[Mkguild] Long Distance Part 6

[Stealth]

Last one!

The fox looked at him, "Did they beat you or something?"



            Stealth couldn't help but laugh, "They tried to kill me! But
their shots were poor so they cast a spell on me instead. According to the
mages and healers I've spoken to I was probably lucky because I must have
gotten far enough away." He shook his head, "I was just a few minutes from
the town too. Still, they didn't have time to do any real damage, just
something temporary to silence me."



            "Silence how." He eyes narrowed.



            "Amnesia." The feline sighed.



            "You lost your memory?" The fox asked. Black ink from the
parchment on his desk began to stain his wrists though neither of them would
notice.



            "Aye but I got... most of it back." He sighed, "I should have
regained all my memories by tomorrow morning according to the mage." He
sipped some of the cider Misha poured for him as he nibbled on a small chunk
of cheese.



            The Long scout nodded, "Sometimes our memories are buried but
they return in time... they're usually not pleasant though."



            "Yeah..." Unpleasant memories were returning too along with some
odd ones, "Things are still coming back to me." He put down the glass and
looked down for a moment, "I remember having a dream, only this dream... I
remember it to in fact be a memory."



            Misha looked at the cat after taking a sip of his wine, "Oh?"



            He nodded, "I remembered a dream which in itself is a returned
memory..." He paused and then looked up at the fox for a moment, "I played
with Madog."



            "You don't say!" Misha laughed, "You played fetch with his metal
ball, right?"



            The cheetah shook his head slowly.



            "What's wrong?" The fox asked confused.



            "It's when I lost my mind." Stealth answered softly.



            "Ah..." He began and drummed his fingers on the desk, "cheer up!
It happens and it affects some people worse then others. Besides, Edmund can
help you with that."



            Stealth looked up, "'Edmund'?"



            Misha grimaced.



            "...oh, right. Ed!" Stealth recalled the memories of his friend
and kin.



            Misha nodded, he released his breath and poured some more wine.
The cat's memories were returning =96 slowly. "You know I remember that day
well." He said and sipped the wine. "Before I went out to find you, Carol
and me..." He paused and blushed at the cheetah, "We were discussing
important intelligence and then a dead ferret dropped in front of us."



            The feline looked up at him in confusion.



            "Yeah, that's how I looked at the time." He chuckled. "Madog
stood up with his paws on the table, near where you're sitting now."



            "Madog brought you a dead animal?" Stealth asked.



            Misha nodded, "Apparently he brought-"



            "I bring food!" An eager voice behind them answered.



            Stealth jumped in his seat then turned and saw the automation
sitting on his haunches.



            "Spots back!" Madog said when the cheetah looked.



            Misha smiled, "Yes, that's what he said. I asked him where he
got it..."



            "Gift!" The automation answered again. "Gift from sphinx!"



            The cheetah looked from the organic fox to the metallic. How
long had the automation been there?



            Misha shook his head, "I never understood that until now.
Actually I still don't know what a 'sphinx' is meant to be."



            Stealth began to sit up as his heart rate quickened.



            "Stealth? Are you okay?" Misha asked but the cat ignored him and
got up from the chair.



            The cheetah ignored Madog too as he quickly squeezed past the
metal fox and into Long Hall.



            "Stealth!" Misha shouted and stood up, "Orix Zachery! Answer
me!" The fox ordered harshly.



            The feline wandered a short distance and sat on the green
carpet. Misha gave up on orders and just followed him. The Long scout
kneeled next to Stealth and placed his hand on the cat's shoulder. It took a
few minutes but eventually Stealth found his voice.



            "I... it... it was my first hunt with Edmund. When that deer got
me." He said.



            Misha nodded, "I heard. You recovered well from it and caught
the deer."



            "I didn't like how I was an animal for my first hunt, running
around like a beast. But..." He began then faltered. "That was not my FIRST
hunt. I was an animal for my real first hunt too. But not in body, in MIND."
He snarled.



            The feline clenched his hands. The toes and claws of his bare
feet brushed through the thick rug underneath, he wanted to shred it. "I
killed that ferret. Why? Because it moved, because I was a beast, because I
was mindless..." He whimpered. "THAT was my first hunt."



            The Long scout patted his back but said nothing. Madog came
about the other side and nuzzled the cheetah.



            "I have a memory of Three Gates. Not the battle but the spells."
Misha said after a while. "I was a dumb animal, everyone was. But do you
know what I did? I hunted too."



            The feline nodded slowly but showed no other outward sign.



            "I have a friend who had to leave the keep before you arrived,
he's a rabbit called Phil, have you heard of Phil?" Misha asked. Times were
strained back then, they still were but many things weren't resolved when
Phil left for Whales.



            The cat shrugged.



            "When the counter spells were cast, Phil didn't 'come back'." He
sighed, "They put him in a cage for a long time... He never returned to
active duty in the field because his instincts are too strong, he can't even
be in the same room with me!"



            "Hmm." Stealth said. Okay, he was starting to become more
responsive at least.



            "Even now Phil has to sleep in a cage in case he loses himself
to the rabbit and he always loses himself to the rabbit, I can tell you...
do you know why I'm telling you about my friend Phil?"



            "Why?" The feline asked, uninterested, and just looked at the
carpet.



            "Because at Three Gates I HUNTED him. I think." The fox
pondered, "I chased him about for a bit."



            Stealth finally looked up at the fox, "But you've been fine
since then?"



            Misha shook his head firmly. "Soon after..." He sighed, "I had a
tough time in the months after the curse... I had trouble with family then I
lived in the wilds of the north for some time but keep that to yourself." He
ordered in a whisper.



            "Your brother?" Stealth asked absently.



            Misha's hackles raised and he bared his fangs at the mention,
"YES." He said harshly, "My brother . . ." He answered without explaining
any further.



            Stealth looked at him with an open gape.



            The fox sighed and placed a palm to his forehead, "What happened
is nothing for you to worry about." He mumbled.



            "It... It just came to me... I'm sorry." Stealth said and looked
away.



            "Thank you." Misha stuttered.



            They both became silent until Madog started nosing about the
pair. Misha flinched from the contact and then sighed, "Stealth, please just
forget it." He pat the cheetah's back again and thought of something to
change the subject, "You know... one time I might have gone feral without
shifting. Has that ever happened to you?"



            "I don't know." Stealth mumbled.



            The fox nodded, "I lost my temper at a battle last year, you
could say I lost my mind and I mean LOST it." The scout grinned, "Ever
wonder why I'm called an Axe Wielding Maniac?"



            Stealth began to grin though he tried to hide it.



            Misha caught the grin and chuckled. "I even lost my clothes and
ran around naked!"



            At that point Stealth couldn't help but break out into a laugh.
Misha laughed along with him though Madog remained silent and just watched
them.



            "Are you okay now?" Misha asked after the laughter died down.



            "Aye, thanks Misha." With a grunt, Stealth rose from the floor.
He looked to his side and saw Madog standing there looking up curiously.



            Stealth looked at the automation then reached his hand out to
pat him. Madog leaned into the patting. The metal felt soft and warm. "Thank
you too, Madog."



            "That reminds me," Misha began, "How did your armour fair?"



            "Well it didn't impede me but nether did it help seeing as it
protects my front and flanks, not the rear." He grimaced, "I should get that
fixed too..."



            "The biggest threat to a soldier can be their own equipment
failing them." The fox warned direly, "Your speed and agility saved your
life. I'm thankful that suit didn't hinder you."



            "I suppose, and maybe it did protect me; I tried to run on a
winding course to evade their arrows... I took a hit to my shoulder. I don't
think I noticed at the time though it left quite a dent."



            "This is its first combat test." The Long noted, "At least we
know your armour works well and Andre's men have a good opinion of you after
you warned the towns' folk."



                "Hmm," The cheetah frowned, "I took too long to arrive and
then I only found out about the attack because I slept on the job... the way
I handled that wasn't exactly 'stealthy.'" He looked about and noted they
currently stood in the hall after his flight from Misha's office, "... I'm
not all that good at debriefings either."



            "I'm not one for formality." The fox answered, "You travelled a
very long distance, and you did that duty to your best ability. It's not
your responsibility to thwart dangerous thieves."



             The cat nodded without much enthusiasm.



            Misha hugged him. "You did very good Spots."



            "Thanks, Misha." Stealth returned the hug. "I don't want to
disappoint you."



            "Never. You do me and the Longs proud, my friend." The fox
answered vehemently.



            Stealth smiled tiredly.



            Misha rubbed his chin in thought, "Dumb question, how much do
you remember?"



            Stealth thought for a moment and shrugged, "I remember the
previous day when I set off. I remember being feral one time and frustrating
the scouts... I remember bits and pieces of the past week."



            "How have the memories been returning?" Misha asked.



            "The memories find their way back on their own but sometimes
they need help. It took a lot to remember you..." The cheetah smiled, "But
then I remembered... Misha, the 'foxtaur guy'."



            "Good! Being a taur is good for many things!" The fox answered
and wagged his tail.



            Stealth cocked his head, "But..."



            "Oh? What?"



            "My memories aren't fully restored yet. I remembered that word
but Misha... what actually IS a 'taur'?" Stealth asked curious.



            The fox's jaw dropped, he stared at the cat in a mix of
confusion and horror but composed himself, "All right, you'll remember in
time but I'll help you remember now. I'll show you a taur!"



            The cat nodded, "Oh, good."



            Stealth waited in anticipation and then his eyes widened in
fright and confusion as Misha dropped his pants.





Long Distance

Copyright (c) 2008 Michael Nastov
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