Worlds Apart: Volume I

The Before: Training and Tradition

Ney'ite sat on top of the pa'li. She took a breath to steady herself on the creature. This was the next part of her training. It was time to start learning how to work with the creatures of her home. She was acutely aware of both her teacher's and her brother's gaze.

"Make tsaheylu, Ney'ite," Tsanten said as he held onto the pa'li.

Ney'ite took her braid and made the bond. Her eyes widened as she felt their minds connect. She could feel the pa'li breathing. The strength of her legs. The desire to run through the forest.

"Now, tell her to move," Tsanten instructed her. "Think of what you want her to do and she will listen."

Ney'ite focused on what she wanted the pa'li to do.

Move forward. Take your steps slowly. I am asking for your help, sister. This is the first time I have ever made tsaheylu.

The pa'li took the slow steps forward. Ney'ite focused her attention on taking this slowly. This would be the foundation of everything else from this moment forward. To become a warrior, she would have to learn how to ride the pa'li then the ikran.

"Good," Tsanten encouraged her. "Now move into a trot."

Please start to pick up the pace. You can break into a light run.

Once again, the pa'li listened her. Ney'ite couldn't help but smile. She was actually getting the hang of this much more than she originally expected. She had feared that she would stumble and fall her first time attempts.

"Now bring her to a stop," Tsanten told her. "Once you do, break the bond."

Sister, can you please stop? The time for this ride is over.

The pa'li stopped. Tsanten put his hand on the pa'li as Ney'ite pulled her queue away from the pa'li. She felt the absence of the pa'li in her mind. After a moment, the absence was gone. Ney'ite blinked as she cleared her mind. That was something unlike anything she had ever felt before.

"It is your brother's turn," Tsanten said as Ney'ite hopped off the pali. "You have done well today, Ney'ite."

"Thank you, Tsanten," Ney'ite smiled.

She watched as Neyetam got onto the pa'li. All she could do was watch silently. Tsanten had told them that they should not help each other for this first attempt. He said it would benefit the both of them to think their own ways through it. However, Ney'ite would be telling her brother what she had found out from her own bond with the pa'li. She bit the inside of her lip. She hoped that Neyetam was able to understand this as she had. Tsanten offered the same advice to Neyetam as he had to her. Ney'ite watched as the pa'li shot forward. Neyetam looked like he was about to fall off, but then regained his balance and control over the pa'li. Ney'ite smiled as Neyetam went through the same motions as she did. After trotting for a few moments, Neyetam came to a stop and hopped off the pa'li. He stood next to Ney'ite as Tsanten stood next to the pa'li.

"You have done well, Neyetam," Tsanten told them. "Both of you have done well. It is rare that I find one let alone two young warriors who have such a talent for making the bond and working with the pa'li."

"Thank you," Ney'ite and Neyetam said at the same time.

"Now that the two of you have shown that you understand how to ride an pa'li, the two of you will now ride again," Tsanten instructed. "The two of you will ride until it is time for us to prepare for the dream hunts tonight."

"Yes, Tsanten," Ney'ite and Neyetam nodded.

"Who wants to go first?"

Ney'ite didn't know how long she and Neyetam had ridden for. They switched off riding to give themselves break, but it was still a long day. Ney'ite wasn't sure she would ever regain feeling in her rear. When Neyetam got off of the pa'li for the last time, Ney'ite could see that he was feeling the same exact thing. Tsanten looked up into the sky and at the others around them. They were some of the last ones in the training yard.