Firestorm

CHAPTER 18: "Don't fight fair. We are not mountain men."

Once morning had come I could say I really missed the lazy mornings, laying in the sun, soaking in the heat with Miller. But Ensis had woken me up at sunrise. Kicked me in the side. When I didn't stir he chucked cold water on me. "I'm giving you a warrior braid." He informed me as he forced me into a sitting position and shoved my head to the side as he began braiding and stitching. I was confused about the notion. "When you die, your braid gets cut off to commemorate you before we burn you. It goes to your second." Ensis explained to me happily as he tugged roughly on my hair causing me to wince.

"What if I don't have a second?" I asked quickly with a huff.

"Then it goes to the one who trained you in the ways of a warrior." Ensis explained to me quickly stitching in the string. I hoped he knew what he was doing.

"Does that mean my hair goes to you?" I asked him quickly with a grin trying to look over at him. But my head wouldn't move against Ensis' iron grip.

"I guess it does." He shrugged chuckling. After an hour he finished off my hair and then we were standing opposite each other. "Okay your form was weak. You left yourself exposed. When you evade, think of a defence that won't get you killed. Protecting yourself is all well and good, but not if it leaves you open to another attack." Ensis explained to me sending a punch my way which I ducked and he then went to go kick me but I launched forward grabbing his waist falling to the ground with him which he kicked me off and pinned me to the ground. "You're dead."

"Yeah because you've been fighting your whole life." I pointed out and he chuckled looking down at me.

"That's irrelevant." He sighed as I pouted trying to move out of his grip.

"Can you let me go? You being on top is hurting my ego." I snarled and he responded leaning down closer. I flicked my eyes down to his lips feeling a stirring sensation in my stomach which he seemed amused by.

"Good thing I like my girls in charge. But you have to get out of here by yourself." He demanded tightening his grip. As I thrashed around I knew it was just making him more amused.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" I snarled leaning my head up.

"Hm chil you Sky girl," (Calm down.) Ensis hummed and I had no idea what he was saying. I then lunged my head forward hitting his nose. Loosening his grip slightly I kicked my foot under his leg and scrambling on all fours away from him. Ensis chuckled looking at me scramble away and got up as I did. "Nou foto." (Not bad) He commented which I didn't understand. I then charged at him and went to punch him which he grabbed my fist, twisting it behind my back and shoving me away and I stumbled.

I then attacked him again kicking him in the stomach. He blocked me and I took notice falling to the ground and he went to jump away but I kicked in under his face just in time to make him fall and I jumped up shoving him to the ground. But he did a flip back and charged at me sending a punch which I dodged and he then sent a kick to my side which made me grunt in pain about to fall but he caught me pinning me against a tree.

"Getting better Sky girl. Don't be too expressive or frustrated during a fight. Keep calm and improvise quickly with what you have around you. You were sloppy but your ideas were good. Use your resources and don't fight fair. We are not the mountain men." He shared with me getting into a fighting stance again and I sighed tiredly getting into a fighting stance myself. He stepped forward with a wooden staff swinging it at my head and I grabbed it shoving it away but as I did he took my opening kicking me in the stomach sending me to the ground. As I landed with a huff I looked around and rolled away as Ensis went to swing the staff down and I then rolled up into a crouching stance and ducked running past him grabbing a staff of my own

I then ran over to him swinging the staff at him which he easily blocked and forced one side up holding both ends to it. As if knocked me under the chin I stumbled back and then I regained my balance knocking his staff roughly kicking his stomach and then using the staff to knock him to his feet. I then climbed on top of him holding the staff to his neck but as I did I felt the staff of his press against my back. He smirked up at me cockily.

"Good, let's go again." He then pushed me off easily getting up. After two days of training, I was mostly healed from my previous wounds but I was tired as hell. Lying on the ground in the cold night, I barely had anything on. Ensis walked up next to me handing me some food which I sat up and took.

"How am I going?" I asked him as we looked into the distance.

"Very good, you aren't the best warrior around by far. But you're doing good." Ensis informed me giving me a light smile.

"Thank you I guess. You are an ass you know?" I asked him teasingly.

"I know. I take pride in it. I have to be leaving tomorrow." Ensis informed me regrettably. As I met his eyes I just wished he wouldn't go. Honestly I had enjoyed his companionship. "My Heda, she's challenging the mountain men in a war to free our people forever. And your people. Your people were taken by the mountain men. They are working together to free them. You should come as well." Ensis shared and I believed he didn't want to be in a war. Not even for his people. But he followed orders. I admired him like that. He wasn't afraid to fight the good fight for his people. I probably should have learned something from him. I'd been avoiding going back to them. I found out the way home. Many weeks ago. But I hadn't gone. I didn't want that pain. But I knew they probably thought something bad had happened to me.

"I'll come with you. It's the least I can do." I shared with a small laugh lying down eventually falling to sleep with Ensis by my side. Going home...I was scared of the Ark. They'd been nothing but ruthless and twisted to me. But I owed it to them. Didn't mean I couldn't be scared of it. I thought as I drifted off into an easy sleep.