but I miss it. And I can't go back in the winter." Mount Skyinarta was impenetrable at this time of the year unless you rode on a Wind Eagle, and only the revered Endal could do that. "It gets boring in Syliras. I heard you training and it peaked my interest. So here I am." An idea suddenly entered Colin's mind. He jumped off the boulder and walked over to Ethne, the merchant inside him coming alive. "Perhaps we could work out a deal.A trade if you will. Teach me your fighting and in exchange, I will teach you archery."

[Ethne]

Ethne shivered, not from being put off but from simply being cold. He considered this perfect weather? Ethne hadn't been cold before because she was training, but now her muscles were cooling down and the cold of the air was setting in on her. The deal he offered made her crook her head. She had never considered learning archery, but it would be a very useful skill to have. She replied.
"Sounds like a good deal. I'll teach you first."

She planted both her feet deliberately on the ground, taking up a good boxer's stance, and began explaining to him.
"First off you're going to want to correctly set up your stance. The stance is one of the most important parts of boxing, if your stance is incorrect then you won't last two minutes. The Stance is what keeps you from falling after getting hit several times. Here, imitate me."

[Colin Oliver]

Ethne accepted the deal and Colin couldn't have been happier. He dropped his pack against a boulder. Removing his quiver and bow, he placed them beside his pack. Now that he had placed down his possession, Colin could move freely and unhindered. Colin stretched out a bit, and moved to stand beside Ethne. So the stance was to keep him from falling after getting hit? Colin really didn't plan to get hit, but he might as well learn to take a blow. Placing his legs and arms in the same position as Ethne.

[Ethne]

Ethne, seeing him take a correct stance, smiled and nodded in satisfaction. Stepping in front of him, she looked him up and down before saying.
"Alright, you seem to be good. Secondly, there are two types of boxers, In-fighters, and out-fighters. I am an in-fighter, since I'm smaller and don't have too much reach over my opponent most of the time. Because of your height and strength you would probably be best as an out-fighter, because you have a longer reach.
As an out-fighter, you need to use your arm reach to your advantage and crack your opponent before they can get at you. Now-"

Ethne held up her fists and said.
"Hit me, don't hold back. If you do, then I'll break you."

[Colin Oliver]

"If you say so..." Colin felt a pang of indecision, but he knew he couldn't back down. He had initiated the deal and he would see it through. He had seen Ethne practice and knew that if he truly wasn't serious, he would end up the worse for it. Colin took a deep breath, centering his focus, and began to move. Remembering to keep his stance, Colin pushed off his back foot, keeping his guard up the same way Ethne did. Twisting his body slightly, Colin used one arm to guard. He leaned forwards slightly, putting his weight into his punch, and threw a fist towards Ethne's face.

[Jonathon DuFraine]

Jonathon yawned. Today wasn't exactly the warmest day for a walk, but Jonathon was an outdoorsman; he was used to being exposed to every kind of weather. Today's display was little more then an annoyance to the hermit. But it certainly does a good job of being annoying! Still, much, much better then those stifling apartments the knights coop us into and pass off as houses. Jonathon used to own one, but he hadn't come back to it in seasons. Ever since he wandered into the Bronze Woods looking for adventure, anyways.

The sound of conversation reached Jonathon's sharp ears. Jonathon smiled. Maybe this boring day in town would be exciting after all.

Jonathon approuched the spot where he heard the sounds of conversation. A girl, in her early teens it seemed, was boxing with a young man. Odd, especially since the girl seemed the more skilled of the two; indeed, she appeared to be tutoring the other. Interesting. Jonathon's eyes noticed the crossbow leaning nearby. It would seem this man was an archer of sorts as well.

Jonathon watched for a moment, his natural hunter's prowl leaving him apparently unnoticed. Once he sensed a lull in the combat, the hunter stepped out of the natural shadows, a smile on his face. "Hail! Nice moves there, miss. Even somebody like me can tell you are a natural." She was like nobody Jonathon had ever seen before, with white hair and crimson eyes. Perhaps she was an offshoot of the snow-tressed Konti?

The other man, in contrast, was black of hair. Despite that, something about the man rung strongly of his own race; perhaps it was the lithe body, or the sharp eyes, or the graceful steps. But then, why was he raven-tressed? According to Jonathon's father, most, if not all, Inarta had red hair, like Jonathon did. Although Jonathon's yellow eyes were usually more rare.

These people have strange hair. Then again, my hair isn't much better... Jonathon's untamed curls, which spoke volumes of his life as a hermit in the woods, may have been less interesting then the white-haired girl, but they certainly gained attention. I wonder if these two know each other?