Chapter Seven: A Second Chance

" I knew everything" Lysette confessed which confirmed Penny's suscipisions she had carried with her for a long time. " I learned long ago what would happen to my sister, long before it had even happened. And though I had stayed by her side to protect her in the beginning, I lost hope..I gave up and couldn't bare the sight of how things would become..." tears began forming at the edges of Lysettes eyes.

" I saw the future for my nephew and knew I couldn't do anything to stop it and yet I still tried. I still did the best I could to make things right. To lead them to the right choices and nothing I did changed anything. They all still died. And I saw you" Lysette wiped the warm tears from her eyes and turned to Penny. " I saw that you were young and inoccent, and yet I knew, despite how bad things would become, that you would not perish"

" I saw that life would never be the same but that would be because of you. That you would bring the change that was needed. That you would not make the same mistakes that my nephew or your parents had. Things will be different..because of you" Lysette pulls Penny close to her and hugs her tightly.

Despite how happy Penny was with the warm embrace and that Lysette was finally opening up, she found herself more questions than answers. " Os you really couldn't prevent everything from happening? " She asked, her cheek pressed and mushed against Lysette's chest, so closely that Penny could hear the beating of her heart.

" It was not my place too. And even if I told them everything I knew, it would have only made things worse" Lysette explained.

" But you have no idea what is going to happen with us? That we will survive. Only that I will change..everything? That means we survive if thats true..right? " Penny's logic made Lysette chuckle a little.

" Yes. In a way. But for right now, that's enough questions. You need to eat your food before it gets any colder" Lysette releases her embrace and stands to her feet, heading over to the desk, picking up the plate, and bringing it back to Penny who took it happily. There was cooked rabbit on the plate along with a side of mixed berries and what looked to be some type of grayish gravy. Though it didn't look all that appetizing, she was hungry.

As Penny began digging into her food, one questioned now swam in her head from the last answer she had recieved. " In a way?" Penny asked with a mouthful of food, gazing up from her plate as the sight of the gravy was beginning to make her a little sick.

" I don't know for sure, I just know that you save the world one way or the other. And I'm not sure how that will take place. So to say how it will happen or if I'll make it in the end, would be a false promise" Lysette explained, clearing her throat directly after to hide the shakiness in her voice.

" Hm" Penny said to herself as she took another bite of the meal. She had some more questions based on the answer she was given though she felt it would be best to keep them to herself for now.

" If you want..we could continue your training" Lysette offered in hopes of achieving anything to change the subject. Penny took the last bite of her food and nodded as she tried to swallow the last bite.

" Yeah, Let's do it" Penny smiled as they both made their way out of the cabin and found a nice clear enough area for the training to take place.

After giving her the proper instructions, and practicing her strikes once again, Penny was ready to attempt a challenge against Lysette.

" Remember your training, and attack when ready" Lysette nods, assuring that she was ready for Penny's offense.

Instead of striking immediatly, Penny began circling her opponent. She kept her eyes firmly locked onto Lysette's, never breaking her gaze. " Are you going to attack or not? " Lysette mocked as she shifted her body so that she could better receive Penny's attack.

After one more full orbit, Penny rushed Lysette who moved out of the line of fire with ease. " You are exposed now" the guardian mocked again, as Penny turned with great speed and met Lysette's gut with a firm punch.

This shocked the elderly wolf, who held her gut in pain, almost certain she had now cracked a rib. " Good..but I gave you a perfect counter. Your enemies won't always do that. Let's try this again" Lysette smirked, proud of Penny being able to actually connect a punch on her.

After recovering, Lysette offered to continue their sparing and they trained for hours. Now that a strike was connected, Lysette was no longer taking things easy on Penny, and it was almost impossible for Penny to even launch an attack, much less prepare for one. It was difficult to keep up with Lysette's unreasonable speed, and her fighting tactics that have been honed and perfected over several years of combat. Though, Penny was watching the best she could and doing all she could to provide counter attacks and take mental notes of how Lysette moved in battle, even though it was difficult.

The longer the training carried on, the more tired Penny became, feeling as though she was going to pass out from exhaustion. Lysette had not landed too many blows onto Penny, but not because she couldn't. More so because she held herself from hurting Penny, even if she was giving her one hell of a workout.

" Can we please stop? " Penny begged, as Lysette circled around her, still in her human form, having no need to change during the entire training session. Penny had not pushed her enough and this angered Lysette.

" No, not until you make me feel like you are trying" Lysette barked which made Penny whimper with dissapointment. " I'm tired, my body is aching, can we not continue this tomorrow?" Penny pleaded again but instead of speaking another word, Lysette charged at Penny whom, instead of moving, took the attack head on and was knocked down to the ground, hard.

" You were suppose to move" Lysette growled as Penny used all of the strength she had left to try and make it back to her feet. " I told you I'm tired..and I don't want to continue this tonight" Penny's voice was beginning to shake but whether this was from the pain, or anger, Lysette was not sure.

" And I said we are continuing until you-" Lysette's mocking was interupted by a rather firm punch to the jaw from Penny. Lysette stumbled back a bit, surprised at the cheap shot.

" I said -" Lysette proceeded to try and finish her original thought but was charged by Penny who, tackled her to the ground with a surprising amount of strength.

Penny now straddled Lysette and had her arm drawn back, ready to deliver a finishing blow "I told you..I am tired. And we are stopping" Penny said with a now, cold and deeper voice. Before Lysette could even respond, Penny punched the ground hard, right beside Lysette's head which made the Earth shake beneath her knuckles. This was strength that had never been displayed by Penny, and Lysette was not quite sure on how to react.

Without another word, Penny stood up, and walked back inside the cabin, shutting the door behind her.

Once making it back to her feet, Lysette noticed the small crator left behind from Penny's punch. " Good girl.." She smirked as she too, went inside.