As soon as Kiela left her tent she heard someone calling for her. Miranah, the woman that she had met on the first day with Shiibah, stood directly outside of her tent flaps.

"Kiela!" Miranah said. "I heard that you were speaking to Shiibah the other day, perhaps you fancy yourself her friend? I just had to wait ou there until you awoke, I have the most distressing news for you!"

"Miranah," Kiela said patiently. "I really have to be somewhere, would it be alright if you told me about this another day?" Or never, she thought to herself, beginning to walk away.

"No no no," Miranah replied. She grabbed Kiela's shoulders and steered her towards the eating tent. "We simply must talk about this now!"

***

"So let me get this straight," Kiela said. she rubbed her temples in a vain attempt to fend off her newly developed headache. "Shiibah thinks that I'm a spy for some group of people that we have never heard of who live in a land that we've never seen across the ocean." Miranah nodded vigorously.

"And she thinks that you have accomplices!" Miranah added. "I mean, half the village thought that you were a wolf or something when they shot you. Shiibah thinks that a dog and several other people came with you."

Although she knew that what Miranah was saying was just a rumour, Kiela did feel some measure of concern. she didn't want anyone asking her about where she had come from, in case they stumbled upon the truth. She wasn't sure what welcome she would get if she revealed who she was, and the fact that Pather hadn't made her uncharacteristically cautious.

"Well," Kiela said, standing up. "You can tell Shiibah that I am not a spy and that there are no other people that I know of around this village."

Miranah stood up to meet her and smiled. "I'll tell Shiibah, but you might have to let her know yourself as well. She isn't the most agreeable of people." She added a malicious grin that made Kiela's insides crawl.
"I'll remind her." Kiela replied. "Now, I really am late, so I'd best be going."
"I was just letting you know darling," Miranah added, following Kiela out the door.
"Yes, and I appreciate it." Kiela turned and strode off.
"You know what? Just ignore Shiibah. she really is a cankerous old goose."
Kilea kept walking, but turned around when Miranah didn't leave.
"Is there something that you want?" Kiela asked somewhat impatiently.
"Oh, I was just wondering when you're going to let Shiibah know. I think I should be there to support you."
"How about tonight at dinner? Now really, I'll see you latter."
"See you then!" Miranah said, giving Kiela a fluttery wave before sashaying away.

Kiela shook her head before turning and jogging in the direction of the coast. Pather is going to kill me for being late again.

***

Pather ran a the whetstone over the blade of an axe, producing a steely scrape. "You're late." he observed, testing the blade with his palm. Satisfied, he threw it down onto a pile of weapons, producing a loud clang.
"I'm sorry," Kiela began. "I was about to leave when Miranah cornered me. She told me some story about how Shiibah thinks that I'm spying for another village." Pather picked up a dagger and held the blade up to his eye.
"Miranah thrives in rumours. Pay her no mind." With the discussion seemingly closed, he picked up the stone again and held it to the dagger's edge. Kiela refused to drop it though.
"I don't know. If people start to wonder where I'm from it may raise questions that I can't answer."
Pather sighed. "By tomorrow everyone will have forgotten their questions about you and will have moved on to another piece of gossip." He lifted the blade and threw it with remarkable accuracy. It landed with a dull thunk in a tree twenty yards away.
"You never told me why you don't tell anyone that you're a shifter." She asked, looking at him curiously.
"Ignorance is protection," her replied. "In this case, their ignorance and my protection. Now, are you here to learn or are you here to talk?"
Kiela noticed the change in subject but didn't comment on it.
"I'm here to learn," she said, already fastening the guards on to her wrists.
Pather turned, twirling the large knife in his fingers. He struck with lightning speed, and Kiela barely had enough time to block before he struck again. They engaged in a rapid exchange of blows which left Kiela with several new bruises. Pather cut and stabbed furiously, all the while maintaining his blank expression. Like the last time, Pather landed many hits in her arms and legs, while she wasn't able to touch him once. She began to radically combine and change the forms, pressing herself to greater levels of agility. Kiela's frustration inproved and her blows became harder, but sloppy and badly timed. Although Kiela's brow dripped with sweat, Pather's blow did not falter. In desperation Kiela stabbed at his chest, leaving her own exposed. Pather tossed his blade into the other hand, blocking the blow while simultaneously hitting her in the sternum with his guard. She fell to the ground.
"Stop." Pather said. "You are useless like this." Kiela growled and rolled herself to her feet. Her entire body was caked with dirt. Pather prowled around her, fingering the knife's edge.
"I am not useless." she snarled. He stopped moving and stood in front of her.
"Is that so?"
With a muffled scream, she charged at him, blade raised. Pather raised his guard, and she drew back and stabbed again. He blocked, no longer trying to hit her.
"Stop!" he commanded, but she paid him no heed, instead directing her blade towards his head.
"Kiela, I will make you stop if you do not stop now."
"I. Will. Not. Stop." She growled.
"So be it." Pather growled. He took his blade and slashed the inside of her wrists. Shocked she fell back. Crimson blood wealed in the cuts, but she could already tell that they were healing.
"You have to let your pride and anger go." he said, sheathing the blade. "You should never, ever get so that even reason cannot stay your hand."
Pather looked down at her. "Practice with the blade is over until you can learn caution. Right now practice with the bow begins."
"Will you still teach me?" Kilea asked. She feared that the mistakes that she had made were irreparable.
"No," Pather replied. "I will not teach you."
Kiela's heart sank. But then, the branches that screened the path rustled, and a woman stepped into view.
"Pather will not teach you," Lakra said. "But I will."

WOW! 90 reads in three days! You guys rock! Please vote or comment, I'm really interested to hear wether you like the story or not, and how I can improve. Thanks so much!