I woke up to a warm day. The window was open and there was a slight breeze blowing into the room as I looked around. I yawned and stretched in a way that only a cat would, then climbed out of bed.

I was about halfway across the room and heading to the door when I heard it..

Happy Birthday to you.....

I froze. What? Birthday? Today? Oh no... that means... I turned around to see Tellka sitting on my bed. A wide grin was plastered on her face. Actually, it was more of a smirk. "Good morning! Guess what today is?"

I gulped. It was my birthday.. my sixteenth birthday to be exact. I really didn't like this.. I had been dreading this day for a while. Sixteen was the age when a woren girl was considered a woman. This was the time when they were usually drug off somewhere, married to some slob, and then chained down to a home, family and husband. Atleast, accourding to tradition that's what it is..

"Guess what were doing today?"

I started at Tellka for moment. That grin could mean anything. "You're not dragging me back there are you?" 'There' was the clan I was born with. Since I was now living in Windia I didn't really have to follow my families traditions.. but, when my mother was alive she had a little rule about when I turned sixteen.. it was a long story...

The grin on Tellka's face vanished. "Since when have I ever talked about that?" She hissed. I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "Instead, I'm taking you over to the Colluseum and teaching you how to fight."

I blinked. "Oh then... WHAT?" My jaw neary dropped to the floor. "Fight? Me? No wait.. Tellka.. I HATE fighting, you know that. I don't need to know how to fight.. I .." I began running through an entire list of reasons why I didn't, shouldn't and can't fight. Have I think I have mentioned before just how much I hate fighting.. By the time I was halfway through the list Tellka had walked over to me.

"Look, Kate... your sixteen .. you have two choices.. One, I drag you back home and get you married, or two, I teach you how to fight."

I whimpered. "Can't we just live like civilized people?"

"Civilized?" Tellka started to laugh. "Look, Kate, I've been around for sometime and the ONLY thing I have seen people do is build bigger weapons to kill eachother with. Now come on!" And she turned me around and shoved me out the door.

I think I fell all the way down the stairs. By the time I got to the bottom, my back and rear were sore from bouncing down the wooden steps. I stumbled up and looked around. Tellka wasn't anywhere to be seen.. but just because you can't see here doesn't mean she isn't there.. And I think Carrie was still asleep, but I wasn't sure because the next thing I knew I was pushed out the door and being drug down the street by Tellka.. literally.. It must have been a sight to see a young Woren being pulled by the collar of her shirt down the street by an older Woren.. but it was pretty affective. By the time we rounded the first block I don't think I really wanted to even try and get back home.

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We got to the Coluseum a little while later. There must have been a fight going on because by the time we entered I didn't see a single person. I suppose Tellka was planning on this. She glanced around and motioned for me to follow her.

We headed behind the front desk and back into a hallway. At the end of the hallway there was a large wooden door. I tried to open it but it was locked.

"Wait here." Tellka whispered to me and with that she vanished. The next moment there was a little *click* and the door swing open with Tellka on the other side.

Behind the door were some stairs. We headed up them and ended up in what looked like a little storage room. I glanced around. All around me were different kinds of weapons. Maces, staffs, swords, a dagger here, ball and chain there, and somethings that I had never even seen before. I shivered.

"Pick your weapon." Tellka motioned around the room. I just kinda stood there for a moment.

"Tellka... why do I have to do this?" I whined. I really, really didn't like this.

"Just chose a weapon." Tellka sighed. "Here, catch this."

"YA!" I jumped to the side as a ball and chain came flying through the air and landed beside me. I think the fur on my body must have poofed up about twice its normal size, because that DID scare the living daylight out of me. I began to whine again. "Tellka.. Why do I have to do this?"

Tellka grumbled. "Look, your sixteen years old and old enough to be considered an adult by Woren standerds. It's about time you learned to defend yourself. Now, usually I'm there to help you, but sooner or later there is going to be a time when I can't help you and I'm NOT going to let you go out and be caught somewhere and not be able to defend yourself!"

I blinked. "Well.. actually.. when you put it that way.. it's kinda hard for me to complain..."

"Good." Tellka sighed. "Now chose a weapon and let's start your training."

I glanced around the room again. "Actually.. I don't want to use a weapon..."

Tellka blinked. "You mean you want to just fight hand to hand?"

I shrugged. "I suppose so."

Tellka scratched her head for a moment. "Well.. okay. Then, let's get out of here." I could tell that she hadn't been expecting that from me. We made our way out of the Colluseum.

When we left the building I glanced up at the sky. I hadn't noticed just how early it was. The sun looked like it had just finished rising. "Where are we going?" I glanced over at Tellka.

"Where going to go find a place where you can practice." And she thought for a moment before turning to me. "Did you ever find that one park Carrie was talking about?"

I shook my head.

"Well, now is as good a time as any." And we headed off again.

e-mail author, talonr@hotmail.com