Welcome to Gaia! ::

The white kitsune sat on the rocky bank of the spring, facing away from the water. The sound of metal shearing against stone sliced through the air with every stroke of his blade as he sharpened it. One paw rested on the blade, the other on the handle assisted by one of his tails to pull and rotate the sword as necessary.

Sharpening a sword was no simple task, and, over the years, he realized that this was an art in its own right. It demanded a level of patience and finesse unheard of for most walkers - the breed was not known for its gentle paws, after all. It was only after his first sword broke from the accumulation of chips and scratches that he began maintaining his weapons. His first attempts were clumsy, and several swords were ruined by Ashura's paws as he learned that there was more to polishing than grinding the sword against a rock. Over time, he grew more comfortable with the technique, and, unfortunately, started over-sharpening his blades. Although the edge could cut with even the slightest amount of pressure, it was too fragile and shattered when it met his master's sword. He smiled inwardly as he reminisced, glad that those mistakes happened while the old swordsman was still his master. It would have been disastrous had his swords failed him in his duels since then.

The sound of movement broke his concentration. She was late. It was unlike him to allow anyone a recess like this, but he made an exception for two reasons. One, she could practice her new skills on live opponents. Two, he needed to keep up with his own training and found an opponent of his own. An Angeni caught the walker's attention, particularly his helmet and gauntlets. Ashura believed the armor indicated some history with combat, and he was not wholly disappointed. The Angeni was a decent opponent for the kitsune, but, obviously, the winged Soquili's efforts were not enough.

Not too long after his victory, another Angeni emerged from the trees and cried. Ashura watched her for some time, considering whether or not to challenge her. He took neither option, instead deciding that this would be his apprentice's opponent. Based on his fight with this Angeni's partner - their relation was ultimately of no consequence - and their matching armor, the two were warriors of some kind. It explained why the male was able to match Ashura, even if it was only for a little while.

The female had been searching for the felon who felled her partner for the past few days, and Ashura was growing impatient with Tsukikage's absence. This was an opportunity for her to test her skills and have Ashura observe her progress in live combat; however, if she did not return soon, Ashura would have to kill the girl himself, and she and her partner were not of the caliber that Ashura sought.

"You took your time," he growled when she was finally within earshot, shifting into his stallion form and sheathing his freshly polished sword. "There's someone you need to kill."