Wow, it has been seven chapters since the Salamandastron crew got any acknowledgment, or whatever they want. So, I figure that since I have exams (barf) next week, that I may as well get some writing done now, because I'm not gonna write for another two weeks probably.
Hmm, but I wouldn't be surprised if I go back on that. I'm too ADD to study for that long anyway...
So here it is chapter 10/11, dang. I'm so stupid. Why...
Oh, and these guys are Matte, Rennek, Tayla, and Baen, along with Alanbrow so far right? I'm just too lazy to go find the file.
Winter began to slide away from the eastern coast, each day slowly growing longer, the sun warming Salamandastron more and more each day. Now that the temperature began to rise, the hares began to exercise more regularly, and drills began within days of adequate temperature range.
Veteran teachers began sending the rookies out on long training runs, forcing them countless dunes, and into numerous sandy ravines. Unused to such an arduous life, many young hares complained, but all their laments fell upon deaf ears, and they knew it. Soon, the true fighting beasts began to show themselves from the rest, Tayla and Baen were no exceptions, fighting with prowess and confidence lacking in seasoned veterans. They didn't have the finesse and skill, but their natural abilities were unparalleled within the entire squadron.
Coming from another long training run well ahead of the group, Tayla and Baen began to re-discuss what had happened only half a season ago with the forced decision about the polecats. "I still don't like it." Tayla said
"Neither do I," agreed Baen, "but what can we do about it? We are only first years, we aren't favored yet, we have no fighting experience other than training so far, and we have no leader." Baen looked away towards the approaching pack of hares.
"No," Tayla countered, "We have Rennek, he can help us."
"We need to talk to him then," Baen ordered more than suggested.
"Of course." Tayla agreed.
"You two!" yelled out Matte from his position, "come here!"
Begrudgingly, the two hares jogged lightly over to Matte, knowing that even the slightest hint of laziness would be punished. "Yes?" Baen spoke for the two of them.
"You are getting lazy, you stand around too much during the runs-"
"We do the same amount of work as the others, we just go faster!" Tayla defended herself and Baen quickly.
"You do not need to interrupt me young lass, now listen. Do as I say or double will be in order for you. When the group returns, we will finish drills, then do one more run. Everyone will do one lap, except you two, you will do two laps, and if you do not catch the slowest hare, you will be forced to run another four laps."
Baen and Tayla lurched forward in an effort to protest, but were held back by Matte's glare.
The large group soon returned from the run and Matte lead them through the rest of the pike drills, including the formation of a phalanx and circular defending. Once again, Tayla and Baen understood and stood out from the group with their excellent comprehension and action upon the orders.
But soon enough, the dreaded final lap came around. All the hares turned and began an easy lope over the sand dunes, wanting to finish the day on an easy note. Except Tayla and Baen. They quickly sprinted out ahead of the pack and began a vigorous pace, quickly pulling away from the pack. They were nearly done their first lap when the pack had passed the halfway point. Knowing that they had less than half a lap to run a full lap and pass the last hare in the pack, they began to run even faster.
They flew over the dunes, spending more time in the air on the way down than on the ground on the way up. Both Baen and Tayla were beginning to breathe heavily now, the effects of such a strenuous workout straining them to the maximum and beyond. Rounding the halfway point, they roughly estimated that the pack had a quarter lap to go. Once again, they sped up, moving faster than they had ever run before, the sand was a literal blur beneath their thundering feet. Coming over a rise, they surveyed the rest of the course, noticing how close they were to the pack. Then they noticed the despicable Matte urging the pack to pick up the pace and run faster.
Not wanting to run more, Baen and Tayla tried to run even faster, moving at unprecedented speeds, covering the flattening dunes in mere seconds. Within fifty pawsteps of the finish line, they burst past the last hare in the pack, and with great whoops of joy they began to slow down to cross the line at a comfortable, but still fast pace.
Baen began to raise his paws above his head in celebration when Tayla suddenly dropped to the ground beside him, tumbling along the uneven sand. He looked back to see her foot bleeding profusely. Stopping to help her, Baen was passed up by the now third last hare in the pack. He jogged back to Tayla, panting heavily and gasped out, "Tayla! What happened?"
Tayla turned and faced him, tears streaming down her normally calm and serene face. She clutched her hind paw, blood seeping in between her paws and onto the sand. "I cut my foot on something, and it is cut real bad." She said, motioning to the white bone which could be seen through the severed muscle and blood vessels.
"Here, wrap it," Baen ordered, taking off his shirt and twisting it into a makeshift bandage. Tayla remorsefully took the shirt, not wanting to dirty some other beast's clothing. Baen urged her to wrap her foot, motioning with his paws to tie it tightly. He placed an arm around her shoulders, gave her a quick hug of genuine comfort, then went off in search of what Tayla had stepped on.
Seconds later he returned with a pike head. "I found this buried in the sand, blade up." He said almost guiltily, worried at the implications.
"How did it get there? Did it fall off during practice?" Tayla asked inquisitively.
"No it couldn't have," Baen replied, "We practiced much closer to the dunes." He headed off and examined the area around the place where he had found the pike head. "Tayla," he started, "Look at this," he motioned at the pawtracks. "All the footpaw tracks lead around the place where this was buried, and look here," he pointed to two indents in the sand, "somebeast directed them around it."
Tayla looked up from her crimson bandage, blood beginning to rush to her face. "Matte! He must have buried the pike head, then when it looked like he was making them run faster, he was just directing them around the pike head." She fumed to herself, cursing under her breath.
"But why?" Baen asked
"He doesn't like us, duh!" Tayla replied, knocking her fist to the side of her head in a "are you completely dense?" motion.
"Well that is obvious, but WHY doesn't he like us?" Baen corrected his earlier statement.
"I dunno, but it doesn't look like we have time to discuss it. Look who's coming..." Tayla mentioned with disgust.
"Speak of the devil, and the devil he shall appear," Baen quoted dryly as Matte sauntered over innocently.
"Well, my good beasts," Matte began with an unusually happy twinge to his voice, "It seems that somebeasts lost their bet."
"It wasn't a bet!" Baen retorted, "You told us we ha-"
"Yes, I know," Matte interrupted, "but really, who else has to know? Or in this case, who will Alanbrow believe when two leverets like you come forward complaining that a sergeant like me made you run too much? Salamandastron has no compassion for your suffering." He scorned with distaste, "Now get up and run."
"She can't run!" Baen mentioned angrily, "Somebeast accidentally left a pike head in our path, and Tayla cut her foot." His voice dripping with sarcasm as he looked at Matte, who returned his look with a look of sheer innocence.
"That is unfortunate," Matte said unconcernedly, "I guess that means that you will have to do your laps, and her laps, alone."
Baen began to protest, but quickly bit his lip and began to jog quickly around the course. Matte offered to help Tayla up and get her inside, but she quickly refused, saying that she'd rather wait outside until Baen was finished before going inside.
"Suit yourself," Matte said, shrugging his shoulders and heading off towards Salamandastron.
Baen was extremely tired already from the intense day's work, with an additional strain from the extra energy put into the double laps, and now these extra four laps for him and four for Tayla just about killed him. Slogging through the sand on his fifth lap, barely having the strength to top the next dune, he came and finished five and began the sixth lap. Tayla spoke words of encouragement as he passed, trying to will him forward until he finished his laps.
Finally, the eight lap came around, and Baen summoned up all of his remaining energy to bring it home, and end with some pride. He slowly picked up his pace, feeling the strain on his sore and tired legs, but continued to run faster. He rounded the halfway point and continued to accelerate. A bitter taste came to his mouth and he felt like he was going to vomit, but he kept running faster.
Tayla looked on in admiration at the stamina and prowess shown by her comrade, as he rounded the final bend in the course at a dead sprint. She could see tears streaming down his face from the exertion, and his chest was heaving in deep gulps of air. She called out to him, congratulating him, "Way to go Baen! Way to finish strong!"
He passed her and continued on to the finish line, collapsing in a heap as he crossed the landmark. Baen wretched up his lunch on the sand, feeling worse than he had ever in his life. Rolling over onto his back, and covering his vomit with sand, he saw Tayla hobbling over to him.
"Baen! That was amazing!" Tayla called out in a congratulatory tone, then as she approached him her tone softened, "Thank you Baen, you shouldn't have had to do all those extra laps, especially on my part." She stooped down onto her knees, cradling his head in her paws. "Thank you so much."
"It was the least I could do for you Tayla," Baen replied, a proud mirthful smile crossing his face.
"Thank you." Tayla said a third time, softer than before. Slowly she lowered her face and kissed Baen on the cheek, "Thank you so much."
Baen didn't hear any of this though, he didn't feel the kiss, because he was already far off into a land of dreams and relaxation, sleeping deeper than he ever had before.
Tayla lay his head down softly on the ground, and then lay down beside him, not wanting to go back to Salamandastron, at least for the night.
The young couple slept deeply on the sandy ground, dreaming of sunny days of relaxation, swimming in the ocean, and of course, food.
Hmm, not a very long chapter, but it sure introduces a whole new aspect to the Salamandastron hares rivalry, I hope. Ugh, I am so tired, I really shouldn't write about sleeping right before I go to bed, or else I'll never make it to my bed.
Not that anyone cares...