PHOBOS (King of Beasts)

Weakness

"Stoop lower." Phobos whispers his instruction to me for the fourth time almost as if he is reprimanding me in a way. He squats a bit far from me, eyes serious and patient never wavering from my flesh.

Shutting my eyes close annoyance surging I raise my upper lip to show teeth as a threat. "I cannot bend further than this." I spit.

"You are doing it wrong, Theia. Thrust out your back curl your spine and dig your nails into the soil." He says which does nothing but aids my anger. How can I do it with merely just your words? Why does he refuse to show me rather than tell me?

Cursing at him under my breath I try to visualize the position in my mind and shift my body accordingly. Stumbling around doing my best to remain quiet and unseen I somehow end up doing what he says. Struggling to hold my weight with merely my palms I keep falling only to get up and shift back into position.

Once my mind is satisfied with how I balance the entirety of my being on the soles of my feet with my eyes plunging into the ground encouraging myself from within I question, "I think I did it. I did it right?"

He snorts. He possesses the valour to snort with derision of me. His right palm quickly raises to cover his mouth eyes widening as he stares at me trying to control his bubbling laughter. Unbelievable.

"Are you serious? You find this amusing?" I whisper harshly grabbing a nearby rock throwing it at him with no warning hoping it shall strike his flesh and remove that ridiculous smirk that paints his face.

He swiftly catches it before it hits him a master of reflex, his smile widens. "You are getting good at throwing rocks now. The strength you used to throw it pushed my hand back a little." He compliments me which has my cheeks burning and anger evaporating. He has a way with his words, though it may seem like something small it often tends to have a big impact on me.

I peek up from under the shadows of the tall grass that had managed to completely hide me. The wild hares remain in the same place jumping around nibbling on the pieces of oat hays that Phobos scattered around as bait.

"Do you have your knives?" He inquires whilst taking back my attention. Looking down to my right at the earth I pick them up and raise them for him to see.

"Yes." I reply.

"The knives will not kill them but it will hit them if thrown well. I shall take a hit as a kill." He mutters.

Getting into a crawling position digging my nails into the soil I glare up at the wild hares analyzing their movements. Phobos told me that there are merely two things that exist in today's world. A predator and prey.

I need to think as though I am a true predator and I shall become one. My bare heels slide upon the ground pushing me forward as I am hunched low eyes set on my target. The weakest link of the group the one that keeps wandering far.

Gripping the knives tightly my knuckles prominent with the pressure I add I take a low quiet breath through my nose. Phobos follows my movements with him crawling as well upon the muddy floor yet he has somehow taken the lead without me knowing. He truly is a ghost.

He looks back at me after sweeping the area and gives me a curt nod. A sign for me to throw that I quickly pay heed to. Hunching lower my shoulder blades meeting I crawl further just as he taught me.

Lifting my wrist I squint my eyes aiming and the smallest of all. One ear up and the other down the hare continues nibbling on the hay.

"What is the position of its ears called and what does it mean?" He quizzes me whilst I prepare for the strike.

"Half- lop position. It means it is listening to the noises of the surrounding but not highly alert." I reply with no hesitation months of learning and practice paving an easy path for me.