- Sam -

Sam barely saw Ava move before the boy was on the ground, with a bloody nose. The boy had been so rude that Sam felt offended on her behalf, but for whatever reason she didn't look too upset. Regardless, the children behind the boy had already started moving. Sam was right. They were bullies. So he picked up a large rock, and moved into the first stance.

His target was a boy close to him. The boy was a lot bigger than him, but that's why he'd picked up the rock. The large boy didn't look like he was too concerned about Sam, probably because of how Sam looked to him. That was a mistake. Sam quickly moved through the stances, and was in the air with the rock crashing into the boy's skull before the form was even complete. So he continued through the stances to the next closest boy. This one wasn't as large, but he decided to keep fighting with the rock. It slammed into that boy's head, and there were still a few stances left. He completed form one with his rock smashing into the knee of a girl who'd also picked up a rock, but hadn't had a chance to use it yet. Sam looked around for his next target, but saw that all the opposing children were on the ground. Some were crying, and some weren't moving. He wondered if they were dead.

"They were weak," Ava said, spitting the words out like they were venom. "I hope we didn't overdo it," Emily said. She was standing over one of the boys whose head he had hit with the rock. "Sam," she asked, "you took down three of them with that rock?"

"Yes," Sam replied, "my dad always said that if someone starts a fight with you, you should finish it." He saw Ava nod along at that. "My brother showed me how to use the rock."

"I'll be sure not to start any fights with you then," Katrina mumbled. She seemed uncomfortable with the violence.

"So what do we do now?" Kyle asked.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"We'll have to report to the Seniors right away," Emily answered, "They're all breathing, so they're not dead yet, but I don't know how long they can wait, so we shouldn't waste any time. The Seniors probably know healing techniques."

They all agreed with Emily. Sam would defend himself with everything he had, but that didn't mean he wanted to kill anyone. Hitting them in the head was just the easiest way to stop them, since the form let him move into the air so easily.

The next problem they discussed was how to move the other children, since none of them could move. Even the first boy had some how ended up unconscious with a broken leg. Emily suggested making stretchers to drag them back to camp. She described what she meant: using two sturdy sticks and tying cloth between them, then dragging them like a wheelbarrow without the wheel. She said she'd gotten the idea from one of her dad's books. Unfortunately, even if they used the other childrens' clothes for the cloth, it seemed like it would take too long. In the end, they decided the best choice would be to go get the Seniors.

Amanda and Katrina decided to stay behind, in case vultures or foxes came looking for an easy meal. The rest ran back to camp.

When they arrived, they were shocked to find that rather than any of the seniors, it was the Grand Ancestor who greeted them. She was floating over the clearing with her legs tucked in, and her eyes closed. They all quickly bowed. "We greet Grand Ancestor Valerie."

Then, in their minds they felt a presence. Or at least Sam did, but he judged by their reactions that the others did too. It was a soft, and maternal presence, but it also felt deep and wide like a great lake. It spoke, but did not harm them, "Speeaaaak, chiiiiiiiiiiildreeeeeeeeen." The Grand Ancestor commanded.

Without rising from his bow, Sam began speaking in his own mind. He could sense that the presence would understand him this way, and did not intend for him to speak out loud. He wasn't sure how those intentions were communicated with just two words, but he felt it with so much certainty, that it would have been impossible to convince him it was not true.

When he finished relaying the story, he waited for a few breaths, before the turtle's presence spoke again, "Yoouuuuu diiiiiiid weeeeeeeell, chiiiiiiiiiildreeeeeeeen. Reeeeesssst. Eeeeeaaat." Then she flew off in the direction of the other children.

Sam and the others stood and looked at each other with understanding. Through silent agreement, they did not speak about what just happened.