𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, bellamy blake ¹

27; a tale of two sisters

"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

― Sarah Williams

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NAOMI SHOVED HER ARMS OUT IN AN EXAMPLE OF A BLOW. The group of children around her copied, holding small branches. "Good, keep your hand like that," she told them. "Or you could injure your wrist. And then..." She flew forward in a kick, spinning her hand out to hit an imaginary opponent behind. Kasey threw out a leg and fell with a yell of excitement. Noe smiled at her. "Good try, Kasey. Spin your hips more when you jump, so you have momentum." She did the move again to imitate. None of the other children noticed her body shaking with the effort.

A young boy beside her laughed, kicking and only narrowly avoiding a tree. The moon cast enough light above them to be able to train. Naomi had taken them to a small forest inside the village walls, while waiting for Serena.

Amira imitated a tiny kick, swinging a twig. "Yah!" Naomi laughed, touching her head fondly. "I'm going to be a warrior! Like you!"

Noe grinned and kissed the five-year-old's head. "Like me?" Amira nodded her head eagerly. "Good." She stood again and showed a slashing movement with her pole.

A teenager from her left executed it perfectly, standing on one foot. Her red hair was tied up in a braid behind her. She had freckles covering her pale face. "Very good, Ley!"

Ley blushed lightly. "Thank you," she said.

Naomi tilted her head, lowering her pole. "You speak Gonasleng. You're not a warrior," she stated.

The younger girl smiled. "My mother taught me."

"Was your mother a warrior?"

"One of the best," said Ley. "Her name was Ailith."

The kids beside Naomi began to pretend battle each other, clattering their sticks together around their heads. "Ailith. Have I heard that name before?"

Ley shrugged, pulling her red braids over her shoulder. Her round, brown eyes were gentle. Naomi could see Charlotte reflected in them. "Probably," Ley replied. She looked downwards. "She was well known."

Naomi cocked her head. She gave Ley a slight smile, touching her arm. "But you're a healer?" She paused. "Nyko's second, right?"

"Yes," said Ley. "I'm training to be one."

Naomi turned to respond but her eyes focused on a scene beyond Ley's shoulder. Amira was pouncing on her older sister, shoving Kasey to the ground. "Yah! Yah!" Amira hit her sister with her twig. "Ah!"

"Hey!" Naomi pulled Amira from her sister. "Warriors don't hit their sisters."

"Really?" asked Amira.

"Yes. You want to be a warrior, don't you?"

She nodded her head eagerly.

Kasey shoved her sister off her and raised her pole. "I am the COMMANDER!" Naomi blocked the blow before it came down on her sister. She smiled, amused, and wrenched the stick from the child's hands. Kasey huffed with disappointment, pursing her lips at Naomi. Noe mimicked the expression, tapping Kasey on the head. She laughed gently.