Jake woke up to see Liz and Claire all dressed and prepared to leave.
"Where are you guys going" he asked while looking at Claire.
"They are going to be leaving with us this morning" Uncle Mike answered, coming out of the room with a bag slung over his shoulder.
"Why?" Jake questioned further
"You'll find out when we get there".
Claire had packed some lunch, and they were ready to roll. They only had to wait a little for Jake who had woken up late. Jake was soon ready and they set out, the weather was just perfect for a walk to the lake.
Thick clouds surrounded the sun, preventing it's scorching heat from blasting down on them. A calm breeze blowing also made the weather conceivable.
They soon arrived at swan lake. Jake had walked there enough times, it didn't seem far anymore.
They set their things in the ground and sat down for a little while. Uncle Mike sat with the girls while he left Jake to meditate. Jake tried to clear his head but curiosity got the better of him, he instead wondered what business the girls had here because it was quite unusual for Uncle Mike to engage both of them on a trip to their training ground.
He couldn't take the suspense anymore, he stood up and headed to where they sat. At the same time his Uncle stood up.
"Let's get started" he announced. "I bet you've been dying to know why the girls are here" he turned to Jake, a mysterious glint sparkled in his eyes.
"I haven't really given it much thought" Jake shrugged
"Yes you have. I could see the distraction written over your face from here"
"Alright, I have" Jake surrendered. "Can you now tell what this is about"
"Of course. Today is the last day of combat training and" turning back he pointed at Claire. "This is your last test"
"What" Jake seemed a but confused. He did not quite get the message.
"Knock her down and you pass"
"WHAT!!!" Jake was in shock. He stared at Claire. "You want me to hit a girl???!!!"
Uncle Mike only smiled in reply
"Too scared to hit a girl? Come on tough guy I'll make it easier on you. Land a single hit and you win"
Uncle Mike laughed as things took an interesting turn.
Jake on the other hand was dumbfounded, he refused to believe his ears, he almost decided to go all out, but decided against it his policy of hitting girls clouding the better part of his judgement.
Jake circled Claire, unsure of whether he should throw a punch or just evade her attacks.
"If you won't attack, I will" she lunged at him with terrifying agility almost causing him to lose his balance.
He quickly side stepped and began weaving a series of punches and kicks, it didn't take him long to notice that this girl wasn't defenseless. He also began to attack.
Claire was so nimble on her feet, she could be here one second and the next she wasn't.
She had quite a lot of experience in evading attacks and her speed made it easier to avoid being hit in a fight.
She could move faster than an untrained eye could follow. Anyone fighting her needed to be quite stronger or quite focused to avoid losing track of her movements and Jake was neither of the two.
After observing her mode of attacks for a few minutes, Jake could tell that Mike had trained her and probably for a much longer time than he.
Jake was now attacking rapidly, he threw a left hook and a right almost immediately, but Claire easily dodged both she quickly countered with a faster right hook which Jake blocked and so the fight continued.
'She fights like her dad but she isn't that good. There's still lots of openings to attack from' Jake thought.
Suddenly Claire attacks became more intense and accurate. Mike merely smiled from the side lines while Liz watched the both of the go at it as she munched on a snack.
It was as if she had read Jake's mind as she intensified her attacks. Jake was stupefied but he didn't have such luxury.
The attacks were still coming in fast and hard and she was showing no signs of getting tired. Jake had concluded that she was at the peak of her powers he didn't expect that she was going easy on him.
A punch to his chin, brought him back to the clearing.
Claire aimed for his shoulder, she three the punch aiming to neutralize his attacks.
But Jake was ready, he easily dodged that with a twist of his body but the next punch aimed for his abdomen made contact.
Jake stumbled back in Surprise, her hits were getting more accurate and more than fifty percent was making contact.
Jake was losing concentration, things were beginning to seem same as usual. Him being on the defensive, not being able to throw a single punch. He had underestimated her because she was a girl.
He remembered what she said at the beginning and realization dawned on him that he hadn't touched her since they began sparring.
"Damn" he spat in frustration. He took his stance and prepared to fight like he was fighting his equal. Claire waited patiently for him to regain his balance before attacking.
He stood and waited for her to come at him, she didn't disappoint. Once she saw he had regained his balance, she dived at him swinging her balled fist right at him. He simply side stepped and slapped her attack away. She was instantly aware of his seriousness, she kept attacking but this time with calculated precision. She threw an upper cut which Jake blocked with his left palm and retaliated with a right swing. Claire bent down allowing the fist fly harmlessly over her head.
She could see the open palm heading straight for her but she couldn't do anything about it, she was quite sure Jake couldn't move this fast, the attack connected with her left shoulder sending her staggering backwards.
"Wow, you're quite the prodigy" she threw him a compliment. "I expected this to take with longer. But you fought well, so you win."
"I have no intention of accepting landing a single hit as victory".
"Then this is far from over?" she asked
"Of course"
They readied themselves for round two. Sharing a knowing smile, they lunged at each other. Mike was immediately between them.
"That's enough for today. Jake you pass"
"Not that easily" he pouted
"Of course, you didn't win because you landed a single hit. You also fought well".
Mike had watched every second of the fight, he saw Jake's potential and also knew that Jake might squeeze out a chance to knock Claire down.
But one thing he knew was that, had that fight continued Jake wouldn't emerge the Victor because there was an edge Claire had over him and that was 'experience'.
They went down to the lake to was off their sweat while Mike and Elizabeth sat beneath the trees near the clearing setting the lunch Claire had packed.
Claire went further downstream behind a cluster of trees, she loosened the rope fastened to her waist and let her dress fall to the sand. She went to the water and scooped a handful slowly washing her hands and legs.
She was soon done as she stepped out of the shallow water and out on her dress.
Jake who had finished washing himself could see her silhouette through the cluster of trees as she came out of the water.
Jake had always seen Claire as his cousin and nothing else, but a different feeling began to creep in as he could now see her through the trees nothing but her short lingerie gown which was hugging every inch of her body and curve of her shapely body.
Though Claire was beautiful and attractive, the perfect height with a pretty face and brown hazel eyes that one could get lost in.
She had long black hair which fell just above her mid back and long straight legs that moved elegantly when she walked.
She was quite a beauty to behold. Jake could see those features in her almost see through dress.
But he quickly smothered those feelings, wrapped his changed clothes and headed to the clearing where Mike and Liz sat.