[Mkguild] A lion tries his courage at writing, part(1/3)

[Marijn van de Mosselaar]

Hello all,
 =

I've finally gathered enough courage to submit something. This story has be=
en in the making for about 5 years now, but suffers from my inability to ov=
er think things when I get into a creative spree
bringing it to a grinding halt.
Main character: Marto (18 years) lion morph. Hardly a surprise but here he =
is. His last name will be Gladebearer but that is not quite relevant just y=
et.
This story is intended to introduce him, tell of his first experiences on a=
rriving as well as his first mission. The actual time of this story is set =
in mid April 707 CR more or less with Marto arriving at Metamor early Febru=
ary.
Any names I made up for this story aren't set in stone just yet and may cha=
nge as needed. This first part is the intro for Marto and initial character=
 interaction.
 =

As the sun is starting its slow decent towards the horizon, the tired looki=
ng lionmorph guard yawned as he stared southwards. He appeared to be lookin=
g for an impending attack while in truth his mind was wandering. It had bee=
n wandering for the last hour and by now had led him back to his youth when=
 he was still human.
He=92d been searching for joyous memories, those were few and far between. =
What he=92d remembered most was pain, some of it his, some of it belonged t=
o his little brother and even more to his mother. =

His father wasn=92t often pleased by his offspring nor with his wife. Only =
when he was in a drunken stupor he=92d go to bed without complaining. Thoug=
h plenty of times the hangovers hurt his family more than his father. Which=
 was probably the reason his older sister left to work at the Northende far=
m at the farmer=92s outpost when the opportunity arose.
It hadn=92t always been that way, in vague shards of memory he recalled his=
 father being nice and gentle but it was too long ago and far away.
He also couldn=92t recall seeing his father doing any work except for the h=
arvest at the farmer=92s outpost when all able bodies were needed.
The lionmorph recalled having many jobs to make ends meet for his family. E=
ven though his father earned money somehow he=92d spend it before his famil=
y saw it. His mother cleaned houses for a few coppers, his brother delivere=
d messages and packages with minimal damage and our young man worked wherev=
er possible. =

Aside from money the jobs taught him well. The work on the farms gave him s=
trength. His job in the only store in the village taught him how to count a=
nd the card players in the inn taught him how to outsmart the competition a=
nd how to cheat without getting caught. His father taught him how to take a=
 punch without wincing.
 =

But in all the most interesting time to him was when he learned how to read=
 and write. He still remembers seeing the old man come up on the old dirt r=
oad into town and going into the mayor=92s house. Later outside the study h=
e eavesdropped in on the first lesson of the mayor=92s daughters. =

It was about something called the alphabet. How he=92d be caught later by t=
he old man, who then in an act of kindness, offered to let him sit in on th=
e lesson in exchange for chores. Like cleaning the classroom, wiping the bl=
ackboard and carrying the old man=92s brown leather bag which was way heavi=
er than it looked.
One day the mayor found out and the old man stood up for the young boy. Fro=
m that day on he revered the old man. =

The mayor decided the young man=92s presence was tolerable as long as he di=
d not have to pay for it. This was agreed upon and the lessons continued. R=
eading, writing and simple math.
 =

However as the lessons started teaching about magic, it became clear that o=
ur young man had no affinity for it. After many gruelling sessions of trial=
 and loads of error he managed to perform a low level telepathy spell. One =
that required line of sight and could barely be maintained for five minutes=
. Still it made it a lot easier to speak to his little brother without his =
father overhearing.
Inevitably though the old man came up the road for the last time. The mayor=
 paid and thanked the old man for his services. The old teacher said goodby=
e to the young man with a pat on the shoulder and a smile. The young man ha=
d often looked down that road hoping to see his teacher again, but he never=
 did. The lionmorph then realized that he=92d never asked or was told the n=
ame of the old man. =

 =

=93Private Marto!=94 A familiar voice shouted behind the lionmorph. =93Are =
you slacking off on duty soldier?!=94
 =

=93Sir. No, sir. I was just resting my legs. I have been walking these wall=
s for over 10 hours, I felt I was entitled to it=85 Sir.=94 Marto replied f=
latly without turning around.
=93Your shift ended 2 hours ago. And face me when I=92m talking to you.=94 =
George the patrol master stated.
=93Yes, I know.=94 Marto turned around lazily. =93I wasn=92t feeling very t=
ired so I signed up for another one.=94
George gave him a foul look. =93That would make it your fifth double shift =
in as many days. You=92re supposed to be recovering from your injury not wo=
rking yourself to death.=94 =

The lionmorph just sighed.
=93My leg is just fine.=94
=93It WAS broken in two places and you know Coe will have my hide if he fee=
ls I=92m pushing you too hard on the job.=94 George countered. Marto was ab=
out to turn around again when the patrol master continued. =93Which is why =
he agreed with me that sending you on a patrol would be the easiest way to =
get you realise that your legs need rest.=94
 =

At that Marto=92 ears perked up and he stood at attention. =93Are you serio=
us, Sir?=94
 =

=93Yes=94 George answered. =93However given what happened last time I will =
team you up with a veteran patroller.=94
=93I understand.=94 Marto spoke with an almost inaudible disappointment in =
his voice. =93So who will I be going out with?=94
The patrol master looked at him for a moment. =93His name is Simon.=94
=93Si-Simon the =93Serpent=94?=94 Marto stammered and would have cringed if=
 he hadn=92t bit his cheek. =

=93Yes, that=92s his name, although he earned serpent part before he became=
 a python.=94
=93Y-you know sir, maybe you are right I should rest my leg a little longer=
=85 Ehmm=85 I=92m sure there are some latrines I could clean out.=94
George gave him a curious stare. =93Do you have a problem with your assigne=
d partner?=94
=93No, sir. I- I- I just figured that I shouldn=92t be such a drain on the =
Keep=92s resources, veteran soldiers are rare and should not be wasted on a=
 such a green soldier like me.=94 Marto rambled on.
=93Job assignments aren=92t open to debate, private. You WILL report for du=
ty in ten minutes. You WILL go out on patrol with Simon and you WILL like i=
t! Do I make myself clear?!=94 George bellowed and startled some of the oth=
er guards.
Marto, again, just sighed. =93Yes, sir.=94
=93Good. Now I pulled some strings but in order to give you some protection=
 here is a writ that=92ll allow you to get some better armour from the armo=
ury.=94 George handed him a piece of paper.
=93A breastplate?=94 Marto asked upon reading the note. =93Wont that make a=
 lot of noise in the woods?=94
George turned his head showing a toothy smile. =93Let=92s be honest, subtle=
ty is lost on you.=94
As soon as George was out of sight Marto ran to the nearest tower to return=
 the pike to the resident quartermaster and sign off on his second shift. T=
he quartermaster looked visibly relieved to see the lionmorph happy and lea=
ving. Marto limped a little as he stepped out the door. =93Pain is temporar=
y, don=92t stop till you=92re done.=94 He whispered to himself.
 =

Jack DeMule was a little surprised to see a regular soldier come in with a =
writ for armour but was helpful nonetheless. The breastplate included shoul=
der pieces that rattled with every move and tough it wasn=92t morphic armou=
r the straps were enchanted to unbuckle if the wearer shifted.
~shgg~~clak~ =

=93Definitely not a silent walk through the woods=94 Marto stopped at the d=
oor to George=92s office. His leg was itching and moaning for some rest and=
 care. Relief was just one bite away with the last of the healing herb he h=
ad in his pocket.
=91I need more.=92 His mind raced for options. =91No way I=92m sneaking int=
o the infirmary with this outfit to steal some more. Maybe the greenhouse! =
No, that=92s stupid, like I=92d know which weed would help=92
=93Aaargh!=94 Marto punched the wall hard in frustration. This made the pai=
n in his hand more important than the pain in his leg.
The door opened and George came out armed with a knife.
=93Oh, there you are.=94 The patrol master tossed the knife back into his o=
ffice. =93Follow me.=94 Marto just nodded as he cradled his hand.
George began explaining about the job. About how several supply caravans co=
ming up and down the south road had been harassed. George suspected there t=
o be stragglers from the winter assault hiding out in the woods.
Marto tried to keep up and listen but as they walked his leg acted up again=
. His rattling armour didn=92t help either and by the time they=92d crossed=
 half the town Marto was lagging so far behind the patrol master that he co=
uldn=92t hear the jackal anymore.
All of a sudden George stopped and turned. Marto sprinted as he saw this ha=
ppen and skidded to a stop just before George finished his turn.
=93Are you sure your leg is alright?=94 The patrol master asked with a sly =
smile on his muzzle.
=93It=92s fine, sir=94 Marto replied.
=93Alright then.=94 George started walking again. =93And stop calling me si=
r.=94
Marto pulled the herb from his pocket, chewed it once and swallowed it. It=
=92d start working in five minutes. =91Just grin and bear it.=92
George continued explaining that Marto and Simon were to narrow down the pl=
aces where the caravan raiders could be hiding.
In the distance at the remnants of an inn a snakemorph was waiting with a l=
arge bag.
=93Hi Simon, got the supplies ready?=94 George shouted at him.
=93Sssure do. Wasssn=92t eassy though.=94 The snake man twisted his coils u=
nder the tarp he had wrapped around him. The valley had been getting warmer=
 but it was still too nippy for most cold-blooded Metamorians.
George grabbed Marto by the arm and pulled him forward. =

=93Here is your mule for this journey.=94
=93Hey!=94
Simon eyed the lion morph carefully. =93Are you ssure he=92ss up for walkin=
g? Maybe we sshould get him a cane sso he can walk.=94 =

Marto=92s stance changed from =91surprised=92 to =91going to rip you to shr=
eds=92. =93And maybe we should get you a pair of legs so You can walk.=94
George jumped in between them and gave Marto a stare that chilled his rage =
instantly.
=93It=92s bad enough that I=92m down to you two for this job. Simon, you kn=
ow the job, and also=85=94 George whispered some instructions into the snak=
eman=92s ear holes.
Marto twisted his ears to try and listen in but the noise of nearby constru=
ction made that impossible.
The jackal turned to him. =93As for you Marto. Listen to Simon.=94
=93Why should I?=94 Marto huffed.
=93 =92Cause your future in the military depends on it.=94 George said as h=
e walked back to his office.
=93Maybe we got off on the wrong foot.=94 Simon said as he extended a thin =
arm he=92d hidden under the folds of cloth he was wearing.
=93Yeah, we did.=94 Marto reached out with his own hand but stopped when he=
 noticed that his other hand had grabbed the hilt of his dagger. A reflex.
=93Sscared of ssnakess?=94
=93Petrified.=94
=93Thiss journey will be either interessting or very long. Grab the bag and=
 let=92ss go.=94 Despite his fear Marto did as he was told and followed Sim=
on.
 =

-----
 =

Submitted for the approval of the MK society,
 =

a currently untitled story
 =

by: Leo M. Panther
_________________________________________________________________
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