67th Day of Spring, Early Dawn
Breathe in.
The still blue sky sparkled with stars still embracing the night, even as dawn approached. Night creatures began to make their way back to their burrows, and somewhere in the darkness a owl called out its victory cry after the hunt.
Breathe out.
Steam billowed from parted lips as the warmth of exhaled breath met the chill night air. It floated momentarily, before dissipating into nothing. The grass crunched under foot as slowly a stance was made, preparing for the dance that was to come.
Breathe in.
Slowly, the dancer drew her swords. She held them low, tips pointing to the soft grass either side of her. With unconscious grace, the dancer turned and twisted, bringing the blades up and around like some sort of butterfly - one arm tilting up to rise over her head, the other now pointing behind her. Curving, arching her back, the dancer leaned gracefully swapping arms then spinning in a quick sharp movement, rapiers crossing and sweeping out and around her. Completing the turn, she slowed, bringing her arms upwards so both blades pointed up to her right. Lifting her leg, in a slow elegant move, the black haired woman used its downwards momentum to sweep herself down and across, blades following again in a sharp quick swipe one after the other. They passed over each other, back and forth..back and forth in a whipping scissor action, before she turned again - her leg out and sweeping across the grass as her body and arms followed. One arm outstretched, tips of the rapiers pointing to the horizon as the other pulled back gracefully over her head, she arched her back and leaned away. Over and over, the Kata repeated itself, accentuated by the slow then quick movements as she sliced and stabbed at invisible contenders.
Breathe out.
Sariana slowed, standing upright and bringing her arms to herself. Raising them up, she slid the rapiers slowly into place, back in the holster where they belonged. She stared at the steam rising from her breath, before closing her eyes. The drykas listened to the morning around her, listened to the waking of the day. A breeze blew across her cheek, trailing cold fingers over her shoulder and through her hair. She smiled.
"I will get you home. I promise." The brunette whispered, before opening her eyes and making her way back to the camp where her companions would be rising.
