“Anu am wiff us, CHAWGE!”
[A famous quote attributed to King Nalpi “The Holy” of House Doe (Velvet’s great grandson) after his conversion to Anuism and subsequent Raccoon charge. That decisively defeated tribal leader, Elder WoodBone, and secured the city of Cleveland. (Renamed to Maximus after being fully secured)]
The first two weeks of training, I would describe as… A little unexpected. The first surprise came right after the pushups, Dorri had around a dozen helpers come out with sharp tools and they went around cutting our mane’s really short. I felt bothered by this, but understood a bit why (having long hair would make wearing the helmet a little distracting) and Charles seemed to understand as well, and Ix didn’t have hair so she was good. But Dar when he had his hair cut, it looked like he was trying his best not to attack the helper barely hiding his rage. Once our mane’s were gone, the next step Dorri did was giving us 2 pairs of plain brown clothing that we had to put on. Once we were all changed we all looked the same and now we were given the next step. That being a tour of the entire Camp including mess halls, bathing area’s, classrooms, workshops, prayer area’s, the mail room, and of course the tavern! Once the tour was finished it was dusk, nearing night and Dorri told us that today was over and to head back to our bunks for tomorrow, saying that’s when training really starts. So me and my bunkmates went back and headed asleep, awaiting tomorrow.
When tomorrow came, we were all awoken during the early sunrise with a loud banging drum. Getting our things we headed out to the yard, and once their Dorri told us what we could be doing. For those 2 weeks it was just pure exercise, no combat training or advanced training. The reason for this was simple, Dorri stated that with our current bodies we couldn’t even wear Royal armor and we had to be made more muscular. And so we did exercises for each part of our bodies, for hours, and hours… And hours. Each moment felt like it’s own battle as I felt so exhausted I could barely think, and I wasn’t the only one who disliked this to. As once our first week into becoming stronger ended, half the recruits had already quit leaving only 100 left with even me feeling the urge to call it quits a few times. And it wasn’t like Dorri made anything better, if you made the smallest mistake while doing an exercise, he would come up to you and just start screaming at the top of his lungs saying you were either a disgrace, a pathetic weakling, an idiot or sometimes maybe all 3 at the same time. Once the second week was finally over, I had noticed my and everyone else’s body now looking more refined. With a drawback being that there was only 75 recruits were left (luckily my bunk all remained together!)
Now at the start at the third week we all headed to the yard, where me and my bunkmates chatted for a bit since the instructor hadn’t arrived. I had gotten to know Charles quite well, with him telling me about his family life and what it was like living in the northern part of the Kingdom (It sounded like quite the peaceful life!) Ix I also gotten to know more, with me learning about her previous job and what being a changeling was like (who could have guessed changelings have a heightened sense of smell!) but she was also a lot more hesitant about telling me any details about her time at her hive. With her only saying that it was a long time ago and that she didn’t like to be reminded of it. Finally there was Dar and I’ll just say it, he was the weakest link in our team. Dar seemed to never get along with anyone only being quiet or sometimes giving a sarcastic comment or insult. And not just that during exercise Dar would sometimes get upset and talk back to the instructor and with his policy of discipline. Our entire bunk also had to endure his punishment, we have done a lot of extra pushups because of him! We could all now see Instructor Dorri coming down the stairs, and once he is down he approaches us and stops speaking.
“Fiwstwy Dowwi wouwd wike to congwatuwate ‘ou, on compwetion of dah fiwst phase of am twainin’. Ou who wemain hab pwoben 'ou am nao stwong enough to begin dah next phase of am twainin.”
We could start to see a bunch of helpers come out with a wagon, Dorri continues to speak.
“Combat exewcise!”
Hearing this there is whispers throughout the crowds as the wagon stops and the helpers start taking out wooden training swords. And as they slowly start giving each and every one of us a sword Dorri speaks going back and fourth.
“Fo’ am fiwst exewcise it wiww be simpwe, combat positionin’ an’ how to howd a weapon, bunks stawt gettin’ into sepawate gwoups!”
And with that we start to disperse we me and my bunk finding a clear spot pretty quickly, once we are their Ix and I swing out swords around playfully, while Charles just looks at his sword, and Dark actively studies his. Than after a minute a helper had approached us, with him being a Pegasus with a light green coat and yellow mane. He speaks.
“Hewwo my name am Maxon, fwuffy wiww be am pewsonaw twainah. Hab 'ou aww stwetched?”
We all nod as Maxon speaks again.
“Otay’ gud. Nao Maxon wiww show ‘ou a basic howdin’ method an’ defensibe position.”
And hearing this, we all started following Maxon’s lead doing the same thing he was doing. Once we were in position, Maxon spoke again.
“Gud, nao pwetend that someone was stwikin’ 'ou fwom dah weft. Dodge dah attack!”
I raise the sword in preparation, and when imagining somebody attacking me. I go in and… Fall straight down on my face. When I get up I notice Dar looking at me with a small smirk chuckling, I go back into position to try again. Doing my my best not to show any rage.
As the weeks passed at Camp Driscoll, and spring turned to summer. I was fortunate enough that my training with a weapon improved more and more. It got to the point where we were no longer going to do individual exercises, but instead we would spar with each other. Blocking our attacks and learning where to hit someone in a real fight. And feeling myself getting better I was in high spirits, that was until I got a letter from home.
"hewwo Emiwy! Mummah wwites ‘ou dis to ask ‘ou how am ‘ou doing? I hope weww! things awen’t goin’ that gud back home, ‘ou see am fathah. He got his weft hoobe injuwed pwetty bad wowkin’ at his shop, an’ dah doctow said dah hoobe doesn’t wook that gud. Buh pwease, am fathah pewsonawwy said not to wowwy! enjoy am time at twainin’ an’ make suwe to wwite back to us!"
Seeing this letter I take out my writing utensils, find a piece of paper and begin to write.
“Deaw Mummah. heawin’ about fathew’s condition has made me feew quite wowwied. Emiwy hopes he get’s bettah soon. Twainin’ am goin’ pwetty weww, Emiwy am hawf way finished, an’ I awweady feew stwongah den fwuffy ebah hab. Gib fathah fwuffy’s bestes’ wishes an’ make suwe to wwite back tewwin’ me how bwuddah an’ aubwey am doing!”
Taking my letter I bring it to the mail room and pay to have it delivered, once I get back to my bunk I sit taking a deep breath.
Once Instructor Dorri considered our combat skills acceptable, we began a mixed training approach of both combat and what Dorri called “advance training” The first par of that training included sitting down in the classrooms as he spoke to us about the history of Motor, the Doe dynasty, current members of the Doe dynasty and even a little bit of the nations that surrounded us (That being Chicago Confederation, and the mysterious state of Nickel) This went on for about a week and a half before we moved on to the next part. That being Raccoon riding! Several Raccoons had been brought out to the yard and each of us were thought first how to take care of a raccoon, than how to mount it properly, than finally how to start riding. The main thing Dorri stated in riding a raccoon is that you must never show fear, because if you did the raccoon would know it was the one in control, and you wouldn’t go anywhere. We did this for 2 weeks until everyone now had the ability to ride racoons. With the only ones who didn’t do this training being mostly fluffies from rural area’s outside inner Motor, Tribal’s (including Dar) and Ix. The final part of our advanced training was easily the most complex, health and intrigue. For health we were taught how to patch up a wound, help mend a broken limb, check someone’s condition, and even basic surgery. And for the intrigue part we were thought how to check for poison, learning someone’s hidden motivation through eye and body language, stealth techniques, and even how to create a secret identity. This in total took us over a month and by than we felt quite proud, as it was now our final week, before we took our oaths and became Royal Guards.
It was now late at night at the tavern, with all the remaining recruits sneaking out to go drinking and to sing song. I was with them to, sat at a table playing cards with Charles and ix while Dar watched us. As I started making my play Charles spoke.
“Did 'ou get a wettah fwom am Mummah back yet emiwy?”
I speak still concentrated on the game.
“Nu an’ it’s makin’ me wowwied, but Emiwy shouwdn’t wowwy though. Today am supposed to be happy!”
Dar listening to our conversation chimes in.
“Wiff aww of that dangewous equipment, an’ dah fact that wettah nu did go into much detaiw. Sounds bad…”
distracted I look at Dar and give him the stink eye but as I look back I see Ix throwing down a card ultimately winning that game. Me and Charles speak in unison.
“Dammit!”
Ix laughs as she starts getting up.
“Hah! I’, going to go get be an ale, you 3 want any to?”
Charles raises his hand instantly giving Ix some money, while I think for a second and ultimately decide. You know what? I worked every hard these past months I deserve some drink! I raise my hand and give Ix some money and she was off. Less than 5 seconds later as I was reshuffling the cards, I and everyone else could hear loud footsteps. There was now a quiet throughout the entire Tavern as we now saw Dorri enter looking around at his “sleeping” recruits. Finally with a stern face he spoke.
“It seems that my diwect owdews hab been compwetewy tossed aside, fo’ dwink an’ stupid song…”
There was a moment of silence. Oh no! What was it going to be, 500 push ups, 10 mile ran across the yard! Dorri spoke with a rising smile.
“An’ 'ou nu did eben inbite Dowwi! C’mon gib me an awe!”
Cheers erupted across the tavern, as we all drank the night away. Fin
Thank you for reading my story! I hope to have the next part done in a few day’s to a week, and of course constructive criticism is appreciated. May you have a good day!