"Alright then Kitt, get some sleep. My husband is going to want to spar with you tomorrow before you go to your appointed lessons so you'll want all the rest you can get. He’s probably going to teach you how to fight in your new form."
"Alright I'll see you in the morning then. Good night Margret, thanks for every thing."
Margret went up to her room and left Kitt to his thinking and drawing. Kitt soon followed suit and turned in to bed.
The following morning dawned bright and cold. Kitt awoke to find Rob standing over the foot of his bed; Shaun, a young gray fox, sitting on his fathers broad shoulders.
"Kitt, get up, and get your clothes packed. We need to start your training." Rob stared coldly at Kitt and the young red fox shuddered. "We are going to be going to the Northern Frost. There you will learn to use your new body, or die trying. Don't get me wrong; I like you and all, but that does not mean that I will go easy on you in your training. That is what gets people killed. We have a four week trip ahead of us, and you will be learning to fight with those knives of yours thoroughly.”
“Alright if that’s the case; then fine, but why is Shaun going? Isn’t it going to be dangerous?”
“Yes it will be, but I need to start teaching him some time. And what better time than now; now when I have to teach you as well? I might as well kill two birds with one stone.” Rob then smiled. “Don’t worry too much ok you’ll be just fine. Well maybe a little chilly, but then again I hear that foxes are good with fire. We will have to watch out for the Nocturnes Vulpes however; you and Shaun are both appeasing to their taste and would kill me on sight just for a chance to induct you into their clan. Shaun and I will be waiting in the kitchen.”
“Alright Rob I’ll be down in a couple minuets.”
Rob tuned and went down the stairs as Kitt got out of bed. Throwing most of his clothes and cloaks into a haversack Kitt kept out his orange and black tunic and pants patterned to look like Kitt’s natural fur pattern. The cloak was a rich red color with a royal blue lining. Intricate Celtic Knots flowing throughout the material. Two holes for Kitt’s ears to go through were positioned in the hood; which was set deep enough to conceal all but the tip of his nose. After belting on his fighting knives; Kitt walked down to meet with Shaun and Rob. Who it would seem had grown tired of waiting for Kitt to get down so they could be on their way.
“Finally. It took you long enough. What were you trying to do; pack the bed?”
“Sorry Rob. I had to find my head phones as well as my mp3 player.” Kitt explained as he sheepishly held up his prized possession. “Sorry; I didn’t know we were in a rush to get out of here. Why so fast?”
“Because I don’t want Margret to wake up before we are gone she has a very bad tendency to try and make me take more supplies with me than is really necessary and it is rather annoying ‘cause I have to stash most of them and hope that they are there when I come back”
“Oh ok sorry I wasn’t faster then. I’d hate to have that kind of treatment when I needed to travel fast.”
All three of the small party’s heads turned as if they were on swivels when they head the stifled yawns coming from the house.
“Ack! Kitt run for the trees now!” Rob hissed under his breath. “We have to go now!” Rob, Kitt, and Shaun made a break for the trees behind the house; barely making it into the woods and out of sight as the sound of Margret’s calls drifted over the expanse from the house.
“All right; next time we don’t stall, and next time I help you pack Kitt. That was too close.” Robs tail was bottle brushed to the point it looked as though he was trying to imitate Kitt’s own tail, and Kitt found the sight of it rather humorous. Although he wisely kept his laughter to himself.
(this space reserved for latter text to compleat this part of the story line)
The morning dawned bright and warm, but it was not quiet and peaceful instead rang with the harsh noise of steel on steel. The two combatants were out behind the house locked in combat surrounded by friends and neighbors cheering them on. The two fighting were a large snow leopard and a sleek red fox. The leopard was wielding a large bastard sword swinging it with a deft precision as the fox countered using his twin fighting knives laughing at every missed swing egging the leopard on.
"Common Rob! You have to swing faster than that!" Kitt laughed as the blade went whistling overhead then reversed and came low. Kitt seeing the movement jumped and flipped over as the cold steel passed beneath him. Landing and feeling the ground under his paws, Kitt gained a new intensity of the flames in his eyes and rushed in low pinning his opponents larger blade against the ground with his left palm. Rob, seeing this and thinking Kitt's light weight would be the foxes undoing yanked up on the sword. Kitt anticipating this took his hand off the blade as it rushed up smacking Rob in the head with the flat of the blade knocking him out.
A collective groan then went up from the crowd as gold and silver pieces changed hands then went their own ways for the day eager to share the fight they had just watched. Kitt sheathed his blades and walked over to the awakening Rob and helped him to his feet, asking what happened Kitt filled him in on the details. Walking over to the two men laughing her tail off was Margret, Rob's Grey Fox wife.
"Dear, you made me a bundle! I told you Rob, he carries himself like a fighter! And he beat you! the ruling champ of the towns fighting contest. Speaking of which, the festival begins tonight! Kitt after what happened here you can expect to be put in for the fight weather you want to or not." Reaching for Kitt's hand then placing a large purse into it walked off to finish making breakfast.
""Um Rob, what’s this?" lightly tossing the bag and getting a metallic chink from it in response Kitt looked at the big cat wondering what to do with it.
"Ah it seems that Margret bet some of our money on the fight to earn you some money open the bag and see how much is in there!"
Opening the bag Kitt poured the contents out in his hand. Several large, fat, yellow coins glinted in the morning sun the bag still filled with nothing but coins like it.
"Wow Kitt that's enough to buy a small house with land! Your rich boy! There will be more to win in the festival too"
"Guess I'm going to have to enter the fight then. Well Rob lets go get something to eat I'm starving."
Walking into the house and sitting down at the table the two kids looked up at Kitt with pure awe then began to shovel food into their mouths then bolted from the table trying to get away before they could be told to do the dishes, but had no such luck. A quelling glance from their father sent both kids to the kitchen, their tails low.
Most of the day passed without incident Kitt going to Matt's for his lessons finding that the "lessons" were more along the lines of go out on the town and draw the local sights as he was being drilled with info about the world he was now in, history, current events, music, nothing was above notice in the lessons.
Later that night Kitt was at the local pub playing a game of dice with a few new friends and had won a new fiddle for his troubles then with a sudden urge stood up, took up his new fiddle, and played an Irish drinking song he had learned. Kitt ended up being the one to start the festivities as the pub burst into dance and flooded into the street Kitt leading the procession and sweeping the surrounding people into the mass singing and dancing having a grand time. Kitt waded through the crowed never stopping playing and found a large crate, jumping on it, Kitt started playing even more music as a band of minstrels converged around him and struck up the tune following his lead. After a few hours Kitt went home and turned in, dreaming of the full measure of festivities that he had brought into effect.
The next day was a similar event as the night before. Wading through the crowed street Kitt made his way to the sign up board for the nights fight. After signing his name to the board Kitt turned away from the area and went to find something to eat just as a large hand grabbed his shoulder and whipped him around violently.
"What’s your problem?" Kitt asked angrily as he came face to face with a large wolverine who just sneered at him.
"So this is the towns’ favorite to win the fights tonight huh? This promises to be an easy fight." Turning and walking away, he had not seen the fire leap into the young fox’s eyes in anticipation of the coming fight. Fighting friends was one thing but getting to fight someone that you had no idea what they would do was a whole other ball game, and it was one Kitt swore to come out on top in.
"Kitt! Kitt! there you are Kitt we've been looking for you!" Rob waved over the crowd towing Margret and their two children behind him as he made his way over to Kitt. "How have ya been? We haven't seen you since last night we thought you may have been mugged or something. What have ya been doing?"
Smiling as he responded, eagerly anticipating the matches latter in the evening, "Rob, Margret I'm sorry I've made you worry about me. I was kind of distracted last night and came in late."
"Doesn't surprise me any, Kitt, not with the way the festival started last night. Someone broke out of the Star Light Tavern, playing a mean fiddle and continued to lead a procession through the streets to the square. Someone started the festival in such a way that it will probably become the new opening for a good while. Strange music though; do you know anything about it?"
Kitt smiled even broader as he told them of the previous nights exploits then told Rob of the wolverine that had accosted him just before they had found him.
"Kitt, watch yourself wolverines have a very volatile temper their hard to deal with and will just as soon look at you as to beat you into the ground."
"Alright Margret, I will."
"Good, now go get some rest. Rob has already taken care of getting you into the fights. Your first one is at three so stay close that's in an hour! We're routing for you both good luck!"
Margret walked off taking the kids with her leaving Kitt and Rob standing there Rob turned back to Kitt,
"Hey Kitt, lets go get something to eat, you treat I have a feeling your going to be very rich come tonight."
"Alright lead the way Rob."
Later that evening, Kitt was pacing to and fro through out the dimmed tent. He was preparing for the first fight of the three day tournament. Kitt took a deep breath and walked out of the tent towards the arena as the announcer brought the tournament into effect. As he stepped into the ring and faced his opponent; a sudden thrill of adrenaline passed through him leaving his body feeling as though he had touched a live wire. His opponent was a large skunk holding a wicked looking battle axe. Kitt was not too worried about fighting with weapons, but now he had to worry about a chemical attack as well. To quiet his nerves Kitt look out through the crowd finding Margret and her two children, Shaun and Kim, standing up holding a large sign that had been magicked to shine brightly. The sign read good luck Rob and Kitt! Turning back to the fight with a smile on his face Kitt listened to the referee layout the rules of the engagement, introduced the fighters to each other, the skunk was named Timothy, and began the fight.
as soon as the referee was clear Timothy cut in with a powerful strike at Kitt's stomach. Barely having time to react Kitt leaned as far back as he could the axe head passing a hair's breath from his stomach. As the axe went over Kitt brought his right foot up and kicked the haft of the weapon, knocking the axe out of Timothy's hands, and into the stands where it lodged itself into a pole. After losing his weapon Timothy stood there, mouth agape, staring at his weapon, then turning just in time to dodge a blow from the lithe fox. As Kitt went sailing past Timothy whipped his tail high, took aim, and let loose an acrid spray that caught Kitt with the outer fringes of the blast. Choking and stunned Kitt stumbled around the arena trying to catch his breath and clear his eyes. Timothy used the Time that Kitt was disoriented to land a series of powerful blows that left Kitt staggering. Then as Timothy took hold of Kitt's arm, Kitt whipped both of his legs up and around Timothy's neck squeezing as hard as he could until the large skunk passed out.
The referee after watching Timothy to make sure he was unconscious announced the winner from the edge of the ring, not wanting to be anywhere near Kitt because of the smell. as Kitt passed Rob on the way to the tent Rob winked at him then looked a little green as he caught wind of him.
"Whew Kitt you stink! I wondered why they drew a tomato bath, but now I know! Go soak in it for a few good hours you need it. Don't bother coming in the house till you get that stench off you."
Smiling as he walked away Kitt just shook his head. He was glad to have won the first fight but now his pants had to be burned. There's no way to get skunk spray out of clothing, he hoped fur wasn't the same way. After soaking for several hours Kitt was relived to find that the smell had gone, but he was a little disappointed at smelling like tomato soup. After getting dressed he went to go find Margret and Rob and ask how Rob's fight had gone, hoping that his friends fight had gone as well as his had. After a half hour or so Kitt finally spotted Margret and Rob, Sitting at a food stand a little ways off. Running over to them Kitt stopped short when he seen Rob's arm in a splint.
"Rob, what happened to your arm?"
"Ah, of course that's the first thing you ask me. I’d rather not talk about it Kitt."
"Rob, you’re just being stubborn because you lost your fight. That wolverine broke his arm after the match was over told Rob to let you know he was going to do worse to you, all of the other fighters dropped out of the tournament because of it. Now no more of this, let go home and get some rest your going to need it for tomorrow Kitt."
That night was difficult for Kitt to find rest. He kept going over what had been said by Margret. Getting up and walking outside Kitt made his way to the forest. On his way there he beheld a vixen standing in the moon light along the tree line smiling at him. She was about his height, with long red hair and similar markings as Kitt but with two black lines on the sides of her face just below her eyes. Kitt had also caught her scent on the night wind, it had captivated him, like nothing he had ever smelt before, and as he stood there staring at her, his stomach tying itself in knots, she spoke quietly as if to herself.
"Are you the one? I hope so."
She then turned and disappeared among the trees, and try as he might Kitt could not find hide nor hair of her. Leaving this puzzle for latter Kitt went back to the House and fell into a fitful sleep
Post Merge: July 08, 2010, 11:19:51 PM
I understand that there are alot of errors in it and yeah its a long read but as of now im just trying to get my ideas down and no not everything is as ive set it up to seem