[Mkguild] Story in the works

[christian okane]

Here is a new story I am working on. It still needs a good ending. Please
tell me what you think!

 

Chris

The Lukring Fox

 

Bite Size

by Christian O'Kane

 

February 707

Shortly after the Winter Assault and right after the story Things Remain the
Same

 

 

   The biting cold of winter was only just starting to lessen so all of them
were glad to be in the warm, dry halls and rooms of Metamor Keep. At the
moment they were standing in one of the countless halls of this odd magical
castle. The hall was simply decorated, the floor was a fine, gray marble
heavily veined with lines of red, blue and green. Walls of the same material
were covered in places by banners and flags carrying the emblems of people
and groups long dead.

 

   Edmund stood at one end of the hall where the floor was raised several
steps above the rest of the room. Standing quietly in ranks and files were
the one hundred twenty men who followed his command. As a group they had
served Sir Edmund Delacot faithfully for many years. In his dedication to
the order of Protectors Edmund had gone all over the Midlands and they had
followed. A few like sir Terrant were also Brothers of the same order as Sir
Edmund. Others were lay brothers - members of the order who had not yet
taken full vows. Most were simply soldiers who had decided to follow the
paladin. But all had learned to trust the paladin led them. He never asked
them, to go anyplace he didn't go first. If they assaults a castle he was
the first one into the breach. And when they fought an ogre last year he
himself was the first to charge it.

 

   The paladin raised a hand and the group fell silent. "After much prayer
and contemplation I understand what the Great One wishes of me," the paladin
intoned solemnly. "My work lies here at Metamor Keep and the poor souls
trapped in the ruins north of here."

A murmur ran through the assembled men but it died down when he held up his
hand.

 

   "I understand how difficult this is and the hardships it will entail.
This was not a decision I have made lightly. I am well aware of the curse
and the effects it will have on me and all who stay. So I can't order you to
stay here. Each of you must decide for yourself. In a day Sir Mursry leaves
for the south. He is a bold and devoted Follower who is doing the Great
One's work all over the Midlands. If you choose to depart he is a fine man
to follow."

 

   He paused to allow that information to sink in before continuing.
"Metamor is the place I am going to make my home. Cleansing the ruins of its
curse and freeing the spirits trapped there will take a long time. And times
here in Metamor and the Giantdowns are troubled. There will be much work for
all here." He smiled. "There is room here for us all to finally stop our
wanderings and make a home where we can raise a family and live in faith.
Importantly here we can really make a difference. But that decision is for
you to make. This choice is your own." Then he bowed his head for a moment.
"You have till tomorrow morning to decide but you can talk to me or Terrant
any time. Thank you and may the Great One guide you to the right path." With
that small prayer he stepped down and walked into the group.

 

 

************

 

 

   Two men broke off from the group and stood next to each other. There was
a silence as they tried to absorb what their leader had just said.

 

   "Well, that was shocking," one of them said. He was of middling height
but had the muscled body of a person used to exercise or heavy work. The
face was well tanned and possessed brown eyes and was topped by red hair cut
short. The sword dangling from his belt told of his occupation being a
soldier or perhaps a knight.

 

   "Indeed," the second added. He was of the same height but had shoulder
length blonde hair that framed a face set with gray eyes. "But not
unexpected. He's been talking about the curse all month." He had the
slightly bow legged walk of a person whose spent long hours in the saddle.

 

   "We've all been talking about it," Charles countered. "Are you going to
stay?".

 

   Anteius shrugged. "I'm not sure."

 

   "I've followed Sir Delacot all this way," Charles said. "I'll not stop
now."

 

   "The curse doesn't scare you?" Anteuis

 

   "Of course it does but like Sir Edmund says. There's a lot of good work
to be done at Metamor," Charles responded. 

 

   "I am tired of wandering all over the Midlands. This is a good looking
place to settle down," Charles said with a nod of the head.

 

   "You've already decided?" Anteius asked, surprised.

 

   "I have," Charles said. "I've been pondering the idea of staying since we
first came here. And don't tell me you haven't considered it."

 

   Anteuis didn't speak but just smiled broadly.

 

 

**********************

 

 

   A week later Charles got a surprise when he woke up and discovered that
today was the first day of HER new life. The new woman stood there trying to
adjust to the fact that the beautiful woman in the mirror was herself. The
figure looking back at her was slimmer but still well muscled. One part of
him wondered if his breasts would interfere with using a sword or bow. 

 

   After that an indeterminate period of time was spent trying to find a
shirt that would fit over her new breasts only to discover that all his
pants were now too big to fit properly. Finally she managed to get at least
decently dressed. A knock at the door was a welcome distraction.

 

   "Hello?" Came a voice from the other side. It sounded oddly familiar and
yet different. "This is Edmund Delacot."

 

   She smiled broadly and was relieved to have someone to talk to. She
hastily fastened the last few buttons on her shirt. "Sir Edmund. I'm glad
you're here. I've finally changed."

 

   "Everyone has changed," the paladin said as the door opened. "Including
me."

 

   Into the room stepped a Keeper with the tall, thin, spotted form of a
cheetah. The feline was wearing a tunic and pants that were at least two
sizes too big for him. The only trace of the old Edmund Delacot was a gold
Follower cross that hung from a chain around his neck.

 

   The new feline and the new woman were silent as the two examined each
other's new form bodies for a moment.

 

   "Ah," she stuttered. "Is that you Sir Edmund?"

 

   "It is," the feline responded with a nod of the head. "Is that you
Charles?"

 

   "Call me Chantel," the woman answered. "But my old name was Charles."

 

   "The name fits you nicely," Edmund responded.

 

   "Thank you." the woman said. "Chantel is my mother's name. It seemed
appropriate."

 

   "How are you feeling?" Edmund asked as he stepped closer.

 

   "I feel . . ." She paused for a moment trying to figure out what to say.
"Different."

 

   "Different good or different bad?" Edmund asked in a soft tone.

 

      The woman shrugged. "I don't know yet. I wanted to be a lion or a
leopard."

 

   "You could have wound up as a banana slug," the paladin said.

 

   "Did you say everyone has changed?" she asked changing the subject.

 

   "Oh yes," the feline answered, letting the topic be shifted to something
less personal. "It seems our whole group has changed at the same time."

 

   "Have you seen Anteius yet?" Edmund asked.

 

   "Not since I changed," she asked. "Have you? Has he changed?"

 

   The cheetah nodded energetically. "Oh yes."

 

   She leaned close to the cheetah. "What did he change into?"

 

   "A hyena," Edmund responded slowly. "A large hyena. Very large."

 

 

************

 

   Even when she had been a man Chantel had been a tall person. The curse
had made her a woman but left her the same height. So when Anteius stood
before her in his feral form she had expected to be looking down at a
slightly larger hyena. Something about knee height and with a stocky build.
But she had misunderstood what Edmund meant by large. The massive creature
in front of her was a hyena but she found herself looking UP at Anteius' new
face.

 

   This hyena like creature stood 5 feet tall at the shoulder and the head
and neck towered another foot above that. It was almost ten feet long and
weighed over half a ton. It's lips pulled back in a deep, guttural snarl
revealing jaws filled with an impressive array of large, sharp teeth.
Looking into his muzzle felt like looking into a tunnel lined with daggers.

 

   She had to resist the urge to run and took several steps backward without
realizing it. "Great Maker. You're not big, you are HUGE!" Chantel
stuttered.

 

   Slowly the woman walked around her massive companion trying to take in
the sheer size. Gingerly Chantel touched the flank. The fur was tough and
wiry. Underneath the surprisingly soft skin she could feel a body of solid
muscle. "You're not bigger then a horse," the woman joked. "You're bigger
than two horses! You must weigh at least half a ton."

 

   "One thousand, three hundred and forty three pounds," the massive hyena
commented.

 

   Looking into the hyenas mouth she saw a set of very large and very sharp
teeth. "No wonder Samson won't come near you. These jaws could rip him up in
moments. you're new body is one hundred percent carnivore through and
through."

 

   "So I've noticed," Anteius commented dryly.

 

   "What are you exactly? You look like some sort of hyena but I've never
seen one like this," She asked.

 

   He shook his massive head back and forth. "Neither have I. No one I know
has."

 

   "Could it be a mythological creature?" Chantel asked.

 

   "No," Edmund said calmly. "The curse only uses real species, not
imaginary ones."

 

   "This animal is like some evil wizards creation," the woman said.

 

   "I have seen some very strange creatures here at Metamor but all are
real," the paladin commented. "Misha told me of a scholar who comes here
often just to study all the unusual species the curse changes people into.
Perhaps he can indentify your new species."

 

   Chantel placed a hand on Anteius' shoulder. "Riding a horse is not
possible anymore," the woman said calmly. "You're a carnivore and no horse
will come within twenty yards of you."

 

   "We can train a horse to accept a carnivore," Anteius commented as he
shifted back to his more human like form. "It will take a long time to do
it."

 

   Chantel shook her head slowly. "Even in your two legged form you are
massive." She stepped closer to the knight. The top of her head barely
reached his chest. "Riding your old horse Simone is not possible. You weigh
as much as he does."

 

   "At least you'll need to get a larger animal," Edmund added.

 

   The woman looked up at Anteius. "A lot larger."

 

   "Is there a horse large enough?" the hyena asked.

 

   "I know of at least one breed of horse capable but I don't know if any
are available here," the paladin answered. "Well, I just had another idea,"
he fell silent.

 

   "What idea?" Chantel asked as all eyes turned to the cheetah paladin.

 

   "Well," Edmund stuttered. "In your feral form you are as large as a
horse."

 

   "Do you mean that instead of being the rider I be the ridden," Anteius
responded surprised. "Let myself be ridden like a common animal."

 

   "You are anything but common!" Edmund countered. "And I already have
heard of a unit of cavalry here where both rider and mount are Keepers."

 

   "Being ridden seems," the hyena stuttered for a moment as he looked for
the right words. "Obscene."

 

   "Well, I'll admit it sounds kinky," Chantel responded with a smile. "But
why even bother with a rider? Between your feral form and this human like
one you combine the best of cavalry and infantry all in one."

 

   "A very good point," Edmund commented as he nodded his head. "But
eventually we'll need to consider that at some point you'll need to carry a
person. If only in an emergency. But that is a thought for the future. For
now we all need to adapt to our new bodies and their capabilities. And that
means training and more training."

 

 

************

 

 

   It was two weeks before the expert would arrive. In that time they all
filled their days with training. Chantel had to get used to a form that was
smaller and not as strong but one a lot more nimble. But for her it was
simply adapting to a few changes. For Anteius it was harder. In addition to
adapting to his newer, much larger human like form he had an entirely new
body to learn how to use - his feral one. It was hard adapting to fighting
without using a sword and shield but his massive body did have some very
serious advantages.

 

   "Let's see just how powerful those jaws of yours really are," Edmund said
firmly. The paladin, Anteius and Chantel were all standing in one of the
training fields that surrounded the Lower Keep. The snow had started to melt
turning much of the ground to mud. They were grateful that portions had been
paved at some point in the past. The massive paving stones had been swept
clean of snow and ice. There Edmund was drilling his troops most of whom
were still a little awkward in their new bodies.

 

   Behind Edmund was a wooden beam resting horizontally on two wooden
blocks. Propped up against one of the blocks was a large kite shaped shield.

 

   Edmund and Chantel each took one side of the shield and held it up at
arm's length. "Now bite down hard in the shield," the cheetah morph ordered.

 

   "Why?" Anteius asked as he examined the shield. "It's oak two inches
thick and rimming with iron."

 

   "So?" Edmund countered. "You weigh half a ton. A little ten pound shield
is no trouble. Now bite down."

 

   The massive hyena stepped forward and gently lowered his jaws over the
top edge of the shield. Slowly he closed his jaws till his teeth were
against the hard wood and metal.

 

   "Bite," Edmund said simply. "BITE HARD!" The paladin shouted loudly right
into Anteius' ear. Startled, he bite down with all his might.

 

   CRUNCH!!

 

   Anteius powerful jaws went completely through tough material with
surprising ease. He moved back a few steps and spit out the splintered
remnants. Edmund and Chantel were each hold a separate piece of what was
left of the shield. He had bitten completely through the oak planking with
ease. "Wow."

 

   Chantel examined the piece she was holding. The edges looked like they
had been sliced through cleanly with an axe. "That's impressive!"

 

   Edmund examined the piece of the shattered shield he was holding.
"There's no armor thick enough to withstand this type of power. I bet the
jaws in your human like form will be powerful too."

 

   "Who needs a sword or a mace," Anteius muttered.

 

   The paladin tossed the piece he was holding onto the ground. "Indeed. Now
let's really test those jaws." He pointed to timber resting on the blocks
behind them.

 

   Anteius walked up to the long piece of wood and got a good look at it.
What had at first seemed to be just a log was in fact a squared off beam at
least four inches thick. It had been finely cut and carefully smoothed. It
was dark with age but he noticed places of charring that told of it being in
a great fire. He realized this was a roof or wall beam taken from the ruins
of some destroyed home. Probably destroyed in the recent Yuletide attack. He
picked a spot on the wood that seemed smooth. He put his jaws around the
beam placing his front incisors into the middle.

 

   "No," Chantel ordered harshly. "Shift the wood to the back of your jaw.
That's where you're powerful, crushing teeth are."

 

   Edmund turned to the woman. "How do you know that?"

 

   "Haven't you ever watched a dog or wolf eat?" She responded. "When they
are working on a bone they use their back teeth."

 

   Edmund shook his head. "My family used hunting cats," the feline
responded and gave a chirp of laughter. "Including cheetahs and lynx."

 

   "That's ironic!" the woman said. "Do you think it had an effect on what
the curse chose?"

 

   The paladin shrugged. "Who can say? No one is sure of exactly how the
curse works. The mages have all sorts theories but no answers."

 

   The woman laughed loudly. "They never do. They're full of questions and
even if they do give you an answer no one can understand it."

 

   "Try it now," Edmund ordered and pointed to the beam. "We can find out
how strong you are without some wizard confusing things."

 

   "Now use your back teeth. Those are the ones a dog or wolf uses to crush
bones so use yours," Chantel ordered.

 

   The hyena shook his massive head side to side. "But I'm not a dog or a
wolf."

 

   "You're a hyena," the woman shrugged. "That's close enough. Now bite!"
She patted the peice of wood with one hand.

 

   Anteius wrapped his jaws around the timber and ran his tongue over the
smooth surface. He could taste the wood, that odd tangy flavor. He pushed
his jaws further over the beam till the wood  was pressed against the back
of his mouth and could go no further. The hyena drew his jaws together until
he felt his teeth start to push into the wood. The crunching of wood came to
his ears as the hyena knight felt the material slowly give way. The cracking
grew louder as his jaws  continued to crush and slice their way through the
tough oak timbers. As he got into the heart of the wood it grew harder and
he had strain harder and harder. Suddenly there was a loud CRACK and his
jaws snapped shut.

 

   Surprised Anteius pulled his head back and spit the wood out of his
mouth. The beam in front of him tumbled to the ground in two pieces.

 

   "Great Maker!" Chantel whispered, a look of surprise and fear on her
face.

 

 

********

 

 

   It was early morning when Anteius and Chantel found themselves waiting in
a small hall along with Edmund.

 

   "Why are we here sir?" Anteius asked as he looked around. The room was
fairly large but sparsely decorated. Only a tapestries broke the monotony of
the stone walls and floors.

 

   "Our expert has finally arrived!" Edmund chirped happily. There was a
happy twinkle in his eyes and his tail was whipping back and forth.

 

   Chantel smiled broadly and clapped her hands."Finally!"

 

   "I was beginning to think he wasn't coming," the hyena morph commented.

 

  "The scholar is coming all the way from Silvassa," the paladin responded.
"So he can only come here twice a year."

 

  Chantel shook her head. "The man came from Silvassa?" She exclaimed. "I'm
surprised he came here at all!"

 

   "Misha is bringing him here now," the paladin explained. "They only just
arrived."

 

   The hyena cocked his head to one side. "They?"

 

   Before Edmund could answer a door behind him opened and Misha walked in.
There were several fox morphs at Metamor but the missing ear and scar on his
muzzle made him easily recognizable.

 

   Anteius had imagined the scholar to be some gray haired old man who was
traveling alone except for a young apprentice. Instead a dozen people
followed behind the fox scout. It seems the professor not only came but he
brought his entire staff too.

 

      Misha pointed to the gentleman at the head of the group. "This is
Decius Pulini. Scholar of the University of Silvassa. Holder of the order of
the Blue Star and an esteemed member of the university council. He's been
good enough to bring along his senior students and staff to help."

 

   Decius was wearing a long, flowing robe of dark brown edged with gold and
silver. His blonde hair was cut short . His face was bright and his eyes
alert and seemed to take in all the aspects of everyone present.

 

   Anteius bowed to the new arrivals. "It's an honor to meet you sir. You
study unusual Keepers like me?"

 

   Decius returned the bow with one of his own. "My true area of study is
Paleontology," the scholar said excitedly. "The study of rare, ancient,
mostly extinct animal life."

 

   Chantel bowed to the new arrival. Protocol called for a woman to curtsy
but some elements of being a woman she refused to give in to. "Is it true
you've traveled here from Silvassa?"

 

   The man smiled and returned her bow courteously. "Oh yes! It's not a
difficult voyage. I take a ship to Menth and from there a caravan to the
Keep. And it is well worth all the fuss and bother of the journey. The curse
here at Metamor has been a great boon to me. I've been able to see in the
flesh creatures I've only seen as bones. Instead of just seeing a handful of
bones I can see a full, living creature. It's been a priceless gift. In the
last six years I've indentified 173 new species," he said cheerfully. "And
completed 145 other we've had only partial information about."

 

   "I'm glad that such good has come from the curse," Edmund said.

 

   "We're hoping to mount a full expedition here later this year," Decius
commented.

 

   "Aren't you worried about the curse?" Chantel asked. "Everyone else seems
to be."

 

   "I'm aware of the curse," the scholar answered as he walked up to
Anteius. "I am also aware of its limitations. All problems can be resolved
or dealt with if you understand it. And what we are learning here is well
worth the risk."

 

    "It's a risk but a calculated one," The cheetah added.

 

   "Yes. If you do not mind sir we'll begin our examination," Decius said.
"With the time limit of the curse we do have to move fast."

 

  Edmund nodded. He turned his head to where Anteius was standing. "Of
course. Is it all right with you?" 

 

   His massive hyena head bobbed. "I can understand the need for haste."

 

   "You want to study ancient animal species," Chantel commented. "And not
be one."

 

   The scholar slowly nodded. "Yes. Still appearing at this year's symposium
at a megaladon would make quite a commotion."

 

   That got a round of laughter from everyone.

 

   "All right," Decius said in the tones of a leader. "You all know you
assigned tasks. "Let's get to them."

 

   "Please hold still sir Anteius," he said to the large hyena. "This will
take some time. We will be most thorough in our examine but we'll try and be
discrete and polite."

 

   The students spread out in a circle around Anteius. Some started drawing
sketches. Two others took out tape measures and started measuring various
parts of his body. They call out the results to other students who
studiously wrote them down.eturns and

 

   "Do you recognize what I am?" The hyena knight asked nervously. as the
group swarmed around him.

 

   "Oh yes!" Decius answered without stopping his examination. "I recognized
it immediately."

 

   "So," Anteius asked slowly. "What am I? What species?"

 

   "It's called a hyenadon," the scholar explained without stopping his
examination of Anteius' right front leg.. "The full name is Hyaenodon
horrendus. Which means horrible hyena."

 

   "I have traveled to many places," the woman commented. "But I've never
seen any hyena like this."

 

   Decius left the front leg alone and stood up straight. "I'd be surprised
if you had. The species has been extinct for millennia."

 

   The hyenadon pulled its head back in surprise. "Extinct? What happened to
them?"

 

   Decius shrugged. "No one knows. There are many species that once existed
but have vanished leaving only bones and questions. They are believed to
have lived about the same time as the Dire wolf and the Saber cat."

 

   "What's a Sabercat?" Edmund asked.

 

   "It is a large, stocky feline with large, front teeth that protrude
downward," the scholar explained.  "The front teeth could be up to a foot
long."

 

   "I've heard stories of a creature," Misha said slowly. "Legends really.
The Lutins speak of a large cat with teeth as long as a sword blade. They
call it a Ghost Cat."

 

   The scholar stared at Misha intently. "You never mentioned this before."

 

   "You never mentioned the Sabercat before," the fox countered. "And I've
only just recently heard the tales about it."

 

   "Dire wolves have survived," Edmund commented. "Why not Saber cats as
well?"

 

   Excellent point," Decius responded. "But seeing as the only place they
might be is the Giantdowns there is no chance of looking for one."

 

   "At least for the near future," Misha commented.

 

 "Someday," Decius commented. "We can wait another century or two.""

 

   "Only a century or two?" Edmund said with a chirp of laughter.

 

   "These animals have waited 15,000 years to be discovered," the scholar
explained. "What's another century or two?"

 

   The fox scout gave a yip of laughter. "You scholars always think in such
long terms?"

 

   "You think 200 years is a long time?" Decius asked with a smile. "The
oldest sample I have in my collection is the jawbone of some reptile. It's
3.4 million years old."

 

   "3.4 MILLION years?" Anteuis asked amazed. "I didn't think creation was
that old."

 

   "No wonder a century or 2 doesn't bother you. It does feel like nothing
compared to 3 million years," the feline responded.

 

   "So many species have come and gone over the millenia," Decius said.
"There was even a breed of horse that stood no more than a foot or two
high."

 

   "A foot high?" Misha asked and cocked his head to one side. "That's more
like a rabbit than a horse."

 

   Decius looked at Anteius. "You're a knight are you not? Misha mentioned
that."

 

   "I am sir," the hyena knight responded. "I've been riding almost since
before I could walk."

 

   "You had best get used to walking for a while. The only horse I know
large enough to bear this form would be the Haltstier," the scholar
commented. "And I have not seen any outside of Sathmore and Pyralis."

 

   "There are none here," Edmund explained. "Few in the Northern Midlands
and none at Metamor. Duke Thomas has little heavy cavalry."

 

   "That's not surprising," Misha added. "All the fighting here is with
raiders and ambushes. Speed and maneuverability are the order of the day. So
if you want to be in the cavalry it won't be while riding something. At
least until we can import some from the south."

 

   "I will NOT wear a saddle," Anteius snarled as he waved his hands back
and forth. "I am not some mindless riding animal!"

 

   Edmund patted the hyenadon on the back. "Never fear. We will not force
anything on you Anteius. You can still be in the cavalry. Just without a
rider. You can move in full form and then shift to your human like one when
needed. You'll have the best of being both cavalry and infantry."

 

   "What about my weapons, armor and clothing?" Anteius asked. "I cannot
just carry them in my mouth."

 

   "What about a simple harness?" the visitor asked. "While in your morph
form it could be a harness on your chest and shoulders. When you go full
form it would hold your weapons. And if need be you can carry someone who
can use the straps to hold on. Or if they're too wounded they can be tied to
the straps till you get them to safety."

 

   How am I supposed to adjust such straps if I have no hands after I
change?" the hyenadon asked.

 

   "The Keepers have perfected a form of magic armor and clothing that
changes to fit whatever form the wearer has," the scholar explained. "So
when you change from morph to full animal shapes the armor changes too."

 

   "I like that idea," Anteius said slowly. "This form is powerful but I'd
feel better with good, solid armor on too."

 

   "I can find you some armor to fit," Misha said. "But it will take some
time. We don't have many as big as you. I'll talk to the armorer. DeMule
must have a set that fits you somewhere."

 



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