It had been a week since we headed off to the Cave Of Secrets. I had been thinking about going there by myself, I still needed answers and not being the Alpha I couldn't see them in my dreams. Nor was I a Healer so that was cancelled out too. I watched as Jacob and Florence got ready for what was to happen tonight. Flo was becoming a full-fledged Healer. I was happy for him. I got up to go talk to them.
"Hey Florence." I said.
"Hey Tyler. What's going on?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to wish you good luck in becoming a Healer. I was wondering if you can tell me what it's like."
"Nope. Sorry. Jacob says I must keep it a secret." He smiled apologetically. I smiled and tried to offer him food. "No thanks. I can't have any today."
"Florence, get some sleep. You're going to need it." Jacob called from within the den. I let him leave and headed off to see the Elders. They were telling Angelica and Lyle stories from the past. I smiled at Cassandra as she looked at me.
"Come on in. We have some leftovers from lunch. He won't bite." I laughed and approached the food and took a bite. "By the way, guess what I heard. I'll give you a hint. It's happening today." I rolled my eyes.
"Well that hint narrows it down to… anything." I laughed and she scowled at me.
"I meant the Alpha is doing it today."
"Ishaan? What could he possibly be doing today?" I asked myself. Nothing came to mind. At least nothing out of his usual routine. "I give up. What is it?" I asked, taking another bite.
"Well, don't tell anyone I told you this, but he's assigning apprentices today. I heard your name mentioned."
"Hey! Don't you dare be gossiping you old hag." Seisal said and Cassandra just laughed.
"Not gossip, talking."
"My name?"
"Yes. Why don't you go ask the Alpha?" I nodded and took another bite of the deer before getting up. I followed Ishaan's scent to his den. I stood there until I saw Jonah come out.
"Hey Isha! Your son wants a word!" He called.
"Bring him in." I followed Jonah in and sat down at the table with Ishaan. Jonah sat down with us. "What is it?"
"I heard your assigning apprentices?" I asked. His eyes flickered and he smiled at me.
"Yes I am. Why?"
"I was wondering if you might tell me who the lucky wolf is." I asked, hoping he wasn't going to say me. He never told who it was but he told those who weren't going to be the mentor, why I have no idea. Just the way he ran things. So in a way this was a trick question.
"Yes I could but I need you to go out on a hunting patrol right now. It's the tenth one today. We need to stock up on food. So do that and I'll tell you. I need business taken care of first." So I wasn't going to. I nodded.
"Why don't you come with us? You know, show off how good you are at hunting." I tried. He shook his head.
"No I have to get the extra food packed into the food storage while it's still healthy." He replied. "If I could I would. As I said, work first." He got up and that was my cue to leave. I missed back when I was young. He would spend time with me and I wouldn't need to get work done. Nevertheless, it was good being a warrior because you didn't need to hope someone would take you out of camp.
I left his den and followed Jonah to the warrior den. "We'll get Mathew and Joseph." Jonah said.
So we headed out of camp and I talked to them about it. They were smiling and laughing. I caught two deer and a moose. Though of course since I wasn't in wolf form I had help from my friends. I carried the food home and put it in the pile Jonah put his in.
I saw Ishaan talking to Seisal and they were laughing. I walked over to Ishaan and sat down. He turned his attention to me. I smiled.
"Yes Tyler?"
"When are you going to tell us who the mentors are?" I asked. He smiled.
"Right after my conversation with Seisal. Now please excuse me." He kissed my cheek. I smiled. Though… that was how he made up for rudely dismissing me. Or right now it was.
I looked at the camp and noticed Sholack and Tinama waiting impatiently while their parents tried to groom them. I laughed. Those two were a handful, especially Tinama. She would wonder off if you took your eye off her for a second. Sholack was more of a calm and collected kid. Meaning he would be easier to train.
Ishaan stood up and everyone turned their sight to him before quickly going back to what they were doing, though still keeping an eye on him. It was almost time for dinner. When was he going to announce those apprentices?
He walked over to the Great Tree and jumped on to the top. Everyone began to gather and Sholack and Tinama were itching to move. I knew that they were eager to become warriors. They were tired of being children. I remembered the day I became an apprentice. I was given to my father, though later I would learn that it was customary for that to happen because the Prince needed to be better than the Alpha so when it was time for the Prince to become Alpha, they'd be ready.
I got up and stood at the back since that was the only area left. I watched as Ishaan waited patiently. Everyone was gathered within five minutes. There were no patrols out right now. Tinama and Sholack stood at the end of the crowd.
"Today we gather for a special ceremony today. It is time we gained two more warriors. But as all of you know, to be a warrior you must first be an apprentice. So I welcome to the clan Tinama." He paused in his speech as she came running forward. Patrino coughed at her and she slowed to a half-dignified walk. Her father just shook his head as Naluma smiled with pride.
When Tinama reached the front, she jumped in place and Ishaan looked among the crowd. He smiled to the crowd before he jumped down to Tinama. She stopped and smiled so big, if it were any wider, her face would explode.
"Tinama. Are you ready to defend this clan with your life and with your mind? Are you ready to use your mind and body to help this clan? Are you ready to be one for the clan?" He asked. She nodded vigorously.
"Yes Sir. I am." She said and bounced. I smiled myself, reminded of how quickly the young were eager to help the clan. He lifted his palms in the air, for her to place his on.
"Well then Tinama, from now on, you are moved up in rank. You no longer sleep in the apprentice den." She smiled and put hers on his, after a nudge from Jonah to remind her what she was supposed to do. Her parents moaned. He said all that but in hindsight, he was only moving you from the children's den to the teenager den. They were now 13 years old and they had 7 years to become warriors. Which then he would only move them from the teen den to the adult den. Ishaan let her hands go and hugged her, touching noses with her. Then he let go to call up the mentor.
"Camoi Akatai. Please come here." He said. I heard her stiffen. She walked up to the front, dignified in every step she took. When she reached the front, she stood tall, Henry would have been proud of her. I was proud of her. "I give you Tinama to train in your and the clan's footsteps. Pass down to her your will and speed. Teach her wisdom of the clans. Camoi, are you ready for your apprentice." She nodded solemnly.
"I am." She replied.
"Well then. Welcome your new apprentice." Camoi turned to Tinama and they did the same as Ishaan did to her. Then Ishaan got back up on the tree. "I would also like to welcome another new apprentice to the clan. Please, Sholack. Come here."
Sholack walked up the aisle, dignified and honourable. His eyes showed his excitement. I watched as Malinia and Rockat smiled proud and relieved he didn't react like Tinama. Ishaan jumped down to him.
"Sholack. Are you ready to defend this clan with your life and with your mind? Are you ready to use your mind and body to help this clan? Are you ready to be one for the clan?" He asked. He nodded once.
"Yes Sir. I am." He replied. He was taking this so seriously. I kicked myself mentally. He was supposed to be taking this seriously. He lifted his palms in the air, for him to place his on.
"Well then Sholack, from now on, you are moved up in rank. You no longer sleep in the apprentice den." He did his part in the ceremony and Ishaan let his hands go and hugged him, touching noses with him. Then he let go to call up the mentor. "Tyler Akatai. Please come up here." I inhaled, surprised. What? I forced myself to walk up to the front; they divided to let me through. When I reached there, I stood in front of my father, wanting to ask if he was making the right decision, but knew better than to ask right now. I wasn't ready for an apprentice. Not after all the questions and problems I had on my mind.
"I give you Sholack to train in your and the clan's footsteps. Pass down to him your humour and intelligence. Teach him wisdom of the clans. Tyler, are you ready for your apprentice." I nodded.
"I am." I replied.
"Well then. Welcome your new apprentice." I turned to Sholack and did the same as they did. Ishaan jumped up to the Great Tree and left Camoi and I to our new apprentices. I saw Sholack twitch and he seemed to have stopped himself from jumping, like Tinama did. "Now that we have new apprentices, why don't we eat and have ourselves a nice dinner." He said and we sent our apprentices of to greet the other apprentices. Intertwine as it were. I followed my father. He turned to me. "Yes Ty?" he asked.
"Are you sure I'm ready?" I asked, bewildered.
"Yes, I am sure. Why? Do you doubt my choice? Should I have chosen someone else for his mentor?" He asked. I shook my head.
"That's not what I'm saying at all. I've never had an apprentice."
"Yes and to help you with whatever has been bothering you, I gave you your first. Besides there is a first for everything." He said and kissed me cheek. I kissed him back before he dismissed me. I sighed as he walked off.
I walked over to Camoi. She smiled at me.
"Good job on getting your first apprentice ever. This is my fifth one. Don't worry, they grow up so quickly. In about another few days, we have two apprentices who are becoming warriors. Umak and Rita."
"Good for them. We'll have plenty to say at the gathering." I said, smiling. She nodded.
"Well tomorrow I'm going to teach her how to gather water. This is going to be fun." She replied.
"What should I teach mine first?"
"That is up to you. You are his mentor, not me." I moaned. "Don't worry, I remember my first apprentice. I thought it would be hell, after all… my first apprentice was Harold." I gaped at her. What?! "He was a little brat at first but his behaviour got better. If I remember correctly, he was made an apprentice a few days after you were."
"Yes. He was. He hasn't gotten better; he's still an aggressive person."
"That happened after his training. Apparently, he went into his first battle as a warrior and something happened. He never said what it was. I think Ishaan trained you well. If you don't remember, you started being aggressive before Harold did."
"Yes but Ishaan beat that all out of me. Every time. He disciplined ANY unnecessary aggression." I replied, touching my bottom at just the thought of being as aggressive as Harold and how Ishaan would handle that.
"Oh. Well I'm sorry for that. I can only remember once when my father saw me do that. When I was fifteen."
"Well I'm going to bed." I said.
"Well you might want to tell Sholack to do the same." She replied. I nodded and headed over to where he was talking to the other children. He looked at me, like he was expecting us to go out of camp and do something right now.
"Sholack, I want you to go to bed, if you're going to come out with me in the first thing in the morning. I'll see if we can be on the Dawn Border Patrol." I said and he sighed.
"Yeah, okay." He said before turning back to the others. I turned to go talk to Jonah. He was getting up to go talk to Ishaan when I approached. I smiled at him.
"Hey, Jonah, can I take Sholack out on the Dawn Patrol?"
"Sure. I don't mind. I'll even send Joseph and Mathew. They haven't been doing anything productive lately on the patrols they've been on. Not even today's. They came home with a rabbit and a mouse each." I looked to my feet.
"Thanks. I'll make sure they do something productive. I'm going to bed."
"You've earned it." He said before going into Ishaan's den. I saw Florence and Jacob leaving the camp. I caught up to them.
"Hey, where you going?" I asked.
"To the Cave Of Secrets." Jacob answered. "It's time for Florence Akatai to become a full-fledged Healer." I nodded. They left and I headed into the warriors den. I got in bed and stretched. Today was a long day, not to mention I got an apprentice now. How GREAT was that? I still wanted to spend all my time to myself. However, that was being selfish.
Ramansae tucked me in again, she kissed my cheek. "Congrats on your first apprentice."
