{"sf1_id":736610,"sf2_id":"JewP0rYm","title":"\"The Thin Line,\" Part P","author":"EOCostello","words":2712,"posted_at":"2014-07-29T00:06:00.000Z","tags":["Boar","Comedy","Deer","Magic","Mouse","Squirrel"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/736610-the-thin-line-part-p","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/JewP0rYm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/af/79/af798592-ff0e-4045-b929-5c382274398a","description":"#17 of The Thin Line\n\nNote: this episode has a bit of PG-13 in it. Battle-staff fight with a mouse-femme near a pond. Enough said.\nIt also has a turning point for Private Winterbough, as he now takes a definitive step in becoming a magick-user, by actively seeking out instruction in the Talents. A decision he will make that will have ramifications for many...","content":"\\*\\*\\*\\*\\*\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; More's the pity, there was no particular way I could skive and get on sick call for the few days following, without getting caught.\u0026nbsp; I suspected this, and it was confirmed by Schweink.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"We had a fellow back in the old Thirty Ninth [where else - WW5] who was a champion malingerer.\u0026nbsp; Fellow could mimic just about anything you could think of.\u0026nbsp; Shivers, chills, shakes, fur matting, hanging over the side of the bed getting sick, he could do it all.\u0026nbsp; Makes you wonder what he was doing in the Army, should have been a fine old act.\u0026nbsp; Peasants would have loved it.\u0026nbsp; Herbalists used to come from all over to have a squint at him, tap his knees with little hammers, look down his throat, and all.\u0026nbsp; One of the herbalists caught wise, though, and made up something or other.\u0026nbsp; Even faked up one of those official scrolls describing it.\u0026nbsp; And wouldn't you know it, your man came down with it.\u0026nbsp; Well!\u0026nbsp; The herbalists had him out of hospital faster than a dose of salts, and sent him back to the line.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What ended up happening, Schweink?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Fellow caught cold on a march, and clapped out from pneumonia a few days later.\u0026nbsp; No one believed him.\u0026nbsp; Justice, eh?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; While I might have fooled some of the Army herbalists stationed out in some of the Fuma-forsaken frontier areas, I had no illusions that, at the heart of the Empire, I was going to be able to put one over here.\u0026nbsp; For all I knew, I'd probably be used as a demonstration experiment.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Mark you, Meadow would have been willing to help me try.\u0026nbsp; When she didn't see me at market the morning after the trial, she did stop by.\u0026nbsp; She was that I was rather pale and nervous, and offered to put me to bed.\u0026nbsp; While that did have a certain level of appeal, and I could well believe the Lieutenant would tolerate it, I wasn't so sure how others might take it.\u0026nbsp; Especially since now my fears of being watched came back.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; My own fault, and I had no one else to blame but myself.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The Lieutenant had suckered me good and proper, and no crying about it.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; And it wasn't as if the Lieutenant had sobered up.\u0026nbsp; Later that same week, a number of the other ADCs and a good selection of other officers threw him a small party in celebration of Private Flood's acquittal.\u0026nbsp; From about dusk to nearly dawn the next morning, the glasses were rarely empty.\u0026nbsp; Even the batmen were invited to join in.\u0026nbsp; Schweink and Bagoum were brought home in wheelbarrows.\u0026nbsp; For that matter, so were their officers, Rivers and Wicker, who were both by now giving splendid voice to certain ballads that I hoped Miss Eichelgruber didn't know.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I stayed stone-cold sober.\u0026nbsp; I had been tempted, at one point, until it was pointed out that I hadn't been guzzling wine.\u0026nbsp; The hooting only increased when Chitterleigh raised a magisterial paw and stated that I needed to keep my mind clear for higher activities.\u0026nbsp; The attendees, united, put one (ribald) interpretation on this, with some calls for cheese.\u0026nbsp; My officer looked over the top of his wine-glass at me with a wry expression.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I was, in fact, doing some \"higher things,\" courtesy of the Privates' Institute.\u0026nbsp; Quite a few generations ago, one of the Royal Princesses, with perhaps more hope and aspiration than real-world experience, had left a sum of money to be used for the education of Army enlisted furs that wished to broaden their education.\u0026nbsp; The PI still existed, to be sure, but judging from the sparse attendance at some of the lectures I went to, I'm sure the patroness would have been a little disappointed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Still, there was a bright side to that.\u0026nbsp; The instructor on military history was very surprised when I started interrupting him and asking him questions on specific battles.\u0026nbsp; Putting aside his lecture notes, he began to give an extempore tour of the campaigns of yore, including the battles I was interested in.\u0026nbsp; He really was quite good at it, and the three of us in the lecture hall stayed over long past the end-point for the class.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The other two privates in attendance, as it turned out, had mistaken the PI for a pub, but the lack of good pint didn't deter them in the end.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"A foine bit of craic, it was, sorr,\"\u0026nbsp; said one of them, vigorously shaking our lecturer's paw.\u0026nbsp; \"And would ye be after having any of these bows yer describing?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; At the next lecture (which was slightly better attended), the officer brought a heavily bundled item which, when unwrapped, turned out to be a bow borrowed from the Royal Armoury.\u0026nbsp; Each of us was allowed to heft it.\u0026nbsp; It was beautifully balanced, and surprisingly light-weight to carry.\u0026nbsp; The wood was a very pale yellow, and exceptionally fine grained.\u0026nbsp; It was pointed out to us that a weapon of this kind would have allowed for a high volume of fire, but would not have been difficult to carry.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The privates all scratched their heads.\u0026nbsp; \"And Faith in Fuma, sorr, why are we not having this with us today?\u0026nbsp; Sure, it's lighter than the swords we carry t'day.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Each of us was allowed to take a few dry pulls on the bow.\u0026nbsp; The other lads were husky country boys, and even they couldn't draw it back very far.\u0026nbsp; I might have had the most training on the bow, and I found it was hard to draw it back to its full capacity.\u0026nbsp; There were shooting pains all through my back after I did it twice. It might have been because the bow was not sized for a roebuck like me.\u0026nbsp; A much taller elf would have used the sample.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The lecturer pointed out that it generally took years of practice to become proficient with the elven bow, at least the standard-issue infantry bow of long ago.\u0026nbsp; He noted that archers developed great muscle strength throughout their middle body, and were noted for having one arm thicker than the other.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There was a lively discussion as to whether or not an elf really could shoot three arrows at once.\u0026nbsp; None of the lads had ever seen it, and the lecturer laughed, saying while it was possible, it was a trick shot rarely seen in true combat, since it used up ammunition at a frightening pace.\u0026nbsp; A show-off's gambit, he said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There were a number of other course offerings at the PI, though the only one that seemed to be crowded was one on ancient poetry.\u0026nbsp; That one was taught by a vixen, a young one, who was under no illusions what a bunch of squaddies wanted, and what the public wanted, the public got. You could hear the cheers and whistles after her readings all throughout the building.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I actually was in search of another lecture, which I only found near the back stairs.\u0026nbsp; There was no one in the lecture hall, and the lecturer, an old boar, was enjoying a pleasant snooze, his head and tusks buried in his arms.\u0026nbsp; He wasn't enthusiastic about being poked awake.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Piss off.\u0026nbsp; Erotic poetry readings are upstairs.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Is this the Gramerye lecture, sir?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The boar gave me the eye, and gradually untangled himself.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"By Fuma's round pair, if you're another one of these stupid gits that thinks he can use Gramerye to get the ladies, I'll do yer.\u0026nbsp; That's the problem with those damn poetry readings, puts all sorts of ideas into young fools...\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Um, no sir.\u0026nbsp; I've studied some on my own...\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The boar poured a cup of tea out of a flask and regarded me suspiciously.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Look, Private, reading about it in old ballad scrolls doesn't count.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Now hop along.\u0026nbsp; Lecture in an hour on Elvish pottery on the third floor, which is probably more useful to you.\u0026nbsp; Learn how to make thunder-jugs like they used to of old.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I was somewhat annoyed at his attitude, so under the guise of rubbing my chin, I mumbled an order to the tea in his cup to freeze.\u0026nbsp; The boar, in attempting to take a sip, nearly put his eye out with the spoon.\u0026nbsp; He looked at his cup in surprise, removed the large block of oolong ice, and tapped it against the lectern.\u0026nbsp; I earned a glare for my pains.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"All right, my lad, you've made your point.\u0026nbsp; But still hop it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Sir, I really would like some formal instruction on the subject.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What, so you can order ladies' delicates to unravel?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Sir?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He took a few steps, stopped, and I got a finger poked in my chest.\u0026nbsp; \"Look, I know you squaddies.\u0026nbsp; Every time I think at last I've got somefur who's finally taking a serious interest in Gramerye, somefur who'll actually take the Qualification Exam, next thing I know, they're up on a charge after making some poor femme's silk dress-threads snap, right in the middle of the street.\u0026nbsp; And **I'm** the one who has to show up before a court-martial and explain how I taught some fur to act out his ideas from Elvish poetry.\u0026nbsp; Bollocks.\u0026nbsp; On yer way, lad.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I rather emphatically sat down in a chair, took out a blank scroll, a traveling ink pot, and a few reed quills.\u0026nbsp; The boar crossed his arms, glared, and muttered something.\u0026nbsp; Without taking my eyes off him, I replied.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Powdered ink in my vessel, please re-liquify with the moisture in the air.\"\u0026nbsp; I also added an order to the reed quills to sharpen their points, again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The lecturer snorted, and stomped behind his lectern.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Tea of ice, come to a boil and...\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I was told by the boar to shut up, that his lunch could be handled quite nicely on its own, and to repeat the First Fundamental of Gramerye.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"No substance can be compelled to do that which is not natural to it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; At the end of the first ninety-minute lecture, I was gruffly told to come back at the same time in two days, if my superior would allow me to.\u0026nbsp; I was also given a reading-list, and was told that there would be quizzes on it, and that if I skived, I'd get a trotter planted firmly up my backside.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Meadow, when I spoke to her later in the safety of Miss Eichelgruber's kitchen, was more than a little dubious.\u0026nbsp; I told her the whole story of the trial, and how much I really knew about Gramerye.\u0026nbsp; This made her even more dubious, and she pointed that if I went up against somefur like that wolfess, being the equivalent of a fawn just out of his spots, as such, wasn't going to do me a whole lot of good.\u0026nbsp; She argued that it would make much more sense to go for a Qualification Exam in single stick.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; It was my turn to be dubious of her, and I asked her what she knew of short-staff fighting.\u0026nbsp; She said that she had dabbled in it, and wouldn't mind a little practice at it.\u0026nbsp; Would I like to go into the garden for a bit of exercise?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There was something about her manner that put me on my guard; most likely it was the very sweet smile.\u0026nbsp; Either that, or the fact that she had a pair of short-staves in a canvas carry-bag.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Miss Eichelgruber, seated in a chair in the parlour, looked up from her needle-work.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Please, ma'am, may Private Winterbough and I have a short-staff bout in the garden?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The squirrel femme delicately snipped a thread.\u0026nbsp; \"If you like, Meadow.\u0026nbsp; Only please do it near the ornamental pond.\u0026nbsp; I don't want the new azalea bushes trampled.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yes, ma'am, thank you, ma'am.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; In a few minutes, we were both set up, and I bowed.\u0026nbsp; Which may have been a bit of overconfidence or carelessness on my part, since Meadow immediately tried to hook my antlers and force me to my knees.\u0026nbsp; Only a quick head-turn managed to parry her thrust against the side of my rack, and the match was on, in earnest.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I began to see things from the point of view of the Gramerye lecturer: there is nothing quite so disconcerting as seeing someone you expect knows nothing, but in fact knows quite a bit.\u0026nbsp; Meadow, in spite of the fact that her servant's uniform was not designed for short-staff fighting, was able to move quite easily, and she was very good at switching paws.\u0026nbsp; She didn't seem to have a dominant paw, which made things very tricky when she passed her stick rapidly from one paw to another. She tried the rack-trick again, and almost got me to my knees before I knocked her staff up and out of my antlers.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; When that happened, it did leave her feet exposed, and a quick twisting thrust with my stick knocked her off balance.\u0026nbsp; She stumbled, took three staggered steps back, and fell straight into the ornamental pond.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; There was a sound of clapping, and I turned.\u0026nbsp; Miss Eichelgruber had brought her needlework outside, and had been watching the match, evidently with keen interest.\u0026nbsp; She had even brought some fruit juice and cookies.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I turned back, to find that Meadow had clambered out of the pond.\u0026nbsp; A few things were rather evident.\u0026nbsp; For one, the material in her servant's uniform, high-end as it was, was made of cotton and thus soaked up water rather well.\u0026nbsp; For another, the uniform had, because of the immersion, lost all of its starch.\u0026nbsp; Thirdly, and perhaps this was the hot weather, Meadow's uniform was very simple.\u0026nbsp; Fourthly, and this related to the other three factors, it was very alarmingly clear from even a very brief glance (and my glance was brief) that Meadow was a young fur in peak health, indeed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; She put her paws behind her back, gave me an amused what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it look (I saw that on a second brief glance), and very sweetly asked me to hand her the cap portion of her uniform, which had fallen off.\u0026nbsp; As I was looking down at my hooves at the moment, I could spot it quite easily on the ground, and I handed it to her without looking up.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; She walked casually over to Miss Eichelgruber's chair, and curtsied.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Please, ma'am, may I go and change?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Certainly, Meadow, but please don't track water on the carpets.\u0026nbsp; You can remove those things here, and put them on the kitchen table.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yes, ma'am.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I looked studiously elsewhere while this operation was performed, until I heard the servant's entrance door open and close.\u0026nbsp; It was at that point that I heard the lady squirrel chuckle.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"It is quite all right, Private.\u0026nbsp; Do have some juice, won't you?\u0026nbsp; You must have worked up a bit of a thirst.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; I rather needed some.\u0026nbsp; My mouth was dry.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Miss Eichelgruber looked at me rather pleasantly.\u0026nbsp; \"You did win fair and square, Private.\u0026nbsp; No fur could criticize you for peeking at your reward.\u0026nbsp; Twice.\u0026nbsp; I certainly won't.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Some juice went down the wrong way.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, dear.\u0026nbsp; You know what?\u0026nbsp; I don't think they teach you young lads the right things, these days.\u0026nbsp; You should attend some lectures on Elvish poetry, Private.\u0026nbsp; I've always enjoyed that genre.\u0026nbsp; I even wrote some, this morning.\u0026nbsp; Now, then, sit right here beside me and I'll recite it for you.\u0026nbsp; A bright young fur like you I'm **sure** will learn it off in no time.\u0026nbsp; You can recite it to Meadow, later, when you get home.\u0026nbsp; Won't that be nice?\"\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"The Thin Line","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/736018-the-thin-line-part-o.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/736611-the-thin-line-part-q.json"}}