There is a wide, level clearing in an open forest.

Kaida: *awaits her opponent*

*Briendel silently emerges from the underbrush surrounding the clearing. She carries a bright longsword*

Briendel: Greetings, Lady Kaida. *bows* I trust this will be an exciting match.

Me: OK: no killing, and no serious maiming! Agreed?

Briendel: Understood. *nods respectfully to Kaida and raises sword into the Guard of the Wolf* I am ready.

Kaida: *nods slightly in reply and draws her black short sword*

*Briendel slides her right foot forward and pivots her blade in a wide, slow arc ending at her feet. She then draws it sharply upwards and makes contact with Kaida's weapon*

*stands up and tries to figure out how that would look*

Um... What?

Me: sorry! Um...she was in "Guard of the Wolf", which is when the sword is held like a baseball bat. Then she stepped towards Kaida and moved her sword to her feet. After she closed the distance, she sliced up to hit Kaida's sword. I've never done this before...was Kaida not ready??

Ps: She is left-handed and her left foot can't hold to much weight so she had to move from her salute (left foot forward in the right-hand Guard of the Wolf) to an offense position where her left hand had leverage on the hilt and her right foot was the weight-bearing one.

( I didn't have her doing anything, but that's okay)

Kaida: *quickly twirls her sword back in one hand (using the momentum of the sword that hit it) and stands ready for another hit*

(Oh, okay! )

Briendel: *smiles in surprise at her opponent's alacrity* You're fast! *She swipes at Kaida's feet*

Kaida: *grins* *steps back as the sword swipes, tries to graze Briendel's knuckles at the same time*

Breindel: *falls from the momentum of her slice and speedily rolls over* *gets her knuckles scraped* Mmph! *she stands and backs up, a safe distance from Kaida*

Kaida: *recovers her defensive stance* (commenting on the momentum that made Briendel fall) I thought the intent was to spar and not maim.

Breindel: I knew you'd get out of the way. I did not know; *indicates tree root* that THAT was there. I'm sorry for...overestimating your skill.

Me: Whoa! Breindel has an attitude now? this is new...please, continue.

Kaida: *nods nobly* I'll forgive the mistake this time.

Breindel: *raises eyebrows*

Me: That's what you get for trying to be an instigator.

Breindel: *feints to the left*

Kaida: *blocks and steps into the feint and away from other angles of attack*

Breindel: *is at a loss as to how to get out of this position* *flicks wrist, forcing both swords up and out of their powerlock**backs up* Your move.

Kaida: *stops and thinks* *leans against a tree* Yep, I got nothin'.

Breindel: I don't either... guess we're done then...it's been a pleasure, Lady Kaida. *bows*

Me: That was waaaaay fun.

Kaida: Likewise. *touches her head to her forehead*

Me: That's a sort of salute used among the Faern and Gryphs. That was the shortest duel ever. Kaida usually hunts or has to fight to kill, so she's not really sure how to spar with not hard feelings.

Breindel: *copies salute*

Me: That's really cool. Her story sounds interesting! Hmm...it WAS the shortest duel ever...