There was an old commission done long ago, well before Book 1 was even released, let alone written, entitled: 'Hard Work' - done by Ketty. I didn't exactly know what the scene was going to be, or who the feline in the background was either. I just knew Taylor was going to have a tutor in the art of battle using quarterstaffs and it was going to be a skillset Taylor acquires.
Fast forward to now and it was a scene that happens not just once, but twice. Once in book 1 in a garage with Natalia Ruyemov and again in book 3 in the dojo of the palace in Al-Talkar. Both times Natalia trains Taylor. Given that the snow leopard is a former member of her country's military and a deadly killer and assassin, there was certainly no one better to train Taylor in the art of fighting. However, given how Natalia isn't used to being a teacher, she employs the tough love sort of training to Taylor - train how you fight. Something that Taylor isn't altogether prepared for on her first outing! A funny scene realized in a bit more detail now years later.
