"We were sort of rolling around in the dust at the time. I was trying to headbutt him, he was trying to headbutt me. I pulled back, he seized the opportunity. It was a clean win. And Howl's my best friend. He's a good fighter. Strong. You've probably seen him around, he comes through for liquor often enough. Got me into the scene in the first place."
He shrugged and gave a moment of thought to her question. "It's a little hard to explain. They have healers standing by, so there's not any real danger. It's the best place to practice for that reason. Sparring with somebody using a dulled edge makes you underestimate the weapon. When someone comes at you with a spear and they intend to truly run you through, you learn to dodge out of the way, or else you learn what it feels like to not dodge. And that makes you want to make sure you dodge next time."
Warren reconsidered the less-than-half-full glass on the counter. Aya didn't seem interested in it so he took it back in his hand and continued. "I'm so used to being in my armor, having a sword in my hand and a shield on me arm. My first week there I tried to block a kick with my shield. I'll let you know, now, that I fight at the Grindstone barehanded and bare- unarmored." He caught himself. "Berrod caught me here, right between the ribs. If I were in my armor, I would have ignored it like I tried to do. Instead of that being the case, I nearly passed out and couldn't breathe any longer."
"I've got things to fight for now. True, good reasons to make sure that, if I end up in a real life or death situation, that I don't make mistakes like that. I trust myself with a sword and armor. I might not always have them, so I've got to bring up my fundamentals. A lot of folks there fight for similar reasons, I suppose."
He shrugged and gave a moment of thought to her question. "It's a little hard to explain. They have healers standing by, so there's not any real danger. It's the best place to practice for that reason. Sparring with somebody using a dulled edge makes you underestimate the weapon. When someone comes at you with a spear and they intend to truly run you through, you learn to dodge out of the way, or else you learn what it feels like to not dodge. And that makes you want to make sure you dodge next time."
Warren reconsidered the less-than-half-full glass on the counter. Aya didn't seem interested in it so he took it back in his hand and continued. "I'm so used to being in my armor, having a sword in my hand and a shield on me arm. My first week there I tried to block a kick with my shield. I'll let you know, now, that I fight at the Grindstone barehanded and bare- unarmored." He caught himself. "Berrod caught me here, right between the ribs. If I were in my armor, I would have ignored it like I tried to do. Instead of that being the case, I nearly passed out and couldn't breathe any longer."
"I've got things to fight for now. True, good reasons to make sure that, if I end up in a real life or death situation, that I don't make mistakes like that. I trust myself with a sword and armor. I might not always have them, so I've got to bring up my fundamentals. A lot of folks there fight for similar reasons, I suppose."
![[Image: yEROfKO.png]](http://i.imgur.com/yEROfKO.png)
