The Way of the Warrior

Chapter 2: Escape!

The next day the children entered the training field grumbling because of the early morning. The Captain was there to welcome them, looking tall and foreboding.

"Attention!" The Captain said. The children stood straight, but Falworth stumbled in his haste and bumped into Nelson who fell over smashing into Aidan who fell onto Reginald who tripped over Iiren who knocked over Philip.

"You knocked me down!" Nelson yelled. He noticed he had acquired a little cut on his arm and started crying. Phil and Falworth started crying too.

"Serves you right! You are all super mean!" Iiren shouted, sitting up and crossing her arms.

"Well stop being here, and we won't be!" Reginald yelled back. Iiren crawled over to him and slapped him.

"Hey!" He looked angry, so angry he was frozen in anger. Aidan shoved Iiren and she shoved him back and they started fighting.

"That's enough!" The Captain broke up the two kids and had them stand away from each other. "Iiren, you don't hit your teammates. Violence is not the first answer to disagreements. Aidan, that goes for you too and don't hit a woman. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir." they said sulkily. The Captain let them go and turned his attention to the sobbing trainees.

"It's alright kids. Everyone is fine. Come on now, get up." he said in a softer voice. The boys started calming down, except Nelson whose reason was his cut.

"Nelson, that is not going to harm you."

Nelson cried harder.

The Captain sighed and got a strip of bandage and tied it about the little boy's arm. Finally, the crying stopped.

"Ok, take some deep breaths. Now take a jog around the track."

The children started to jog, but Iiren had had enough of her teammates. When the jog brought her near the gate she broke away from the others and opened the gate and ran out.

"Iiren!" The Captain called.

"Freedom!" Nelson yelled, and he ran out too.

"Hey come back!" Phil shouted and he followed.

"Hey!" Reginald sped out.

"I'm done!" Aidan shot away like an arrow from the bowstring.

Falworth paused, looking confused, but he went after the others.

"All of you! Come back!" The Captain chased after them, but when he got out past the gate it was too late. He did not see any of the little escapees.

The Captain hurried to the nearest guards, Stan and Pete, who were patrolling nearby.

"Have you seen any little kids in training uniforms run by?" Captain asked.

"Yes sir. One little boy ran into the city." Stan replied.

"Only one? What about the others?"

"There were no others sir. Just him." Pete said.

The Captain's brow furrowed with concern. "They must have split up. Send some guards to search for them! I do not want them to get lost or hurt! And where's Max?"

"He's out of town, sir. But we have his colt!"

Pete went to the stables and returned with a little horse. Darrin, son of Max and Fidella, was a white colt with a black mane and tail. Max's alertness and the intelligence of both parents had been clearly inherited, and Darrin looked ready to help.

"Darrin, can you find the training kids?" The Captain asked. Darrin stood straight with a whinny that could only be interpreted as 'yes'.

"Alright! Let's move out!"