17.

Luca had divided the soldiers into two groups of twenty, he assigned Natalia the first and took over the second. Natalia stood by the side and observed a group of 20 wolves. As she observed their stance, she realized they were all new additions to the pack after she left. Their stance was weird and they easily injured themselves. They stood with their feet too far apart, their knees too locked, their arms too high, and their palms too flat. They looked like they were ready to trip or sprain their wrists.

Natalia cleared her throat and stepped in to correct them.

“Stop, stop, stop. What are you doing? That’s not how you stand in a defensive stance. You’re making yourselves vulnerable and weak.” She said confident and loud.

The wolves stopped and looked at her with annoyance or curiosity.

“Who are you to tell us what to do? You’re not our tutor.” One of them said, defiantly.

She recognized her as Mica, a wolf that mocked her earlier.

“I am your tutor for today. And I’m telling you that