The Snake Warriors

Chapter Twelve

I storm off the training grounds. 

"Sorcha, wait!" Lotus calls. I don't care. I failed again. I can't do it. If I can't harness this magic, I shouldn't even bother. I got the Remnants' hopes up, and now I've let them down. They'll never get their home back. I've just been leading them on.

"Hey, she said to wait," I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"What are you doing out here Foxtail?" I turn to face him. Why does he have his hands on his hips?

"Waiting on you two to finish up. What are you doing?"

"None of your business," I grumble and turn around. He catches my arm.

"Mess up again?" he asks. I wince.

"Hey, don't worry about it."

"I've been leading you all on. How could I not worry about it?"

"Look, Sorcha, I have no idea how hard it is for you to do this magic. None of us do. Hell, I don't even know that much about magic. What I do know is that lesser people would have given up by now, and not because they felt like they were lying to the people who took them in, but because they thought it was too hard. You are much stronger than that. And you can do it. I believe in you. Lotus, Spring, and even Zadimus do too."

"That might be the first time I've heard you compliment Zadimus," I start walking again.

"It is, but don't get used to it," Foxtail follows me.

"I won't."

"Compliments aside, maybe you're thinking about this the wrong way."

"What do you mean?"

"You're used to following strict training regiments, right?"

"Yes. That's how I memorized most of the herbal spells I use."

"Sounds about right. Well, Lotus is a bit looser. She lets things happen naturally, but she guides things towards her end goal."

"And?"

"And I think that might be closer to how your magic needs to work. Instead of forcing it out, it needs to happen naturally-"

"And if I can figure out how to do that, I can learn to work with it," I finish for him.

"Exactly."

"There's just one problem with this mindset."

"Yeah?"

"Never in my life have I learned magic or any other practical skill like that. I've always studied with cold hard analysis or other methods that are more... structured."

"Sorcha, when has any of that involved quitting?"

"What?" I stop and turn to look at him.

"Why else would you walk off the training ground like that? For a snack? I don't think so," Foxtail crosses his arms.

"So?"

"So snap out of it! This isn't something you would normally do. You shouldn't let failure scare you this badly. Not only is it completely unlike you, it's also unhealthy."

"What would you rather me do then? Keep pretending I can save a lost kingdom from giant snakes when in actuality I'm probably the most useless person who could have joined you?"

"I wouldn't put it that way, but yes. That is exactly what I would rather you do, because it brings you that, much closer to saving Mallor. And for the record, you're not the least useless person to join the Remnants. That honor goes Fig Jinglejump."

I give him a look.

"I'm not making that up. His name is actually Fig Jinglejump. He's some sort of faerie creature. I think Lotus only keeps him around because she feels bad for him."

"Surely he does something."

"He offers moral support. That's about it."

Silence overtakes us. After a moment, I sigh.

"Alright, I'll give it another try. And I'll try to be more... loose."

Foxtail gives me a smile. Well, the best thing he can manage for a smile.

"That's the spirit, Sorcha. Let's head back." He turns, and I follow him.