"Okay this was a really bad idea." I muttered, grabbing a spear from a dead Izila lying nearby. Trying not to cringe at the blood and the open wound where his throat used to be, I headed towards the sounds of a battle. Rushing through the open door of the Izila camp, I paused as I saw Takkar attacking three blue painted Izila warriors with his spear while a huge Sabertooth lunged at another warrior. It leapt at the warrior, ripping a scream for the warrior before it ripped out his throat using its long, white fangs. That was pretty nasty, I thought as I hurried to help almost taking an arrow to the shoulder as someone yelled at us.
A painted man in a headress standing on a hill pointed to us, watching with a cold smile as more warriors raced towards us. I whistled, Kion lunging towards anyone who got too close as Takkar slammed his club into a man's head. Distracted by the battle I didn't see the warrior on the hill raise his bow until something me and I screamed as an arrow embedded itself in my right leg, just below my hip.
Gasping through the pain I didn't see another arrow heading straight for me until Takkar grabbed my shoulder, pushing me out of its path. I cried out again, hitting the ground hard and rolling as he took care of the remaining warriors with his club and Sabertooth. Kneeling beside me he pulled the arrow free with one swift yank and I just about bit through my lower lip, shaking from the pain. "Go. I'll defeat Izila." Takkar ordered, leaving me sitting on the ground with my hand pressed over my thigh.
I whimpered, Kion running over to protect me as a warrior decided that now was a perfect time to attack me. Kion made him wish he hadn't, leaping at the warrior who didn't even have time to scream.
I finally managed to climb to my feet and despite Takkar telling me to stay back I limped towards the hill, gritting my teeth against the pain of my wound. I just reached the foot of the hill when I saw Takkar knock the warrior to the ground with his club and I might have felt sorry for him had he not thrown some kind of fire bomb at Takkar, who just deflected it.
In a heartbeat he lunged for the warrior who quickly spoke, offering his knowledge of the Izila ways in exchange for his life. I didn't get to hear the rest as the floor rose up to meet me, my injury taking a heavy toll on my body.
"Nasty wound. But it will heal." Tensay whispered as I struggled awake, gasping as he rubbed a green paste into my thigh wound. "Hold her still." He asked Takkar who knelt beside me, pressing a hand to my right shoulder.
"Stop it...hurts!" I growled, getting ignored as Tensay pressed more of that green paste into my wound and I howled. I blacked out, waking again to find myself alone in a strange hut. For some reason I felt a little better and as I sat up I found my thigh tightly bandaged with a long green leaf. "It actually feels better." I muttered, wondering if I could walk. I soon found I could but it was a struggle just making it through the doorway when I fell, landing heavily on my backside.
I growled, hoping I hadn't injured my leg further when I heard a commotion not too far away from where I was. Taking a deep breath I pushed myself up, using the walls of the hut for leverage, and now on my feet I limped towards the shouts.
Longer than it would have taken me without the injury I finally reached my goal to find a cage and a very angry (and familiar) Izila yelling inside it. Taking a moment I finally figured out just who I was staring at. Without his mask headress he didn't look so intimidating. "Hey you're the one who shot me!" I shouted and he turned from yelling at Takkar to frown at me.
"Who are you?" He asked and I lunged at him, stopped by Takkar who placed his hand on my shoulder. "Doesn't matter." He snorted and I growled, furious as he turned his attention back to Takkar.
"You stay here. Safe from Wenja." Takkar said, a small stone sitting in his hands before he turned away from the Izila who stared.
"Wait!" He yelled until Takkar was out of earshot before he turned to me, muttering something about 'Batari'. "Who are you?" He finally asked me and I stepped forward, glaring at him.
"I'm the one you shot with a damn arrow. Next time you'll be the one with an arrow sticking out of you." I warned, flicking his forehead with my fingers. "Maybe in that forehead of yours." I added, biting a giggle as his eyes went wide. Leaving him alone in his cage I limped back to find Takkar standing with a stone in his hands, carefully turning it over with his fingers. "What is that?" I asked and he smiled, holding it in front of me.
"Fire bomb." Takkar answered and I grinned, thinking just what I'd like to do with it. "No, leave Roshani alone. He can help us."
"Hmph by setting the village alight? He's a pest." I grumbled, Takkar laughing before he led me back to the hut I'd woken up in. "Whose is this anyway?" When he answered I blinked a huge smile crossing my lips. "Mine? Awesome!" I laughed and he stared at me, looking a little confused. "It's great, thank you." I quickly added and he nodded, a smile on his face.
With my own hut I felt a little more at home though I did spend a few hours resting my leg, the pain spiking just after I gave Roshani a piece of my mind. I was having a nice rest, curled up on what I assumed was Cave Lion fur judging by the black and white stripes, until I heard someone walking around outside and I groaned. Rising to my feet, I stumbled towards the entrance. Pushing aside the skins I found Sayla waiting for me.
"What's going on?" I asked and she smiled at me, making me more than a little confused. "Who's Karoosh?"
"He is a warrior. You can't fight so he will teach you." Sayla answered, walking away before I could protest. In the end I followed her, not sure why I'd let her talk me into this.
Probably because she's right even if I don't want to admit it, I thought. Maybe that arrow wouldn't have hit me if I'd been paying attention.
"Karoosh, this Valery." Sayla said to a man with curly, brown hair and a scar over his left eye. With a grin he clapped a hand onto my shoulder just about knocking me on my face. I narrowed my eyes at him, annoyed and he just laughed.
"Strong spirit but weak body. Not a fighter." He told me as Sayla walked away and I growled, frustrated as he sized me up. "Will change that."
Oh perfect, I thought looking down at my bandaged leg with a sigh. He actually took his training seriously and I was soon covered in sweat after what seemed like a full day. He doesn't let up, I thought as I focused on using the club he'd lent me. My aim was off and I missed hitting him, giving him the chance to knock me on my backside for the thousandth time. "Crap!" I snapped as he offered his hand, not a bead of sweat on his face.
"Not fast enough." He laughed and I snorted, wiping my forehead with the back of my palm. "Stop before you fall."
"Not gonna happen." I growled, raising the club and he stepped back as I took a quick swing at his face. Which just made me overbalance again, hitting my stomach and winding me.
"You are stubborn." Karoosh commented as I sucked in a few short breaths, getting my feet under me. "Good."
"I'm not giving up." I coughed, gripping the club tightly in both hands. This time I managed to land a blow on Karoosh who grinned before I fell on my backside, a weak kick striking me. "Okay...that really hurt." I groaned as Karoosh rubbed his cheek, grinning down at me.
"Weak blow. Strong will." Karoosh commented, yanking me to my feet. "Rest." He added and I nodded, still struggling to breathe.
I ended up limping back to my hut, determined to rest like the warrior said. Once I reached my hut and my Cave Lion bed I collapsed onto it, letting out a groan. Feels like I could sleep for a week, I thought struggling to keep my eyes open. I did sleep for a while, waking to a weird gurgling noise and I rolled onto my back hoping the noise would go away. It didn't getting louder instead and I groaned, pushing myself up by my elbows.
"Great and now I'm starving. Wonder if I can get something to eat and what exactly would it be?" I whispered, climbing to my feet. My leg feeling a lot better despite my training with Karoosh, I walked outside. It was then I caught a whiff of something wonderful cooking so I just followed my nose towards a campfire. "Huh what's that?" I muttered to myself, catching myself when Sayla joined me beside the campfire.
"Goat." She told me, passing me a piece of cooked meat. Seeing me hesitate she stared. "Not hungry?"
"Yes just never eaten goat." I replied, taking the offered meat. Blowing on it I took a tiny bite and once I tasted it I quickly ate the rest in a few bigger bites. "Amazing." I whispered and she offered me another piece, a smile on her face as this piece disappeared as quickly as the first. "Even better."
"Did Karoosh teach you to fight Udam?" Sayla asked, taking a bite of her own piece of roasted goat and I nodded.
"I still need to practice but I think I did pretty well." I answered as Takkar joined us and Sayla offered him a piece of goat. We sat together for a while until Takkar turned to me and I stared as he told me something shocking. "He's living with us now?!" I shouted, rising to my feet. "He tried to kill me."
"He grows crops and build Fire Bombs." Takkar explained and I snorted, storming off before they could stop me.
"He even has his own hut?" I growled as soon as the hill on the outskirts of the village came into view and I saw the hut perched there. "Why don't they roll out the red carpet for him too?" I snapped as he knelt in front of his hut, hunched over something on the ground.