Sam was just about to be eaten when I decided there was no choice. Taking a deep breath I leapt to, what I was certain to be, my certain death. Sam was screaming and tears fell down her face. Time seemed to slow as I fell. The air flew passed my face as I plummeted and landed hard on the back of the spider.

The air was knocked out of me and I almost passed out from the pain. The spider let out a loud shriek and dropped it's hold on the web. It skittered about and gave Sam enough time to roll off and fall into the water below. The spider skittered and bucked, trying to remove me from my perch on its back. Then the spider I rode followed after as one of its legs missed its footing and toppled off his web. We both fell. The water met us and as my face was submerged it became clear it wasn't water.

A slime covered me from head to toe. I quickly got off the spider as it laid in the sludge. Looking around a hand grabbed me and pulled me out. Sasha and Sam were still crying and hugging each other. The goo seemed to have hardened on the others as the air hit it. Master Sim came to us and smiled. He was allowed to punish us finally.

The girls had to shave their heads before they would be allowed to eat, while Grif and I would receive a beating. The next bit of training was wrestling and Master Sim began teaching us how to wrestle himself. Though he never went easy on us, he would show us how to do something by performing it on us with full force. Many of us were rendered unconscious multiple times.

Once he was sure we understood he had us separate and practice on each other. We had wrestling matches against each other over and over again. Master Sim eventually told us it was time for our punishments. The girls went to our barracks to have their heads shaved. Grif and I both had to stay and other members of the Mountain joined us in the room. These were men. Full grown and experienced members of the Mountain.

They began taking turns beating us. Punching us with force to break bones. It was only a miracle or maybe even skill that nothing was actually broken. Once the beating was over Grif and I laid still. We didn't want to move. A wicked feeling came over me and I was sure it was madness brought on by the beating. After taking a few breaths I rose again to my feet. Master Sim and the others looked at me.

They seemed to smile without joy as they formed a circle around me again. My left eye felt like it was swelling shut. My arms felt heavy and my mind was fuzzy with pain. One of the men came and gave me a hard jab to the face and the world went black. The rest of the day was spent unconscious. When I woke, Master Sim was entering the barracks. It seemed I was brought here to rest instead of being taken to a healer. I found out Tomiko was tending my back. For getting one of the spiders in the slime I had earned a healing ointment for my troubles. She had applied the salve as I had slept.

Our stomachs rumbled in protest to the lack of food. Master Sim dismissed us and only told us how to find the mess hall used to feed everyone in the mountain. It took a fair amount of time but Grif was a natural at finding odd scuff marks on the walls and floor. We made it to the Mess hall and entered as a few others slowly joined us.

Inside were rows of tables filled with tens, if not hundreds, of people. The Masters were seated around the hall so they can look down at all the younger members. Their chairs were proper soft chairs to sit in while the younger took benches lined along tables. We made our way to the lines for food and found a table with empty space. As Grif and I were the first back to the table, it seemed it allowed others to look us over.

Judging by the obvious, it was plain to see they thought Grif was in charge. Whenever someone spoke to us, they looked at him instead of me. Grif tried to correct them but I placed my hand on his arm to stop. If they wanted to believe Grif was in charge I would let them. I just wanted to eat. My body was feeling less stiff thanks to the salve. The girls joined us shortly after I finished half my food. Grif and a few guys were talking to each other between bites. The food was pretty good. It was a mashed potato and meat combo of some kind. The flavor of the meat suggested pork but I wasn't sure, then there was the peas and carrots and for dessert was a small bit of pudding to end the meal nicely in my opinion. It was around the point I was about to dig into my pudding that I received the first taste of what normally happens, when a group of ten year old kids are gathered together. A bully rose up among us.

This one was named Fin, as I later found out. He was average in every way. Looks, size, intelligence. And seeing as I was among the shortest here he believed I was easy pickings. Fin walked up, flanked by two of his friends from his group. Grif took notice but I quickly told him to ignore everything about to happen. What Fin may never realize was that in my group I have performed the best.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

Other then Sam besting me at the lock picking and Grif at wrestling because of his size, I was still better.

"Well look right 'ere. 'e is going for his dessert before finishin his veggies. Now that won't do." he said with a bit of over the top flair.

His two friends chuckled and repeated parts of what he said. "And look how messy you are. Fail tasks already did we? I heard you are the Rabbit Killer. Why's that? Your mum's carrots stolen by a rabbit? Bet she wouldn't have let you eat no pudding till all them carrots is gone."

He chuckled among themselves again and a hush came over the more newly recruited tables. Seemed the masters could not care less. They remained focused with each other. I spotted Thrass near the head of the rows. He was seated on stage with four other Masters. His words echoed in my mind. "..Stand on top." I knew what had to be done.

I knew if I failed to do as instructed Thrass would have no issue killing me here in front of everyone. My grip tightened on my spoon and the girls kept a close eye on me. It was Grif that placed his hand on me to stop me. "That's right Rabby Killer. Listen to your leader. Mummy isn't here to keep you safe no mores." Fin cackled and his friends echoed. I shook Grif's hand from my arm and stood.

I faced Fin as he looked down on me. Nobody but Thrass and I knew what really happened. I doubted any of the masters knew it all. They just heard about the rabbit I used. No matter. Maybe it was time to tell them.

"He isn't the leader. I am." My voice was loud and firm. Now the masters seemed to take notice to what was going on in the back of the room. Those seated at the same table got up and moved away. Griff and the girls stood and pushed the large table away from me, so as to not get in my way. Sasha began cleaning her nails with a fork and Sam stretched out as if to enjoy a performance.

Tomiko was shyly looking around as if waiting for someone to stop all this. Fin laughed but the bravado he had before was fading quickly. His friend on the right, still laughing, tapped Fin,

"He's leader he says." he said. The other slapped the first to shut him up. Fin walked closer so we came face to chest. "That so, Bunny Basher? What you thinking standing up on me? I will knock you so hard they throw you out." He said with a sneer. Quick and hard my hands rose and pushed against the larger boys chest.

"I will stand on top!" I yelled and tackled the boy by the legs. Grif showed me how to get over on bigger guys. He told me to use surprise and momentum against them. Once Fin was down I was on him with the spoon against his throat. "Wanna know why Master Thrass calls me Rabbit Killer? Simple. I killed two orc warriors with nothing but a dead Rabbit. I did that after I watched them murder my mother."

Something in my eyes must have translated what i was feeling at the moment. I rose the spoon up high with every intent to thrust it down into the boys neck or eyes. I was going for blood, for the kill and he knew it. Fin screamed and tried to push me off. My legs wrapped hard around him and I stayed in place. His friends were too stunned to move and proved useless.

The spoon dove down fast and was aimed to scoop out his right eye. Just inches before the circular metal made contact, the spoon froze. A hand was wrapped hard around my wrist and I was yanked to my feet. My blood still pounded in my ears and in the heat of the moment I spun to swing at who had me.

Master Thrass twisted hard and the sound of broken bones made me grab my wrist instead. I cried out and held my hand against my chest for support. When I calmed enough to see him, my face paled and I was afraid more was coming. Instead he nod his head and walked away.

"Clean that boy up. He pissed himself." He said. A few men walked over to Fin and lifted him where he still lay. I walked over to Grif and he slapped me on the back. The girls looked at me differently from before. Sam put her hand on my shoulder.

"Is it true? Did that really happen?" she asked. I could only nod. Mentioning what happened made me relive the events of that day. The emotions and hatred for the orcs. It made me lose my appetite. "Finish eating. I will be in our room. Once you are done meet me there." I told them and walked out.

In the room I shared with them I went over to my chest and opened it. It was harder one handed but I made do. Inside were my old cloths, which I took out and began to tear into strips. I looked about the room and sighed. There was nothing to really use as a support. I did the best I could wrapping the bandage tight around the broken wrist, to keep it in place. I tied the thumb and pinky to the wrist to make it so I couldn't move it left or right and used the pointer and index tied so I couldn't move it up and down.

It was crude but I had to make do for the time being. It was quiet waiting for the rest of my team. I had a chance for the first time to really reflect on how the last few days came and went. What would my mother think if she saw me now? I was soft spoken, timid and kind before.

My thoughts were interrupted as Tomiko entered followed by the others. I look at them and nodded. "I wanted you to come here for a reason. What you heard in the mess hall, forget it." I looked over their faces, the girls showed the most shock. Grif regarded me with a bit of hesitation.