Planning ahead

Xen took the shield from Monience, testing it's weight on her own arm. Eventually, she nodded and handed it back. "Good job. It's a good size and weight for someone as shrimpy as you. It makes a decent training shield and it would be fine for a couple of outside battles, but it wouldn't last overly long." she stated, nodding her approval. Placing her hands on her hips, the warrior grinned down at the Drow. "Nice work kiddo. Now, are you wanting those blades and shield training, or should I return to my busy day of doing nothing?"

Monience grinned. "I'm ready for training." She took the shield back and slipped it back on her arm. Taking a close look at the back of the shield she noticed she could have it modified to hold a short weapon like a short sword or dagger. 'That would come in handy during a fight. someone disarms me they won't be expecting a second weapon...' She brought this idea up with Xen, wondering what she'd think about it.

Leading the way out of the city, Xen listened to Monience and nodded. "Yeah, that would definitely throw them off. Especially if you just run around with the shield for a bit and leave thiem thinking you're defenseless. Then, when they close in for the kill, you whip is out and gut 'em." she chuckled. "Another reason why it's a good shield. But I'd never give up Chained Redemption. This baby has gotten me through more battles than I can count." the warrior sighed fondly, patting the shield strapped to her back.

When they were far enough from the city, Xen stopped and faced Monience. "All right. Now, since you haven't used a shield before, show me how you would hold it and your weapon." she suggested, corssing her arms over her chest.

Monience nodded and fell in to her stance again. With out the defense of her wooden sword in her left hand she brought her arm in closer to her body a bit so the shield would protect her properly, while she could still see in front of her as she needed. She was standing just like Xen had taught her earlier. She kept everything on a gentle bend still so she could have excellent reaction times compared to a 90 degree bend in her arm or a straight arm. She held it waiting for Xen to take notes and tell her how to properly use it.

Stepping in a circle around the young warrior, Xen examined the novice posture and nodded slightly. "Decent, actually. Not bad for your first time. Arm should be up more." she added, tapping Monience's shield arm. "This one should be out slightly." Xen moved the sword arm. "You're gonna have to get used to dealing with the extra weight as well. Try a couple of lunges for me." she asked, moving to stand back from the girl.

Monience followed Xen's instructions and did a couple of lunges with her shield. First couple of times she found she was off balance but quickly adjusted how she was moving to compensate for the heavier shield and soon she was making little to no mistakes. When she was comfortable with it she looked to Xen. "How was that?" She said with a smile that said she was happy to take any and all criticism.

Xen chuckled, grinning back at the smiling Drow. "Not bad, kid. Not bad at all. You're a natural at this!" she exclaimed heartily, patting Monience on the back as she did so. "We may just get your Path sensed early yet! But we still have a lot of work to do." she stated, moving to stand in front of the young warrior. "How much hand-to-hand combat do you know?" the Aranetil asked, peering down at the other.

Monience grinned, putting her shield and sword in their proper places on her back and fell into her martial arts stance that relied on counter attacks and pushing the opponent off balance. "Not too bad. My Dad passed down his knowledge of hand to hand as much as he could before he passed." She explained, knowing full well that her movements would be broken in places that she'd have to compensate for. "Ready when you are Xen." She announced confidently.

The female Aranetil cocked an eyebrow at the warrior, but grinned and sank into her position none-the-less. "Novice starts." she quipped, egging the young Drow on with a smirk. Xen shifted her weight from foot to foot, ready to block or counter whatever move Monience used.

Monience studied her position momentarily judging for weak spots. 'I need to adapt fast....Xen is a veteran warrior. So she'll be adapting too.' Monience thought as she shifted her stance to her offensive stance and used all her speed to come up to Xen in near an instant attempting to use a leg sweep on her.

Grinning, the Aranetil flipped backwards, grazing Monience's jaw bone with her foot before landing on her feet again. "Good speed." she remarked shortly, speeding forward throwing two punches in quick succession, both of which the younger dodged, if only barely. "Nice reflexes." the comment was followed by another jab, a feint, and a roundhouse kick. Xen threw a fourth punch, which was parried and returned. She blocked it and pushed the other off, separating them by a couple of meters. "Decent skills. But ya still need training, of course." she chuckled, not even slightly out of breath. Crouching, she readied herself is Monience decided to start another round.

Monience grinned. 'She's toying with me. But I'm having a blast.' Monience let out a hearty laugh before starting in again. She used her speed to dodge back and forth randomly while closing the gap before jumping to the side and attempting to throw a punch right into Xen from Xen's left.

Dodging the blow by bending backwards, Xen caught Monience's wrist and twisted it around behind her and holding it there. "Nice try, brat." she chuckled, grinning at the young warrior. "But it'll take a lot than that to hit me. You're still a student, remember? Even if you are top of your class. I'm in the 3rd division; try something new." she suggested releasing the Drow and lunging at her with a right hook.

Monience jumped over Xen. "Something new huh?" When she landed she jumped onto Xen's back moving quickly to bind her arms down by bringing her arms up under Xen's arms then clasping her hands behind Xen's neck. "Hows this for new?" She announced wrapping her legs around Xen to get another holding point.

Grunting slightly, the warrior smiled. "Mmm, good tactic. Using your small physical structure and agility to get behind your opponent, and then immobilizing their arms and head so they can't attack. Smart. You're lucky this isn't a real battle, or I would just puncture you with my extra legs." she stated, chuckling darkly. "But since it isn't, I'll have to consider my other options. And one of those, is a superior strength." she huffed, slamming her arms down to her sides and breaking Monience's trap. Simultaneously, the Aranetil bent forward swiftly, flipping the other off of her back and on to the ground.

Chuckling, Xen grinned down at the young Drow. "Nice job." she commented, offering a hand to help the other up.

Monience landed on her back coughing. "Ok that hurt." She groaned dusting her self off as she stood back up. "How'd I do teach?" She asked smiling dispite what just happened.

Xen chuckled. "Pretty good there, brat. Still gonna need practice of course. Show up here same time tomorrow and we'll continue, okay?" she asked, leaning on her hip while she awaited an answer.

Monience smiled wide. Her eyes full of hope. "Of course i'll be back!" She was ofcourse excited She found herself a trainer, and was getting experience. She was going to train extra hard to make Xen Proud.

The warrior threw her head back and laughed loudly. "That's the spirit! Come on squirt, let's head back. I gotta work out a training schedule for you now." she commented, gesturing for the younger Drow to follow as she turned on her heel and began making her way back to Nagreon.

Monience ran and caught up with Xen. "So not that I'm ungreatful, but I'm curious now. Why did you agree to train me?" She didn't quite understand why when she broke into the Path Sensory that Xen wanted to help. She was pretty sure if she went back she'd be in big trouble. So she was just going to stick with what Xen said.

Glancing down at Monience, the Aranetil shrugged. "Well, for one thing, it gives me something to do. That, and I've been to the Path Sensory a couple times, saw you there every time. I figured you wouldn't be there if you didn't have some potential at the very least, so I figured, why not? I need something to do, you need training; seemed like a nice match." she explained, chuckling and grinning at the Drow walking next to her.

Monience smiled. She couldn't argued with Xen's logic. "That does make sense. Heh. Nelonik is going to Flip when she finds out I have a trainer." She giggled to herself. "Sorry, Nelonik is kind of a rival of mine. She's always trying to prove she's better than me. So she always fights me with that giant two handed sword of hers. We have yet to finish a fight that doesn't end in a draw." She explained to Xen.

Xen paused in her slow stride, looking down at Monience with a questioning look. Slowly, a grin spread across her dark face. "Well then, she certainly in for one heck of a surprise, isn't she? I'll train you up so that your fights will never end in a draw again." she stated, patting the young Drow on the back with a devilish smile.

Monience nodded. "I can't wait to see her face when I win!" she couldn't keep that grin off her face.

"I can guarantee it won't end in a draw again. Who's this Monience? A new playmate?" Nelonik said in a condescending tone up in front of them.

"Nelonik." Monience growled drawing her swords and falling into the stance Xen showed her earlier. "Here for another fight?"

"Lets see what you got little girl." Nelonik unsheathed her giant sword easily with one hand holding it out to the side and charged toward Monience. As Nelonik swung it horizontally towards Monience, Monience jumped up over Nelonik hitting her several times with her swords in the head. Nelonik swung it back over her head while Monience anticipated that move and discarded her left hand sword pulling out her shield to block the blow. The blow rattled her bones but Monience held her stance with out giving an inch.

"Is that all you got Nelo-" Monience tried to taunt but got kicked end the gut sending her rolling back. Nelonik jumped up and came down on Monience with a two handed strike only to connect with the shield again.

'I need to get by her offense....' Monience quickly bushed the shield and Nelonik's sword to the side knocking Nelonik off balance. Monience then quickly brought up the tip of her wooden sword connecting with Nelonik's chin sending her flying back with the extra force put into that blow. Nelonik flew several feet back on her back then keeping momentum to roll back on her feet. Nelonik was getting mad now.

"Is that all you got? I'm not even fazed by your attacks!" Nelonik gloated despite taking majority of the hits in battle.

Standing off to the side, Xen could barely restrain her laughter when the fight started. After Nelonik's line, she dissolved into low chuckling.

"Wow, your stance is even more flawed than the brat's is." she snickered, refering to Monience's rival. "I mean jeez, is it really that easy to throw you off balance? And god do you leave yourself wide open to take hits! No wonder you're taking the majority of them." sneered Xen, grinning maliciously at Nelonik. "Though, I do admit, you have a pretty good offense. Your defense is crap though."

The Aranetil moved so that she was in a more comfortable position to watch the spar. "You guys go right ahead and continue. It's fun to watch novice's go at it." she chuckled, wanting to assess the new girl, and how skilled Monience was already.