[Flashback] Gnashing teeth (Solo)

[Atl]

Timestamp: 27th of Summer, 500 A.V.

Alone, just outside his longhouse, Atl busied himself with chores, beginning preparing a long piece of wood to be used in a cooking fire later. Pulling the solid log across his shoulders, he breathed out once before making for the back where he knew the wood axe to be. The wood, taller then him, was harder than he expected to balance across his back, and with every shaky step he exhaled with effort. He desired no help though, even though his young muscles trembled with effort as he progressed inch by excruciating inch. His sister had done well to dissuade him of such notions to the point it could be said he feared aid in the task save for the fact he'd been taught that fear was a weakness, and so he thought himself beyond that.

Rolling his right shoulder slightly, he adjusted the log's place across it's shoulders, feeling relief as the pressure shifted, the adjustment lending him momentum as he propelled himself forward with each determined stride. The majority of weight spread across the center of his shoulders, and his strides wide spaced enough to keep balance as he walked, he managed to keep the log across his back while he walked, yet he couldn't stop the rigid wood from digging into his flesh with every bouncing stride, drawing his face into a slight grimace that grew more defined the closer he got to his goal.

At least he didn't have far to go this he knew, and the knowledge kept him intensely focused.

Such was the care that it took him several moments to register that he was where he needed to be, and releasing the log, he shrugged off the burden with a roll of his shoulders, the heavy length of wood striking the ground with a thud. Oddly so, his body went numb with the action, and falling to the ground he laid back to rest his head on the log, taking time to take in gulps of air.

His eyes flashed open as he felt something crash into his side, knocking the breath from him. He should have expected such a strike he realized as his eyes locked on to the form of his sister, and he remembered that all important lesson that had slipped his mind in his sheer exhaustion. Never rest during the hours the sun was up, especially not on his back, blissfully unaware. That more than anything seemed to enrage his sister.

"Get up" She growled, moving to strike him with the butt of her spear again but he was already rolling away, and scrambling to his feet having expected a second strike coming. Rising from the ground, he barely managed to get his feet under him before he found himself forced to dodge to the side and again to the other side as she charged forward, thrusting madly for him. Slipping under yet another quick strike, he managed to find the hilt of the wood axe, but couldn't put it to good use as she was already coming at him with another strike, and throwing himself to the side, barely dodging.

Extending his arm, he swiped wildly for his sister's knee while he scrambled forwards, grinning foolishly when she gave ground. With the ground immediately in front of him vacated, he climbed back up onto his feet, swiping every once and a while in a effort to keep his sister at bay. Surprisingly his haphazard strikes were keeping her from even striking at him as she seemed to him to be more concerned with dodging his strikes than in attacking him. The axe, much heavier than the wooden sword he was used to carrying, brought him closer and closer to his sister with every strike, the young boy being practically dragged by the momentum of it, yet zealously he continued striking thinking the advantage was his. After all, he had his sister on the defensive for once.

[Atl]

Suddenly the axe stopped mid strike with a simple flick of her wrist, the tip of the spear wedged tight underneath the head of the axe. His eyes widened with realization of his mistake just as Etha twisted the spear across and pulled the weapon from his grasp, and then promptly sweeping his feet out from underneath him with a follow up strike. She had been fooling him, urging him into a sensing an advantage that was not there and he'd realized it a too late. He'd make sure to keep it in mind for the future, assuming she didn't accidentally kill him in her rage.

Air forcibly vacated his lungs as his older sister landed on top of him heavily, her elbow quickly following to smack hard into his ribs. Wincing in pain, he balled his hand into a fist and managed a strike against her side before the heel of her hand smacked his jaw, whipping his head to the side. His vision darkened for a moment before adjusting and pulling his arms up towards him to guard his face he managed to block her next strike with his forearm, the stinging blow radiating through his flesh. Pushing his arms tighter together, he jabbed them upwards, giving him a moments breathing space only to have his arms pressed tight back towards him again when she pressed back down before managing another strike at him, this one thudding solidly into his side.

Breath stolen from him, his arms went involuntarily to his sides, and his eyes locked onto his sister's a moment before her fist came crashing into the side of his temple, knocking him unconscious in the blink of an eye.

[Atl]

"Get up Atl"

His eyes blinked open, and pulling himself up to his elbows, he looked up to see Etha, the owner of the voice before being promptly shoved flat on his back as she thrusted a weapon into his hands. The rigged, sharp wooden teeth adorning one side of the wooden sword told him it was his own weapon, and looking back up at her, he couldn't help the curious expression that crossed his features. Her lessons usually didn't last this long.

"We have not finished are spar yet" She growled simply, before taking a step backwards in invitation. Her spear was once more clutched in her fists, and she looked no less eager to put it to use than when the fight had started. It was fine by him, with a weapon he was more comfortable with, he was eager to show her what he'd learned sparring with his friends.

He wasted no time coming to his feet, and holding his weapon out before himself, he eyed his sister warily, unsure of how she might strike first. In a rush she came forward, jabbing deftly and swinging the sawtooth, he smacked the spear tip and waded in the wake of it, his free hand darting out to grab her neck. Reflexively, her elbow came up and then promptly down breaking his hold while she simultaneously reversed her grip on the spear before slamming the butt of it into his gut. Stumbling backwards, he slashed across the air in front of him to ward off the follow up strike sure too come, and caught his balance against the longhouse, leaning his back solidly against the building for a moment before pushing off of it.

Beside him, the head of the spear thunked into the wood, and bringing the wooden blade across his chest, he broke it just behind it's head just as his sister attempted to pull it away. The wry smile on his face quickly disappeared though, as she flipped the slender wood over her forearm brought its end hard against his lower jaw head upwards with the jolt. He tried his best not to react to the pain of his split chin, or the exhaustion that permeated his flesh as he dived forward, attempting to bury his bigger sister underneath his weight. As it happened he only managed to knock her down, and soon came to regret it as he felt his right arm twist behind him as she grabbed his wrist and rolled across his back. Elbow out, he jabbed behind him glancing her forehead, earning a bit of relief with the release of his arm, and pushing off of the ground, he rolled away from his sister putting as much ground as he could between them before rising to his feet.

Looking across the stretch of ground between them, he noticed his sister had done the same.

[Atl]

On she came, relentlessly swiping at him with both ends of the wooden spear, and ducking left an right was all he could manage to do to stay ahead of her vicious attacks. Every time he tried to strike at her, she promptly picked the strike off, and returned a counter that left his knuckles red. His heart paced hard in his chest, and sweat glistened across his skin, his strikes coming slower with every attack he knew, and realized he couldn't keep it up for long. Just above him, the base of the weapon slammed against the corner of the longhouse, and using the the moment to his advantage, he struck her inner knee with the back of his weapon, sending her spinning to the ground with the attack.

Knowing he had her at a disadvantage, he leapt on top of her immediately, the sawtooth raised hight over his head to shatter the spear he thought to be still clutched in her fist. Almost imperceptibly her hand flicked upwards, and the razor edge of a bone short sword pressed against his vulnerable neck, drawing a trickle of blood to travel down his chest. In an example of surrender mixed with exhaustion, he released his weapon to clatter on the ground, and slowly backed off of his sister, his hands still held still above him as he studied her.

"Your still not thinking I see, nor really seeing either for that matter" She spoke icily, keeping her blade level at his throat as she rose slowly. "Had you been, you would have realized I had dropped my spear, and that the move was purely intentional. Remember dear brother, never underestimate me. Now continue your chores, and don't let me catch you sleeping or else next time I won't be so kind"

[Rage]

GRANTING OF XP Atl Bodybuilding - 2xp Unarmed Combat - 3xp Weapon: Woodcutter's Axe - 1xp (counts as a Battleaxe) Tactics - 3xp Weapon: Sawtooth - 3xp Lores: Keeping one's Balance while carrying a heavy load Lesson Learned: Never leave oneself vulnerable even when resting Unarmed Combat: Avoiding the second strike after being hit the first time Weapon Handling: Being dragged by the weight of one's weapon Tactics: Being lulled into complacency and overconfidence Tactics: Attacking a weapon's weak spot Lesson Learned: Tactics - Using feints to gain an advantage Notes : A fun read for a training thread, the pacing is good. I think the XP and lores I awarded are self-explanatory, but if you have any questions regarding them, please don't hesitate to contact me.