He accepted his friend's praise with quiet pleasure and a nod of agreement to her plan. They could take it slower; it was generally in his nature to proceed with an unhurried tenacity in most things. But the honeybee girl was fire to his water, swift and agile, and he had known that when he'd asked for her assistance in his training. They found a pace that worked for both of them, and if it was a little faster than his comfort zone...
Well. Learning to adapt was useful training, too.
He braced, eyes locked on the target, but perhaps it was the flickering shadows that threw off the sweep of his weapon, or perhaps it simply was a matter of pushing too hard, too fast. He swung--
And the rock impacted his shoulder with a meaty thwack that drew a grunt from the stoic mermanta. His lips tightened as the stone plopped promptly into the water, rolling the injury carefully. There would be a bruise tomorrow...
But it was still usable.
"One more," he called determinedly, shaking off the pain and gesturing for Melita to throw again.
Well. Learning to adapt was useful training, too.
He braced, eyes locked on the target, but perhaps it was the flickering shadows that threw off the sweep of his weapon, or perhaps it simply was a matter of pushing too hard, too fast. He swung--
And the rock impacted his shoulder with a meaty thwack that drew a grunt from the stoic mermanta. His lips tightened as the stone plopped promptly into the water, rolling the injury carefully. There would be a bruise tomorrow...
But it was still usable.
"One more," he called determinedly, shaking off the pain and gesturing for Melita to throw again.
