Here is the fourth part of my story. Ditto previous stuff I said.<div>KillerNarwhal</div><div> </div><div>They left the mess hall and focused on finding this George person who was apparently in charge of something and could give them a job. They didn’t know what to look for, but Cheep noticed a door that he was sure they had passed at least twice and pointed it out. Kag opened the door cautiously, wondering whether he was intruding. There was a wide anteroom with maps on the walls and a reception desk at the back, at which sat a particularly beautiful woman who looked to be a secretary. “Excuse me, but we were looking for George?” A loud belch was heard from the connected office beyond, and a slightly mangy jackal morph walked out, scratching himself in a very unprofessional way. “You found him. What can I do for you?” Cheep stared at him, finding it difficult to believe that this unkempt being was a leader, military or otherwise. “We need jobs. We were told to talk to you about joining the scouts, I think?” “That’s right. We’ll see. The scouts aren’t exactly on-duty during this Plague thing, ‘cause nobody can go outside the walls that isn’t already out there, but there’s plenty to do inside to help out the Watch. What training do you have? I can see the sword on your back, big fella, but do you know how to use it?” Kag spoke up first. “We were just employed as caravan guards for a choosy merchant before being stuck here. I have killed about thirty-five Lutins and innumerable bandits with my blade. But I assume you would want to test us before making a decision.” “You got that right. How about you? I don’t see a sword on you. What do you fight with?” Cheep was only a little bit nervous now. “I can fight with my bare hands, staffs, nunchukas, and throwing blades. I don’t know anything about Lutins; I did kill at least four bandits from a group called the Reapers when my troupe was attacked a few months ago. I don’t usually need to kill; I have personally disarmed and knocked out at least two dozen bandits who tried to attack me before that.” “Interesting. Nunchukas?” Cheep pulled his out and held them out for George to see. “Oh yeah, those. Well, I guess we should head off to the practice rooms to see just how well you can fight. Come on. Terry, cancel all my appointments for this morning.” He led them back through the Keep to a large courtyard where a large number of humans of various ages and animal morphs practiced and sparred. Apparently not everyone was too scared of the Plague to go about their normal business. George tapped a feline morph who was practicing archery as they passed and motioned for him to follow. They neared a series of rings painted onto the floor, some of which contained pairs of sparring humans and morphs. “You, skinny kid, what was your name?” “Chip’ang Koniko, sir. Most people call me Cheep.” “Some barmaids call me that. But that’s a different story. And you?” “Kagmer Quarr. Kag for short.” “Charmed, I’m sure. Anyways, you can’t practice with real blades. Grab some practice swords and get your tails back here ASAP.” “We don’t have tails.” “Not yet anyways. Move it!” They each quickly found a wooden weapon appropriate for their size in the racks against one wall and returned to where the jackal stood waiting. “All right, Cheap, or whatever, you will be sparring with Alex here. Don’t go easy on him.” Cheep was unsure of to whom he had addressed this last command. “Can I use my nunchukas?” “Not this round. Go!” Cheep was caught off guard by the sudden ferocity the cat morph displayed as he whipped across the circle and disarmed him with one stroke, and then poked him in the chest with the blunt tip of the sword. “I win.” “Again!” George barked. “And this time keep a grip on your weapon!” Even though he was ready for it, he still didn’t last long against the obviously skilled cat, who had no trouble delivering multiple would-be killing blows with the wooden weapon. George sighed. “Well, you’re obviously worthless with a sword. Now try it with those nunchukas.” This time the cat was caught off guard as the now-confident youth stood his ground and remained motionless until he swung the blade at him. The nunchukas spun once and cracked loudly as they deflected the blow. The feline attacked again, this time trying to fake his motions and get in a blow around his defenses. Again the nunchukas flipped and this time impacted the grip of the wooden sword in the cat’s paw. Alex almost dropped his practice sword at the shock and pain of the hit, but shook it off and flew into a series of successive quick strikes. Blow after blow was simply deflected as Alex realized that Cheep was simply in his element and was trying to wear him down. He changed strategies again, now trying to hit lower to make him protect his legs so he could attack his vitals again. Once again, the expertly wielded nunchukas prevailed and left no opening for the wooden sword. Cheep saw Alex’s frustration and decided to finally press the attack. He spun the weapon around his body in curious arcs and lashed out at the swordsman. Alex had no shield, but would have found it difficult to defend himself even if he had one. He was only able to block a few strikes from the unorthodox weapon before Cheep managed to wrap the cord connecting the two halves of his weapon around the handgrip of Alex’s practice blade and he jerked backward. The cat tried to maintain his grip on the sword, but he was pulled forward and Cheep dropped him to the stone floor with a chop to the back as he tried unsuccessfully to regain his balance. “Very interesting. It seems you might really know your stuff. Next?” George called out. Alex shook his dizzy head as he tried to get up. Cheep helped him up, and he asked, “Can I at least have a little break first?” “Yeah sure. Just hurry it up. I don’t have all day.” The cat massaged his neck as he rested against the wall. “Wow, that was some pretty impressive stuff back there.” “Thank you. I saw that you are used to fighting people with swords, and that you’re good at it, but you’ve just never seen my kind of weapon before.” “Yeah, something like that.” He got back up and entered the circle once more, this time to face the hulking Kag. “Seriously. I should get extra pay for this.” Alex remarked. The two combatants faced off, one with a standard wooden longsword, the other with a practice claymore that looked like it was made out of a trimmed-down fence post. Alex shook his head and rushed toward his opponent, intent on winning quickly so he could go relax for the rest of the day in the baths and try to soothe his sore body. Kag swung a feint at him, gauging his reactions to see what he would do. Alex dodged the halfhearted blow and pressed forward, trying to get in a ‘killing’ blow and end the match. The big man surprised him with his skill as he dropped his hands lower quickly blocking the expert thrust with the hand guard of his practice sword. He then swung the blade around again and drove through the cat’s block, knocking him backwards on his tail. Alex winced in pain and scowled at how his day was turning out. He got up again to finish the match and be done, no longer caring whether or not he won. He slashed almost blindly at every exposed part of Kag’s body he could, landing many of his blows but eventually getting hit again, this time making him stagger backward instead of falling. He once again shook his head, frustrated that his hits weren’t having any effect on the towering swordsman. He didn’t even show pain. Alex charged one last time before the huge wooden sword swung around in a wide arc and shattered his own blade in two, not stopping there but plowing into his chest once again, driving the air from his lungs and knocking him to the floor one more time. “That’s it… (wheeze)… I’m done. Get somebody else to test your recruits.” If he noticed the cat’s attitude, George didn’t show it. He got up with difficulty and limped off for the baths, muttering something about a broken mirror. “It seems you can handle yourself in a fight. But if that had been a real sword, you would be cut to ribbons.” “I’m more used to fighting groups of attackers; I usually attack most of them while their focus is on something else. I use a big sword so I can hit multiple foes with a single stroke. I can only block a little, though, so I wear heavy plate to keep the blades off.” “I suppose that works. I guess I could take you both on. Welcome to the Scouts.” “Thank you, sir.” “Whatever. Show up here Monday morning for your training and more instructions and stuff.” As they started to leave the practice rooms, they noticed the tiger morph from whom Cheep had bought his throwing stars approaching. “I saw your fight, and I was wondering how strong you are,” he said to Kag. “I would like to challenge you to a wrestling match.” “Sounds interesting.” Kag said. “When?” “Now. Over there.” The huge tiger pointed to a large ring on the floor with a smaller ring in the center. “Okay.” They prepared for another sort of combat as Cheep watched. Kag stripped out of his armor and weapon, and the tiger removed everything except a loincloth and hand and foot wraps for his sharp claws, and faced each other at opposite edges of the smaller circle. Kag got into his wrestling stance, crouched halfway to make for a low center of gravity, hands out but elbows in to prevent being grabbed, head up. The white tiger shifted into a similar stance, modified for his altered anatomy. All of a sudden the huge feline lunged at Kag’s feet, trying to use his legs as a lever to bring him down to the floor. Kag saw the attack coming, however, and jumped, sending his feet straight out behind him and grabbing the tiger’s head and shoulders with his arms as he passed underneath him. The tiger obviously did not expect the man to be able to dodge his grab so easily, and was pinned underneath the man’s prodigious weight for a few second before snarling and forcing his limbs down, lifting the man off the ground completely. Kag spun around behind the tiger’s head and gripped his head again from underneath the furred arms, catching the feline in a full nelson. The tiger snarled again and thrashed about furiously, breaking the man’s grip and almost throwing him off completely, but Kag held on and changed holds, this time catching the tigers head and one leg between his arms in a cradle, with the tiger’s back on the floor. The tiger morph surprised the man this time with his sheer strength, which Kag had never encountered before. He was definitely stronger than Kag, but he could tell the tiger was starting to get tired. If he could keep on him for a little while longer he would have him. The tiger broke the man’s hold again and leaped across the circle before he could be grabbed again, breathing hard as he prepared for his counterattack. He leapt back at the man again, knocking him to the ground with a fierce growl. Kag was expecting it, and shifted his weight so the tiger didn’t land directly on top of him; he quickly squirmed out from underneath and pounced back on the tiger morph, who tried to reach back and grab him, but only succeeded in giving the man a handle to grab as he was put in a half-nelson. The man used the big cat’s arm as a lever to turn him on his back and pin him. The tiger tried to break the hold again, but he was spent. “That would be match,” Kag said with a grin, letting the tiger man up once he conceded defeat. “I suppose you are right,” the tiger said with a scowl. “I used to have more endurance, but this tiger body is built for short bursts of strength and speed, not marathons.” “Sooo… any chance you’re going to give back a little of that extra gold I gave you for those stars?” Cheep broke in. The tiger looked incensed. “They are still worth what you paid, even if you might have argued the price down. I do not really need the money; I get enough from my other work so I make extra weapons simply because I enjoy it. I charge only a little more than the high quality materials I use cost me.” “Oh. It was just a thought,” Cheep said sheepishly. Cheep and Kag stopped by the baths on their way to their midday meal, washing off all the sweat and grime from exercise, and offered sympathy to Alex, who they saw already sprawled out in one of the larger tubs, moaning from his aches and bruises. He assured them that it was all right, and he was having a bad day anyways, so he didn’t really blame them. They left and once again went to the mess hall, enjoying more fruits and vegetables (Kag noticed the meat was even blander than before, and the fruit tasted even better). Cheep ate several more bananas, still the most delectable fruit he had ever tasted. As they were finishing their meal, Kag suggested that they go out and see how people were reacting to the quarantine. “No! I don’t want to get the Plague,” complained Cheep. “We only just heard about it; as far as I know there is only the case that caused the message to the Duke.” “No.” “Are you going to stay in here all week?” “Yes.” “Come on. I know you better than that; you’d be bored stiff ten minutes after I left.” “Well…” “I promise not to take you any place where the Plague has actually been seen; we’ll just go through the market.” Cheep sighed. “I guess.” </div> !DSPAM:4f96b44c65402130720353!