Elemental: The Luna Legend

58. The Days That Followed: Day 1

We shifted into high gear after that. The pack meeting took place that night at dinner. There were plenty of disgruntled people who refused to train and left the pack the next day. Their numbers were 500 before the attack. 245 after the attack. And after dinner, we had about 180 wolves.

It was going to be hard to train 180 people properly in one week away from prying eyes but it had to be done.

I asked Lavinia to help with training too since she was already made captain of the Air squad. She agreed. Rue had not come to the funeral nor the training because she was still a bit shy of crowds. And also she said she had her own training with San to do.

I haven't figured out what her type of magic is. She doesn't use elemental magic but she has fire powers. She is technically a witch but she doesn't have a wand and she has a spirit familiar. Mage and witch don't suit her. She's a brand new kind of magic wielder...I'll have to think about it some more.

The group of wolves I was assigned were a little bit on the jittery side. Nox took the loudest and obnoxious because let's face it, they can't pull stunts around him. Nia took the tough ones who just needed a little fine-tuning in their technique. I was assigned the unsure ones. They didn't want to leave the pack but they didn't actually want to fight.

The groups were split up into two classes, attackers and defenders. I didn't mind my group...they were scared but they were determined.

I took them on a run...5 miles around half the territory as a warm-up. Being wolves, they were naturally fit but some have not pushed their limit in a while or ever and it was showing. Their bodies would heal fast and therefore they weren't exhausted for long. We then moved into basic defence stances and techniques. Some of the women bitched but got in line. The other women were happy to finally be allowed to train. The men were the problem at times.

"Hey, Stacy! You can take me down and get on top anytime you want!" One of those blockheads hollered and his friends snickered.

I get it, I trained men before. Sometimes humour is the only way they express, what they consider, their less macho emotions. But this was a matter of life and death.

"Haha very funny Troy," I countered, "keep that attitude up and I will be your sparring partner." The other boys were "oooh"-ing and laughing at him.

I've met guys like Troy before. They acted out when they don't feel masculine enough and when someone calls them on it, they get mad and defensive. I decided it was time to teach a real lesson.

"Ma'am, no offence, but I am a full-grown wolf, it wouldn't be a fair fight."

"Ha ha ha..." more fake laughing, "I might be more than 100 years old, but ma'am is a term of respect. You do not respect me therefore you do not get to address me as Ma'am."

The boys around him went silent, but my blood started heating up. "You may be a full-grown wolf, but anyone with a solid attack plan can take you down within a heartbeat." The whispers were heard all around the group of roughly 50 people. The women and men who took it seriously agreed. The rest...not so much.

"Prove it then." He said with a smirk.

Young males...so easily baited. "You have 30 seconds to immobilise me. I will not use any powers or magic."

"You think I'm scared of a little water?" Some of his friends laughed.

"We'll see." I smiled. Oh, he's going to learn today.

He attacked. He was fast but the punch he threw had no real damaging force behind it because his body posture was wrong. I grabbed his fist and twisted it down. "Lesson one, if you're gonna throw a punch, you throw it from your chest and shoulder, not your forearm."

He swung the other fist up to my face. I head-butted it, hearing a little crack as I did. He grunted in pain. "Lesson two, don't attack blindly. Know the sensitive and weak spots of your enemy and attack those. It's not about being strong. It's about being smart."

He ripped his fist from my grasp and started sporting fangs. His beast was starting to come out. "Lesson three, never lose control of your emotions during a fight. Emotions cloud judgement. And a clouded judgement is the quickest way to get killed."

I looked at my watch and noticed I had 15 seconds left.

He ran at me full force and tackled me to the ground.

I used the momentum to roll a few times and get on top of him, throwing a quick jab to his nose, breaking it and few quick punches to his chest, stressing his ribs.

"Lesson four, If your enemy underestimates you, use it to your advantage," I said getting up and walking a few steps away. "A false sense of confidence is also the quickest way to take them down."

I turned my back and took a look at my watch. 5 seconds. Better wrap this up. Some of the wolves were cheering and hollering while others were taking what I said into account. I felt him behind me.

"Lesson 5, all is fair in war." I ducked down and threw a left hook to his midsection. "You can't complain about someone playing dirty when lives are on the line. Sometimes you need to think like the enemy to defeat them." While he was hunched over, stood up effectively head butting him.

He was on the ground and the people started shouting. "5..."

"Well, Troy?"

"4.."

More grunts of pain.

"3"

He slowly tries to get up.

"2"

He falls down again clutching his ribs.

"One," I said softly.

I kneeled beside him and drew water from the stream closest to us. "This is not a game," I said as I started healing his ribs.

"If you called out to Stacy during a battle, Stacy would be dead and it would be your fault." His eyes were closed but tears flowed out. I moved from his chest to his arms. I spoke a little louder for everyone to hear.

"Training is for the upcoming challenge and you have to treat it as such. No fooling around, no joking and no flirting. If you can't do it during a fight, don't do it during training. After or before training is fine. But when you're here, we are a unit. If one of us fails, we all fail. We must be strong individually and as a group. This is what wolves are. Strong on their own yet better together."

After he was done healing, everyone stood around as if sensing just how serious the situation has become.

"I am here to help, but I can only help if you let me. This is your pack. Your land. Your friends and family." I looked and saw Troy getting up and looking a little bit ashamed. But nonetheless determined.

"Wolves protect their own. You didn't have a chance to do it before but now you do. I am offering you a chance to avenge those who died at the hands of witches and to protect those who are here right now. The children, the elderly, the sick...your brothers, mothers, fathers, sisters, friends...all of them now depend on you."

I looked around as they realise the weight they have on them. "I'm not going to force anyone to train. If you want to leave, you can go see Beta Mason. But if you're willing to take on the role as a defender of this pack. Right here at 6 am tomorrow. Bring your game face."

I turned around and started jogging away to cool down. It was a few seconds before I heard footsteps behind me. The wolves were jogging with me. I sped up and so did they, not once complain as they did in the beginning.

That was how the week started off.