A Calmer Side (Open)

[Rina Vade]

The sky lightened and Rina was up before daybreak. There was no school on the weekends, yet she was up, dressed and outside before 6 am that morning. Despite having only just moved in three days ago, the Wolf Girl was already accustomed to her surroundings and knew evey detail of the house and yard. Thank goodness for her memorizing capabilities! Outside in the back yard - which was quite open despite the low fence surrounding it - was glittering with morning dew. A lizard skittered through the bushes and she grinned slightly.

She stepped out onto the grass barefoot, a long staff in her hand made out of an onyx metal. It was just an old bo her deceased mother had left behind, nothing much. Rina doubted it would withstand being used in a fight. Still...it was good to practice with. Her raven hair fluttered as a breeze drifted by. She closed her eyes and took a relaxed, defencive stance, bring the bo out in front of her as she dropped into a half-crouch.

Swinging the staff, she took a forward step, twirling the dark metal bar expertly with one hand, then the other, and then with both as she went through a set of Kata's, practicing an attack that was used to drive an enemy back. She spun and swung the bo once more before ending in a crouch, one arm over her head with the staff as if pointing it at someone and the other touching the ground for balance. She let out a slow breath and straightened up, slinging the bo over one shoulder with her arm draped over it. A soft sigh escaped her as she walked the perimeter of the fence, deep in thought.

"I need to get that ONE step right." she thought, frowing slightly. A hiss in the leaves made her pause. She shifted the staff a little and peered into the brush. A long, green snake was coiled around a small branch, beady, dark eyes looking around itself. Rina smiled and reached out, lifting the small snake into her pale hand and holding it up to her eye-level. "Well lookie here. I have a garden snake in my yard." she muttered, but obviously delighted. She continued to walk in thought, not paying attention to her surroundings and holding the snake.