The Order of Events: The Red Wolf (11 page)

The tent closed behind Sofius as he made his way through the dense wind, and to a tent that lay not far. Sofius entered the small tent, and removed his hood and facial coverings, looking upon a sight, beautiful and dear to him as he did. “Moira, my dear love, how are you feeling?”
              Moira was sitting on a mat, and stood up, holding her stomach, as she smiled through her scarred features at her husband. “I am well. Is the wind getting harsher out there?”
              Sofius approached his wife and gave her a soft peck on her lip, and answered her, putting his hands upon her bulging stomach. “They’re as wild as always…how is our child doing?”
              Moira nestled her head against the neck of Sofius and held her stomach, speaking in a very calm and soothing manner. “It seems okay. I find myself overjoyed at the idea of giving birth, but at the same time, I feel lost and discomforted…”
              Sofius put his hand to work, and held the face of his wife to his, speaking in calming fashion to assure her. “Do not worry, our son will not be the one, he will be good…do not fear.”
              Moira’s glum features went from dark to radiant, causing a smile to grow on her features as she spoke to her husband. “I’ll try not to. How was the hunt?”
              Sofius gritted his teeth, and spoke. “There seems to be no food left. I got the last of any beast I’ve seen for miles, Moira. I don’t know where he thinks I’m going to get more. I told him the clan should adapt, but you know him, he…”                                                                                          Moira spoke, finishing his speech. “Still is going on to not believe you, and your beliefs…our beliefs.”
              Sofius nodded in acceptance of her words, and continued onwards with his. “That the blood of the flesh that we eat will drive our people to the brink of murder and slaughter, as it did the wolves of our blood. I want us to avoid death, avoid killing. I only took up hunting for us so none other would be tempted to kill more than just beast. Maybe that’s what happened to Sahfs, maybe he got filled with blood hunger and decided to go out, and kill for himself!”
              Moira took the hands of Sofius and held them in tightness. “We’ve come a long way, Sofius. We’ve gone near a good hundred years since the pact was made, we can’t take a step back, now. Sahfs was loyal and true, do you think he would’ve betrayed us, betrayed you, his own brother for his own lust?”
              Sofius made a slight smile with his sharp teeth, and spoke. “I don’t know. I’d like to think not, but I’ve seen something happening lately, especially with the young ones. They’re becoming more violent, biting one another, clawing, and taking blood with their blows. I don’t know what’s going on, but it isn’t making me very calm…for the first time in a long time I’m beginning to feel afraid.”
              Moira tried to assure her distraught husband and hugged him, speaking into his ear.
              “You’ll soon find out in time, just think about us…we’ll be okay.”
              Sofius held his wife tight, and spoke worriedly. “What happens if I’m right? What happens if they get violent, and out of control and harm people…and harm you, and our child?”
              Moira took Sofius’ face in hands and looked into his golden eyes. “Do not worry, our child will be born. We will be fine, a solution will be found. I promise you.”
              Sofius embraced his wife, tightly, and kissed her forehead, thinking of the clan, Moira, the future, and their child.
 

-Chapter 10-
Present

The day was drawing closer to its end as all at the Order were ushered into silence by the Mother as she stood preparing Samana for her sword practice.
              The Mother held the long branch of wood, sizing it up, as she spoke to Samana. “I think this will do in the place of a sword, don’t you?” Hoosun had come down from the innermost wall top and interjected, before Samana could respond. The owl spoke quietly to the Mother, so none other than her could hear his questioning voice. “Mother, I don’t think I quite agree with this. She’s just a child and you’re the Mother, you have far superior skills, and in carrying the duty, so much more than that.”
              The Mother smiled and pointed the end of the stick out to Samana, assuring her friend with a whisper in his feathery ear. “Do not worry, my wise owl, I shall not hurt her. I will hold back a great deal as to see that I do not cause any harm to her. My agility and so forth will add more of a challenge to her, so that she may learn to be better, faster.”
              The owl looked at Samana who stood ready, and backed away from the Mother, the sound of apology in his voice. “Sorry…I should not doubt you, Mother.”
              The Mother Dhahn whispered back to her friend. “There is nothing to forgive, my friend.”
              Turning her attention to the young girl before her, who was fully ready to learn, the Mother swung the stick left and right, and spoke in preparation of the coming training. “Now, Samana, get ready…push as hard as you can.” Nodding understandably, for she knew that the Mother held great skill and power for her title and duty, Samana pulled her short blade from her waist.
              The blade left a rustic, gold sheath. It was sharp and shined in the fading daylight as Samana held it at the ready to fight, the blade only reaching a good length of two and a half feet.
              Henk was sitting with Amen at the wall side as the healer, Maela, an older woman, a little over forty years of age, with long gray hair and of a thin build, checked a small bump that was under Amen’s jaw from when he had landed on the ground while practicing with Samana, only moments ago.
              The healer poked the bump as Amen didn’t move at all in reaction, Maela speaking to Henk who was trying to hold back tears, due to the thought of Amen being hurt. “Don’t worry your head off, young Henk, there’s barely a little scratch or bump here. This one’s pretty small, you should be glad.”
              Henk looked at the elderly woman and then to Amen, who stared back at her with a smiling kerchief on his face. “I guess he looks fine…”
              Maela smiled at the worried girl, and while keeping her concentration on Amen, put a soft, moist towel to the bump to reduce any swelling as she gestured with a nod over to the figures of the Mother and Samana. “I wouldn’t be so worried about Amen, right now, young one. I’d be more worried about Samana.She’s going against the Mother in combat, practice or not, she’s sure to get smacked.”
              Henk looked out at the two standing among the harvest trees and thought to herself.               “Come on, Samana, you can do it.”
              Samana stood at the ready as all were silent in anticipation, all but the hussy, Mensh, who had to break the silence. “Oh, come on, she’s going to get her butt kicked. I bet…” An apple had gone flying and hit Mensh on the hand, silencing her.
              Amen sat next to Henk and was tossing another apple at the ready, when Henk pushed his hand aside, the spectacle-faring girl gesturing for him to stop as both soon watched ahead as the Mother was to put Samana to the test.
              The Mother spoke one word, start, and then practice began.
              Samana side stepped, making the first move as she slashed forward with her sword. The Mother dodged the blade, moving in an unseen manner as she appeared out of the way of the blade, and then swiped the stick outwards, sending Samana rolling backwards as the young girl was struck in the stomach with the hardy stick.
              The Mother spun the stick in hand like a baton, as Samana held her stomach, rising from the ground with a sturdy stance as she looked the Mother up and down for an opening.
              The Mother stood silent and then leapt into the air, spinning like a top, and then swung the stick once more. Samana dodged the broken tree limb and slashed upwards with her sword, and missed the Mother, who landed on the side of a tree, and then gripped a hanging branch, looking at the young sword wielder from where she hung. “Very good, Samana, you are pretty fast, but I bet you can be faster. Let us try something simple, like this!”
              The Mother leapt from her place on the tree and swung the tree limb, furiously. Samana guarded every blow, but one that was directed for her hand, which sent her blade flying into the side of a tree behind her, penetrating the bark thoroughly.
              Samana held her hand, feeling the pain pulse, as the Mother stood before her with the branch at her side. “Pretty good, let’s try this, now.”
              Samana removed her attention from her hand and onto the Mother as she brandished the stick, swinging right for Samana’s head.
              Samana dodged the blow, jumping up to grab a tree limb, reaching for her sword as she started to pull it from the rich bark as the Mother’s advancement hit the tree, and caused a few leaves to wisp away from the fruit bearer.
              Samana pulled hard, and the sword was released. Throwing her legs forward to gain speed, Samana flung herself from the tree limb, and landed on the ground after doing an aerial somersault, with the Mother at her back.
              The Mother broke the sturdy limb into two pieces, a separate piece in each hand. She stood watchfully as Samana held her sword at the ready, her stance sturdy and concealed.
              The Mother noted the stance, as she also noted Hoosun watching from the upper wall with a look of worry.
              Ready for the next attack, Samana stood ready as the Mother unleashed it. Jumping high into the air, the heavily clothed figure fell down upon Samana, delivering blows with both pieces of broken tree limb, but Samana was ready as the Mother hoped she would be.
              Blocking the blows with her blade, Samana deflected every blow, and then, upon the Mother reaching her body, dodged sideways and then attempted to trip the Mother up upon her landing, and failed.
              The Mother saw the ploy, and landed on one hand, and then jumped the sweeping kick, landing on the ground in a crouching stance. Samana spun her blade and leapt forward to the Mother, and swung her sharp blade, madly, cutting each piece of wood from the Mother’s hands on allowance, and then thrust forward with the deadly blade.
              The Mother sidestepped the stroke, and then grabbed Samana’s arm, and dealt a good, sturdy blow with her elbow to the young one’s stomach, sending her back a foot or two with her blade still in grasp.
              Hoosun watched as Samana looked beat, hearing others about the Order walls creating a raucous choir of conversation to the imminent defeat of Samana.
              Henk and Amen watched closely, awaiting the next move and the conclusion of practice.
              Samana breathed in deeply and then concentrated on the Mother, and closed her eyes. The Mother smiled and awaited the next move with interest.
              Samana leapt forward, her eyes still closed, and dealt several fast and steady swings of her blade. The Mother dodged each with ease, but felt impressed at the speed and precision Samana dealt out, especially with her eyes closed. Having decided training was over, with the last stroke of the blade, the Mother leapt onto the top of a tree and looked down upon the stripy-haired girl with great impression. “Well done, Samana. You have great skill with a blade. I’m sure in the coming week we can increase that skill, tenfold.”
              Hoosun breathed a sigh of relief, and walked down the wall steps to give his congratulations on a job well done, to the young one.
              Amen clapped as Henk cheered wildly, Samana smiling at her friends from afar and then looking up at the Mother, who leapt down to stand before her. “Thank you, Mother. I’m willing to learn anything I can be taught, so that I can fulfill my duty to my best ability.”
              The Mother put her hand on Samana’s shoulder and nodded approval. “I know you are, and I know you will grow your skills quite well in the coming days.”
              Samana felt a wing wrap around her, and found Hoosun patting her back. “Well done, young one, you are truly a wonder at that.”
              Samana ruffled the owl’s feathers and laughed. Mensh and her friends left the scene to go inside, disappointed, but speaking of some interest the event held to them. “Well, at least we got to see Samana get hit a little bit, though I would have liked to see a little more blood.”
              The trio wandered off, as Amen and Henk went over to their friend. Amen rushed away from Maela, as she held a warm cloth to his bump, leaving the elder holding it to empty air as she watched him run away.
              Henk patted Samana’s back, and then was joined in doing so by Amen. The two stood side by side with their friend as the Mother spoke. “I will help you practice more with your sword tomorrow, and Amen, with your hand to hand. Today will be an example of our routine in the coming days. For now, eat, rest, and get up early when the day rises. There is much to do.”
              Samana nodded agreement and then walked off with her friends. Walking up some wall steps that led to a small entrance into the innermost walls, they conversed about Samana’s prowess that had been tested before the Mother.
              Hoosun and the Mother ushered everyone back to their chores, housings, and lives, and then walked the grounds, side by side, conversing back and forth. “She seems to show quite a skill with that blade, Mother.” The owl said while looking around the green walls.
              The Mother spoke, as she stared at the fading light above. The sky was purple and yellow as the sun said its goodbye, once more to the day. “Yes she does. The coming days we can have her practice with Amen more, and also practice with her blade technique as well. We must get her prepared for the dangers she will face on her travels. The world is a dangerous place.” The owl responded with agreement. “Yes it is, Mother…yes it is.”