"And one. And two. And three," I sliced my dagger at an angle, forcing Kanin back before lunging at his exposed legs. He blocked my attempt and our blades clanged against each other, "And four," He huffed, pulling back.

We both quickly wiped away our sweat on the back of our arms before continuing with the drills, "And one. And two. And three. And four." I moved in time with his voice as our blades met again and again before I feinted left, aiming high to block his slash while lashing out with my legs.

Kanin fell over with an 'oof'. I had a dagger pressed to his neck before he could rise and another one hovering over his stomach. I grinned like a fiend as Kanin smirked.

"Not bad, thief. Not bad at all."

I put the blades back in their sheaths, one slipping into my boot, the other at my side. He groaned as I helped him up. He pressed a hand to his lower spine and groaned again.

"You'll be fine," I said amused, twirling my short swords he had given me as I unsheathed them from my side.

He saw it and grinned at the challenge, pulling out two daggers similar to my own and angling them in front of him, sinking into the fighting stance he had taught me, feet slightly apart, but not too tense or relaxed.

"I'll go easy on you," I teased, quoting his earlier words from before we had started our morning drills.

"Three moons, was that your version of trying? I was already going easy on you."

"Well then, I give you permission to go hard."

A mistake. Kanin grinned, and without warning, lunged towards me with fluid grace, tucking into a roll as my twin swords connected with empty air. He came up with daggers already aiming for my back as I whirled around and kicked a blade aside, blocking the other as Kanin lashed out with his now free hand. I couldn't do anything as he punched me in the face, although it was slightly held back, and knocked me flat on my back.

I was still staring up at the sky as Kanin came over me, "Were you trying?"

"Yes," I growled. I wasn't done yet. I rolled to the side and leapt up, too quick for him to comprehend before I slammed the hilt of one of my swords into his stomach, and elbowed him in the face.

He cried out as his back collided with soft dirt and I smirked down at him in victory, "Were you even trying?"

"No." Smart answer, "You're a natural."

I grinned and looked over at Xylin, who had been watching the entire thing and now stared at me awed, "Your turn," was all I said before stalking over to where he stood with crossed arms.

"Not after seeing that. How long have you been training?"

I shrugged, "I learned the basics as a thief. Kanin taught me the 'proper way'. I started using actual weapons yesterday."

He stared at me incredulous. I laughed and nudged him towards the now waiting Kanin. I pitied Xylin for a moment, Kanin wasn't going to hold back now that I had beaten him. Once.

"Good luck!" I called to a grumbling Xylin as Kanin tossed him a sword. I watched Xylin weigh it in his hands, lifting it up and staring at it like a foreign object.

"Blade points towards your opponent. Handle and pommel point toward you," Kanin said snarkily.

"I know that," Xylin snapped. Oh, he definitely wasn't going to hold back. Kanin ran through the basics with him, it appeared Xylin was a natural as well.

By the time they started with actual sparring, I yawned and shouted at them to hurry it up. Kanin shouted at me to shut up, and Xylin had laughed when I gave him a gesture he wasn't going to forget anytime soon.

Thirty minutes later, Kanin officially called it a day. Xylin was near his breaking point as the three of us made our way to the river, our weapons still on us, and took turns bathing in private. Kanin had brought in animal furs for us all while Xylin cleaned himself. I took off my clothes and wrapped an animal fur around myself, thanking him when he returned with our clothes washed and dried, courtesy of Clane, who had mumbled something about not being a portable fire pit for us to dry our clothes with.

I had laughed at the thought of Clane grumbling like a child, until the three of us had walked back into our quarters chatting good-naturedly to be met with Clane himself giving us all deadly expressions. If looks could kill, Clane would have won the competition. Xylin took the look as a real threat, but I had assured him that as a thief, it meant nothing. "From experience," I had said. Xylin silently agreed, but we had all kept our distance just in case that night. He was, after all, our only source of warmth if it got cold Kyra had reminded me as I told her just as much.