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RESPITE TRAINING GROUNDS - AFTERNOON
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Louma settles a bundle of practice weapons on a weathered table, feeling like she may shiver with excitement any moment as she pats the heavy cloth wrap. She takes a look around the grounds, giving the bundle a nod before turning to warm up with some stretches, followed by some time on a dummy with bare-hand drills. Through the roughly half-hour long workout, she continues casting glances at that table. Her form seems a bit sloppy thanks to the distraction, but she's not here to practice her unarmed skills.
Gareth steps into the training grounds, having wasted a good chunk of the morning searching for Sammi and Xochi, as he has been for the past couple of weeks since they both vanished, to no avail. The tension of wondering where the two went has built up to the point that he thinks he needs to do something to relieve that knot of concern tightening in his chest. So, he finds himself here, hoping to distract himself with some fast-paced combat and practice.
Louma spots the familiar wolf wandering into the grounds out of the corner of her eye, finishing her routine before slithering around the dummy, waving to Gareth. "Good day, Gareth! I... You look worried. I shouldn't take any more vacations, I suppose. Everyone seems a touch more concerned about something or other than when I'd left."
Gareth hums as his attention is directed to Louma, to which he raises a hand in greeting and makes his way over. "Good day, Louma. Aye, been searchin' fer Sammi fer a bit, now. Have ye seen her around town recently?"
Louma relaxes a bit, her tail bunching up as she stops to think. "Ah... No, now that you mention it. I suppose I don't need to ask if you've checked the waterfall. When did you see her last?"
Gareth nods at the question. "Aye, the waterfall was the first spot I checked, dived underwater and everythin'. Empty, unfortunately." He tilts his head at the question, then shrugs, "Last I saw her was around the time she and Xochi went to do that ritual thing they'd been plannin' fer a while, from before the whole thing with the Saurs."
Louma nods. "Xochi, hmm? Oh yes, I recall her talking a bit about ritual magic." She pauses for a second, tilting her head. "I wonder if she'd know where Sammi is..?"
Gareth raises an eyebrow. "She? What, ye know where Xochi is?" He shakes his head a bit, "Ye must know places she spends time at more than I do, since I searched all around and didn't see her, even at her own house. Kira's been gettin' worried, too."
Louma gives him a curious look, shaking her head. "Xochi is missing as well, I've seen Kira's reports. I may know some places she goes, I'll have to consider looking around a little more thoroughly. Investigation is not really my field, but more eyes can't hurt."
Gareth hums and nods. "Aye, gettin' more eyes out in the field can't hurt in findin' where they could have gone. I know Sammi can go just about anywhere, but the waterfall's her favorite spot. I doubt Xochi could get far without anyone noticin' her plumage, too."
Louma chuckles quietly, smiling. "Yes, that coatl certainly was hiding quite the striking secret all that time. Even with the damage, she was nearly as stunning as the tapestries and paintings would lead us to believe."
Gareth hitches up a little smile. "Aye, if it weren't fer the feathers bein' ruffled and her wings lookin' a bit underused, I can imagine she'd look quite stunnin'."
Louma scoffs, shaking her head. "We're going to work on that. After volunteering to head for the Prominence, she deserves to at least reclaim some of her beauty. Once we've figured out where she's gotten off to, of course. Perhaps you should take a distraction for a little bit, hmm? Before your muzzle starts going grey from stress."
Gareth laughs a little as he rubs at his jaw for a moment. "Honestly surprised me muzzle isn't already goin' white from bounty huntin'. But aye, I could use a good distraction." He nods at the bundled weapon resting nearby, "Did ye have a chance to practice with that?"
Louma looks to the bundle he's nodding at, the orange of her bill flushing darker as she grins. "Not yet, but I've held it and... Well, I suppose I owe you a match after you completed our contract twice." She turns to the bundle, pulling the knot out of the cloth and casting the cover off the training version of an Orelan snake spear. Or rather, the Respite guard quartermaster's interpretation. Almost entirely wood with blunt ends for safe training, the end of the spear is reinforced and weighted with iron sheets, hammered to wrap and support the hooks and spear point. "The weight is as close to correct as they could manage. A smidge heavier, since the violent parts are all a little larger than normal."
Gareth chuckles and nods. "Helps give ye a better sense o' the balance o' the real thing while still trainin', hm? At least we won't be practicin' with live steel. Ye sure the wood will hold up to how we usually get durin' sparrin'?"
Louma gives him a reassuring smile, putting on a sweet lilt as she lifts the weapon. Her stance changes ever so slightly as she starts carrying the deeply familiar weapon, already turning for the nearest sparring ring. "That is certainly one of the many things to test about this replica~ Choose whatever you like, other than a handgun."
Gareth laughs as he wanders towards the ring, snagging himself a training blade as he goes to join Louma. "Ye know what I prefer anyway. Not as effective as the actual thing, but good enough. No need to worry about the handguns, either. This is sparrin', not actual fightin'."