Unknown Factors (Book One)

Ch.114: He won't contain

  "Nonnomen! Nonnomen!" There was child-like chanting, and I groaned as I knew damn well there were kids bouncing on me. Not that this was an unusual occurrence, I had quickly become a novelty to the children with the way I looked. Then, once they had ruled I was no threat, they were often jumping on me, hanging from my limbs, or following after me wherever I went.

  "What?" I grunted.

  "You're going to miss your trial!" They giggled, and I huffed while rolling over. Months had passed since I had arrived in the village, and my armband was filling up with shells with every trial I passed, rising up in the ranks of the tribe, but now I had reached the point where combat training and sparring were introduced to what normally would be teenagers.

  Of course, I was no teenager, but since I hailed from no tribe as far as any of us knew, I had never gone through the trials until now.

  "Nonnomen! Come on! Come on!" The kids chanted, physically dragging me out of bed by my tail and ankles.

  "You brats!" I bared my teeth in a show of warning, but they only giggled and snarled right back at me. "Okay, okay. I'm up." Sighing, I exited the small sleeping room and stepped onto the branch just outside the door. Plopping down right there, my tail wrapped around the branch, and a couple of the kids took place behind me, braiding my hair to get it out of the way. One of the others sat in front of me, his tail clutching to my arm since his tail wasn't long enough yet to grab the branch. A line seemed to form where we were all braiding each other's hair for the day- Another common occurrence that started shortly after my arrival.

  It was somewhat difficult to get to the training grounds due to the giggling children clinging to my arms and legs while two more were on my back. They didn't disperse until I actually reached the training grounds, and they ran off to go play elsewhere.

  "Nonnomen. You are late." The older female declared with a stern face, and the group of teenagers laughed.

  "Did you not just see the swarm on me?"

  "Make sure it doesn't happen again." She lightly hit me on the head with the training staff she had.

  "Ow! Yes, ma'am."

  "Your tardiness has given you the first spot, runt." She pointed at the circle in the dirt, and my shoulders slumped. "Any volunteers on her opponent?" Every hand in the group raised. Most of them had basic battle training from their families, so they knew they would have the upper hand on me- that, and the fact that even though I was an adult, I was the same size as them and even shorter in some cases. "Aice, you're up." She pointed, and a broad male stepped into the circle. "Remember, you are your own weapon. You have claws- use them. Teeth- use them. They could mean the difference between life and death." The older woman declared, standing tall with the staff at her side.

  "If we're our own weapons, why do we have bows and staffs?" I raised my hand, and I was hit on the head again. "Ow!"

  "Staffs are for training you lot. Bows are for the guard. You want either of these, pass and become a teacher or a guard." She barked, and the teens laughed at me again. "Now, begin!"

  "Whoa!" I jumped back to avoid the sudden fist swung my way, but the teacher's staff tapped my calf.

  "Remain in the circle, runt."

  "Right." Stepping back into the safe zone, I looked at the teen in front of me. Judging from the shells on his armband, this wasn't his first sparring trial.... Great. I was about to get my ass handed to me, wasn't I? 'Should have just stayed in bed.' I thought as the boy came at me again.