Sky Child by T. M. Brenner Page B

the current leader to take their place. It is meant to protect the hunters from having an evil coward for a leader."
    "Like Chaff?"
    "I am certain that people like him are the reason the trials exist," says Mast.
    I take a moment longer to think.
    "I understand," I say.
    Mast turns around then leaves.
    I wish I could leave everything behind me. Forget being the Leader of the Hunt, or even a hunter at all. I'd never have to kill a living thing again. Just take Jet and Flot and leave the Crag. But there is nowhere to go. We would walk around with no direction, praying to the Sky Gods that we find somewhere new to live.
    I can't do that. I can't risk their lives to avoid the trials. Going out on our own would be just as dangerous. So I will go through the trials for them, if for no other reason than to give them the chance to stay here, and stay alive.
    I sit on my bed and think for a while, trying to decide how to ready myself for the trials. Eventually Flot returns. I look at him, but he won't look at me. He tries to act like nothing has happened; like he isn't injured. Even though he is not very strong, Flot tries very hard to be tough.
    "So what did Mast come to talk about?" asks Flot.
    "I have to go through trials so that I can become the Leader of the Hunt. If I refuse, they will put me to death," I say.
    Jet walks in right then, having heard what I'd just said. I look at both of their faces, and I see the same fear and worry I feel inside.
    "What do you need to do for the trials?" asks Jet.
    "I will be tested, but they didn't say how," I say.
    "Could you die?" asks Flot.
    "Yes, but I'm not going to. I'm going to live for many more snows. I don't want to do this, but I have no choice."
    Neither Flot nor Jet say a word.
    "Now I need to train," I say.
    "How do you train for something, when you don't even know what that something is?" asks Flot.
    "I really don't know," I say.
    "Well, did Mast say anything? Anything that might help?" asks Flot.
    I think back to what Mast had said.
    "He said that the trials are meant to test if someone is brave, and strong, and smart."
    "At least that's something," says Flot. "But how do you practice being brave? Strong you can practice by lifting heavy things. You aren't very smart, so you should probably play a few games of jump stones with me for practice."
    I give Flot a fake look of anger.
    "You're right," I say. "It is a good idea to play a few games. And I probably won't get much stronger, even if I worked very hard at it until the sun sets. I also think that I am as brave as I will ever be. Okay Flot, you win. We can play jump stones."
    I'm glad to have the game as a distraction, so that I don't worry as much. I do my best to pay attention, but my thoughts keep going back to the trials. Sometimes worrying about something is worse than what actually happens. But sometimes it isn't.
    The first game goes by quickly. I beat Flot easily. The next takes much longer. Flot paid attention to the first game, and learned from it. I think he is taking it very seriously, because he wants to help me. I know if either Flot or Jet had to go through the trials, I would be working very, very hard to make sure they were ready for it.
    I win the next game, but not by much. I only have a few pieces left. Jet has been watching us play, and I think he is actually starting to pick up some of the tricks that I use. He smiles right before I make an important move, and cringes when I make a mistake. Maybe Jet is better at strategy than I realized.
    The last game is the best game of jump stones that I have ever played. It seems to take forever. Flot thinks through every move very, very slowly, making sure he makes the best decision he can.
    Normally when I play, I don't have to think about the first few moves, because I have done them so many times. There are only so many pieces you can move, and places you can move them to. But even those moves take a while as Flot tries his best to win.
    I don't know if it is