Beast Hunter

Chapter 2

SOPHIA' POV

After the Lioners had breakfast, it's now time for the new members to be initiated and welcomed as official members. We all gathered in the same arena that we are training. The arena is near the lake, it is wide. It doesn't have any roof. It just looks like a big field but it has borders around made of logs. The logs is placed horizontally and has a height of 6 feet. At the left side of the arena is a mini stage, meant for something like this. At the side, is where we usually have our breakfast every morning. There are long tables and some benches. My dad was nowhere to be seen, so I approached Uncle Marcus that is standing on the side of the mini stage preparing for the initiation.

"Hey." I wave a little to get his attention.
"Oh, hi Sophia!" he replies with a smile after he instructed one of our older member, Oliver to prepare.
"Uhm, I haven't seen dad during breakfast. Where could he be?" I asked looking in his eyes. Oddly, he looks anywhere but me. "He said he had some business to attend to." he answers in a rather quick tone. I'm curious as to where my father could be at this important time. I just nod and get back to Lisa together with the others who will be initiated today.

Uncle Marcus then climb to the podium, and tap the microphone. When he is sure that it is working, he started the initiation.
"Lioners. Today, we welcome new members as official hunters!" Everyone applause and Lisa together with the others are ushered to the stage. And the initiation ceremony started with the pledge.
Lisa is so excited that she is the first one in line.

"I, Lisa Wedger, pledge my loyalty to the Lionheart. As a member, I will fulfill my duty as a hunter. To protect not only our people but also humanity. I pledge to be loyal and faithful. I am a Lioner forevermore!" she said over-enthusiastically. I am smiling the whole time. After the pledge, uncle Marcus get the attention of Oliver. He is the one who marks every members. It's like a tattoo and it's permanent. He is holding his thing, I don't really know what's that called, and he starts marking Lisa's shoulder. Every member has it. It's a circle with the letters LH inside. It's our mark. It's colored with red ink symbolizes our blood compact to be a Lioner forever. After the marking, she will now be presented to the Lioners.
"I now present you a new Lioner, Lisa Wedger!" She now climb the 10 feet wooden stand and puts her arms crossed in her breast. 6 male Lioners are waiting for her to let herself fall backwards into their arms for them to catch her. This is one way of saying we trust each other. She had a big smile plastered on her face as she turns around, close her eyes and fall backwards. Everyone applaud to this and she is now an official Lioner.

She runs to me and hugged me while tears are brimming in her eyes.
"I am so happy for you, Lissy!" I hugged her as tightly as she was hugging me. "Thank you, Sophie! I'm so happy for myself too!" she retorted laughing as she let me go. I'm so happy for her, really. She is like a sister to me. After the incident 10 years ago, we are the only family left for her. Her mom and dad died that day too.

We are running into the woods and I don't know what to do or where to go. After I dragged Lisa with me, I don't know what happened anymore. Our faces are flushed. We had tears and sweat combined together. I don't know how we arrived here. All I know is that I dragged Lisa with me and we keep on running while our tears are falling hard. We stopped under a big tree which has vines cascading down it's way to the ground. I think we will be safer if we hide behind it. It blends perfectly in the woods that no one might be able to see us.
"Lisa, listen to me." I faced her and put my hands in her shoulder. "I think no one will find us here. Let's stay here for tonight. Maybe tomorrow we can go back to see what happened, okay?" she nodded her head fast while crying. She is still 7 years old. And I'm just a year older. We need to be strong specially that we are the only ones here. I wipe my tears away,"We should stay quiet. We might get caught if we don't, okay?" she nods again and tries her best to stop her cries. I hugged her and we sit on the ground with our backs on the tree trunk. I fall asleep in that position fast, maybe because of exhaustion...

"A penny for your thoughts?" Lisa playfully punched me and pushed me towards the training ground of the arena. I haven't noticed that the ceremony has ended and everyone is now getting ready to go back to training. I must have spaced out.
"I was just thinking how I got a best friend like you." I playfully told her and run away. "You! Come back here!" She laughs and chase me until we reach the area where the bows and arrows are.
"Sophie? Can you teach me how to use this?" she asked me while getting a bow and putting the bag of arrows on her back. While she's still in yard training (self training), she always asks me to teach her and I promised her that after her initiation, I will teach her how to use it.
"Sure!" I also gathered my things and prepare. We are facing the target and I ushered her to try at least one shot. She did and it didn't even hit the target. I just laughed at her while she pouted at me.
"Okay, first, position your arms like this. Then get an arrow, it's much easier if you put the bag sideways, like this" I arranged her bag of arrows and position my arms for her to follow my lead. "Then you elbow must be alined with your shoulder for a better aim, then," I glanced at what she is doing and I caught her closing her one eye.
"Don't close your one eye. If you do that, the focus is only on what you are seeing with your opened eye. Look ate the edge of the arrow and focus. Then focus your eyes on the target and shot!" I shot and it hits at the very center of the target where the heart is supposed to be. She also follows after me and shot and she hits the target. 5 circles from the center.
"Not bad, Lissy." Just remember those tips, 'kay?" I pat her shoulder and she nods at me. She looks so serious while practicing with her archery skills now. "I will just go to the combat okay?" She nodded again while still focusing on her arrow. I smiled and turn around.

As what I have told Lisa, I went to the combat section and look for someone to have a combat with. I saw Derek sitting on the side drinking water.
"Hey, dude!" I give him a small punch and sit next to him in the bench. "Combat me?" I ask him. He smirk and stands up. "Come on!" he sounds excited. "I missed having a combat with you." he said. Derek is Marcus' son.  We came from the same village and we gow up together. He is like my boy-bestfriend. He is just a little older than me. We used to train together with Lisa few years back also. We flirt a little and some may even see us as a couple. We just laugh it off. But deep inside, I wished we were. I had a huge crush on him since then but he never asked me if he could court me. So I just go with the flow.
"Okay, game on, dude!" he said. We call each other dude. The origin of that nicknames is actually funny.

One night I was coming from school. I've been late because I got caught up with a project that needed to be passed by the next day. And It's raining hard that time. I can barely see the way. I was very wet and I rush to get inside the house. He, on the other hand, is at the door waiting for his little brother, Brad, who got caught up at school too. As I ran, I collided with him and he thought I was his little brother and immediately pull me up since I fall on my butt and covered  me with the towel he's holding for him, which by the way, makes me feel warm instantly, and said "Dude! Are you okay?" and I answered "Dude??" I was confused and he dragged me by the light. He scratch the back of his head while looking at me as if he is shy. I just laughed at him and say thanks. And that's when Lisa came down holding a towel that's supposedly for me. And Brad arrived. So it gets a little awkward after and that's when we started calling each other dude and they started teasing us.

"Alright!" I position myself and we started our mini sparring. I stared at him and wait for his next move. We observe each other and slowly circles one another. He suddenly uses his left leg to give me a kick which I dodge easily. We circle each other again and he throw a right punch at me which I caught on and dodge again throwing an upper cut at him which got him surprised. He dodge a little so I just hurt him a little. "Woah! Chill dude!" He said backing away from me. I followed after him and give him punches and kicks which he also caught on.

Our stunts went on and on. Punching, kicking, dodging. And repeat. We didn't notice the time just sparring with each other. It's time for lunch now. If some of the teenagers didn't tease us saying we are lovey-dovey, we will not stop. We did our  handshake and went to get lunch together. "You're still good, dude. Or shall I say, getting better." I complemented him. He just laugh, "You are getting prettier, dude. Or shall I say, gorgeous." He rebutted and wink at me. Then went away with a smile. That makes me feel warm. I felt mushy inside.
"I saw that." said Lisa and stand next to me to get her lunch. And that's how it always is. Him flirting at me and me getting giddy. But that's just it. Nothing more.

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