Wolf heat: TEACHINGS PT.1
#10 of Wolf Heat
Right, time for chapter 10. All characters in this story are created by me, please don't steal them or use them without permit (they are like children to me). Not much to say, enjoy the chapter.
TEACHINGS PT.1
FIVE RISING SUNS
Ventus had been with Ardors pack for three days now. Ardor had been training him all that time. It was tough training and Ventus had taken a lot of beating from it. His body was covered in bruises and his fur was muddy and matted.
The basic idea of Ardors training was to perfect the sixth sense, a sense that let you sense danger and read the rhythm of the universe. You gained access to it by their packs ancient test risking their life in the honey filled forest where all your other senses are knocked out.
After that the teachings was a trial themselves to overcome. From the first day when his training started it had continued without stopping.
At the first day when night fell Ardor had said to him as he was about to leave to get some sleep.
'Listen Ventus. This is the first part of your training. This training is called five rising suns. You will train your body for five sunrises, you will not sleep and you will hunt by yourself. Only rest when you cannot move, but you will not sleep and you will start again as soon as your body allows it.'
'What!? Five days and five nights of nonstop training? Old man I think you may have lost it.' Ventus had replied.
But to that Ardor had just replied nonchalant.
'Before you master the spirit, you must master your body. If the training is too tough for you, you are free to leave.'
And after hearing that Ventus couldn't just give up. He would not lose to the old wolfs training.
The elderly wolf trained Ventus in his unique fighting style that did not seem to be affected much by the fighters' age, strength or size. Because the old wolf did humble him several times. Still he was also assigned various physical tasks like leaping or running great distances, or even climbing and swimming. All designed to push his body to the limit.
Luckily Ventus was both fast and enduring, his stamina was near to never ending and he did not bother to hunt until the evening of the second day, when he was assigned by his master to single handily take down a deer.
Now that was a fully possible task for a wolf, yet a demanding one. A deer could kill a wolf just as well as the other way around. Finding the deer Ventus had tailed it to a waterhole and attacked the very moment the deer dropped its guard to drink.
Leaping at it he had tackled it at the side, where its balance was weak and sent it falling into the waterhole. Confident he had it captured Ventus had jumped at it, but he had been caught in midair by a kick. He had managed to roll of most of the impact; if it had hit straight on he'd been dead. It had bruised his ribs quite badly but nothing was broken. He had finished the deer with his fangs buried in its throat, the warm blood running down his jaws and coloring the waterhole red.
He recalled that Tenacis, the wolf female that he had saved, had been looking at him from her rest place where she lied still injured as he limp back from the hunt. She did seem to be looking at him a lot whenever he was around. Not so that he was suppose to see it, but he did anyway.
But Ventus had no time thinking about that, his ribs where still bruised and sore, but he had two sun rises left and his master did not pay regards to his ribs, the training was as hard as ever.
Ardor was training Ventus in the art finding openings in an opponent's guard, by guiding him with feint attacks. But then Calculi and Silex called for Ardor. They were the two wolves who had attacked Ventus when he first arrived but now was more or less his friends. He did reluctantly grow found of their childish attitude.
Ardor walked over to speak with them, and he returned moments later. Ventus could tell on the three wolves that it was not good news.
'They say a wolverine is trying to steal their prey. Virus is holding it back at the moment, but I want you to fight it. Ventus will you do it?' Ardor asked.
Wolverines were feared fighters because unlike other animals they did not back down no matter the risk of injuries. While other animals would know that it was better to escape unharmed so that you would have the health and energy to hunt again.
Venus node in response and followed his master and the two young wolves as they left for the wolverine.
They did not have to travel too far before Ventus could hear the wolverine growl. They crossed a hill and then they could see Virtus, the beta wolf stand guard by a dead deer. The wolverine snarling at him.
Ventus took one look at his master that nodded in response, before he jumped down next to Virtus.
'Hey Virtus. Thanks for holding him back, but I'll take over now.' Ventus told the larger wolf.
'Huh, no way. I'm not letting you get the credit for this one!' Virtus replied. He was as brave and stubborn as they get, and for a moment Ventus thought that he would not get him to leave. But Virtus caught a glance of Ardor telling him with a look to give in, and reluctantly Virtus backed away from the wolverine.
The wolverine looked at the wolves that had arrived and snarled.
'Don't worry they won't interfere. To steal that deer you only need to get pass me.' Ventus told his opponent and they started sizing each other up.
His opponent was a male who seemed to weight about 30 kg maybe even a little more. Big for a wolverine. He also had a couple of scars; one seemed to be from wolf fangs. So he might have fought wolves before. His fur was in an unusual red-brown color.
The wolverine sized him up as well. Ventus was smaller then Virtus and probably looked less threatening. Not that the wolverine would have backed down.
'Heh, you're on!' The wolverine said between bared teeth as their eyes looked.
Ventus got into defensive stance. His ears were pointing forward, he bared his teeth and his tail was bent. A last futile try to scare the wolverine away before the fight started.
Ventus felt a subtle force pressing down on him, and he realized that they were applying spiritual pressure at each other. Without knowing it they tried to overcome the other with spirit alone. Ventus knew that now and perhaps the wolverine knew as well. However their spirits was evenly matched.
The wolverine lashed out trying to get a hold of Ventus, but the young wolf side stepped. Then Ventus tried to catch the wolverine by the neck. A big mistake. The wolverine let him get close enough to think he had him, then the wolverine twist around with amazing speed and caught Ventus muzzle in his jaws. At the same time the wolverine jumped up and grabbed a hold of Ventus with his claws, hanging from his neck.
Ventus whimpered as the wolverines teeth begun scraping against his sensitive nose, and he tried to get a hold of the wolverine with his front paws but he couldn't get a grip.
Ventus tried to shake him off, but the wolverine wouldn't let go. Then suddenly Ventus fell to the ground, but that was a faint. As the wolverine saw his opportunity to get a killing strike at the throat or belly, he temporally let go. At that moment Ventus made a sudden roll, throwing the wolverine of him and then leaping out of reach.
The wolverine snarled mixed up with a laugh.
'You're the first one to get out of that grip alive, you're good. My name is Cruor, I will enjoy wearing your blood.'
That was an odd statement, but Ventus sniffed in the air and realized that the wolverine smelled like old blood...The red color in his fur was dried blood from previous battles.
Ventus started to wonder what he had gotten himself into.
'So blood's your thing, huh?' He said smirking at Cruor.
They started circling each other, looking for weaknesses. The wolverine noticed a short twitch in Ventus moment caused by his bruised ribs and made a mental note of that. Also his opponent seemed worn out so Cruor had the advantage.
Cruor dashed towards Ventus with a series of fast bite attacks. Ventus managed to avoid the jaws of the wolverine but that opened him up for a tackle that hit his sore ribs, making Ventus shout in pain.
Cruor smirked and attacked again, slashing with his claws towards Ventus face, keeping him on the defensive until he could land a crushing headbutt at Ventus ribs.
The pain shoots through his chest like lightning. And Ventus was caught out of breath, panting hard against the pain. The wolverine was good. He was a much more experienced fighter then Ventus.
In the corner of his eye Ventus spot his master Ardor, watching the battle. Then he realized, the wolverine was using the very thing he had been training on, creating openings in an opponents guard by luring him with faint attacks. But Cruor was making one fatal mistake.
As Cruor once again launched at Ventus with a series of faint attacks, Ventus avoided them by mere inches, then as Cruor saw his opening at the ribs he flew at it with another headbutt.
But Ventus twisted out of the way making the headbutt hit air, and the force of it pulling Cruor forwards.
Then Ventus used his opponents' momentum to bite a hold on his neck, lifting him into the air then smash him down head first into the hard soil. A horrible cracking sound was heard and Cruor looked up at Ventus with wide eyes, Ventus still holding on to him. Then a puddle of blood was forming from the wolverine, His hind legs twitching in the air.
'H-how?' Cruor asked with a weak voice.
Ventus let go of his opponent that fell onto his back. Looking down on him with almost sad eyes Ventus answered him.
'You were repetitive...You were so sure of your victory that you played with me. Then you forgot that you should never strike the same place multiple times, the pain just makes your enemy guard that spot.' Ventus said with a serious lecturing voice, still with a hidden hint of sadness.
Cruor smirked and laughed, making blood flow out of his jaws.
'Heh...A beginners mistake....Ventus just so you know...The blood I wear has all been gain in just battles... I never fought for anything but survival....' He said and coughs up some more blood. The smash had broken his neck and fractured several of his internal organs.
It had become late evening and dark clouds moved over them. Then Ventus felt a drop of water hitting his nose. He looked dup and saw a rain falling from a dark heaven.
The rain pound against everyone that was there. The grim form of Ardor, the two young wolves Calculi and Silex watching the scene with questioning eyes. Ventus that sat with his ears pinned down to the side of his skull. And his opponent, the lifeless Cruor.
As the water washed over Cruor the pool of blood coming from him grew bigger and bigger, much bigger then it should be.
Then as the rainfall suddenly stopped Ventus predator eyes saw through the evening darkness at his dead opponent, but in his place was a light brown wolverine, lying in a pool of blood.
Ardor was walking over to his student.
'Why are you sad Ventus? He asked Ventus.
Ventus looked from the dead wolverine to Ardor.
'Master, he was a true fighter...I...I wished I got to know him better.' Ventus answered.
Ardor node satisfied.
'Good, good...' He said in a cryptic voice.
Then he walked away. When he had reached the top of the hill he turned to Ventus.
'Come. It's time to resume your training.'
Ventus took one look last look at Cruor then followed his master without hesitation. The remaining time of the five rising suns he spent with renewed dedication.
To be continued...
*sniffle* Oh the bond between true martial artists ...Well this chapter might be a bit confusing or not (I kind of made it up as I wrote, though that's quite usual for me).
The wolverine Ventus fought called himself Cruor. Again it's Latin.
Cruor: blood; (fresh/clotted from wound); (spilt in battle)
I just don't chose these names on random you know :p
I hope you liked the chapter, please rate it and leave a review.