The Amazons

Three

"Jett!"

Jett opened his eyes with a start to the loud noise.

Above him, two pairs of glittering sea-green eyes were looking into his, but a second later he noticed they were laced with anger and annoyance.

Two hands grabbed his torso and yanked him off his bunk. He landed with a thud on the hard wooden floor.

Ira looked disdainfully at Jett's body sprawled on the floor. He looked up at her confused.

"I told you to be awake." Ira said, and as she walked out of the hut she shouted behind her, "Get dressed. Today, we train."

Jett walked out into the morning sun, he was wearing some cotton trousers he had found lying on the floor for him, but nothing else.

Ira was standing at the entrance to the training ground, arms crossed and a stern look on her face. As Jett approached her, she said,

"Tomorrow, I expect you to be awake and ready when I arrive."

"Of course." Ira looked at him expectantly. "I swear." He added.

Ira snorted, then turned and walked into the training ground. Jett followed her towards the rack of weapons. Ira ran her hand across the weapons, then picked up a big, metal mace. She threw it in his direction and he barely caught it. His arm being yanked down with the weight of it.

Ira regarded him holding the mace.

"No." She held out her hand and Jett placed the weapon in it.

"What is it?" He asked gingerly.

"It doesn't suit you, you don't look comfortable with it. You have to be comfortable with your weapon in order to be at one with it. After all it is not your weapon that is fighting or killing, it is you."

She handed him an axe, but Jett hadn't had it in his hand for more than a second before Ira repeated,

"No." Ira took it back then handed him a long spear.

It was well-balanced and fit well in his hand, it sliced through the air perfectly.

"Good." Ira nodded her head. "Right, you have your weapon, now, we train."

Ira grabbed her spear and stood facing Jett in the middle of the clearing. She said,

"Now, I'm going to try to hit you with my spear, you have to make sure I don't succeed. Do whatever feels right for now and I will correct you later."

Then without a seconds pause she swung at him. But Jett wasn't ready and the spear struck his shoulder hard. He stumbled slightly.

"See, you weren't ready, you have to be aware constantly. Your opponent is not going to wait for you." Ira glared at him. She turned her back and then immediately swung her spear right around towards Jett. But this time he was ready. He ducked and the weapon sailed straight over his head. Ira smiled slightly.

"Good. You are learning well. Now I want you to try to hit me."

"With my spear? What if I hurt you?" Jett asked. Ira smirked.

"Don't worry, you won't."

Jett tightened his grip on his spear and ran at Ira. She sidestepped and Jett ran straight into the fence.

"I knew you were coming, you need the element of surprise otherwise you might as well tell me what you're going to do."

He ran at her once more. Ira knocked his spear away as if she were swatting away a fly and Jett stumbled to the side.

"Too predictable Jett." Ira raised an eyebrow at him smugly.

Jett swung around his spear to where Ira had her back to him, but she just stuck out her spear. The two weapons clashed in midair and in one swift movement she disarmed him. Jett's spear clattered to the ground.

"You really should try not to grimace every time you attack. It gives the game away a bit, don't you think?" Her lilted voice made Jett's muscles tense.

Without a second's hesitation he threw his weapon at Ira. It went straight towards its target, but Ira bent backwards and it flew over her harmlessly. Ira stood up straight again.

"Better. But this isn't about your timing or your movements. It's your face. I can read it like book, I know what you're going to do as soon as you think of it. You need to learn how to mask that Jett or you'll never win in a fight." Ira explained with a cool and steady voice.

"Just because you can read me doesn't mean all of my opponents will be able to as well." Jett retaliated. Ira stared at him with her calculating eyes.

"Yes, I agree, none of your opponents will be better than me. But I am training you, and I settle for nothing less than the best. So, you have to impress me, only when I am satisfied with you will you know that you are able defeat any opponent that comes your way." Her eyes glittered with amusement.

"Now, run around the whole camp five times, no stopping. I'll meet you at the Great Hearth for dinner." Jett stood there for a moment.

"Come on. Get going." She urged. Clapping her hands together.

Jett took off around the boundary of the camp.