45. Warrior Challenges

Meave stood at the center of the training field, her eyes like steel but lined with the wisdom of the countless battles she had faced in her long life. Her presence commanded the space, creating a vortex of attention that not even Gideon could deny. Members of the pack fanned out around her, their muscles tight with anticipation.

Sidelined, Gideon perched himself on a massive boulder. His jaw remained clenched as he observed the proceedings. Every swing, every block, every fluid movement haunting him with the painful reminder of his current limitations. His fingers gripped the edge of the rock beneath him, as if trying to channel his restless energy into the stone.

"Balance! Reaction! That's the basics of all combat!" Meave's voice rang out, pulling his attention back. "Your strength means nothing if you don't expect and react to your enemy's moves."

As she spoke, Meave demonstrated a sequence of intricate dodges and counterattacks, her body moving with the kind of fluidity that ca