The 100 One Shot "Training"
"Lexa again!" Anya yelled at her. Her little legs trying to balance on the wooden, fallen, slippery tree. "Now throw your knife in that tree over there." Anya said as she pointed at the tree across the training ground.
Lexa focused, concentrated on her task, moved her arm and threw the knife. The knife flew through the air like a scarecrow and into the tree. Right in the middle of it.
"Good job Lexa." Anya said as took place on the dirty, muddy ground. "You did well today. You will become a great warrior in your future. A warrior the people of Ton DC can count on."
A big happy smile spread across her childish face, a face without war paint on it. She would get them later in life when she would be a real adult warrior. She was almost twelve and not considered a child anymore at that age.
Lexa wanted to take place on the ground, but was stopped by Anya's stern voice. "A warrior has to stand steady. Stand up." She had her eyes closed, playing with dirt in her hands.
"You're not even looking Heda." Lexa said annoyed, but with a respectful tone. Everyone had respect for the elderly, doesn't matter how old they are. If they are older than someone that person has to be treated with respect. Her family had learned her that.
"I know you wanted to sit. Concentrate, assume your steps, bend your knees. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth." Lexa did as she was told, but was curious for what this was for.
"As a warrior you have to be calm no matter the circumstances. Breathe in and out like you're meditating." Anya still played with the dirt in her hands while studying Lexa to see f she did the exercise right.
"I'll be back." Anya said as she stood up and walked away. "Where are you going? You can't see me do my excercises when you're gone." Lexa said as she turned around to face her teacher, her heda. Not standing in the breathing position anymore.
"Keep going. Stand steady, assume your steps, bend your knees." Anya said while she put dirt on her hands "But you're not even looking!" Lexa whined. "Now inhale and exhale again. Do it until I return." And she walked off towards the village between the trees.
'Amazing.' She thought to herself as she took the position once again. 'Breathe in and out, in and out.' She listened to her own voice to keep the phase and it worked. She disliked breathing exercises, but she had to do it to become a warrior she wants to become.
She was already doing it for around four hours, it started to get dark, the evening was falling over the world, over her. The trees started to look like hands grabbing her, birds chirping to mention the day is over and the night begins.
She stopped breathing and walked towards the village. How could she just walk off and not return. Lexa was angry and frustrated that she had breath for hours while the commander still hadn't returned yet.
She was like this child that had a temptrum, her feet hitting the ground like an elephant, her tiny hands into fists.
Once she stood before the commanders house she just burst in. Her face on thunder. "Thank you for picking me up." Lexa said angry, the respect she had for her heda was gone at this point. She was angry she was left behind like some baby animal.
"Have I said you could return?" Anya said calmly while looking over the cup of tea she held by her lips, ready to take a sip. Her eyes examining the little girl before her.
"Well I see you got your temper back. You did well. Tomorrow we continue." Anya said between sips.
She signed. "But I need to learn it!" Lexa complained. "A warrior has to learn to breathe, to stay calm in any situation. If you can't do that THE WARRIOR IN YOU DOESN'T DESERVE TO COME OUT!" Anya yelled sternly at the end of her sentence.
Lexa just looked at her teacher, her heda. Anya's calm, stern, mature voice filled the air again. "If you can't control and concentrate you will not be able to help the people around you. Even hurting the innocent. A warrior is not only about fighting and protecting, but of staying calm in any inhuman situation. If not you will hurt the people you care about."
Lexa finally understood the reason behind the breathing exercises. And Anya stood up, gave the tea to her servant and walked away, through the robe that was meant to be a door to separate the two rooms.
Anya had made herself ready for the day and stepped outside her residence when Lexa sat on the ground before the entrance.
"I'm sorry I was not in a learning mood. I will behave and do my best and concentrate on my task." Lexa said as she looked at her heda from the ground.
"Very well. Let's continue." Anya said and stretched her hand towards Lexa to help the little girl of the ground. They both walked off towards the warrior school ground of Ton DC.
"Where is Lexa?" Indra demanded of the other children of her class. The children looked at each other confused. Even one kid shrugged his shoulders at the question.
"Indra she is with me." Anya stood by the entrance of the warrior fighting school. Lexa right behind her on the left side. "Yes Heda." She bowed for her commander, just like the six children did of the class.
"Children let's go, start to battle, two by two!" Indra said loudly. "If you fall down, keep going, stand up again and do it again." Indra walked between the children to give them advice or to say they had to improve their skills.
Lexa was breathing again and Anya looked at the little girl that reminded her of herself. Her younger self.
"Lexa you will become a great warrior." She took Lexa's hand to position each other on the ground. Anya took a box from her pocket gave it to Lexa.
"Open it." She said as Lexa took it from her. She opened the box. Paint, black paint. Lexa looked over at Anya and smiled. War paint.
Anya did put her finger inside the paint and said Lexa had to close her eyes. Lexa felt Anya's fingers move across her face. Around her eyes and nose, her cheeks.
It was sticking to her skin, but she was delighted that she finally got war paint. The paint of a real warrior.
Anya had a small broken mirror in her hands. "Look." She said to Lexa and Lexa opened her eyes. She was amazed how green her eyes where under the black color of the paint. The paint was across her nose and eyes and it looked like rain drops sliding down her face.
She looked amazing. Like a real warrior. She couldn't wait to be a real one in the future. A big smile present on her childish, cute face.
hope you guys liked this one shot. I love the grounders a lot! (I used the episode 'The Deserter' of Avatar The Last Airbender)