Fox Of Greed (Greedy Fox Book 1)

~~ TWELVE ~~

"Raise your hands higher, Estra!" Meliodas commanded, and I did as he asked. "Higher!"

"Any higher and they'll be above my head!" I snapped at him.

"Widen your stance," he said, tapping my right ankle with a stick. I shifted my foot further out. "Relax your arms in that position."

After much begging and pleading, Meliodas had finally given in and had agreed to teach me how to fight. Hawk's mum needed a rest, so we had stopped near a little farming town, surrounded by fields of livestock and wheat waiting for harvest. However, I hadn't been expecting this.

"Now hold that position!"

Hands raised up, fists before my face, with my feet staggered wide, I stared down my imaginary foe. Well, more like a random cow in the distance eating grass. A tic began in my eyebrow before I dropped my arms and turned on Meliodas.

"I thought you said you'd be teaching me how to fight," I complained.

"I am."

"I'm not learning anything here," I continued. "All you've had me do all day is stand in this stupid stance! Could we at least battle each other with sticks, since they resemble swords because nowadays, everyone in the whole countryside seem to be – OOF!"

My head jerked up, stars dancing in my vision before my knees gave way and I collapsed on the ground. Groaning, I rubbed my aching chin.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" I spat out a wad of blood, searching my jaw for any missing teeth. Luckily, they were there, canines and all; I must have bitten my tongue when my teeth clacked together from the punch.

"You weren't ready," Meliodas stated, grinning down at me.

Snarling, I pounced at him but he nimbly dodged. Oh how I wanted to claw that smug smile off his face as I darting out with my fists. He merely walked backwards, avoiding my blows.

"Just stand still!" I growled, aiming a blow for his head.

Somehow, I ended up on the ground again. The centre of my chest ached and I curled in on myself, heaving for air.

"See," Meliodas gestured to me, proving his point.

I snapped my teeth at him, then slunk away, sick and tired of training. Giving up was not normally an option unless I was faced with a formidable foe. Or embarrassed because I lacked the skills to perform a task.

"Oh Estra," Elizabeth welcomed me as I entered the tavern. "So how is the training going?"

Her hands stilled on the plate she was drying when I glowered at her, entering the back room and rummaging around in the cool box thingy that kept the meat, well, cool. Procuring a block of ice and stealing the towel from Elizabeth's hands, I slumped at a table.

"Have a guess," I sighed, gingerly placing the ice up under my jaw. It stung and my tears watered in my eyes.

"It can't be that bad," she said, moving around the tavern with her chores. I just rolled my eyes.

"Hey, Estra!" Meliodas shouted from outside. "You coming back out?" I could hear his footsteps on the little wooden steps.

Gulping, I rose from the table slowly... before bolting out the back door, leaving the block of ice as the only clue I had existed there. Hawk squawked when I jumped over him and disappeared into a field of golden wheat.

Surrounded by the wavering stalks, I finally stopped. Hands on knees, it took me precious seconds to recover from my sudden panic induced sprint. Recovering, I waddled deeper into the wheat, putting distance between me and the tavern. No way was I returning to that disaster of a training session.