A shallow warm breeze swept through the forest, bright coloured leaves rustling softly against one another as the winds gently blew. Green and golden shadows flickered around the tall girl as she peered around with her cold sapphire eyes, shadows formed by the thick canopy that towered over her as she walked silently through the forest. Sunlight penetrating through the mess of entangled branches that loamed up high. The girl’s long dark teal hair being toyed with by the winds, long strands flowing about her as she continued onwards with her journey, feet stepping silently, feeling the soft touch of the vibrant grass below her. Slowly bringing her hands up to her face, fingers tucking her long hair behind her ears, Vervain took a glance around her for a moment. The forest was silent, the only noise was that of the rustling leaves, the whistling winds, not forgetting the occasionally songs of the birds perched up high in the safety of the large ancient trees that surrounded her as she strolled through the forest cautiously.

A soft sigh escaped her blue lips as Vervain closed her eyes slowly as she embraced the peacefulness of the forest. Gradually a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she strolled, weaving and winding in and out from the towering trees. Letting out a soft giggle she smirked as she figured she was alone. The way it had always been and they way she liked it, though Vervain wouldn’t admit that being alone all the time did get, well, lonely. Another soft sigh escaped her lips as she took a glance behind her, bringing her webbed hands up, fingers un-tucked her hair from her ears covering her set of gills that could be found upon her neck. Cold eyes looked down to the vibrant green grass, a slight saddened expression fell across her face as she began to think of the blue waters, her real home.

Wiping the thought from mind she exchanged her sad look to an expression of happiness as her pace quickened as she walked deeper into the forest. Water coloured eyes gleamed in the bright light of the green and golden shadows that dances around, eyes scanning the area cautiously as she travelled through quietly, though she may think she was alone, she had to remember many ventured within these parts at times, also being a Druid as well… Vervain had to be cautious, just in case she came across any bandits that stalked within these parts, for she had to remember that Druids and the Rangers were a constant war with them. Lip twitched slightly as she thought about it, rolling her shoulders she continued to walk silently, eyes scanning the forest carefully.

Eliel walked through the forest calmly, Gwen just in sight, striding along the shadows carefully. He smiled at her, sure it was unnecessary. Of course, nothing she had done like this in a while had been unnecessary, which one would think would make Eliel listen to the cat, but no.

Eliel chuckled at the cat, sending her amused emotions through their link. The cat huffed and stuck her nose up in the air. Gwen was a proud, very protective cat. Much like a mother figure. An amazonian mother, perhaps. She was a fighter, and a good one at that. Several hundred pounds of muscle made quite a formidable foe.

Eliel was a bit on edge, he had heard about the bandits in the area that had been going on for some time. Actually, it was part of the reason he was here. Most criminals or bandits that are escaped long enough usually get a nice reward placed on their heads.

Eliel hummed a tune as he walked, nearly running into a blue-haired woman. He cursed, thinking her a bandit, and drew his scimitar.

Cold watery eyes widened as Vervain heard a tune being hummed not far from where she wandered. Turning herself around, Verv’s cold eyes landed upon a man that cursed at her and soon after drew out his weapon. Jumping back away from the man the Water Genasi narrowed her eyes at him. How dare he draw his weapon out at her! And for not reason! Gilled hand slowly trailed behind her back, fingers wrapping around her daggers cold metal hilt. Leaving her dagger tucked within her belt, hand firming clenching it, ready to use if he made any further movements. Though his weapon would easily cause more damage then her own. Vervain’s glanced trailed down towards what seemed to be a cat that accompanied the man. Tearing her gaze from his feline companion back to the unknown man, Vervain’s blue lips parted and her usual soft feminine voice sounded, a tinge of aggression held within her tone, ”Tell me.. Why would a man pull a sword out on a defenceless woman?” she raised a brow towards him, eyes trailing from cat to man. Stare hard, never blinking nor straying from the pair of them as she waited for a response.

Eliel sighed in relief and sheathed his sword. Even with every weapon tucked away in their respective sheaths, he was still armed. Just in case she tried something. “My apologies. I'm a little jumpy. Can't be too careful around here. Or too trusting.” He watched her.

Gwen walked up to the woman and sniffed at her, circling her like a predator ready to pounce. Eliel frowned at her. The cat got the hint and backed off to the side, ready to pounce still.

“I apologize. She isn't trusting anyway. Bandit's don't help.” Eliel showed her a small bag with a few cut-off pieces of skin in it, each piece carrying a brand. The brand of a criminal, mark needed for a bounty.

“Eraspeola Usreanac, Drow noble. But i'd rather be called Eliel.”

Hearing his sigh of relief and watching as he placed his sword back into its sheath, Vervain released her grip from her daggers hilt and placed her arms at her sides. Stare slightly softening as she looked to him, head lifted a bit as she listened to his words of apologies and his reasons for his actions. Giving her head a nod in agreement, blue lips parted and she replied smoothly ”Tis quite alright Sir.. Your reasons are understandable…” cold eyes watched him as he watched her. Gradually her gaze trailed downwards watching as his feline companion began to sniff and circle her in a predatory manner. Raising a brow toward the feline, Vervain peered up towards the man as he apologised again, this time for his companions actions. Letting a smile sprawl across her lips Verv gave another nod of her head and spoke softly, ”Again that’s understandable…and yes bandits don’t help at all..” her fist clenched slightly as her mind thought about the bandits. Watching as the man opened a bag , Vervain peered inside to see pieces of cut off skin with many brands upon them. Criminal brands no doubt. Nodding her head silently she glanced up to the man’s face as he offered her his name, smiling innocently as he said he’d rather be called Eliel, Vervain gave him a slight bow of her head and offered him only a small piece of her name, ”A pleasure, I’m Vervain.. Just Vervain..” eyes trailing to the cat then slowly back towards the Dark Elf.

Eliel smiled at her. “Thanks for understanding.” He chuckled as Gwen seemed to lose interest and sulked away, disappointed by the lack of action. Eliel watched her with a grin. He turned his attention back to Vervain.

“Nice to meet you, Vervain. What brings you here?” He asked casually, as if he hadn't just pulled his sword out on her. Eliel looked down at his gauntlet idly, extending and retracting the claws with his hand between them and the woman.

Eliel looked around, feeling rather bored. He hadn't had a life-threatening battle in at least a couple days. He needed action every once in a while to stay fit and entertained.

A smile grew across her lips as she listened to his thanks, bringing up a webbed hand she waved it in front of her and shook her head, ”There’s no need to thank me Eliel” bringing her hand down slowly, folding her arms she peered around at their surroundings, cold eyes watching as green and golden shadows danced around them, the sunlight reflecting off the vibrant coloured leaves within the towering canopy above them. Watery eyes glanced down towards the Dark Elf’s feline companion as she sulked away for some reason, tilting her head to the side Verv allowed a small smile to form across her lips as she watched the cat walk away from them. Bringing her eyes back towards Eliel as he said it was nice to meet her, Vervain’s lip twitched slightly as she heard his question for her being here. Rolling her shoulders slightly she shrugged and spoke, ”Just the peace and quite I ’pose…and yourself?” though she guessed with the contains of his bag he was searching for more criminals for the bounty upon their heads, though she could be wrong. Watching Eliel for the moment as he peered to his gauntlet, retracting the claws and such between himself and her, Verv couldn’t help but notice and feel that this Dark elf was bored. Raising a brow she spoke smoothly, ”So..how good would you say you are in battle?” though it was a random question, Vervain was curious, not at all skilled herself, she thought maybe he could tell or even show her a few pointers, that’s if he was up to it.

Eliel shrugged as she asked him why he was here. “Just out on a walk, mostly. Don't live too far from here. Figured I might as well clean up around my home while I'm out. Gwen feels the same. We haven't had a good fight in awhile.” Eliel chuckled at the umbra. “She's just more open about the disappointment.”

Eliel's ears perked up as she asked him how he was in battle. Was she serious? Had he heard her correctly? Eliel smiled. “I'm fair with the blade. How about yourself?” He asked, a hand drifting to the hilt of Lan de Yue Jia, his elven blade.

Eliel smiled at her. If she was challenging him, she would need a blade. He looked around for Gwen, but she had dissapeared, probably having picked up on her feeling and run off. He sighed at the cat.

Hearing padded footsteps, he looked out to the forest, infravision showing him Gwen with a sheathed blade slung over her back. She stuck in the shadows, unseen by any without darkvision. He smiled at her and sent her a feeling of gratitude.

Seeing Eliel shrug, Verv smiled slightly as she listened to his response to her question of why he was here. Folding her arms slowly as she listened silently, giving her head a nod every now and then to show that she was indeed listening. Vervain smiled as she heard about his companion being more open about the disappointment of not having a good fight in a fair while. Blue lips tugged into a broad smile as she peered downwards to the ground. Gradually bringing her gaze back to Eliel as he began to answer her question about his skills in battle, her head tilted to the side as she listened curiously to his words, biting her lip slightly as the question was reverse onto herself, Vervain chuckled softly and replied with a smooth tone, ”I’m not at all skilled to be truthfully honest with you..” peering down at the floor in slight embarrassment, though she managed to bring her cold eyes back to look at him. Watching as he glanced around the forest for something Vervain remained silent for the moment, soon she brought herself to speak, ”Would you mind at all, teaching me a few things or so?” she raised a friendly brow, ”That’s of course if your not to busy..” she added quickly..

Eliel smiled at her. “No need to be embarrassed. It's actually what I do in my spare time. I visit the Academy of Arms to help beginners.” He smiled pleasantly. The woman was actually quite kind, surprising Eliel. She had seemed quite stern earlier when he had drawn his blade.

“I don't mind at all! Do I look like I have anything better to do?” he asked pleasantly. Looking at her weaponry, he frowned. “Right, that won't do at all. Daggers against swords are hardly fair. Here, use this.” Eliel waved over Gwen, who padded over. Eliel untied the sheath from her back, tossing the plain longsword to her, in it's sheath.

The drow chuckled and untied his belt and cloak, wrapping the equipment up in the piwifwi. He thought as he looked over his blades. He needed some practice with Lan de Yue Jia. He drew the sword and smiled.

“Whenever you're ready. Take your time.” He said, standing his ground, center of balance on his front foot, knees slightly bent.

Seeing his smile towards her, Vervain offered him another of her own, head tilting towards the opposite side as she listened to his words. Her smile only grew as he explained to her that he it was actually what he did in his spare time! Giving a nod of her head as he explained also about going to the Academy of Arms to help beginners, Verv thought that maybe she should visit the place sometime, though with her shyness towards large groups of people it could be a little bit of a problem for her.

Snapping out from her daze about the Academy of Arms when Eliel said that he didn’t mind at all, and that did it look like he had better things to do, Vervain chuckled softly and smiled broadly at him. Raising a friendly brow as he frowned, Vervain peered down to her dagger as he said that it wouldn’t do. Blue lips tugged into a small smile as she looked up to him and gave a nod of her head in agreement, indeed a dagger against a sword wasn’t a fair fight. Hearing him offer to let her use his long sword, Vervain watched as he untied it from Gwen, quickly catching it as he threw it to her in its sheath, "Thank you Eliel.." she said softly... Verv was indeed grateful for this.

Cold eyes gleamed in the sunlight that loamed down through the canopy as she watched him untie his belt and cloak and put his weaponry and such aside. Seeing his chosen sword, the Water Genasi smiled as he did. Giving a nod of her head as he said for her to take her time and whenever she felt ready. Pulling the longsword from its sheath, placing the sheath down, Vervain placed herself in a similar position to Eliel, eyes observing him as he took his stance, standing his ground, knees slightly bent, balance upon his right foot. Swallowing slightly, nervous, Vervain shifted herself forwards, swinging her body around, bringing the longsword above her head, gradually bringing the blade in front of her to strike in Eliel‘s direction. Indeed she wasn’t skilled as one could tell, but practice makes perfect. Right?

Eliel watched her start with a smile. She was starting slow. There were two ways to approach teaching this girl. He could either take it easy on the poor girl and match her speed, speeding up as they go. Or he could be the teacher he'd had himself, the one who gave about five blade slaps for each move you gave, then pointing out your mistakes. Eliel decided to stick with the first tactic for now, deciding that excess swordsmanship and criticism may be too much for her at this stage.

Eliel watched her strike, not moving as her blade came in. He waited just long enough to allow for a moment of doubt, a moment for the beginner to wonder if he was going to defend himself. At the last possible second, his light blade whipped up to meet her blade, eyes calm. His position had not changed. Things would remain basic for now.

Eliel waited a second before shoving the other blade away from himself, snapping his blade towards her and back, a gesture for her to move back.

As Vervain went to strike Eliel, cold eyes watched him carefully as he made no movements, her mind debating on what he would do. Attack? Or defend? Then at the last possible second, Eliel had made his move without even shifting from his stance. Hearing their blades make contact, Vervain caught the calm look within his eyes. After a second or two Vervain felt the drow push her blade away from him, shifting herself backwards as he snapped his blade towards her and back.

Not having a clue on what to do, Vervain continued to shift herself away from Eliel. Feet moving her to one side, Verv brought the longsword up diagonally, bringing it close towards her defensively. Mind racing, thinking of what her next move should be, cold eyes constantly upon him, stare never straying from his form. Vervain backed up, keeping her distance, gradually she swung the sword from the side moving forwards in another attempt to strike.

Eliel watched her as she backed up, in a defensive pose. She was holding it diagonally, not truly a good defense. Eliel started to play the role of the bad teacher, sword whipping out to slap the side opposite her blade. Wit a diagonal stance, there was no way to block an attack that followed the diagonal. Save for inhuman speed, which he doubted she had.

She simply charged in, sword arcing from the side. Eliel took a step back and caught her blade With his own, trying to bring it into a dead stop. He pushed it away and his blade took advantage of the moment, moving to slap at her thigh, wrist, and side.

Eliel smiled as he backed up. This was a preliminary spar, a test of all her skill. He was seeing her main problems for now. He mentally took note of each mistake, aiming to work out the inks another time.

The drow looked forward to having the genasi visit the academy. It could get interesting.