Rise Up, Ting Ting, Like Glitter And Gold

Artorias watched Fern put on the armor, letting her figure it out as she donned the protective gear. For many a wolf, putting on armor for the first time could feel odd or unnatural, so learning how to move with it would be step one. Once Fern had it on and attached properly, she picked up her sparring sword. Again, Artorias watched while she adjusted to try and get a steady grip on the weapon, making small adjustments here and there. Whenever he spotted a mistake, he would gently correct her, suggesting the proper way to hold it. Things like "Move your mouth down the hilt" or "Get a tighter grip with your teeth". When she did finally find a grip that felt comfortable for her and didn't seem loose to him, Artorias nodded his approval, and the two began.

She was a focused student, the Aegis had to give her that. As Fern moved at his side, following his movements and motions and mimicking them herself, she would ask questions and dig for more information. Artorias would patiently answer each one while they went through the basic stances and movements, allowing Fern to really feel what moving and acting while wearing armor and holding a weapon was like. In many ways, fighting with a weapon was a lot like having to relearn the basics of combat. With your jaws occupied, biting was out of the question. The sword became your primary—and often times only—means of attacking.

“Why do I stand this way?”
"Because it keeps you balanced. Your center of gravity remains low and centered, so if you need to brace against the impact of an enemy, you don't get toppled over."

“What purpose does holding the sword like this serve if the enemy attacks from over there?”
"It doesn't. That's why how you hold a sword and which direction the blade is facing is only part of what you need to think about in a fight. You also have to remain agile, nimble, ready to turn the sword and your body at a moment's notice."

To demonstrate, Artorias broke out of teaching mode and into example mode. He turned the blade from one right to left with a quick flick of his head, catching the blade again as he jumped and turned midair, now facing behind him with the blade pointed back at the place Fern had asked how he would defend. The entire maneuver had taken about three seconds. It was far more advanced than Fern needed to be learning about now, but she would work her way to that point, and he wanted to show her that it was possible. He'd been training this way since he was a pup old enough to walk. She would need time and patience and grit, but she would get there. "Don't worry about any advanced footwork yet. You still have to master the basics before you go into any real battles. That's why we're practicing in the training yard."

Artorias began to move alongside Fern now, the two in interlocked step while they repeated the same back and forth, slowly guided swings matching their steps forward. Gradually, Artorias began to slip back more and more, letting Fern take the lead with or without her noticing so he could shadow her and observe her movements. "Good. Just like that. Remember it's more important to land one good strike than it is to swing a million times wildly." He stepped off to the side after a few more passes to watch Fern go, giving her little critiques and pointers of her footing while she practiced. "How does it feel moving in armor, or holding the weight of a weapon while you try to fight?" he asked with a little knowing smirk on his lips, remembering back to when he was an awkward little puppy swinging a stick around like a club.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"