FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Folgren entered the station that morning the same as ever, ducking the twin hanging trophies to find Mikis, the brown wolf, already at the guard table, his two compatriots yet to arrive in the early hours barely past dawn.

"Morning, boss.", Mikis said, pausing his casual card shuffling to throw a half-hearted chest-beat salute. As usual, he was dressed in standard issue guard uniform - padded cloth tunic, tabard with the city insignia, leather gloves and boots, a weapon at his side, in this case a mace. In recent months he'd been keeping his hair mid-short and swept back, an improvement over the short mess it usually was. He had a helm, although currently it served only as a bowl to hold whatever trinkets they used as bets in their card games.

"Morning, Mik.", Folgren said. "The felines still in their cell, I trust?", he asked.

"Of course. Accusing me of not doing my job?", Mik asked with a smile. Folgren rolled his eyes. "Remember that recruit we have coming in?", he asked in turn.

"Oh. Right. Actually forgot about that.", Folgren noted, rubbing his head.

"Rough night?", Mik asked with a smirk.

"No. Just didn't get much sleep.", Folg complain.

"How come?", Mik asked.

"Kept mulling over the statistics. We need some decent results, else lord Cilis gives Tith shit, Tith gives me shit, and I end up in foul spirits.", Folgren explained.

"Same as ever, then?", Mikis asked with an innocent smile.

"Same as ever.", Folgren grumbled. "I'm gonna see if I can't persuade the cats to give up something good.", he said and went towards the holding cells.

"Give them my love.", Mikis called after him.

***

"Well, look who it is.", Folgren noted out loud.

"Oh, shit.", the sickly yellow, black-maned lion exclaimed under his nose, eyeing the horse apprehensively. Two others were once again in the cell, the very same female cat he'd caught before, as well as a younger male lion.

"What was your name again? Silid?", Folgren asked, trying to remember.

"Silinus.", the lion said glumly.

"What did you get caught doing this time?", Folg asked.

"I may or may not have been attempting to get some money back from a lender.", Silin said coyly.

"And these two... compatriots?", Folgren asked, taking a moment to find an appropriate phrase for the mixed company.

"My associates. They helped make sure I was not-"

"So your subordinates!", Folgren cut him off mid-sentence. "You do know this is the second time you've been caught in a leading role, right?", Folg asked, hoping the lion would realize what he meant. The rather terrified look in his eyes suggested he did.

"Look, I don't want any trouble.", Silin pleaded, backing off deeper into the cell.

"No trouble at all. But why don't we talk in private?", Folgren suggested, shoving a key into the holding cell door. "Come.", he added, gesturing off to the side towards the station interrogation room.

"Don't suppose I could dissuade you in any way?", the lion asked, stepping out of the cell none the less.

"No.", Folgren said plainly and pushed him towards the small isolated room.

As they entered, he locked the door behind them with another of his keys, then turned towards the now rather timid looking lion.

"Look, I can just tell- AGH!", he began, but was harshly interrupted by a knee to his groin. He dropped to the floor in an instant, his face red as a beet and frozen in grimace.

"For starters, that's for never sending in the two that got away.", Folgren said, then crouched down over him, patiently waiting for the lion to regain some composure.

"I-... I don't hold as much sway as you think!", Silinus pleaded, turning to a half-sitting position up against a wall.

"I do not believe you're being entirely honest with me.", Folg said and reached down between the lion's legs, gaining a grasp of something soft and round through his pants. He held off on squeezing yet. "Why don't you tell me something good today?", he asked, reaffirming his grip in warning.

"Uh! Like what?", the lion asked in turn.

"Preferably some big operation we could take down.", Folgren said.

"Well, there's the, uh, document forger in the canine district.", Silinus suggested.

"I need something more than one guy.", Folgren said and squeezed tightly.

"Ungh, alright. How about the pawn shop in the bovine district? We sell stolen wares there.", Silinus said, grasping at the hand around his jewels. Folgren rolled his eyes.

"I believe you're holding out on me.", Folgren said and pushed the feline to the side, flooring him flat on his back. "So let's try this differently.", he said and moved to all fours over the overgrown cat, making sure to place his legs between the feline's own.

"Oh, come on. If I tell you to keep out of shit, I'll be in shit with the boss!", Silinus pleaded, already fearing where this was going.

"Then best just tell me, or you'll be in shit with both and have a hurting pair of balls to show for it.", Folgren warned, holding the lion's arms off to the sides and slowly cocking one of his legs back.

"How about if- AGH!", the lion squealed as Folgren let his hard knee descend into his supple male parts, mashing them hard against his pelvis. Silin tried his best to unravel from the horse's grip and curl up into a ball, but Folgren kept him in place and managed to maintain access to his nethers. "UNGH!", the feline groaned as Folgren repeated his assault on his groin with his knee. "Stop! AUGH!", the lion cried as he was struck once again. After that last assault, he went limp, too exhausted to keep fighting against the considerably bigger horse. He only jerked upwards and mewled as the horse kneed him two more times.

"Ready to talk?", Folgren asked.

"Ngh...", the lion groaned, then nodded. "I was about to talk.", he complained. "Just wanted to ask if you'd forfeit my second strike in return.", he added.

"Suppose I could.", Folgren shrugged. "If you ever cross me, I can just keep doing this till we achieve a similar result anyway.", he added with a pat to the lion's sensitive groin, invoking a flinch, before he got up. Finally free, Silin rolled over onto his side, then onto all fours.

"Alright, there's... hold on... blerg!", Silin began, only to lose his breakfast onto the floor below. "Gods under.", he cussed in shock at how the pain had somehow churned his stomach. "This isn't a sign of damage, is it?", the cat asked uncertainly, hoping the guard would have more experience with this.

"Nah. Happened... seen it happen before to someone. They were fine.", Folgren assured, barely avoiding to mention that he spoke of himself. "So where do we find our big take, cat?", Folg asked.

"Well...", Silin began, slowly moving away from the puddle of his own sick.

***

Having tossed the lion back into his cell with the others, Folgren came back into the room, where the three card players were by now assembled in full.

"Mikis.", Folgren began, prompting the wolf to look up in displeasure.

"Oh, what now? We were just getting started.", Mik asked.

"We'll be needing a group assembled. We've got a raid.", Folgren announced. "Mind gathering up half a dozen guys?", he asked.

"Oh, alright. As long as we're not going with.", Mikis decided, putting his cards away.

"Won't be wanting a cut?", Folgren asked.

"Well, maybe...", Mikis considered. "Does it look to be a good one?", he asked.

"Counterfeiters. Coin counterfeiters.", Folgren proclaimed.

"Huh. So even if they're not packing good equipment...", Mikis began, gauging Folg's response.

"Yes, yes, there'll be coin lying around that might be good enough to pass for the real thing.", Folg admitted begrudgingly. It hardly helped the city if they helped spread the forged coin. But then they were cutting it off at the source. And Folg himself did need some armour maintenance. And some time at the brothel.

"Then you've got half your men ready, I believe.", Mikis said with a grin, eyeing his two companions.

"Fair enough. Gather the rest, then. I'll be in my 'office'.", Folgren said, moving towards a small storage room they'd haphazardly rearranged into something resembling an office after his promotion.

"Oh, speaking of! The recruit's waiting in your office.", Mikis said.

"Oh. Well, will have something to pass the time, then.", Folgren noted, allowing Mikis to continue on his way with his 2 buddies in tow.

***

Folgren entered the small make-shift office consisting of two chairs separated by a table, with a series of storage shelves still lining the walls, and a pair of windows for light. As announced, within he found a possum, short, grey and rather thin, standing on attention. Beneath his short, black, side-swept hair, his face beheld a look of sheer determination, perhaps with some naivete. He was clothed rather plainly, a white shirt underneath a beige vest, black pants and scuffed, black, leather boots, a set of clothes that could fit one of any middle class profession.

As soon as he turned towards Folgren, he straightened out and struck his chest with his right hand in salute. "Captain.", the possum said, his voice forcibly deepened.

"At ease.", Folgren said with a half-hearted pat to his own chest. "So you wish to join up?", he asked, moving to sit at his desk.

"I do.", the possum said. Folgren was hoping he'd say something more by himself.

"Name?", Folgren asked in resignation.

"Aktinius, sir.", the possum said. No family name given, likely none to be had, although Folgren could hardly judge. "You're the hero of the South, aren't you?", he then asked, looking with some fascination at the heavy-set horse.

"Hm? Guess so. Though don't call me that.", Folgren said.

"The scar on your nose. Is that from the battle?", Aktin asked on, visibly curious.

"Yes.", Folgren answered plainly.

"And you found revenge on the one who gave it?", Aktin asked, sounding almost fervent.

"Uh. I don't know.", Folgren said, scratching his temple. "I didn't really notice who did it.", he said, trying to think back. "But they were probably caught and exiled with the rest of 'em.", he added.

"I see.", Aktin said, momentarily lost in thought.

"Alright, take your clothes off.", Folgren said, for the first time seeing a reaction other than absolute obedience and eagerness.

"My... clothes?", Aktinius asked uncertainly.

"Yes. Down to your fur.", Folgren said, now patiently awaiting whether he would obey or flee.

"Very well.", the possum said with a mild tremor to his voice. As he began to unbutton his vest and took off his shirt, Folgren took in the features of his physique. Lean, thin, unremarkable musculature, unblemished save for a rather thick, relatively fresh scar near his left clavicle.

"So why do you want to be a guard?", Folgren asked as Aktin still undressed, now pulling off his boots.

"I've seen one too many robbery in this city. I wish to help.", Aktinius announced, looking quite adamant, even as he pulled his pants off along with his loincloth, revealing his average-sized maleness, although only for a moment before covering it with his hands.

"And your scar? That from the one robbery too many?", Folgren asked, gesturing towards the spot on his own body. "And stop covering yourself like a girl.", he added with mild feigned annoyance. The possum obeyed, his hands uncertainly seeking purpose at his sides.

"That's... from a robbery, yes. One I tried to stop.", the possum said.

"Got out of it alive, at least.", Folgren noted.

"It was a shallow cut.", Aktinius said. "Wh- why did I need to strip?", he asked uncertainly.

"For one, I need to see if you're fit to be a guard. We're trying to get more capable men now that it pays decently enough and we're getting applicants regularly.", Folgren explained. "Second, I need to make sure you can act confident under duress. Guard that gets easily flustered is likely to doubt himself and get talked over by some shifty types.", he added.

It wasn't the entire truth. Part of the process was he wanted applicants naked so that they'd be feeling vulnerable, and thus less likely to lie when questioned, and he couldn't just outright tell them that. Or so Nilith had suggested, and he wasn't sure if there was actual truth to it. All he could say for sure was that the new vetting process had so far managed to scare off three female applicants and one male.

"So what now?", the possum asked, trying his best to sound confident despite the red in his face.

"Now, hold up your arm and flex.", Folgren said as he rose up from his seat and approached the nude marsupial. Anktinius did as ordered and tensed the muscles in his right upper arm. Folgren gave it a close look and a light squeeze. Not too big, but firm. He gave his torso a look-over - likewise toned but thin, his abdomen likely the most impressive part of him even without tensing. "Now both arms.", he instructed and moved behind Aktin, getting a good look at his back muscles.

"Does it really have to be this thorough?", Aktinius asked, looking quite uncomfortable in the present situation.

"Need to see what your strengths are. Part of it is seeing where you're strongest.", Folgren said in an unenthused manner. "Tense up your legs.", he instructed and moved in front of the possum.

"Couldn't just ask? Or test me?", Aktinius asked, just as Folgren crouched down in front of him, trying not to stare at the marsupial's limp manhood.

"Can't really trust someone's self-assessment, honest or not, and haven't really got the time for more than this.", Folgren said, patting down his leg muscles. He was surprised to find they were likely even more impressive than his abdomen. "You're a runner, huh?", Folgren asked, looking up at him.

"Yes, I run every day.", Aktin said.

"Take a deep breath and hold.", Folgren said, remaining crouched in front of the possum. Aktin did as told. Folgren waited a couple seconds, getting a good look at the marsupial's genitals. The member was somewhat unimpressive, less than average, but the testicles underneath certainly drew attention. It took some willpower to snap out of just staring at them.

Folg then suddenly grabbed Aktin by the testicles with both hands and gave them a light squeeze, making their owner rapidly exhale in shock.

"What the-!", Aktin exclaimed, doubling over at the sudden intrusion and influx of pain, fighting his instincts to push the horse away.

"I said hold.", Folgren said and got up with a smirk.

"Wh-... what?", Aktin asked in confusion.

"Hold your breath.", Folgren said and moved back to sit at his desk, pulling a bit of paper from a nearby storage shelf along the way.

"I-... was that a joke?", Aktin asked, now sounding somewhat disgruntled.

"Kind of. It's a test of discipline. Nobody's that disciplined, though. Not in the guard, at least.", Folgren noted and began to jot down what little information he'd thus far gathered on the bit of paper. It was actually more of a test to see how much Folgren could get away with.

"So I was expected to ignore it?", Aktin asked, raising a brow.

"To follow your last order.", Folg said.

"I see.", Aktinius concluded, deciding he wouldn't argue any more.

"So where you from?", Folgr asked, holding his quill over the paper.

"Locks.", Aktinius said.

"...which is...?", Folgren asked, still holding his quill up.

"Oh. A mining town in Ressium.", Aktin said.

"Current residence?", Folg asked.

"A room at the Short Tail.", Aktin said.

"An inn? Best find yourself a normal place to stay.", Folgren noted.

"Can't afford it for the moment.", Aktin said.

"Well, we do have a barracks in the Northern Quarter in case you decide you want to save some money.", Folgren said. This was half-true, considering it was just a run-down brothel converted into a barrack after last year's events. They were getting a mustering hall with a barracks built in the central quarter, an idea Folgren wasn't too fond of, but it would be at least another half year before construction would be finished.

"I would gladly make use of it.", Aktin said, sounding somewhat relieved. He likely wouldn't be as relieved once he learned what it looked and smelled like, but then he could always go back to an inn, Folgren thought.

"Prior work experience?", Folgren asked.

"Three winters as town messenger. Two of mining work.", Aktin said.

"Hm? How old are you?", Folgren asked, eyeing the rather young looking possum.

"20 winters of age.", Aktin said plainly.

"So you started at 15?", Folgren asked.

"Yes.", Aktin confirmed.

"And why are you here now?", Folg asked.

"Well, where I came from everyone was expected to be a miner when they turned 18. I've had two years of it before I decided I had enough and left.", Aktin said.

"Why Cal Crag, though?", Folgren specified.

"Uh... well...", Aktin stammered.

"Come on, everyone here's had some run in with the law somewhere. What is it?", Folgren coaxed, sounding bored. It wasn't like he'd reject someone based on this. Unless the story made them sound like another Roviden, that is.

"Well... I left my town on my own.", Aktin said.

"Oh? Is that a crime over there?", Folgren asked with a raised brow.

"It is. Everyone born into the working class owes the liege their loyalty. It is forbidden to move out of one's designated working place.", Aktin said.

"Sounds like slavery.", Folgren noted.

"I wouldn't call it that. We still got paid when working for ourselves.", Aktin said.

"For yourselves?", Folgren asked, raising a brow in genuine curiosity.

"We owe the lord of the land 2 days worth of work in the week. The rest is ours and we get paid for.", Aktin explained.

"Gods under.", Folgren murmured. "Call it what you want, but that is to slavery what a slap is to a kick in the balls. Wouldn't want either.", he added.

"Uh. If you say so, captain. I only left because I no longer wished to work in the mines.", Aktin said.

"So why doesn't everyone just leave there, if I may ask?", Folgren asked.

"Well, it is a crime. And the lord's men patrol the towns. If we were caught, we would be flogged.", Aktin said.

"And what persuaded you to take the risk?", Folg asked, stifling a sigh.

"Mine collapse. Made me realize we were risking life for very little in return. And the following confusion made most think I'd died under the rubble when I left, so no one came after me.", Aktin said.

"Smart boy.", Folgren noted. Though he didn't want to mention it wasn't particularly smart to come to Cal Crag. "Next question, then. Any combat experience?", Folg asked.

"Just some minor brawls and scraps.", Aktin said.

"Alright, then.", Folgren said and got up. "How about you show me what you can do?", he suggested.

"Uh. Alright.", Aktinius said and assumed something of a readied stance.

"Don't just stand straight like that. Legs bent, arms up. Keeps both your heads safe.", Folgren instructed.

"I'm not going to be fighting thieves with my fists, am I?", Aktin questioned, all the while following the horse's instructions.

"You'll be fighting with everything. Mace, fist, teeth and paws. Maybe tail if you stick a blade on there.", Folgren said.

"I think I'd rather keep my tail out of harms way.", Aktin remarked with some concern for the wild suggestions.

"Now then, do your best to hit me.", Folgren said, palming his hand in a beckoning gesture.

"Uh, very well.", the possum said, then threw a series of half-hearted punches and kicks. Folgren blocked them with little effort, then retaliated with a punch to the possum's diaphragm, downing him to his knees instantly.

"You were hardly trying.", Folgren said, then moved back behind his desk. Aktin was too busy gasping for air to answer. "Right, pick your stuff up.", Folgren said as he finished filling out his form and got up from the desk.

"Alh-... alright.", Aktin coughed out, gathering up his things.

"Here's your uniform.", Folgren said, pulling a set of clothes off the shelves. "Standard issue, tabard, padded cloth tunic, pants, leather boots and gloves, helm.", he said as he placed them atop the possum's regular clothes, now resting in his arms. "Welcome to the guard!", Folgren said.

"Thank y-", Aktin said, only to bite his tongue when the horse unexpectedly slapped him in the groin, not particularly hard, but enough for him to realize he'd be walking crookedly for the next minute.

"We haven't got a dressing room as such, so go use the interrogation room at the end of the cell block.", Folgren said with a pat to the shocked possum's back.

He opened the door and pushed him out to a crowd of seven guardsmen apparently awaiting them, much to Aktin's dismay and the gathered crowd's entertainment, especially since a female cat was among them. Aktin quickly directed himself towards the cell block, blushing profusely as leers and jeers followed. He'd yet experience more embarrassment when the imprisoned cats saw him. And some disgust when he found the state the interrogation room was in.

"Right, enough of that.", Folgren waved for the other guards to calm down.

"Hey, it's a right of passage.", Mikis laughed.

"Wasn't when you got here.", Folgren noted.

"Well, I wouldn't mind.", Mikis said with a smirk. "As long as you don't fondle me, that is.", he added, much to seemingly everyone's but Folgren's amusement.

"Whatever. As soon as he's done dressing, we go.", Folgren said. "Managed to gather everyone quick.", he noted.

"Well, it's morning, and most have yet to report in, so I just stood outside and caught whoever came.", Mikis said with an innocent smile. "Though that fuck Yirvin came by and swept up some guys himself.", he added.

"Yirvin? On who's authority?", Folgren asked.

"Said it was Tith's orders.", Mik said. "Wonder what the commander would want with them.", he pondered aloud.

"Beats me. All I know is I don't care.", Folgren said with a shrug. Yirvin had been proving to be somewhat of a problem. An arrogant cheetah with an attitude so aloof it could rival the high lord's. A greater issue was that he kept trying to bypass Folgren and bring his grievances straight to commander Tith, and be it by their shared love of the amber quarter, or similarities in character, he seemed quite successful at finding a sympathetic ear in Folg's superior.

"So, having the new recruit come with?", Mikis asked.

"May as well get a first-hand look at how we operate. Either he'll get the gist of it, or he'll quit straight away.", Folgren said. "Oh. Pahton.", he noted, looking over the gathered crowd, somewhat surprised he hadn't noticed the elephant's rather imposing figure. He was big, grey, muscular, dressed in chain armour and otherwise standard-issue guardsman apparel. Save for a scowling steel mask he had for a face, that is.

"Captain.", Pahton said curtly, beating his fist against his chest quite sternly.

"You mind keeping the blood to a minimum? Don't want the boy getting the impression we run a butcher shop.", Folgren said.

"Can do.", Pahton said plainly, yet didn't think to put his voulge away.

The possum eventually came out in full dress, carrying his regular clothes and still blushing slightly at having been exposed to his new colleagues. "I'm ready, I suppose.", he said uncertainly.

"Right. Drop those off somewhere here and let's be off. We're going on a raid.", Folgren said.

"Uh. A raid?", Aktinius asked.

"Not to worry. You're just coming to watch. Get a feel for the work at hand.", Folgren said.

"Or you could take your clothes off again and confuse everyone.", Mikis said, to an answer of further laughs and jeers.

***

"This is the place.", Folgren said, stepping in front of the beaten down-looking 3 storey house. It looked as though boarded up and in disuse, but a more thorough look revealed glimmers and sounds of movement at the upper storeys. Folgren walked up and pulled on the door handle, only to find it locked. "Pahton?", he asked and stepped aside. Seemingly expecting it, the elephant took two steps back and charged into the door, its hinges breaking off in a shower of splinters.

The dust had yet to settle when they barged in, the lack of signs of life suggesting they may've been mislead. But the sudden sounds of rapid movement coming from upstairs made it seem they were in the right place. The house within looked as any abandoned dwelling in the city - the only remaining semblance of furniture being broken chairs and emptied shelves. There was some wall paper, peeling away under the effect of some kind of moisture oozing in from floors above.

"Two of you stay here and look for a basement. Rest of you up the stairs.", Folgren instructed, to which the female cat and Mikis began to look around while others proceeded onwards. Aktinius cautiously stepped after Folgren, careful not to get in the way of things.

As they began to ascend the steps, they could now hear shouting. "Fucking guards!", they heard a feminine voice shout from somewhere deeper in the building. Folgren let Pahton lead the charge with 7 others at his side. As Folgren finally reached the top, the elephant and his team were already tearing through the rooms, one by one turning doors to splinters and pacifying the house's current residents to the sounds of screams, clangs and heavy thuds.

While Pahton and his crew busied themselves with the contents of the rooms, Folgren and Aktinius stood by the stairwell, ready to stop any stragglers from running off via the only truly accessible exit they knew. Chances were some would flee through the windows, Folgren thought and began to regret not bringing more men to secure the outside. What came as a surprise to them, however, was a group of 4 that came running down from the third floor.

Two grey cats, a tiger and a cheetah, all of them looking more eager to get out than to try and fight. The cheetah Folgren felt he recognized, likely from a year ago at the Northern market, although he couldn't be sure. They all looked the same to him. As they tried their luck at running past the horse, Folg immediately kicked and swung in turn, nailing the oncoming cheetah between the legs and punching out the tiger with a hit between the eyes. The remaining two likewise tried to dart past, but one of them Folgren caught by the arm and managed to punch in the jaw while the other ducked down and got past him.

"Grab him!", Folgren called at Aktinius. The possum did as ordered and momentarily managed to take hold of the cat by the arms, but then flinched and let go, permitting the cat to run down the stairs while Aktin dropped to his knees, gripping his groin. "Fuck. Mik! Straggler!", Folgren called downwards.

"W-what?", the wolf shouted up from somewhere downstairs. "Wasn't anywhere near the door.", Mik shouted back, sounding annoyed. The cat had gotten away.

"Ah, bother.", Folg murmured as he leaned away from the railing, then went up and punched out the still kneeling cheetah. "You alright?", he asked, now turning his attention towards the downed possum.

"Ngh... y-h... yes.", Aktinius managed, cupping his genitals in shock.

"I would suggest getting protection for those. Thieves like to go for the balls. Makes it really hard to run after them.", Folgren said. The possum had no response. He couldn't argue.

***

The rest of the search had gone by without incident. The four runners from the third floor had apparently been the only ones up there. The second floor had been considerably more occupied, with a total of eleven captured. Mikis' search for a basement yielded nothing, however.

"So what's the take?", Folgren asked.

"Two chestfuls of counterfeit coin, three swords, five clubs, two maces, seven daggers. Forging equipment and blanks I guess we confiscate as well. Probably some jewellery and minor armour pieces if we frisk the scum.", Pahton said.

"Do that. And give me one of the coins.", Folgren said. Mikis threw him one of the requested coins. Folg pulled out the corresponding genuine denomination from his pocket and held the two side by side. "Almost identical.", Folgren noted, noticing a slight blemish in lord Cilis' likeness. The nose was somewhat lion-like. "These will work. So long as we don't overspend.", he said and pocketed both.

"So how we split it, boss?", Pahton asked.

"One chest goes to the treasury so we have something to show for it. Rest we split even. As usual.", Folgren said.

"We're... we're pocketing the confiscated goods?", Aktinius asked with some apprehension.

"No. We are. As a recruit you get the usual guard pay for a raid.", Folgren said and flicked him two coins. Aktin caught them clumsily and looked at them with some distaste, although whether it was the amount or the corrupt procedure that brought it on, they couldn't tell. "Injury pay. That's all we normally get. One Sovereign per injury.", Folgren noted, to which Aktin raised a brow, then seemed to think on this for a while.

"So how long am I recruit?", Aktinius asked.

"A month or so.", Folg said with a smile, feeling the possum was already starting to see things their way. "Come.", he said with a pat on Aktin's shoulder. "I'll fund you some protection. For the nuts.", he said.

***

Folgren sat down in his office with a pleased sigh of relief. Their quota for the month had been met, at seemingly the last moment at that, and they could possibly expect a boost in funding. Or at least so it seemed, as he could never guess what would actually happen during the meetings between the lords. At any rate, he'd done his part and could now rest easy. At least until the next month. For now, though, he had a brothel visit to look forward to. Something was nagging at the back of his mind, however.

Then it hit him. It'd been a whole year since their little battle in the streets of the bovine quarter. A full year of work as captain and the mess it meant. He leaned over and pulled a bottle off a shelf. Some booze they'd confiscated off an illegal distillery. Likely not very suitable to drink, but he figured a single swing wouldn't hurt. He uncorked the bottle and took a chug, pulling away with a gasping cough. Tasted of ash and rot.

He thought back on the last year with some satisfaction, but also a great amount of annoyance. The guardsmen were getting paid, the hiring standard was better, there were twice as many of them, and they were actually doing their job for the most part. On the other hand, the stress didn't seem particularly worth it, all things considered. He'd been better off with his old post, able to find some cocky scum willing to pull a weapon on him daily. A weapon he could sell off and end up a fair bit richer than he currently was for the amount of work he pulled. And though he had been able to buy some improvements to his armour, mostly in the form of a muzzle guard and a chest-plate, he felt they came at a much slower pace than had he been able to pawn away some scum's equipment. Not to mention pushing the guards to do their part hardly earned him friends.

Mikis was begrudging in his friendship, having grown used to lazying about all day and rather disliked being used as the morning courier whenever Folgren needed an order passed on. Nilith was somewhat upset he'd broken off their agreement now that he was her superior and could just demand that reports be written for him, but she was somewhat grateful it no longer fell on her to worry how the guards performed. Roviden saw red any time Folgren brought up her using blades against common thieves, though the end result was she seldom reported her deeds any more. Pahton was more stoic about it, but still visibly cross over the topic of unwarranted violence, yet more often than not had a believable excuse to give, even if Folgren didn't actually believe it.

Other than them, Folgren found little companionship now that Kohten had gone back to his place of origin. He'd gone off for his father's funeral. However, that was over half a year ago, and more than likely the short knight had little desire to return to Cal Crag. Folgren couldn't really blame him, but still disliked how he'd left without warning and never even sent a message. He did sometimes wonder if something might've happened to the raccoon, but considering how well he handled himself, Folg very much doubted that. He couldn't help but wonder what could've pushed him far enough not to return, however. Was it was the guardsmen's questionable way of doing things? Was it the futility of trying to fight crime in a city that essentially protected it by law? Could've just as well been the steadily rising rumours surrounding Folgren himself.

Being a person of some import, as dubious as it was, made him more recognizable in the streets, not only to criminals, who now knew better than to start anything in his presence, but also to commoners, who took note of his travels to the West Wall brothel. And as such, the very sight of him going into a private room made rumours surface that perhaps he sought companionship among men. As much as it annoyed him this was slowly becoming an accepted truth, albeit thus far only considered a funny rumour among his colleagues, he knew it would come to light eventually. In a way he was starting to almost welcome it, wondering if anyone in a city like Cal Crag would even care. Some likely would, but it hardly mattered to one in his position. Tith wouldn't care, as he'd begun to display signs of "perversion" himself, and likely neither would lord Cilis, being one more concerned with profits than anything else in the world. And for the moment, that was all that mattered.

Perhaps an even greater factor to his reputation and relatively good fortune was the result of the battle from a year ago. Few would wish to tangle with 'the hero of the Southern quarter', as tales and ballads had named him. Although others less charitable had named him 'captain balls for brains' or 'the lummox of Cal Crag', on account of his rather errant battle performance. As much as he didn't like drawing attention to himself in fear that his past might choose to come knocking, the reputation did help him secure favour and respect stronger than any rank commander Tith could assign him. Yet the battle was steadily becoming a distant memory, and its effects waned, while resentment towards his command only grew among his men and the bandits it involved. Soon the only thing left over from the battle, other than a rude song or two overheard in a tavern, would be a scar on his nose and a mild ache in his left leg on a stormy day.

He took another swing of his bottle, then corked it and put it back on the shelf among the other confiscated contraband. Any more and he'd have trouble with the rest of the day. Assuming it didn't outright kill him.

He looked over some of the papers strewn across his desk. Another letter from the rat girl, he noticed. She'd been writing him for half a year now, apparently having found a receptacle of her woes in the distant horse, although the reason for this was somewhat of a puzzle to him. He read what she'd written, the tales of how her uncle had begun to travel, establishing new trade posts and agreements while she tended the family business within Nul Reugin, how she'd taken steps to make amends and summon her former lover Littic, to let him at the very least live a decent life within her estate, and how she utterly hated the nobles she now had to deal with. Usually she ended her letters with a question, permitting the horse to write a mere 'yes', 'no' or 'that's good to hear' in answer, and most times he did just that, not feeling the urge to struggle writing more than he already had to on a daily basis. This particular letter could wait for now.

The other papers present before him were primarily reports. Now that he was captain, everything had to go through him and he had to do a lot more reading than he would've liked. Initially he'd signed off on anything brought before him, until a certain guardsman wrote a full report on how he'd spent his day, from when he got up, through what exactly he'd eaten, down to how long it took to pass through his gastric system. Of course there was no mention of any criminal activity, nor any useful action on the guard's part, so its only purpose was to fill in that particular guard's quotas. Had Tith not read this report and taken a cut out of Folgren's pay for letting it pass, perhaps Folg would've found it somewhat funny. Probably not, however.

He looked down at the reports, just thinking how much he didn't want to go through them that day. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Oh, gods over, thank you.", Folgren murmured. "Enter!", he called out to the yet unknown visitor. The door creaked open uncertainly.

"Uh, this priest here wants to see you.", Mikis said, allowing a short, spiky-haired fox to pass into the horse's office. He was dressed in rather scant clothing - a loose, semi-translucent robe, composed of only two connected lengths of cloth running down his front and back, connected only at the neck and very clearly permitting sight to view his exposed hips, sometimes even more at the right angle. More than likely it was a worshipper of the fertility god-thing, the name of which currently escaped Folgren. He'd no doubt soon be reminded what it was anyway.

"Guard, I demand justice!", the fox began without so much as a welcoming gesture from either guard. Mikis frowned and slowly closed the door, deciding he wanted no part of this.

"What happened?", Folgren asked, trying his best to sound concerned.

"The statue of our god, Timir, has been defiled!", the fox shrieked with visible anger.

"Oh? What exactly happened to it?", Folgren asked.

"Come! I'll show you.", the fox demanded. Folgren reluctantly followed.

***

"See?", the fox priest asked.

"Huh.", was all Folgren said in response.

The great marble statue had indeed been damaged. More specifically, its manhood had been severed, leaving the 4-armed rat-thing looking quite female, save for the jagged hole above its more natural gash. Folgren was somewhat surprised to see the sculptor had bothered to include that detail behind the hermaphroditic deity's male assets.

Around the statue were 3 other worshippers, 2 female cats, 1 male rat, all nude, as was actually legal in Cal Crag, but seldom practised, prostrating themselves before the emasculated visage of their god-thing, apparently in atonement for having allowed this to happen.

"So? What are you going to do about it?", the fox asked impatiently.

"Well, did anyone here see anything? Such as who did it?", Folgren asked.

"No. Else we wouldn't need your help, now, would we?", the fox said.

"What exactly do you expect me to do?", Folg asked, looking around uncertainly.

"Find some evidence or witnesses.", the fox said with growing ire.

"Right.", Folgren said, continuing to look around. "So which of you found the statue this way and when?", he asked, deciding to humour them.

"I did. In the early morning shortly past dawn. Someone must've done this at night.", the fox said.

"Alright. And your name is...?", Folgren asked, realizing the fox hadn't introduced himself yet.

"Barinius.", the fox said. "When can we expect you to find the perpetrator?", he asked.

"Calm yourself. I can't really estimate anything here since we don't have any immediate witnesses.", Folgren said. "Do you know of anyone who might've wanted to do this? Any enemies of this temple?", he asked.

"Well, there's the worshippers of Tavat that always view other gods as lessers. There's some worshippers of the trickster god that might've pulled something like this. Most of all I'd assume it was the worshippers of the old gods and their god of fertility.", Barinius said. Folgren already felt he was in for a long day. "Oh, and I guess the canine gang recently tried to extort money out of our congregation, but the lord of the city saw them taken care of quite swiftly. And there was that group of nobles that tried to tax us for the statue being offensive to them.", the fox enumerated onwards.

"Alright. I'll look around the other temples.", Folgren said, rubbing his own temples and hoping he wouldn't get any more leads.

"We will come with. And I suggest we start with the old god worshippers.", Barinius said adamantly.

"Well, alright.", Folgren shrugged.

As they left the temple, leaving one of them behind to watch out for any further defilement attempts, Folgren was beginning to steadily regret allowing them to follow. They were riled up, and chanting something in whispers beyond his hearing. Not to mention how most of them took less to cover themselves than a cheap prostitute. More than this, however, he regretted how the enforcers weren't here to deal with this sort of nonsense.

Holoth Row and his entire entourage, save for a few retainers in lord Cilis' personal guard, were off to fight some war against a nearby free city, apparently trying to subjugate them for their iron, in retaliation for their own covert hostile actions and price gauging, or so the tale went. What it really meant for Folgren was that the city guard, normally limited to guarding the gates and lower quarters, was now also in charge of the amber quarter, and Folg hated every second of it.

As much as he was no longer a common guard and thus wasn't as easy to terrorize by some high-born noble threatening to tattle on him to the high lord of the city, he still had to respond to the relatively petty squabbles of nobles, merchants and clergy alike, as if there were a murder attempt in progress. Not to mention the threats and complaints concerning his subordinates kept finding their way back to him as well, every dung-born noble within the city expecting a guard to get laid off and preferably exiled because they dared enforce the law when it wasn't convenient for the noble in question.

He found himself more and more often wondering if he shouldn't just leave it all and let the city fall apart on its own. Not that he believed he was keeping it afloat, but it felt as though the more he tried, the less others did since there was now someone to do their part for them. It all made him start considering other lines of work, even if it did mean a greater risk he'd run into the noble family he'd had deadly dealings with all those years ago. Yet at the same time, he feared other lines of work would either pay worse, or require him to do things he preferred to avoid, particularly when it came to harsher forms of violence. In a way he was lucky his line of work required nearly no deaths despite its inherently violent nature. Never heard of the militia here hacking their way through an uprising with axes like in Lesnof. Or performing a mass hanging of a gang and its suspected associates like in Secundum. He was having a hard time imagining-

"There it is.", Barinius announced, cutting Folg's line of thought short. They were approaching the temple - a triangular building, made of only planks, logs and branches. A massive, unstable construct in violation of many city construction laws, not to mention a humongous fire hazard. Yet they did nothing with it since the high lord of the city demanded they be tolerant towards all religions. More than likely it had something to do with the weight of the bribes they paid. Cal Crag was one of the last free cities that still allowed their eye-straining temples to exist within their limits. Not only were their temples a danger to everyone around on account of their flammability, they seemed quick to pick fights with worshippers of the known gods anywhere they took root.

"Alright. Just promise to keep calm.", Folgren said as he pushed the doors open, unable to even humour the idea of them listening.

***

"Look, I'm sorry about this, but we need to investigate this thoroughly.", Folgren said towards the annoyed looking ferret priest in high volume, trying to make himself heard past the shouting echoing through the chamber from a couple metres away. It hadn't taken long for a shouting match to start between the common worshippers of either faith, and Barinius himself had disappeared somewhere in the commotion.

"I do not care! You disturb our prayers with this cacophony!", the ferret shouted. The adornment of cloth and strands of long willow branches wiggled with each scream-induced tremor, making the short priest look even less intimidating to the morose horse.

"You're not one to be making demands right now. You and your congregation are suspects.", Folgren tried to explain.

"You level accusations without proof!", the ferret hissed.

"That's what an investigation is for, and what you're currently preventing.", Folgren said.

"This is a holy place!", the ferret insisted again. Folgren sighed, this being the fifth time now the short priest had brought up some concept of divinity Folg couldn't care less about.

"The law says you answer to us. We do not answer to your god.", Folgren said plainly.

"Then be off! This is no place for you or your vile, depraved prick-worshippers!", the ferret demanded.

"How are they more depraved than you? You worship a god of the same thing.", Folgren pointed out, temporarily abandoning his attempts at talking the ferret down in favour of sating some basic curiosity.

"We are none alike! We worship the sacred mother of the world, Silinia!", he exclaimed, gesturing wildly towards a mid-sized tree with the likeness of a rather portly female rat carved into its side. "They worship a god of lust! They care little for the holy rituals of mating and bearing children to the world!", the ferret shrieked. "Why, they would even sanctify two males having their way with each other!", he added. Folgren very much wished he hadn't. It would now be difficult to remain impartial in this mess.

"Alright, alright. I get the idea. But we still need to perform a search of the premises.", Folgren once again tried to explain.

"Out of the question!", the ferret answered unwaveringly.

"Ah-ha! I found it!", they heard Barinius proclaim as he emerged from one of the back rooms. Rooms he likely wasn't supposed to be in. Over his head he held a large, stone phallus with a sac of four testicles attached. "I knew it! Knew it was you tree-worshipping bastards!", he added as he walked towards the two.

"And how do you explain this?", Folgren asked towards the ferret, who seemed to remain unmoved. "Right, you need to pay back four times the cost of a new statue.", Folg began without awaiting an answer.

"We will do no such thing. This was obviously planted!", the ferret shrieked.

"Planted? You would now try to worm your way out of this?", the fox asked, his voice steadily rising.

"Calm it.", Folgren said to the fox, then turned back to the ferret. "I'm afraid I don't believe you.", Folg said, sounding less enthused and more disappointed they were trying to avoid the penalty after being dumb enough to take a trophy.

"This is discrimination! The high lord of the city will hear of this!", the ferret threatened.

"I don't care. You can either pay the fee or wait it out in a prison cell until you decide to pay.", Folgren said.

"I wouldn't pay a chipped Sovereign to these whore-worshippers!", the ferret bellowed.

"That's not really-", Folgren began.

"I care not for your excuses! We refuse to be extorted by these cock sucking heretics! We will not-OF!", was all the ferret managed before he got hit on the back of the head with Timir's stone phallus. He staggered away and fell to the floor, no longer conscious. That's when the true chaos began.

"Alright, drop the dick.", Folgren said, but was ignored as a different worshipper accosted the fox, now trying to apprehend him while being fended off with Timir's hardened manhood. Soon the other 3 Timir worshippers ran in to help defend their priest, while 4 others from the opposing belief did likewise to try and stop them. "Gods under.", Folgren cussed as he observed the ongoing tussle, the stone phallus occasionally rearing its head above the others. Folg just stood there, watching the unfolding battle with a sense of hopelessness, debating with himself whether he should intervene, his temper growing heated as the two sides did their best to ignore him.

As he stood there pondering, the tussle escalated to a brawl, clumsy punches and kicks bouncing off of arms, thighs and shins, for the most part quite harmlessly. That is, until a stray strike found its mark in the target's face or groin. Folgren watched with some fascination as the two schools of fertility worship assaulted each other. One female cat fell with a bleeding nose, one goat stumbled away clutching his genitals, a wolf got knocked between the eyes with the stone phallus and dropped unconscious, though only shortly before the marble member flew out of hand in the commotion and met its end on the floor, shattered into a dozen yet recognizable pieces.

Eventually the scuffle had waned down to 4 participants, at which point Folgren's temper had heated enough that he decided to come in and end it. Both parties were quite surprised when the stocky horse walked into them, pummelling and kicking them aside as if they were minor obstacles. One of the remaining female cats got an elbow to the temple, a tiger earned a knee to the jewels that effectively downed him, a rabbit dropped from a kick to the knee and a follow-up punch between the eyes. Barinius, now cowering away from the horse, got only a hard slap to the face, although with the gauntlets Folgren wore that likely proved harder than intended. He fell onto his behind, less so from the force of the blow and more out of fear.

"Wait! Stop!", the fox pleaded.

"You're all under arrest.", Folgren announced, snorting furiously with every breath. "Now quit your whining and gather up whoever's still conscious to carry the rest.", he commanded, to which the cowering fox obliged. Folg now stood patiently as the fox attempted to rouse whomever he could back to their feet. He only hoped they wouldn't try something stupid like running. After all, he knew their places of worship. Once they'd all meekly assembled before him, with the noisy ferret thankfully among the few that had to be carried unconscious, he waved them out the exit. "Alright, to the station. All of you!", he shouted.

***

"Gods under, Folg, what is this?", Nilith asked, seeing the battered pilgrimage meander their way through the entrance of the station. Despite their fascination with the concept of fertility, few seemed to take notice of Drogrin's assets hanging atop the doorway.

"The result of a trip to the amber quarter.", Folgren groaned in dissatisfaction that this was even happening.

"What did they do?", Mikis asked with some bemused curiosity.

"The old worshippers stole the new ones' phallus. The new ones wanted compensation, but the old ones wouldn't have it, so words turned harsh, and then words turned to deeds.", Folgren explained, trying his best to remain brief.

"Ph-phallus? What?", Nilith asked, sounding even more stunned.

"A prick.", Folgren specified as he went into the cell block, although he doubted that was the clarification Nilith was asking for.

Within the cell block he found that the cats had been spread out into two cells, one for Silinus and his crew, and the other for today's catch, leaving 4 other cells empty. The one cell for today's newcomers seemed rather cramped, but he hardly cared, as long as his informant remained out of their reach.

It was much better than the year before, when they had but one set of bars to keep everyone together. Although, conversely, the laws had adapted to make sure they were better filled, with the "one-day" law, as they'd called it, making way for the "day-per-point" law lord Cilis had come up with. Mostly due to the general uselessness of the information they could gather. The sentences were still somewhat of a joke, but at the very least they were beginning to resemble a system of values. A more naive outlook would suggest things were going the right way, but a more realistic view of things was that it'd likely arbitrarily turn into laws more absurd once more.

"Right, rat-thing worshippers in here. Tree worshippers over there.", Folgren said, directing the two groups to opposite cells.

"Under what charges do you intend to keep us here?", the fox asked.

"You? Starting a fucking brawl with a heavy object.", Folgren said, feeling annoyed the fox apparently felt they'd done nothing wrong.

"And us?", a caprine called out from the opposite cell.

"Vandalism, theft and obstruction of justice.", Folgren quickly enumerated, desperately hoping there would be no further inane objections he'd be obliged to humour.

"What about us?", a cat from the large group cell called out with a smile on his face.

Folgren simply rolled his eyes and left the cell block. He would yet have to gather names, fill out some forms, and search the new prisoners for contraband. Or he would command someone to do it for him.

As he left the stench of the crowded cell block behind, he re-entered the "card-room" to find Nilith playing with the other guards. It was a habit she'd picked up since last year's bout of trouble, and while Folgren hardly liked the idea of idling around the station, she did have the work ethic to limit it to an hour daily. Or two. She hadn't changed much visually, however. Still the same short, slightly curly hair combed forwards, and still the same standard issue guard uniform.

"Mik, the new prisoners are gonna need processing.", Folgren said, looking towards the already annoyed looking wolf.

"Oh, alright. No hurry, though, right?", Mikis asked in turn, looking mildly hopeful.

"Suppose not.", Folg shrugged. "Why are the cats all locked up in that one cell?", he asked.

"Why not? We might need the other cells.", Mik said.

"If you say so.", Folgren conceded, not feeling like arguing. "Though I would give them more than one bucket. Not my task, so not really my business, but when that one bucket stops sufficing, it ain't me that's gonna be cleaning up.", Folgren said.

"Huh. Fair point. Ig, you mind?", Mikis asked, directing his attention to his bovine compatriot. The bull rolled his eyes and reluctantly pushed himself off his seat.

"And Nil...", Folgren began, but the ewe already likewise stood up from the table.

"Right, right. Forms.", she grumbled and moved off into the neighbouring room.

Just then the door to the station swung open, and within a couple moments, Roviden, the mutt bitch entered, carrying a longsword over her shoulder and a wide grin over her face. Her hair had grown somewhat long and unkempt, peeking out of her helmet and down to her shoulders. Her gear had remained largely unchanged since last year, with the same, standard guard armour save for plate gauntlets and arm guards. That is, until today.

"Hey there, Folg!", Roviden said.

"Roviden.", Folgren nodded. "What's the occasion?", Folgren asked, looking somewhat concerned at her cheer.

"Been a year.", Roviden said simply.

"Hm?", Folgren asked.

"A year since I promised the cats to keep my blade stowed.", Roviden said.

"They call themselves Cal-Rith now.", Mik interjected.

"Don't remind me.", Folgren said.

"Well, good thing you didn't go on the raid, then.", Nilith said as she returned with a handful of papers.

"A raid, eh?", Roviden asked, looking towards Folgren.

"Yeah. Just picked out the nearest bunch to go. Nothing personal.", Folgren assured.

"Shame. Would've been glorious.", Roviden said, holding up and eyeing her sword as if gazing into a gem.

"That a new blade?", Folgren asked, having realized it looked rather ornate compared to the leathery and dirty looking hilt she usually sported.

"Glad you noticed.", Roviden said, sounding as if she'd just heard a compliment. "Yes, I got it to celebrate.", she added.

"Well, afraid you won't find the means to whet it today.", Folgren said.

"That's fine. It can wait.", Roviden said. "The cats are still in the cells, right?", she asked.

"Yup.", Mikis confirmed, trying to focus on his cards.

"Think I'll go rattle their cage, then.", Roviden said with a smirk, her blade held off to her side. Everyone eyed her in silence as she strode off into the cell block, door closed behind.

"I think she's becoming more and more unhinged.", Nilith said in whisper, even as she began to pre-emptively fill out her forms.

"Maybe.", Folgren admitted. "Good at keeping the gangs meek, though.", he added, even as they heard soft clanks of metal against metal from beyond the door.

"Best keep the new boy away from her. Wouldn't want him getting the wrong idea. Or getting sick at the sight of her work.", Nilith said. "Where is he, anyway?", she asked.

"Sent him off to the Western quarter's market. Hopefully he'll have an uneventful first day.", Folgren said.

"I wouldn't count on it.", Mik said.

"Oh? Seems peaceful lately.", Folg noted.

"That's cause you're you. Nobody starts shit with you around.", Nilith said. Folgren shrugged.

"Suppose I'll just go and make sure he stays out of trouble, then.", Folg said.

"Not gonna help out with the new prisoners?", Nilith asked, looking quite annoyed.

"You can handle it. Or would you rather go out on patrol?", Folgren asked.

"Just remember he's not hiding in a brothel.", Mik called after him.

"Oh, fuck you.", Folgren scoffed and left, absent-mindedly slapping himself in the head with Drogrin's former male parts along the way, to mild snickers from around the table.

***

Venturing through the steadily busying streets, he wondered if the position of captain was making him lazy, reluctant to get down and dirty the way he'd used to. But then he thought back to how he'd handled things before, and the thoughts quickly turned around. He was actually trying to follow the rules more than ever now that it translated directly to the kind of grief he would experience at the hands of Tith were he to underperform. But to compensate, certain things he left to his subordinates, much to their displeasure.

In a way, he sometimes hoped Tith would grow tired of his bumbling and just demote him back to common guard. But that didn't seem likely. Demoting him would mean Tith would have to go back to looking into things himself, and directing common guards seemed to have become a task beneath him. At the very least he would need a potential replacement for Folgren, and none such seemed present. Perhaps besides Yirvin, Folg realized.

As he finally reached the general area where Aktin would be located, his thoughts turned to the matter of actually finding the short guardsman. The market the possum had been sent off to patrol was at its busiest, clientele milling about to find the best prices at a time of day when they most seemed to fluctuate in response to the onslaught of citizens returning home from work and seeking to fill their stomachs.

Walking through the rather rowdy crowd with ease on account of his posture, he strained his eyes to try and catch the blue of the ferret's uniform among the sea of random shoppers. Just when he was about to give up and start asking, by pure chance he caught a glimpse of the possum, off at the edge of the market, sitting upon a bench. As Folgren neared him, he noticed he was nursing a bleeding nose with a cloth rag. Aktin looked none too pleased to be seen in this state by his superior.

"What happened to you?", Folgren asked, finally close enough to hope to be heard.

"Thieves. Dogs.", the possum grumbled, looking away.

"Huh. Most don't get this involved the first day.", Folgren noted.

"They were hassling a merchant.", Aktin said. "They stopped and went away once they punched me.", he added.

"Well, at least there's that.", Folgren said as he looked around the busy market. "Strange you're the only guard around.", he noted, raising a brow. "The merchant grateful, at least?", he asked.

"Kind of. Her daughter seemed more concerned.", Aktin said, pulling away the cloth for a moment to gauge whether he was still bleeding.

"Managed more than most guards do in a week, then.", Folgren noted. "Why don't you take the rest of the day off?", he suggested.

"Really? Just like that?", Aktin asked.

"Well, it is your first day.", Folgren said. "Tell you what. Starting tomorrow, I'll give you an hour's worth of training every morning.", he suggested, to which the possum's brows raised in hope. "You've got spirit. And the right attitude. But you're shit at fighting.", he said.

"Uh, alright.", Aktin said. "Although I don't think I'm bad at fighting so much as I've been rather unlucky.", he suggested with some resentment.

"Well, can't deny the first day's the worst. But with your ability, can't say I see your luck turning for the better any time soon.", Folg said. "Come, let's return to the station.", he suggested, patting the possum on the back.

"Not gonna tell everyone I had my nose busted, are you?", Aktin asked uncertainly.

"If you manage to stop bleeding before we get there, then no.", Folg said plainly.

"Did your first day look like this as well?", Aktin asked as they strode off the marketplace.

"No. First day I didn't do much at all. Nobody really told me what to do. My third day looked a lot worse, though.", Folgren said, reminiscing.

"What happened?", Aktinius asked.

"Got held down and pummelled to unconsciousness.", Folgren said. "Word of advice, don't try going against five at a time without a clear advantage.", he added.

"I'll keep that in mind.", Aktinius said. "Does everyone here patrol alone all the time?", he asked.

"Hm? Oh, no. We don't have any kind of rules concerning this, but me and some others tend to venture alone.", Folgren said, hoping he wouldn't have to mention most such individuals were usually rather violent.

"Isn't that a bit risky, though? Wouldn't it be safer to travel in groups?", Aktin asked as if this was common sense. In that he would be right, Folgren thought.

"It would. And whoever wants to can go in any group they please. Although then we cover less ground and less tends to happen around such groups.", Folgren explained. "Might be good for you to find someone to keep you company on patrols.", he admitted.

***

They barely managed to reach the front of the station when a pair of guardsmen, one a female lapine, the other a male canine, ran up to Folgren. The rabbit Folgren recognized as one of Tith's twin entourage, a fighter and whore in one, dressed less aptly than most guardsmen, with only a sleeveless cloth tunic, thigh-high boots and leather gloves for wear. Yet for all her inadequate gear, the rapier at her side was as sharp as any. Not to mention rather expensive-looking, likely a gift from Tith.

"Urgent news, captain!", the terrified-looking canine began, while the lapine stood silent with her arms crossed.

"What is it?", Folgren asked.

"Swordsl- swordsong!", the black-dotted dog exclaimed in stutter.

"What? A sword song?", Folgren asked as if he'd misheard.

"Yes!", the dog said in raised voice.

"Where?", Folg asked.

"In the station. He seeks audience with you, captain.", the canine explained. Folgren felt the colour drain from him. The only thing worse than a sword song in their city was a sword song seeking him in particular.

"Any idea what he wants?", Folg asked apprehensively. The dog merely shook his head. Folgren sighed heavily, his mind racing as to what to do. "And what do you want?", Folgren called towards the patiently awaiting lapine.

"Commander Tith awaits you, captain. At the high keep.", she said plainly.

"And what does he want?", Folg asked, feeling as if his mind was suddenly being torn asunder by thoughts of two rather prominent yet opposite threats.

"Not my business to know.", she answered, then weakly patted her chest with her fist and began to walk away without awaiting an answer.

"Cunt.", Folgren grumbled dismissively. "Right, you go and tell the sword song I'll be with him shortly.", Folg said to the dog, now intensively trying to think of how he'd escape a potential attempt on his life. Yet with the threat being a sword song, evading his fate seemed unlikely. "Gods under, why me?", Folg murmured to himself.

"What's a sword song?", Aktin asked, now looking somewhat unnerved himself.

"Huh?", Folg grunted, temporarily torn from his panicked thoughts. "Imagine a bunch of psychopaths who worship swords, do nothing but train how to use them, and then go off on some ill-defined quest to kill someone and anyone that gets in their way.", Folgren said.

"Why are they called sword songs?", Aktin asked.

"Because they carry some musical instrument, and once they're done with the killing, they write a terrible song about it.", Folgren explained.

"Huh. Are they really that dangerous?", Aktin asked, raising a brow.

"They are. You never heard of the slaughter of Silif? Or Moloth?", Folg asked.

"No?", Aktin said.

"Well, both cases the cities didn't want them having their way. In Silif one of these bastards went mental and managed to cut through 40 before they managed to put him down. In the other it reached 60 and the shit still got away.", Folgren said.

"Gods under.", Aktin cussed. "That sounds rather... unreal. Are you sure it's not a mere legend?", he asked.

"Silif was a mere two years ago. Tales turn to legend a lot slower when there's still someone around to ask if it actually happened. Although some people now speak of 400 instead of 40, and I wasn't there to see it myself. But I'm not about to test a tale told by nobility and commoners alike.", Folgren said.

"So who decides who they go after?", Aktin asked.

"Beats me. I think their head sword-humper just takes commission coin and sends them off.", Folg said. "Which brings me to my problem. This guy is here, and I can imagine someone wanting my head.", he added.

"Or mine.", Aktin said, looking off into the distance in fear.

"I doubt they're cheap. I don't imagine they'd send one off to kill a runaway mine worker.", Folgren said, calming the possum quite effectively. "A captain in the city of thieves, on the other hand...", Folgren drifted off, in his mind adding that he was also a wanted noble murderer. Albeit under a different name.

"So what do we do?", Aktinius asked.

"Well, you can do whatever. I guess I'm going in to see what he wants.", Folg decided.

"But what if he-", Aktin began.

"Then I'll be spared the burden of talking to Tith.", Folgren cut him off and went for the door of the station.

***

Folgren entered his office to find a chain-armoured ram, kneeling closed-eyed upon the floor in the dimmest corner of the room amid storage shelves. Folg eyed him warily as he strode towards his desk. Splotchy grey and brown fur, long, crooked horns, a number of small scars upon his face. It was hard to believe someone so unremarkable could be so deadly. Yet the powerful stature, heavy-looking chain tunic, short sword at his right, and large sword sheathed upon his back reasserted the danger he posed. The mandolin at his left served as an odd contrast.

"Can I help you?", Folgren asked as he finally slouched into his chair, deciding he'd prefer to face his fears in relative comfort. The ram opened his eyes and met Folg's own, his face blank and emotionless.

"You may. I seek someone.", the ram said, his voice deep, but soft.

"And who might that be, mister...?", Folgren asked, hoping the answer wouldn't be either of his identities.

"You may call me Pretten.", the ram said. "I seek one called Roviden. Female. Canine. I believe she currently resides in your employ.", he said without a shift in tone.

Folgren stifled a sigh, both in relief and rising tension. He didn't exactly like Roviden. She was unhinged and eager for blood on the best of days. And chances were she would've gotten herself killed one day without his help. But that hardly made him feel content divulging information to one who would wish to end her life. Yet withholding meant he was putting his own neck on the line.

"Do you know where she is?", Pretten asked, the moment's silence apparently not to his satisfaction.

"At the moment? No.", Folgren said. "What do you want of her?", he asked, trying his best to sound disinterested in the matter.

"A song awaits to be sung.", the ram said, his voice no more emotive than speaking of the weather. Folgren contemplated his response for a while.

"You do understand killing is somewhat frowned upon here, right?", Folg asked, hoping for a more direct explanation of intent.

"I do.", Pretten said with a vacant stare.

"And yet you intend to kill her?", Folgren asked, deciding to be more direct. The ram said nothing to this, simply stared. "So who hired you for this?", Folg asked on, hoping to get some answers that could possibly help him deter the sword song.

"That is not for me to divulge.", the ram said. The curt answers were making Folgren grow increasingly irritated.

"Well, don't know where she is, and we don't really maintain a particularly regular schedule.", Folgren said. "She's definitely somewhere within the city, though. Perhaps the Eastern quarter.", he added, trying to sound helpful in the vaguest way possible.

"I see.", the ram said, his face betraying a glimmer of thought behind the otherwise blank expression. "Then I shall await her within this building.", he said.

"Oh.", Folgren said, looking at him questioningly. "You mean here? In my office?", he asked, hoping he meant something else. The ram said nothing and simply closed his eyes, returning to the state Folg had found him in. "Well, I'll be sure to mention you were looking for her if I run into her.", Folgren said and got up from his chair.

"Please do. And send her my way.", Pretten said.

As he stepped out of his office, he decided he would use it sparingly until the caprine grew bored of waiting or managed to resolve his issues. The impression he left upon Folgren, however, was that of a naïve imbecile.

***

"So what of the sword song?", Nilith asked, seeing Folgren come through the card room. She was the only one there for the moment, shuffling cards and arranging them upon the table in patterns meaningless to Folg.

"Has issues to resolve with Roviden, apparently.", Folgren said.

"What are you going to do?", Nilith asked. "Not gonna-?", she began to ask on, but Folg stepped in and palmed her mouth, much to her surprise.

"You do not want to test his hearing.", Folgren whispered. Nilith raised a brow. "Just go about our day, no gossip of this.", he added.

"Well, what do we tell Roviden if she comes by?", Nil asked.

"That there's a fucking sword song waiting for her in my office.", Folgren said, still in whisper.

"And what do you think she'll do?", Nil asked, pausing in her card shuffling.

"I don't know. If anyone knew what ran through her head this whole situation likely wouldn't be happening.", Folgren said in annoyance. "Whatever she decides, all we can do is stay out of it.", he said.

"Not really up to her if he decides to go looking. And it'll be our problem if he grows impatient and decides we're hiding something.", Nilith said with the mildest concern in her voice.

"Well, we're not hiding anything.", Folgren said, quite audibly, then leaned in again. "And I don't exactly have much of an idea of how else to handle this.", he whispered in annoyance. "Or do you propose we throw Roviden in there with him?", Folg questioned in hiss.

"Doesn't sound like too bad an idea.", Nilith whispered back. Folgren rolled his eyes.

"Just give it time. If he starts to act aggravated or impatient, then we'll worry.", Folgren said. "Also, I think he's kind of thick.", he added.

"Already managed to bed him?", Nilith snickered. Folgren rolled his eyes.

"In the head.", Folg said.

"Didn't need to know which part of his prick you meant.", Nilith added, this time with just a sly grin.

"Ugh.", Folgren sighed. "Why do I get the feeling some of these rumours are your doing?", he asked, eyeing her with suspicion.

"Might've slipped during a card game, I admit. Although it was in jest.", Nilith assured, smiling with the faintest hint of guilt. "Way I heard it, you got spotted going to that brothel on your own.", she countered. Folg sighed and decided not to press the matter further.

"Just keep in mind that we might be able to talk this sword song into failing to ever meet her.", Folgren said in the most silent whisper he could muster.

"Alright. I'll just relay him to you. If anyone asks, I don't know anything.", Nilith said.

Folgren said nothing more and walked out, fearing he would otherwise lose his temper.

***

"Still here?", Folgren asked, finding the possum standing out in the slowly growing late afternoon chill.

"Was curious to learn of what he wants.", Aktin said.

"Well, he's after one of our own. Neither of us, but this is hardly good either.", Folgren said.

"Whom? And what do we do of this?", Aktin asked. Folgren spent a while in thought, figuring how best to explain Roviden's conduct. He quickly gave up however.

"Roviden. This dog bitch that's let her sword do the talking one too many times, apparently.", Folgren said plainly.

"Oh. So... the violent sort?", Aktin asked.

"The murderous sort.", Folgren said, looking none too happy.

"Uh... and a guard can do that?", Aktin asked on.

"Technically, if they're defending themselves... or there's no one left to say it may've been otherwise.", Folgren said.

"That sounds rather morbid. And vile.", Aktin said with distaste.

"I don't like it either. But everyone here takes some liberties with the law to keep the scum in check.", Folgren said.

"Still... we needn't actually intervene here, right?", Aktin asked, sounding oddly vindictive.

"You needn't. I'd rather not let a wandering psychopath gut one of my guards. Even if that guard is another psychopath.", Folgren said.

"I see.", Aktin conceded reluctantly.

"You're a decent runner, right?", Folgren asked.

"Uh, yes?", Aktin said uncertainly.

"I need you to try and find Roviden.", Folg said, the possum looking quite distraught already. "She's a white mutt, about your height, swept-back hair, has a longsword at her side. Armour mostly like yours, except with plate gauntlets and arm guards.", Folgren described.

"And where exactly do I seek her out?", Aktin asked, sounding rather concerned at being sent out into the darkening evening.

"She'll likely be wandering about the western quarter. At this time of day, likely at the Three Coin Tavern, chatting up mercenaries.", Folgren said.

"And if she's not there?", Aktin asked.

"Then ask around. If you can't find her by the second moon, give up and get to the high keep of the central quarter. The one with the spiky spires.", Folgren instructed.

"Well, alright.", Aktin said, moving to start his confusing journey through a city he yet did not know.

"I'd gladly swap places, but I'm afraid Tith would merely grow more irritated if I sent you to talk in my stead.", Folgren said, then turned towards places he'd rather avoid.

***

"Commander.", Folgren said as he entered the chamber, bringing the buck's attention towards himself.

"Captain.", Tith responded, looking out through an open window into the dimly lit cityscape. His "twin" lapine bodyguard-whores were sitting at a corner near the door, looking bored and chatting with one another.

"You called for me?", Folgren asked, hoping to quicken their talk.

"I did indeed.", Tith said, turning briefly towards the horse. "I've been informed the central quarter has recently been somewhat understaffed, if I understand correctly.", he said.

"Is that what this is about?", Folgren asked.

"Well, it is a rather pressing matter. The amber is what drives most of the trade in the city, and thus supplies our treasury with coin.", Tith calmly explained with a smile, his impression of Folgren being dim apparently left unchallenged all this time.

"I know. It's just not our territory.", Folgren said.

"It is our territory while the main forces are away.", Tith said.

"Nobles there tend not to see it that way.", Folg said.

"Then that must change.", Tith said. "I hear you've had dealings with some of the local zealotry there. Personally.", he added.

"I did indeed.", Folgren confirmed, wondering whether he would be praised or scolded for his handling of the situation.

"It was a good first step. Yet I feel we need undertake sterner measures.", Tith said plainly.

"Sterner?", Folgren asked, hoping for specifics.

"This city requires a firm hand, would you not agree, captain?", Tith asked, gesturing over the horizon.

"I couldn't say. That's for lord Cilis to decide, is it not?", Folgren asked, preferring not to state his opinions one way or the other.

"It is indeed. Yet were things left up to us, would you not change anything?", Tith asked.

"I'm... not sure.", Folgren said, considering his answers carefully. "I could certainly imagine certain things changing for the better. Less tolerant towards scum who abuse its leniency. But I came to this place not because it is like others. I believe in second chances.", he explained.

"I see.", Tith said, sounding rather morose.

"Still, not my place to decide. I just follow as you and lord Cilis command.", Folgren added, hoping Tith wouldn't seek cause to chastise him within this conversation.

"And do you truly never tire of dealing with the rabble of the lower quarters? The perpetual recidivists you can never get rid of?", Tith asked.

"It is frustrating at times.", Folgren said in understatement. "Yet I've grown used to it. It seems preferable to the alternatives other cities present.", he added. Tith nodded to himself, not even turning towards the horse.

"It is a pity you do not see the value of true order.", Tith said. "You should visit the amber quarter more often. It is a far cry from the dirt and wretchedness of the lower quarters.", he added.

"I prefer not to get in shit with the nobles. And the only way I'm doing that is steering clear of them.", Folgren said. Tith smirked at this.

"Understandable.", Tith said and finally turned towards Folgren, the gloom in his voice gone and hidden away behind his usual smile. "You may go now.", he said.

Folgren batted his chest with his fist and turned on the spot to leave, uncertain what to think of this conversation.

***

"Captain?", a voice called after Folgren from the side as he left the keep.

"Hm?", Folg turned to find a short female ferret with long hair that ended in a bow between her shoulder blades, standing in wait, looking at him from over her nose despite her obvious disadvantage in height. A noble, he surmised. The rather regal tunic and pants added to that impression.

"It has come to my attention that you hold my kin in custody.", she said.

"And who are you?", Folgren asked, mildly hopeful she would take it as an insult and leave. Her face certainly indicated she was none too pleased to remain unrecognised.

"I am Pillith of house Fosium.", she said, seeking a spark of recognition in his eyes. Yet still found none. "The arms trade. Fosium arms.", she added, heavily sounding out each word in apparently rising annoyance.

"Can't say I patronize arms dealers much.", Folgren said plainly.

"You're a guardsman. Captain of the guard.", Pillith remarked as if she'd pointed out some kind of error in logic.

"I am indeed. And you're a runt.", Folgren countered with his own observation.

"Gods under.", she cussed, her immediate intent apparently to explain something, but she clearly withheld her tongue and decided against it. "Your superior will hear of this.", she simply hissed, and turned towards the door behind Folgren.

Folgren shrugged and moved a ways away, hoping to avoid further disturbances as he awaited the possum's return.

***

A fair two hours he'd spent just standing there at the side of the plaza in the rapidly cooling night. It wasn't unpleasant after the heat of the day, yet he still kept in mind that he could've been elsewhere at that moment. A brothel, to be specific.

The fuming ferret had left the building after about an hour, and judging by the look she gave Folgren, her attempt to get him laid off hadn't gone as expected. Otherwise it seemed only guards came and went in and out of the keep. A surprisingly high number of them, considering Folgren himself hadn't particularly insisted they come to the amber quarter. Apparently most didn't share his distaste for the high quarter nobility, and managed to keep out of trouble with them. Perhaps his past coloured his view of things, he figured.

"Captain!", he heard from the side. There came the possum, with the mutt bitch in tow, looking none too pleased to be pulled away from her idea of time off.

"What's this about a sword song?", Roviden called out.

"You might not want to proclaim that aloud.", Folgren called back, moving towards them to hasten diminishing their distance.

"This runt says there's a sword song at the station. And that he's after me?", Roviden said as they finally neared enough to talk in normal tone.

"It's true.", Folgren said. Roviden looked worried, although a lot more mildly than Folg would've been had he been the person of interest.

"Gods under.", she cussed, briefly showing signs of a normal personality. "Thought this was some dumb joke you put the new guy up to.", she said.

"I wouldn't risk his well-being on a joke.", Folg noted. Aktin eyed each of them questioningly.

"You wouldn't. Can't speak for the others, though. They've done some dumb shit before.", Roviden said, crossing her arms. "So what now?", she asked impatiently, before Folgren could even think to inquire what she meant.

"Well, I told him I would tell you he awaits and no more, so I needn't actually help him. At least I don't think so.", Folgren said uncertainly.

"So I just avoid the station till he leaves?", Roviden asked.

"Or dies of starvation. I'm not sure he's thought things through to that extent.", Folgren said.

"Well, fine by me.", Roviden shrugged.

"Just remember to turn tail in case you see a ram donned in chain.", Folgren noted.

"Don't think I'll just run into him.", Roviden said.

"He could go looking for you, and then he might ask random passers by for directions.", Folg noted.

"Right. I'll just keep moving and try to stay out of sight.", Roviden said, sounding somewhat distraught but still largely unworried.

"You do not seem particularly threatened by this.", Folgren noted.

"What, do you expect me to start crying and whimpering?", Roviden asked with a raised brow.

"Just hope you're not considering going up against a sword song.", Folgren said, eyeing her concernedly.

"Course not.", she smirked. "Even if I had your balls, I wouldn't be stupid enough to try it.", she said.

"Well, that's good, I suppose.", Folgren said, raising a brow at the odd image brought to his mind. "So no killing for now?", he asked on, hoping that was understood already.

"Oh, come on. Not this again.", she protested with a grimace.

"Getting covered in blood tends to bring attention.", Folgren noted.

"Sounds like yet another excuse to berate me.", Roviden said.

"It's not like you're doing me any favours picking fights and killing everyone.", Folgren said.

"Oh? So keeping the gangs docile doesn't help anyone?", Roviden asked accusingly.

"It does. It does.", Folgren admitted with a sigh. "But then I have to feign ignorance in front of Tith and lord Cilis.", he countered, crossing his arms. "And right now I need you to lay low.", he added.

"Fine.", Roviden complied in disappointment. "Though it would be nice if you took your own advice.", she added bitterly.

"Pardon?", Folg asked, raising a brow.

"Well, you seem pretty good at provoking scum to fight you.", Roviden said. "And you did end up killing two in that scrap a year ago.", she added.

"Wh- what?", Folgren asked, his confusion more than apparent.

"What what? You didn't even notice?", Roviden asked, brow raised as high as possible.

"I didn't.", Folgren said, shocked to have learned this only now. "Nobody told me anything.", he added.

"Well, a mace to the ram's throat and back of the cow's head tends to do that.", Roviden said. "Can't say I'm sorry for the bastards.", she added with some uncertainty, gauging Folgren's reaction.

"Right...", Folgren said in stupor, temporarily lost in thought.

"So. We done here?", Roviden asked, now looking annoyed again. Folgren nodded, to which she gave an off-hand wave and marched off into the night.

"Uh, captain?", Aktin asked after a while.

"You can go home for today.", Folg said, and began to walk back towards the Southern quarter.

"Where are you going?", Aktin asked.

"Home. Sleep.", Folg said.

"Uh, do you mind if I come with?", Aktin asked.

"Pardon?", Folgren asked, momentarily turning towards the possum with a questioning look.

"Well, I don't really want to go back to the station, then back to the inn. Even more so I don't want to go to the inn dressed as a guardsman.", Aktin explained.

"Just go to the barrack, then.", Folgren said.

"I... had a look at it. It used to be a brothel.", Aktin said.

"So? What's wrong with brothels?", Folgren asked.

"The ones that became abandoned? Likely a lot.", Aktin said. "Besides, this way you could train me first thing in the morning.", he suggested.

"Uh, fine.", Folgren conceded, much to Aktin's subtle but apparent cheer. At the very least, this wouldn't go any worse than his first night with Kohten. But that may've been because his thoughts were clouded by other matters.

***

Folgren stood in a dark shed. It was rickety and dirty, an assortment of semi-rusty farming implements lining its shelves. Yet it felt rather spacious. Streaks of moonlight bled in through cracks in the withering wood of its walls. One particularly long streak of light, he realized, ended in red.

He walked along the streak for what seemed like an inordinately long while to find a steadily widening pool of wine-like liquid, at its centre a familiar equine figure. Covered in the same red as her surroundings, the regally-dressed mare of indistinct features laid upon the ground on her back, gurgling and choking upon blood oozing from her mouth and two puncture holes in her neck.

Folgren stood there in a stupor, observing the gruesome scene without emotion. It felt like hours passed, yet the mare never seemed to expire, continuing to weakly writhe and wheeze while the puddle of blood steadily widened, forcing Folgren to occasionally take an awkward step away.

Eventually Folg realized he saw something else out of the corner of his eye. He slowly turned towards the figure, fearing to face what he knew was there. Standing there was a stallion from long ago, the green of his eyes dim and lifeless. As soon as Folgren placed his gaze upon him, the stallion opened his mouth to speak, yet sound did not come. He paused for a moment, then resumed, trying to mouth words his throat wouldn't permit. Folgren then noticed a gross indentation at the front of the horse's neck.

Folgren's unease grew as he realized he was hearing sounds of footsteps outside, uncountable in number and seemingly nearing. The other stallion then began to cough and sputter, seemingly trying to force sound out of his mouth, yet managing only to emit the most aberrant of noises. As he eventually began to retch and dry-heave, Folgren realized he'd been holding a rapier all this time, its tip bloodied and still dripping.

Fearing the oncoming footsteps, Folgren planted the pointed blade through the underside of the stallion's jaw and into his skull, giving an end to his agony as he collapsed in a disordered heap. Folgren then realized the mare had ceased to move as well. For a moment he felt a mild sense of ease. Yet the countless oncoming footsteps still grew ever more audible, until they became deafening.

He turned behind himself as he realized the door to the shed was now being pounded upon in utter cacophony. Bells echoed from farther away, but were drowned out by the beating of wood surrounding him. He stood in utter stillness, staring blankly at the freshly bloodied sword in his hand as the angry shadows danced along the cracks in the walls.

***

He woke with a start, his heart feeling like it was trying to flee his breast. It took him a while to so much as reassert where he was, the dream logic still clouding his mind with worries and fears he slowly realized held no meaning. He sat up in his bed, the linens covering only as far as his underbelly, when a banging on his door made him realize not everything from his dream hadn't been real.

"Enter.", he called out groggily, running a hand over his eyes. The door swung open, revealing Aktin, already dressed and eager-looking.

"Captain, didn't you hear the morning bell?", Aktin asked.

"I... not really.", Folgren said, wanting to rise, but realizing that'd uncover a confusing semi-erection between his legs.

"How do you wake in the mornings, then?", Aktin asked.

"I used to have a clock with a bell.", Folgren said. "It broke.", he added, omitting that its demise had actually been the result of his temper after a particularly long night.

"So how do you wake now?", Aktin asked on.

"If I get to sleep early enough, I just do. If I don't, I don't.", Folgren said with disinterest.

"Uh, alright.", Aktin conceded while Folgren was busy yawning. "So do we train now?", he asked, looking hopeful. Folgren almost wanted to say 'Alright, hop in!', but figured his reputation was already tarnished enough without overt advances towards his male subordinates. Even if they would be sarcastic.

"Let me get dressed.", Folgren said, having decided he didn't want to show off the half-mast he was currently sporting under the sheets.

"Oh, right.", Aktin stammered and closed the door behind him.

Folgren took the moment of silence to close his eyes and refocus, the dream he'd experienced in similar form for many nights years ago already a fading memory. He knew all too well what had brought it on again. Although this time it irritated him more than anything. This was not a regret he felt was warranted, and not one he intended to dwell upon.

***

"Alright, show me how you fight. Spare no force this time.", Folgren said, standing in a relaxed stance in front of the uncertain-looking possum. They were both wearing their uniforms, save for the parts more decorative, Folgren preferring that they not sully the more representative fragments of clothing.

"Uh, alright.", the possum said and assumed something of a fighting stance.

"Legs. Arms.", Folgren immediately said in mild irritation, the lesson of yesterday apparently already forgotten. The possum quickly realized what he meant, however, and corrected his stance, bending his legs and lifting a guard over his head.

"Like this?", Aktin asked.

"It'll do.", Folgren said. "Now attack.", he instructed, assuming a sidewards stance himself.

"Very well.", the possum complied and prepared, lowering his stance before launching himself at the horse with a low sidewards kick.

Folgren merely turned slightly to the side and caught the attack with his thigh. Aktinius followed up with a straight right, only for his strike to get dodged and caught between Folg's fore and upper arm. The horse quickly used his free hand to create an armlock and pulled the possum down to the floor, twisting his arm back.

"Agh! Ow!", Aktin protested as his arm was painful wrenched in the wrong direction. Folgren soon let go and got up.

"You try to hit hard all the time. Try lighter, quicker attacks. If someone like me grabs you, you've already lost.", Folgren said, waiting for the possum to rise back up again.

"That won't hurt someone your size, though, will it?", Aktin asked as he picked himself off the floor.

"Depends where you hit.", Folgren noted. "And most people you face won't be my size.", he added. "Now, again.", Folgren said, extending his arm in a beckoning motion.

Aktin once again leapt at the horse, now attempting to land a series of quick punches. Folgren now had to actually move around and block his strikes, finding little chance to grab the offending limb. The possum was quick, he had to admit that much. He did, however, decide to up the challenge for the possum and throw a punch from the side. Aktinius faltered and stumbled away in surprise, managing to avoid contact, but in just about the least effective way possible.

"Woah!", Aktinius exclaimed. "Don't think I'm ready to take a hit from you.", he added.

"You took a hit that bloodied your nose yesterday.", Folgren noted.

"Wasn't planning on it.", Aktin said.

"Not gonna learn how to fight if you can't defend.", Folgren said.

"Uh, alright. Just go easy on me.", Aktin said with some reservation.

Folgren went in with a side-kick, which the possum blocked with some effort, struggling to maintain his footing. Folg then followed up with a hook, hoping he was going slow enough for Aktin to actually fight back. To his relief, the possum ducked the blow and countered, rising up with a hard uppercut. The horse barely dodged it, Aktin's fist raking across the side of his muzzle, but reacted himself, grabbing the possum by the shoulder and kneeing him hard between the legs. Aktin stumbled back in shock, clutching his groin but remaining standing, albeit on crooked legs.

"H-hey!", Aktin protested.

"What? Can't just get reckless like that and expect nothing in return.", Folgren said.

"That was a low blow!", Aktin added, looking rather cross.

"It's the kind of blow scum on the streets like to use.", Folgren said. "Best learn how to avoid it now than during a scuffle with them.", he added. "Besides, you were wearing protection. Right?", he asked, looking curiously over the shivering possum.

"Still hurts.", Aktin said, looking bitter.

"Imagine how much it'd hurt if you weren't wearing that.", Folgren said.

"Right. I can imagine.", Aktin said, sounding unamused as he finally straightened out.

"How about we finish for today and go get clean?", Folgren suggested, feeling tempers were overflowing. Perhaps his own temper was what lead to the overly harsh counter-attack.

"Very well.", Aktinius complied, still visibly cross.

***

By the time they'd reached the baths, Aktin's temper had cooled, and gave way to something more akin to visible worry.

"Couldn't we try one of the better baths?", Aktin asked as they entered the establishment.

"This is one of the better baths in the lower quarter.", Folgren said, handing the clerk a pair of coins.

"This is a public baths. Very public.", Aktin protested, even as he followed Folg into the changing rooms.

"It is. And it's cheaper that way.", Folgren said.

"It's also a lot of naked people to be around.", Aktin said, looking troubled as Folgren ignored his pleas and began to undress, starting with his cloak.

"You fear for your modesty like a girl. And complain like one, too.", Folgren said, a sense of irritation coming over him.

"I'm just not comfortable getting naked around others... also naked.", Aktin said.

"Then let me make this easier. Strip. That's an order.", Folgren ordered. Aktin stared at him for a while, then began to comply with some inaudible grumbling. "Just keep your mind on getting clean and pay no mind to those around.", Folgren said, his garments eventually coming loose in their entirety.

"Easy for you to say.", Aktin murmured as he struggled to pull his shirt off.

"Pardon?", Folgren asked, raising a brow.

"You're a horse. A tall and strong one.", Aktin said.

"So?", Folgren asked, crossing his arms.

"Not exactly much to be ashamed of.", Aktinius said. Folgren paused to wonder whether to protest, but decided to use a different argument.

"Nobody cares.", Folgren said plainly. "You're going to see better and much, much worse.", he said. As if to punctuate his point, a particularly wide cat walked in, one Folgren recognized as a butcher from one of the markets. "Quit dawdling and let's go.", he added.

"Fine.", Aktinius groaned and pulled the last of his garments off, re-revealing the parts Folgren had gotten a good look at yesterday. It was a good looking body, slender but toned, one that required Folgren's thoughts to drift elsewhere, lest he permit his manhood to betray his likings. Perhaps he should've been the one to fear this joint trip. Especially since he'd been unable to handle his needs the night before.

As they walked into the bathing area, Folg hurried his step, wanting to enter the pool as soon as possible. Its cool waters would not only temper his lust, but would also help hide any potential rise in excitement. He nearly jumped in once he reached the edge, splashing water quite messily.

"Woah, slow down.", Aktinius said as he likewise neared the pool, awkwardly hiding his manhood in his hands while also peering around the sparsely populated chamber. While just as swiftly, Aktin slid into the chest-high pool quite gingerly, its waters seemingly barely taking notice of his entrance. "Gah! Cold!", Aktin exclaimed as he realized the chill he'd leapt into.

"It's fine.", Folgren answered dismissively. Normally he'd agree with the possum, but this day he preferred a climate less exciting. The way it was making his testicles shrink and cling to his pelvis, however, slowly realigned his opinion with his more usual disdain for the cold. None the less, Folg crouched down and dipped his head in for a couple seconds, if only to better acclimate himself.

"Uh, captain?", Aktin called with a wary voice. Folgren reared his head and wiped his eyes.

"Oh no.", Folg grumbled, looking up across the edge of the pool. There sat a grey female lynx, spiky mid-length hair, and currently nude, with only her legs submerged. Aktinius, on the other hand, was submerged up to his neck and transfixed on some tiles off to the side with a blush on his face.

"Morning, captain.", she said with a smile.

"Terith, this is the men's section.", Folgren said sternly.

"Is it, now?", Terith answered, smirking cockily.

"Why are you here?", Folg asked with a sigh, feeling he would get no useful answer.

"To get clean, of course.", she said.

"I stopped coming to the Crossroads bath house for a reason.", Folg said.

"Oh yes, it was quite filthy.", Terith said, her smile growing to a grin.

"I was hoping the dividing wall would keep you out.", Folgren said, now sounding quite determined.

"Wait, there's bath houses without division?", Aktin asked, wide-eyed.

"Don't get your hopes up. Most women who go there look like your gran.", Folgren said.

"I wasn't-", Aktin began, but gave up and sighed, returning to staring off to the side.

"Some look like me, though.", Terith interjected.

"Why do you keep doing this?", Folgren asked.

"I rather like troubling you.", Terith said. She did indeed seem to enjoy causing him grief, and as one of the few people who'd learned of his preferences for certain, as a result of some drunken stalking, she certainly had the means to do so. She never seemed to ask for anything in return for her silence, which only made Folgren more nervous since there was no guarantee she'd hold her tongue regardless of what he did.

"You're asking for trouble wandering in here.", Folgren remarked.

"Oh, I can handle myself. And Cirk's around here somewhere.", she said.

"Cirk?", Aktin asked.

"Her bodyguard.", Folgren said.

"My partner.", Terith corrected with a smirk. "And who's your companion?", she asked, looking at Aktin in a manner that made him shirk.

"A-Aktinius.", the possum stammered. "I'm the new guardsman.", he said.

"The new recruit.", Folg corrected.

"Call me Teri. Pleasure to meet you.", Terith said, now looking between the horse and possum in a way that suggested she sought something.

"No.", Folgren said before she could so much as imply something.

"Wh-what?", Aktin asked, clearly confused.

"I said nothing.", Terith giggled. "Although on the matter of companions, you would do well to keep a partner. Or some bodyguards like Tith does, since you are a captain.", she said.

"Aktin here's not exactly my weight category.", Folgren said.

"Big or not, it is good to have someone watching your back.", Terith countered.

"Considering Cirkun's nearly twice your height, you don't exactly have much experience with someone not big.", Folg noted.

"Then find yourself someone your size. Like Pahton.", Terith suggested.

"Pahton's not a very pleasant person to be around.", Folgren said.

"Neither are you.", Teri said with a light-hearted smile. Folgren rolled his eyes.

"You're one to talk.", Folgren grumbled.

"I'm not the foul-tempered one here.", Terith said. Folgren snorted in a way that merely confirmed her assessment. "So do you take all the recruits to the baths?", she asked, returning her attention towards Aktin.

"Oh, he's training me.", Aktinius said.

"In sword handling?", Terith asked.

"Terith.", Folgren said sternly, much to Aktin's added confusion.

"Sorry.", Terith said.

"This isn't about the rumours, is it?", Aktin asked. Terith smirked.

"You don't normally train recruits, do you?", Terith asked, ignoring the possum's inquiry.

"I do not. But this one's a hard worker.", Folgren said. "Got battered twice yesterday.", he added, to which Aktin blushed in humility.

"Well, may as well keep him around with you.", Terith suggested. Folgren shrugged, figuring it wasn't too bad an idea. At the very least he'd be able to keep the possum out of trouble. "Now, then.", she began and slid into the pool. "Want me to help wash your back?", she asked.

Folgren narrowed his eyes, then turned and climbed out of the pool without a word.

"Uh, captain?", Aktin called after him, now covering himself uncertainly. Folg didn't look back to find what happened next, but his prolonged absence in the changing room suggested Terith had managed to persuade Aktinius to stay. Folgren left without the possum.

***

Folgren arrived at the station to find yet another displeasure of the day - a noblewoman ferret, looking as though she was waiting for him with some impatience. With a sigh he approached, tempers rising at her very presence.

"I demand you release my kin.", she said, arms on her hips in a defiant stance.

"Pardon?", Folgren asked, looking down at the ferret in disinterest. He was struggling to try and remember her name.

"Do not feign ignorance. We've spoken yesterday.", she insisted.

"I've received no orders to release anyone.", Folgren said plainly.

"I do not care.", she said adamantly, suddenly reminding Folgren a lot of the kin in question. "Release him, else expect grief in your future.", she added.

"Get out of my way, else experience grief right now.", Folgren countered, slowly getting angry.

"You over-estimate your value to this city.", she scoffed.

"I believe you over-estimate my concern for such things.", Folg said in turn.

"What do you think will happen if I take this to the high lord of the city?", she asked, apparently racing Folgren to grow more angry than he already was.

"Same thing as yesterday? Nothing?", Folgren asked mockingly.

"And what if I tell him you struck me? What if I say-", she began, but was abruptly halted when Folgren backhanded her in the face with a resounding smack. She stumbled out of the way and onto her knees in shock, blood flowing freely from a split lip.

"Then let us find out.", Folgren growled with murder in his eyes, then went ahead into the station. The ferret managed to say nothing in response.

***

"Morning, captain.", Mikis said, busy playing cards with his 2 companions as usual.

"Morning.", Folg grumbled back.

"You look foul of mood.", Mik noted.

"Don't even start.", Folgren said. "First I get accosted by Terith, then some noble bitch starts demanding I grovel and release her cunt-worshipping kin.", he iterated.

"Doesn't sound too bad.", Mik said half-heartedly.

"It's not even noon yet.", Folgren countered, his tone quite serious. "Oh, gods under, and there in my office, with the lute.", he added, hushing his voice near the end to make sure his guest didn't hear.

"I think it's a mandolin, actually.", the bull among Mikis' entourage, Ignak, interjected.

"That's somewhat irrelevant.", Folg said in disdain.

"Well, that's hardly a pressing matter, it seems.", Mik said.

"Sure, as long as he's content just sitting there. What do you think he'll do once his physiology catches up with him?", Folgren asked.

"I dunno, leave for a moment? We've seen him go in and out twice yesterday.", Mik said.

"...oh. You have?", Folg said, feeling somewhat dumb for assuming the sword song would remain there perpetually till he died of hunger or a burst bladder. "Ugh, I need to sit down.", he concluded and moved towards his office.

"Hold on, there's someone in the cells asking for your attention.", Mik said.

"My attention?", Folgren questioned, raising a brow.

"Yes. Some mouse and her two rodent companions.", Mikis explained. "Got caught trying to borrow some steeds without pay last night.", he said.

"Gods under. Always with the rodents. I hate rodents.", Folgren complained, now turning to move towards the cells.

"Hey, my step-brother's a rodent.", complained one of Mik's companions, the black dog named Jasin.

"Thought you hate him.", Ig noted.

"I do. Family's family, though.", Jas explained.

"Fine. I hate all rodents besides your step-brother.", Folgren said.

"Fair enough.", Jas said with a shrug. "Thought you hated thieves, though.", he added, to which the other two chortled. Folgren said no more.

***

"Alright, what's your excuse?", Folgren said as he walked up to the prison cell where the 3 rodents were locked up. He was desperately trying to ignore the reek coming from the crowded cell holding the feline gang. And that they'd apparently started to turn on one another and now some of them showed signs of abuse.

"When will you release us?", the zealous ferret demanded from a nearby cell.

"Two days.", Folgren barked back at him.

"What? You can't do that!", the ferret shouted angrily.

"You're right. I wanted to get rid of you sooner, but rules say you stay here for at least five days.", Folgren said, feeling more annoyed than satisfied with the expression the ferret was now making.

"Whoreson! I am a priest of the holy mother of the world! A feeble manhood upon you!", the ferret cursed.

"Right. A week. Or you pay up for the statue.", Folgren said. At this point the ferret shut his mouth, realizing his protests would only make things worse for him and his fellow worshippers. "Now, then.", he turned back towards the rodents in the cell. "What is your grievance?", Folgren asked.

"Please, good sir. You must release us.", a small white female mouse pleaded. Her hair was long and tied in a bow near the end, draped over a white silken robe.

"And why would I?", Folgren said with a raised brow.

"My name is Lithin, I am a faithful of Tavat. These are my guardians, Othil and Rifftin. We are on a mission most sacred. The very fate of the world hangs in the balance!", she said at a pace so fast Folgren could barely comprehend what she said.

"Gods under.", Folgren cussed in disdain, trying to quickly think of how to handle yet another deluded religious zealot.

"Yes, this is a matter most grievous. We cannot afford to lose time in these cells.", Lithin said. Folgren took a moment to look back at the mouse's two companions, a rat and another mouse, both rudimentarily armoured. They looked to have little hope of the mouse's efforts actually bringing them freedom, and mostly just glanced between themselves in a downtrodden manner.

"So what is this great misfortune that awaits the world if you remain here?", Folgren asked, deciding he may as well humour the group of pilgrims for a while. It was more pleasant a prospect than returning to his office and facing the sword song in awkward silence.

"Upheaval. Riots and anarchy. The very antithesis of sacred order.", Lithin said.

"Just like that? People will spontaneously go crazy?", Folgren asked, raising a brow.

"That is all I know. The visions I've been granted by our lord have given us only so much. Yet it must suffice.", the mouse said with renewed vigour.

"Right. And when is this calamity supposed to happen?", Folg asked.

"I cannot know for certain. But it is likely to take place within a year in the canine kingdoms.", Lithin said.

"That sounds like lots of time.", Folgren said with a shrug.

"We do not know when it'll happen. We must immediately make our way for the capitol and prevent it!", the mouse urged.

"I hardly think the couple days for attempted steed theft will bring about the end of the world.", Folg said.

"Please! This is important!", she pleaded once more.

"If I believed excuses like these, this prison would be pretty empty.", Folgren said and turned to leave.

"This is not an excuse. I speak truth!", Lithin called after him.

"I have no doubt you believe that.", Folgren said, no longer caring if she even heard him.

***

"Well, that was a waste of time.", Folgren grumbled as he stomped back into the card room.

"Oh? Didn't believe the holy lady?", Mik asked with a mild grin, currently holding up a set of cards and carelessly throwing one onto a pile between the 3 players.

"I've had enough zealous lunatics to deal with for the week.", Folgren said.

"Do you count your guest as one of those?", Mik asked.

"Gods under.", Folgren said, palming his temple in disdain at the very reminder. He then realized he heard something coming from his office. The sounds of plucked strings, forming something that vaguely seemed to sound of melody. "Is that him?", Folgren asked, trying to listen in.

"Oh yes. He does that from time to time.", Mik said. "Doesn't sound too bad, actually.", he added.

"Stories I've heard suggested it'd be otherwise.", Folg noted.

"Well, stories are stories, Folg. Would think you'd know better than most.", Mik said with a shrug. Folg wasn't sure which stories Mik was referring to exactly, though knowing the wolf, he was alluding to rumours less favourable.

"I'm still not too eager to go in there.", Folgren said. "No other news?", he asked hopefully.

"No. Nothing new.", Mikis said.

"Guess there's no alternative, then.", Folgren said with a sigh.

"Not unless you just walk out.", Mik noted.

"Might get suspicious if I stop visiting my own office.", Folgren said after a moment of wishful thinking.

"Well, if entering your office is a must, then I suppose there's no avoiding it.", Mik said with a roll of his eyes and went back to focusing on his cards.

Folgren sighed and moved towards his office.

***

As he entered, the sword song momentarily paused his play, looking at the horse in anticipation. Pretten was sat kneeling with the mandolin upon his lap, a collection of pieces of bread and bottles of liquid scattered around him upon squares of linen.

"Morning.", Folgren said as he moved towards his desk.

"Good morning.", the blank-faced ram said without a hint of emotion. "Were you able to locate Roviden?", he asked, sounding somewhat hopeful.

"I was. And I've informed her you seek her company.", Folgren said and sat down heavily.

"Will she come here?", Pretten asked.

"I do not know.", Folgren said, desperately trying to sound sincere.

"I see.", Pretten said and turned to stare off into space.

Folgren paused for a minute to look and see if the ram would find something to say, then turned with a sigh towards his papers when he realized he might as well have been awaiting an answer from a brick wall. He then noticed something peculiar about his papers, in that there were no new documents for him to review or sign. Everything was the same as when he'd left it yesterday.

He sat for a while in utter silence, staring at his desk, and thinking of what to do now. The letter from Kithlen sat there yet unopened, yet he felt little desire to take the time to read through it and then try answering somehow. For a while, all he could do was stare at the letter and contemplate a reason to leave his office.

Folgren nearly jumped when the first note rang out from the sword song's mandolin, the following melody somewhat discordant, yet consistently morose. Folg almost wanted to ask some details about the song, if only to pass the time and perhaps break the awkwardness, yet was afraid it'd be seen as an affront to interrupt the ram's performance. Not to mention he could guess what the song was about. Yet another death at the hands of some sword song somewhere long ago. And death was hardly a subject he wanted to deal with, especially now.

As the song reached its final notes and died down, Folgren noticed he'd begun to sweat. Quite profusely. The ram's presence was unnerving, and though Folg had said nothing untrue to him thus far, he felt as though the caprine might suspect otherwise. Slowly and uncertainly, he rose from his seat, then made his way back out of the office.

***

"Where's Nilith?", Folg asked.

"Uh, likely en route here by now. Why?", Mik asked.

"No reports in my office.", Folgren said.

"Oh, they're probably around here... somewhere.", Mik said, looking around the room in no particular direction.

"Gods under. I know it's a sword song in there, but she could at least come in and dump off the papers.", Folg complained.

"So you say. Does the sword song even know whom he's looking for?", Mik asked.

"Yes. Roviden. And Nil knows that too.", Folgren said.

"Maybe she was afraid the sword song might mistake her for Roviden?", Mik suggested.

"Rather hard to mistake an ewe for a mutt.", Folgren said.

"Well, either look around here or go back in and wait for her.", Mik said, sounding almost annoyed he was being distracted from his card game.

"I'm not going back in there.", Folgren said, hushing his tone.

"Oh? Are you a mutt now?", Mik snickered, along with his companions.

"Gods under. I just don't exactly like the atmosphere in there.", Folgren said.

"So what are you going to do now?", Mikis asked.

"Go out on patrol, I guess.", Folg said with a shrug.

"Won't he get suspicious when people start avoiding your office?", Mik asked.

"I don't care.", Folg said plainly. "If you're so concerned, why don't you move your game into my office?", he suggested in turn.

"Prospect of him going berserk on us won't do good for morale.", Mik said with a raised brow.

"Yes, with morale any lower, you might flee your card game.", Folgren said humourlessly.

"With morale any lower, you're gonna have to find a new errand boy.", Mik said, looking annoyed.

Just at that moment, the doors to the station opened, and Aktinius came in, looking somewhat meek.

"Uh, morning.", Aktin said towards the assembled card players.

"Morning.", Mik and his companions answered in disordered murmurs.

"We're leaving.", Folgren announced and moved out of the station.

"What?", Aktin asked in mild confusion.

"On patrol.", Folgren clarified.

"Hey! What about-... ah, fucking prick.", Mik grumbled as Folgren left without pause.

***

"So how was it?", Folgren asked as they strode through the mildly busy streets.

"How was what?", Aktin asked with a raised brow.

"Terith. I suspect she didn't delay you just to talk.", Folgren said.

"Uh. Well. It was mostly talk.", Aktin said, blushing profusely.

"Uh-huh. And what did the talk involve?", Folgren asked.

"You, actually.", Aktin said.

"Me?", Folgren asked. "Odd subject for pillow talk.", he said, to which the possum's face only grew more red.

"She seemed to assume I know you better than I do.", Aktin said, trying to ignore Folg's comment.

"Meaning?", Folgren asked curiously.

"Just asked details I couldn't possibly know. Before I told her it was my second day, that is.", Aktin said.

"What sorts of details?", Folg asked, his curiosity yet unsated.

"Well, what routes you travel, whom you regularly speak to, where you eat. Those sorts of things.", Aktinius said.

"Huh. Odd.", Folgren said. "Though she has been somewhat of a stalker.", he noted.

"Oh? Think she has a thing for you?", Aktin asked with a raised brow.

"She has a thing for just about any man with a prick and stones.", Folgren said.

"Oh.", Aktin said, momentarily lost in thought.

"No idea why she sets eyes on me, though.", Folg added.

"Do you... do you not have stones?", Aktin asked uncertainly, yet earnestly.

"What? No! I mean, I do.", Folgren assured clumsily.

"Then doesn't that mean you qualify?", Aktinius asked.

"Speaking of stones, what did she do to you?", Folgren asked, hoping to diverge the subject off of himself. Judging by how Aktin jumped and turned red at the mere query, it worked.

"I'd rather not say.", Aktinius said.

"Most men would brag about getting it.", Folgren said.

"It's a matter I'd rather keep private.", Aktin said.

"You really are a girl.", Folgren goaded with a smirk.

"Wh-...", Aktin stuttered, suddenly looking quite cross. "Fine. She took my member in her mouth.", he said with a glaring blush.

"That's all?", Folg asked, sounding almost disappointed.

"Well, I... I finished rather quickly.", Aktinius said in shame.

"First time?", Folg asked.

"Yes.", Aktin said.

"Then no shame in that.", Folgren said with a shrug.

"It was rather confusing.", Aktin said, thinking back to the moment. "She didn't seem to mind. Apparently found it rather... entertaining.", he said, sounding rather confused.

"Right.", Folgren said briskly, deciding he didn't want to hear what came next, if anything.

"She didn't even want anything in return.", Aktin said.

"Hm? Oh, right. Well, it's Terith. She likely found someone else for that.", Folgren said without humour.

"Has she ever done it with you?", Aktinius asked.

"No.", Folgren said plainly.

"Why not?", Aktin asked.

"I prefer my whores clean.", Folgren said half-heartedly. It was true to some extent, even if he was dodging the question.

"Oh.", Aktin simply said, looking slightly aghast.

"If it starts itching, I suggest seeking ointment from the alchemist in the Northern market.", Folgren suggested.

"I'll keep that in mind.", Aktinius murmured, sounding somewhat concerned.

***

Folgren re-entered the station many hours later, in the late afternoon. Nilith was there, handling a deck of cards, as she tended to these days. Otherwise the station was largely deserted.

"Captain.", Nilith murmured in greeting as he neared.

"Nil.", Folg answered and collapsed into a chair opposite the ewe. "Couldn't find any reports on my desk this morning.", he said.

"Well, didn't really want to go in there with the sword humper there.", Nil said, looking concernedly at the door to Folgren's office. "It's in the readery. Third cabinet from the door, second shelf from the top.", she added, waving a hand towards a neighbouring room.

"Right. Warn me next time where you intend to put them.", Folg said.

"Not like you're eager to read through them.", Nilith noted.

"Well, it's the start of the month, and I could use some news to get a sense of what I should be doing.", Folgren said. "Though you're somewhat right. I don't really want to be in my office right now.", he conceded.

"No telling how long this'll last, huh?", Nil asked.

"No.", Folg said plainly, feeling he would get no helpful advice on the matter. For a while he just sat there, staring as Nilth tossed and placed cards around the table. "You've been spending some time with those cards.", he noted.

"Guess so.", Nil said.

"Not neglecting your work, are you?", Folg asked.

"Not really. Now you handle some of the more futile pursuits like asking guardsmen to behave, so I just handle some papers from time to time.", Nil said. "Otherwise my butt's glued to the station from when Mik and his crew leave until Olkh and Sovin come in.", she added.

"Sounds a pleasantly boring job.", Folgren said humourlessly.

"I'm not complaining.", Nil said, now reshuffling her deck of cards.

"Why the growing fascination with cards?", Folg asked.

"Do I need a reason?", Nil asked. "Helps to have something to do with Mik's group.", she said. "And I've grown to like it.", she added as she began to distribute the cards across the table.

"So you like Mik?", Folgren asked.

"Well, not in that way, but yeah. His bunch is relatively pleasant to talk to, considering the alternatives.", Nil said. "They know when not to be nosy for one thing. Why the sudden interest?", she asked, realizing it was somewhat out of place for the horse.

"I don't know.", Folgren said, thinking back to why he asked in the first place. "I guess it's the missing report and seeing you at the cards every moment of the day.", he said, still pondering if that was actually his reasoning.

"As I said, report was lying around elsewhere, and there's not much else to do.", Nil said with a shrug. "Have all the forms I need till next year. And it doesn't take more than an hour to fill them out for the day.", she said.

"If you say so.", Folgren conceded and lifted himself back off his chair. "Now, I've got places to revisit before I get to sleep.", he said.

"Off to the usual?", Nilith asked with a smirk.

"Yeah.", Folgren admitted begrudgingly.

"Oh, by the way. The rat worshippers are out.", Nil said.

"Huh. Well, that's a problem for another day.", Folgren said and continued on his way.

***

Folgren closed his eyes and dove in between the nude ram's legs, extending his tongue and starting to gently lap at his soft, saggy testicles. He was awarded with mild shivers and squirms in natural response to the sudden intrusion on parts most delicate. A cursory glance towards the caprine whore's face suggested he quite enjoyed the attention, however.

Folg readjusted his kneeling position in front of the bed, making sure his own exposed cock and balls would find comfort, and leaned back in, giving testing licks at the bottom of Tovin's sac. Occasionally he gave the ram's inner thigh a subtle scratch, entertaining himself with how it made one of the caprine's gonads involuntarily retract upwards.

"You're in a teasing mood today.", Tovin said with a smile.

"You seem to be enjoying it.", Folgren said.

"Not complaining.", Tovin said and began to stroke Folg's mane, to which the horse responded with a lick at the ram's still flaccid tip. "Just you're usually in a more dominant mood.", the ram added.

"Am I?", Folg asked as he lifted his head briefly.

"Well, ever since you've become captain anyway.", Tovin said. "Not trying to assert authority today, hm?", the ram asked with a giggle. Folgren simply rolled his eyes and took the sheep's gonads in his maw. "Sorry.", Tovin added with a guilty smile.

As they returned to silence and focused on their respective tasks, Folgren began to hear something outside their room. Voices, loud and muffled. He reasserted his efforts, desperately trying to ignore the steadily growing noise. It was likely some drunken trouble-makers quarrelling with the staff, and he wasn't about to jeopardize the first visit he'd had in over a week over some commotion.

Just as his efforts began to bring the sheep to semi-hardness, Folgren heard the door swing open behind him, followed by angry shouting.

"Fucking-...! Oh. Oh shit.", he heard a familiar female voice say. Barely able to keep himself from closing his jaw in shock, he released Tovin's gonads from his maw and looked behind himself, only to find a number of guardsmen before him, most notably Mikis, Roviden, Nilith, Pahton and Aktinius, with Yirvin's spotted cheetah face at the helm. He was wearing his usual armour, not unlike the kind Folgren would've been wearing were he not naked, albeit decorated with linings of silver that'd almost suggest he was of higher stature than Folg. His brow was furrowed in a determined sort of disdain, bringing the two scars on the right of his forehead into view from under his short, side-swept hair.

"Captain, you are hereby under-", Yirvin began, yet couldn't finish a sentence before Nilith resumed her tirade. Meanwhile, save for Pahton, the rest of those gathered were looking at their captain with something between shock and fascination.

"Fucking told you to wait!", Nilith shouted.

"For the last time, commander's orders-", Yirvin tried again.

"Commander's orders can wait!", Nilith said vehemently.

Meanwhile Folgren remained frozen in place, looking back and debating whether he should get up and do something despite the clear erection between his legs or if he should wait for it to die down. The latter plan was proceeding by itself quite swiftly. Tovin, on the other hand, had decided to slowly back away onto the bed and pull some covers between himself and the brewing trouble.

"Yirvin, you're being a prick.", Roviden called out, briefly pulling her attention away from their kneeling captain.

"Commander's orders! Orders you should obey!", Yirvin continued to call out, starting to sound exasperated with the resistance he was facing.

With a sigh, Folgren rose to his hooves and swiftly walked towards the cheetah, trying to downplay the fact his members was currently pointing in the general direction of where he was going.

"Leave.", Folgren said sternly as he found himself right in front of the cheetah, the distance between them barely enough to house his hard-on.

"Commander said-", Yirvin began again.

"Fuck I care right now, get out!", Folg said with rising choler as he grabbed at Yirvin's collar. "Get out before I-", he began. What happened next was quite unexpected. "Agh!", Folgren cried out as he realized the cheetah had just kneed him hard in his naked groin. He released the cheetah and stumbled backwards, landing his rear heavily on the bed. Doubled over in a pain unlike any he could recall, he cupped his sac and looked at the floor between his hooves, intermittently closing his eyes shut, barely aware of what was happening any more.

"Hey! I-", he heard Yirvin protest, followed by sounds of muffled impact, yelps and some tumbling.

"You alright, captain?", he heard Nilith ask. He didn't answer. The only thing on his mind for the moment was a horrifying ache radiating from his groin and into his gut that refused to stop growing. By the time he raised his head, all he could see was his somewhat concerned-looking subordinates standing over the unconscious forms of their three less subordinate counterparts.

"The fuck was that?", Folgren asked in irritation.

"Tith. Tith's taken over the keep.", Nilith said.

"What?", Folg asked in confusion.

"And he sent Yirvin here to arrest you.", Nilith explained.

"Me? Why? How do you even know all this?", Folg asked on.

"They tried to recruit the ferret there, but he told me instead.", Nilith said, pointing towards Aktinius, who barely seemed to take note of being mistaken for a ferret. "We gathered who we could find and came here to warn you. No idea why they decided you'd need arresting, though.", Nilith added.

"Gods under.", Folgren cussed.

"No time for chatting.", Roviden interjected impatiently. "We don't know how many are up to this. We need to leave.", she added.

"Mind if I get dressed first?", Folgren asked with some annoyance.

"No one's stopping you. Hurry it up.", Roviden said in a tone likewise annoyed.

Folg decided not to argue, and with a heavy sigh, began to gather up his things. At the very least he was relieved to pull the loincloth over his privates. "So what do you propose we do?", he asked as he pulled his pants and codpiece on, making sure his protection was well in place after it'd been so sorely absent moments earlier.

"Well, we were hoping you'd have an idea.", Nilith said.

"I-... I have no idea. I didn't even realize anything of the sort was happening.", Folg said, pausing briefly. "Let me think.", he said and continued dressing, pulling his tunic upon himself.

He truly had no idea, and his thoughts were currently muddled between having had his brothel visit abruptly cut short, and the fact that nearly half the people he knew had just seen confirmation of the rumours circling his person. The idea that Tith was carrying out a coup and now wanted him arrested seemed a strangely abstract thought.

"What happened to the high lord?", Folg asked as he strapped on his boots.

"The way they put it, he's apparently locked himself in some emergency room of the keep with his personal guard.", Aktin said.

"I'm guessing there's no chance of saving him?", Folgren suggested.

"No way. That's likely where they're thickest.", Roviden said.

"Right.", Folg said as he continued to dig through the remainder of his clothes.

"Uh. You will pay me for my time, right?", the timid-looking ram interjected from beyond his covers.

"Oh. Right.", Folgren realized and placed a fist full of coin upon the bed.

"You'd best run along out of here.", Nilith said.

Tovin nodded, took the coins and quickly walked out of the room, taking care to cover his parts from prying eyes.

"So. That was a man, right?", Aktin asked, looking.

"Not now.", Nilith hushed him.

Folgren sighed. This would make matters awkward. And it was distracting him from figuring out a course of action. Trying his hardest to focus, he began to look around the room. The bed gave no hints as to their next course of action, and neither did the armchairs, jugs, lanterns or candles arranged around the room. He looked over the three unconscious guardsmen, Yirvin in particular. Folgren really wanted to kick the prone cat between the legs so hard he'd fly back to the wretched hole Thelms had become.

Folg dwelled on the thought for a while, then realized something. He had good reason to do it. He crouched down and patted down the cheetah's crotch, making sure he wasn't wearing a codpiece.

"Wh-what are you doing?", Nilith asked as just Folgren nudged the feline's legs apart.

"Wanted to question him.", Folgren said, then pulled back his hoof and planted it hard into Yirvin's crotch. But except for a spasm, he got no response. "Huh.", Folgren remarked, then repeated the procedure. Then again. But other than the satisfaction of seeing the cheetah convulse with each strike, he got little out of the effort.

"Folg, stop.", Nilith said, palming the side of her face in disdain.

"Yes, yes. I can see this isn't working.", Folgren conceded and moved away, looking at the unconscious cat with some disappointment. He looked towards the other two fallen guardsmen, some kind of dog and a lioness when he realized something so obvious he thought less of everyone present for not thinking of it prior. "Huh.", he sounded out his realization.

"No. Don't kick them either.", Nilith said.

"Not what I-... never mind.", Folgren said and moved towards the room exit. "Gather up what supplies we can, we need to leave the city.", he said.

"Pardon?", Mik asked.

"Meet at the stables of the Northern gate within two hours.", Folgren said.

***

He stood out in the chill of night for what seemed like an additional hour before everyone finally gathered. Mikis was the last to arrive.

"Uh, captain?", Mikis said as he approached with a bag of what was likely supplies.

"Yes, Mik?", Folgren asked.

"I can't leave.", Mik said.

"Why not?", Folg asked with a look of severe disappointment. He was hoping Mikis would've set aside his lazier tendencies.

"My girl, captain. Can't just leave her for who knows how long.", Mik said.

"Girl? You've got a girl?", Folgren asked, somewhat taken aback.

"He does. For a week now.", Nilith confirmed.

"Oh, fine.", Folgren conceded.

"I did bring some rations.", Mik said, offering up the bag. "What are you even planning, though?", he asked as Pahton took the bag off him.

"Holoth. We go to him.", Folgren said.

"Holoth Row?", Roviden asked. "He's way over at Arkurd.", she said.

"I know. It's a ways away, but he can grant us the support we need.", Folg said.

"Isn't he busy laying siege?", Roviden asked.

"He is. But if Cal Crag's in danger, he will answer. I think.", Folgren explained with some uncertainty.

"Why not just send a single messenger, then?", Nilith spoke up.

"Don't know about you, but I'd rather make sure the message gets there and that I don't spend days in a prison cell waiting for a response. If the message even reached him.", Folgren said.

"Well, we don't have much reason to go.", Nilith said.

"Speak for yourself. We just punched out 3 guardsmen.", Roviden said, gesturing between herself and Pahton.

"Okay, some of us don't have much reason to go.", Nil corrected herself.

"I do, I just revealed their plans. To you.", Aktin interjected critically.

"Alright, they may find issue with your conduct. Not necessarily mine.", Nilith said.

"Fine. Stay if you wish.", Folgren said, then moved towards the stables.

"Oh. Well, safe travels!", Mik called and waved.

"Wait, hold on.", Nilith said and ran after.

"What?", Folgren asked bluntly.

"I didn't say I'm not going.", Nilith said.

"Then why the dissent?", Folg asked, clearly annoyed.

"Was hoping you'd give me a better reason to go than loyalty. Rather have an excuse for why I left if things don't go well.", Nil said.

"Some loyalty.", Folgren grumbled. "Just remember you gathered everyone and tried to stop Yirvin. Not going to find favour with the new administration there.", he added.

"Well, that's a decently convincing reason, I suppose.", Nil said uncertainly.

"We take steeds?", Aktin asked as they quite obviously neared the stables.

"Not here to gather fodder.", Folgren said.

"Isn't that theft?", Aktin asked.

"We're guardsmen in the midst of a coup. There's greater things to bring worry.", Folg said.

"Well, I can't ride.", Aktin said.

"Neither can I.", Nil said.

"Not a problem.", Folgren said.

***

They slowly rode out of the stables upon 3 Palian softsteps, the beating of hoofs barely audible among the incessant chirping of nightly insects. Nilith was seated with Roviden, while Aktin held on tight to Pahton's imposing form. As they neared the moonlit gate, they noticed a pair of guardsmen standing there, observing closely as they neared. The gate was closed shut, an unusual occurrence even at this hour.

"What business have you in the dead of night?", an oddly short tiger asked.

"Captain's business. Open the gate.", Folgren commanded.

"Oh, captain.", the tiger said with recognition. "Can't just let you through like this.", he said.

"What do you mean you can't? I'm captain here.", Folgren said. "Why's the gate closed in the first place?", he asked critically.

"Commander's orders. Thought you'd know.", the tiger said.

"Well, my orders are the commander's orders. I'm to venture North with my escort, and I can't very well do that with the gate in my way.", Folgren said sternly. "Open up before my boot seeks out your arse.", he added for emphasis.

The tiger looked to his accompanying guardsman, some cat, then back towards the gathered group and shrugged. "Have it your way.", he said. "Open the gate!", he called above to someone unseen within the gatehouse and soon enough, the portcullis began to rise.

They cleared the gateway with a sense of heavy tension. Folgren suspected the tiger knew all too well what was going on, and feared the gate might drop on them at any moment. It felt like the longest exhale as they finally put sufficient distance between them and the city entryway. As their distance to the relatively well-lit city grew, they began to feel its absence, the light of the moon fading in and out from between misty clouds, leaving them in a rather harsh darkness for most of their travels.

"That went well. Didn't think you could have a way with words.", Nilith commented.

"I get the feeling they let us leave.", Folgren said.

"Why would they do that?", Nil asked.

"Didn't wish to test my way with fists?", Folg suggested.

"Or the blades of two other notable guardsmen behind you?", Nilith suggested. Folgren shrugged and pulled out a lantern, then began to struggle with its lighting mechanism. It was faulty as always.

"We stopping at Tilvog?", Roviden asked.

"I'd rather avoid it.", Folgren said, just as his lantern graciously decided to light.

"Folgren, it's the middle of the night.", Nilith said.

"Then we can camp out.", Folg said.

"I would prefer a bed and drink to go with my sleep.", Nilith said.

"I would prefer never to set hoof in Tilvog.", Folgren said.

"What's wrong with Tilvog?", Aktin asked.

"Slave markets. I guess.", Roviden suggested.

"I would rather not enter a city that might detain and enslave me on a whim.", Folgren said.

"They wouldn't enslave a captain of Cal Crag.", Nilith said.

"I don't mean 'me' me, I mean anyone passing through that sorry place could at any point be abducted or indebted into slavery.", Folgren said. "I would prefer not to patronize such practice.", he added.

"Oh, come now. You'd have to be dumb to get led into a slaver alley or take a loan in that city.", Nilith said. Folgren decided against admitting he'd been led into one such alley and barely managed to escape purely by virtue of his strength. In truth he hardly cared for the fate of people dumb enough to so much as enter that city, but having just narrowly avoided enslavement himself, he felt a fear and disdain for the place he hardly cared to rationalize. And in part, wasn't much of a supporter of slavery in general.

"And you'd have to be a craven wretch not to fight for your freedom.", Pahton added.

"Neither stupidity nor cowardice should be a crime warranting punishment.", Folgren said.

"Most armies would disagree there.", Roviden said.

"Then go join one.", Folgren barked back, feeling his temper rise.

"Let us just stop there for the night. It's two hours away on steed, and Arkurd is many times that.", Nilith pleaded.

"Fine.", Folgren conceded.

"For what it's worth, I do not like the idea of it either.", Aktin said meekly.

"Oh good. Another crusader of freedom.", Nilith said.

"I find it odd you cannot imagine yourself in such straits.", Aktinius said.

"I'm not dumb enough and the rest aren't weak enough to end up like that. Save for maybe you.", Nilith said with a smirk.

"Didn't you find yourself captive a mere year ago?", Folgren asked.

"That was different.", Nil said glumly.

"Was it?", Folgren pressed on.

"It wasn't slavery, it was imprisonment.", Nilith said.

"Sure.", Folgren rolled his eyes, still considering whether to mention what exactly it'd involved. "But any longer and they might've sold you off.", he said.

"They didn't, though.", Nil said. "I was pretty convincing.", she added with a prideful smirk that seemed very much out of place considering how Folgren remembered it.

"Either way...", Roviden interjected, similarly finding Nil's boasting in poor taste. "If you wanted to wallow over the ill fate of anyone less fortunate, you'd end up putting a knife to your wrists.", she said. "Worry for yourself and people you actually care and can do anything for.", she said.

"Never seen you care much for anyone.", Folgren interjected with a raised brow.

"Well, I am here, aren't I?", Roviden responded with irritation.

"Thought that was returning a favour.", Folgren said.

"Still caring. If something happened to you, then favour's off either way.", Roviden said with a shrug.

"If you say-... what's that?", Folgren said, halting his steed with ears perked and looking the way they came. The others heard it too, sharing looks of uncertainty between themselves as they realized they heard a series of hoofs beating down hard and fast behind them.

"Shit.", Nilith cussed. "Lanterns.", she hissed, at which everyone turned their lights off.

"What now?", Folgren asked.

"Off to the side. Dismount and see if they pass.", Pahton said.

They did as he'd suggested and awaited among the short, leafy overgrowth. The oncoming lights quickly turned to shapes, and as they passed, Folgren noticed they were all feline, mounted upon steeds not unlike their own. They sped past with barely a notice to Folgren's party, yet halted a mere couple dozen meters away up a hill. Among their dim lights, Folg could see there was just under a dozen among them.

"Gone!", they heard a tiger among them shout.

"Be still!", another called, this one a lion. "Hear that?", he asked.

"No? Nothing.", the tiger said.

"Dismount and search the area!", the lion commanded.

Folgren and his entourage observed with morbid curiosity as the other group scattered among the surrounding foliage and began to strain their eyes in search of their quarry.

"What now?", Folgren whispered.

"Well, they're obviously here for us.", Nilith said.

"Who are they?", Aktin asked in whisper.

"Cal-Right. Not sure what they want.", Folgren said.

"I say we take them on.", Pahton said.

"The odds don't exactly favour us.", Folgren answered in whisper.

"I believe we could each take on four among them.", Roviden said, gesturing between the 3 most prominent combatants among them. "Come on, Folg, you ought to have more balls than this.", she goaded.

"We don't even know who exactly they are. Nor why they're here.", Folg said.

"Well, unless it's Nivo and his personal guard, I somehow doubt they'll be much trouble.", Roviden said humourlessly. "Besides, my blade thirsts for feline blood. I've vowed to put it to a cat ganger.", she said, suddenly looking disturbingly fervent. Folg almost wanted to shield Aktin's eyes from the growing crazy now radiating from the mutt bitch.

"I still think this is a poor idea.", Folgren said, hoping to cool tempers.

"What alternative do we have? They'll be upon us within minutes and we cannot move our steeds-", Roviden began, when one of their steeds gave out a loud groan. A nearby feline, female by the look of her figure, seemed to have heard it, and now drew near. "Right, just wait here.", Roviden said and ducked into a line of bushes, fast approaching the cat.

Folgren wanted to call her back, but could only close his eyes in disdain as Roviden leapt out of the bush and ended the cat in one fell swoop, slicing through her throat. By the time he opened his eyes, Roviden was ducked down by the lying feline, extinguishing her light and moving away, just in time for the rest of the feline party to notice.

"Over there!", one of the gangers bellowed, pointing towards where the cat fell. As a number more of them began to point, Folgren realized they weren't just pointing fingers.

"Duck!", Folgren said in hushed shout and followed his own advice. A series of loud cracks sounded off with accompanying puffs of light and smoke, as a hail of lead rained down upon where Roviden had been some seconds ago. The shots were erratic, some hitting the body of their former comrade, some managing to strike the ground nearby, making Aktin and Nilith gasp in surprise.

Just when they thought another round of shots might fall closer to their position, they heard a loud, ragged bark from out in the darkness. Shots rang out again, only this time directed in a different place entirely.

"Let's go.", Pahton urged and ran out towards the steadily regrouping band of cats. Folgren sighed and did likewise.

As they ran ahead, they saw Roviden take out another lone feline in the distance. This time only two shots answered, and they could see all too well they'd failed to seek out their designated target.

Pahton was the first to come into distance of a pair of pumas. They fumbled and dropped the pistols they were trying to reload, yet recovered near instantly and unsheathed swords. They proved much too slow, however, as Pahton's voulge cleaved right through both, decapitating one and lodging itself in the neck of the other.

Folgren tried to ignore the carnage and ran on ahead while Pahton struggled to pry his weapon free. He made contact with a lone tiger, snarling in anger with a hatchet in hand. Folgren swung his mace from the side, the feline's block harshly deflected off to the side before a second, underhanded swing made hard contact with his abdomen, flooring him instantly. Folgren finished their encounter with a boot to the gasping tiger's temple, mercifully robbing him of consciousness.

By now Pahton had caught on and they continued their approach, only to find five now moving to surround the two. One other had been with them, but apparently was lost to Roviden's efforts in the commotion. What truly surprised Folg, however, was that he could now clearly see whom they faced. There, an angry, imposing-looking pale yellow lion, his brown mane shaven short at the sides, the top of his hair long and back swept like plumage upon a helm. The long, finely decorated steel battleaxe in his hands a stark contrast to the dirty chain and leather tunic he wore for armour. It was indeed Nivo himself.

Pahton seemed unimpressed by this revelation, however, and simply marched onwards, swinging his weapon in a wide arc, only to be stopped on first contact with the halberd of an equally determined looking lynx. As they began their back and forth, Roviden ran in and stabbed a cheetah through the back, ending him before he could so much as swing his weapon. Nivo reacted quite adamantly to her presence, turning his attention towards her in full while the remaining two, another lynx and a black cat came at Folgren, blades held at the ready.

Folgren took a few steps back, drawing the two after him and away from the remaining fighters. Whether it was borne of his injuries from the last time he got in a real battle, or the uncertainty of what Nivo's bodyguards had to offer, he was reluctant to go all in as he had a year ago. Just then Aktinius ran in and began to swing at the black cat with a club of his own. The possum's fighting style was quite erratic, and Folgren worried he would end up the injured party in his confrontation. Folg decided to accelerate his own fight.

He swung his mace hard at the lynx, hoping to once more stagger his opponent's block, but the lynx ducked and swerved instead, forcing Folgren to jump back in response to a low, wide swing. Leaping back in just as quickly, he closed the distance between them to a dagger's length. He grabbed at the lynx's shoulder and ran his hilt at his head, only to have the feline grab hold of his wrist and keep him from attempting an attack again. The lynx himself tried to move his blade for a stab, but Folgren managed to likewise take hold of his opponent's arm. Before the lynx could try and respond somehow, Folg did what he found almost natural and rammed his knee between the cat's legs. The lynx gave out a ragged mewl and went limp, losing hold of his weapon as he dropped to his knees, looking up at the horse pleadingly. Folgren complied with his pleas, or at least what he assumed was the subject of the lynx's pleas, and punched the feline hard in the side of the face, knocking him out cold.

Folg then quickly turned his attention towards Aktin, moving in to quickly smack the black cat in the knee, followed by an elbow to the head, ending the confrontation in an instant.

"Hah-...ah-... thanks.", Aktin panted out. He was bleeding from the right outer thigh, Folgren noticed.

"Stay clear. We can handle this.", Folgren said and moved to aid Pahton when he noticed something quite worrying. Nivo was now moving towards a prone albeit still conscious Roviden. It was too dark to tell at this distance if she was actually injured.

Thinking quick, he picked up a nearby rock and threw it at the lion. It bounced near-harmlessly off his shoulder, and down at Roviden, hitting her in the knee to somewhat greater effect, Folgren realized. Yet the manoeuvre caught Nivo's attention, and he temporarily turned away from the downed mutt. It was then that Folgren realized he didn't feel quite ready to face a lion wielding a huge axe. He looked towards Pahton, only to find him oddly vacant from his spot, a cooling feline corpse left where he'd been standing moments earlier.

It was somewhat of a wonder how quiet Pahton managed to be despite his size. Nivo barely managed to shield himself in time to block the voulge's wide arc. By the time he was ready to fend off another attack, Folgren was already behind, his mace making hard contact with the lion's knee. He collapsed to a kneel with a guttural bellow. His retaliative swing proved far too wide for the distance between them, and Folgren managed to catch and wrench the weapon out of his hands, punctuating his success with a knee to the lion's jaw.

Now flat on his back, bloodied in the face and surrounded, Nivo looked quite helpless. Although it hardly seemed to have eased his apparent anger.

"Well, what now?", Nivo growled at them despite his inferior position.

"Now we-", Folgren began, when Roviden ran in, muzzle bloodied and hissing more red through her teeth. Wielding her blade one-armed, she drove it down along the lion's neck and deep into his torso. Whatever words Nivo might've had for them would remain stuck in his throat, drowning amidst blood now leaking out the side of his gaping maw.

Folgren stared at him for no more than a second before he closed his eyes, turned and walked off towards Aktinius, desperately trying to compose himself before he spoke again.

"Is-... is it over?", Aktin asked, looking quite shaken and terrified.

"Yes.", Folgren said sternly, resisting the urge to turn and start screaming at Roviden. "Your leg. We need to get that looked at. Come.", Folgren said and lead the possum towards Nilith, providing support at his injured side. He briefly looked back to see Roviden and Pahton sitting over the lion's body. They were staring right back, both looking quite beaten up, but Folg had little desire to so much as go near the mutt. He did find it odd, however, that he had somehow ended up the one uninjured.

"Gods above, that was amazing.", Nilith commented as she came out of her hiding spot.

"It was something.", Folgren said without humour. "What do we have in terms of medical supplies?", he asked.

"Oh, there ought to be something. Enough for cuts and scrapes such as these.", Nilith said, pointing towards Aktin. "We'll need a fire. Help me gather some wood.", she instructed, to which Folgren obliged, beginning their hunt for kindling.

***

Sitting over the fire, Nilith prepared a heated knife for each combatant's injuries. The first and most serious among them was Roviden's left arm.

"Gods under, it's broken!", Nilith exclaimed.

"I can fucking see that!", Roviden screamed through gritted teeth.

"Did the bullet go through?", Nilith asked, looking over the arm from all sides.

"How should I know?!", Roviden asked back, briefly pausing to try and contemplate what'd happened despite the pain. "I think it did.", she added, thinking back to how it'd gone by. "There's an exit hole, isn't there?", she asked, trying to have a look herself.

"Hurry it up. She's not the only one bleeding.", Folgren said.

"You're not bleeding at all!", Roviden countered.

"Here, bite down on this.", Nilith said and put a piece of folded up cloth in her mouth.

"Fffgn brk.", Roviden mumbled at Folgren. "Uh wd-URGHHH!", her muffled speech turned to a likewise dimmed scream as Nilith put the heated metal inside the wound. "D fgn hrk y kn!", Roviden mumbled intensely. "NGH!", she screamed yet again as a second blade made contact with the other end of her injury.

It was somewhat out of place seeing tears streaming down Roviden's face. Almost pitiful, considering what a cold blooded killer she usually was. But right now it only gave Folgren some sense of satisfaction.

"I still need to splint it.", Nilith said, gathering up some relatively straight and sturdy looking branches.

"Hrr ouh!", Roviden tried to say.

***

It'd taken a full hour to attend to everyone's injuries. Aktinius had earned but a shallow cut, stemming fears of severed arteries and making his treatment relatively brief, yet still painful. Pahton had a number of minor cuts over his arms and snout, making the process of staunching his wounds the longest. On the other hand, he seemed to take it well, limiting his voice of discontent to a subtle grumble even as searing hot metal made contact with his skin.

"Gods under. I'm no field medic.", Nilith said, wiping her brow as she sat back in relief that it was over.

"You certainly aren't.", Roviden complained.

"Good work, Nil.", Folgren said, preferring not to discourage their only field medic from future aid. She nodded with a half-hearted smile.

"What do we do now?", Aktin asked.

"Give ourselves a couple minutes' rest and be off.", Folgren said.

"Nah, fuck that. I'm looting these bastards.", Roviden said and got up, moving towards the bodies.

"Fine. Just don't hurt the unconscious ones.", Folgren called after her.

"No promises.", Roviden responded.

"Oh, bother.", Folgren said and went after her to prevent the night from getting any bloodier.

"I don't need your help.", Roviden said as she realized she was being followed.

"Thought you could use a hand.", Folgren said dispassionately.

"Oh, fuck you.", Roviden said and leaned in over her first kill of the night, starting to fumble clumsily with one hand over the feline's belt.

Folgren averted his eyes as he realized the feline's own were still open, staring off into infinity. The sight of deaths as violent as these disturbed him to no end, primarily due to the memories they resurfaced.

"Not gonna lay claim to some of it?", Roviden asked.

"May as well gather weapons.", Folgren decided and left for the others. "Just don't hurt the unconscious ones.", he called back at her, barely able to resist appending an invective to his request.

Walking over the field in search of bodies among the dark, he thought back to the battle in Cal Crag. He felt nauseous and tired to think they'd just caused more fatalities in an hour's journey than in that entire battle. And they had yet to even reach a half way point to their task. He needed a drink.

***

The rest of their journey went by much more slowly, mostly on account of half their party now wanting to limit their pace due to the discomfort a quicker gait would bring, but also the additional steeds they lead along with them. They found little to speak of after the fight. Folgren was still annoyed with Roviden, the sights, sounds and smell of death haunting his thoughts in the relative silence of night. The Cal-Rith were scum for certain, but he always viewed killing as more of an unfortunate necessity than something to revel in as Roviden seemed to. A lot of the deaths that night could've been avoided, he felt. Nivo's in particular.

He was relieved to finally see the distant bright lights of the city he had so little desire to visit. Travelling by steed was hardly pleasant after the hit he'd taken between the legs, and his codpiece did little to relieve that discomfort. As they neared, he rerouted his steed towards the usual detour - a look at the plaques describing the laws of the place.

"Where are you going?", Nil asked.

"Need a look at the laws before we enter.", Folgren said.

"Oh, come on. We're all tired.", Nil complained.

"And we could all be tired and in chains if we do something we're unaware is a crime here.", Folgren said.

It was somewhat of an unwritten rule among free cities to put their laws on display upon their walls. One Folgren truly appreciated, considering how many a time it'd helped him avoid cities with inane laws. Such as Pavis Vow and its "rule of intellect", or Kilavia and its "rule of grace", places where he could've been thrown into prison or worse, simply because the word of one person or other was tantamount to truth next to his.

For the moment, however, he was finding it a challenge to actually read the plaques at this time of night. It was already dawning over the horizon, yet that proved little help in trying to decipher the dimly-coloured, high-mounted tablets. Folgren squinted his eyes and held up his lantern as close as he could, desperately trying to read anything, yet most of his success stemmed more out of his memory of the laws and guess-work matching of words remembered to images before him.

"Can you read that?", Folgren asked towards Nilith.

"Hm? Not really. It's too dark.", Nil said, squinting similarly at them.

Folgren sighed and considered for a while what to do. He looked over the plaques once more, counting their number, then closed his eyes and tried to remember what they had looked like last he was here. They were the same in number, that much he was relatively certain of. But the actual rules upon them were unlikely to have remained the same. None the less, even he couldn't keep them waiting like this. He figured they would need to take the chance and enter.

"Alright, let's go.", Folg said.

"Fucking finally.", Roviden murmured.

Slowly moving through the gate, Folgren struggled to remember the rules as he had last seen them. The appropriate tolls, acceptable clothing and weaponry, fees and taxation, but most notably of all, perhaps, what were the criteria for someone being fit only for slavery.

"Fug happened to you lot?", a halberd-fielding goat asked as they approached. He was holding up a wall with his back, looking quite relieved of boredom once he'd spotted them. A pair of likewise armed wolves stood sentinel nearby, apparently there to provide support to their more talkative comrade.

"Waylaid by gangers on the road.", Folgren said

"Gangers waylaid a bunch of guardsmen? What's it all coming to?", the goat grumbled. Folgren briefly debated whether to tell him of the coup they'd fled, but quickly decided against it.

"What's the toll these days?", Folgren asked.

"For you bunch? Let's say we be charitable and take only 3 sovereigns.", the caprine said. Folgren handed him the coin with a nod. At the very least, Tilvog guardsmen were the least arrogant and hostile towards those of Cal Crag. Perhaps because they shared in a similar sort of infamy. "Cheer up, you look like you've just buried someone. Err, not something that actually happened, right?", the goat asked cautiously.

"No. But there are some in need of burial an hour's way on steed towards Cal Crag away. Along with three potential slaves if you hurry.", Folgren suggested.

"Hah! I'll pass it along.", the goat said with a sly smile.

***

After leaving their steeds at the stables, they went for the nearest, most prominent inn they could find. Since those were quite prevalent around city gates, it proved a short journey, yet one that yielded some insight into the state of the city.

It was clean, finely decorated and quite brightly lit by well-maintained lanterns, a stark contrast to what Folg might've expected from one indulging in something he found so barbaric. Their own city wasn't free of slavery by virtue, however, but rather by the high lord's inability to successfully enter the slavery market, and as a result deciding to ban all other slavers from the city. Yet all the same, Folgren had expected a much sorrier sight of a city reliant on slavery for so long. For the moment it looked no different than any other rich city. Perhaps the morning would put it in a different light.

As they entered their inn of choice, they found little in the way of life, however. It seemed quite empty, with only a pair of patrons looking bored at a corner table. It was not unexpected considering the hour, but it made for a dreary atmosphere after their ordeal. They made their way for what was presumably the keep's counter. They gave it an attention-seeking knock and waited.

"Oh, hello.", a female raccoon answered, rising from underneath the counter, much to everyone's confusion. "You'll have to pardon me, I was napping.", she said. "Nightly shift can get rather dull at this time.", she added.

"Riiight.", Folgren said with a raised brow. "We seek drink and lodging. Preferably private.", he said.

"Can do.", the raccoon said. "It'll be 10 for the lodging.", she said.

Folgren produced the coin from his pouch and laid it upon the counter.

"For drink we have beer, ale and spirits. Water's free. So what'll it be?", the raccoon asked.

"Spirits for me.", Folg said.

"Same.", Roviden said.

"Ale.", Pahton said.

"Ale for me too.", Aktin said.

"May as well have an ale.", Nil shrugged, apparently somewhat reluctant to the idea of drinking alcohol at all.

Following pay, they gathered their room keys and drinks, and moved off to an unoccupied corner of the room.

"Don't we want something to eat?", Aktin suggested in a particularly tired-sounding tone.

"Not now. Maybe in the morning.", Folgren said glumly. He wanted to get drunk as fast as possible.

"So what now?", Nil asked.

"Get drunk, go to sleep, carry on to Arkard.", Folgren said.

"I think I'll pass on the getting drunk.", Nil said, taking a sip of her drink as she said so.

"Sounds good to me, though.", Roviden said and took a swing from her bottle. Pulling it away with a wheezing cough. "Good.", she said with eyes squinted shut.

Folgren likewise took a swing. Strong, but Roviden seemed to have overrated its effects.

"Hello there.", one of the other patrons said as he walked up. A brown bull, thin and short for one, although still only a little shorter than Folgren. He was wearing a dark red chaperon upon his short-haired scalp and a set of padded cloth armour with a thin, green and black checkered cloth tabard.

"Hello.", Roviden said, doing her best to smile at what looked like a sellsword.

"Don't suppose you'd have work for a fellow mercenary?", the bull asked as he took a seat by Roviden.

"We're not mercenaries.", Folgren said, looking somewhat puzzled.

"Oh. Well, that's a shame.", the bull said, looking somewhat less enthused. "The name's Gilnid.", he said, his smile renewed.

"Roviden.", Roviden said. "And this polite company is Folgren, Pahton, Nilith and A... Akton?", she introduced, pausing with uncertainty at the possum.

"Aktinius.", Aktin said grumpily.

"So if you're not mercenaries, what are you doing armed and armoured?", Gilnid asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"We're guardsmen.", Folgren said, patting the emblem on his chest.

"Not of here, though.", Gilnid noticed.

"We're from Cal Crag.", Roviden said.

"And what brings you here?", the bull asked on.

"Personal business.", Folgren said plainly. Roviden looked at him questioningly.

"What say you we talk in private?", Roviden suggested with a sly smile.

"Sure.", Gilnid said with a somewhat confused looking smirk.

As the two got up and left, Folgren wondered whether to call after Roviden and remind her that her arm was broken. Although chances were she wouldn't need it. More than that, he was annoyed that the purpose of their journey was likely about to be revealed to the first random stranger who asked.

"So. That was a man back there in the brothel, right?", Aktin asked, looking curious.

"Oh, gods' sakes.", Folgren said with a sigh. "Could we drop it?", he asked pleadingly, then took a gulp. Nilith seemed to be doing likewise, except she didn't end on a gulp, and instead downed half her tankard in a single swing.

"Right. I'm off to bed. Hopefully I can catch some sleep.", Nil said and went off in something of a hurry.

Pahton was meanwhile doing a half-hearted tavern trick Folgren had thus far only heard about, in that he was lifting and putting the tankard to his mouth using only his snout. It was quite impressive considering he'd suffered some cuts there, and the tankard looked none too light. Yet it seemed a strange contrast to Pahton's otherwise tempered demeanour.

The only thing truly running through Folg's mind at the moment was what'd transpired in the brothel that day. The revelation of his preferences couldn't have come in a more humiliating manner, and worse than that, his balls now ached in more ways than one. It might've been the worst day he'd had since he came to Cal Crag.

As Folgren took a smaller chug from his bottle in the hopes of losing some less pleasant memories, he nearly spat it back out as he felt something touch his thigh. He had half expected to see Nilith at his side, pulling a joke on him, but was all the more surprised to find it was Aktin, moved up to the chair recently vacated by Nil and now pretending in front of Pahton as though he was busy with his drink. And half the drink the ewe had left behind. Considering Pahton's unamused stare, however, he was likely well aware of what was happening.

Folgren was now frozen in a sweat-inducing panic, feeling the possum's hand slowly move in from the top of his thigh down to the inside, then towards areas more supple. Folg's mind was racing to try and explain the sudden turn of events. Aktinius wasn't drunk. Not yet, at least. He'd only... finished a tankard of ale, Folgren now realized. But that was hardly enough to get him inebriated already. Pahton sighed and got up, downing the rest of his drink before he went towards the counter, likely for another.

"Aktin?", Folg whispered.

"Yes, captain?", Aktin asked with a nervous smile.

"You're not drunk, are you?", Folg asked, still puzzled as to how that'd be possible.

"Maybe a little.", Aktin smirked. "Nil gave me something for the pain a while back.", he said.

"Perhaps you would like to put that away, then.", Folgren said with some concern, pushing the top of what was formerly Nil's tankard towards the table.

"I'm not that drunk.", Aktin said with a mild smile and pulled the tankard towards his muzzle.

Folgren looked around, trying to remain calm. Pahton was chatting up the keep over something. Oddly enough, they were both smiling, a facial expression Folg had yet never seen on the elephant, although that might've been due to him wearing a mask most of the day. Roviden was still talking with the bovine mercenary. On second glance, it was now more than talk, both reaching for areas less discrete, not unlike Aktin was at the moment.

As Folgren felt a delicate grip form upon his codpiece, he got up with almost a jump.

"I think I'm going to bed now.", Folg said, stepping off to the side warily. Aktin took advantage of the moment and took a swing from Folgren's abandoned bottle. The horse was starting to think the possum might have a drinking habit.

"Hey, hold up.", Aktin called after, moving after Folg with drink in hand. At the very least he could still walk straight.

"I think I can find my way on my own.", Folg said as they went up the stairs. Aktinius ventured after him none the less.

As Folgren found his room and entered with Aktin in tow, the possum closed the door behind, leaving the two of them alone in the dark with only the lights outside a dirty window to lend sight of anything. It was a cramped room, as was expected from an inn so close to the gate. There was barely any room to walk, most of its surface occupied by a bed that could just barely fit two people.

"Aktin, I think you're drunk.", Folgren said, almost regretting he didn't just go with it.

More than anything, however, he didn't want to cause the possum duress in the morning, which could in turn lead to a greater number learning of Folg's preferences. For the moment, at very least he had some hope confirmation of his love of men would remain between the 5 of them... or 6... and Yirvin... and his men.

"Why don't you-", Folgren began as he turned, but quaked in shock as the possum abruptly slipped a hand down Folg's pants with surprising skill, grabbing hold of the horse's flaccid parts. "Wh- what... hold on!", Folgren stammered, pulling the possum away with some reluctance.

"Oh, come on, captain.", Aktin said with a crooked smile.

"Aktin, you're not normally... like this. Are you?", Folg asked, trying to remain subtle.

"Like what?", Aktin asked.

"Into men.", Folg said more plainly.

"Oh. Actually... I am.", Aktin said with a more supple smile.

"Are you? You did something with Terith, didn't you?", Folgren asked with some doubt, to which the possum started to smile and blush.

"I think I like both. Though I've never had the chance to try it.", Aktin said. "I feel kind of dumb to admit this. But it's part of the reason I joined.", he said, now once again putting his hands on Folg, this time on his armoured torso.

"So... you knew?", Folg asked, tilting his head mildly. "Did you somehow sense it?", he asked, genuinely curiously.

"Sense it?", Aktin snickered. "No, I just heard the rumours while at a tavern.", he said, making Folgren feel a lot dumber in an instant for thinking one could actually sense someone's preferences. "So what say you, captain?", half-heartedly fiddling with Folgren's belt.

Folgren spent a couple seconds in thought, then nodded. This night he hardly felt like turning down an offer such as this. "Alright. How do you want to proceed?", he asked.

"Just let me do everything for now.", Aktin said, now excitedly working to unbuckle the horse's pants. Once he'd succeeded, they dropped heavily with a thud. "Hold on.", Aktin said and began to look around a room. He spotted an oil lamp upon a small table, and quickly moved to light it. With some light to illuminate what he'd just revealed, he returned to his exploration, descending to his knees and pushing aside the flaps of Folg's tunic like a curtain. He spent a while seemingly just staring at the horse's flaccid genitals, a sense of wonder in his eyes at having found himself so close to someone else's manhood.

"You ok there?", Folgren asked, somewhat concerned with the pause in action.

"Yes. Just... getting accustomed to the scent.", Aktin said, slowly nearing his face towards the item of interest, now gently prodding the sides of Folg's scrotum with his fingers. Yet he seemed to pause yet again.

Folgren looked down at him with some uncertainty, wondering if he should help him along. His decision may've been influenced by his own like of male scents, but none the less he thought it'd abate some reluctance in the possum.

"H-whoa!", Aktin stammered as Folgren grabbed the back of his head and pushed it into his own crotch, smothering the possum's face in horse balls. "Mm! Wai-m!" , he tried to speak through the equine's genitals. "Oh gods!", he exclaimed as he finally managed to push himself away.

"Sorry. Thought it'd help you along.", Folg said.

"My face is gonna be smelling of horse balls now!", Aktin chuckled, looking rather pleased despite his apparent annoyance. He leaned in again, now gripping Folg's gonads with both hands, the equine cock above now semi-erect and pointing at the possum.

"Hold on. Let me sit.", Folgren said and moved towards the bed, abandoning his fallen pants. Aktin followed in compliance, positioning himself between the horse's powerful thighs. He was temporarily fascinated by the musculature and bulging veins, but quickly reoriented his attention towards the more delicate parts between them. He took a while simply nudging and running his fingers over Folg's masculine parts, seeking a reaction from actions more discrete. In a way it was working, as Folgren's manhood slowly rose up to full attention, although this night it seemed as thought anything would've worked.

With the equine's member now pointing at the ceiling, Aktin found free access to the gonads below. He leaned in and pressed his wet nose into them, drawing a deep breath of the horse's scent. He then extended his tongue and began to gently lap at the underside of Folg's sac, rapidly jiggling its contents around and sending shivers up the equine's spine. He then began to lick and smooch at Folgren's gonads, thoroughly lathering them in saliva before he sucked them into his maw, loving tugging and kneading them.

Folg somewhat unexpectedly found himself in a state of bliss mixed with mild pains. Having his balls attended to in such a manner was quite surprising coming from Aktin, and the possum seemed no worse at it than the prostitute ram he'd frequented. Although he wished it'd happened on a day where his gonads were less tender.

"You've done this before, haven't you?", Folg asked, looking down between his own legs at the possum.

"Hm?", Aktin sounded out with balls still in mouth. He promptly let them slip out. "This? No, actually.", he said. "Up until yesterday I've never actually done it at all.", he added.

"Oh. So at the bath house...", Folgren trailed off.

"Yes.", Aktin nodded with a smile, apparently somewhat amused with Folgren's uncertain attitude. "I'm actually trying to follow by example.", he added, which was actually somewhat off-putting to Folg due to the somewhat unwelcome images it brought to mind.

Folgren said no more and allowed the possum to return to work, trying to rid his mind of sights he'd preferably leave unimagined. It proved quite easy once Aktin moved onto his cock with a long, thorough lick from base to tip, culminating in him engulfing the horse's engorged glans. As he began to slide back and forth, trying to take as much of Folgren's length within his maw, Aktin apparently began to realize this was one skill he could not mimic, at least not to Terith's level after what must've been years of practice. The best he could muster was less than half way, yet he attempted to push himself, until he gagged and pulled away, coughing.

"You alright?", Folg asked wih some concern. Aktinius nodded in between coughs, wiping tears from the his eyes. "Don't strain yourself.", Folg added, petting the possum's hair.

Now back at it again, Aktin took the equine's tip in his maw and began to move his head up and down, trying to regulate his suction to whatever gave the strongest reaction out of Folgren. Once he felt satisfied with his technique, he used his right hand to stroke Folg's member near the base, and his other to fondle his balls. With how pent up Folgren had been that day, it didn't take long for Aktin's impressive ministrations to bring effects.

"I-... I'm gonna cum.", Folgren warned in whisper.

Aktin braced himself and sped up his efforts, just as Folg tensed up and convulsed, pushing his crotch outward in almost painful orgasm. As wave after wave of ecstatic ejaculation rocked Folgren's body, Aktinius did his best to try and keep up, making room in his mouth for Folg's milky white spunk.

With his loins sated, Folgren gently pulled away, letting the somewhat shocked-looking possum know he was done. Aktinius slipped off the horse's cock carefully, looking quite troubled.

"Everything alright?", Folgren asked, curiously eyeing the dismayed-looking possum. Aktin then took a deep breath and swallowed hard with visible distaste.

"Yes.", Aktin said, still apparently quite distraught. "That tasted a lot worse than I expected.", he noted.

"Never tried your own?", Folg asked.

"No.", Aktin said plainly.

"Well, you get used to it.", Folgren said with a shrug. "Now, then. How about you drop your pants and show what nature bestowed upon you.", he suggested.

"You've already seen it.", Aktin noted with a half-hearted smile as he stood and began to undo his belt.

"Not in its full glory.", Folgren noted and watched attentively as Aktin's trousers slid down his legs, revealing an already erect member between them, and a somewhat familiar pair of heavy-looking testicles underneath. "Not much of a grower, I see.", Folg noted.

"Huh? A what?", Aktin asked, looking confused.

"A... nevermind.", Folg said, realizing it might spoil the possum's mood. "Come.", he beckoned with his hand. The possum obeyed, walking up till he found himself between the horse's knees. Folgren reached out and grabbed at the possum's stiff member, using his fingers to gently massage and knead it. He took great care to avoid the injury upon the possum's thigh.

Aktinius closed his eyes and focused on the sensations borne of Folgren's efforts, occasionally rewarding the horse with a soft moan or gasp. Folgren pulled him in a bit closer, and began to gently lap at his tip while softly stroking the marsupial's pouch in downward movements, tugging at the already low-hanging pair.

To Folg it seemed more than apparent Aktin was nearing his peak rapidly. He lowered his head and took the possum's maleness into his mouth, easily engulfing its length in two bows. With his nose repeatedly making contact with Aktin's pubic mound, he managed no more than a couple bobs of his head before the possum leaned over and grabbed at his ears, signifying his oncoming release. Spraying his seed onto the horse's eager tongue, Aktinius twitched in stifled convulsions of bliss, holding onto the horse's scalp as though in fear of falling over. Folgren meanwhile found little challenge in accepting the possum's spunk, gulping it down as it came, giving himself only moments to process the taste.

Once he'd surmised that Aktin's climax had past, Folgren gently pulled back, allowing the now over-sensitive but still stiff member to slip free of his maw.

"Gods, that was wonderful.", Aktin panted out, looking quite sated. He then sat on the bad and leaned back, taking his afterglow in.

"Glad you enjoyed it.", Folgren said with a mild smile, then got up and began to strip off the rest of his clothing.

"You don't mind if I stay, right?", Aktin asked somewhat uncertainly.

"Not at all.", Folgren said. "Unless you don't want it being blatantly obvious we slept together, that is.", he added as he pulled off his boots.

"I... don't think they'll catch on.", Aktin said uncertainly.

"I think Pahton saw enough to reach that conclusion.", Folg said with a shrug. "And seeing us leave the same room in the morning might solidify that.", he added.

"Oh. Well, you don't seem concerned.", Aktin said.

"Everyone already saw me with a ram. I don't exactly have much left to hide.", Folg said, his pauldrons joining the rest of his clothes on the floor.

"Is it really that bad that they found out?", Aktin asked, sounding somewhat concerned.

"Not with them. At least not in any meaningful way.", Folg said. "But I can already hear the ridicule coming my way.", he said.

"That all?", Aktinius asked on.

"Well, no. Of course there's gonna be some who object to my... our likings.", Folg said. "Like those tree-worshipping pricks.", he added.

"Who?", Aktin asked, sounding confused.

"Oh, never mind.", Folgren said, waving dismissively. "No one to be concerned with in Cal Crag. If anything this could only hold weight to some matters of family and nobility, and I have neither.", he added as he pulled off his tunic, rendering himself completely naked.

"So... nothing to be concerned with?", Aktinius asked.

"I can't really say for sure.", Folg said thoughtfully. "But if you want to stay the night with me, those are going off.", he added, pointing towards the possum's remaining clothes.

As Folgren slid onto the bed, he leaned back and watched the possum struggle with the remainder of his clothing, his half-drunken state apparently making it quite the challenge. It was mildly amusing, and Folg couldn't help but smirk.

At the same time, he realized he began to hear a rhythmic metallic squeaking, subtle at first, and clearly muffled, but steadily growing in intensity and frequency. Someone apparently had the same idea as them. It would make sleep difficult, if only for the next 5 minutes or so.

***

Folgren woke with a bit of a start as he realized someone was nudging his shoulder. His sudden concern was only amplified when he realized who it was that'd woken him, and what state he was currently in.

"Gods under, Nil, get out.", Folgren exclaimed in whisper, trying his best not to wake the still dead-asleep possum. Both he and his companion had shed their covers in the heat of night, leaving them pressed together quite nude, each with a typical morning stiffness between their legs. It was proving quite challenging to cover with only his hands, but judging by the mild smile on the ewe's face, this thus far was not much of an issue to any observers.

"It's noon already, Folg.", Nilith noted, standing over them, already dressed and with arms crossed.

"Huh. Really?", Folgren asked groggily, looking out towards the lone, smudge-covered source of daylight in their room.

"Thought you'd know better than to drag your subordinates into bed.", Nil added with a smirk, looking over the slowly wakening marsupial.

"Do you mind leaving?", Folg requested once more.

"I would prefer to stay and make sure you get up within the hour.", Nil said half-heartedly.

"Fuggin'...", Folg grumbled as he pulled away from the possum and rose up to his hooves. Nil backed away with hands raised, momentarily worried the horse was moving to physically display his displeasure within the cramped confines of their room, but was soon relieved to find he had merely gotten up to grab his loincloth off the floor. "...what?", Folg asked, frozen in mid-clothing with his lone piece of apparel in hand.

"N-nothing.", Nil said, to which Folg resumed and began to dress. "You're kind of intimidating in the morning.", she noted.

"I am irritable.", Folgren admitted, the tone of his voice reflecting just that.

"Could you two lower your voices?", the possum pleaded, looking somewhat dismayed as he pulled a feeble amount of covers over his male parts. Apparently his drink had brought on a hangover.

"Certainly.", Folgren said, his voice returned to whisper.

"So... how'd you two end up like this?", Nil asked.

"Well, it was his idea.", Folg said, gesturing towards the fallen possum.

"Of course.", Nil said without conviction.

"Believe what you will.", Folgren said in tone absent of humour. "Coercion seems to be your domain.", he added.

"Mine? You're still sore about that deal we made a year ago?", Nil asked, a toothy grin upon her person.

"What deal?", Aktin asked in a half-aware stupor.

"Never you mind, and you don't remind me.", Folgren said, turning his attention between the possum and the ewe.

"It's not like I got more than one viewing out of it.", Nil said, crossing her arms.

"What deal?", Aktin repeated somewhat more incessantly.

"Which brings me to my suggestion...", Nilith began, looking over the two.

"Oh no. No deal.", Folgren said.

"What deal?", Aktin asked once more, rising to a sitting position as he grew increasingly annoyed at being ignored.

"You've yet to hear what I can offer.", Nil said.

"Whatever it is, I'm fine without it.", Folg insisted.

"Well, you might be. But your friend here...", Nilith said, looking over towards the fuming possum.

"I'm interested. What is it?", Aktin asked, making sure his covers still hid what they were supposed to.

"Fine. Out with it.", Folgren concluded with a dismissive wave of hand.

"Very well.", Nilith said with a smile. "I'd be interested in observing a display of your joint passion.", she said, directing her attention primarily towards the possum.

"You mean like...", Aktinius trailed off, considering whether she actually meant what he thought.

"Like fucking.", Nil finished his sentence.

"Oh. Huh.", Aktin said simply. "And what do you offer in return?", he asked with raised brow.

"Well, you two don't want news of your likes coming to light, right?", Nil asked mischievously.

"A bit late for that.", Folgren noted.

"Not necessarily. Not for Aktin here, at least.", Nilith noted.

"Pahton saw us.", Folgren said. "And I'm pretty sure he realized what was happening.", he added.

"Well, with the right kind of persuasion, I think Roviden and Pahton could be made to omit certain details. About both of you.", Nil said.

"Sure. That just leaves Yirvin, his two friends, Mik, and anyone they might've babbled to.", Folg said humourlessly.

"I don't think Mik is much of a gossip. Not in that regard anyway.", Nil said with some uncertainty.

"You jest.", Folgren said with a frown.

"Either way, we can always say they were lying.", Nil said with a shrug. "Besides, Yirvin might end up no longer being an issue once we return with Holoth Row.", she added.

"Don't know about that.", Folgren said. "I'd prefer to avoid combat against our own.", he added.

"Won't be our own. Will be traitors.", Nilith said.

"Following orders and trying to keep their job is not something I'd call treachery.", Folgren said.

"Well, don't think you'll get your wish.", Nil said with a roll of her eyes. "Tith's unlikely to back down.", she said.

"And the guards are unlikely to fight Holoth's men.", Folg said. "I'll try what I can to avoid a fight.", he concluded.

"I'm certain master diplomat Folgren will be up to the challenge.", Nil said without a hint of sincerity.

"Shut up.", Folgren barked back, steadily getting annoyed.

"So are you interested or not?", Nil asked, looking between the two.

"Huh? Oh.", Folg said, returning from a temporary lapse in thought.

"Consider carefully. You're captain and everything. Possibly commander if things go well. Aktin here is just a recruit.", Nil said slyly.

"That's rather low of you.", Folg said.

"Hey, I'm offering a service that'd strain my credibility.", Nilith said. "If you prefer to just leave it as is...", she added.

"Well, I wouldn't mind making use of such services.", Aktin noted, eyeing Folgren curiously.

"Gods' sakes, fine.", Folg conceded in annoyance. He hated being blackmailed like this. Yet he still feared the effect on his reputation otherwise. Not to mention Aktin's.

"Marvelous.", Nil said with a rising grin. "So when can I expect my first payment? I expect no less than one every week.", she said.

"Was once every two weeks last time.", Folgren noted.

"And now I have greater leverage.", Nilith said.

"Well, not likely to happen again till we return to Cal Crag.", Folg said with a sigh.

"Alright.", Nil said. "I trust you won't back out if you're made commander? Like you did once you became captain?", Nil asked with some apprehension.

Folgren rolled his eyes. "Not like this is going away any time soon.", he said.

***

As they entered the now somewhat more crowded main room, they found Pahton and Roviden at a table, both accompanied by faces less familiar - the mercenary from the other day, Gilnid, and some grey female wolf, muzzled in leather and metal, and otherwise nude, with hands tied behind her back, currently in the process of having her chest groped by Pahton, and looking none too pleased. Folgren raised a brow, as did Nilith.

Nearing the group, they noticed Roviden was sporting a black eye, and the mercenary didn't look particularly unscathed either, a split upon his lip Folg had no memory of the night before.

"What happened to you? And who's this?", Nil asked, gesturing between Roviden and the unknown female.

"We... had a spar.", Roviden said.

"With your broken arm? Are you mad?", Nil asked critically. "Are you?", she asked again, now looking towards the bovine mercenary.

"Wasn't my idea. I thought we were just going for a fuck.", the bull grumbled, pulling a mug over his lips.

"I just... wanted to check something.", Roviden said, sounding reluctant to say more.

"Check what?", Nil asked, to no answer. "What?", she repeated to no avail.

"Calm yourself. It's a black eye, not another broken arm.", Roviden said, now starting to sound annoyed.

"As far as I can see. You could have broken ribs you're not telling of, for all I know.", Nil said, sounding dismayed.

"What do you care?", Roviden asked.

"Well, I... I don't exactly want to see my efforts go to waste.", Nil said, uncertainly gesturing towards the splints upon Roviden's arm. Roviden shrugged. "And what about this?", she then asked, waving at Pahton and his companion while Folgren and Aktin sat down, neither of them curious enough to engage in the current conversation.

"A slave whore. Courtesy of the tavern.", Pahton said, running his hand over the reluctant-looking wolf's torso for emphasis.

"A sex slave.", Nilith punctuated his statement, looking unenthused.

"Huh. You must have quite a bit of coin to be renting slaves for a fuck.", Gil noted.

"This one's cheap. Not broken in, she said.", Pahton said.

"Oh?", Gilnid asked curiously. "And what's the downside?", he asked.

"Biter and scratcher.", Pahton said, touching the underside of her less fleshy muzzle.

"Gods' sakes.", Nil cussed and sat down.

"What?", Pahton asked.

"Nothing. Nothing. Just... not too fond of sex slavery.", Nilith said, looking rather bitter.

"So it's fine if they're forced to work. Just not work a prick?", Folg now asked. Gilnid chuckled. No one else did.

"That's different, wouldn't you say?", Nil asked in turn.

"Not to me.", Folgren said.

"Well, what would you rather do? Lift some crates or lick someone's cunt?", Nil asked.

"In this heat? I'd rather have what she's having.", Folg said, pointing towards the nude wolf. "And you're one to talk, you've never lifted a crate nor anything heavier than your ass.", he added.

"Hmpf. And you've never suffered unwanted attention.", Nil said. Folgren decided not to argue, preferring to leave some of his more shameful experiences out of public scrutiny. He shrugged instead.

"Not like we'd allow ourselves to suffer any kind of slavery.", Pahton said.

"And how exactly do you avoid being enslaved?", Nil asked.

"Whatever it is we've been doing seems to work.", Roviden chimed in.

"Well, sometimes it's not up to us.", Nil argued. "Sometimes it comes down to bad luck. Chance encounters and incidents. It's not up to you if some warlord comes over and ransacks your city, is it?", Nil continued on.

"Then best garner favour with the gods so that doesn't happen.", Gilnid said with a smirk.

"Gods. Pfeh.", Nilith rolled her eyes. "Never done anything for me.", she said.

"Or so you think.", Roviden said.

"Didn't take you for a believer.", Nil said, raising a brow.

"Pretty hard not to believe after what's happened in the last couple hundred years.", Roviden said. "What I don't believe is that anything's up to dumb luck. Everyone gets what they deserve.", she added.

"That seems a bit of a harsh world view.", Gilnid said.

"And how do you justify something like this?", Nil asked, once more gesturing at the bound female.

"I don't care to.", Gilnid said with a smirk. "I find life to be a joke in poor taste I'd rather laugh at than be bitter about.", he said.

"Sounds like someone's drunk already.", Nil said with a frown.

"Ho-ho.", Gil said with an earnest grin.

"If the debate is done with, can we get something to eat?", Aktinius asked.

"And where do you stand on the matter?", Nilith asked.

"I think I made it clear enough yesterday.", Aktin said in an unamused tone. "Now food.", he added.

***

"So you're tagging along?", Folgren asked as they slowly rode their steeds through the streets towards a different gatehouse.

"For a price, of course.", Gilnid said.

"Oh. Well, I'm not hiring.", Folg said with a raised brow.

"I'm the one who hired him.", Roviden said.

"Uh?", Nilith asked, her mouth currently stuffed with a piece of bread.

"Was it the black eye that convinced you to?", Folg asked.

"Just wanted someone capable to replace me while I recover.", Roviden said.

"And you picked the first mercenary you met.", Nilith noted.

"Hey, you might've caught me in between jobs, but I'm as capable as any of you bunch. If not better.", Gilnid said with an air of half-hearted smugness.

"So you say.", Pahton murmured.

"I would trust him.", Roviden said.

"Evidently.", Nilith said.

"And I trust the job description is as Roviden described? A simple journey to Arkrid and then Cal Crag?", Gilnid asked.

"More or less.", Folgren said without conviction.

"What's less about it?", Gilnid asked.

"Well, I do expect you to stick around once we're there.", Roviden said.

"And what awaits us there?", Gilnid asked, suddenly looking less than enthused.

"What do you care?", Roviden asked.

"Well, from my experience, a client being vague means trouble. And trouble means greater pay than they might be able to afford once it comes to light.", Gil said.

"Alright. A coup has taken place, and we're simply going to notify the main force, then return with them to depose a usurper.", Roviden explained.

"Oh, is that all?", Gil asked in a tone unambiguously sarcastic.

"If all goes well, there will be no blood shed.", Folgren said.

"Are both of you mad? Are all of you?", Gilnid asked, looking at everyone around.

"Hey, don't look at me. I don't expect this to end well at all.", Nil protested.

"The coup was done by guardsmen, and the main force is actual soldiers. I don't imagine them being up to the challenge of fighting off an army.", Folgren explained.

"Well... admittedly that doesn't sound AS bad.", Gilnid said, thinking over the situation. "I'll still want twice the amount we agreed upon, though. Fight or no fight.", he said.

"Fair enough.", Roviden said with some reluctance.

"Speaking of what happened in Cal Crag...", Nilith began as she finished the last of her bread. "We needn't mention to anyone what we saw at the brothel, do we?", she asked at Roviden and Pahton.

"Oh? What did you see?", Gilnid asked curiously.

"None of your concern.", Nil hissed in annoyance. "Well?", she asked again.

"All I saw was a whore.", Pahton said.

"Well, I can't say for sure, but I think I can be convinced it was female.", Roviden said.

"Alright, what'll it cost?", Nilith asked in a resigned tone.

"Well, this mercenary ain't cheap.", Roviden said plainly.

"Ugh. Fine.", Nil conceded.

"Is... is this trying to conceal him being a cock-handler?", Gil asked, briefly gesturing at Folgren, somewhat to his displeasure.

"As I said, none of your concern.", Nilith said once more.

"Just... you'll have trouble doing that if last night is anything to go by.", Gilnid noted. "I didn't need to see anything to tell what was going on between-"

"That was not a common occurrence.", Nilith cut him off.

"For the sake of your little ruse, I hope you're being truthful.", Gil said.

"And since you're so observant, I suppose I need to ask you to likewise withhold news of this.", Nil said, looking as though she was expecting another request for additional pay.

"Of course. I wouldn't displease the person holding my wage.", Gilnid said, to which Nilith sighed with some relief.

As they strode on through the city streets, Folgren took note of what it looked like in full daylight - half-naked slaves milling about, cleaning, hauling, running errands, with most of the non-enslaved populace looking to be guards or merchants busy peddling their wares, some of which were more slaves. The buildings were tall and made mostly of valuable stones, with scaffoldings surrounding one in five, some of them around buildings yet to be fully erected.

Folgren found it unsettling how efficient and prosperous the local economy seemed compared to theirs. They were yet within the outskirts, whereas the sights around them could've rivalled the amber quarter. He could only hope it'd eventually all crumble and fall apart on its own. Although this wasn't the only city he wished such a fate upon. It wasn't even top of his list.

"What do you all say to a trip to the local baths?", Nilith asked.

"Sounds good to me.", Roviden said.

"Wouldn't mind.", Folgren said.

"Of course, I want to try one of the fancier ones.", Nil said.

"Fancier ones?", Folg asked.

"Wanted to sample what this city has to offer. And I hear the baths are one such attraction.", Nil said. Quite obviously she meant slave workers doing... who knew what.

"So much for principles, huh?", Folgren muttered.

"Hey, if Pahton got some use out of one, then I want some too.", Nil said.

"Weren't you opposed to sex slaves?", Folg asked.

"I was, but I've been convinced.", Nil said with a smirk. "Though I see you've also changed your mind now that I wish to make use of some big, strong males.", she added in a goading manner.

"I never changed my mind on the matter. Slavery is slavery.", Folgren said humourlessly.

"If you say so.", Nil said, her smirk unwavering. "So not going with us?", she asked.

"No. I'm going to one of the cheaper ones.", Folgren said.

"Me too.", Aktin added.

"Have it your way.", Nil said with a shrug.

***

The journey onward had gone by without a hitch, and by the time the sun began to set, they'd reached their destination - a semi-organized siege encampment, with tents and lanterns stretching out up to a couple hundred meters away from the city walls. The soldiers within were lazying about, with only a few patrolling the camp, presumably to prevent supply smuggling. It didn't take long for one such patrol to take notice of their party.

"Who're-... the fug?", a middle-aged, black canine soldier asked with raised brow. "What are you doing here?", he asked, looking between his companions as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"We're here to see Holoth Row.", Folgren said.

"So you say, huh? Shouldn't you be in Cal Crag?", the soldier asked.

"Come on, Molg. We need a word with your commander.", Roviden said.

"Rovi? You look like shit.", the dog apparently named Molgroth said, peering over at the mutt bitch.

"Can we hasten this? This is rather urgent.", Folgren said.

"Fine, fine.", Molg said and began to lead. "We're not in a particular hurry. Assault isn't happening for another day or so.", he said.

"Sounds like we've arrived in time.", Roviden said.

"Mind telling what brings you here?", Molg asked.

"Tith.", Folgren said plainly.

"And what does he want of Row?", Molg asked in turn.

"Nothing.", Folg said.

"Huh?", Molg raised a brow.

"Let's just say this isn't fit to be common news. Yet.", Roviden said.

"So you say?", Molg said and shrugged dismissively. "Normally you're more forth-coming.", he said.

"Normally I do not have orders more important than taking a thief alive.", Roviden said.

"So you say.", Molg said.

***

"What-?... you? What are you doing here?", Holoth asked as Folgren entered his tent. He'd been sitting at a table with a tankard and a now empty plate, clad in his usual black and red adorned plate armour reaching up to his neck, his helm resting next to his plate, leaving his reddish, back-swept mane bare. Save for a bed and some weapon and armour racks, the tent's interior was otherwise rather spartan. Beside him sat 3 others, high ranking officers by the look of them - a puma, a tiger, and a lioness, all of them clad in black and red not dissimilar to that of their commander.

"A coup's taken place in Cal Crag.", Folgren said. "Tith's taken over.", he added plainly.

"What?", Holoth asked as if he'd just been told a forest sprouted legs and ran away.

"He's taken the high lord prisoner.", Folgren said. Holoth furrowed his brow in thought, wondering what to make of what he'd been told, and if there was any truth to it.

"Why are you here, then?", Holoth asked with visible suspicion.

"He tried to have me arrested.", Folgren said.

"Smartest thing he's ordered, then.", Holoth said, raising Folg's brow. "Did a pretty shit job of it, I see.", he added. "So what is it you want of me?", the tiger asked.

"To go back and restore order.", Folg said, now sounding somewhat uncertain himself. "Shouldn't that be an obvious priority?", he asked.

"Not if you're talking shit.", Holoth said.

"I assure you I do not lie.", Folgren said, somewhat taken aback.

"It's not that I think you're lying. Just doubt you could tell a coup from a drunken street brawl.", Holoth said.

"You can ask my guardsmen if you wish.", Folg said.

"I do not.", Holoth said plainly.

"So what now?", Folgren said, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"Well, I can't very well be going through with the assault with this news.", Holoth said in contemplation. "Can't just take your word for it and lift the siege either.", he added. "So, let's say I send you back with my captain, Ungrin, and half my crew. How's that sound?", Holoth asked, gesturing towards the tiger at the table.

"That... should suffice.", Folgren said, realizing he had no idea what would actually be required.

"Unless Tith's managed to conjure up an army of actual soldiers rather than just some pissant guardsmen, that it will.", Holoth said. "Meanwhile, I'm gonna be forced to sit on my arse and do nothing. So you better hope there's a coup actually happening, else I'll have Ungrin put you over a barrel and part you of the balls it took to waste my time.", Holoth said, culminating in what was almost a growl.

"U-understood.", Folgren said, suddenly hoping his compatriots weren't mislead in their assessment.

"Well? Go on, then! I'll permit a night's rest, but I expect them back within three days, before I die of old age here.", Holoth said, his tone refusing to dim in intensity.

Folgren did as asked and hurried out, with Ungrin close in tow.

***

"So how'd it go?", Nilith asked as Folgren rejoined them.

"Alright, I guess.", Folgren said, running a hand over the side of his face. "We've got half an army to go and take back the city.", he said.

"Only half?", Nilith asked.

"It ought to be enough.", Folgren said.

"I'm not so sure. That's less than there's guardsmen in Cal Crag.", Nil said.

"Just barely.", Roviden said. "And every soldier is worth at least two of us, so that sounds like a considerable advantage to me.", she added.

"If you say so.", Nilith said, obviously unconvinced. "And who's this?", Nil asked, as if suddenly noticing the tiger following them.

"This is Ungrin. One of Holoth Row's captains.", Folgren said. Ungrin nodded in response, the tilt of his short-shaven scalp revealing a significant scar running from his left brow to the back of his ear.

"Not too talkative, I see.", Nil commented.

"I do not engage in idle talk.", Ungrin said in a dull voice.

"Wonderful.", Nilith said with a roll of her eyes.

"You are certain there's a coup happening in Cal Crag, right?", Folgren asked in a rather cautious manner.

"Of course.", Nilith said with a furrowed brow. "I think", she added after a moment's thought.

"You think?", Folgren asked, barely able to conceal his concern.

"Well, Yirvin did come to arrest you.", Nil said.

"I didn't actually get to hear the charges.", Folg said.

"That'd hardly be particularly informative, I think.", Nilith said. "Besides, Aktin's the one who gave us the information.", she said, pointing towards the possum.

"I just said what I'd been told.", Aktinius said.

"I hope we're not acting on some kind of recruit prank.", Folgren said.

"A what?", Aktin asked.

"And what if we are?", Nil asked.

"Then I'm in deep shit.", Folg said.

"Not like you could've validated the story any more without landing in a prison cell.", Nil noted.

"I guess.", Folgren said with a sigh. He could only hope Holoth Row would see it that way.

***

Despite most of their force having to march on foot, the trip back took no longer than the initial journey, and they were now a mere two kilometers away from their destination, with the sun's final rays trickling up their backs.

"So what is our plan?", Nilith asked.

"Hm?", Folgren murmured, woken from a half-minded state.

"A plan. Do we have one?", Nil asked.

"We go in and arrest Tith.", Folg said plainly.

"What? What about everything in between that?", Nilith asked, her hand already drifting to her forehead.

"Anyone that gets in our way gets a bump on the head.", Folgren said.

"Oh gods under, this is turning into another battle of the Southern quarter.", Nil groaned.

"It won't.", Folgren said plainly. "Not like you did much back then, so not sure what you're complaining about.", he added.

"Right now it doesn't look like I'll be taking a time out, so I am rather concerned.", Nilith said.

"Nobody died last time.", Folgren said. "Well, not on our side.", he said.

"I wasn't there!... And you're forgetting Terth!", Nil protested.

"Oh yeah.", Folgren said as he thought back. "That was rather incidental, though.", he said.

"That doesn't exactly inspire confidence.", Nilith said.

"When did you become such a coward?", Roviden interjected.

"Well, pardon my lack of balls, but I don't make a living swinging a sword, I ink papers with a quill!", Nil exclaimed.

"Tonight you can do a bit of both.", Folgren said.

"Couldn't I hang back?", Nil asked.

"While everyone else fights?", Roviden asked.

"Nobody's going to be fighting today. Probably.", Folgren said with a frown. "Tell you what. You can hang back today. But starting tomorrow, you train every day, and I'll see to it.", Folg said.

"Assuming we live till tomorrow.", Nilith remarked.

"Again with the pessimism.", Gilnid interjected. "That is not how you enter battle.", he said.

"And how do you enter battle?", Nil asked humourlessly.

"Believing you'll kill every fucker looking to stab you.", Gil said.

"I'm sure that's never failed anyone.", Nilith said.

"Only those who doubted themselves for even a second.", Roviden interjected.

"You believe that too?", Nil asked and buried her face in her hand, muttering something inaudibly.

"Pardon the interjection...", Ungrin suddenly spoke up. "But we could indeed use a plan.", he said.

"Fine. We go in with me at the helm. I tell anyone we encounter to stand down and join us or they get stabbed by you.", Folgren said.

"That's not a very reliable plan.", Ungrin said. "How do you intend to get inside the city?", he asked.

"Through the Northern gate.", Folgren said plainly.

"You assume it'll remain open.", Ungrin said.

"If not, then I tell them to open. If that doesn't work, then I guess your siege tactics come into play.", Folg said.

"My siege-... what?", Ungrin asked, beginning to sound annoyed.

"Once we're in, we go first for the station. Whoever's still loyal will have likely banded around Mikkis.", Folg said.

"You assume he's still there.", Nil noted.

"If not, then onwards to the amber we go.", Folgren said.

"And the keep?", Ungrin asked.

"Go in and tell Tith to give up.", Folg said.

"Do you imagine this will actually go as planned?", Ungrin asked.

"If not, then we'll think of something.", Folg said, to which both Nil and Ungrin shook their heads.

***

"Well, there's the keep. Unbarred and barely guarded.", Folgren said as they now stood before the main hub of the city upon an open cobblestone plaza. The main body of their half-army stood behind them, a somewhat disparate mix of disorganized guardsmen among professional soldiers.

"Unbelievable.", Ungrin murmured. "It's like we don't have any guards at all.", the tiger said.

"Not ones willing to fight to the death, no.", Folg said.

"But not even a cowardly crossbow shot from a window. Nothing.", Ungrin said.

"Well, what would you do with the shooter then?", Folgren asked as if he'd just been asked something obvious. "We're not that dumb.", he said.

"What was Tith thinking?", Ungrin asked.

"That anyone in the guard actually cares who rules here, I suppose.", Folg said and descended off his steed.

"Way I heard it, he was expecting you lot to come back much less plentiful from the siege.", Mikkis interjected from behind.

"If word gets out about this, we could be invaded by just about anyone and lose everything to no opposition.", Ungrin said as he likewise dismounted his steed.

"Calm yourself. We'll say it was a misunderstanding and nothing actually happened.", Folg said, now walking towards the keep gates.

"That might be a bit hard to sell once Tith's gone.", Mik said.

"Then let us hope news spreads at a reduced pace.", Folgren said.

"Or we could leave some incentives for you to do your best defending the city.", Ungrin said, sounding mildly intimidating.

"Such as?", Folgren asked.

"An apt punishment in case you fail.", Ungrin said. Folgren shuddered at the reminder.

"Fine. Fine. We'll hold this fucking rock.", Folgren said bitterly.

"Hey, is that-?", Mik interjected.

"Tith.", Ungrin said. Sure enough, there he brazenly stood, arms behind his back, along with ten guardsmen, one of whom Folg recognized as Yirvin. Mikkis began to slowly back away towards the head of their main force.

"Greetings!", Tith called. "I trust the siege went well? You seem early.", he said.

"We are early indeed.", Ungrin said. "We've been told you've taken over here.", he said.

"Oh? Oh, you mean in your place.", Tith said.

"Enough of this. Where's the high lord?", Folgren demanded.

"In the keep, of course.", Tith said.

"So you claim no coup has taken place?", Ungrin asked.

"Coup? I do not know what you speak of.", Tith said, trying his best to sound earnest. It sounded very much unlike the Tith Folgren knew, however.

"And why is it you wished to have me arrested?", Folgren asked.

"Under charges of distributing forged coin. What did you think?", Tith asked, a smile brewing upon his face. An analogical frown was steadily forming upon Folgren's own.

"Why don't we hear the high lord's opinion of this?", Ungrin asked.

"The high lord is rather busy.", Tith said.

"I insist.", Ungrin said, crossing his arms.

"Very well.", Tith said with a mild smile. He spoke to some guardsman at the door, who shortly afterwards disappeared within. "Please bear with me a minute.", he called out.

As they stood there, Folgren surveyed the area briefly. The plaza was surrounded with buildings with windows directed inward. He took notice of shadows shifting mildly within.

"The windows.", Folgren whispered to Ungrin.

"I know. Only now you notice?", Ungrin whispered back.

"What now?", Folg asked, suddenly feeling his plan might've been somewhat overly brazen.

"I don't know. This is your plan.", Ungrin said. "Seems to me we're about to die and the rest are about to have a fight on their hands.", he added.

"Why don't we back out towards the troops, then?", Folgren asked.

"We might trigger the ambush. I'd rather they have the chance to notice themselves and prepare.", Ungrin said.

"Gods under.", Folgren cussed, returning to looking around for a way out of this conundrum. Tith and the remaining guardsmen stood a couple steps before them, although there seemed to be something out of place about them. Folgren could only hope they'd refuse to fire on their former captain and a band of enforcers, but that wasn't a chance he'd be willing to place his life on.

Finally, the high lord appeared in a window of the keep, looking somewhat fidgety, constantly glancing behind himself.

"Y-yes? What is it?", lord Cilis called out.

"My lord, is everything in order?", Ungrin called.

"Yes. Of course. Why would it not be?", the high lord said, sounding quite nervous.

Ungrin glanced towards Folgren questioningly, even as he continued to look around. Just then, the lone guardsman who'd been sent to lord Cilis returned through the doorway, rejoining the rest of the guardsmen. That was when Folg realized what'd been missing - Tith's entourage.

"Tith's bodyguards. They're threatening the high lord.", Folgren whispered.

"I can imagine.", Ungrin whispered back. Folg frowned as he realized his observation proved quite worthless.

"What was that?", Tith called, holding up a hand to his ear.

"Alright, enough!", Folgren called out. "I know you're pointing crossbows at us, and at the high lord!", he yelled aloud, making sure everyone in the plaza could hear.

"Bold claims.", Tith said with a shrug.

"If you shoot us, you might kill us, but you'll yet have to deal with the troops behind us! And I can assure you they will not be merciful!", Folgren shouted. "What I offer is mercy to everyone who stands down!", he called. The guardsmen near Tith looked between each other uncertainly, as did Ungrin.

"And we're to believe you'll spare everyone? Even me?", Tith asked.

"Anyone who followed orders. You I wish to see gone from here.", Folgren said. At this, Tith approached them.

"Oh? Like an exile?", Tith asked, his voice low enough to be heard only by the two before him. "I know fully well what that entails.", he said.

"You hold little leverage to be questioning this decision.", Ungrin said.

"And yet I still hold the loyalty of two guarding the high lord. I believe that is sufficient leverage.", Tith said.

"It is.", Folgren admitted aloud. "And I offer to leave you unharmed and whole.", he added.

"Just like that? Why would I trust you?", Tith asked.

"I've seen my share of blood spilt for the year, and I don't wish to see the blood of our own spilt. Even if it's you.", Folgren said. "Leave, and I assure your safety under the value of my word.", he added.

Tith stood for a while, making it seem as though he was considering his alternatives. Yet to Folgren it was more than apparent it was one of those times he was feigning thoughtfulness.

"Very well. I accept.", Tith said aloud. "Lower your arms.", he added to his surrounding guardsmen. The look of disappointment and anger upon Yirvin's face was one Folgren would savour. He had half a mind to force him out as well, but he decided he'd have to leave him be as a more pronounced sign of mercy. Tith waved his arm at the keep. The high lord disappeared for a moment, then reappeared with a much more scornful look in his eyes, yet he said nothing.

"Please give a moment for my entourage to come down.", Tith said and walked closer to the two.

"Your two whores?", Folgren asked.

"That's a rather rude term for my bodyguards.", Tith said with a mild smile.

"So what were you even thinking?", Ungrin asked more quietly.

"Hm?", Tith murmured.

"The whole take-over.", Folgren interjected. "You didn't think it would work, did you?", he asked.

"Oh. Well, do you think those are guardsmen in all the windows?", Tith asked with a toothy smile.

"What?", Folgren asked, looking back outwards from the plaza, but saw nothing within the windows any more.

"Cats, Folgren. The Cal-Rith.", Tith said. "I'd promised them some things in return for their support. I can't imagine they'll be particularly happy now.", he added.

"And you think they'd be able to beat us?", Ungrin said, looking displeased.

"A victory feast of poison, some crossbows and guns deployed around the amber, and some daggers where it counted would've done the trick, I believe.", Tith said. "Things didn't go as planned, however.", he added, looking towards the horse.

"Poor choice trying to exclude me from the proceedings.", Folg said.

"I didn't expect you to comply. Besides, there were other factors. Some of my benefactors found you troublesome.", Tith said.

"So that was your one plan?", Ungrin asked.

"Well, I didn't expect him to seek outside help. And I did try to stop him and his people from reaching you.", Tith said, once more gesturing towards the horse. "That ended surprisingly poorly.", he added.

"So much for your new allies.", Folg said with a dismissive shrug.

"Indeed.", Tith smirked. "Although I hear you have your entourage to thank for that.", he said, his smile broadening.

"I suppose.", Folgren asked.

"Speaking of entourage, here comes mine.", Tith said as the two lapines finally came out from the keep. "I trust you won't break your word once we leave the city? I know what typically happens to exiles.", he added.

"Everyone's watching. I'd rather not make an oathbender of myself.", Folgren said.

"That is good to hear.", Tith said with a smile. He yet betrayed some worry behind it. "I believe I'll experience grief enough from my former allies.", he said.

"You don't seem particularly upset about it.", Folgren noted.

"I've played my hand and lost, but remain able to play again another day.", Tith said. "That is a decent outcome by my measure.", he said.

"Can't help but fear you've yet something planned.", Folg said.

"I do not.", Tith said with the most sincere smile Folgren had yet seen on him. "But speaking of, what did you have planned in case I didn't surrender?", Tith asked.

"Oh. Just to try and goad you into a duel.", Folgren said. "Sense of honour and all that.", he added humourlessly.

"You're not as thick and hot-headed as you make yourself out to be.", Tith said with a mild smile.

"I wasn't aware I give that impression.", Folgren said, somewhat taken aback.

"Perhaps I'm wrong again.", Tith chuckled. "Ready to go?", he asked as the two rabbits approached, both of them looking quite uncertain.

"I-... we're... not certain we wish to leave.", one of them said. Tith's smile faded quite suddenly.

"That's not really up for discussion.", Folgren said sternly before they even had a chance to explain their change of heart. They looked between themselves questioningly.

"We're the commander's bodyguards, whoever that may be.", the other rabbit said.

"Can't say I'd trust you.", Folgren said. "I'd expect you to try something as soon as they leave.", he added towards Tith while gesturing towards Ungrin. "Can't have two potential back-stabbers in my personal guard when that happens.", he concluded. The two lapines looked between each other once more, then nodded meekly.

"So, if there's nothing else to discuss...", Tith said, sounding rather irate all of a sudden, as if the loss of his command meant nothing to him next to the apparent betrayal of his closest subordinates.

"Yes. Let us proceed.", Folgren said and turned on his hoof.

***

As they stood at the gates and watched the three figures venture off into the dark of moonlit night, only then did Folgren begin to feel the weight of having just earned the rank of commander. Or at least that was assuming the high lord wouldn't outright disband the city guard.

"Had to leave him be?", Roviden asked, suddenly finding her way behind the horse.

"I had no desire to see more blood.", Folgren said.

"You do realize this just leaves the chance he'll return, right?", Nilith asked.

"I can't see how the alternative would prevent that.", Folg said.

"Can't really stake a claim as a slave, nor without the ability to make an heir.", Nil said.

"As if anyone cared about heirs here.", Folg said. "Lord Cilis is over 30 and still childless.", he noted.

"Not impossible to yet have a child.", Nilith noticed.

"Regardless, can't see how a lack of balls would prevent someone from taking over anything by force.", Folgren said.

"Well, even if not that, you could've taken the alternative.", Nil suggested.

"It's not his blood I was particularly concerned about.", Folg said.

"Hm?", Nil questioned.

"Crossbows and guns. In the windows. And it wasn't guardsmen.", Folg said.

"Really?", Nil asked, somewhat in disbelief.

"I think your eyes are going. Even I noticed.", Mik interjected.

"Oh, sod off.", Nil said. "Maybe.", she added after a moment.

"Well, I'm not exactly happy.", Roviden said. "And neither's Pahton.", she added, at which the elephant nodded silently. "We needn't have compromised.", she said.

"And what would that have accomplished?", Folgren asked, sounding irate. "Blood on the streets and open war with the Cal-Rith would serve only our enemies.", he said.

"It'd rid us of enemies within our ranks and within our walls.", Roviden said.

"There's ways of doing that other than open conflict.", Folgren said.

"In this city? Pfeh.", Roviden scoffed. "I'll just have to spill some blood myself.", she said, gripping the hilt of her blade for emphasis.

"Speaking of blood, shouldn't you be elsewhere?", Mikis asked.

"What?", Roviden asked.

"The sword song. This whole commotion might attract him here.", Mik said.

"Oh, piss. Right.", Roviden said and hastily walked back into the city, making sure to look out for any rams along the way.

"Oh, grief unending, that sword song is still there?", Folgren said, palming his face.

"Oh yes. He basically lives there now. Even had a letter come in.", Mik said.

"Might as well go and ask how long he intends to be there still.", Folgren turned and began to walk back to the station.

"You know, I think this is cause for celebration.", Mik suggested.

"Ask again tomorrow. Provided I'm still alive.", Folg said humourlessly.

"Shouldn't you be going to see the high lord about your nomination?", Nilith asked.

"Ugh. I suppose.", Folgren said. "Sword humper can wait till tomorrow.", he added.

***

"So. I have you to thank for the... "swift" rescue?", lord Cilis asked. This was likely the pissiest Folgren had seen the cat yet, and the four enforcers surrounding them did not make the conversation any more pleasant.

"I guess.", Folgren said, crossing his arms in disinterest. He felt he was about to hear a tirade berating him.

"I was being sarcastic, in case that was unclear.", the high lord added. Folgren said nothing. "I would expect better, but then I suppose the state of things is for the most part my own doing.", Cilis added.

"It was hardly within my ability to do better under the circumstances.", Folgren said, raising a brow.

"Or so you say.", Cilis said. "What if the enforcers weren't there to help? What if this city didn't have a separate guard and army?", he asked.

"We'd be fucked?", Folg asked dispassionately.

"If it was just the guard, then likely yes. Not necessarily so with my enforcers.", the high lord said. "Sometimes I question the use of your kind.", he added. Folgren found it hard not to roll his eyes.

"So what now?", Folgren asked, trying to stem his temper.

"I've yet to decide. Something needs to change.", Cilis said.

"What exactly?", Folgren now sighed.

"For one thing, how can I assure you won't do what Tith just tried?", Celion asked.

"Pardon?", Folg asked, suddenly feeling his choler rise even more.

"Well, you just let him off without so much as a slap on the wrist. So I'm not so certain you treat treason as seriously as you should.", Celion said, closing the distance between them to an uncomfortable proximity.

"I did what had to be done to avoid bloodshed.", Folgren said.

"'What had to be done', fucking-... Now there's a cunt walking around who got off free after taking me hostage! How does that make me look?", Celion asked.

"Like he was nothing to you?", Folgren suggested.

"The biggest morons in the free cities wouldn't believe that!", Celion hissed and walked away from the horse, fuming. "And now the cause of it is my only candidate for guard commander.", he said. "Please. Provide good reason why I shouldn't just give the enforcers your job and disband the guard.", he said, sounding genuinely desperate.

"We... cost less?", Folgren suggested.

"You do.", the high lord admitted. "I hardly need something that costs anything and serves only to hinder me, however.", he said.

"Normally we do our job quite well, I would say.", Folgren said, once more starting to feel irritated. "Enforcers didn't do shit last year.", he said.

"Neither did the guard till you came along.", Celion said. "And need I add Tith was conveniently nowhere to be found back then as well? Or will you feign ignorance as to his involvement in those events?", he asked.

"I... that's news to me.", Folgren said, thinking back to a year ago. Was Tith involved, or did the Kergo-Drung simply pick the right moment? What else might he have missed? "All I know is we did something the enforcers wouldn't sully their hands with.", he said.

"I suppose that you did. You specifically.", Celion said. "Very well. Normally I'd have reservations about nominating someone of your... attitude. But you are the one who got things done.", he said. "I hereby name you commander of the guard. Do you accept?", the high lord asked.

"I accept.", Folgren said, despite all his instincts yearning for rejection.

"Good. Then so it is.", lord Cilis said. "Do you intend to nominate a captain? It is within your right.", Celion said.

"I... hadn't considered it.", Folgren said thoughtfully. And the more he thought about it, the more he was filled with dread in the knowledge he had no candidate he could trust to do the job.

"Consider it, then.", Celion said. "Take note of how Holoth operates. He's been quite efficient thus far, I would say.", he added.

"I will.", Folgren said without conviction. He truly wondered if anyone in the guard would make a suitable captain. The closest that came to mind was Yirvin, and he was a prick who went behind his back to the commander, tried to arrest him, and would likely attempt to stab Folgren in the back if given the chance. On the other hand, that would make it easier to lay grievances concerning the guards' performance when Folg would have to. Most would likely find issue in serving under him, however.

"You're dismissed, then.", Celion waved him away.

Folgren did as asked, still running the possible candidates through his head. Perhaps he would have to settle for voluntary candidates and then attempt to evaluate which among them was most suitable. This would trouble his mind for the nearest week. Or month.

***

As he stepped out into the lukewarm night, he was greeted by Aktinius, a mild smile upon his face.

"How'd it go?", Aktin asked.

"As well as it could've, I guess. I'm commander now.", Folgren said.

"Congratulations, commander.", Aktin said and beat his chest in a stern salute.

"For a minute it seemed as though lord Cilis might disband us, actually.", Folgren noted. "What brings you here, anyway? Not just here for news of a meeting, are you?", he asked.

"Oh, well, I can't exactly enter your house without the key.", Aktinius said with a guilty smile.

"Of course.", Folgren said, realizing the possum was still spending the night in his place. Perhaps even in his bed.

"Although I was also going to ask if you wouldn't like to come celebrate with the rest.", Aktin said.

"I thought I told Mik not today.", Folgren said.

"Well, everyone figured it'd be odd to celebrate the next day. And they sent me to fetch you.", Aktin said.

"Oh, alright. Where are they?", Folg said with a groan, feeling much too tired to experience any sense of elation.

"They said 'same place as last year'. Does that suffice?", Aktinius asked.

"It does.", Folgren said.

***

"Cap'n... you wouldna believe the fug... the fug we had to deal with in the amber.", a caprine guardsman normally unknown to Folgren said with some difficulty. His name was Kiglin, he'd learned, and he was quite inebriated at this point. "There wa' this... this ferret. Kept giving us shit.", he continued.

Folgren occasionally nodded at his tale and otherwise kept to his own, considerably weaker drink and more pertinent thoughts. He wished for a stronger drink, despite his usual rule of never getting drunk in Cal Crag. But more than anything, he now struggled to think of a decent candidate for captain. At the very least, everyone potentially suitable he could think of was currently present.

Nilith was there, sharing a drink with Mik and his buddies, neither of which seemed like decent choices. Nil had proven to be somewhat of a coward in the last days, making it unlikely the other guardsmen would treat her seriously, not to mention she was starting to take after Mik, becoming similarly lazy and reluctant to carry out orders. On the other hand, she was the one who organized his "rescue" of sorts. Still, her as captain would likely mean Folgren would have to continue working that function himself.

Roviden was busy talking to Gilnid and a few felines, over what looked like heavy drinks. He hardly wanted to even consider her as a candidate for anything, even if she did help get them out of the situation with the Cal-Rith. Though that was likely a situation they could've avoided were it not for her impulsiveness. Folgren shook his head at the very thought.

Pahton was occupying a corner of the room with some less recognizable guardsmen, looking about as cheerful as an autumn funeral. In a way he was similar to Roviden, although less unhinged, and capable of carrying out orders. Folgren feared he might prove overly strict, but for the moment he seemed the most viable candidate.

Aktinius was seated nearby, occasionally throwing indiscreet glances towards the horse, even as guards around tried to get him to share in drinking. His recent experiences apparently made him reluctant to partake in drink. Being a recruit, he couldn't even be considered a candidate. Although even barring that factor, he was woefully inexperienced and not a particularly effective guardsman. Yet.

Very briefly did he turn his attention towards Terith and Cirkun. They were surrounded by a small crowd, and a more thorough look in between the cheerful onlookers gave him a glance of woefully indiscrete, public fucking. Folgren palmed his face in disdain and turned away. There was no way he was making either of them captain.

"So Til's there, holdin' her crotch and throwing fugs all around, the ferret bitch has a black eye and bloodied nose. So we move in to break them up.", Kiglin continued his story, in time for Folgren's attention to return and hear what was likely to be the end. "So we arrest the ferret, take 'er back to the station... and then in the cell, Til holds 'er down and says...", Kig continued, only for Mik to approach.

"How's the evening going, commander?", Mik asked.

"As well as it could be, I guess.", Folg said.

"Don' interrup' me. Was gettin to the good part.", Kig protested.

"What did I say about that story?", Mik asked. Kig paused for a while in recollection.

"Oh. Oh yeh.", Kig said, as if suddenly having realized something of import. "Forget I said anything, commander.", he said. Mikkis pulled Folgren away towards the table Nilith was at.

"What was that about?", Folgren asked with a brow raised.

"You don't want to know.", Mik said as they sat down.

"Is it something I should know?", Folg questioned.

"No. Probably not.", Mik said.

"Know what?", Nil asked.

"Not now.", Mik said.

"I get the feeling this'll come back to bite me.", Folgren sighed.

"Leave it for another day. Today we celebrate.", Mik said.

"I wish I could.", Folg said and took a sip of his drink.

"Why not?", Nil asked.

"Now that I'm commander, I could use a captain.", Folgren said. "I shouldn't even be mentioning this to either of you.", he added.

"Well, I wouldn't mind.", Nilith said.

"I thought so.", Folg said plainly, hoping the subject wouldn't drag.

"Sounds like a bother to me.", Mik said.

"It would be.", Folgren admitted.

"How many candidates do you have?", Nil asked.

"Well, just about a quarter of the people here.", Folg said. "And I'm afraid whoever I think of I'll forget the next day if I drink too much.", he added.

"How about you write down what you think of on a piece of paper?", Nil suggested. "That way you'll at least have a record of your thoughts.", she said.

"I don't carry...", Folg began, only to have Nilith pull out a piece of paper and lead pencil. "Really?", he asked.

"What?", Nil asked back as she handed Folgren the writing utensils.

"Just... never mind.", Folg decided and began to at least write down what the list was.

"I'll get you that stronger drink.", Mik said and went towards the bar.

They spent the night talking shit about anyone and anything, Folgren occasionally gazing around the room to seek out what everyone else was doing.

Terith eventually moved on to other guardsmen while Cirkun blissfully recuperated, going through 3 others by Folgren's count, before she decided to call it a night and leave with her bodyguard. Roviden eventually left with some cats, looking only mildly drunk, yet somewhat unexpectedly leaving the bull alone, who looked to be nearing a state of unconsciousness, judging by his posture and the bottles surrounding him. A similar observation could be made of Pahton, who'd achieved the bull's apparent goal much quicker, and would likely wake the next morning with his snout and ears made reminiscent of male genitals with the help of some paint one of the more tribal-looking guardsmen was known to carry.

As he glanced at Aktin from time to time, he saw him looking back with a concern upon his face. He wasn't sure what to make of it. But drink after drink, Folgren eventually stopped caring, and returned to the matter at hand - picking a captain.

***

"Folg."

Folgren woke the next morning under a familiar ceiling, and a strong aversion to the light pouring in from a nearby window.

"Come on, it's past noon.", he heard a familiar voice call. There, next to him, was Aktinius, kneeling completely nude, a morning erection eagerly throbbing between his legs. Folgren could seldom imagine a more welcome sight. Yet this morning it held little sway.

"Oh.", was all Folgren said, realizing sounds induced pain in his skull no less than the light did to his eyes.

"You alright?", Aktin asked.

"Head hurts.", Folgren groaned.

"Oh. I know the feeling.", Aktin said with a mild smile.

"What happened last night?", Folgren asked.

"Uh, don't remember? How far back?", Aktin asked.

"Just... anything notable happen?", Folgren asked.

"Uh, well, Pahton got his face painted in a way that uh, made it looked like a cock and balls.", Aktin said. "Terith... well, that's best left unmentioned.", Aktin said with a mild blush. "Roviden left with some cats. Not guardsmen.", he said.

"Probably mercenaries.", Folgren said dispassionately. "Did I do anything I should worry of?", he asked.

"Well... you did slap Nilith.", Aktin said.

"Uh? Why?", Folg asked, rising to a sit with some sense of urgency.

"She, uh, slid a hand down your pants.", Aktin said.

"Oh.", Folgren murmured. Justified or not, he'd probably have to apologize for that.

"Mik found it entertaining, at least.", Aktin said. "They left together shortly after, along with Mik's buddies.", he said.

"And us?", Folg asked.

"You left eventually. And I followed shortly after to avoid suspicion.", Aktin said.

"That actually sounds like something that'd look really suspicious.", Folgren said. "Though I doubt anyone was sober enough to notice.", he said and rose up to his hoofs. "So what next?", he asked, now looking for his clothes.

"Uh, well...", Aktin began hesitantly. "We got home without trouble.", he said.

"And then we had some fun, I presume?", Folgren asked. "Shame I remember none of it.", he added.

"Actually, we tried, but uh, you couldn't get it up.", Aktin said, blushing somewhat.

"Oh. Huh. Sorry about that.", Folgren said, now blushing himself as he dug out a loincloth from among what he presumed were clean clothes in his drawer.

"You know, we could still try something now...", Aktin suggested.

"Not with a hangover.", Folgren said. "Believe me, I've tried it. A couple times.", he said.

"Oh.", Aktin said, looking somewhat disappointed.

"We can try again tonight. We've got all the time in the world.", Folgren said. Aktin smiled and nodded. "Let's get dressed and try and at least pretend we're guardsmen.", Folgren added, continuing to dig through his clothes.

He remembered something else from the previous night. If he hadn't lost it, he should have a piece of paper with some thoughts on the candidates. Sure enough, he quickly found it around the side of his pants, wrapped around his belt. He unfurled it and read it:

List of candidates for captain

Nilith

Folgren

"Fucking idiot.", Folgren cussed humourlessly to himself.

"What?", Aktin asked, briefly pausing in his own efforts to get dressed.

"Nothing. Just something stupid I did.", Folgren said and crumpled up the piece of paper. So much for relying on his drunken self for advice. Nilith's name was quite obviously not in his handwriting either.

***

They entered the station to find an all around sorry sight. Nilith was leaning against her hand, apparently trying to make the bright red handprint on her face less prominent. Mik, like a number of less recognizable guardsmen gathered around, was nursing a hangover, lying face down on the table. Pahton was looking mostly annoyed, his face still red in places where he apparently had trouble wiping off the paint job he'd been provided.

"Captain.", Pahton said and beat his chest in salute. Several other half-living guardsmen followed his example.

"I see everyone overdid the drink.", Folgren noted.

"And some things have turned up missing, it seems like.", Nilith noted, her tone strangely absent of hostility considering the mark on her cheek.

"Like what?", Folg asked.

"My helm.", Pahton said, visibly irate. It was a rather intimidating sight, Folgren had to admit.

"Not just Pahton's.", Mik noted. "Some of the guys got robbed of their entire uniforms.", he added.

"Gods under.", Folgren sighed. "That's why you never get drunk in Cal Crag.", he said.

"Well, you drank your share.", Nil noted.

"Exactly.", Folgren said in a dim tone.

"So what do we do now?", Nil asked.

"File a request for more uniforms.", Folg said with a shrug. "Say some got lost in the turmoil.", he added.

"Fug that.", Pahton said and got off his chair. "I'm finding the fug with the death wish.", he said and stomped out of the station. Everyone else just stared as he left.

"Shouldn't we mention Verg took his mask as a joke?", Nil asked.

"Poor Verg.", Mik said.

"Poor anyone who crosses paths with Pahton today.", Nil said. "I think this is taking a joke too far.", she added.

"Hey, you wanna tell him, then tell him.", the wof among Mik's buddies said.

"Speaking of telling things, how's our prisoners?", Nilith asked.

"Oh. Oh shit. The food.", Mik blurted out in waves of consciousness. "Ig, you mind?", he asked at the bull at the table.

"Right.", Ig said, heavily lifting himself off the table.

"Suppose you'll need a talk with some of the prisoners, captain.", Mik said.

"Huh?", Folgren asked.

"The rodent's been asking for your attention. Again.", Mik said, at which Folgren rolled his eyes. "The tree-worshippers have been getting somewhat restless.", he iterated onwards. "And there's a certain ferret noble girl that got put there 2 days ago.", he concluded.

"I'm not sure I want to listen to any of that with a hangover.", Folgren said.

"Well, whenever you feel like it.", Mik said with a shrug.

"Later perhaps. For now we go.", Folg said, and turned the way they'd come.

***

He returned to the station in the late of night, alone, finding no one around, not even Nil. He found it strange, albeit just mildly. It was dark by then, the better part of his day spent patrolling with Aktinius and trying to avoid loud noises. At the very least he was beginning to feel more like himself again, after what felt like a gallon of water passed through him, washing out the last of his intoxication. He had no idea what even drove him to come here when he could've gone back home with a rather eager Aktin. Somehow he felt like he owed it to his own sense of work ethic to attend to the prisoners, a task it seemed no one else was currently performing in any form.

As he entered the cell block, he was hit with a wretched odor left over by the cats. They were all gone by now, yet the reek remained. The other prisoners appeared to barely notice his entry, as they were either asleep or lying in wait for sleep to take them. The one prisoner that noticed him quickly changed that.

"Oh, thank Tavat!", the mouse he recalled was named Lithin squeaked as she rose up to her paws.

"Not so loud.", Folgren asked in hushed tone, hoping the others would yet not notice him. His hopes were in vain.

"You there!", the ferret priest of the fertility-worshippers called out.

"Not now. I'll get to you.", Folgren called back. The other ferret in the cell block, the noblewoman Folgren had gotten to know a little in the last few days, was also up, and currently staring daggers at Folg. "Now then, what do you want now?", he asked, turning back to the mouse.

"I once again beseech you to reconsider holding us captive.", Lithin pleaded. Folgren sighed. This was a conversation doomed to failure.

"How long have you been here now?", Folg ask, truly unable to recall.

"4 days!", the mouse exclaimed. Folgren considered this for a while.

"Right. Tell you what.", Folg began. "What do you have in terms of funds?", he asked.

"Oh. A mere 4 sovereigns.", Lithin said.

"Well, paying your way out seems out of the question, then.", Folgren noted.

"I've two skilled hands, and so do my companions.", Lithin said adamantly. "We're willing to work for our freedom.", she said. Folgren raised a brow. That was a proposition most guardsmen might've taken the wrong way. And either way Folg already had a skilled set of hands waiting for him at home.

"Couldn't find it in you to work for a steed.", Folg noted, desperately trying to ignore the implications of her last sentence.

"That was an error on our part, I admit.", Lithin said. "We were over-eager to arrive at our destination on time, and it merely cost us much more time.", she said.

"Well, you're being kind of over-eager now as well.", Folgren noted. "You've sat out half your sentence, another 3 days and you're free to go.", he said.

The mouse looked more distraught at this news than Folg thought normal, then moved away from the bars and sat down in defeat. At the very least she knew when to give up, Folgren thought. He then reluctantly moved on to the next prisoner, whom he didn't expect to respond as well.

The ferret noble looked at him bitterly, a disdain in her eyes that threatened murder by itself. It might've made an impression on Folgren were it not upon the eyes of a runt. And were one of her eyes not purple after an unsuccessful assault on a guard.

"What do you want?", Folg asked.

"Need I remind you who I am?", she asked.

"No. Don't care.", Folgren said dispassionately. He truly couldn't remember her name.

"And do you not care what your commander will say of this?", she asked through clenched teeth, occasionally glancing towards the neighbouring cell.

"No.", Folg said, barely containing a smirk at the failed attempt at appeal to authority. "Is this the best you've got? Threatening you'll tattle?", he asked, genuinely feeling somewhat sorry for the spoilt girl as she slinked back to the back of the cell, continuing to swear vengeance with only her eyes.

Folgren shrugged and moved on, to what was presumably the noisiest among his petitioners.

"Well?", Folg asked, now looking quite fed up.

"Need I actually ask? Release us. You've proven your point.", the ferret said in a tone much more morose than expected.

"I never quite got your name.", Folgren noted.

"It is Logmund.", the ferret said. Thus far he was sounding uncharacteristically calm and rational. That would soon likely change.

"Can't do that until you've served yours, or paid off the statue fourfold.", Folgren said.

"I understand your duty, yet we have ours to attend to.", Logmund said. "Even now I imagine our temple is being encroached upon by the unfaithful.", he said.

"I don't see why you can't just pay up.", Folgren said. "If duty meant this much to you, you'd sacrifice the funds.", he added.

"Alright, look...", Logmund began and leaned in to the bars. Folgren did likewise, assuming he wished to whisper, yet expected he would actually scream in his ear for some reason. "This wasn't my idea, nor was it even agreed upon by anyone else.", he said. "My niece, you see...", he went on, nudging his head towards the ferret in the sidewards cell. "She can be rather hot-headed sometimes.", he said.

"So you want to blame it all on her?", Folgren asked, not really buying into his excuses.

"I know what it looks like, but it's the truth. I swear it on my manhood.", Logum said. It wasn't a particularly appreciated kind of oath to Folgren, but the ferret was a worshipper of a fertility deity, so it likely carried weight to him, at least.

"Alright, even if I believe you, someone still has to pay up for the statue.", Folgren said.

"Not unless we hold out till our sentence is up.", Logmund said.

"Well, technically, amber quarter law is a bit different...", Folgren said, genuinely trying to remember what it said about financial harm to the district.

"Alright, alright.", Logum said. "I just hope you realize I'm paying for a crime of family.", he said.

"If that is true, then why not ask that part of the family for a donation?", Folg asked.

"Whether they believed me or not, one of us would be in disfavour with the family, and we both rely on family funds, you see.", Logum said. "My niece means well, she just... creates more problems than she solves.", he said.

"That I can believe.", Folgren said, glancing towards the sulking ferret. "So you'll pay, right?", he asked, just to be sure.

"Yes. Of course.", Logum assured. "And I can expect you'll let her go as well?", the ferret asked.

"She's not really here for that particular crime.", Folgren said.

"But surely you could overlook that, right?", Logum asked in a slightly more pleading manner.

"Can't see why.", Folg said, crossing his arms and awaiting some kind of convincing argument.

"Well, our family, you see...", Logum began.

"Oh, here we go again.", Folgren murmured.

"I understand you don't view house Fossium as much of an enemy.", Logmund said.

"I do not. And thus far, apparently neither do they view themselves as my enemy either.", Folg said.

"Even if you do not think so, I imagine you must gather many such enemies. And a lot of enemies less interested in your grief do add up to something.", Logmund said.

"I care little for someone who considers law enforcement an enemy.", Folgren said bluntly.

"Still, you could minimize the risk stemming from such enemies by doing a favour. One that'd cost you very little.", Logmund suggested. "It'd go a long way to show you can be compassionate towards some... errant, youthful behaviour.", he went on.

"Wouldn't be very fair to the other houses if I bent the rules for you. Not exactly looking forward to hearing the kinds of demands your people and others would come up with after this either.", Folgren said.

"Well, it's either that, or we stay here and pay nothing.", Logum said, now crossing his arms.

"Or I could take you to the interrogation room and squeeze some vows of compliance out of your manhood.", Folgren said as he began to lose patience. Logum clearly shirked at this.

"Couldn't we come to a more amicable arrangement without use of force?", Logum pleaded, suddenly sounding more meek.

"Then best come up with a more tangible form of compensation than some questionable favour with a noble house.", Folgren said.

"Perhaps favour with the high lord would better interest you?", Logmund suggested. Folgren considered this. He was on rather strenuous terms with the high lord for the moment. Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad an idea.

"I'm listening. How would you accomplish this?", Folg said.

"We have something of an agreement with the high lord. The tax we pay is greater, and in return a blind eye is turned towards certain matters of safety regulations.", Logmund said.

"Go on.", Folgren said, already more than aware of the procedure.

"So as far as that goes, we could always offer a little more. A one-time bonus. Say it's because we're pleased with the way you've handled our incident.", Logmund explained.

"Hm. Not sure how much that'll amount to with the high lord.", Folgren said in ponder. "Nor if you'll actually hold up your end of the bargain.", he added.

"I assure you, I will. I swear it on my-"

"Alright. I'll let you all go.", Folgren decided, feeling he was handing away rope to hang him with. "What exactly changed your mind on the matter, anyway? You could've avoided all this by just paying.", Folgren asked.

"It wasn't our crime to begin with. I was following my sense of justice.", Logmund said. "But, as I saw my niece suffer within these walls... well, it somewhat lost its meaning.", he carried on.

"I see.", Folgren said, trying to imagine the line of thought that'd lead to this. As he opened the cells and allowed the two ferrets to rejoin in freedom, he spared one more glance towards the defeated-looking rodents in their cell. He stood there in thought for a while, then grumbled and opened the cell. The mouse looked at him in confusion for a while. He simply nudged his head and moved off to the side.

"You're letting us go after all?", the mouse asked.

"I'm feeling charitable today. And I am commander here.", Folgren said, trying to justify the rather questionable action to himself. "Just don't steal steeds this time.", he added.

"Oh, thank Tavat!", the mouse squeaked and moved out of the cell, her two companions following her with a look of suspicion upon their faces. "I told you Tavat would see us through.", she added towards the two.

"Stop talking about Tavat, else you're going back in the cell.", Folgren said in annoyance. It was always the same with religious types. Do anything for them and they thank some indifferent cloud-dweller instead.

"We cannot simply abandon our faith.", Lithin said.

"You can keep it out of my ears.", Folgren said, steadily beginning to regret his decision.

"Thank you.", one of the two other rodents, the rat, said. Folgren nodded, though he couldn't muster the faintest of smiles. At least this one knew whom to thank, Folgren thought.

"I thank you as well.", Logmund said, somewhat to Folg's surprise. Folgren simply nodded in response. "And to think some take you for a wretched sodomite.", he added, at which point Folgren barely managed to stifle a grimace.

***

Folgren walked into his office, for one of the last times, as he would soon have to relocate to the amber. Primarily so that lord Cilis needn't travel far to direct his complaints directly to the new commander. As he sat at his desk and fumbled with his lantern, he nearly jumped as it went on, revealing the sword song in the room with him.

"Oh fuck, I'd forgotten about you.", Folgren said.

"Pardon. I was composing.", the ram Folgren recalled as Pretten said, holding his mandolin upon his lap.

"Composing?", Folg asked.

"Yes. As you may know, I've been unsuccessful.", Pretten said.

"I... did not know, actually.", Folgren said.

"Oh. Then I regretfully inform that I've recently learned my employer has passed away.", Pretten said with something remotely similar to remorse.

"Oh. Huh.", Folgren murmured. "Who was it?", he asked.

"I suppose there is no harm in telling now. One Nivo of the Cal-Rith.", Pretten said. Folgren barely contained his surprise. "I suspect you knew him?", the ram asked.

"I knew of him.", Folgren said, deciding not to mention he saw him die, and somewhat contributed to the event.

"I see.", Pretten said.

"And you seek no reprisal on whoever did him in?", Folg asked.

"I do not. That is not my task.", Pretten said. "Although I do not recall mentioning he'd been murdered.", he added with a sense of curiosity.

"Oh, just assumed that was the case. Gangers seldom die of old age.", Folgren said, desperately trying to calm his nerves.

"I see.", Pretten said with the mildest of smiles.

"So you compose a funeral dirge for him?", Folg asked.

"Not exactly. I compose a piece to commemorate my failure.", Pretten said.

"So... a tale of how you waited for... four days, has it been?", Folgren asked somewhat cautiously.

"Exactly so.", Pretten said. "I can only surmise I haven't been forceful enough. I now write to forever remember my mistakes, and perhaps rectify them.", he explained.

"I see...", Folg said, somewhat concerned over the use of the word 'forceful'.

"Worry not. My business here is at an end.", Pretten said. "I merely wish to complete my song.", he said.

"I see no issue there.", Folg said.

"Would you like to hear it?", Pretten asked.

"Hm?", Folgren questioned.

"The song. Would you like me to play it in its current iteration?", Pretten asked.

"Oh. Uh. Is there a price?", Folgren asked with a tilt of his head.

"Merely two minutes of silence.", Pretten said.

"Very well.", Folgren said.

As the ram began to pluck the strings of his mandolin, quickly forming a rather mellow and discordant melody, Folgren listened and thought over the events of the last couple days. It'd been rather hectic, but turned out better than expected in the end. The song seemed hardly apt, save for the thoughts and memories of death he'd gathered anew. Yet they hardly deserved to dwell on him as regrets, he felt. He'd managed to avert more violence than he'd brought on, and though he might've been able to avoid more, those that fell victim were hardly without fault.

With the song seemingly nearing its sullen end, Folgren began to look over his desk. It'd been left untouched since the current series of events had started, yet something seemed amiss. There, atop the stack of papers he found a letter he'd initially assumed as that of the rat girl, yet upon closer inspection it was different. Sealed in wax, but a different kind. He turned it over to find somewhat of a surprise.

From Kohten of Tok, Baron of Ponlin

"Kohten? Baron Kohten?", Folgren murmured.

"Pardon?", Pretten asked.

"Oh, excuse me. Just thinking aloud.", Folgren said.

"Did you enjoy my performance?", Pretten asked, with the mildest of curiosity.

"Oh. Yes. It was very... morose.", Folgren said, hoping it wouldn't be taken as insult.

"Good.", Pretten said. "I shall return to finishing it.", he said, then turned to more quietly plucking the strings of his instrument, seeking applicable melodies to weave into the composition.

Folgren turned back to the letter, trying to be discrete as he broke the seal and pulled out its contents. It didn't look particularly long. He began to read.

Dear Folgren,

I trust this letter finds you well. I apologize for the recent silence, but it was a necessity of the recent state of affairs. I'm sorry to say, the funeral and subsequent handling of inheritance matters met with some complications, resulting in a conflict I'd been drawn into against my will.

Though the crisis has now been averted, its resolution has come at a heavy price. I've witnessed my siblings injured, maimed or killed, at the hands of others as well as my own. The resulting peace has brought on a redistribution of land titles, bringing me a reward I hadn't asked for, yet must attend to. My new duties deny me travel beyond the borders of my lands, barring me from returning for the foreseeable future.

I hope to hear back from you. Mayhap I will come visit eventually. Mayhap will you.

Kind regards,

Kohten of Tok, Baron of Ponlin

Folgren put the letter away with somewhat of a frown. So much had gone by without him so much as hearing of a civil war despite its vicinity. He'd like to think Cal Crag took up his thoughts, allowing few news from beyond to reach his mind, but he'd be lying to himself. He simply cared little for anything other than his immediate difficulties and gratification. Perhaps he would have to change that. He was commander of the guard now, after all.

He pushed the letter aside, considering what to write back, when he noticed something that'd managed to gather a layer of dust by now - Kithlen's most recent letter. With a stifled sigh, he pulled it to himself and opened it, feeling he'd neglected it for too long now. Yet he felt little desire to read it in its entirety.

Folgren,

As much as I appreciate your reliably regular confirmations that you've received my messages, I would more so appreciate a more robust answer.

Folgren tilted his head. In a way she was right. He was dismissive in his answers. But then he hardly held much sympathy for her, and constantly questioned why she sought an audience in him. At best she was trying to gain intelligence concerning the city at the behest of her own. At worst she sought emotional bonds with someone seldom interested in such things. He continued to read.

My uncle has once more set off to forge new trade routes between the free cities, this time seeking deals with the city of Tilvog. I trust you realize what this means - he's now actively avoiding Cal Crag. Not of your own fault, I can assure you. Rather he sees its volatile reputation as a liability.

Folgren decided to skip any further talk of family business.

Before my uncle left, however, he'd arranged for me to start seeing a certain rat. I suppose at this point it'll come as no surprise to you he's over a decade older than me.

Another section Folgren decided to skip before it began. This was a regular feature of her letters - another noble her uncle wished to betroth her to, another noble she did her best to dissuade from wishing to be near her. It'd become somewhat repetitive by now.

I hope to hear from you. This time at length. Else next time I might bring up other lengths.

At this his brow twitched in annoyance. Miles away, she still decided to agitate him. It made him want to write back only to notify her future letters would serve only as kindling. Yet in a way, he realized this was merely the result of his own flippant answers. Had he cared as much about talking to someone, he'd likely have been similarly aggravated at the lack of a proper answer.

Yours,

Kithlen of house Diffold

P.S.: Sorry.

He looked at the last line for a moment in stunned silence, then smiled. As much as he felt he was being manipulated, he decided he'd write her a response no worse than what he'd intended for Kohten.

Leaning back, he pulled some blank papers off the storage shelves, followed by a quill and the bottle of bootleg alcohol he'd sampled those couple days ago. With a swig of the bottle and a pensive sigh, he began to recollect the events of the year, trying his best to transfer what he could reasonably divulge on paper.

***

Morning radiated through the twin windows of the storage room by the time he was done. He was tired, but satisfied in a way. It wouldn't help him feeling like a corpse for the rest of the day, but at the very least he could say it was worth it.

As he put the final touches on the envelopes, securing them with a wax seal, his mind ventured to what they would make of his tales. His very title on the envelope would likely bring some surprise. And while the events recounted to Kithlen were no doubt lengthier due to her much briefer presence in Cal Crag, some of the less significant events would hold little meaning to her since she hardly knew anyone here. On the other hand, news of Aktinius and what they'd done together would have to remain unknown to Kohten, although even in Kithlen's case Folgren had decided to remain vague, if only in case someone managed to intercept the letter. Hopefully she would know what he meant when he mentioned the new recruit's flexibility and spryness. Although it was just as likely she'd find it stupid he wouldn't just say it outright.

With the letters now readied before him, he then realized how drowsy he felt. He put them to the side and leaned against his hands. He needed to rest his eyes, if only for a couple seconds.

***

"Folgren!", he felt a familiar voice stirr him from the comfort of sleep.

"Wh-what? I was just resting.", Folgren blurted out in assurance, even as he'd yet to see who it was that woke him.

"Fug sake, you scared me.", he heard Aktin say with a sense of resentment.

"Wha? Why?", Folgren asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"The sword song left your office, and I come in to find you lying flat on your desk.", Aktin complained, sounding terrified and bitter alike.

"Oh, he left? Huh.", Folg said, looking around in mild surprise. "Sorry about that.", he muttered groggily.

"Never mind that. Why didn't you come home?", Aktin asked, now looking more sulky than worried.

"Yes, forgive me, I got caught up... writing letters.", Folg said, sounding almost embarrassed that was what he picked over a night with the possum.

"Letters?", Aktin asked, furrowing his brow.

"Just some old acquaintances I needed to catch up with.", Folg said.

"We were supposed to do something yesterday.", Aktin said, visibly pouty.

"I know, I know.", Folgren said, running a hand over his face. "And I'm sorry. I promise we'll do something today.", he assured.

"We'd better.", Aktin said.

"My, you're eager.", Folgren noted. "You know you can always just do it yourself, you know.", he teased.

"I know.", Aktin said. "And I did.", he added in a less adamant tone.

"Oh.", Folgren said with a smile. "That's something I'd like to see some time.", he said.

"You're gonna have to be home for the night for that to happen.", Aktin said humourlessly.

Folgren simply smirked.