Chapters of a Life: Trainee (Complete)

20

I never thought I would ever love a morning, yet today I do. Yesterday we had fought an enemy that had used our loved ones against us. Those of us who had survived had gathered our wounded for care, our dead for burial, the enemy wounded were in a cave that had been magically reinforced, and the enemy dead had been tossed into the river for Mother Earth to dispose of. Troels had complained heavily against this plan, so I asked him to flush them downstream out of our territory before casting them upon the shore for the carrion birds to devour. This everyone thought was a fine idea. Laying here thinking of what had been done and what needed to be done, all I wanted to do was roll over and pull my blanket over my head. "I know yer in there", Oya hollers at me from the door.

"Go away, you tree scratcher", I yell back.

"Tree scratcher? That's the best you got?" She says laughing at the bottom of my ladder.

Rolling out of the loft and landing beside her I growled, mumbling about loud and ungrateful creatures. We left heading for Otetiani's, halfway there "'Ooo, here's some food", she pulled out some bread with slices of meat between it. "Don't tell Emily I forgot to give it to ya. She's already mad at me." She says with a shrug and grimace. I was too tired to even ask what it was all about, just another thing to file for later review.

"May we enter?" I call out as we stand outside Otetiani's lodge.

I can hear Emily begin to speak when another voice interrupts her, "Come in come in, tell us what we missed"

Upon entering, the room is so much brighter and lighter than yesterday, Otetiani and his circle are sitting in their positions, just like yesterday but today there was a feeling of peace in the air that had been missing yesterday. "Great one how may I serve you?" I say bowing down before the circle.

"You are family and that is much too formal for family," he says before gesturing for me to come to him. "These old bones need to rest a few days before we can be fully healed. But you need not worry Emily will have us all back up in no time. Now tell us what you know." He says, the paleness of his face and his lack of energy is scary.

"I am sure you know exactly what happened here yesterday, my words will not change the facts. It is not the past I wish to speak with you about." I tell him.

Raising an eyebrow he asks, 'what'

"I wish to cut my hair as a mourning sign for my lost family." This was not the first time I had lost family. Sorley and Iasan had been lost when our group ran into a bear while out on patrol, but this time we were in battle. So it called for a warrior's death sign. Touching my face gently we leaned into each other till our foreheads met, "Of course my child, this is a great sacrifice you make for your family. It will be done tonight at the burial."

"Thank you," I told him before moving away to greet the rest of the circle.

"Fawn how are you feeling?" I asked, she had been badly cut up by the witch who held her form.

"I will heal", she said grabbing my hand and kissing it. "Thank you for saving us".

"I did no such thing. I simply did as my masters taught me. Use my head, listen to my wolf, hear my heart, and take nothing at face value." I told her with a smile.

"You did enough. We also heard how you took charge after the battle to get the wounded care, deal with the enemy and care for the dead". Said Two horses, one of the warriors of the circle. He had never cared for me and had made it known, these were high words of praise indeed.

I bowed my head to him, acknowledging his words, since I had no words for him.

Oya cleared her voice, causing me to glance in her directions. She had a smirk on her face, "Good to hear that Two Horses has not let a near-death experience change him." She said poking at the old male.