Guardians of the forest

Training

MELENIE

"Come on aron, we need to practice." we were practicing our skills on the backs of our guardians, while seleine and I were practicing fighting, aron was practicing on healing us in case we needed on contact healing, ryan was tracking our dinner he left about ten minuets ago so he should return at any moment.

"im sorry melenie im nervous my magic it still growing, i talked to a mage at the packs camp and he said im much more powerful cause im a guardian i just need to wake it up, i just dont know how." he looked almost like he was going to cry.

"its ok aron we just need to practice..." the next thing i knew my arm was screaming pain, i look down to see one of seline's throwing knifes ebeded in my arm to the lilt. my mind way completely blank exept for one thought im going to kill her.

"Oh my heavens seline what did you do!" i looked up at arons hands and they were glowing the color of the sun and just as bright.

" you heard the old mage you needed something to wake it up nothing better than an acuall cut to practice on." still blinded by rage and pain i watch as seline grab the knife and yank it out of my arm.

" your lucky maliky isnt here or you would be wolf meat." aron said watching in awe as my wound closed up like it had never happend.

" no seline your lucky his power is the only thing holding me still, cause maliky would have been nice and killed you quickly, i on the other hand im going to beat you to a bloddy pulp before i kill you." i said in a deathly calm as the last bit of skin healed i stood ready to pounce on her face.

" oh good i needed more practice with hand to hand combat melenie, you sure you can take me, my parents taught me everything they know." she said as we both starting circling. " i will tell you what melenie i will let you get one punch in then all the gloves are off and then i will fight back." she said with an evil smile on her face.

as i got ready to charge i heard maliky's howl, seconds after maliky, demon and riya with ryan holding a good size buck ran into our hidden clearing.

" whats wrong maliky?" i asked him but he was staring down seline like she was lunch never mind the buck ryan was holding. " its fine maliky its over and done with at least for now." i said to reasure him but it sounded like i tried to reasure myself.

FINE... FOR NOW, WE HAVE TROUBLE MY FATHER SENT OUT A SCOUT TO THE EDGE OF THE FOREST TO THE SOUTH.... THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED.

" what does that mean" ryan asked after ryia told him the news.

THAT MEANS WE HAVE OUR FIRST MISSION. AND STRAIT FROM OUR ALPHA WE GO TO WHERE THEY DISSAPEARD TO SEE IF WE CANT FIND OUT WHERE THEY WENT WE ARE ESCORTING OUR BEST TRACKER THERE THEN WE ARE TO COME BACK TO RESUME OUR TRAINING.

ryia started to growl and ryan didnt look to happy either. " are you kidding me, ryia and i are faster and better than the trackers at the packs camp"

IT IS OUR ALPHA'S ORDERS WE DONT ARGUE WITH HIS ORDERS, WE ARE NOT IN THE PLACE TO HAVE OUR OWN OPINIONS YET NOT UNTIL IM ALPHA. WE LEAVE AT DAWN WE SHOULD ALL GET SOME REST.

" he is right guys we have been trying the same stuff all week and we are a little high strung and i hate to say it but seline is the only one who has made progess," i looked at her with fire in my gaze hoping it would make her burst into flames. " but if that happens again seline i wont let malikys howl stop me from putting you in line.."

she looked at me with humor in her face which made maliky growl and it sounded like the same sound came from me as well. the sound just made it worse and she did start laughing then. " fine, i get it i wont and thanks for the compiment there" she said with a wink then she turned and jumped on demon and he took off into the forest without another word.

YOU OKAY? HOW BAD WAS IT? STOP MELENIE I NEED TO LOOK!

NO YOU DONT MALIKY STOP THAT TICKLES AND BESIDES ARON HEALED IT THAT IS WHY I SAID IT WASNT A BIG DEAL.

SHE WONT GET THE CHANCE TO DO THAT AGAIN, SHE WILL HAVE HER FACE RIPPED OFF BEFORE THE BLADE HAS A CHANCE TO LEAVE HER HAND.

I AGREE BUT I WAS RIGHT ABOUT ARON SHE DID GET HIS MAGIC TO AWAKEN AND IT HAPPEND SO FAST I COULD HARDLY PROCESS OTHER THAN I WANTED TO KILL HER. i smiled at him thinking that a lot of the anger came from him.

COME ON IM GOING TO STAY BY YOUR HOUSE TONIGHT WE MIGHT BE GONE FOR A COUPLE WEEKS BESIDES YOU DID PROMISE AVERY A RIDE WHICH I DID NOT AGREE TO BUT THAT IS OKAY SHE MIGHT LIKE TO LEARN BEFORE SHE IS BONDED.

as we stared to leave i stopped dead in my tracks and looked at him like he has grown two heads. WHAT?

AVERY IS A GUARDIAN I THOUGHT YOU COULD SMELL IT ON HER... HER GUARDIAN IT THE WOLF THAT WAS RUNNING RIGHT INFRONT OF US WHEN WE FIRST MET THE PACK.

WHAT HOW COULD I HAVE NOT SMELLED IT ON HER NOW THAT YOU SAY SOMETHING SHE DOES SMELL LIKE A WOLF... WAIT HOW DID YOU KNOW.

WELL, FOR ONE IM THE NEXT ALPHA I HAVE TO KNOW THESE THINGS AND FOR TWO I HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOU FOR A LONG TIME YOU FOUND THE WATER FALL BECAUSE OF ME AND WHEN YOU SHOWED AVERY I COULD SMELL IT ALL OVER HER, I THINK SHE WAS FIVE WHEN I FIRST SAW HER. I RAN STRAIT HOME AND TOLD MY FATHER AND HE TOLD ME I COULDNT SHOW MYSELF IN FRONT OF HER ONLY YOU COULD INTODUCE US.

I SEE, WE SHOULD GO WE BOTH NEED OUR REST.

I AGREE LETS GO HOP ON.

As he started running I grabbed his ruff on his right and used my left leg to kick off the ground to land perfectly on his back. We took off headed towards my home. when we got to the egde of the clearing he said to go ahead he wanted to partol for a while, he would return before we had supper to give avery her promised ride. i slide down and watched me take off back in to the woods. as i walked up to the house i saw father chopping wood for the cold nights to come this winter. i waved with a huge smile on my face he stopped for a moment to wave back and then he turned back to his task. when i walked in the door i saw mother i walked up to her and was about to tell her about tomorrow when she asked whats wrong?

"nothing mother just have a long trip to take with the others tomorrow and something was wrong with maliky he was distant he didtnt say anything on the way back it was weird he seemed lost in thought i guess but i also get the feeling he isnt telling me something."

"oh dont worry hunny im sure that you guys will fugure it out i have faith in the both of you."

"have you heard anything from max?"

" no." she said with dispare.

the look on her face filled me with a dread that i couldnt shake, " whats for supper?" i asked her to try to take her mind off of max for a little while.

"rabbit stew, your dad and avery caught it that that rediculus trap of her." my mother laughed quietly to herself. yes avery will make a very good guardian someday.

" want some prep help i have some time before makily gets back cause then we promised avery a ride maybe then i can ask whats wrong."

"sure dear would you mind skining the thing i always hated doing that part but when i showed you how to do it i never had to worry about doing it again."

i laughed when i said sure.

when we put the pot on the fire with everything in it, i heard a shriek.

"melene, maliky is here! can i go for that ride now?" she yelled as she came into the kitchen.

"if he is here then yes." i laughed as i cleaned up her hands. " lets go by the time we get back supper should be done."

IS SHE READY? he laughed into my head

WHAT DO YOU THINK? i could keep the smile off her face.

"well avery lets go he is waiting." my little sister was already to the door about ready to throw it open.

" hurry! im so excited i dont want to wait!"

"okay okay, bye mom see you in about an hour." i kissed her on the cheek and took off out the door with avery.

when we got out side maliky was laying i next to their father watching his chop wood like it was a cat playing with a mouse i couldnt help but laugh.

WHAT?

NOTHING YOU LOOK CUTE JUST SITTING THERE WATCHING LIKE THAT.

OH HAHA I GUESS I DO YOU GUYS READY?

YEP. the two girls hopped up on malikys back he stood. avery had the biggest smile melene has seen for a long time.

"hang on tight okay if you start to fall he will slow down okay?"

"okay run as fast as you can maliky!"

he laughed into my thoughts and took off. averys laugh part shriek died in the wind and they were off.

ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME WHATS ON YOUR MIND?

I DONT KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN?

OH COME ON MALIKY YOU HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED ALL DAY WHAT IS THE MATTER TELL ME PLEASE?!?

OKAY OKAY, MY FATHER IS VERY WORRIED ABOUT OUR FIRST MISSION.

WHY?

I TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPED WITH YOUR BROTHER.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MAX!

WELL THERE HAS BEEN A STIR IN THE FOREST THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS AND MY FATHER WAS ON A WALK AND HE SMELT A VERY STRONG AND VERY ANGRY MAGE, AND AFTER I TOLD HIM ABOUT MAX HE HAS BEEN TENSE, IF ANYTHING SEEEMS OFF TOMMORROW IM CALLING IF OFF! FATHER ALREAD TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA.

YOU THINK MAX HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE STIR IN THE WOODS?!? WHY HE IS JUST MAD AND LEFT, HE WILL BE BACK SOON!

AND ITS NOT LIKE I DONT BELIVE YOU IM JUST WORRIED, AND I THINK YOU CAN FEEL IT IN THE WIND I KNOW HOW STRONG YOUR CONNECTION IS TO THE WOODS YOU FEEL EVERYTHING JUST LIKE I DO IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS YOU DIDNT NEED TO USE THE LOOKING GLASS.

OKAY FINE, YES I HAVE FELT SOMETHING OFF EVER SENSE HE LEFT BUT HE COULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT CAN HE?

IF HE IS AS STRONG AS ME AND MY FATHER THINK HE IS. HE IS CAPABLE OF MORE THAT YOU THINK.

the sun started to set and they decied to turn back before it got to much later. when they got back avery whined that it was too short.

" avery its already late and we have to leave early tomorrow morning."

"fine but i want another ride soon... please?!?"

IT MIGHT NOT BE A GOOD IDEA SHE NEEDS TO LEARN TO RIDE WITH HER GUARDIAN NOT ME...

" we will see okay?"

"okay race you inside!"

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH HER MALIKY?

SHE HAS A STRONG HEART, SHE WILL BE A VERY STRONG GUARDIAN SOMEDAY.

DO YOU WANT SOME STEW OR ARE YOU GOING TO GO HUNT? I CAN GO WITH YOU IF YOU WANT.

NO I WILL WAIT HERE, I ALREADY ATE I WENT HUNTING TO GET MY MIND OFF THE MISSION, ITS WHY I LEFT SORRY I DIDNT WANT TO TROUBLE YOU.

WELL THANKS FOR ASKING FOR ME TO COME ALONG... ITS OKAY I NEEDED TO GET MY MIND OFF TO. I WILL BE OUT IN A LITTLE BIT TO SAY GOODNIGHT.

OKAY ENJOY YOUR MEAL.