Damon hits the mat with a thump growling out in frustration. "Indra, you couldn't go any easier on me?"

I laugh shrugging, he rolls his eyes taking my offered hand "you asked me not to hold back too much remember? You wanted to practice going against a stronger and faster person, your lucky I can't use my elements or you would be more than bruised." He sighs jumping back to our starting position and bouncing on the balls of his feet. He wiggles his fingers ready for the next round. Smiling I slide into my stance as he launches at me.

Cleaning the blood of our weapons I wrinkle my nose as Damon comes to sit beside me. Pushing him away I move to a new spot. He chuckles shaking the floor as he drops beside me again. "What Indra can't stand the smell of a man?"

Pushing him away again I blow his stench away from me "no you just smell like death and that is an unflattering smell."

He jumps at me wrapping his arm around my neck and pulling me into his chest. I wiggle as he rubs my hair messing up the braid I had in. "Dam stop," I cry he just laughs continuing his assault on my poor hair.

"Not until you take it back."

"What?" I ask innocently still trying to wiggle out without hurting him.

"Take back that you said I smelled like death."

He tightens his hold as I nearly slip free. "Fine fine I take it back," he loosens his hold letting me out "to my grave," I scream rolling back as he jumps up attempting to grab me again.

Dodging his attempts at grabbing me we run around the gym for another five minutes. He begins to pant as I skip circles around him. "Not...Good to...run after...practice," I giggle tackling him to the ground. Pinning his arms behind him I lean down my fangs barred at his neck. He pants sighing as he drops his head. "You win, again," grinning I look down to his neck breathing out against his skin.

My fangs lengthen as I look at his neck. The vein pulses as the blood flow under his skin. My gums begin to ache to beg me to puncture the skin to the blood hidden underneath. The steady beat of his heart beats louder and louder under me never skipping a beat. My head lowers the vampire in me resurfacing from its hidden depths in my mind.

"Indra are you okay?" Damon's question slides over me on deaf ears. My fangs nick the skin a small drop of blood flowing out. "Indra Indra snap out of it Indra...Kaindra comes on snap out of it." His please break through the blood lust nocking the vampire back. Jumping off of him I look down at his neck seeing the small bits of blood were I almost tore into.

"I'm so sorry Damon I-I...I'm sorry," turning my back to him I run my hands over my face.

He stands up and comes up behind me placing a hand on my shoulder. "Hey hey Indra it's okay you didn't hurt me, I'm fine there's nothing there you didn't hurt me." I pull out of his hold keeping my back to him.

Closing my eyes I focus on the air around me instead of the blood I can still hear. "But I almost did Dam. I almost hurt you." My voice cracks at the end, I could have killed you is what I don't say.

"But you didn't Indra your just hungry," he holds my shoulders again not letting me break free. "You're just hungry Indra, have you been feeding?" Walking to my weapons on the floor I keep my eyes down.

"I'll see you tomorrow Dam," ignoring his questioning eyes I leave the room. One month, one month Damon and I have been training Eric would stop by three times a week to teach us anything new. One month I haven't fed, with the witch's threat still fresh I haven't left at night worried someone might come to fulfill it. Once or twice I have seen one of her minions lurking around the corner watching.

Winter is getting closer to an end as the weather warms up. Enya finished her training and is now coming with me four times a week. Her plant identification is better than some trained foragers in her commitment to learning she has excelled past anyone's expectations. She is safer with me but more and more I feel like I am more of a danger to her than the witch. If I ever did hurt her, I don't know what I would do. It's been months since Jen and Kaitlyn died, I don't know when my family died but I can't help but feel like it is my fault. Pair training has been fun, Enya seems sot be enjoying it very much when she gets to come train with me. She mostly likes seeing Damon and Eric get their butts kicked.

Closing the door to my room quietly a small head pops up from the top bunk. "Enya how many times have I said to go to sleep when Sam says so."

She smiles sheepishly "but I want to see you when you come back."

sighing I quickly change before leaning my head on the bars on the top bunk. "How was your day little one?" She jumps into a wild explanation of the new spells Clarice taught her and the other kids. She is so happy now that she is ahead of the others in her class in everything even magic. "Your parents would be so proud," I whisper hugging her "now let's go to bed we have an early morning."

She hugs me tight before shutting her eyes. I watch her for a few moments as her breathing evens out. Smiling I brush her hair out of her eyes "night little one."

"WEEEEEAAaaaa hahaha," I laugh at Enya's loud cry as I jump over another fallen tree. "Again again," she cries tightening her legs around my shoulders. Maneuvering around some of the zombies I jump over a tree in my path flying through the air.

Stopping in our normal clearing Enya slides off my shoulders. Melting the rest of the snow in the area I smile at Enya's wonder-filled eyes as she watches the snow rapidly melt. "Okay, so today we are going to try the barrier spell again let's try and hold it for five minutes today okay little one."

She nods skipping to the other side of the clearing and taking her stance. I wait as she mumbles the incantation watching as her purple shield forms. Not waiting for a second longer I launch some ice in her direction. It deflects off the barrier with ease, element after element I watch as Enya gets tired as the minutes pass. The barrier holds firm long passed five minutes, as fifteen minutes pass she begins to falter.

"Okay your good," Enya drops the barrier slumping into the trees behind her. Walking over to her I give her her water bottle. "You did the good little one you held that strong for fifteen minutes."

She smiles drinking the water, I watch as she jumps full of new energy after finishing half of the water. She hands the water bottle back to me as she looks at her hands playing with her gloves "Kaindra can you teach me to fight?"

Taken aback by her question I drop the water bottle she handed to me. Picking it up I eye her "why do you want to know how to fight?"

She shrugs "it might be helpful I know how to use magic but if I ever was in trouble without you there I wouldn't know how to defend myself."

Floating the water bottle back to our bags I go down to her level "you're right Enya it is helpful but you have to remember knowing how to fight can not be used lightly. You can hurt someone, that can change you."

"I know," she whispers.

Taking in her saddened face I can't help but picture myself in her position. Sighing I run my hand over my hair, teaching her to fight will be useful for her as she won't need me to protect her as much. If I teach her the proper way to fight honourably she won't be pushed to go to someone else.

"I don't see why I can't teach you something." She beams running into the middle of the clearing. Following her, I can't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

She bounces on her feet excitement radiating off her. "We won't start learning any fighting yet, the first thing I ever learned when I was being taught was the history of fighting. Learning history is critical in understanding your opponent and how you will fight. It also helps you build the moral code that you follow, each person's moral code is unique to them much like their style."

"What is your moral code?"

I smile brushing some loose hair behind her ear "that is for me to know but I can tell you one." Her puppy eyes are so hard not to look at but she doesn't need to use them. "To protect my loved ones and never do them any harm that is my main moral."

"That means me too right?"

"Why of course Enya you are my sister my family." Her face brightens even more. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears. "Ohh Enya don't cry." Wiping a tear off her cheek I pull her into a tight hug.

Her face hides in the crook of my neck as I hold her tight "I never thought I would have a family again." We stay like that for some time embracing one another. We pull away once Enya's last tear falls. She laughs "I got your neck wet, " laughing I wave my hand denying her tears.

"It doesn't matter. Now do you want to start or not?" She nods rapidly sitting on the ground tapping my chin I eye Enya. "Hmm well, where should we start... let's begin with the first witch coven some of the most fierce warriors to this day..."

Enya pays close attention to every word I say. Wonder glimmers in her gold-rimmed eyes hearing about her ancestors and the other species in a new light. Rarely witch families will teach their kids their warrior history going for the line of peace. They are the only species to do this but I find the witch's stories to be the most fascinating. Probably as they are the closest to casters as you can get. If only I knew my ancestry.

Checking the time I pull Enya to her feet "time to go next time we will start on your foundation and defence without magic first." She smiles whistling as she skips over to her bag. The run back is light-hearted as we talk and laugh making jokes about anything and everything.

Kevin stands waiting as we enter the gate a small smile on his face. "What is it, Kevin?" I ask letting Enya down.

"I just wanted to inform you that at the end of the week all forager teams are going back to their normal foraging including you." Enya stands at my side looking up at Kevin.

Enya raises her head to me "does that mean I get to go with you and your group?"

Kevin beats me in her answer "yes Enya you will get to be an honorary member of my group."

Her smile widens "you're Kaindras group leader."

He nods "yes and you are now part of my group." He smiles at her causing her to hide slightly behind my legs. Kevin returns his attention to me "remember Friday you are with your group again."

"Yes sir," I salute making him laugh as he walks away. With my group again how exciting.

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