With Tooth and Paw, Chapter 2
#2 of Fates of War
Vedrit, just your ordinary rare-born male calico, but is caught up in war. Can he make his nine lives last?
Chapter 2: You don't know what you're getting into
With his pack loaded, a servant motioned for Vedrit to get in the carriage, where the noble sat waiting.
Vedrit barely had time to sit down before the carriage started moving with a lurch.
For what seemed like hours, they rode in silence, before the noble spoke
"Do you have any idea of what's really going on?" he asked
"No, sir. I haven't been told a thing." Vedrit replied, a bit confused about what Kirtar meant
"That's not what I asked. I asked if you figured anything out."
Vedrit paused a moment, before saying "I'm no longer in the army, am I?"
"A good guess. How did you come by it?"
"Just a feeling, really"
"Well, in a way, you are correct. You are no longer in the Royal Army of Narior, and will be marked as dead. Quite honorable, really, died in a risky mission to scout out an enemy fortification, where Narian troops were imprisoned. Because of you, twenty soldiers were supposedly freed, and a Raven fort burnt to the ground."
That was just about as honorable as the army got. "So what army am I in now, now that I'm honorably dead?"
A mischievous smirk wriggled its way onto the fox's muzzle, "This is where the interesting stuff goes on. How informed about politics are you?"
"I'm not, sir. It's not, or wasn't, a part of my life. Though, I think I'm about to become very familiar with it."
"Indeed you are. One last question: Do you know why the Raven States attacked so suddenly?"
"I've been taught that they are a war society. Social status was based on feats of strength and occasionally wit."
"While I'm sure that plays a large part of it, it was started as a plot with the Draconian Empire to the north." The fox leaned forward, only to sit up straight and hit himself on the head "I forgot the most important part. Do you know of the real Rangers?"
Both confused Vedrit. The Draconian Empire was a very powerful nation. In the last war that the dragons were in, it took several companies to overtake one of the smallest villages. And Rangers, to Vedrit, was a position that allowed those in those positions to be bossed, bullied, and nearly killed by those who could back it with official power and rank.
"The Rangers is a brotherhood and sisterhood, with strings in all parts of every society we can get into. Who do you think paid Deromer to send you on those risky missions?" After only a confused look from Vedrit, Kirtar continues, "We were testing you. And might I say, you did well. An invitation is being offered to you to join the Rangers."
This was quite a bit for Vedrit to take in. An organization with that much power, offering him an exclusive offer. It was a life changing opportunity.
Like he would pass it up, or really had a choice. He was already dead to all of Narior. Not something you could say "Oh, I just lost one of my nine lives." When the military marks you as dead, you either are already dead, or will be made that way.
"What do I have to do?" Vedrit asked
Kirtar laughed, his resonating laugh filling the carriage, "Wait till we get to your new home." He said before sticking his head out the window, "Hey boys, stopping anytime would be great.", and the carriage rolled to a stop.
"After you." Kirtar said, motioning for Vedrit to leave first
Cautiously, Vedrit opened the door and stepped out and saw the "servants" were no longer in drab, dirt-covered rags, but were in green or brown tunics and cloaks, swords belted to their sides and bows on their backs.
"More Rangers?" Vedrit asked
"Of course. You didn't think we would do this alone did ya?" one of them answered, a dark gray dog, probably half wolf.
"Lord Kirtar? Where did you come up with that?" A female rabbit, walking around the side of the carriage
The fox, apparently NOT Kirtar, replied "I killed him on a road south once. Traveled with him for a week, then slit his throat." And they all, except Vedrit of course, start to laugh.
"Anyone going to explain to me what's going on?" Vedrit asked. His whole world was just turned upside down, and he was having a hard time getting his feet to find the ground, metaphorically.
"In just a moment, Vedrit." The fox said, "If you'll follow us."
"But what about the carriage?" Vedrit asked
"Either someone will burn it, or recover it. Don't worry, this is a plan that has been months in the planning." A lizard said, leading the way into the forest.
"I remember my first day as a Ranger." The rabbit said, walking next to Vedrit. Quite close to Vedrit
"Yeah?" Vedrit asked, a bit nervous and distracted by the bounce of her unrestricted breasts
With a giggle, she punched Vedrit full in the face, knocking him over. "I'm up here, silly." She said, pointing to her face and smiling, the others laughing.
Vedrit didn't say much or look at much on the walk, which only made the long walk seem longer. Despite Tiania's, the rabbit, repeated assurances she didn't mean to punch Vedrit so hard, Vedrit wasn't sure what to think. It wasn't every day that a soldier gets knocked flat by a female, unless it's a dragoness.
But, after what felt like half a day, the lizard, who was leading the group, stopped, "We are here." He said
Vedrit looked around, but didn't see anything that would indicate...anything. This part of the forest looked no different than the rest.
But the lizard seemed to know what he was doing. Kneeling down, the lizard lifted a small lid covered with grass and leaves, and pulled...something, a leaver, perhaps, and the ground beneath them shook and began to move, a gap forming in the ground between two giant doors in the ground.
"Welcome to your knew life, brother." The fox said, putting his arm around Vedrits shoulders.