Chapter 15

Another week passed, and another two battles were won. The teachers gave us Thanksgiving off, so we celebrated as a group in the city. It was fun, but the next day was back to our boring routine. We were still undefeated after two months of school, and I believed that it was mostly due to our intense practices. They were held in the one of the open fields that surrounded the campus. There were bleachers off to the side, where other kids could stop and watch. The more people we beat, the more people showed up at our practices. I guess they wanted to see what made us tick, but I just tried to ignore it.

I had the Pack practice synchronized attacks, using two or more people to defeat a common enemy. They practiced going solo, and being in groups of up to 6 at a time. Then I would have them split off to take out different enemies at the same time. It was hard, but they learned, and we were all the better for it.

I gave everyone a rank within the Pack. I assigned leaders and followers, and although there was controversy at first, the tactic proved to work, for in Battle, everyone always knew who was in charge at any given time. The list was as follows: 1. Me. 2. Dimitri. 3. Kylie. 4. Abby. 5. Matt. 6. Nick. 7. Sam. 8. Paul. 9. Lissa. Jean didn't lead. Ever. I just didn't trust her to make good decisions. I couldn't explain it, I just couldn't trust her.

The next day, Dimitri and I were called to see Judge Harks. I stepped into his office gingerly, Dimitri right behind me. When we were both seated, Harks spoke. "Tell me how you have done these past weeks." I looked at him, curious.

"We've never had more than two Krijders taken out of the battle, and we've never lost. Half of Pack 2's members make the all time top Krijder list, and Dimitri and I each hold a top five position." He nodded, taking in this information.

"And what has been your strategy for say, a Battle in which you must destroy a camp and all visible remains, while taking out all of the enemies? The enemy's objective is to capture your Alpha." It had been my most recent battle, one of the few in which we had lost a person. Lissa had been downed at the last battle. She had used up to much strength, and hadn't been able to see the fireball coming at her. The hit only knocked her out, but she could have easily died. She got lucky.

"Send out Pairs of complementing classes that can also work solo to draw the enemy to the front of the target building. Have a fight ensue, healers staying out of sight, while having a Dief slip away with a Heks and a Genezer to destroy the building. The Genezer surrounds them with a Bubble of Protection, and the three walk alway unharmed. The rest of the Pack receives a warning shot, and they escape before the explosion. Hopefully the enemy is subdued enough to be caught in the explosion. If not, we know because the game isn't called immediately, and then we just run clean up." Jean had been the one to accompany Abby and Sam to the building, leaving Lissa to heal the rest. It had been bad planning on my part, expecting her to heal so many. I didn't intend to make that mistake again.

He nodded, and then handed me a sheet of paper. "Here is your next Battle assignment. Good luck." I looked down at the paper, and then turned back to him, enraged.

"This battle is tonight." He nodded, and i raised my voice a touch. "My Pack just had practice; they're going to be tired. You can't actually expect me to fight this. It's not fair."

He merely looked at the clock, and then said, "Life isn't fair. Now I suggest you call your Pack." I jumped up, ready to tell him what he could do with his Battle.

But before I could say anything, Dimitri started pulling me out the door, murmuring, "Yes sir." He pinned me against a wall when the door was closed. Then to me he nearly shouted, "Rose. Calm down. Focus. Fight the fire Rose. Come on I know you can." I looked into those icy blue eyes that I loved so much, and suddenly became aware of how very close he was. I nodded, completely entranced. His eyes were just so blue. Like diving into a crystal clear pool of water, I fell into his eyes. For a moment, he seemed to realize how close we were too, and I thought that maybe something was going to happen. I hoped that something would happen. But then he let me go, and the trance was broken.

"Now let's go. We have to get them resting." I nodded meekly again, and then shook myself. Why was I acting this way? I stepped up and led the way back to the training field, where Kylie was wrapping things up as third in command.

I called the Pack over, and showed them the paper. There were different comments, namely that it was a battle on a practice day. That was unheard of. Abby and Matt just kept going on about not having the necessary 'energy'. It had something to do with Heks and Genezers, but I didn't know much about it. All I knew was that they needed it to cast spells. I calmed them down, and then said roughly, "Well, grab your things and let's go. Everyone back in the Dorm in 15 minutes. I'm going to go review strategy. Dimitri, make sure they all follow orders. We'll worry about the rest later." With that, I turned and walked to the stables. I had to see Blackjack. Blackjack always made me feel better. I would take a quick ride, and think how the hell I was going to win without my Heks.

I looked up to find the new stables in front of me. Quickly, I found Blackjack and started saddling him up. When we were just about to set out, I saw Dimitri come through the door. I double checked my watch. It had been more than 15 minutes. He had disobeyed my orders. Jackass.

He spotted me, and I took off, yelling, "Catch me if you can!" I heard him asking for the fastest horse there and smiled. I was already riding the fastest horse there. And I knew the area around here better than anyone. He had no chance. After riding for about thirty minutes, him still trying to find me, I decided to let him. I rode to my favorite place on campus. The cliff.

I stopped, and tied Blackjack to a tree a little ways from the edge. I then took out a blanket I had brought, and sat down on the edge, dangling my feet into nothingness. The view was so relaxing; all of my troubles seemed to melt away. And then a branch cracked. Dimitri was here. "It took you long enough." He came and sat beside me, just close enough to feel the electric current that I always felt around him, but not close enough that we were touching.

Dimitri, I know that you just want to help me. So i'm going to tell you every sad sob stroy of my life. Starting with what really happened with Alex." He looked suprised, but not in a way that said stop talking, so i continued on. "He and I-" My sentence was interrupted when something grabbed my foot. I stopped, looked down, and then was dragged off of my favorite place on campus: the cliff.

I thought about my life, about all of the sad things I had been about to tell Dimitri, and then something occurred to me: Maybe falling wasn't such a bad thing.