"Time's up!". Florence heard the teacher call the class back to him. She started to shake, but she shook her head and ran back to the teacher. "Now for the race!" The teacher led them to a large field where all of the students lined up accordingly and braced themselves for the race ahead. Some of the students whispered to each other a murmur of 'good luck.' and 'you can do it." fluttered through the air and Florence looked at the scraggly grass below her paws. Flaco rubbed his paws together "ON YOUR MARKS GET SET....GO!!" Their excited teacher called out. Florence ran the fastest she could. Her paws tore up the grass beneath her and her lungs heaved for another breath. Florence felt someone trample over her tail. She dared not to look back for it was probably just Apollo or Talon causing trouble. Florence kept running until her legs ached her chest hurt and her eyes painfully watered. Finally, she skidded to a stop she'd reached the finish line and her teacher called for his students again. Florence dragged her body over to the teacher and looked around at her fellow classmates. "Good job students. Let's go catch some fish now! Who's excited?" The class moaned and followed Flaco. Florence followed her class into a small trial that led to the best stream in the whole jungle. Bubbling water filled Florence's ears and she took a deep breath in. "Class, it's time to fish. Catch at least five in 30 minutes." The class nodded. And the teacher inhaled and yowled "GO!" Florence scampered over to the stream and gently put her paw into the rushing water. She slowed her ragged breathing and stayed completely still. Slowly one by one Florence caught a fish, as the fish swam up the stream Florence caught them with her quick paws. Briskly Florence placed the five fish on the soft moss beside them and watched them jump and wiggle. After a few minutes, the teacher called out again. "TIMES UP!" "CLASS. It's time for the LAST TEST." The class whispered frantically to each other. "Don't worry if you've studied well you're sure to pass this test.'' The class hastily followed their teacher to the teaching cave where cubs were lined up on small tables with things like milk, juice, and cloth beside them. Flaco assigned each jaguar to a cub and sat down next to the hawk-eyed mothers of the cubs. Florence stared down at her cub; he had dirty fur and chubby cheeks. Florence sighed and grabbed a cloth as she had been taught to do. She wiped the dirt off of the jaguar cub's fur and combed his messy fur with her claws. The little cub started to cry. She grabbed a bottle of milk out of the three choices she had milk, juice, or water. And fed it to the baby cub she rocked him to sleep and whispered to him. Suddenly Florence heard a choking sound and then a thud and she turned her head to the back of the room one of her classmates had shoved a bottle of milk up the throat of a cub and dropped the tiny cub onto the floor. Florence gasped and put her paw to her mouth. The mother of the cub was enraged; she screamed at Florence's classmate and left the room with her baby. "Class continue! Acacius, you failed the test." Flaco ordered. Florence continued to take care of her baby submissively. Finally, Flaco yowled for a stop. "THE LAST TEST IS FINISHED. CONGRATULATIONS STUDENTS YOU ARE READY TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STAGE." their teacher's voice cracked and he wiped a tear from his eye. "I'm so proud of all of you. you've come so far.." Flaco shook his head and smiled. "If you have completed two or more tests follow me. If you haven't go to the back of the teaching cave and wait there for me." Florence looked down at the floor and followed her successful classmates most of them were excitedly jumping up and down, clapping their paws together or cheering. Florence slowly made her way to her teacher as the line thinned. Flaco's eyes brightened and he smiled "congratulations Florence. You did a great job. I'm so happy I got to teach you." He handed Florence a small silver medal, on it there was a proud jaguar standing with one paw up looking into a jungle. "You are now a Rightful One. meet me back here tomorrow for your first day of being a Rightful One. I'll get you started off and after that, you'll be on your own." He patted Florence on the back. "Now off with you!" he said jokingly. "Florence mumbled a reply and quietly made her way to the path that led back to the village. What was she going to do? She didn't want this title, this job. She didn't want any of this. Florence ran down the path and into the village. All around her were excited jaguars showing off their medals to their parents. Florence ignored them and raced to her path. she squashed herself into her tunnel ignoring the scrapes and wounds she caused herself. The familiar field greeted her. Florence huffed and tried to catch her breath. "RIVER!" she screamed. No one came. Florence curled up in the field. 'River what do I do?" she whispered. She forced herself up. "What am I doing? I have to get back home to my mother..." Florence padded to her cave the sun was setting. She looked up and her mother sat worriedly on the edge of the cave. "Florence have you been?" Her mother scooped her up. "Well did you pass?" Florence held up her medal. "Florence! Florence! I'm so proud of you!" Florence mumbled and crashed onto her bed. Florence? Florence? Florence?
