polished, her diamond-capped boots were bound with a blessing of agility which made her super-fast. Samarra couldn't wait to test if her kicking skills had improved as soon as she was given a chance.
"You better look," Cassian mumbled under his breath.
Samarra blushed. The most decorated battlemaster on stage was watching her. His light brown hair was pulled back into a long braid. His broad shoulders and considerable height gave him an advantage over the handful of gaians who had reached the battlemaster ranks with him. Samarra stood at attention, almost hypnotized, until he focused on another swain. His eyes were intense. She watched him for a while, then checked out the others in her row. When she reached the end of the line, she stopped.
Barely concealed in the shade, a freckle-faced gaian was scoping his environment like a bad spy. Samarra waved at him to catch his attention, but he was preoccupied with something far more important. When he thought that nobody was watching him, he rammed two fingers up his nose with anticipation.
"A double barrel!" Samarra gagged. "Hey, Cassâ¦"
Silence.
"Cass," she said a little louder and flicked the side of his head.
"Ouch." He rubbed his temple. "What do you want now?"
She pointed at the boy. "The shoveller is digging for gold."
Cassian leaned over to look.
"Eww." Samarra turned away before she saw what the boy was about to magic out of his nose.
"That's disgusting." Cassian was mesmerized nonetheless.
"Is it a big one?" Samarra's stomach was turning.
Cassian faced the front. "I can't see."
"Aww." Samarra fell quiet.
"You're gross for a girl."
Samarra ruffled his hair. "No I'm not." She could feel him warming up to her already. It wouldn't be long before things between them were back to normal. She just knew it!
She tugged his arm. "Cass."
Cassian swatted her hand away. "Be quiet, Sammy."
It took a while for Samarra to notice that the platophibian girl in front of her had turned around and was staring. It took her a little while longer to notice that she had also captured the attention of the platophibian Elder who had appeared at the lectern. Three brown spots lined the bridge of his flat nose. His black-and-yellow slitted eyes were focused on her and only her.
Uh oh! Where did he come from? She snapped to attention. The Elder rested a webbed hand on his staff. He said something into his tablet before he tucked it into his pocket.
"Samarra Dawning," he said. The gills on his too long neck flared open and closed. "I am pleased that you find my appearance a source of amusement."
Samarra remembered his voice. He thinks I'm laughing at him! She stood gaping.
"May I begin?" The end of his green tail tap , tap , tapped patiently at his side.
Samarra wanted to sink underground and never come out. She could feel Cassian's I told you so slap her in the face with a crimson flush.
"Well?" He blinked rapidly.
Samarra nodded. The Elder croaked twice and began his speech.
"My name is Nereus Croak. It is my honour to welcome you all to Shieldwolf Proper." He bowed, as did Merganser and the others on stage.
"Here we go," Samarra mumbled.
"To become a Shieldwolf is an honourable achievement," Croak said. "You were born into our tradition. Your selection was also the result of your innate ability to communicate with the Reflection, the unchanging cause of everything, of all that is right and beautiful and good."
Samarra turned around. The fire ant was watching Cassian. Its open mouth left a trail of slobber. Croak said something that made everyone clap, but Samarra didn't hear. She turned back to face him when the fire ant was distracted by a flower.
"The path of the Shieldwolf is lit by duty to Kairuhan. Serving her is our first responsibility," Croak droned on. "The world provides for us sustenance. We who dwell in the mountains stand in awe of her many wonders. Kairuhan is the air that we breathe, the water that quenches our thirst, and the fields that provide us
"You better look," Cassian mumbled under his breath.
Samarra blushed. The most decorated battlemaster on stage was watching her. His light brown hair was pulled back into a long braid. His broad shoulders and considerable height gave him an advantage over the handful of gaians who had reached the battlemaster ranks with him. Samarra stood at attention, almost hypnotized, until he focused on another swain. His eyes were intense. She watched him for a while, then checked out the others in her row. When she reached the end of the line, she stopped.
Barely concealed in the shade, a freckle-faced gaian was scoping his environment like a bad spy. Samarra waved at him to catch his attention, but he was preoccupied with something far more important. When he thought that nobody was watching him, he rammed two fingers up his nose with anticipation.
"A double barrel!" Samarra gagged. "Hey, Cassâ¦"
Silence.
"Cass," she said a little louder and flicked the side of his head.
"Ouch." He rubbed his temple. "What do you want now?"
She pointed at the boy. "The shoveller is digging for gold."
Cassian leaned over to look.
"Eww." Samarra turned away before she saw what the boy was about to magic out of his nose.
"That's disgusting." Cassian was mesmerized nonetheless.
"Is it a big one?" Samarra's stomach was turning.
Cassian faced the front. "I can't see."
"Aww." Samarra fell quiet.
"You're gross for a girl."
Samarra ruffled his hair. "No I'm not." She could feel him warming up to her already. It wouldn't be long before things between them were back to normal. She just knew it!
She tugged his arm. "Cass."
Cassian swatted her hand away. "Be quiet, Sammy."
It took a while for Samarra to notice that the platophibian girl in front of her had turned around and was staring. It took her a little while longer to notice that she had also captured the attention of the platophibian Elder who had appeared at the lectern. Three brown spots lined the bridge of his flat nose. His black-and-yellow slitted eyes were focused on her and only her.
Uh oh! Where did he come from? She snapped to attention. The Elder rested a webbed hand on his staff. He said something into his tablet before he tucked it into his pocket.
"Samarra Dawning," he said. The gills on his too long neck flared open and closed. "I am pleased that you find my appearance a source of amusement."
Samarra remembered his voice. He thinks I'm laughing at him! She stood gaping.
"May I begin?" The end of his green tail tap , tap , tapped patiently at his side.
Samarra wanted to sink underground and never come out. She could feel Cassian's I told you so slap her in the face with a crimson flush.
"Well?" He blinked rapidly.
Samarra nodded. The Elder croaked twice and began his speech.
"My name is Nereus Croak. It is my honour to welcome you all to Shieldwolf Proper." He bowed, as did Merganser and the others on stage.
"Here we go," Samarra mumbled.
"To become a Shieldwolf is an honourable achievement," Croak said. "You were born into our tradition. Your selection was also the result of your innate ability to communicate with the Reflection, the unchanging cause of everything, of all that is right and beautiful and good."
Samarra turned around. The fire ant was watching Cassian. Its open mouth left a trail of slobber. Croak said something that made everyone clap, but Samarra didn't hear. She turned back to face him when the fire ant was distracted by a flower.
"The path of the Shieldwolf is lit by duty to Kairuhan. Serving her is our first responsibility," Croak droned on. "The world provides for us sustenance. We who dwell in the mountains stand in awe of her many wonders. Kairuhan is the air that we breathe, the water that quenches our thirst, and the fields that provide us
Similar Books
