"No clan. A city." Narsi stood up and took the stick Rhazii offered. "Not telling you where."

"Uncle Lorag picked her up from Cheydinhal," Rhazii said flatly.

"Shut up!" Narsi raised her voice again.

Rhazii only let the corner of his mouth twitch up. "Raise your weapon to your side. Block my strikes and step back with each one. We'll take turns."

"I know how the drill works, I've done plenty with the others-argh!"

While Rhazii did not throw powerful horizontal strikes, he kept a brisk pace throwing them at Narsi's left and right in an alternating fashion. Narsi statically blocked each one as they slid their feet back with each movement, Rhazii advancing and Narsi going backwards. It was a simple drill to make strikes and footwork more natural.

Once Rhazii had taken about seven steps, he stepped back and let Narsi take her turn. She was far rougher with her strikes, clacking her stick loudly against Rhazii's blocks in a way that would jar the wrists of most her size.

"Why do you care, anyway!?" Narsi said to Julan over the audible swishing her stick made whirling in the air. "It's not like it matters to you!"

[hr]
Fendros hesitated and brought his eyes down, away from S'nashi. His thoughts immediately went to the upcoming invasion. Saying yes to her now would be a lie. Unqualified, at least. At that, Fendros lifted his eyes and answered, even if the pause was suspicious. "Thankfully, our home is far enough away from here that I do not believe this will be a problem any time soon."

He tried and failed to smile.