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Ellie was in the middle of scooping porridge into jars when her mother came into the kitchen.

The sun's early morning rays streamed through the room. Ellie had forgotten how nice her mother's hair color looked lit up like that. If she'd been smiling, she would've made for a nice photograph in an article about style and power.

"Come into the backyard when you're done." Her stern voice ruined the illusion. She left, the thud of her shoes alerting Ellie that her mother was wearing what she called her trouncing boots.

Ellie took her time, which was probably a mistake because as soon as she'd made it to the backyard she nearly got chopped in the neck with her mother's fighting staff.

"Put down your bag and pick up the spare staff over there. I'd like to check on your training."

Hadn't they already established that she'd been slacking off on her training? Ellie shrugged off her bag. Shaking fingers grasped the staff, a long stick of wood carved for the perfect balance of striking force and durability.

The dogs were in their doorless shack, their heads peeking out to happily stare at Hildegarde and Ellie. Hilda had put them in a "stay" command they wouldn't dare break. Sunflower barked, the only dog to vocalize. Ellie admitted that she looked out-of-place crammed in there with the rest of the guard dogs. She was like a fluffy blanket amongst knives.

Hilda stood, holding out her staff. Okay, Ellie remembered what to do at this part, at least. She raised her staff to meet hers in the middle so they would start their spar at the proper distance. Hilda took a step back, then used the inner hollow of her foot to kick the staff up into her free hand. She slid into her stance. Ellie had to settle for a much clumsier way of wielding it.

"Are you going to call the moves?" Ellie asked hopefully.

"No one calls moves in the real world. I'm giving you three seconds."

Hilda arced her staff upwards. Ellie's staff connected with it. Low block. Her mother bounced back, then came back in for the next strike, this time from above. High block, then a battle for dominance as Hilda pushed forward.

Their staffs stayed crossed in the block, Ellie's arms shaking from the effort. Hilda took advantage of that. She lifted her staff away, swung it in a side-arc, and tapped Ellie's hip before she could react.

"You're dead. Me, 1; you, 0." Hilda said. "Let's start again."

They returned to their starting positions. Ellie decided to go on the offensive this time. She thrust the staff at Hilda, who easily knocked it out of her hands. 2 to 0. During the next reset, Ellie tried to do what her mother had done earlier. She went in low, attempting to use Hilda's size against her.

That didn't work. Hilda brought her staff down on Ellie's shoulder, softly. Dead again. She must've died dozens of times throughout the next hour. Decapitated. Stabbed through the stomach. Bashed in the hand. Dead on her back, dead on her side.

Once, she'd even killed herself in a particularly embarassing manuveur. The staff had gotten stuck in the grass and she'd accidentally vaulted herself.

"Again."

"C'mon, I can't do this anymore!" Ellie cried. Her bruises had bruises. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Ellie, fight. Three seconds." Hilda hit Ellie's staff so hard that it spun out of her hands. She gently shoved her daugher off balance, making her fall. Hilda stood over her.

"I'm not picking it up again. I'm done." Ellie moved to stand up. Hilda's staff, held out over her head, stopped her. She stayed on the ground.

"Really? Because I thought you were a proficient fighter."

"Why the hell would you think that?" She was too tired to mind her language.

"Because you've been sneaking off into the woods on your own. Obviously, anyone that ventures into the woods alone is capable of handling themselves in a fight." Hilda said. "Am I wrong?"

"I wasn't alone. I took Sunflower. She was with me. I didn't do anything wrong."

"What if something happened to her again? Another hole?"

Dr. Cuthberht must've ratted her out. So much for doctor-patient confidentiality. Thankfully, Ellie had cut the story off at Sunflower being stuck in a hole trap. She said, "Marietta was with me too."

Hilda didn't accept that. "You keep gambling with your life, Ellie. You're beginning to make me wonder if you're... You're not trying to hurt yourself, are you?"

"No, no... I was looking for flowers. I'll be more careful."

"Careful would be you staying in Stockbrunn, but for whatever reason, you refuse to do that. Why? What keeps compelling you to go there?"

"I... It's because..." Ellie couldn't say it. And she couldn't tell her mother that of all times, she was the safest she'd ever been. Shreya had saved her life more than once.

"I'm almost ready to assign guards to you, ones that will keep you here." Hilda rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I hope me knocking some sense into you makes it so that I don't have to do that."

"Please don't."

"I won't if you don't give me another reason to." She sighed. "I get it, Ellie. You went through a lot and you want to push back against the world. This isn't the way to do it. You're better than this. I know you are."

"I'm sorry..." Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes.

"I shouldn't have to keep telling you how dangerous the woods are. You know this already." Hilda moved the staff away from her. She tossed it off to the side. "And I know you well enough to know you're probably going to disregard everything I've said. Take a weapon. Know when running is your best option. Remember what your life's worth. Just...don't make me lose you, too."

Ellie hugged her knees. She kept her head down, her face away from view.

She didn't say another word. She didn't have to.

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A/N: The latest chapter of Redwood Crossing, Chapter 16, is now up on its main site. Voting on that chapter will end this Monday at 11:59 PM EST. Visit the main site to vote now.

Comments on the main site are very appreciated, and help encourage the writer.

The next RRL update will be 8.4.