"149!" The humongous white hyena called to the Learner, "battle training, NOW!"

A brown Learner bounded through the grass, heading to his mentor from the left. He skidded to make a turn around a tree and promptly fell.

"You leaned too much," the Coach grumbled. "Try to balance at the right spot."

149 nodded and followed his Coach up a mountain trail. At the top there was a large cliff, hanging off the side. Many hyenas though, had fallen into The Great Water trying to make the jump to the training area.

His Coach made the jump easily, but 149's back legs still hung off the cliff. The older hyena, clearly annoyed, grabbed him by his scruff and dragged him up.

"Push off of your back legs more."

This time, he dipped his head and leaped to the other edge. Tensing, he formed into a basic battle stance. His mentor followed.

"You've been in my custody for a month already. This time, no warnings, no instruction."

He nodded and crouched lower, obviously ready to either attack or defend. He stayed in place, immobile as a stone statue. His Coach leaped and he rolled to the left, scratching his Coach as he did so. It barely reached her and didn't even draw blood.

149 crouched again and waited. His Coach did not strike, so he leaped but didn't go for an attack. His Coach was surprised, slashing a hole in the air instead of him.

He tackled her and clawed at her shoulder, just as he had did with his brother. She yowled and threw him off.

They fought like this until Sunhigh, when the hyena shook herself and said:

"We should be heading back. You have permission to take a carcass."

He nodded again and leaped to the trail, this time making it all the way over the gap. He bounded down the trail and into the camp, excited to show his siblings what he had learned.