The Market
#3 of Fractured Mind
Ouch, even reading what I wrote makes me wince. Still he kind of asks for it.
She almost missed when they got to the market. She had for some reason expected some kind of building, but this was open air with people mostly selling things from blankets spread on the ground. Some had makeshift tables, and one or two had tents. The market was crowded and loud, with people calling out their wares. Lanes between the merchants were unpaved little more than dry dirt paths.
So far as she could tell the market only had Ferox in the crowd. They came in all sizes, colors and ages. The adults were wearing mostly vests or coats but nothing else. Some she noticed had foot wear, but it was rare, the same for jewelry. Those who were shopping often had baskets in hand that had closable lids. She noticed a number of the adults were armed in some way, most with an axe of one kind or another. Those who had blades wore short broad bladed swords or knives. A rare few had what looked to be flintlock pistols or something like them. She spotted one male wearing what looked to be a revolver. She was mildly surprised at the fact that few had hats though after a moment she couldn't figure out why.
All of the children looked to be as naked as she was. The children ran about freely like the market was a playground. It took watching them for a while but she realized that they were running around in groups. Sometimes chasing and sometimes being chased, but all looking like they were having fun. She didn't see much in the way of adult supervision which she found puzzling. She made a mental note to ask about it later.
Overall the market had a chaotic unorganized feel to it but she suspected it did have some form of order as Glade seemed to know where he was going. So she followed along and drank in the market. It took a little time for her to notice it but no one hawking wares ever seemed to speak to Glade, and outside of the fact that no one walked into him he seemed invisible to everyone. She was addressed and got looks not him, the brand on his forehead being all anyone who didn't seem to know him by sight needed to see to turn away.
Where Glade was being ignored though she was getting a number of looks, noses clearly working to get a better whiff of her. A few of the ones who got the best sniff clearly showed signs of arousal if male and dark looks from the females. In a few cases males got cuffed by females for their clear reaction to her scent. She felt mild embarrassment at the way they were reacting. Fireborn had said her scent was amazing, but she hadn't really given it thought until now. Guess he hadn't been blowing hot air up her ass. She didn't like all the attention though, and worse she wasn't sure why.
Glade finally stopped at a blanket with bundled plants on it. He addressed the woman on the blanket, "Flower Feather, I need some bitter root and some silver leaf."
She looked up at Glade and sighed with distaste, "White Tip?" She asked as she got out two bundles of the plants.
Glade nodded, "All that can be done is dull her pain, it won't be much longer now I think." There was sadness in his voice.
"Well at least after she passes I won't have to talk to you. You told her boy?" Feather Flower asked of him.
Glade flicked his tail tip in a negative manner, "I think he knows. Sad as it is, when she passes it will free him to have a better life. You can see it in his eyes, the knowledge that her death will make his life better, the loathing of that awareness. The young man is a good lad and this is tearing him up inside."
Feather Flower sighed and leaned in, "You could end her suffering you know."
Glade gave her a sharp look, "She isn't ready to die, and Fireborn would not thank me for it."
Sitting back she grunted, "Well I can't say that the cowards way out is surprising from one such as you. Two copper bits for the herbs and be glad I am giving you her family discount."
Glade let the insult roll off him like water off a duck's back. "Thank you Flower Feather," he said calmly as he passed over to small coins. She wondered for a moment what a duck was then shrugged the thought aside.
She just grunted and looked away from him, her ears laid back in clear distaste. Glade stepped away and headed further into the market tucking the dried plants into a pocket. He hobbled along deeper into the market and Fury followed, resisting the urge to ask about his treatment. Given what he had said at the stream she didn't really need to ask. She wondered if anyone cared why he had the brand.
She slowed as they passed a group of people cheering someone on in what looked like a ring of some kind. She slowed more to get a better look. Glade looked back then stepped over to her. "We don't have a lot of time, do you really want to watch two guys beat the crap out of each other?"
"Yes." She answered.
Giving her a dark look Glade said, "Very well. I'll meet you back here as soon as I have gotten food for the day."
Fury watched him go and wondered why he disliked the fights but shrugged and stepped over to watch, elbowing her way in to get ringside. One of the combatants was a hulking brute easily two heads taller than her and at least a head taller than everyone else, and broad to boot. He was a dark grey almost black with a few white patches, one ear was half gone and he had a number of scares. His movements were large and telegraphed.
She shoved the question of what a telegraph was aside and examined the other combatant. He was also larger than her, though not as broad as his opponent. His fur was a reddish blond tone. Compared to the guy he was up against he looked rather lightly built yet he did ripple with muscles. That said his footwork was non existent, he was off balance and looked like he had never thrown a punch in his life to her.
Watching the two she decided to be fair, they were both terrible. She thought the bigger guy would win though as he at least seemed to have a plan. That the plan was to grab the smaller guy wasn't a bad one for him was more a statement of his lack of skill than quality of plan.
As she watched a man stepped up next to her with a wide box like thing on a strap around his neck. He had papers on it with notes jotted down, "Not that you look like you have money but you wanna bet on the fight lady?"
She shrugged, "Big grey guy is going to win as soon as the reddish guy slows down a little from getting winded. Won't be too long he's diving out of the way with so much energy that he won't be able to keep it up long."
The man gave her a considering look, "That's how I read it, you know how to fight I take it?" His pelt was all black with white tips on his ears, tail and sheath.
She gave an affirmative tail flick. If there was one thing she was sure of it was her ability to fight. She watched as the smaller fellow's movements got slower and slower. It was clear that the big guy was also getting better at predicting his dodges.
"Well the ass stain who is winning is a poor candidate to fight in the ten day fights, but he hasn't been beaten. Worse, he has terrible showmanship. You think you could go in there and make a show of it?" He asked her, she noticed his nose was starting to pick up her scent and that it was having what she guessed was going to be a common response to it. After one glance she did her best to ignore it.
"I don't have too much time I think, when my friend gets back I'll have to finish things up. Would I get any money for this fight?" She asked him with interest. She watched as the big guy finally managed to grab his smaller opponent, there was no skill in what followed just a lot of basic punches to the smaller guy when he couldn't get away.
"Tell you what, normally I pay based on profits from the bets, but there hasn't been much of a crowd with him fighting. I'll pay 5 iron coins to you if you win, and if you come back with more time tomorrow around this time, 5 more if you make it through at least 2 fights. More if you drum up a real crowd and bets start pouring in." He paused before going on as if a little distracted and she noticed without meaning to that he was quite erect now, "Sound like a deal?" She swore she heard him mumble, "Almost wish I didn't have Flux to go home to just now."
"Sure. I will draw it out as long as I can." Fury told him as the big oaf in the ring dropped the guy he had been punching. "What's the rules?" The dropped guy didn't get up and looked to be out cold.
"Rules are no crippling injuries, no killing, no deliberately inflicting the kind of damage that won't heal up oh and of course no claws. Fight is over when your opponent surrenders or is unable to fight any longer, if they can't get up for a 30 count for example." He looked out to the big guy and called out, "Wood Splitter you up for another fight right away?"
The big guy looked at Fury and laughed, "You want me to fight that little scrap? Sure, but what is she gonna do, tickle me into submission?"
The guy, who's name she realized she hadn't gotten, chuckled, "Somehow I am betting you won't be so lucky." Looking at her he said, "Get in there and give us a show lass."
She slipped under the ropes into the ring, "Wood Splitter? Is that your name or just something they call you in the ring," she asked of him.
The guy really was huge and built like a tank. She wondered what a tank was for a moment as she got within 2 long strides of the guy.
He chuffed in amusement, "It's what I am called all the time. Because I split women like an axe splits a log." He looked down at her, "Shouldn't you be at home making something for your man rather than getting in a fighting ring little girl?"
She flicked an ear in annoyance, "If you talk like that to all the ladies you must not get much action, sounds like what a virgin would claim to make himself sound impressive."
"Combatants, the fight begins, Now!" The guy who had gotten her to climb into the ring called out.
Wood Splitter made a grab for her and she idly twisted slightly without shifting her feet. "For that little girl I am going to bend you over and split you, right here in the ring!" He snarled at her.
She returned to her starting position as he pulled his arm back, "Sure you are, but first we have to fight. Are you ever going to stop flailing and fight?" She asked him as she twisted to the other side as he made his next grab.
He snarled at her and grabbed with both hands. She leaned back without moving her feet his hands flashing by overhead, "Apparently you need some pointers." This time as he was regaining his balance she lifted one foot and kicked him lightly in the shin, "Move that foot back a little. Your balance is terrible."
He roared in outrage, "I am going to fuck you!" and leapt at her. She leaned even further back this time and watched him sail over as he screamed. She caught what was starting to emerge from his sheath as he went by. Really she had a far close look than she would have liked, still that look gave her verbal ammo to piss him off further.
Sighing, she straightened up and turned to face him. "The only thing you're going to split with what's between your legs is twigs. And frankly the way you fight your chances of trying to use that here and now are about as close to zero as one can get in any math I know."
He let out an inarticulate howl of rage before screaming at her, "I am going to rut you into the ground you stupid whore!" He charged again.
Fury spotting Glade at the ropes looking on in wide eyed horror made her sigh. Looking at the oncoming low slung charge she twitched her tail in a brush away gesture, "Sorry big guy times up."
She saw the puzzled look on his face as she went backwards onto her back in the ring dirt. Weather from her comment or in confusion at her change in tactics she had no idea. However as the discussed part of his body flashed by over head she made one sharp powerful jab with the palm of her hand, landing a solid but not over powered blow to his stones.
Wood Splitter whined softly and landed face first in the dirt ass in the air as he clutched his to abused lumps of flesh. She heard the sympathetic gasp from the watchers. She popped back to standing in a motion to the untrained eye that would have made it look like she had been levered up by her feet. Looking down at his ass she asked, "You surrender yet Twig Splitter?"
He gasped out, "No! Going to fuck you!" To be fair he tried to to stand and even made it to his hands and knees. With such a clear shot and his lack of surrender she shrugged and stepped in and snap kicked him in his balls a second time. His whine this time was truely high pitched, and he collapsed and curled up into a fetal position clutching himself. She could see his eyes bulging. His whine faded into desperate pain filled whimpers
She looked over to the guy who was in charge and asked, "So you counting? I don't think he is going to be standing again anytime soon. I am betting he won't be doing anyone no matter how willing they are for a while as well."
The man chuffed in amusement and looked down at Wood Splitter. "Yea Twig Splitter here isn't going to be getting up for a bit. Your win ma'am; see you tomorrow?"
There were amused chuffs from the somewhat larger crowd at the change of name. She flicked her tail in agreement, and accepted the coins he handed to her. "Thank you. I never did get your name, mine is Fury."
"Someone chose well naming you. My name is Whitehall. I'll see what I can round up for challengers tomorrow for you." Whitehall told her.
She flicked her tail in parting and headed over to Glade who looked calmer. He addressed her as she approached, "When I left you here I thought you were going to just watch. If I had thought you would do more I would have kept you with me. What made you think it was a good idea to get in that ring after the condition I found you again only two days ago?"
Handing him the coins Fury said, "This. I'm not sure how much food it's worth but should be something."
He looked at the coins and said softly, "They will keep us fead for a few days." He set off for home. "Still I think this is a bad idea. I heard him speaking to you. You want to fight more tomorrow?"
"I think if I rest up today I should be good enough for some fights tomorrow. It's more money, something we could both use." She felt she was being reasonable but the look in his eye said that he didn't agree. They went back to his place without exchanging a word after that. She could feel his disapproval but the way his ears were set told her he might not be in agreement with himself. Apparently the lure of money was strong.