Chapter 27
“You ready Sky?” Delta Kyle calls out to me. I nod my head without looking away from my target.
“Ready? GO!”
A torrent of sound comes from the kids. Several charge my way as I run towards them. Just before
they reach me I break left towards the side walls of the arena and jump to the ledge continuing to
run without a missed step. I go as far as I can and make a large broad jump landing on the tips of
my toes on the top of the curved climbing bars leading up to the main platform of the obstacle
course. I continue running and make the same leap to the ropes that Sam did. The only thing I did
differently is jump from the side collecting 2 of the three ropes in my legs while reaching for the
third. I climb up taking the extra ropes with me so they can’t follow. I get to the top and grab the flag,
stuffing it carefully in my sports bra. I look around to assess where the kids are. For the most part
they are starting to swarm the ground where the ropes would land if I let them go. I choose to pull
them up over the support beam and walk across the support structure like a gymnast. Making it to
the cargo net before any of them can make it around, climbing only as low as I need to jump to the
arena wall on the other side, almost missing my footing. As soon as I’m sure, I take off as fast as I
can. I know I have to be close to time. They made me run more than in the past. They are starting
to learn to trust their instincts and learn my habits, weaknesses and strengths. Kyle and I decided to
not let them win this without a fight to make them build their long term observation skills,
anticipation, tracking and learning from past mistakes. I jump from the wall, the kids hot on my tail
and run like my life depends on it over the finish line. I didn’t get tagged, which sucks for the kids,
but I want to know if I maintained my time.
I look expectantly at Delta Kyle, my hands on my knees while I am bent over panting, trying
desperately to ignore the looks on the faces surrounding him. He just stares at me blank faced. I am
ready to cry from anticipation. He looks down at the stop watch and back up at me a couple times
before taking a deep breath in.
“52 seconds.” His face breaks out into the biggest smile I have ever seen. I let out the breath I didn’t
realize I was holding and matched his smile and then it’s like someone turned the volume on full
blast. Cheers and yelling surround me with all of the pups coming up to congratulate me.
Sierra wades through the crowd of kids and gives me a hug. “Why are they so excited, they lost?”
“That was my fastest time yet and they put the flag as high as it could go. Today was hard, they put
up a good fight.” I say patting a little boy on the back, while one of the girls is trying to hug my leg.
There is just a commotion of words. I catch bits and pieces, but you would have thought the kids
had won the challenge the way they were retelling it. “Did you see that jump? It was at least 20
feet.” “No way, it was more like 30, we could totally do that.” “I’m going to remember that rope trick,
it was crazy good.” “I think she’s part cat not wolf, the way she ran on those walls.” “I bet she’s
faster than a cheetah.”
“Nice work today.” A deep booming voice comes up from behind me.
I jump and the kids go silent. “Alpha Lucas! Hi! Thank you. It’s a game we have been working on for
a while, so I’ve had some practice.” I say blushing again. I don’t think my cheeks are ever going to
be normal color again.
“I wasn’t talking about the game, although that was impressive. I will be having you show us some
of the training you do to be able to move like that, I think you should join the trainers and help them
plan, come to think of it. No, I was talking about the fact that you got the entire future leadership
team out of bed before 6am on a Saturday to teach a class with you and they participated fully. That
my dear is pretty close to a miracle.” My eyes just go wide and I am speechless as the rest of our
leaders collectively laugh at their sons. “You are also a very skilled teacher for someone so young,
you are a natural with these kids. No wonder Delta Kyle praises you so highly.” And there goes my
cheeks again and I’m pretty sure the blush is creeping down my neck too.
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