07-26-05

Characters involved: Taye, Terrance, & Darklett.

Salamandastron: Caverns - Boxing Chamber

Rather than taking out the day's energy on the punching dummies, Taye is instead boxing at an invisible enemy in the ring. His knuckles are wrapped protectively, and he bounces lightly on the balls of his feet as he moves, practicing a variety of punches and jabs he's picked up at this past week's boxing meeting. He actually looks fairly impressive when he's /not/ facing someone else.

Terrance walks into the cavern, glancing around as he does. The young buck hits a dummy lightly as he makes his way towards the ring. "You almost 'ave him chap."

Taye stops his bit of shadow-boxing and turns, wiping a paw across his damp brow with a grin. "Yeah - just about. He's startin' t' wear down."

Terrance chuckles. "Aye I can see that. Look at all the sweat he's dripin' on the floor." Grinning, the fighter recruit glances around quickly. "So how ya been Taye?"

"Pretty good... Jus' tryin' t' keep in tip-top shape fer the mission t' Halyard. It's awful bein' kept up in the mountain all the time, innit?" He frowns thoughtfully and begins his shadow-boxing again, though he keeps an eye on Terrance while he does

Terrance nods, "Aye, a bit. But I still haven't explored all tha mount'n yet so I guess I'm a little more entertained by it for tha moment." He watches as Taye goes back to shadow boxing. "So this boxin' club thing been helpin' at all in close combat class?"

Taye nods, pausing again with his fists still up. "It's made me a bit quickah about reactin', anyway... 'Tis a bit more uncomfortable bein' punched in the face, so ya learn t' avoid it more'n ya do a wooden sword." Heh. He turns, and then gestures Terrance up with a paw. "Ya wanna?" Grin.

"I suppose that makes sense." Terrance raises his eyebrows as he thinks the idea over. "Sure, why not" he responds, somewhat eagerly. He clibs up beneath the rope and hops up onto his paws. "So how's this gonna work?

Taye takes a look at his paws, which are not wrapped, and he fishes out a roll of bandages from a pocket. He tosses it across to Terrance. "Wrap up yer knuckles with this - just helps t' keep 'em from stinging t' much."

It takes a few bounces off of his paws but Terrance catches the roll and starts to wrap his knuckles, biting off the bandages when necessary. He tosses what is left of the roll back to Taye when he is done. "Okay."

Taye catches the roll and stuffs it back into a pocket, though the end of it is still trailing out. He holds up both paws grinningly and begins circling Terrance, staying light on his feet. "First things first - ya always gotta be movin'."

Terrance nods and raises his fists a little as he starts to circle with Taye. His fists are held fairly low and obviously wouldn't do much good if he had to block.

Taye moves forward, waving his paws and shaking his head. "No, no..." He reaches out to push up his paws. "Gotta hold 'em highah," he demonstrates, "like this."

Terrance mimics Taye's hand position and nods, "Okay." he says, restarting his circling motion.

Taye stands back from Terrance with a satisfied nod, and he begins circling again. "Now... jus' box, I guess. Try t' block what I give ya, 'n' give what ya can." This is where his instructional ability breaks down, of course. He steps towards Terrance and jabs lightly towards his upper arm.

Terrance takes the hit with his lower arm and then steps to the side and then throws a wide hook, probably easily warded off.

Taye turns with Terrance, and his arms come together, the backs of his forearms used to block the hook. He steps back but does not offer an offensive move. He just waits.

Terrance continues to circle around Taye making sure to keep his fists up. He then tries a combo, throwing two jabs with his left followed by a hook with his right.

Taye manages to push the two left jabs away but the right one catches him in the ribs. Instead of backing off, though, he flashes a quick, impressed grin before following up with a left-right-left series at Terrance's hopefully exposed stomach. They're not exactly hard jabs, though. After all, it's just a bit of a game, really.

Terrance oofs as all the jabs connect, making him stumble back a few steps, "Ow." is all he says, rubbing his stomach a little.

At the ow, Taye's grin fades and he stands up from his defensive stance. Both paws drop to his side, abashed. "Ooh - 'm sorry, mate. Are ya all righ'? I didn't mean t'... I mean, well, I /did/, but..." Twinge, guilt.

Terrance jabs out at Taye now that he's lowered his defences. "Just fine chap, thanks for askin'" Chances are any of the younger buck's punches will only tickle really, not having that much force behind them.

Taye laughs in surprise as the jab strikes him on the upper arm. He jumps back, his arms immediately going back up. "Yer a sneak!" Grin. Then, he takes just haaaalf a step to the left, and then dodges right rather suddenly, with a playful cuff at his chin. "Take that." Hehe.

Terrance grins and puts his paws up once more, "Learned that one from my pater." He tries to follow Taye as he dodges but the other hare is just to quick and the cuff connects. Terr wiggles his jaw around a bit, stopping, "Nice one Taye." The young buck hms, "Wish I could keep goin' chap but I my instructors said ta call it a night early tonight. Thanks though for the lesson, it was fun, eh wot. We'll 'ave to do it again."

As Terrance stops Taye does too, but this time he keeps his paws up - just in case. "Thanks, Terr. We oughta do this regular-like... mayhaps aftah a while, we'll get good 'nough we'll actually be able t' box othahs propah-like." Grin.

Terrance chuckles and nods, "Aye, mayhap. That'd be fun" the recruit replies. "See you around." He climbs off of the ring then, unwraping the bandages around his knuckles and sticking them in one of his pockets as he head off.

Problem with throwing knives: Sometimes, when you throw them, you're not going to get them back for a long time. Solution: Learn how to fight without weapons. Darklett's picked up on this little bit of revelation, and has meandered his way on down to the boxing chambers to see if he can pick up a quick match to watch for some pointers, or maybe get the living snot beaten out of him... Learn by doing, and all. But... he sees recruits and recruits only, and one of them is leaving. Huh. He just sorta stands in the doorway, looking around rather awkwardly at the mostly vacant chamber.

Taye is looking in the direction of the door from which Terrance has just exited, so she notices Darklett's rather awkward look around the cavern. Not having found what he was looking for, apparently. He walks to the end of the ring and slowly ducks under the ropes, whilst unwinding the protective wrappings around his knuckles.

Darklett rocks back and forth on his footpaws, tapping his pawtips against each other. Drat, he's been noticed, no chance of a sneaky escape. "Recruit Taye." He gives a nod to the younger hare-in-training as a greeting, apparently deciding to not go with the 'nevermind' option. :P

Taye hops down to the floor, and when he straightens back up he salutes with the paw still wrapped. "Lieutenant, sah."

Salamandastron: Caverns - Boxing Chamber

"Keeping up with your training, I see." Officer-type. Hehe. Darklett nods in approval, sort of pseudo-inspecting Taye. "I take it you're looking to be a regular patroller in no time."

Taye nods and lowers his paw, which he promptly begins to unwrap. "Yes, sah. I'm hopin' t' prove myself on the next mission t' Halyard." His lips twitch upwards in a nervous grin.

Darklett smirks. "You're going on that one, too? Seems we've got the whole patrol going, now, myself included." He thinks on this for a few seconds, before continuing. "I don't see why you wouldn't be able to prove yourself. So long as you don't do anything stupid, mind..."

Taye shakes his head quickly. "No, 'course not, sah. I'll be stickin' with Majah Jarril 'n' doin' exactly what 'm ordahed t' do, nothin' more."

Darklett offers the recruit a prompt, firm nod. "I'm sure Jarril will take care of you. As you probably already know, don't get on his bad side, or else the vermin won't be the only thing on the patrol you'll need to watch out for." He grins, but it's one of those half-serious ones.

Taye grins appreciatively in reply. Apparently, he does know. "Yes, sah. He's... had a coupla words with me, here 'n' there." Heh.

Darklett nods, looking off to the side of Taye for a moment before looking back at him. "He knows what he's doing, though. At least through my experiences with him, he's been a little... off the wall, but always got the job done."

Taye nods equally quickly, and firmly. "The mahah... he's a great teachah. I owe just about everythin' I know t' him. Just hope he picks me for 'is patrol when I become a full patrollah." Bit of hero worship? Naaah, 'course not. He tucks the knuckle-wrappings into a pocket and glances towards the door. "So... yer goin' on the mission, too? Have they told ya when it's goin' t' be, yet?"

Darklett nods. "In about four days, recruit. Make sure you're ready; I'm under the impression it'll be a quick march, and stragglers won't be looked upon with kind eyes. We need to get to Halyard with speed, and give them as little time as possible to prepare."

Taye's eyes widen at how soon four days is, but he quickly regains his cool and nods. "Ya needn't worry 'bout that, sah. I'm a righ' keen runnah, if nothin' else."

Darklett grins widely at the eagerness of the recruit. "Good thing. Maybe you'll be put on scout duty, that'll give you some real experience, I'd bet."

Taye's lips part in preparation to reply, but instead of words an unintended yawn escapes. His eyes widen again, and he immediately claps a paw over his mouth. "... Sorry, sah. Guess I ought t' get some sleep."

Darklett laughs at the sudden yawn, about to say something about it when... Uh oh, it's that yawn reflex thing. He yawns, too, but he disguises it as a sudden need to clear his throat. o.O After that's done, though, he nods. "You're dismissed, then. Off to bed, the recruits can't be behind on sleep..."

Taye grins sheepishly and nods. "G'night, sah. Thanks. If I don't see ya before the mission on Saturday... well. Good luck." He nods his head to Darklett, and thinks to add a farewell salute as well, before turning and making for the door.

Created by Oklina