Squeals rose high and intensified, the kids laughing as they sprinted in all directions in order to escape the wolves bounding after them.

Vilkas loved running so much apparently because he was tricking them into the same program as hers. Though, she presumed that it was for different reasons. Hers were to build stamina so she can fight, theirs were to build stamina to escape danger if ever exposed to it.

It wasn't going as planned, however. They were laughing and sometimes even chasing after the wolves.

Ashelia shook her head after returning from running errands for an old couple. She watched from under a tree as youngsters settled into positions, offensive and defensive, depending on their task: attack or block.

Lyall, a blond lycan, was fixing their postures and giving out instructions. He was young, stern, lean, and lethally fast. He knocked one, two, three teens before she stepped out from the shadows and stalked his way.

The hair on the back of his neck stood erect as she strolled past him.

"What did you learn, kids?" Silence met her question. She narrowed her eyes and they stammered for a reply.

Each one recounted what Lyall had shown them. Keep your feet apart, wider than your shoulders, knees slightly bent, and your hips back. She nodded, turning to the offense group.

A girl stuttered out, fumbling and fidgeting until she got the position right. Keep your feet at a slight side angle, your knees should be facing the direction of your feet, and keep the rear heel a little elevated as it'll bring you into an attack mode.

She turned to Lyall who had a blank face and dark brown eyes. He smiled, proud of his students. "Should we demonstrate the next step?" She shrugged, getting into a defensive stance. His smirk morphed into an annoyed pout when he kept getting pinned. "You're ruining my credibility among the kids," he whined half-heartedly.

She rolled her eyes. "Make them spar, Lyall. They'll learn as they go. Take note of everyone's strengths so we can work on them."

He nodded, clapped his hands to get their attention, and started barking orders.

Ashelia took determined steps toward Vilkas when a bundle of energy slammed into her legs. She recognized his smell before seeing his face. "Watch where you're going, child." She patted his head.

The kid looked up at her with quivering lips and glistening hazel eyes.

She immediately dropped to his level. "What's wrong, Alexander?"

"I want to ride on a wolf," he hiccupped and she sighed heavily. He scared her for a moment there.

Picking up the sniffling kid, she resumed her journey. After coercing Vilkas into letting him ride on his back for a few heartbeats, Alexander squealed, scurrying back toward the other toddlers.

Pulling his pants back on, Vilkas whistled to get the attention of the adults he was training. Dividing them into groups of two, he took a step back. "Fight."

He leaned against a cabin next to Ashelia and watched. "They're not so bad but they have a long way to go." He nodded absent-mindedly, calling out names to correct them on certain blows.

Both lycans and humans were taught hand-to-hand combat before the wolves were moved to the side to brawl and the humans were ordered to watch. They needed to observe different fighting behaviors to learn how to deal with them.

Since training started early from the brink of dawn until way late into the afternoon, the evenings were lazy. 

Glad she managed to fix her sleeping schedule, Ashelia enjoyed the refreshing breeze nipping at her face as she raced Vilkas and a group of wolves.

The run breathed life into her.

After dragging their kills back to the village, she sat out in front of her cabin, picking at her leather pants and basking under the silver rays of the bright moon.

Vilkas and Ajag watched her from a distance glowing as if their Goddess was only blessing her and no one else but her. "What do you think she is?"

"Who is more like it, Alpha."

The night was long and very lonely. Ashelia must've dozed off on the stairs waiting for Efû. She blinked back into focus before heading inside.

Days passed and there was nothing from her gryphon. Her heart sunk with each passing moment but she busied herself as much as possible.

A month had passed and the teens were a lot better, still jittery but could cause plenty of damage. The kids grew faster each day and they loved chasing after her.

It was late at night, Ashelia was running and darting between scattered trees when a hoot reached her ears. She stumbled, nearly crashing, looking around. An owl sat nestled high among the branches. She sighed, pushing forward and falling into a slow gait back to her cabin.

She lay curled in a ball, contemplating going after Efû when a feathery touch glided across her cheek. She jolted up, sleep scurrying away. "Efû!" Her cry tugged at his heartstrings. "When did you get here?"

Efû sighed. 'Just now, I am exhausted.' Tears welled up in her eyes. 'I must apologize for worrying you, little one.' 

She shook her head, patting the spot by her belly. 

His black feathers chased away the darkness within as she ran her fingers through their softness. "What did you see, Efû?"

The owl was silent for a while and she thought he fell asleep until he spoke. 'It was ugly, Lia.' Mauve flickered, pooling into distraught blue. 'It is a town full of humans and rogues. What is truly strange is that the rogues seem compliant to the ruler of the town.'

"Rogues organized and following a leader?" She frowned. "That's weird, indeed."

'What is truly despicable, Lia, is that they are killing whoever they stumble upon then enslaving the rest when they grow tired of spilling blood. They raid, kill, rape, and kidnap. I saw it, Lia. I saw it and I could only watch.'

A shudder passed through her. Rage breathed life back into the smothered flames inside her soul.

She shot up. 

Ashelia pulled on her pants, tunic, and shoes. She raced around the cabin for a cloth to use as a mask then stopped by the door, finally registering Efû's frantic calls.

'Lia! No! Ashelia, no. You are not going anywhere. No.'

Rumbles vibrated in her chest. "Show me the way or I'll find it on my own."

'Fuck, Lia, why do you have to be so damn stubborn?' She sighed, calming down when she heard him cuss.

"I promise, if it's too dangerous, I won't interfere."

'It is.'

"Efû." She gritted out.

'Lia.'

"We can't ignore their pain."

'We can if we want to keep our village away from them.'

Ashelia deflated. "Don't you see, Efû? They will come here sooner or later. They orphaned most of the kids here, killed parents, infants, husbands, wives...We won't wait for them to come for us. We will go to them."

His worry seeped through their bond and Ashelia patted her shoulder. Copper strands covered most of it before she swept it into a braid to the side.

"Don't worry, my Efû, I'm not a child anymore."

Efû raced out of the cabin, settling on all fours and giving his back to hers. Tucking loose strands behind her ears, she jumped up and placed a tender kiss on his wing. 

"We're taking hell to them."

'Hell is rather euphemized.'

Word count: 1249.

Total word count: 27243.