Legends of the Saloli: Approaching Storm Read Online Free PDF Page B

over to Gnaw, who was with his own trainee, and began speaking to him. A few minutes later, Gnaw nodded, and Faith turned around and headed back to Blaze. “Gnaw has decided that you should train with a saloli named Slicer. You’re very lucky. He’s the same saloli who trained Rust.”
     
    “ Where is he?” Blaze asked.
     
    “ Come with me, I’ll take you to him,” Faith answered. Turning around she began walking in the opposite direction. As they walked, Faith continued talking, “You should be honored. Slicer is the most skilled fighter in Icefire. No one has ever beaten him in battle before, not even Rust.”
     
    “ Is he strict?” Blaze asked, remembering Jasper’s description of Seedpicker.
     
    “ Oh yes, he is very strict, but he is also fair. He will push you to your very limits, but he will also give you the praise you deserve for your efforts.”
     
    “ Oh, well that doesn’t sound too bad.”
     
    Faith chuckled, “That’s because you haven’t met him yet.”
     
    “ What’s that supposed to mean?” Blaze asked.
     
    “ You’ll see.” Faith stopped beneath a single tree. Blaze stopped with her, and waited. And waited. Ten minutes later, they were still standing beneath the tree, and nothing had happened. Blaze had learned by now that patience was essential to being with Faith, but he was still getting restless. Finally he asked, “So, where’s Slicer?”
     
    “ He’ll be here when he thinks the time is right,” Faith answered”
     
    Great , thought Blaze, I’m being trained by the saloli who can’t even keep a schedule.
     
    No sooner had that thought crossed his mind then Blaze was suddenly bowled over from behind! He hit the ground hard, with a heavy weight on his back. He felt sharp claws digging into his sides, though not hard enough to draw blood. Using his new instincts, Blaze rolled over, trapping his attacker beneath him, but the assailant just used his back paws to launch Blaze off of him. On the ground once again, Blaze scrambled to his paws and turned to face his attacker. He saw an old saloli, light gray, even more battle scarred than Gnaw, with unusually long front claws. Blaze decided he didn’t want to get scratched by those. Before he could observe any more though, the old saloli leapt at him again. Blaze’s saloli instincts took over again, and he leapt up to meet him. They collided in midair, but somehow Blaze managed to land on top of his opponent. He was just about to reach down and sink his teeth into the old saloli’s neck when he suddenly found himself flying through the air and landing, once again, on his back. It was over. Blaze could only watch as the old saloli slowly made his way over, to strike the finishing blow. He came closer and closer. When he was within striking distance, though, he stopped.
     
    “ I think that’s enough,” he said.
     
    “ What?” asked Blaze, barely comprehending his words through his battle adrenaline.
     
    Faith walked up, chuckling. “Blaze, this is Slicer, your new mentor. That’s just his way of saying hello.”
     
    “ By ambushing me?” Blaze asked, growing angry.
     
    This time it was Slicer who spoke, “I merely wished to get an idea of how much fighting skill you already had.”
     
    “ By fighting me?”
     
    Slicer chuckled, “Well, can you think of a better way?”
     
    “ Yeah, just ask me.” Blaze challenged.
     
    “ But then you could lie. In battle, there is no lying. You either win, or you lose.”
     
    “ You’re not going to win this argument, Blaze,” said Faith, “He’s had it with every trainee he’s ever had.”
     
    “ Then let’s stop arguing and get to work!” said Slicer.
     
    Unable to resist his curiosity, Blaze asked, “So, um, how did I do with your test?”
     
    Slicer looked at him for a second before answering, “Only one other saloli was able to hold their own against me for that long on their first try. That saloli was Rust. I believe you have much