Never Again

"Oomph!" I spun around as someone landed on the rocky surface with a crunch close by. I knew that it was probably just Mike arriving at our little hideout, but in the middle of a clan war, you can never be too sure. Both the Hail and the Rain clan were doing their best to find hideouts to hide their warriors in as they slowly but surely made their way to the other clan's main base. It is very hard to have a friendship with a child from the enemy clan when each time you want to see each other, one has to cross over to the others land and meet in secret. If anyone found you, you were dead. "Georgia? Are you... you here?"

I can be such a wimp sometimes.

"I'm over here," I whispered as I fumbled with my torch. I jumped as footsteps sounded close by. Mike froze and we both were silent until the footsteps were no longer audible. "I hate this," Mike hissed. "Living in fear for the whole of our lives. Sometimes I wish we'd just run away and create our own clan!" He slammed his fist against the wall. I think that it would have really hurt him but he showed no signs of pain. "I think that this whole war thing is stupid and pointless! " I nodded and then Mike said, " Why did they start this whole silly war thing anyway?" He was about to continue when I heard another crunch and grunt. "Shhhh!" I slapped my hands over his mouth and pulled him into the shadows of the cave just as a Rain female warrior came into view. My armour glinted as a small bit of sunlight touched it. "Hello? Is anyone there? Alina?" I didn't know who Alina was, but I did know one thing for sure. I held my hand in a stop sign, telling Mike to stay where he was. When he nodded, I stepped out of the shadows and said, "Not quite."

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

The woman froze as I stepped out of the shadows. Then she relaxed. "Hail kid scum, eh? How about I make your end swift!" She stepped into a fight position and got out the daggers at her waist. I could tell straight away she wasn't a good fighter. She didn't even have armour. "You so sure about that?" My hands went to my hips, where my swords were. "Of course I'm sure, silly little child!" The woman said. All my training flooded my mind. I could not let this woman escape! She pointed a dagger at me. I needed no training to tell she was aiming to strike a way that she could get my heart. Instantly both swords were in a cross in front of me. The woman faltered a bit then. The battle position I had stepped into so fluidly was one of the most advanced moves. I was always the best at this whole warrior thing in my family, my class, even my town, and I'm only 16! Then she regained her courage and leapt at me. Next thing I knew, my swords were buried in her chest. A smooth death. It was what was so encouraged at training lessons - a slow death would mean crying out, cries for help and so on - something a warrior just couldn't have. It would alert the enemies to your location. The woman's eyes were now dull and lifeless. I pulled my swords out of the woman's chest. Blood clung to the metal, and blood was starting to pool around my feet. "Let's go,Mike." With sudden realization, Mike nodded and said, "OK."

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Mike and I climbed out of the little hideout, checking that nobody was there. "You sure you want to do this, Mike?" I asked. "You know you can always stay here if you want." Mike gritted his teeth and said, "It's okay. I am coming with you." I smiled and said, " OK. We will meet back here at midnight. Agreed?" Mike did the thumbs up sign. Then we both ran home.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

I was sitting on the windowsill, waiting for the time to come. When the moon was high in the sky, I quickly put on my armour and collected my swords. I was just about to slip out of the door when my mum appeared and cried out, "Georgia? Georgia, stop! What are you doing?" I stopped walking and said, " Leaving." A tear slipped down mothers cheek as she whispered, "Oh, Georgia, please don't go!" I wanted to run into her arms and say 'Of course I won't go!' But I did not do so. Instead I whispered, "I must," as I slipped out of the door and closed it. Then I ran like the wind to where I was to meet Mike.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

"Georgia! That you?" Mike whispered. I stepped out of behind the bush I was behind and nodded. He smiled and took hold of my hand. "Never again we shall return. The life here is not a life we will lead," I said. Then Mike and I ran until we were far, far away...