[Thirty...]

Xa'Gun grunted as he, again, lifted the dull axe overhead, stepped forward, and then brought it down on the stump of petrified wood that he was told to split for training.

"TAAAAANG!"

[Four...]

The vibration from the blow traveled through the blow, the handle, and into his hands and arms... His forearms had long ago screamed in burning pain, but after the twentieth strike, they numbed and quieted down.

[Thirty...]

Again, the axe lifted high, step, and blow...

"TAAAAANG!"

[Five...]

Xa'Gun stood up straight, as his winced from the pain of his thigh. He looked down to see a small line of blood had seeped into the bandages he had haphazardly bound it with this morning.

"Here..." A soft female voice called from behind Xa'Gun.

"Mmm..?" Xa'Gun turned to look down at the figure of Demze holding a dampened towel.

A long pause ensued as he tilted his head to understand Demze and her actions.

"Won't... You take this towel to cool yourself..." Demze spoke again.

Xa'Gun narrowed his eyes as he peered into Demze's eyes. They were still those cunning eyes... But looking closer in the light of the day... It appeared to Xa'Gun there was a hint of something he hadn't seen before... Something that reminded him of himself.

He reached out and took the cool damp towel from Demze and sat on the stump of petrified wood, as he wiped his face with the towel.

Refreshing.

"Where is Hellie?" Xa'Gun asked as he glanced at the burrow's door that led in from the backyard.

Demze frowned, but spoke, "She went out this morning to visit her friends. Various things happened between them lately, so she's trying to patch things back up. She'll be back for dinner this evening."

Xa'Gun grunted in understanding, as he stood up from his temporary seat. Taking the towel he draped over his shoulders he picked back up his axe.

"How many swings are you going to complete...? I've heard nothing but whack, whack, whack all morning," Demze asked and commented.

"Then go home."

[Thirty...]

Lifting the axe overhead, step, and... blow...

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"TAAAAANG!"

[Six...]

"..." Demze stared at Xa'Gun's back, as another hit landed after another. She sighed to herself, as she went back into the burrow.

[Nine...]

Xa'Gun huffed a few times, as he looked over his shoulder to see Demze disappear into the dim burrow.

He grunted in dissatisfaction, as he turned back, lift, step, blow...!

"TAAAAANG...!"

*******

"Tang..." A weak glancing blow rang out, as Xa'Gun staggered back and fell on his backside. The impact was cushioned by the soft dirt of the backyard. He drew in large breaths of air, as he slowly fell back completely out of energy. Staring into the afternoon sky, it seemed that the sun would soon disappear over the other side of the mountains.

Xa'Gun heard the coming of footsteps but was too tired to sit up to look. He attempted to move his eyes upward to see but was met with the ridge of his brow blocking his vision. It was soon after another damp towel patted his forehead.

"You shouldn't go so hard that you become completely defenseless, Xa'Gun." Xa'Gun recognized Demze's soft voice from this morning.

"D-Demze... Why are you still here?" Xa'Gun spoke as he still attempted to catch his breath. His whole body felt weak and heavy... Overworked no doubt.

"Because I want to be." Demze continued, as she patted away the sweat from Xa'Gun's brow. She continued along his face, neck, chest, and arms. She soon wrung the towel out, as the sweat collected drizzled on the ground like fresh rain.

Soft steps were heard, as Demze retreated back to the burrow.

[...What's her purpose...?] Xa'Gun could only wonder.

A half-hour later and Xa'Gun continued to sit on the chipped petrified stump. His breathing had long ago returned to normal, though he was unable to recover the strength of his limbs. He had on more than one occasion thought about standing up and going to couch to take a nap, but it seemed his legs, for the most part, body included, did not share his sentiment. He remained sitting, using what bit of strength he did have left to not fall from his seat.

Xa'Gun's eyes slowly opened to the sounds of soft steps, as he grunted at the approaching footfalls.

"It's the hottest part of the day, why not come in and rest in the cool?" Demze's voice softly snaked around Xa'Gun's ears.

Xa'Gun gave a displeased grunt and continued to sit. Not because he wanted to continue sitting, but because he lacked the strength to get up and walk away.

Demze furrowed her brows and she watched thumb-size drops of sweat roll down Xa'Gun's face and drip from his chin. There was a ring of damp dirt surrounding his makeshift seat.

She slowly circled Xa'Gun, who continued to sit, until she completed her full circle to stand on his right. She kneeled down and squeezed her head under his right arm.

Startled, Xa'Gun mustered what bit of strength he had accumulated from his rest to see what this Orcess was doing.

"I'll help you," Demze spoke softly, as she helped to lift Xa'Gun to his feet. Despite Demze's lack of muscles compared to her sister Hellie, she was stronger than her appearance suggested.

Step by step with the assistance of this Orcess, Xa'Gun made it to the burrow, and to his favorite spot... His couch.

Demze eased Xa'Gun to the couch, as he flopped down.

She walked in the direction of the bedrooms and bath, leaving Xa'Gun to rest.

Xa'Gun was too tired to think more, as he regulated his breathing. Soon, he slumped to the side, and soft snoring was heard.

*******

"Hoy... Son, you need to eat before tomorrow... Otherwise, you'll die on an empty stomach." Xa'Gun felt that he was being shaken awake.

Slowly his eyes focused to see Jukzuk standing to his side, "Ugh..."

"Demze tells me you worked until you could barely move... You best hope that the effects of your ghost berry carry you to tomorrow, or you're going to be worse off, to say the least... Exactly what were you thinking???" Jukzuk chastized.

With an aching body, Xa'Gun sat upright, as he rubbed his face. He noted that he didn't feel sweaty in the way that he used to... He felt... Mostly clean?

"It's my fault, I should have been here to direct him." Hellie's excited voice carried over.

"No... I watched him. It's my fault."

Xa'Gun shifted his focus to Demze, as she walked from the kitchen area. She smiled in response, "Food's ready... Let's eat."

Jukzuk slapped Xa'Gun on the shoulder, "Let's eat. We need you to be in shape tomorrow..."