A Girl Worth Fighting For

Chapter 5

The birds chirped as the sun rose over the training camp, in a tent, next to the pigpen and horses. Pax ate the grass tied to a tree and inside Y/n and the cricket slept peacefully. The girl shot awake when she felt something jump on her.

"All right! Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty." Noya yelled knocking on her head. "Come on. Hup, hup, hup."

Y/n groaned and pulled the blanket over her head, Noya rolled his eyes and pulled the sheet off her.

"Get your clothes on. Get ready. Got breakfast for ya!" Noya said pulling out porridge with eggs and bacon making a smiley face. "Look, you get porridge, and it's happy to see you."

"Am I late?" Y/n yawned rubbing her eyes.

"No time to talk." Noya interrupted shoving the porridge into her mouth. "Now remember, it's your first day of training, so listen to your teacher and no fightin', play nice with the other kids, unless one of the other kids wanna fight, then you have to kick the other kid's butt."

"But I don't wanna kick the other kid's butt," Y/n grumbled, her mouth full.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Noya scolded. "Now let's see your war face."

Y/n tilted her head, her cheeks looking like a chipmunk, porridge running down her chin.

"I think my bunny slippers just ran for cover. Come on! Scare me, girl!" Noya yelled, grabbing her collar, Y/n growled and let out a battle cry. Noya leaped off of her and the porridge fell on him. "Yeah, that's my tough-lookin' warrior. That's what I'm talking about. Now get out there and make me proud."

Noya climbed on her shoulder, throwing her hair into a bun when Pax pushed his head in and let out a soft nicker.

"What do you mean the troops just left?" Noya asked as Y/n put on her clothes.

"They what?" Y/n exclaimed. She pushed out of the tent and threw on her boots, running off towards the camp. Pax and the cricket watched as she ran off when Noya pushed through the tent flaps her sword in hand.

"Wait! You forgot your sword." Noya yelled, but she was already gone. Tears started to well in his eyes with a whimper. "My little baby, off to destroy people."

~

The men were in groups as they warmed up very poorly, some were just punching people and others were trying to focus.

"Order. People, order." Sadayuki yelled over the men.

"I'd like a pan-fried noodle!" One man ordered.

"Sweet and pungent shrimp."

"Moo goo gai pan!" A man shouted causing the others to burst out laughing.

"That's not funny!" Sadayuki groaned and stomped off.

"Looks like our new friend slept in this morning." Toru chuckled when Y/n ran over to them. "Hello, B/n. Are ya hungry?"

"Yeah, 'cause I owe you a knuckle sandwich." Kentaro sneered grabbing Y/n's collar. The other men started to cheer in agreement, watching Kentaro raise his fist.

"Soldiers!"

Everybody quickly straightened and form a line facing a barrel of wooden staffs and Hajime made his way towards them.

"You will assemble swiftly and silently every morning." Hajime continued, taking off his shirt. Y/n leaned forward a little to catch a better look at his toned body but shot back when he turned around. "Anyone who acts otherwise will answer to me."

"Ooh, tough guy," Kentaro muttered, as Hajime walked pasted him a bow in one hand.

"Kentaro," Hajime called putting an arrow in the bow, he pulled it back and aimed it at Kentaro. He aimed towards the very top of a pole and fired it. It landed perfectly. "Thank you for volunteering. Retrieve the arrow."