Birds of a Feather (ATTN Kuruka)

[kuruka]

Kuruka yelped, popping out of the cloud and rubbing her flank. She grumbled at herself for forgetting Percheron's abilities. What was she? An untested filly? Great, and there went her spear, stuck in the frozen ground a couple hundred feet below. Had this been a real duel, she'd be long gone by now. The only alternative she had now was to turn it into a sheer hooffight. Shaking off the tingling feeling still running down her spine, Kuruka lifted herself a little higher and threw her shield boomerang-style at Percheron while hurtling after it. Lock-in combat wasn't usually Kuruka's style, but it seemed like the best option she had now.

[Red Charge]

"Alright that's enough," Percheron said, catching the shield in his hooves, "You're a definite rain." Percheron said, lowering back down to the ground. "You improvise, fight with no definite style. Examine the situation anew every time. Definitely rain." He nodded, placing her shield on the ground softly.

"Not bad though, with practice you would easily improve. So that's it for today, you know your strengths as well as your weaknesses and you can practice on your own now. Unless you'd like me to come back again?" He asked, cracking his neck and stretching a bit after the (albeit small) workout. He was also grinning, there's nothing quite like seeing a pony fight in the air for the first time. Or, a zebra pony, or zebrasus? Pegabra?

[kuruka]

Kuruka struggled to bring her charge to a halt. It was a good thing Percheron was already descending or she would have crashed for sure. Slowing to land, Kuruka gathered her belongings and approached her mentor.
"It would be nice to have a skilled sparring partner, but if you're too busy, perhaps you could recommend somepony?"

[Red Charge]

"I could definitely swing by again, sure. I'll be anxious to see if you improved. As for the spear, in the air it's useless. You won't be able to aim the point at high speeds, so the range it gives you is pretty much nullified. You should come up with a better weapon. Unless you're going to mount it on a saddle and use it as a lance, that is." Percheron suggested kindly, "I personally try to practice with all sorts of styles and weapons. That way I get a feel for what my enemies might do in battle."

Percheron's eyes finally fell on the statue of Frostbite and he frowned, "I see Frostbite's taken you under his protection?" He said, though not too sure what that even meant. It probably meant Watermark had made a golem, but he didn't really know Frostbite enough to be sure. Either way, he hoped it was Watermark and not Frostbite. Frostbite was hard to trust.

[kuruka]

Kuruka's heart sank a little at the mention of her spear. She had to admit she'd been afraid it would prove useless in the sky. Oh well. Percheron was right. She needed to expand her weaponry knowledge if she was going to really find her nitch.

Kuruka followed Percheron's gaze to Watermark's statue. "Watermark made that. He called it Frostbite and said we only needed to call out his name if we were in trouble. I do not know exactly what he meant, but it is very intriguing art." Kuruka paused, feeling like she should know more about the silent sentinel. "Perhaps it is meant to do more than simply look pleasing to the eye?"

[Red Charge]

"Probably meant to protect you." Percheron said, turning away from the statue, "It'll probably summon Frostbite if you get in trouble." He said casually, turning away from the statue. He couldn't help but wonder how it must have been for Watermark, to meet a pony like himself. He knew Watermark's story, how he had grown up so roughly and why he was so dedicated to Red Charge. He only hoped the poor unicorn could find a sympathetic friend in this pegasus.

"Right then," The stallion finally said with a smile, "I'll be off, and you keep practicing, I'll come back and visit you again in a while, give you time to get your skills up to scratch. Remember - practice daily, your wings need to get stronger." He looked at the sky once more, before taking off, "Goodbye Kuruka." He bid his farewell before flying off.

[kuruka]

Kuruka smiled and tapped her hoof to her forehead before presenting her hoof to her mentor, a respectful gesture of gratitude. "Farewell, Lieutenant, and thank you."