Well, he had told Zavien to laugh, so he couldn't blame the other man for doing so. Not much, at least. Not when it really did feel good to hear it after all that the Dragoon had been going through since Deepfrost. And besides, his next attack felt almost insultingly slow and careful, and it wasn't like Tal was made of glass. He managed to get it properly blocked and everything, but his friend's clapback had the courier's brow wrinkling in confusion.
"Uh... no? Grams ran th'Sundries store. Don't think she ever touched a shield in 'er li-- Hey!" While Tal was distracted by trying to figure out if he'd been insulted or not, the Dragoon went back on the attack and this time he wasn't holding back nearly so much. Tal shifted his shield a little too quickly again, but this time he was ready for the weight of it to pull at him and he managed to stop it while it was still between the sword and his shoulder. It was far less neat than his last block, but he didn't need to be neat when he could use his muscle to catch the sword with a grunt and shove it back. It was definitely the wrong way to use the shield and it wouldn't work against someone stronger than him...
But Zavien didn't need to know that, right?
"Right, that wasn't so bad. Are y'sure you're gettin' anythin' outta this trainin', or is it all me?" Tal teased as he shrugged off the exertion and brought the shield back in front of himself again.
"Uh... no? Grams ran th'Sundries store. Don't think she ever touched a shield in 'er li-- Hey!" While Tal was distracted by trying to figure out if he'd been insulted or not, the Dragoon went back on the attack and this time he wasn't holding back nearly so much. Tal shifted his shield a little too quickly again, but this time he was ready for the weight of it to pull at him and he managed to stop it while it was still between the sword and his shoulder. It was far less neat than his last block, but he didn't need to be neat when he could use his muscle to catch the sword with a grunt and shove it back. It was definitely the wrong way to use the shield and it wouldn't work against someone stronger than him...
But Zavien didn't need to know that, right?
"Right, that wasn't so bad. Are y'sure you're gettin' anythin' outta this trainin', or is it all me?" Tal teased as he shrugged off the exertion and brought the shield back in front of himself again.
