Unblooded

Chapter 19

Tsrasuna's injuries kept her bed bound for several days. During that time, I tended her and kept her fed as Gul slunk around where the council gathered. He gathered what ever information he could except information of the deceased yautja hunter. One day while I was helping Tsrasuna to walk to the main platform, Gul launched clumsily onto the platform. He tumbled and flailed from his momentum and almost hit Tsrasuna and I. He panted and gasped, barely managing to say any words. "The counsel.....they.....reached...... a decision."
"What did they say?" Tsrasuna asked eagerly as I gently helped her sit by the pit.
"We are no longer allowed to train with younglings, instead we will be receiving more advanced lessons privately that will be more for our skill level. They will evaluate us individually to find what skills suit each of us."
"I thought everyone was taught the same," I said confused. Tsrasuna shook her head, " only to a certain point. Some of us show certain skill sets early and the instructors then put younglings into smaller groups to hone those natural gifts. It is so the natural instinct remains strong for the hunt. It is also when they separate genders."
"Say you are better at tracking than than killing and taking down the animal, you would be given training to make you a better tracker. Same is for if you are better for leading the hunting caste, taming the animals used to help hunt the prey, surveillance and studying of the prey, trapping, and the actual killing of the prey. Sometimes there will be yautja that show skills in healing but they generally leave the caste to assist the clan, it is rare for one to stay in a hunting caste. Each hunter is different and so is the make up of a caste," Gul explained.
"So will there be a trial for us?"
"There will be two, one to test us as a group and one to test us individually. Many of them believe that we have just luck and no skill."
"When will the trials begin?"
"They haven't decided the exact day but maybe in a couple of days at most. They are very eager and excited to see, I overheard a few of them talking about an Elder coming from another clan to observe the trials."
Tsrasuna groaned, "why did you have to say that? I won't be able to focus." She put her head in her hands and I patted her on the back. "Right now we are just going to focus on your leg," I told her gently, " I am going to have you walk until you are bone tired. We need you to be able to walk on your own. While you walk, Gul and I will spar using the different weapons available."
"Elise, you know that I was going to become a healer. I know I will barely be able to walk on my own in two days. I will fail my trial and slow you both down in the caste trial."
"I can promise that you won't. Just try." Tsrasuna looked up at me and back to the floor nodding slowly. "I will try," she said. I grinned and looked at Gul, " we will spar three times a day, early in the morning, before lunch and before nightfall. In the time between sparring, see if you can find out when the trials are. I will help Tsrasuna while you scout." I looked to Tsrasuna, "while we spar and you want to take a break from walking, practice making snares and traps. Read up on all of the possible prey that they could have us hunt."
Tsrasuna nodded eagerly, "knowing the elders, they would choose a species that is native to this area and abundant. They choose from a select few. I can look back to see what animals they used in previous trials. I will see if Gwan-Thai will teach me how to make traps. Azhla-dki said that he was very good."
" I will have to train the hounds later for the hunt. I will try to work with Fluffy and maybe he will be good enough for us to have to help track or at least help defend if our prey decides to attack."
Gul rubbed his neck and sighed, " We have work ahead of us."
"Well, lets eat and then get started. I will try training fluffy a bit before Gul and I spar."
"I will start finding the possible species we will be up against and find everything I can on each one, " Tsrasuna said happily. Despite her vocal tone, I could still see that she was doubtful of her use in the trails. She pulled up the red hologram and began surfing through all the data banks while Gul went to get the ingredients for our breakfast. "Tsrasuna, you know that we can not do this without you," I told her quietly. She sighed, " I know you can't, I am worried about my own personal trial."
"I know, that is why I am asking you to do the tasks I gave you. I know that you will use the knowledge to your advantage."
" How are you so sure? I am crippled up, I can not be a good hunter while weak."
" You are not weak, Tsrasuna, you are stronger than ever. Do you trust me?"
She nodded her head, " strangely enough, I do."
"Then please trust my judgement."
" But an elder from another clan is going to watch, I will not be able to think."
" Elders used to be in the same place we are, they are no different from you, just much older."
"Do you really think that?"
"Yes, even Gwan-thwei had to do the trials before."
Tsrasuna sighed, " I guess you are right about that. I will do everything I can." She turned back to the hologram and continued looking for anything on the trials and the prey.
Gul then walked up and dropped an arms' load of ingredients onto surface surrounding the fire pit.
"What are you making this time?" I asked.
Gul just grinned, "you will see, I think you will like it."
"I will try anything you cook as long as your stomach doesn't growl while you are spying."
Tsrasuna laughed, "That actually happened one time during an elder conference, Azhla-dki told me in detail of what happened."
" Oh I have to hear about this."
"Don't you dare tell her Tsrasuna or you will wake up with itchy scales!"

*A/N
I apologize for taking so long to update, there is a lot going on in my life and paired with writers block it made it difficult to find the right words and thoughts to create this chapter. It is not fair to those following Elise and her story. I apologize.