Wild Little Dog

[Deleted]

Tag: @kiawah

blood and battle

ARE ALL I HAVE EVER KNOWN

Training had been going fairly well for the most part. Though, this was not rarity for Vero. Having started at a very young age, he was quickly progressing and learning at a rapid pace. He only wished he could say the same for his brother. He feared the time that war would be upon them, and he would have to fight in battle. Fortunately, Vero could keep him in his sights. But right now, it was not who he currently had his eye on. With his sibling ceasing training for the day, Vero was watching the others train . . . and he took notice of one particualr male. He had noticed him before, his small stature often the butt of an over heard joke here and there.

Vero tended not to engage in them however. His size only meant he could play into his strengths. And besides, who knows . . . he could grow up to be rather fierce. Something in him though, left Vero hoping that he did indeed excel in all his training and disprove any ridicule at his expense. Besides, Nolia seemed to have the utmost faith in him and Vero strongly respected her. Deciding he wanted to be a part of that, he approached the younger male. "Care for a better suited training partner?" Vero's words were teasing . . . considering he was significantly larger than the other male. But still, the tease was innocent enough. Besides, he wanted to see if he was willing to accept such a challenge.

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It had been about a year since Kia had started training. He was picking up some small amount of skill--being the smallest boy here, he had a lot to prove--but it was not easy. Learning to endure ridicule was hard enough, but doing anything with coordination in the throes of puberty was a challenge in and of itself. He seemed to have some measure of natural ability, which helped, and a huge amount of pressure to succeed that only Nolia understood, among those here.

He was practicing on his own when he saw the teenager approach him. Kia guessed he was a few years older, and already larger than the other boys his age, with more time to grow. He'd seen him before--how could he miss him?--but they had never spoken, and he felt like he had to crane his neck way back to look at him, blocking out the sun behind the larger boy's head with his hand.

He huffed at the other boy's words, wondering if it was a joke at his expense or not, but decided the words did not sound as if they were meant to be an insult. "Are you talking to me?" he said after a moment, smiling faintly and glancing behind him as if to check there was no one else the larger boy could be speaking to. When he looked back up, he squinted and again raised a hand to block the sun. "You're already cheating, using the sun to your advantage to blind me. Are you that afraid?" God, the other boy seemed to be joking in a goodhearted way, and Kia only hoped he wasn't misreading it and bound to get burned by doing the same.

Tag: @vero

[Deleted]

Tag: @kiawah

blood and battle

ARE ALL I HAVE EVER KNOWN

Vero slightly raised an eyebrow at his question, watching him turn to answer it for himself. Though, it was more amusement than anything else at his uncertainty. When he seemed to accept hat Vero had been talking to him he resumed eye contact, accusing him of cheating by the sun . . . suggesting that he was afraid. Well, at least he had a good sense of humor then. Though Vero's could often be considered sarcastic, he did not feel need to insult the boy before him. "It certainly does seem to favor me," he teased back.

"But, to give you a fair advantage, you can stand on the other side. That, or I welcome you to cheat to level the field." Another playful remark, another tease. While he wasn't directly insulting his size, he was remarking on their very obvious size differences. Taking a step to the side, Vero's tall form attempted to block the sun for the boy. "What is your name? So that I can mourn my opponent's loss?" Another remark, one filled with playfully competitive talk. Something that he frequently engaged in with the others only . . . with more direct bluntness, though he did not use the same tone with Kia. It was a little more softened.

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Kia felt himself straighten a little at the teenager's reply, but not from tension. More from slight surprise and relief. In fact, he felt his shoulders relax a little. The other boy was teasing, but not really at his expense. And he was funny, too. Welcoming Kia to cheat and then shifting a bit to block the sun from Kia's face. He didn't quite block it completely, so Kia laughed a little and shifted just a bit to the side to block the rest of the sun, grinning as he lowered his hand. "Kiawah," he said, though nobody really called him that much anymore. "Kia, actually," he corrected, then glanced at the sword in his hand for a moment before looking back at Vero.

"I'd have to be good to know how to cheat, right?" It was one of the lessons he'd been taught about being a good emperor one day. You had to learn a thing inside and out before you could subvert it with any sort of cleverness. His lips twisted to the side as he looked at the other boy, then moved around him to his other side to take the first offer, to train with him where he wasn't looking directly into the sun. "What's your name?" he asked, taking a position that said he was ready to fight.

Tag: @vero

[Deleted]

Tag: @kiawah

blood and battle

ARE ALL I HAVE EVER KNOWN

Vero took in Kia's words, a smile forming on his lips as he gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "Kia," he repeated, the name rather fitting for the boy . . . and Vero couldn't quite explain why. "A little name to match a little man," he smirked, teasing him. He then pointed the tip of his sword at Kia without actually touching him with it. "But size isn't everything. Especially for a wild little dog." Another teasing remark, for he could see that there was some underlying strength in the boy.

Vero could be wrong, but a warrior had to trust his instinct and well, that was exactly what he was doing. He lowered his sword and watched Kia take position, Vero moving his body into a stance of readiness. "Vero," he introduced with a smile. "Well then, if you do plan on cheating . . . let's see how good you really are." He felt oddly compelled to see the boy's skills. "Why don't you show me what happens when you bare teeth." He wanted to see what he had learned thus far . . . and offer what advice he could in response.

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Kia wondered briefly, as Vero called him a little man, if he'd been wrong about the nature of his teasing. He drew back slightly as Vero pointed the sword at him as Vero continued, and Kia found himself smiling again, both from the acknowledgment that size wasn't everything, and that Vero had just called him a wild little dog. After a moment, Kia snorted and started to laugh. If Vero only knew. But Kia was glad that he didn't. Glad Vero could treat him like he would anyone else.

He watched Vero move to a ready position, offering his name and wanting to see what Kia could do. What happened when he 'bared teeth'. "Your name is no bigger than mine," he said, partly teasing, partly returning the sentiment that size wasn't everything. They both new he wouldn't win this fight, but it didn't matter. He lunged forward and took a couple swings with his practice sword that Vero blocked easily.

Tag: @vero