Chapter 22: The First Lesson

AUREN'S POV

"You're late."

I stopped at the edge of the training grounds and looked at Maelis.

"I'm only—"

"You are late," she repeated, folding her arms. "The sun was already up when you walked out of your room."

I glanced toward the eastern sky, warriors already filled the grounds.

Some sparred with wooden swords, others wrestled in the sand.

A group of younger wolves ran laps around the field while an older warrior shouted corrections without slowing his own pace.

The sound of wood striking wood echoed across the courtyard.

Sweat, dust, laughter, grunts.

Everything moved together like one heartbeat.

"I didn't know training started this early," I admitted, rubbing my palms together.

"It always does." Maelis started walking, I hurried after her.

"The first lesson in Emberfall," she said without looking at me, "is that danger doesn't wait until you're ready."

We stopped beside a rack filled with wooden staffs, several warriors noticed us.

Some smiled politely, others simply nodded before returning to their training.

No one whispered, no one stared.

It still felt strange, a horn sounded once.

Every warrior stopped what they were doing, I blinked.

Ronan stepped onto the raised platform overlooking the grounds, he didn't give a grand speech.

Every warrior straightened.

Each of them placed a fist over their chest.

"Morning, Alpha."

The greeting rolled across the field as one voice.

Ronan returned the gesture.

“ I want to assure you all warriors that you don't need to ask, would it be me soon?, just like Finn." Ronan's voice carried through the field. “Finn is doing well and responding to treatment, be at peace and train well.”

Everyone cheered and hugged themselves, the field erupted with loud howls and cheers.

Immediately everyone returned to work. I looked at Maelis.

"I am so excited Finn is ok, I was starting to get worried."

She smiled."That you were the reason behind his situation?."

I nodded.

A pair of warriors nearby resumed sparring, one swung too wide.

The older warrior tapped his shoulder with the flat of his wooden blade.

"Again."

The younger one groaned.

"My arms are dead."

"They'll still be dead tomorrow if you quit today."

The others laughed. The young warrior laughed too before lifting his weapon again.

Maelis reached for a wooden staff and held it toward me.

"Take it." I hesitated.

"I've never held one before."

"Today you will."

I wrapped my fingers around the smooth wood, It felt heavier than it looked.

Maelis stepped back.

"Feet apart!" Her voice thundered with authority.

I copied her.

"Wider!"

I moved again, She walked around me, hands clasped at her back.

"You're standing like someone waiting to apologize."

Heat rushed into my face. "I don't know what I'm doing."

"I know."

She tapped my ankle with her walking stick.

"Bend your knees."

I did.

"Straighten your back."

I adjusted again.

She nodded once.

"That's better."

A loud thud came from my left. I turned.

One of the younger warriors had been thrown flat onto his back.

Before anyone could help him, he rolled over and jumped up again.

His opponent grinned.

"You blinked."

"I slipped."

"You blinked."

The training continued, nobody pitied him.

They simply kept going, Maelis faced me again.

"Show me a strike."

"I don't know how."

"Then guess."

I swallowed, my hands tightened around the staff. I swung, the staff twisted awkwardly in my grip.

My feet crossed and I lost my balance, the ground rushed toward me.

I landed hard, the impact knocked the air from my lungs.

Several warriors looked over, I shut my eyes, pushing down the pain I was feeling.

"I knew this was a mistake."

"No."

Maelis's voice stayed calm.

"The mistake would be staying down."

I stared at the dirt.

"I can't do this."

"Stand up."

"My arms hurt."

"They'll hurt more tomorrow."

"My legs—"

"Stand."

Something inside me wanted to cry, something else hated that feeling.

I pushed myself up, dust clung to my clothes. My hands shook around the staff.

Maelis nodded. "Again."

I tried, this time my feet stayed under me, the strike still looked terrible.

She corrected my elbows. Again and again and again.

By the sixth attempt, sweat ran into my eyes, by the tenth, my shoulders burned.

"I can't feel my hands."

"Good."

I frowned.

"Good?"

"It means you're using them."

A shadow stopped beside us.I looked up.

Ronan.

He glanced from me to the crooked grip on my staff.

"You'll hurt your wrist like that."

I immediately straightened.

"I'm trying."

"I know."

He picked up another wooden staff.

"Watch."

He planted his feet, no wasted movement, no fancy spin, just one clean strike.

The wooden target in front of him shook from the impact.

He lowered the weapon.

"Your turn."

I copied him, my strike barely made a sound.

He walked closer, without touching me, he pointed toward my shoulder.

"Too tense."

I relaxed slightly.

"Move from here."

He tapped his own waist.

"Not just your arms."

I tried again, it was better this time

"Again."

Another strike, the sound grew louder. Again and again, I went over it. By now several warriors had slowed to watch.

Pressure tightened my chest, I missed and the staff slipped.

It nearly hit my own foot.

A few of the younger wolves laughed before one older warrior elbowed them sharply.

"No one was born knowing everything."

Silence returned.

Ronan picked up the fallen staff and handed it back to me.

"You've fallen three times."

"I know, i counted."

"So did everyone else."

I looked down. "Doesn't that embarrass you?"

"It does." He folded his arms.

"But embarrassment never killed anyone."

I looked at him. "Giving up has."

The words settled somewhere deep inside me.

I lifted the staff again. I drew in a deep breath and took one step and one strike.

This time the wood cracked loudly against the target. It wasn't perfect, but solid.

The training ground went quiet, then someone clapped once, another joined.

I stared at the target, I had done that, it was not the best but it was better.

For the first time in years, I didn't feel useless.

A whistle sounded from the kitchens, immediately the warriors began stacking weapons instead of dropping them where they stood.

Shared breakfast.

Nobody rushed ahead.

Nobody pushed.

Even the strongest waited for everyone else.

Maelis leaned closer.

"Another Emberfall tradition."

"What?"

"We eat together after training."

A warrior with his arm in a sling walked past carrying bowls instead of sitting to rest.

I looked at him.

"Shouldn't he be recovering?"

"He is."

Maelis smiled.

"In Emberfall, injured warriors still come."

"Why?"

Maelis shrugged, “it's just tradition”

Before I could answer, a horn exploded across the courtyard, three times, every conversation stopped.

Heads turned toward the main gate, a horse burst through the entrance.

Foam covered its neck. Its rider nearly fell before reaching the center of the grounds.

He slid off the saddle and stumbled forward.Blood covered his sleeves.

His breathing came in sharp gasps, he dropped to one knee before Ronan.

"Alpha..."

Nobody moved, the scout lifted his head, his face had gone white. He struggled to catch his breath.

"Alpha..whatever killed those patrols..."

His voice broke, he looked straight at Ronan.

"...it's moving toward the village.”