Ripped fabric and a musical laugh, however soft, helped Tal pinpoint his opponent's location and he grinned in triumph. Her compliment turned his expression smug, even if no one else could see it within the mist. "Thanks. I think it's pretty neat to--HEY!"
The courier jumped about a foot in the air as an arc of lightning snaked around to get him from the rear, zapping him mid-preening and reminding him that they were in the middle of an important training. He glowered into the mist as one hand went to rub the insult to his derriere, but the dagger remained poised in the other as he went silent, trying to use senses other than his sight to pinpoint his opponent.
Hotaru's steps were silent over the squeaky frost fields, but there were other noises to listen for: the rustle of cloth, the whisper of long hair sliding over fabric, the hush of leather rubbing together. When Tal thought he'd found her he took a swift double step forward and jabbed out with the knife again, but this time as soon as he'd attacked he pulled back, shifting light-footed over the snow back and to the side to make his own position less obvious.
The courier jumped about a foot in the air as an arc of lightning snaked around to get him from the rear, zapping him mid-preening and reminding him that they were in the middle of an important training. He glowered into the mist as one hand went to rub the insult to his derriere, but the dagger remained poised in the other as he went silent, trying to use senses other than his sight to pinpoint his opponent.
Hotaru's steps were silent over the squeaky frost fields, but there were other noises to listen for: the rustle of cloth, the whisper of long hair sliding over fabric, the hush of leather rubbing together. When Tal thought he'd found her he took a swift double step forward and jabbed out with the knife again, but this time as soon as he'd attacked he pulled back, shifting light-footed over the snow back and to the side to make his own position less obvious.
