Choices and Consequences

Chapter 2

I wake up early after a restless night, unable to fall into a deep sleep. I feel exhausted, but I am also very excited and scared for what is going to happen today. I still haven't chosen yet. I don't know if I can choose. As I get dressed I think about my choices and what they did last month. Every month we do the choosing ceremony for those who've turned 18, usually it's at the end of the month, and since mine is the end of the month, I didn't get a lot of preparation for today. I think over my options and decide on one that I think would suit me well, and hope that I'm not wrong. If I am, I will be an outsider, living outside the village, by myself.

I head downstairs for the ceremony, since I am the only one to turn 18 this month, I am the only one choosing; no one to delay my choice. I walk through the kitchen and into the living room and see that the Mentors have already arrived. I look around and see that not all of them are elders, but they are the eldest in their lifestyle. The builder is an elderly woman; someone I would consider a grandma, same as the medicine healer, caretaker, teacher and leader. The only one not elderly is the warrior mentor; instead she is around my mother's age, probably younger.

As I look around at them, I know my choice is made. I walk around the room, looking each of them in the eyes and bowing my head in acknowledgement. "It's now or never." I think as I stop in front of my choice; shocking everyone in the room, including myself. I have always been a nice and gentle person, which is why my choice shocked everyone, but once it was made, there was no going back. I kneel down in front of my new mentor; the warrior, Aresia; named after the Greek God of War, she gives the name a new meaning.

"Savahna, rise and join me outside." Aresia says then walks away; not looking to see if I will follow her. Trying to appear calm, I gently get up and follow Aresia. Once I get outside, I look around and don't see her; looking in the trees, on the ground, around the house. I go back to the front door and look closely at the ground, noticing that there is a set of footprints leading away from the path and over to a small cluster of trees. Looking at the base of the trees, I can see that the bark on the bottom of the tallest tree has been scraped off.

"It must be the initiation already. Let's see if I made the right choice." I think to myself as I climb the tree. Looking up as I climb I can see a leg hanging over a branch close to the top. As I quietly make my way up the tree, I keep an eye on the leg; hoping that it belongs to Aresia. When I am closer to the leg; close enough to touch it, I speak. "Is that you, Aresia?" Climbing higher, I settle down onto the branch beside the one with the leg dangling off it. I look over, but the face of the person beside me is covered with shadows; hidden from my view.

"I see you have found me. What gave me away?" Aresia asks as she leans forward into the light.

"There were foot tracks leading away from the house towards the trees. Once I had found the tracks, I followed them to the trees and saw the scrapes at the bottom of this tree. So I decided to climb it and see, I went with my instincts. When I saw your leg hanging off the branch, I knew that I chose the right tree." I explain to Aresia, keeping my gaze on her face the whole time; not showing any weaknesses.

"Very good, you missed a few points, but not bad for a beginner. For instance, you missed the ring I had placed at the bottom of the tree." Aresia explains, watching me as I reach into the front pocket in my jacket. Slowly I pull out the ring, trying not to catch any threads in the wiring. It is a beautiful ring; a thin line of gold with a small ruby embedded into it. Ruby, my energy stone. I think to myself.

I extend my hand and offer the ring to Aresia. "Do you mean this ring?" I ask innocently as she reaches for it. I let her take the ring and watch as she looks it over, contemplating what to do next.

"Very well, I see you didn't miss it then." She offers me the ring back and watches as I slide it onto my middle finger. "You have passed the first challenge, and as a reward you can keep it. May it give you strength when you are weak." She finishes and slides off of the branch, landing softly onto the ground. "Meet me in the arena at dawn to begin the rest of your training." With that, she ran off towards the center of the community.

***

I head home, my mind still numb from what I've done. "I'm not a warrior! What am I doing?!" I ask myself this all the way, realizing after 10 minutes of walking that I have not walked home, instead to The Edge. I go to Jo's tree and climb it, seeing that Jo is not here. I sit on my branch and think about the day's events, how it could've been different, put not seeing how I ever could have picked something else. Mother always said to follow my heart; now look at where I am. Absent minded I turn the ring on my finger, feeling the smoothness of the band and the roughness of the stone as it passes by.

"Ahna? What are you doing here?" I hear from beneath me suddenly, making me jump. I look down and see Jo's little sister, Zavila, looking up at me through the leaves.

"Oh, hi Vi. How are you?" I ask as I climb down to her. The closer I get, the more clearly I can see the similarities between the siblings; the same green eyes and black hair, though Vi's is waist length. I reach the bottom branches and sit on one, holding it firmly between my legs I let myself drop; hanging upside down in front of her.

"I'm good. How was your choosing ceremony? What did you choose? When do you start initiation?" Vi bursts out, barely able to say the words as they are going so fast. I reach over and put my hand over her mouth, stopping her in the middle of a question.

"Vi, you know the rules as well as I do. You know I can't tell you anything, not until it is official and I've been accepted as an apprentice. Now let's get you home before you can get into any trouble, if you haven't already." I laugh as I swing out of the tree, landing on my feet beside her.