Trojian Horse

11

“Na-tch!” (Damn)

Arien slapped Nura’s hand away. He hastily got back onto his feet lunging in for another attack only to find himself slapping the dirt with his face. Dust flew up in a cloud managing to find its way into his mouth. He rolled onto his back taking only a moment to catch his breath before jumping to his feet for another attack. The result was the same.

“Arien, you must learn to calm yourself otherwise you will never beat him,” Nura advised.

“Yenu, yenu, (I know, I know).” He wiped the dust off his face and this time slowly rose to his feet. A long analytical look at his opponent was eventually enough to convince him that today would not be the day. “Kalo, let’s do this some other time.” His opponent nodded and trotted off in the direction of the other groups of trainees.

Arien plopped himself onto the ground sitting with his legs crossed his back to the training camp into the forest. Nura approached cautiously and placed her hand on his shoulder.

“He’s not much taller than you, you know.”

“Yenu, but he’s stronger. Much stronger. And he has four arms and four legs. His balance is so much better than mine. I’ll never beat him.” Arien hung his head and began pulling away at a stubborn blade of the blue-green grass.

“You do yourself an injustice Arien. You have fought and won many times against many opponents. You have always found a way,” Nura said rubbing his back.

“This is just a waste of time.” Arien placed his head between his knees.

“What is?” Nura asked still rubbing his back. He did not know why but somehow when Nura rubbed his back that way it seemed to soothe him. Just a little bit.

“The training is pointless. I’ll never be as strong as them. As you. You have this extra strong, thick skin,” he said, stroking her hand. “Feel mine.” He held out his hand encouraging her to feel it but rather than help him prove his point she continued rubbing his back.

“You’ll always find an opponent stronger, smarter and faster than you. Your job is finding a way. Always.”

“Why do we even bother with this? We come out here in the middle of nowhere to train but for what? Pretty much everything on Trojian can be taken down with some weapon or the other. The other tribes seldom interfere or even interact with us so who or what are we training for?!” He was looking full in her face, his voice raised, eager to hear her response. She took a moment before responding, seemingly gathering her thoughts.

“Well, you’ve never been beyond the confines of the Capital or the camp so you wouldn’t know the dangers that lurk out there,” she said pointing to the forest that began a little distance away from the clearing where the camp was located. “These camps are designed to teach us how to live in harmony with Trojian and to master ourselves.”

“You’re doing it again Nura.”

“What?”

“Trying to sound clever,” he said, smiling.

She smiled back and giggled. She was one of the few who smiled much less laughed. Sometimes he thought the rest of the Vulpeculae were not capable of it.

“Well, you know I am. Clever, that is.” She stopped rubbing his back. “I’m your oldest friend, so you can trust me when I say that you will beat him. Just do what you always do and find a weakness.”

“You know you’re probably my only friend right?” he asked laughing. “I’m not sure the rest really understand me. I’m not sure they understand what this actually means either.” He gestured between them.

Nura held her hand over her mouth in shock horror and laughed. He wondered where she had learned to do that. What was even more puzzling being how he seemed to understand it, and found it humorous. There were lots of things that puzzled him about her, about the Vulpeculae, about himself and no answer he had received was ever satisfactory. His father, Hethios made it a point to be as vague as possible.

“You want to take a break?” she asked. “We can walk to the river and back again.”

The sound of fighting, weapons and skulls clanging against each other, was loud behind them. She thought perhaps he needed a few moments away to give him a chance to get out of his own head. He had been trying to beat Kalo for a month and the frustration was beginning to show. The camp was in its third month and in one more month it would be over and they would be headed back to the Capital, either as victors or as trainees who would have to return for another four month stint the following year.

“Okay, lead the way,” he said rising to his feet and following her. She headed to the stream which was just beyond the boundary of the camp and Arien followed her silently. The familiar camp sounds seemed to vanish once they found themselves beneath the canopy of the forest trees. They were replaced by the sound of the rushing stream ahead, a cool breeze blowing from the direction of the stream. The suns were partially hidden from their view as they walked beneath the shade of the trees. The noise of swords upon shields, fists on metal, and the sounds of heavy breathing, cursing, screams and shouts seemed to slip away as they walked further away from the training camp. He felt his anger abate a little more with each step he took toward the river.

The smell of the forest hung heavy around them. Heavily scented flowers, the putrid smell of animal droppings and the smell of wet earth all seemed to meld together to form a fragrance both distinct and calming to him.

As they walked on Arien thought he heard screams and shouts more raucous than the usual coming from the camp. It must have been Kalo, celebrating another victory he thought. He was a short distance behind Nura by now, who seemed to cover three of his paces with one of her own, an unfair advantage given her four legs he would often say. Leaves crumpled beneath his feet as he walked on soaking in the green of the forest and the myriad of flowers that bloomed at all times of the year. He heard some leaves crumple behind him and stopped.

Arien stood in silence for a moment listening intently then he continued walking when he was convinced they were alone. Nura was standing at the bank of the stream dipping each foot in turn into the clear cool water. The birds continued their song overhead in the canopy. He thought he heard bellowing in the distance, in the direction of the camp. He turned his ear towards the camp and he thought he heard screams coming from the camp. That was odd. He turned his eyes back toward the camp.

Smoke! A thick pillar of grey smoke was rising from the camp. That was not right. He turned to shout for Nura to come back so they could return to the camp and find out what was happening. The words never escaped his mouth. A sharp pain originating from the back of his head forced him to the ground and he was swallowed into a deep darkness as he fell limp onto the forest floor. He thought he heard someone scream his name as he was enveloped in darkness.