his arms as he pushed forward.
Dismayed, Dogahn thought to recapture his place. But he was breathing hard. It was a struggle just to maintain the distance between himself and the young man in front of him. He questioned if he had the stamina to win.
Two positions ahead, Yumineh was fully unaware of the psychological battle Dogahn was waging. Things were going perfectly for her. She was right behind Azaria. The pace wasn't overly taxing. She felt great. Plenty of energy for the swim, although she wasn’t sure how far until the main river crossing. She guessed it wouldn't be long. On the way to Boar Camp she'd asked Izyl if they could camp at the river so she could strategize. Fox Camp was almost a full sun’s walk northeast of the Temple, very near the crossing. It was a natural place to stop, but Izyl was also happy to oblige her. She was proud of the young orphan runner, sure she'd place highly in the race.
Azaria could see Bat Cave up ahead. They’d reach it in moments. The trail would soon open and then they'd be close to the crossing. Feeling supremely confident, she sped up, hoping to pass a few of the runners ahead of her first.
As she accelerated, she saw the front runners begin to pull ahead and knew the crossing was imminent. Azaria took a deep breath and exhaled. High grasses gave way to sand as she sped up again to catch those in front of her. Some of the runners turned to follow the river farther southeast. She instead sprinted straight for the water. She passed the older boy in front of her and then a girl around her age she didn't know. Azaria was almost there, anticipating the plunge into the cool waters. She took a short step to adjust her stride and accelerated to full speed. A couple of bounding steps and she dove head first. Beneath the river’s surface, she reached far, fully extending her arms as she kicked her legs violently. Her long stroke propelled her forward and back up to fresh air. Another stroke and another and she cocked her head to the side to take a breath. She repeated the stroke, sneaking a glance to find the far bank.
Suddenly something brushed her arm, interrupting her stroke. Another swimmer? Azaria looked to her side, only to find Yumineh passing her in the middle of the river. Shocked, she increased her stroke, struggling to match the Fox Camp girl. But Yumineh was uncatchable. She was too fast. Who is this girl? Azaria wondered. She swam her heart out, but Yumineh was a full length in front of her now. As she approached the shore, her rival was exiting the water.
Azaria felt dirt at the nadir of her downstroke. With the next, her arm plunged into sand and she pulled her body out of the river. She looked up and saw Yumineh heading for the incline, a few paces ahead.
When she reached the top, Azaria glanced back and saw runners in the distance behind her. She was ahead of them for now, but they were coming on strong. She looked forward and saw three runners. An older boy from Fox Camp led, who she knew to be very fast. He’d come in second the previous summer. Right behind him was Yumineh, making no indications she wanted to pass. A boy she recognized as being from Swan Camp was in third, right in front of her, but several paces behind Yumineh.
It was not far to the Temple now. Through cedar and oak, Azaria could see the enormous structure looming over the surrounding forest. Atop its shallow mound, no other feature rivaled it. There was no reason to scale the gentle incline on which it sat. The energy required would just sap her strength. She would run around the small hill as would the rest of the competitors. Azaria looked up at it though, marveling at its immensity. Only the Natu are capable of such a feat, she thought. Only my people, blessed by the Ta'ar, have the knowledge, skill and organization required. In the First Temple, huge T-shaped stones formed a circle, connected together by a high wall made of small brick sized stones layered one on top another. The
Dismayed, Dogahn thought to recapture his place. But he was breathing hard. It was a struggle just to maintain the distance between himself and the young man in front of him. He questioned if he had the stamina to win.
Two positions ahead, Yumineh was fully unaware of the psychological battle Dogahn was waging. Things were going perfectly for her. She was right behind Azaria. The pace wasn't overly taxing. She felt great. Plenty of energy for the swim, although she wasn’t sure how far until the main river crossing. She guessed it wouldn't be long. On the way to Boar Camp she'd asked Izyl if they could camp at the river so she could strategize. Fox Camp was almost a full sun’s walk northeast of the Temple, very near the crossing. It was a natural place to stop, but Izyl was also happy to oblige her. She was proud of the young orphan runner, sure she'd place highly in the race.
Azaria could see Bat Cave up ahead. They’d reach it in moments. The trail would soon open and then they'd be close to the crossing. Feeling supremely confident, she sped up, hoping to pass a few of the runners ahead of her first.
As she accelerated, she saw the front runners begin to pull ahead and knew the crossing was imminent. Azaria took a deep breath and exhaled. High grasses gave way to sand as she sped up again to catch those in front of her. Some of the runners turned to follow the river farther southeast. She instead sprinted straight for the water. She passed the older boy in front of her and then a girl around her age she didn't know. Azaria was almost there, anticipating the plunge into the cool waters. She took a short step to adjust her stride and accelerated to full speed. A couple of bounding steps and she dove head first. Beneath the river’s surface, she reached far, fully extending her arms as she kicked her legs violently. Her long stroke propelled her forward and back up to fresh air. Another stroke and another and she cocked her head to the side to take a breath. She repeated the stroke, sneaking a glance to find the far bank.
Suddenly something brushed her arm, interrupting her stroke. Another swimmer? Azaria looked to her side, only to find Yumineh passing her in the middle of the river. Shocked, she increased her stroke, struggling to match the Fox Camp girl. But Yumineh was uncatchable. She was too fast. Who is this girl? Azaria wondered. She swam her heart out, but Yumineh was a full length in front of her now. As she approached the shore, her rival was exiting the water.
Azaria felt dirt at the nadir of her downstroke. With the next, her arm plunged into sand and she pulled her body out of the river. She looked up and saw Yumineh heading for the incline, a few paces ahead.
When she reached the top, Azaria glanced back and saw runners in the distance behind her. She was ahead of them for now, but they were coming on strong. She looked forward and saw three runners. An older boy from Fox Camp led, who she knew to be very fast. He’d come in second the previous summer. Right behind him was Yumineh, making no indications she wanted to pass. A boy she recognized as being from Swan Camp was in third, right in front of her, but several paces behind Yumineh.
It was not far to the Temple now. Through cedar and oak, Azaria could see the enormous structure looming over the surrounding forest. Atop its shallow mound, no other feature rivaled it. There was no reason to scale the gentle incline on which it sat. The energy required would just sap her strength. She would run around the small hill as would the rest of the competitors. Azaria looked up at it though, marveling at its immensity. Only the Natu are capable of such a feat, she thought. Only my people, blessed by the Ta'ar, have the knowledge, skill and organization required. In the First Temple, huge T-shaped stones formed a circle, connected together by a high wall made of small brick sized stones layered one on top another. The
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