Taming of the Lion (boy X boy)

Let's Be Rivals

Happy New Year!!

Remember in the intro when I said they had powers of sorts, well they are finally introduced in this chapter. They come in now because there's finally a reason for them... and I forgot about them for a little bit, but they're used now. :P

****************

Xander:

Everyone was sitting around on the floor playing a card game while we waited for more of Asher's family to arrive. After a couple of rounds of go fish, people started showing up.

Asher introduced me to everyone as they came in. There's some many of 'em I can't remember any of their names. There was a few of the kids around my age but most of them where younger.

It got so crowded in the cabin to where we had to move out to the park area.

I stayed close to Asher while he went around and talked with everyone. I didn't really feel like I belonged. There where mice, rabbits, sheep, I even saw a couple of monkey, and a lot of dogs... but I was the only cat. Ash said not to worry about it but I still couldn't help but feel out of place.

At one point I started to feel claustrophobic so I went and sat next to a tree. I start to play with the dirt, making trenches and a castle. A grabbed a couple of twigs and put makers for boundaries. It started to look like a real kingdom, with a castle and a wall, with guard towers and little village houses and farm lands outside the walls.

After I was happy with what it looked like, I started on another castle on my side. While I was in the middle of making the houses, a young monkey girl came up to me. She looked to be close to Jeff's age. "Hey, you, Aunt Carla said that you need to come and play a game." Her eyes sparkled. "And I can see that you have elemental control, what's your name?"

"Xander, what's yours?"

"Abigail. Now, Xander, you shall be my new rival." She said while holding out her hand. "Do you except my challenge, or are you to scared?"

I take her hand. "I'll be your rival, but I don't know what for."

She smiled. "Well, your an elemental and I'm an elemental, and there are a couple games for elementals. So you are going to be my rival for the games."

I shook her hand. "Okay then, let's play, shall we."

Her faced lighted up. "Yes, let's play, come on, follow me."

I stand up and Abigail looks up at me rather stunned. "You're tall."

I sigh. "Yep."

She then pulls me by the arm through the crowd of people to a wide open area. There where a few parents scattered here and there setting up stuff. Asher's mom came up to me and made me jump when she taped my shoulder from behind. "Xander, are you going to be playing in any of the games?"

Before I could answer Abigail chimed in. "Yes, and he's going to be my rival."

"Oh, okay. Have fun then, you two. The elemental games are first this year, so you better go get ready. Oh, and Gramaw Dasiy wants a head count before they begin so you might want to go to her too."

Abigail smiles. "Thanks Aunt Carla, we'll go do that."

And she dragged me along with her as she made her way across the field. We checked in with Gramaw Dasiy then went over to where the game was about to start.

There were three adults, four teens, and about five younger kids, all differing in age.

Abigail let go of me and went straight up to an adult goat. "I've been practicing, and I'm going to win this year. And Uncle Billy, I have a new rival and his name is Xander."

He answered back to her in a deep voice. "Good for you, but don't cry when I wipe the floor with you."

She stomped her foot. "I have a new rival, Uncle Billy." And with that she stomped back over to me.

"You need to beat Uncle Billy in the first round so that he can't be my rival anymore."

"Okay, I'll try. But, hey... um, I don't even know what this game is."

Abigail tried not to laugh. "Isn't it obvious?"

I looked around and saw that we where at the edge of a dirt bowl. Other then that and a few people, I still didn't get what was going on. I shook my head at her.

Abigail giggled a little. "First you gotta make a solid barrier, after you've established that you gotta start on your castle. So basically, the point of the game is to make the best castle without it falling apart."

"Sounds easy enough."

Abigail burst out laughing. When she could breathe again she said, "Easy... heh, no it's not easy. You also have to avoid other opponents who want to destroy your castle. Oh what, here comes Gramaw Dasiy, she'll explain the rules before the first round starts."

An old wolf women walks out in the grass in front of everyone lined up. "Now young ones, I'm about to go over the rules of sand castle so hush up." Everyone gets quiet. "Thank you. Now to being we'll have everyone sixteen and older in the first round, all of the younger kids in the second round, then whoever is remaining in the third round. Whoever finishes their castle in the time given in the first two rounds will move on to the third round. To begin you have to run out into the dirt and where ever you atop you have to stay until you are either disqualified or have made it to the end of the round. You can either stay on the outside of your castle wall or inside, but you can not be apart of wall or the castle. Let me remind you that if you choose to be outside your castle wall you can be hit by other opponents and if you are moved you are disqualified. The first round of sand castle will begin in two minutes."

Abigail pulls on my arm. "Do you get it now Xander?"

I nod my head. "Seems easy enough."

"Okay then good luck to ya, now go line up with the rest of round one."

I walk over to the edge of the dirt bowl with the rest of my opponents for the first round. Gramaw Dasiy starts to count down then everyone joins in.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three two,"

Here we go.

******************

Will Xander beat Uncle Billy in the first round, or will he be seeing him in the third round? Find out in the next part! :3