Trial and Error
peyak.
"Congratulations to all of you." Viho told the large crowd of men, "You all have the courage and confidence to stand here with your head held high," He gave a boy with his chin to his neck a cold stare, "and believe you can help our village stay safe. That you want to keep your love ones safe by being a sacrafice. If you're here because your father said so, or because you're trying to win over some girl, leave. You don't belong here!" My brother finished.
I sat from the tree branch that towered over the men my father said my brother could lead. It wasn't the fittest or best mannered group of guys but it was something Viho could start with. I observed from above as a few younger guys walked out after my brother's announcement. My mother's staff swung beside me, the hook at the end of the staff keeping it from falling onto the men below.
After a moment of silence my brother gave them all a halfhearted smile, "Alright, I'm sure you all know my sister." Most of them nodded, "But I'll introduce her anyways."
I let out a light chuckle as they all looked around, trying to spot me.
"Whoever can spot her first gets this." Viho held up a golden coin, "You can cash this in either at the market place to the royal merchant, worth one hundred tokens, or trade it to me for a water break during our training. If I were you I'd use it for the ladder." He gave the group a smirk.
Many of them tried, looking around the empty field. All there was were meadows going south and a forest to the east. I was hanging from the borderline tree, which happened to be one of the largest.
"There." An elderly man called to my brother as he pointed straight up at me.
My brother grinned at him as I threw my staff down, letting it dig into the soil, then jump right after it. Their eyes turned towards me, "How did you know?" I asked with a grin of my own.
The man held up a reddening leaf of the tree I had just descended from, "You dropped this."
"That's nothing." A boy, around my age, said gruffly.
"Watch what you say." I muttered, staking my staff out of the ground and shoving the end into his chest, "Arrogance can cost you your life."
I sat from the tree branch that towered over the men my father said my brother could lead. It wasn't the fittest or best mannered group of guys but it was something Viho could start with. I observed from above as a few younger guys walked out after my brother's announcement. My mother's staff swung beside me, the hook at the end of the staff keeping it from falling onto the men below.
After a moment of silence my brother gave them all a halfhearted smile, "Alright, I'm sure you all know my sister." Most of them nodded, "But I'll introduce her anyways."
I let out a light chuckle as they all looked around, trying to spot me.
"Whoever can spot her first gets this." Viho held up a golden coin, "You can cash this in either at the market place to the royal merchant, worth one hundred tokens, or trade it to me for a water break during our training. If I were you I'd use it for the ladder." He gave the group a smirk.
Many of them tried, looking around the empty field. All there was were meadows going south and a forest to the east. I was hanging from the borderline tree, which happened to be one of the largest.
"There." An elderly man called to my brother as he pointed straight up at me.
My brother grinned at him as I threw my staff down, letting it dig into the soil, then jump right after it. Their eyes turned towards me, "How did you know?" I asked with a grin of my own.
The man held up a reddening leaf of the tree I had just descended from, "You dropped this."
"That's nothing." A boy, around my age, said gruffly.
"Watch what you say." I muttered, staking my staff out of the ground and shoving the end into his chest, "Arrogance can cost you your life."
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Peyak - meaning the number one in the native language of Cree.