Catman's Arc

Chapter 1 of 2

Catman hammered the final stake into the training ground's perimeter. The bare earth would become something more—a war camp for Fire Clan warriors. Each section had its purpose: combat drills here, weapons storage there, interrogation quarters along the far edge. Everything organized, everything controlled. Fire Fang would need skilled fighters for the final push against the Water Tribe. Catman paced the combat drill section, already seeing warriors moving through strike patterns. But practice required targets. Static dummies wouldn't prepare anyone for real enemies. Catman carried three metal spheres to the center of the training ground. Each one glowed with internal heat. A quick adjustment sent them floating in orbit around a fixed point, circling at different heights and speeds. Warriors could strike at moving targets now. The spheres would dodge, weave, force trainees to track and predict. Catman swung a practice blade through the path of the lowest sphere. It shifted away just before impact. Perfect. This camp would forge the weapons Fire Clan needed. Every warrior trained here would know their purpose—destroy the Water Tribe completely.