Hana cackled with glee, and shot back, "Oh yeah? Well, I'll put jam between your toes!" The threat had been used by her older sister to keep her in line, and she'd spent sleepless nights watching her bedroom door. "Besides, I think it's plenty funny." Hana stretched after the water steamed. There were plenty of better ways to heat up a barrel of water, but she hadn't wanted to use more of her supplies. Most of them were expensive or hard to get, and it'd be better to keep them for when they were needed, and not to just speed up a task. Leaving the boy-octopus swim in the barrel, she went to her cabin to get Des Enrolo's travelogue. Returning, she sat on the railing next to the barrel, enjoying the pleasant day as she read. When two squishy tentacles reached up over the lip of the barrel, she let out a mock "eep!" and the tentacles retreated, pleased. The next time the tentacles reached up, she was ready. A sliver of ice was held up so that when the tentacle flexed, it rubbed against it. Giggling, Hana tossed the ice into the barrel. 

---

Wheel chuckled and followed Uban up the stairs. Rolling his shoulders, he went to his place on the deck. There was no marker to tell them where to stand, they'd all just sparred so much that they knew where to stand. His curse receded. The ache still reached as far as it had before, but it's grip wasn't so tight. Sparring could help. It could also make things worse. Most things made it worse. Wheel looked Uban up and down as he eased into a fighting position. He seemed eager, more than he should be for just a practice match. Resigning himself to being shocked, he flicked his wrist, the dull blade catching in the light. He darted forward, slapping with the blades flat at Uban's side.