Fatality training

It is early in the morning as i make my way to the young troops their barracks.
Today the alpha classes go do their turn in the wild. It is called fatality training, this is because ee go to the more mountainous area. Where the bigger animals roam those that chew your face off when you stir their sleep.

I silently enter the barracks wanting to wake them. But as i open the door the leader calls for attention and the trainees salute.

I am pleasantly surprised. But ofcourse don't show it. I inspect their packs, their fatigues. Moving back to the front i nod.

"Alright my whelps. Today we are going outside the city, you will be using all the training received so far, you will use your head but most of all you show your resect to the wild.
If you don't respect nature, or nature will....."

And as one they shout out
"Eat you."

I smile
"Good whelps. Move out i want to be out of city borders by the light of day!"

The class leader yells orders and moves the group along. First we have a march to the border there the hazing will take place by the other guards.
Then march to the training grounds and up the mountain.

The march to the border went well. Flat ground, people waving, saying back, wishing them luck.

Then the border. Oh really even the guards off duty have gathered. The big white board is hung up on the wall and the names of the trainees are there.
As they march up and stand to attention i tell them to wait there and move in the guard building.
The head guard takes over, talking down to the trainees. Seeing what they are made of, making them angry, giving them a good shot of adrenaline to make it up the mountain.
It also drives them usually to do better to proof these others wrong.

I'm offered a drink but i only look at the guard offering and i am happy i inherited my moms cold stare. The guard backs away i actually hear the mug clink as if his hand shakes.
A soft whisper behind me
"What is her deal."

Ahhh this is my cue. Sometimes people forget their training so quickly.

I do a perfect turn and with two steps i am in front of the young guard, i say young but he must be my age.
Without touching i lean forward and pin him down with my mere presence.

"Did you forget your training? Sergeant?"
A pause
"Did i just hear you volunteer to join in on the fatality training? Do you think because you are no longer a trainee rules do not aply to you anymore?
What kind of backwater arrogant piece of shit do you think you are that what goes for the trainee... goes for all. "

Apparently my voice carries.... who am i joking i know it does.
The other guards are watching me giving this sergeant a piece of my mind. Never disrespect the trainees. We all been there.
The head guard stands next to me and i just stand and look at him.

"Your guard i said my piece."

The head guard turns and laughs
"Next group he will join in on fatality training. For now he has cleaning duty. Move!"

My trainees are muttering scuffeling and not standing as i left them. With one throat clearing though they are all standing neatly again.

"Alright time to head out!"

And we start to march. To the training ground. That route is fairly easy. I didn't expect trouble here. The move up the mountain though, that is harder. No paths i leave the group decide how we move. It is part of their training.

With some difficulties we manage to get high enough up for a clearing and flatter area to make camp.
I love these types of training. Their only objective is to survive for 2 weeks. That is it. I am there if shit really hits the fan but other then that i say nothing.
Oh they come with questions but i won't answer.

The camp is set up and fully finished in two days. Can't say i  disappointed. They thought of everything.
They set up watch decent resttime. They search for food so the provisions are only for emergencies.
All goes well for almost a week.
A small group went out hunting for food.
It was a few hours in that i heard a scream.

This was bound to happen but why the screaming. Let me guess Trainee Whiskey 7-3.
Yeah there he is screaming all the way down.
The rest in the camp look hesitant except one. Trainee Bravo 5-6 she steps up with a piece of firewood and smacks Trainee Whiskey 7-3 right in the face. Knocking him out cold. 
Can't help but feel proud. Screaming here is dangerous. Actually all human sounds. It is part of the training. To shut the fuck up.
Bravo 5-6 checks her victims pulse, she nods and let him be carried off. She grabs her weapon belt and gestures others to do the same.

At least one is coming this way.
I step back and want to see how they handle it.
They play it smart. Different angles three distraction points with sound enough weaponry.
The drake his head comes through the thicket and the group attacks.

The fighting takes all with all 15 minutes which is not bad. But they are in luck it was only one.
Bravo 5-6 takes her group out leaving the few that have infirmary duty and cooking duty behind. Not smart. They are not in the right mindset.
But i get it adrenaline rush and needing to check the rest of the class.
But that is why i am here to make them feel horrible guilty about their mistakes.

It didn't take long i could hear the other drake looking around for probably its mate.

The rest of the class looks worried. They do arm up though but they are not in the right mindset. I gesture for them to be silent and move back to the infirmary tent.

The listen, it doesn't happen every training that we are visited by these creatures but it happens more then not.

With weapons ready i wait for the drake to show its head. It is sniffing you can hear it their nose plates makes a clicking sound.

There is its head. Then its horns and there is the base of the neck. It is far enough out now. I start shooting its nose plate the effect is visible it staggers and shakes its head to stay awake and yo try and focus on me.
I won't let it. When i manage to get close enough i fire one more shot and jump straight to the creature short sword in hand i start beating and slicing it up till i can reach the weak point. And weak point is a big word  it is a possible point to do lethal damage with enough force.

The creature tries to roll over me. I manage to duck between his horns to not get the worst weight on me.

When it tries to get up again i managed to climb my way up its head again and with all my own weight force down the blade between its skull and nose plate and lift it up. A wild roaring scream, blood curdling really doesn't matter how much you hear it. And a few shots inside the wound and the drake is done for.

The trainees in camp come and check on me. I only have a few claw marks on my leg arms chest and back.
The bleeding is not that bad.

"Grab a few bags of blood, make a trail. Play dead. Teaching has started."

While the trainees do that i light a cigarette and sit on the body of the drake.
I hear the ones that went out hurry back. As they enter the camp i count heads.  They are all there. Looking oh so proud killed 2 drakes now in total.

The proud looks fade as i come in their view. Smoking and sitting on a freshly felled drake.
I don't say anything but point to the trails of clearly human blood.

They looks shocked and follow the trails.
I hear unsettled sounds slight sobbing people blaming themselves.

"Attention!"
A few surprised yelps as the seemingly dead stand up and move to attention as well.

"Let this be a lesson. Revenge will kill those around you. Moving on pure adrenaline will kill those around you. Keep your wits about. Only kill when needed."

I jump of the drake its body and point.

"Respect nature. We killed them we better make it worth their deaths."

With that they move to action i point to one with infirmary duty and move to my tent letting her take care of my wounds.

The rest of the week is a mix of moods, clealry everyone learned their lessons.

When it is time to head back camp is quicker gone then it was build. I get it they long for a shower and their own beds.

The march done is slower we are carrying the skins and bones of the drakes. Waste nothing.
Entering the city the guards are awaiting us. The bets had been placed.
Disappointed voices as we all arrive back in mostly one piece. I like to keep my trainees alive.
I stop look at the board and circle one name. Whiskey 7-3.
A few cheers as clealry someone won something.

We are then picked up by trucks to be driven to the barracks.

They did well. I'm proud of them.