Among The Wolves

Task

Bruises everywhere. My arms, my legs, my face and my butt.

And I had not even sparred with anyone since that first assessment with Wey’Don. All my aches, pains and black, blue, and yellow spots were from falling off a gymnastics apparatus, also known as a balance beam.

Something about balance and flexibility going hand in hand…

On the bright side, when I first went on the thing, on one leg I could only balance for five seconds, now I was at thirty seconds. On the not-so-bright side they wanted me to be able to balance one foot on the beam for an hour. I had a long way to go.

For a whole week I was commissioned to run laps, stretch, flex,  balance, as well as jab at a punchbag. I was worn to the bone.

Another bright side to my weariness was that I felt minimal itching and the buzz was less frequent. It all made me wonder if, besides emotions, the werewolf relied on frustrated unspent energy.

Ty'Mee visited me once and this was what she said. “Just imagine you are standing at the top of a cliff. And if you fall then you will die in the lava. That's what I used to do. And if I made it an extra two seconds then I rewarded myself with a cinnamon roll. Although our Pi (Executive Chef) stopped making them. Can you believe that she threatened all of us by saying she was going to take the raisins out of them? I gave her a piece of my mind and maybe a piece of fist but nonetheless she stopped making those delicious, made in heaven treats.” Ty'Mee sighed a long sigh. “If I ever r etire as a Theta I will become a Rho (sous chef) just so I can get my hands on that recipe.”

I blinked at the seriously determined face of my friend before she switched it out to a normal expression. After that I was advised to drink lots of water. In any case, our visit was cut short when Wey’Don dragged me back to my dear friend: Mr. Sock-it.

After a bit I collapsed on the sand and laid there. Soaking the sun.

Poor Wey’Don had lost his patience a while back. “Vae'Lee, you've only been at it for ten minutes. Get up!”

“I can barely move my arms! I'm dying here!”

“You are NOT dying. Now get up!”

I opened one eye and looked at him. “A man who is kind benefits himself,  but a cruel man hurts himself. The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die.”

“Is that one of your Vakusian adages?”

I laid back in the sand and closed my eyes. “It is an adage but it does not belong to Vakusi, it belongs to everyone.”

“Do you see me rolling my eyes?”

“Shall I say it again? A man who is kind benefits himself,  but a cruel man hurts himself. The-”

“Okay okay, I admit it's a good adage but you still need to get up, Oaf.”

“Leave her be.”

My head shot up from the sand and Wey’Don stiffened into a salute. “Nie!”

I saw Zeta Hem’Lar approach us. Seeing Wey’Don's strong reaction I figured I ought to get myself proper. I stood up and put my hands to my side.

“At ease.” Hem’Lar turned to his apprentice,  “Work with the crew on their eighth kata.”

“Yes, nie!” Wey’Don jogged off.

Hem’Lar beckoned with his hand. “Follow me.”

I did not resist and fell into step with him. “How's training going?”