Legends of the Saloli: Approaching Storm Read Online Free PDF

Then why did you try and line up on your own?”
     
    “ I thought you wanted me to."
     
    “ Well, you were wrong there, weren’t you? The first lesson any trainee around here learns is to never, ever , do anything without me telling him how to do it first, no matter what. What if you were trying to fight a saloli from another tribe? Would you do that if I hadn’t taught you how to fight first?”
     
    “ No sir,” said Blaze.
     
    “ How can I trust you about that when you don’t even wait for me to tell you how to line up?”
     
    “ I didn’t know you wanted me to wait.”
     
    “ Well, now you do. Don’t let me catch you doing things without the proper training again.”
     
    “ Yes sir,” Blaze agreed.
     
    “ Good. Now everyone, break up into your groups and do your daily exercises. When you’re done, meet back here. Blaze, you go with Thunder’s group.”
     
    Great , thought Blaze, Of course I’m stuck in the same group as the saloli who hates me.
     
    He didn’t argue, though, and followed Thunder across the clearing. When they arrived at their destination, Thunder turned to Blaze and said, “Okay, outsider, let’s see you do your exercises.”
     
    “ I don’t know them,” said Blaze.
     
    “ Well, I guess you’re in trouble then, huh?” Thunder said, grinning spitefully.
     
    “ Um. . .” Said Blaze. It did look like he was in trouble here. “Hey, Gnaw?”
     
    “ What is it now, Blaze?” Gnaw asked, making his way over.
     
    “ I was just wondering if you were going to show me what the daily exercises were,” said Blaze.
     
    “ Very good! You’re learning,” said Gnaw, “Now, do as I do.”
     
    Gnaw began a complex series of stretches and movements. He began by putting his back left paw to his cheek, then the right one. He spun his tail in slow circles. He got on his back and touched his back paws to his nose. Blaze tried to mimic him, but many of them were beyond him.
     
    “ Don’t worry,” Gnaw encouraged, “You’ll get them eventually. All right, trainees, line up! Blaze, this time you stand next to Jasper. Do you know who he is?”
     
    “ Yes sir,” said Blaze, happy that he finally got to be near somebody he liked. Jasper was third from the end on the right side. Blaze went and stood on his right.
     
    “ How’d your exercises go?” Jasper asked.
     
    “ All right, once I asked Gnaw for help,” Blaze replied.
     
    “ That was good thinking. I don’t think Thunder was expecting you to be that smart.”
     
    “ Quiet!” Gnaw ordered, “Now, everyone find their mentors and get busy!”
     
    “ Mentors?” Blaze asked as everyone began to go in separate directions.
     
    “ Our teachers.” Jasper answered. “Gnaw might be the main trainer, but he still splits us up with different saloli around the camp to train us.”
     
    “ Who’s your mentor?” inquired Blaze.
     
    “ A saloli named Seedpicker. He’s one of the chief food gatherers, but he’s also a very skilled fighter!” said Jasper.
     
    “ Is he a good mentor?”
     
    “ Yes, but he does get a bit disappointed with me sometimes because. . . because of my size.”
     
    “ That’s not fair!” Blaze said loudly.
     
    “ Nothing’s fair in the forest,” Jasper said, “I would have thought that you’d know that, being an outsider and all.” Blaze didn’t say anything. He still didn’t know how to respond when the others referred to him as an outsider.
     
    “ Blaze,” someone said behind the young saloli’s back. He spun around. It was Faith.
     
    “ Hi, Faith,” he said.
     
    “ And how’s your first day of training going?” she asked.
     
    “ Good, I guess. But I’m not really sure what to do now. He wants everyone to join their mentors, but I don’t have one.”
     
    “ Actually, that’s why I’m here.” Faith said, “So I can find you one.”
     
    “ Oh. Have you yet?”
     
    “ No, I need to speak with Gnaw about it first.”
     
    With that, Faith walked