[Mkguild] A lion tries his courage at writing, part(2/3)

[Marijn van de Mosselaar]

Part 2 follows 1 quite closely but will probably need some tweaking in dial=
ogue and other errors I've overlooked. Marto's fear of snakes was planned e=
arly on but I'm not sure I've quite got
it properly covered in the dialogue and mannerisms. Anyways feel free to en=
joy.
 =

//Needs a proper link up with previous bit.
 =

=93Ssso=85=94 Simon hissed softly. =93What happened?=94
=93What are you talking about?!=94 Marto snapped back at the snake with a s=
neer.
=93Your firssst patrol. Already it isss passsing into legend. But no one ss=
seemsss to know the true ssstory.=94 Simon moved a little closer and tried =
to make it look like he was smiling gently without much success.
Marto gave him a dirty look and moved his hand onto the hilt of his sword b=
ut after a minute he relaxed and sighed. =93You=92re not going to stop pest=
ering me about this, are you?=94 He said.
The snake man shook his head and said, =93Nope, trussst me on thisss Marto.=
 I can tell thisss isss bothering you, but if you don=92t let it out it=92l=
l keep bothering you until it becomesss a nuisssanccce.=94
 =

=93Why is it that people with lisps always use words with s=92s in them?=94=
 Marto replied. To which Simon raised himself, puffed up and hissed venomou=
sly. =93Don=92t change the sssubject!=94
 =

Marto slowly turned to face his patrol buddy. He knew he=92d pushed the bar=
bs a little too far. With a deep sigh he began to recall the memory he=92d =
hoped to bury in oblivion. =93Alright, I=92ll tell you=85 Just don=92t hope=
 to be entertained, it=92s a pretty dull story.=94 Marto said in a last  at=
tempt to dodge Simon=92s question.
To no avail though as the snake-man settled down a little but kept his eyes=
 on him. Marto began.
=93It must be about a month and a half ago. We, the latest recruits, were d=
eemed ready for a patrol exercise. Under the command of sergeant Francis.=
=94
 =

=93Sergeant =91Ankle biter=92?=94 Simon cut in. =93No wonder you=92re so de=
dicated.=94
 =

Marto shrugged. =93Including myself there were 15 recruits left. We had bee=
n waiting in full gear for about half an hour before the patrol master show=
ed up to tell us that the Sergeant had caught a cold and wasn=92t expected =
to be rid of it for at least a month.=94
 =

=93Yeah, poor bassstard, he getsss younger with every sssneeze and hasss to=
 start recovering from square one.=94 Simon commented.
 =

=93Anyways=85 George explained to us that he couldn=92t spare any other exp=
erienced patrollers to lead us but he had arranged for several pairs of us =
to join other patrols but there were only seven patrols scheduled at the mo=
ment.=94 Marto paused a moment and looked at the sky.
 =

  //Time jump                                              ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
 =

The sky looked dry for the first time since he=92d started basic training. =
The others had started to murmur rumours that steadily became more outrageo=
us as time passed. By the time he spotted George coming towards them he=92d=
 heard the theory of a divine war that would start in the far south and wou=
ld be ended at the gates of Metamor, followed by how they=92d survive in th=
e turmoil.
Even though he wasn=92t in charge Marto said =93A-tenhut=94 or something si=
milar and immediately the others fell silent and stood at attention. At the=
 sight of this the old patrol master cracked a smile and saluted the group =
of initiate soldiers.
 =

=93At ease.=94 George pulled out a notepad, studied it for a second even th=
ough he couldn=92t read it, and then looked at the trainees. =93I=92m afrai=
d that sergeant Francis is still incapacitated with the flu and wont be abl=
e to lead your first patrol.=94
 =

Immediately a couple of the trainees broke rank in protest only to be cowed=
 back by a foul look from the patrol master. =93So..=94 He continued. =93In=
 order to keep your training on track I have arranged for some of you to be=
 taken out with the scheduled patrols. You=92ll be divided in pairs and the=
n I=92ll point you to the patrol leaders. You=92re to follow their orders w=
ithout question, is that understood!=94 George barked the last bit.
 =

=93Sir! Yes, Sir!=94 The group responded loudly.
 =

The patrol master eyed all of them and then said =93The problem is that the=
re are only seven patrols and they wont take more than two of you with them=
.=94 He wearily looked at the patrols. This had obviously been debated and =
not to his satisfaction. =93Which means that one of you wont be going out=
=85=94
As George was saying this Marto saw what was coming and stepped forward =93=
If it is all the same to you, I volunteer to be left behind, Sir.=94 The ex=
pression on his face remained blank but George saw a subtle sadness in the =
recruit=92s eyes.
After that the trainees were quickly paired up and divided among the patrol=
 groups, which quickly filed out with only a random comment like =93Why do =
we always have to baby-sit?=94 in passing.
=93Trying to be noble, private?=94 George asked as he stood in front of Mar=
to after handing out the patrol assignments.
=93Sir, no sir. I figured it=92d be less embarrassing to volunteer rather t=
han to be left without a buddy.=94 Marto looked down to straighten his tuni=
c making it hard to read his face.
George pretended to look at his notes and then back at the lionmorph. =93Yo=
u=92ve got quite a record according to Francis. Dedicated and friendly, usu=
ally respecting authority but just as capable to ignore it if you feel the =
situation calls for it. And possibly officer material if you survive your t=
raining period.=94 He looked at the soldier, trying to see what Francis had=
 seen.
Marto didn=92t move a muscle but from the curl in his tail you could tell h=
e was smiling.
=93Wipe that smile from body, soldier!=94 George barked. =93You=92ve a tale=
nt for reinterpreting  orders and not knowing your own limits, which means =
you=92ll be kept close till you grow out of that.=94
The patrol master sighed deep. =93However after the talk I=92ve had with Fr=
ancis, it has been decided that you=92ll be given an assignment to test you=
r abilities. Instead of the drill I wanted to give you, you=92ll be given a=
 scouting job.=94
Marto almost jumped. Scouting jobs were something he=92d dreamed of since e=
nlisting. One man missions with a license to act on your own judgement, or =
so he=92d been told.
The two of them walked back to the patrol master=92s office where George ha=
d some supplies ready for the new scout.
=93Here.=94 George handed him a pack with basic survival gear including som=
e parchments with a packet of charcoal sticks.
=93Your mission, if you can stick to it, will be to check out these points.=
=94 He pointed out on a map on the table. =93We=92ve marked each of the che=
ckpoints with a mark. You have to find the mark and copy it on the parchmen=
ts to prove you=92ve found it.=94 George quickly folded the map and held it=
 out for the lionmorph
=93Sounds like a scavenger hunt.=94 Marto said while grabbing the stuff the=
 Patrol master gave him.
=93It is.=94
=93How appropriately er.. easy.=94 Marto almost bit his tongue trying to sa=
y the long word.
George wasn=92t in the mood to put up with his growing attitude. =93And sol=
dier. You=92re to avoid any enemy encounters. This is not a combat exercise=
. Are we clear?=94
At this Marto hesitated.
=93Are we clear?!=94 George asked with bared teeth.
=93Crystal, sir.=94
=93On your way then.=94
Marto saluted and marched out of the door.
 =

-----
 =

Submitted for the approval of the MK society,
 =

a currently untitled story
 =

By: Leo M. Panther
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