Tumbledown

Chapter 5

Maddie's first attempt at training her group went as well as she could have expected and for the next few weeks she carried on with the morning sessions with only a few of them dropping out. It had although become evident that she had reached the limit of her knowledge and that they were going over the same routines that Maddie had taught them in the first week.

"Are we going to be doing anything new today?" Inevitably it was an optimistic Lana that voiced the question that everyone had on their minds.

"No Lana. I do not have anything else to show you but I do believe in being prepared and if we continue to practice what I have already shown you then you will be better able to protect yourselves."

It made sense thought Maddie but the group before her did not look particularly enthused by her little speech.

"Lysette knows how to fight with weapons."

It was the boy again and this time Maddie lost patience with him.

"First you must learn to fight with your body, your heart, your mind and then maybe you will find the courage to ask Lissa to train you."

It was a sombre session after that and Maddie sensed correctly that it would be the last. She dutifully arose the next morning to find that the only ones to show up were George and Lana.

"It's ok you two, I knew yesterday that it was over and I am sure that you have better things to do."

George looked at Lana who was smiling as usual.

"Come on, I will show you how to build a larger structure out of the materials we find around us."

Lana looked to Maddie for approval.

"It's fine Lana, just go and have a little fun."

In truth this left Maddie at a bit of a loss, Dylan had not assigned her any duties as he liked to do with newcomers. So she was left to wander around the campsite alone and once again she was overwhelmed by feelings of isolation that she could not shake.

It was only upon entering a clearing in the woods where she saw Lysette that Maddie forgot all about her own situation. Lysette was amazing with a wooden staff in her hand; she was executing the most complex and beautiful moves that Maddie had ever seen. It was a cross between dance and Martial Arts; it was wonderful to see how fluid her movements were, the staff passed from one hand to the other as if by magic. Lysette was mesmerising and Maddie could only stand there transfixed as she witnessed the warrior girl perform her morning ritual.

"That was the most amazing and beautiful thing I have ever seen."

Maddie blurted this out as soon as Lysette finished.

"Thank you, it helps to set me up for the rest of the day."

Both girls looked embarrassed and neither one knew what else to say after this surprising exchange until Maddie took the initiative.

"You need to be training these people, not me."

A wry smile from Lysette as she sat on a fallen tree told Maddie that she found the idea distasteful.

"Your speed is phenomenal and the way that you carry that staff, it is like it becomes part of you. It is no wonder you found my attempts at training them laughable."

Lysette invited Maddie over to sit with her.

"You are a street fighter Maddie and you taught them the best way that you could. It was not you that I found laughable it is the thought that Imps could fight, now that is funny."