The Decay

Chapter Thirteen

     Just a few hours before, they all sat in a circle of seats they pulled together from around the lobby. Noah sat in his own over stuffed chair while Miyonah and Tanner sat together on a couch. Zayna sat in the chair opposite them and pulled Lucas up on her lap. Tanner thought it was a loving gesture for someone who was so serious.

    Noah scolded and voiced his concerns on the behavior of the kids. They then talked strategy and everyone agreed they should remain in place for a while to train until they found their next destination.

    Training was immediate. After hearing Miyonah and Tanner's story of their bider encounter, he thought there was no time to waste. Now, he has them behind the building and drills them harder than he used to. Zayna watches in amusement.

    Tanner and Miyonah both hold long, sturdy sticks and are in a fighting stance. They mirror Noah and change positions as he instructs. He teaches them simple sparring moves and more complicated ones Miyonah wonders where he learned. He soon pits them against each other once more and they both go at it with everything they have. Sweat pours down both of their faces as stick connects with stick over and over again.

Finally, Tanner knocks the stick from her hand and jabs her in the stomach.

"Ouch!" She exclaims breathing heavily but smiles despite it.

"Sorry, Mi." He says smiling back and picks up her stick.

    Noah decided that Tanner wouldn't be carrying a gun while he was around. It drew too much attention and he would rather him know how to defend himself without one. Realizing he couldn't talk Noah out of it, Tanner began to focus more when he was taught without one.

They sit to rest now and Noah calls Zayna over from where she's leaning against the building.

    "Do you want to train?" He asks and she glances at the two exhausted on the ground drinking from water bottles. She shakes her head 'no'.

"Not with them," He assures her, "With me."

Her eyebrows shoot up but she's a little more interested now.

    "Tanner told me you decapitated a bider in one swift movement. That takes strength and structure. You may be a little too advanced for those two."

     Neither of the other two argue or take it as an insult. Zayna rolls the idea around in her head before nodding and heading over to him. She swings her real sword off of her back and lays it near her position. He hands her a stick which makes her lips quirk and she automatically assumes her stance. They circle each other and start off slow. First there's only the light clank of stick on stick as they begin testing boundaries. Then, it gets more heated.

    Zayna moves in fast and arms start to fly as he fends her off. His eyes go wide with surprise and she feels a little bad for not telling him she knew a little more than the basics. That doesn't stop her though. Tanner and Miyonah, just as surprised as Noah, sit up straighter and watch intently as the moves start to get more advanced.

    Zayna twirls out of the way of an advance and lands the edge of her stick to his side. Noah's laugh comes out full and genuine. It lifts both Tanner and Miyonah's moods and they find themselves smiling as well.

"I take it you've had a little more than just self training." He says to Zayna as she lays her stick aside.

"A little." She says without acknowledging the fact that she deliberately didn't tell Tanner.

"From who?"

"Someone I met along the way. Post collapse."

"Good to know. You up for another round? I can turn it up a notch now that I know."