Chapter 4
Learning
"Get up, pup. Must get back on your feet."
Amelia was exhausted and even though she attempted to follow Kaz'iliat's orders, her body just couldn't.
It collapsed under her own weight, her muscles trembling violently before letting her down completely with a loud bang as she fell face first into the floor.
She blinked back tears as she heard her master's sign of frustration. He left her slumped there as he strode out of the training arena - his kehrite he'd proudly told her.
The sweat was pumping out of her. The smooth wooden staff she'd been using was still clamped in her hands as she took gasping breathes into her burning lungs.
It had only taken an hour and a half of training and she was practically collapsed.
Her master had not taken it easy on her in spite of his assurances that he'd treat her like a pup.
After she'd learned the basic move of defense, he'd gone on the attack, forcing Amelia to defend constantly until her many defensive lapses where he'd strike her legs or arms and the lack of fitness culminated into the state she was in right now.
"I... gotta get up!" she snapped at herself before groaning with effort as she pushed herself upright. She had to do this. Amelia had to prove that she wasn't worthless. That her usefulness wasn't over yet. The talk from the night before rushed to the front of her brain. She couldn't let him believe that she was no longer worth keeping around.
As her brain set her into a panic, her arms were finally responding to her desperate summons. "GET UP! Just fucking work!" she howled to herself as it started to finally go her way.
A large hand, warm and strong, wrapped itself around her midriff and pulled her upright, removing the strain from her limbs. She glanced over her shoulder, slightly fearful of the expected wrath but found none. Instead her master had returned to her with the familiar jar of healing ointment.
He slowly pried the staff from her almost rigid hands before he motioned her to sit. After placing the weapon back in it's place on the rack, the tall hunter started to tend to Amelia's sore muscles and injuries.
"I'm sorry, master."
The yautja didn't seem phased at all. She was getting a lot better at reading his emotions and didn't see anything aggressive in his body language.
"No apologies. To be expected. Get stronger through practice and time."
Once he'd completed his work and Amelia felt well enough to move, Kaz'iliat ordered her to make food for them both.
The following cycle fell into a similar pattern. They'd train, Amelia would collapse and her master would cease the session until the ointment had done its work.
By her eighth session, Amelia was almost able to defend against every attack Kaz'iliat pressed her with. The confidence she gained soon boosted her movements and resolve. Then as quickly as she'd gained it, she found it was as almost rapidly dashed as her master somehow upped his game and she went tumbling down once more.
"Shit!" she cursed.
Her master cocked his head at her expletive like a strange alien bird.
"I thought I had this!" Amelia clarified before getting back to her feet. She immediately got back into her correct stance. The action, unconscious to her, pleased her master who chuffed happily.
"Ready!" she finally said when back in position. Kaz'iliat instead strode to the weapons rack and put away his own.
"Enough for this cycle," he huffed. "Must eat then rest."
"But..." Amelia stopped as she realize that slaves weren't supposed to question their master.
"But what?"
"Nothing."
Kaz'iliat snorted. "Eager to learn. Eager to prove yourself. Don't be too eager to rush into danger, Yeyinde. It will find you soon enough."
He turned on his heel and strode away with a careless bark of "Come, A-me-lia" over his shoulder.
Amelia carefully placed back the staff into the holder next to the one her master had returned shortly before her. He'd promised her that once she'd mastered the wooden staff then the true weapon of hunter, a combistick, would be hers to wield. In spite of all her misgivings, Amelia was looking forward to it.
Kaz'iliat was seated at the metal table just outside the kitchen door when she eventually joined him.
"Food," her master said sharply as he pushed a plate of various and vividly coloured bits of food.
"Thank you, master."
Amelia had started poking at her good when the yautja rumbled, "Kaz'iliat."
"Sorry, master?"
"No master. Kaz'iliat. Kaz."
Amelia blinked. "I don't understand."
Her master thumped his chest. "Kaz!" He reached out and gently touched hers in a far less aggressive fashion. "A-me-lia."
Realisation dawned on her. "Oh. I should call you... Kaz?"
That now familiar flickering mandibles with clicking horns and chuffing that signaled a pleased yautja was all that she needed in reply.
"But mast- Kaz... it's not right. They told me that they'd-"
"M-di. No. I know what you speak of," Kaz'iliat answered her. "Master before others. When just A-me-lia and Kaz then no master."
She kept her head low and nodded, biting back the slight smile before freezing. Things were going too well. She had to keep her guard up for the fall that would inevitably come.