I dodged one of Renn’s blows and sidestepped another. The next I blocked, and then the one after I parried and tapped her lightly with the side of my blade along her right arm.

“Ugh…” Renn groaned as she stepped back. Although I had only tapped her and did so with the side I knew it had probably still hurt a little. Hopefully not too badly.

“You are getting better,” I told her.

“Doesn’t feel like it. I feel like you’re dodging and blocking me easier than before,” she said.

“That’s because I’m not intentionally taking your attacks anymore,” I told her.

Her ears perked up as she studied me for a moment, as if to judge my face and see if I was lying or not.

Which was rude. Rude enough that next time she attacked I planned to thump her a little harder.

“Can I ask something?” she asked.

I gestured with my sword for her to go ahead.

“You made spears and stuff, yet we’re still just using these. Why?” she asked with a nod of her chin to the pile of weapons nearby.

“You’re not ready for those yet,” I said.

“Then why bring them?” she asked.

“Because I don’t know when you will be. This time only swing at me when you’re breathing out,” I told her and gestured for her to start again.

She huffed but obeyed. She stepped forward quickly, starting her attack with her favored swipe at my left arm.

I wasn’t sure if she noticed that she was starting to… have her own pattern and style, but I’d never mention it. Not aloud. Not yet anyway.

I’d stop her from picking up any kind of unwanted traits, but stuff like that was simple nature. It was impossible to not have some kind of style or pattern that one instinctually favored.

Plus it seemed what was being instilled into her was…

Well…

Blocking her first few attacks, I ducked a large swipe and she yelped as she jumped backwards before I could poke her in the stomach. My fault for not moving quick enough, but at the same time a testament to her instincts.

“I was going to use my finger,” I told her as I stood back up.

“I know! That’s worse somehow!” she shouted at me as she shivered, from many feet away from me.

I smiled at her. She was amusing, sometimes.

“Again,” I commanded.

She grumbled but charged forward all the same. This time she started with a swipe to my mid-section, as if to get revenge.

I solidly blocked it, and to mix things up sent my foot out.

Renn went wide-eyed and her tail shot upward, looking like a startled cat, as my foot solidly touched her stomach… and then stopped.

She let loose a pent up breath, relieved, as she leaned into my foot. I had stopped right before actually connecting, resulting in our rather awkward situation. Me standing on one leg, and her leaning into my foot.

“How do you even block something like this Vim?” She asked me while she tapped my shin.

“You should have rolled along it,” I said.

“Rolled…?” she frowned as she looked down at my foot and leg, and after a moment she actually started to do so. She spun on a heel, slowly rolling along my leg. As she did she raised her sword upward, making it point up to the sky.

“Then what? Just bring the sword down onto you or something?” she asked as she paused, right where my knee was. I kept my leg extended and played along.

“Personally I’d bring the sword down onto the leg itself, but that’s just because I like to punish people who overextend themselves,” I said.

“Hm…”

She wouldn’t try.

She did.

She brought the sword down as fast as she could, a full blown strike directed entirely at my kneecap. The kind that would have split a log, even with a dull blade.

Smiling at her, I simply curled my leg at the knee and leaned back. As her sword whooshed by, missing my leg and knee entirely, I sent my leg back out to her. This time I stopped it right before her extended elbows.

“How many people can actually do that?” she asked me accusingly.

“Well you’ve tried it on one person, and one person was able to. So with that in mind, everyone?” I said back.

She scoffed and then swung her blade upward, as to cut at the underside of my calf.

I dodged it, and went to block and parry the series of blows that quickly followed.

Although an hour had already passed, I indulged Renn as she continued to swing her sword at me. Lately it had seemed she had made it her personal goal to land at least one solid blow upon me.

Honestly she was learning quickly, and doing well… but I had no idea how many years it’d take before she’d actually be able to fulfill that dream.

After another hour, I parried one last attempt from her. Sending her sword out of her hands and into the air, I carefully grabbed it before she could.

“Really…!” she complained as I stepped back away from her, holding both swords.

“Hm… I think we’re done for today. Plus we have a visitor,” I said.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Renn realized what I meant and turned to see the young Lellip as she stepped out from the trees. The young girl saw us, and flinched as she sheepishly smiled and waved.

She had been searching for us, and hadn’t realized she’d find us so quickly. Which wasn’t really her fault. Ever since we had returned with Nebl, I hadn’t taken Renn too far into the woods. Just a few minutes away was the smithy.

“Go see what she wants,” I told Renn as I hefted the two swords.

“Huh? Okay…” Renn nodded, even though I could tell she was unsure of what to say or do.

After all there was no reason for Lellip to search her out. Which meant she was here to ask me something, most likely.

Watching Renn walk to the girl, I stared at the way her tail twitched as she walked. It was stiff, a little too stiff…

She hadn’t wanted to stop just yet.

Maybe she was enjoying this too much. Yet for as eager as she was… she still had yet to ever actually attack me in the real sense.

Not one of her attacks so far had been filled with blood lust. Not a single swing had been meant to actually hurt me. She wouldn’t hesitate to swing, no matter how precarious my situation probably seemed from an outsider’s point of view… yet at the same time not once did Renn seem to think she’d actually hurt me.

Either she saw me as some kind of omnipotent warrior, or…

Or what she actually enjoyed was the physical exercise, and doing so with me. It could have been any kind of training. Any kind. She was having fun because we were doing something together.

Sighing softly, I watched as Renn said hello to Lellip. They made small talk for a moment until Lellip shyly smiled and pointed at me.

She had something to ask of me.

Typical.

Glancing down to the two swords in my hand, I studied the differences.

One was a tad bit shorter. About half a hand shorter. Her hilt was also small enough that if I used both hands I’d be gripping the pommel not just the handle.

If my blade was a full length broadsword, hers was a hand and a half.

I hefted the two and for a tiny, fraction of the moment… I was back on the battlefield.

My eyes hazed over, and I slowly moved the swords into position. To not just fight, to not just do battle…

But to wage war.

Then as fast as the moment came, it went.

Lowering the swords, I walked over to the small log I had left the bundle of other weapons at. I put the swords back into the leather holster, and then tied the leather strap that held it all together. Hefting it up, I turned and walked over to Lellip and Renn who were patiently waiting for me.

As I approached, I noticed Renn’s strange smile. It was a happy one… but also kind of sad. As if she had just heard something painful, yet it had made her smile all the same.

She had that expression often. I wasn’t sure yet if I liked it or not.

“What is it?” I asked Lellip.

“Ah… Well…” she glanced at Renn, whom quickly nodded and held out her hands.

“I’ll take the weapons back, Vim,” Renn said calmly.

Renn was happily dismissing herself. Wonderful. Maybe I should have actually listened to their conversation instead of remembering the past.

Handing her the bundle, I noted the way she blinked at the weight of it. This was the first time I had ever handed her the whole satchel, and it showed. She put it over her shoulder, holding the leather strap tightly with both hands as she then nodded at me and Lellip. “I’ll head back first,” she said.

Watching her go, Lellip waited a few minutes before speaking up. It wasn’t until Renn was mostly hidden by the trees and foliage before she turned around to look up at me.

“Everything okay Lellip?” I asked her, inviting her to tell me.

“Yes… or well… I think so. I actually came to ask you something, since… since I know everyone else will say no,” she said.

I frowned, especially since that told me what she was about to ask was probably…

“I like saying no too, you know,” I told her.

Lellip smiled and nodded. “I know. And! And it’s okay, if you do, of course,” she said quickly.

“Then give me the chance to,” I said with a gesture for her to tell me.

“Ah… right… yea… Well,” she glanced behind her, to make sure Renn was gone. She was. “I’d like to go to the mines. To uh… to where you found Grandpa,” she said finally.

Thus Renn’s sad smile.

Had she told Renn? But then why did Renn leave?

No. She had told Renn. Maybe even before she had come here. Maybe that was why Renn’s tail had twitched oddly as she walked over to her. She had known what Lellip wanted and planned, since before.

“What’d Renn say I’d do?” I asked her.

“Huh! Oh…” Lellip went a little red in the face, and then coughed. “She said you’d say yes… since you believe in free-will,” she said.

“I see. Go get two helmets then, and a lantern,” I said.

Lellip looked up at me with suddenly wide eyes, as if in disbelief. “Really?” she squeaked.

I nodded. Had she really thought I’d have said no? “Let’s go now, before the humans start mining again,” I said.

“Oh thank you!” Lellip hurried forward, wrapping me in a small hug. I had no time to return it, or pat her on the back, since she then spun around and darted back to the smithy. “I’ll get ready right away!” she shouted.

Smiling softly at her I followed her, but not as quickly. I walked slowly out of the forest as she ran straight through, even going so far as to run through bushes and tall grass.

After a few minutes I exited the forest, and found Renn patiently waiting at the edge. She still carried the satchel of weapons, and it looked… a little silly on her. Thanks to the spears within, the leather satchel dragged on the ground a bit and yet loomed over the top of her, even her ears.

“I knew you’d say yes,” she said as I walked up to her.

“Did you,” I said.

She nodded happily. “Thank you. She wasn’t going to ask you, originally,” she said.

Which meant she had been the one to convince her… though…

Though I suppose that was what I wanted her for, wasn’t it?

“You do know what she actually wants, yes?” I asked her.

“To see if she can find his body, right? So she can bury Kline?” Renn tilted her head at me, and her ears shifted as well. As if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Kline,” I said. Right. She had said that name before…

“It’s a gentle kindness, Vim. It’s a good thing,” Renn said.

“That gentleness is what kills our people, Renn,” I told her.

Renn hesitated, but she wasn’t able to argue. After all, it was true.

“Are you coming? Go put those away first,” I said.

“Oh no… She asked if I’d come, but… I really think she needs to do it alone. She’ll…” Renn glanced at the buildings, and hesitated even though no one was nearby. Lellip was still out of sight, likely rummaging in the workshop.

“She will weep,” I agreed.

Renn nodded. “I’m sorry. I… I’ll hold her when she gets back, but…” Renn looked away, as if ashamed.

Before I could voice my disagreement… I realized why.

Had I not thought that Renn and Lellip were similar? In a way? How could I think such a thing, and then in the same vein blame her for it? I couldn’t. And not just because my friend had asked me not to.

Renn saw herself in Lellip, and didn’t want to relive such a fresh memory.

She might not have loved Amber as Lellip had this Kline… but the emotions were similar. The self-loathing and blame was the same.

It had been months ago… but for us…

Yes. Fresh indeed.

I sighed and nodded. “Put those away all the same,” I told her.

“Right,” she nodded as I stepped away from her.

“If anyone asks just tell them I took her to check on something near the village,” I said.

“Right,” she said again.

“And next time I go to flick you in the stomach, don’t yelp like that. Makes me only want to do something worse,” I warned.

“R…Right.”