En Garde! With Pedat, Jo, Otto, Flicktail, and Fae

It was very late in the evening, possibly even qualified as night depending on who you would ask, but that didn't seem to daunt the Northerner squirrel as he plodded into a ring of torches which amply lit the area in a soft glow. "Alright, get yer worthless 'ides o'er 'ere!" He called in what may actually be called a cheerful, playful, tone as he tossed a bundle onto the ground, and then stooped to untie it. Fine, handmade (By himself, as he was a carpenter) wooden training swords were pulled forth, and then elbow length leather gloves as well. As a protection from misplaced blows resulting in cracked knuckles. He donned the gloves quickly then lightly tossed a sword to himself; catching it by the handle and giving it a quick twirl, a hint of a smile dancing in his blue eyes.

Jo walks into the middle of the ring and bows slightly towards Pedat. "Hello Pedat." He says with respect as to not make him a tad more touchy than he normally is. The otter removes his habit and tosses it to the side and removes a forest green male-skirt from his leather bag and slips it around his waist, making the belt tight with one swift movement.

Otto followed Jo looking a bit nervous. He straightened his spectacles, and tunic mumbling, "How you convinced me to do this I don't know. I'm too old for this."

Pedat neatly flipped the sword around the back of his paw before catching it; the blade making a soft hum through the air as it spun and he shrugged his shoulders to loosen the muscles, then used his boot to, "roll" a sword up onto the top of his footpaw, then very gently kick, as in a toss, it to Jo. "Catch" He grunted; waiting for the both of them to prepare before they started. "Evening, Otto. Nice o'ye tae come." He said with a nod to the older mouse, then turned back to Jo. "Remember anything from the last lesson, laddy?" He questioned.

Jo catches the sword neatly and swings it in a large circle, bringing it up into the air diagonally bringing it to the ground and slashing up. Bringing it back down into an imaginary sheathed position his paw flat against the oak blade. "Depends on if I remember it or not." The otter grins towards Pedat respectfully

Otto goes wide eyed and says, "Well blow me down. So /that’s/ what your teachin the youngins these days." He scratched his chin and said, "Last I held a sword was back in my farmin days, in Mossflower forest."

Pedat quirked one eyebrow slightly under his fallen locks of hair at the young otter's actions and shook his head slightly, and although he was mildly amused by the show of youthful energy, it sure didn't show on his face as he growled under his breath. "Perfectly good waste of perfectly fine effort, Jo." He adjusted his grip on the sword in his paw, "And, no, Otto, I didn't teach him that...He did it himself." he said with a chuckle, then made a sudden, straight lunge at the otter, the tip of his wooden sword shooting out towards his chest. "En garde" He chuckled.

Jo side-steps the squirrels attack and launches a strike towards the squirrels back, laughing as he does

Otto picked up a wooden sword and began doing some simple poses. Although when he lifted the sword to do a high slice his back bone made a loud CRACK! "Oh dear," he began frozen like that, "well there goes me back."

Pedat smirked; sword spinning in his hand almost magically to meet the other sword in mid-air as the squirrel stepped back from the path of Jo's weapon. "Too late!" He grunted, then dropped to the ground and spun, his leg flung out which should catch the otter at the ankles and send him sprawling...Pedat's ears flicked back at the sounds from the mouse and he couldn't help a slight laugh at it. Poor thing.

Flicktail walks up his own blade in his sheath as he watches the great Swords Squirrel admiring how he moves even at HIS age

Jo blinks at the squirrels move and jabs his weapon into the ground using the momentum to fly over pedats attack and behind him taking on a ready fighting stance.

Flicktail asks, "oi Pedat, wot say ya grab a Medal blade and we shows ese two how 2 swordsbeasts spar?"

Otto walks over hand on back saying, "This is why I'm a gardener." He does a stretch and his back pops. He lets out a sigh of relief.

Pedat grunted. "Young punks..." He muttered to himself at Jo's antics, rolling quickly out of the otter's reach and back onto his feet, ready to go at it again. "Ho, Flick!" He called over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off of Jo, "Aye! Please! Fetch me a piece of steel. I'd do anything tae get away from this wee firecracker!" He said in partially mock frustration, giving a nod to Jo that signaled, "enough for now" silently.

Flicktail smiles and one of the Otter guards offers a live blade as Flicky smiles to Jo and Otto.

Flicktail draws the legendary blade, which flickers in the torch light, the words "I am that Was" can be seen as he smiles the superlight blade light in his paw.

Pedat tossed the wooden blade aside so it stuck point first in the turf out of the way, then winked at Flick as the squirrel slipped over to another guard, this one looking like he was half asleep, and plucked a long dirk from his belt, then drew his own dagger so now he had a knife in either paw. "Och, ye should ken Ah dinnae care for those long, clumsy sword blades, Flicky!" He said with a daredevil laugh, spinning the knives, then catching them. "And, for the fun o'it, Otto! O'course..." He said with a chuckle still lingering in his voice as he nodded to Flick, signaling he was ready and waiting, adopting a crouch; one knife held in front of him, and the other held backwards like an icepick behind his hip.

Flicktail smiles and moves in with an easy feignt, Martion's blade forged of star metal by a badger Lord, allows him to be much quickler and actually be an even fight for a knife fighter

Otto sits and watches all this with anticipation and amusement. If his build wasn't on the... rotund side he would've joined them. "Oh this should be good," he said.

Pedat knew better than to try and block or step in on that blow, so he swiftly stepped back and the tip of the blade whizzed past his chest by a few inches; for he was well aware of Flick's fighting style as they sparred often before. With Flick's reach extended and the blade past his chest, Pedat slipped in behind it now; the blade of his knife held to protect himself against the possibility of a backhanded blow, while his other hand slipped forward in what, "could" have been a blow to the fox's upper arm. Of course, he wouldn't do that now though.

Flicktail's blade is fast enough to parry the front blow, unlikely he could do it with a normal long blade, and he moves, also aware of Pedat's style so that he cannot get attacked that way. Using the point to thrust and keep the squirrel back

Otto decides that he might as well /try/ practicing. He stands, wooden blade in hand and practices a few parries and thrust he had learned many seasons back.

Pedat cursed as he half-stumbled back, the tip of the sword having barely touched his shoulder and leaving a small slice of crimson in its wake. The squirrel smirked. "Ah forgot 'ow fast ye were." He muttered, and then darted in fast. He lacked the reach of a sword, and against Flick's weapon his only chance was to get in close and personal....This time, his knives created a wide block from a broad assortment of possible strikes, while his leg rose and kicked out at the fox's side....

Fae strolls casualy towards the pond and nods her head in greeting to the small group. and sits a little distance away to watch the sparring match

Otto nods to Fae and says, "Good evenin maam."

Flicktail dances back as he holds onto his sword, the back of hispaw getting a slice "YIPE! good touch ere peday...but oi best get this looked at afor e healers get about....

Pedat smiled wryly, the corners of his lips twisting upwards slightly as he raised his own paw to the little slash on his shoulder, given by the sword of Martin, as he nodded. "Aye, shall we call it ah night then?" He said good naturedly, sheathing his own weapon and handing the guard's back to him; giving an absent minded to Fae.

Flicktail sheathes his sword, and gives his mate a peck on the cheek as he heads out

Flicktail says, "see ya otto"

Otto nods and waves good night.

Flicktail heads off towards the Redwall Entry..

Fae removes her sandals and soaks her foot paws in the cold pond and sighs a little

Otto turned and looked at Pedat asking, "Could ya help freshin me up on my fightin Pedat?"

Pedat glanced at Otto from looking at Fae, whom he recognized from bumping into in the forest once, and nodded a little. "Aye, why not?" He said quietly, removing his paw from his shoulder and stooping to pick up his wooden sword. "Aight, ye remember the basic cuts?" He asked, stepping forward easily towards the older mouse; keeping the age and inexperience in mind.

Otto nods and takes a defensive pose. Legs solidly apart, both paws on the hilt, and sword facing forward. "Ready when you are."

It was not full speed, and an easy movement to see and block, as Pedat struck out in a circular motion towards the mouse; just taking it easy for now...Much different than sparring with Jo, this. Otto was actually being more realistic...."Aye, Ah kin see not much 'o th'wee otter rubbed of on ye..." He muttered conversationally.

Otto lifts his blade to his side and blocks the swipe saying, "Na, the fancy stuff aint for me. Last time I actually had to fight was back when I had my farm. Vermin and all that."

Pedat nodded a bit, his normally stern face softening slightly, and for one of the few times a beast would not that he was actually still rather young. "Aye." Was his only reply as he spun the blade carefully, bringing it in from the opposite side now. "Ah story behind that, noo?" He asked, glancing at the mouse; the scars on his own body speaking that he too was well familiar with such things.

Otto did the same block as before but to the other side. He said, "Ran afoul a band of thievin stoats. They wanted my crops. Well let’s just say that they didn't get it and one of them left missin an ear." He then stepped forward slicing in a downward fashion.

Pedat nodded a little. "Glad tae 'ear it." He replied, sidestepping, his blade twirling up above the other blade, then as he stepped in and brought it horizontal towards your neck; unless you do something fast, this could have been considered a killing blow; at least maiming. "Ye have family?" He asked softly

Otto at the last second ducked, (a bit clumsily) and replied, "Nope. Never the family raisin type. He then stood and stretched saying, well I should be shovin off to me bunk. Thanks for the sparing session."

Pedat nods. "No problem. Glad ah could 'elp" He said, then began to take off and gather up the fencing gear silently before stepping off into the darkness.