within him alive? He had no idea. So wrapped up in his thoughts, Blaze hardly noticed when he finished his exercises.
“ Come on, Blaze! Everyone else is done!” Gnaw yelled. Realizing that he was doing the exercises over a second time, Blaze abandoned the pose he was trying to do and hurried over to get back in line.
“ You look distracted,” whispered Jasper, “What’s wrong?”
“ Nothing,” said Blaze, “I’m fine.”
“ All right, trainees, go to your mentors!” Gnaw ordered. Everyone split up. Blaze went to look for Slicer. As he approached the tree where he first “met” his mentor, Blaze felt himself tense up, half expecting another fight. Instead, the old saloli showed himself peacefully this time.
“ Hello, Blaze,” said Slicer, “Are you ready to begin your first real day of training?”
“ Yes, Slicer,” Blaze said respectfully. After his fight with the old saloli the previous day, Blaze had found that he somewhat admired him. He also saw that Slicer now had a new look in his eye, hinting at the interest for what his new trainee was capable of.
“ Good. Follow me,” with that, Slicer turned and walked into the forest. A pang of anxiety hit Blaze. He hadn’t been into the forest as a saloli since he came to camp. He wasn’t sure what was dangerous to him out there anymore. Turning around, Slicer saw Blaze hanging back. “What?” he asked grinning, “An outsider that’s afraid of the open woods? What’s next?”
Realizing that he would have to go out there for the sake of appearances, Blaze took a hesitant step forward. Nothing jumped out and ate him, so he took another step. Realizing how ridiculous this must look, he then ran the rest of the way to meet his mentor.
“ So, what are we doing today?” asked Blaze. Although it felt strange, Blaze was curious as to what the day-to-day life of one of these creatures was like.
Today we are going to forage for food,” answered Slicer, “One of a tribe saloli’s most important duties.”
“ I thought their most important duty was protecting the tribe.” Blaze mused.
“ Only during war,” answered Slicer, “During times of peace, Icefire needs its able members to gather food for the old and weak. I don’t expect you to understand at first, having only fed yourself all your life, but you’ll get the picture eventually. Now, do you know the first thing to do when searching for food?”
“ No.” Blaze said immediately.
“ The first thing you do when you search for food is remember where it was last time.” Slicer instructed, “So, where were you the last time you found food?”
“ I don’t remember.” Blaze confessed.
“ You see? That’s why outsiders hardly ever survive very long. They don’t know the proper techniques for doing things. Living without order in the forest means certain death. Do you understand?”
“ Yes, Slicer,” Said Blaze.
“ Good. Now, I’m going to show you one of the places within our territory where food is most abundant. We call it the Acorn Place. And tomorrow, you will lead me back there yourself. Follow me.”
For the next half hour the two saloli walked through the forest, only stopping so that Slicer could point out landmarks that would help Blaze find his way the next day. He tried to remember them all, but it seemed as if the minute he devoted one memory, another one would come to take its place. Blaze had no idea how he was going to lead Slicer back the next day.
“ And remember that fallen tree there,” said Slicer. This was the fifth fallen tree he’d told Blaze to remember. “It means we’re almost there.”
“ Is there an easier way to remember all these?” Blaze asked, his head spinning.
“ All you have to remember is the general direction. The landmarks will come to you as you pass them,” Slicer answered. They walked for another few minutes before entering a grove of
“ Come on, Blaze! Everyone else is done!” Gnaw yelled. Realizing that he was doing the exercises over a second time, Blaze abandoned the pose he was trying to do and hurried over to get back in line.
“ You look distracted,” whispered Jasper, “What’s wrong?”
“ Nothing,” said Blaze, “I’m fine.”
“ All right, trainees, go to your mentors!” Gnaw ordered. Everyone split up. Blaze went to look for Slicer. As he approached the tree where he first “met” his mentor, Blaze felt himself tense up, half expecting another fight. Instead, the old saloli showed himself peacefully this time.
“ Hello, Blaze,” said Slicer, “Are you ready to begin your first real day of training?”
“ Yes, Slicer,” Blaze said respectfully. After his fight with the old saloli the previous day, Blaze had found that he somewhat admired him. He also saw that Slicer now had a new look in his eye, hinting at the interest for what his new trainee was capable of.
“ Good. Follow me,” with that, Slicer turned and walked into the forest. A pang of anxiety hit Blaze. He hadn’t been into the forest as a saloli since he came to camp. He wasn’t sure what was dangerous to him out there anymore. Turning around, Slicer saw Blaze hanging back. “What?” he asked grinning, “An outsider that’s afraid of the open woods? What’s next?”
Realizing that he would have to go out there for the sake of appearances, Blaze took a hesitant step forward. Nothing jumped out and ate him, so he took another step. Realizing how ridiculous this must look, he then ran the rest of the way to meet his mentor.
“ So, what are we doing today?” asked Blaze. Although it felt strange, Blaze was curious as to what the day-to-day life of one of these creatures was like.
Today we are going to forage for food,” answered Slicer, “One of a tribe saloli’s most important duties.”
“ I thought their most important duty was protecting the tribe.” Blaze mused.
“ Only during war,” answered Slicer, “During times of peace, Icefire needs its able members to gather food for the old and weak. I don’t expect you to understand at first, having only fed yourself all your life, but you’ll get the picture eventually. Now, do you know the first thing to do when searching for food?”
“ No.” Blaze said immediately.
“ The first thing you do when you search for food is remember where it was last time.” Slicer instructed, “So, where were you the last time you found food?”
“ I don’t remember.” Blaze confessed.
“ You see? That’s why outsiders hardly ever survive very long. They don’t know the proper techniques for doing things. Living without order in the forest means certain death. Do you understand?”
“ Yes, Slicer,” Said Blaze.
“ Good. Now, I’m going to show you one of the places within our territory where food is most abundant. We call it the Acorn Place. And tomorrow, you will lead me back there yourself. Follow me.”
For the next half hour the two saloli walked through the forest, only stopping so that Slicer could point out landmarks that would help Blaze find his way the next day. He tried to remember them all, but it seemed as if the minute he devoted one memory, another one would come to take its place. Blaze had no idea how he was going to lead Slicer back the next day.
“ And remember that fallen tree there,” said Slicer. This was the fifth fallen tree he’d told Blaze to remember. “It means we’re almost there.”
“ Is there an easier way to remember all these?” Blaze asked, his head spinning.
“ All you have to remember is the general direction. The landmarks will come to you as you pass them,” Slicer answered. They walked for another few minutes before entering a grove of