Chapter Six

Ström walked into his quarters and plopped down on his mat on the floor.  A mass of white fur heaved itself to its' feet and plodded to him, sniff him with great interest.  He reached up with one hand and rubbed its' snout.

 

It sneezed.

 

"How you doin', Jael?" Ström muttered.

 

The bear sniffled and pushed him down by putting his head on Ströms' chest and laying down on him.  Ström chuckled and pet his head.  "You can't sleep all day, we are deploying in just a few hours."

 

The bear chuffed and closed his eyes.  After a few minutes, Ström stood and headed for the door, bear close behind, yawning.  They walked out into the sunlight and moved towards the arena, where he saw Ifri sparring with someone else.  Turning to Jael., he muttered, "Watch out for this one, she's a feisty one."  Jael chuffed again, his own form of a laugh.

 

 

****

 

 

Ifri walked out of the river where she had just washed away the dirt Ström had kicked into her hair during their last sparring match.  As she dried off, Ifri noticed a prickly white ball, rolling toward her. 

 

"Hey Iaso," Ifri called out, causing the ball to halt and unbundle.

 

"Hey, have you gotten any better yet? I would like to actually have challenge in a fight," Iaso called back, "Beating the hell out of you is fun, but not exactly fair." 

 

"I'm better than you ever could be you big hair-ball." 

 

Iaso balled up and rolled over to Ifri's feet and sprung up in front of her.  Looking up at Ifri with her paws on her hips, "Is that so? Care to test it out?"

 

Iaso lunged forward, arms swinging wide.  Ifri leapts nimbly back, catching one paw sweeping close to her face by the furry wrist.  She twisted and pulled and pushed, managing to pull the bear off-balance.  Iaso moved with it to keep her balance, simultaneously pitching her shoulder into the human.  Ifri twisted away and swept a leg behind Iasos' knee and yanking back.  The bear pitched back, curling into a roll and rising a few feet away.

 

Without missing a beat, Iaso swept forward with a feint, and brought the opposite paw swiping at Ifri.  Ifri jerked her head back to avoid the paw; she stepped back as Iaso pursued, paws swiping constantly.  Ifri moved in suddenly, grabbing the bear and using Iasos' own momentum, flung her into a wall.

 

Recovering quickly, Iaso strode back to where Ifri was standing, "And gone is the human-cub I played, and trained with in the Arena.  You are definitely not the bumbling youngster that I protected.  I'm glad to see you can take care of yourself now." 

 

Ifri nodded. Between the sparring matches with Ström and Iaso, and the headache that she got from the Counsel earlier that day, Ifri was exhausted.  Shaking it off, Ifri said, "Let's go to the sparring area and I'll be able to introduce you to Ström.  The two of us have a mission to go on soon." 

 

"Why the hell do you think I'm here?" Iaso said sarcastically. 

 

****

 

Ström walked close to the sparring arena and lifted his hand high, "Hail."

 

Ifri looked over at him and ducked, "Hello, Ström."   Iaso lunged, Ifri leapt back casually.

 

"See?" Ström murmured out of the corner of his mouth, Jael snorted.  Ström focused on the two again, "Stop playing around you two.  What's with the punching bag?"

 

Both Ifri and Iaso looked at each other and dodged an attack from the other.  Ifri was slightly quicker than Iaso and managed to land a hit on him.  The blow landed because Iaso was staring intently at Jael, who stepped forward, sniffing the air.  Iaso settled on all fours and moved past the bewildered Ifri.  The two bears moved in close to each other and started inspecting each other.

 

"Ahhh," Iaso breathed, finally.  "I remember you.  I found you, nearly dead.  Do you remember me, young one?"  Jael chuffed happily and head-butted the other gently in greeting.

 

"I thought I recognized your scents," Iaso said to Jael before turning to Ström, "How are you, brother?"

 

"Still kicking a*s.  What about you, ya furry prune?"

 

"Trying to keep you two-leggers out of trouble," Iaso said, "and still getting into some of my own." 

 

Ström chuckled, "Natch."  Ström toppled on top of the black bear, making Iaso bend his knees slightly under the enormous weight of the man.  Jael stood on his hind legs and fell on the other two, bearing them all to the ground and licked his lips and looked up at Ifri with placid eyes.

 

Ifri looked at the three of them for a moment before turning on heel and stalking back to her quarters.  She stopped just outside the door, "We leave in three hours, make sure you are ready."  With that she walked inside and shut the door.

 

Iaso sighed, "Oh, dear."  Ströms' voice drifted up from the middle of the pile, "What's her deal?"

 

"Don't worry about it. She will be just fine."  Iaso rumbled, trying to stand.  Ström tried to get up as well, but Jael crawled further onto them both and yawned.

 

Ström groaned, "C'mon, move you fluffy b*****d."  He reached up awkwardly and smacked the white bears' shoulder.  Jael merely snorted and reluctantly moved.  When they were all standing again, Ström turned away and headed back to the barracks, lifting his hand up without looking back, "Well, better get on this.  See you in three hours, fuzzy vegetable."  Jael rolled his eyes and padded after the man.

 

Iaso looked at the two of them with a small glint of sorrow in his eyes.  He was lucky to have a family as close as his; a sad smile touched his face as he looked after his brother and father. Ifri had no one.  Iaso wanted to go comfort her, but he knew better than that.  So he went to the river and sat down to wait for her to come out of her seclusion. 

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[wagonburner]

Dear god. We still have a ton of editing to do.