Zara the Wolf Read Free

young man laughed as he lunged with a powerful hack at
my waist, knowing my sword couldn't stop it completely. Of course, he was
right, but this time it didn't deflect off mine into me but was trapped in my
new guard. We traded blows. The force of his attack drove me backward, jolting
my arm up to the shoulder, but the edge of his sword never touched me.
    "Stop!" Chua stood staring at me. For the rest of
the day, he experimented by having me fight everyone, giving my sword to
others, and even trying it himself. When the day ended, he pronounced his
decision. "Don't like. Would take learning new way to fight. Maybe good
for weak women."
    Of course that last observation meant no woman would use it,
as it identified her as weak. He didn’t say I couldn't use it, and I didn't
care what he or the others thought of me. They had made no effort to befriend
me. Just the opposite, they had gone out of their way to make my life beastly.
Zara would always be a slave. I believe they assumed that sometime during the
training I would be killed. The training was hard and deaths were common. In
the meantime it challenged their youth and provided entertainment.
    * * *
    Over the next couple of summers, I became proficient with my
new sword, although I intentionally failed to use its real capability during my
many matches. I could see a time coming when the fight would be real and my
life might depend on being underestimated. I had discovered if I trapped a
sword and quickly twisted, the pressure on my opponent’s hand would rip the
sword lose. I had done it once but never again, although I had hundreds of
opportunities. I could also use it to force my opponent’s sword upward, since
it was trapped in my new guard, and approach close enough to stab him. Ironically,
all the warriors carried knives in their belts, but we didn't use them to
practice.
    The warrior used a short bow, accurate at about twenty
paces, which was good for raiding and killing game from hiding. I struggled
with the bow the warriors took so naturally, since they had begun practicing at
a young age. They enjoyed teasing me when we practiced, as I seldom hit the
target. What they didn't know was that I wasn't aiming at the target. At some
point, I had discovered that a quiet mind—where the bow, arrow, and I
were one—made it easy, and the arrows were going exactly where I aimed.
That winter my warrior training ended.

CHAPTER TWO

 

The Testing
    "Nibi, Ayas, Kele, and Zara, you have reached the age
of testing. At sunset you will begin your trial to be judged worthy or not to
be a warrior of the Ojaza," Chua said as we gathered for our morning
class. "Go prepare yourselves."
    The test was simple but not easy, and it was common for one
not to return—eaten by the Snow God as unworthy—or to return early,
thereby failing the test and spending the rest of his or her life just above
the status of a slave. I collected my weapons, put on a summer shirt, pants,
and shoes, and walked back to the sweat hut where the other three would join
me. We would spend the rest of the day preparing ourselves, which meant praying
to one or another of the animal spirits to protect us. I just sat with a quiet
mind, naked and sweating like the others. Hours later, Chua appeared at the
door.
    "Time to go. Get dressed," he said, inspecting each
article of clothing before we put them on. We could only wear a summer shirt,
pants, and shoes, as the trial was a test of the individual's survival
skill—no food, and summer clothing in the dead of winter. After we had dressed,
he inspected the weapons we had brought. When he was satisfied, he opened the
door. It looked like the entire village waited to watch us leave. We were not
allowed to team up, not that I wanted to, and I headed toward the mountain,
whereas the other three headed toward the forest. Cold was the first enemy, and
the nights would be the worst, so I needed shelter until I could find clothing.
I thought most of the others would try