Her Mantle Upon Your Shoulders: Part 3

Akuna was strolling now, flanked by the three other captains that trained and oversaw the progress of their Shigu brothers and sisters. They had preformed well enough today and now they, the trainers, were making their rounds through the city to review the statuses of their posted guardians.

The Nevrean enforcers that patrolled the town, most handling rifles and handguns, had informed them when they had at first volunteered that any assistance with keeping order within Rellon and overlooking it's borders for any approaching trouble was not necessary. But the Shigus had insisted for the benefit of both the citizens and their own soldiers. Akuna did not trust the Nevreans to keep their settlement free of any prying eyes that may slip in and take note of the Shigu population and slip back out to inform southern forces. She even questioned the locals' own loyalties, but considering how long they had been allowed to stay within Rellon's boundaries, the only threats that seemed to remain lurked beyond the sands of the desert.

Male and female Nevreans alike watched as the few Shigu passed through their streets, adult and child parting from their wake and stirring away from their path. Four other Shigu troopers accompanied them, those that could be relied on if a hostile contingent came into sight and challenged them in a dance of blood. None seemed willing to, but Akuna still worried of the cracklesticks many of these Nevreans used.

Akuna had always regarded them to be the tools of cowards, thinking no honor could come from such distanced weaponry. She knew that only blade and spear could retain honor over all battlefronts. She was also aware that Akzla, whom walked at her right side and whose maroon fur seemed to shine red when the sunlight hit it right, was an advocate of such objects of battle. A foolish female, Akuna thought.

"Rekna!" a captain by the name of Marn called up the guard tower to one of their own. The young male stood next to a Nevrean guard who also occupied the top of the post. The Shigu was maybe two heads taller than him. "What is your report?"

"No disturbances, sir!" the young lad of a soldier replied. "Only riders, traders, and merchants.  Few southerners and none that were wearing armor or under the banner of an enemy clan."

"Good, good.  Been keeping your claws away from those guns?" Marn smiled upwardly at the youth. Last report, the soldier was seen cradling a firearm. Looking, he said he was doing, just looking at the foreign weapon. Nevertheless, he had to be discouraged. A few harsh words was sufficient.

"Yes, sir!" the soldier said. "I have followed your order, my captain!  Only spear, pikes, and swords should touch these claws!"

"Good, good," Marn repeated, adding himself with the four commanding Shigus, but before they could make their way into the street again, Akuna approached the foot of the guard tower.

"And what of the outer hills?" her voice bellowed out and echoed towards the young sergal. He cocked his head at the question she provided.

"Nothing of concern I have seen, but my eyes have generally been watching the roads." His words seemed wary, Akuna noted.

"But have you seen any shapes moving off the roads?  Anyone?  Maybe just a hint of something?  Maybe you've seen a flash of light that might have reflected off a spyglass?"

"Haven't seen any of that, captain," he shrugged.

"Then look, soldier!  Danger does not seek to be seen on the open roads, it will hide in the outskirts while your eyes are drew elsewhere.  Keep your eyes abound!  Threats hide everywhere." She gave a growl, partly annoyed at the young soldier's inattentive mind.

The soldier's ears gave a nervous vibration, seemingly afraid to disregard her orders. "Yes, ma'am," he said and Akuna continued onward with her peers.

Similar statuses were given, little activity upon the roads and even less happenings in the distance where hills of sand, dirt, and rock laid. Akuna continued her constant questioning, seeing if their watchers were actually doing their duties well. Nothing of concern was seen, but doubts still ate away at her. Were their soldiers as null as she believed them to be or were the southerners more cunning to hide their presence? She wasn't quite sure.

The local jailing contained no foe of war that had been caught in the act of conspiring against the Shigus. No, Akuna thought as she eyed the few prisoners sitting upon the cold stone floors of their cells. No Reono spy would be foolish enough to be caught for the simple charge of thievery or public brawling.

The Shigus had to be slyer considering they were not allowed to randomly accuse any southerner that crossed into the threshold of this town any longer. Little to no evidence of the conspiracy that Akuna was certain of was found. The mayor of Rellon and her advisors had to take action against the Shigu's willingness to arrest any blond-hair they suspected. The northerners were willing to abide by the Nevreans' constricting laws. They did not desire to make enemies of Clan Calculso which the majority of the Nevreans in town belonged to, their green banner flying over the doors of many homes, showing a black tree growing within the palm of an open, clawed hand, but Akuna could not care less of the legality of her search for spies.

Acli had asked her a few weeks ago concerning a couple of corpses found half-buried not far from the town's gates. She said children had found them, southern ears poking though of the upturned dirt where the bodies laid face down. The Nevrean had asked Akuna and her comrades what they knew of these two dead southerners, and why both had been savagely marked with a multitude of cuts and slashes. Akuna played ignorant, but she could see the Nevrean governor's accusing stare.

"It would be most helpful if you abandoned your paranoia, Akuna," Akzla advised the warrior female at her back. "The other soldiers do not require it."

"They do require it, Akzla," spat back at her with a growl, walking shoulder to shoulder with Marn. His light blue fur caught in the corner of her eye. "Every day could be the one where the southerners surprise us and crash through this city's walls and take us.  We cannot allow ourselves any peace of mind if we are to survive." She looked back at the female captain and saw her give an annoyed, wrinkles forming on her reddish muzzle.

"We will survive," Akzla sneered, "but our mindset must not be of an army overwhelmed with tension at the dawn of combat.  We must think of ourselves as settled law bringers, border watchers."

Akuna was about to relay another retort, but Marn was quick to interrupt.

"What she is saying is that even though your loyalty towards your duty as a soldier is immense, it is also very tiring," he said, showing only a calm demeanor. "It's been over a year or so since we had to defend ourselves against southerner hostility.  There seems little reason to keep this facade of looming warfare."

"You said 'defend ourselves,'" she eyed the male sidelong without turning her head. "You make it sound as if we are small animals running and hiding from the bigger ones.  You make it sound as if we are weak!"

"No, I didn't mean to say it like-,"

"And there is no facade!" Akuna interrupted. "I am certain we are under constant observation by the southerners until they pick the moment we let slip our attention and we are overrun with them!"

"All that is being said," Monx said harshly whom had kept her words bare since their walk through Rellon began, "is that your heeding words are not needed!  They generate fear in the children, the young and adolescent!  Even the adults!  We do not need them thinking our hold on this town is so easily breeched.  Fear is unbecoming for a Shigu and you should surely know that!"

Akuna locked eyes with the female, slightly baring her teeth in a subdued leer. "It is not fear that I wish to generate," she reasoned, trying to restrain her anger towards her companions, "but steadfastness towards our goal to remove the southern presence.  I don't desire our comrades to forget our mission as Shigu."

=
==================================================================

The sun's height had grown high and so had the potency of Rupland's thirst. His tongued lolled from his mouth, himself panting after going so long without drink. Any water from the wells scattered through the town would suffice, but the Shigu soldier also desired a bit of company while he was out and about.

The tavern where the homes stood in the shade of a rock face would provide what he sought after, it's shadowed innards removing the heat from his shoulders and back. The tables, stools, and booths were bare, the crowd very light considering the time of the day. The chatter that came from the patrons that were there was subdued. The small clearing where a group of musicians would play was empty as well. The string of light-bulbs that dangled from above remained unlit.

Immediately after walking in, Rupland locked eyes with the male sergal behind the bar and both smiled at each other as he neared the distance between himself and the bar.

"Come, bartender!" Rupland said as he took a stool to sit on, slapping at the counter, it's surface smooth and polished aside from the crisscrossing scratches from the claws of many races. "My patience is short!  Like your height!  And most likely the size of your rod as well!"

The purple-furred sergal threw back his head, his throat bellowing with a high-pitched laugh that meant Rupland had struck well with his humor.

"I've heard that one before," Budio remarked as he approached, his fabric kilt swaying in his walk, "but not the part about my rod though.  But you shouldn't yell such words so loudly in here.  I don't need anyone learning any more as it is with the ones I-"

A door at the far opposite end of the bar was pulled inward, a short Nevrean stepping out. "Budio!" the female quickly barked at him and the sergal's ears instantly pricked up. "Did you do all the cups and glasses?"

"Yes, Nalinu, I did.  All washed," Budio quickly responded, his tone light and submissive.

"And the ale containers, are they all checked for leaks?"

"Yes, ma'am.  None are dripping."

"And I see you replaced that bulb in the left corner over there," the Nevrean jutted a clawed thumb where said bulb glowed and hovered over a booth. "Very good, but keep the orders going.  Tell Krund I need to see her when she takes her spot at the door, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said again, bowing his head slightly. And she was gone through the door, allowing silence to manifest inside the tavern once again.

"Huh, half-expected her to mention that joke again," Budio turned back to Rupland while he scratched at the side of his muzzle.

"What joke?"

"One that began with how many sergals it takes to tighten in a light-bulb.  She says I show that joke to be less funny by having no trouble screwing in one." He extracted a rag from behind the counter and began to buff out all the blemishes from the bar-top.

"But how does the joke go?"

"Well, do you know how many sergals it takes to screw in one light-bulb?" he smiled at him, turning soft circles with the rag upon the wood in front of him. Rupland merely shrugged. "Well, one would be too dim to know how to, but if you get two, they'll just kill and maim each other."

Both sergals snickered at the yarn.

"Shame that other races think us to be that stupid," Rupland smiled. "But the killing and maiming part has some truth to it."

"Aye, especially if they're two females."

Rupland then burst with more laughter, losing breath from cackling so heavily. "That's good!  That's good!  That should be the joke in the first place."

"Spread it around then!  Might not want to tell your mate though."

"Indeed," he snickered. "Probably would get my jaw snapped off if I did."

"So, will it be water or the indulgent ale for today?" Budio asked, retrieving a glass tankard from the rack behind him.

"Water," Rupland replied. "Too hot for the ale.  Maybe if I'm feeling better."

"Working well, aye?" Water hissed out from a small faucet, filling the cup before it was sat down in front of Rupland. He stared at the pristinely clear water in the glass, at how it's surface quivered as he took it in his hand and drank. Clean and without the heavy flavor of minerals like the water from wells.

"Working well enough," he told Budio between sips, placing the now empty glass back down for him to refill it. "How is work here?" "It's both interesting and mundane at the same time as usual," he grinned, placing his elbows upon the bar counter, resting his head in his hands. "Not as clean as being a servant, but neither as demanding.  My former life has prepared me well for this."

"Ah, then cheers to that," Rupland mockingly held up the glass full of water, gaining a smile from his friend. "But what hasn't your former profession prepared you for in this new line of work?  Anything?"

"Royalty and commoner act all the same," he answered, drumming the tips of his claws against his cheek, "like assholes.  But...," he considered the question that Rupland provided. "I would say it's new being under the eye of a Nevrean and serving Nevreans."

"Well, is that a good or bad thing?"

"Hmmm, if I give any of them the right expression, a vicious look of the eyes, they'll usually flinch.  So, I suppose, good." he laughed.

Rupland gave the crowd a look once more. "I don't see Niyi.  Is she back home?"

Budio gave a slight shrug. "Could be.  Or maybe still hunting or selling her kills at the bazaar."

"And you and her and the cubs are doing well?"

"For all that can be seen, aye," he responded, a light wind rattling the tavern's door on it's hinges, startling a few of the patrons. "She is a shred displeased of how Akuna talked to our children about joining her training group.  She is even more displeased that Jala and Meel took so well to it."

"Niyi doesn't want her cubs to be trained?" Rupland asked, interested.

"She would just rather train them herself.  She would rather have them learn what she was taught by her mother."

"Understandable." Rupland took another sip of water.

"And what of little Brunka?  Is she faring well with your mate's training?"

"Well enough to still be standing," she replied with a smile. "Akuna is hard on her, but she thinks that her harshness will prove helpful in battle.  I'm not sure how it will affect her off the battlefield." He draw his finger round and round the glass' brim, his eyes losing focus.

"Careful now," and Budio's voice brought him back from his thinking trance. "She could produce the cub into a soldier like herself.  Strong, but quick to anger."

"Yes," he drank, a droplet of water escaping from the corner of his mouth. It skipped along the fine hairs of his face until it dove and sank into the fabric of his jacket. "I would rather have her strong, but cool tempered.  Reckless rage can turn the battlefield into a grave, calmness turns it into a harvest."

"A string of words from Captain Kusno?" he asked, claws now tapping upon the wooden countertop.

"Indeed." The two continued talking amongst the shuttered drone of the tavern as more and more patrons came and went to fill their stomachs and drown their minds in alcohol. Krund would soon appear, a tall Nevrean female with thin, black feathers that was employed as the tavern's bouncer. Budio informed her that Nalinu required her presence and she responded with a slight groan. Nevertheless, she complied and walked through the door to her employer's office in the back.

The two Shigu soldiers skipped from topic to topic, of worries and woos, of anticipations and goals, and of children and of their mates. Compared to Rupland's anxieties of finding work everyday of the week, Budio had little to be concerned about except for handling rowdy clientele that found it easy to slip in and drink themselves drunk, but find it hard to locate the exit.

"A male came in...uh, about a week ago," Budio recalled a story. "Had blue feathers, like the color of the sky, but it was dark, so I might be wrong about that.  Anyway, he came in, was looked over by Krund, and took a seat with a group of his friends, I think.  Moments later after more than a few glasses had been downed, he and someone at the table began to argue.  Not long after, Blue-Feathers pulls out a pistol and shoots his friend in the stomach."

"My gods, how many people were here when that happened?!" Rupland asked, astounded, but smiling.

"A packed night, so it was chaos when the shot was fired.  Everyone rushed for the door and I'm hiding behind here like this." Budio knelt to have Rupland lose sight of him from under the bar before he popped back up. "I heard more shots and I thought the entire place was going to became a bloodbath!" He giggled, shaking his head. "When everyone had gone, Blue-Feathers was gone too.  The only person left was the shot male, dead, shot six times in the chest and stomach.  Blood was everywhere on the floor.  Can you guess who had to mop all that blood up?"

"Damn, how long did it take you to clean it all?"

"More time than it did for Blue-Feathers to be caught.  There was a lot of talk about it the next night.  I heard he shot his own friend due to some spat about which one of them a particular female would choose to have a good thrusting with."

"I think her choice is very limited now," Rupland joked, drinking down the remainder of his third glass of water. "And we're the ones that are supposed to be barbaric.  I guess it doesn't matter which race.  Same tale, just different weapons."

"Aye." Little more time was given considering the space inside the tavern was becoming more crowded, and the sun was making for the horizon. The waning light hadn't been noticed, the light-bulbs providing well enough light.

"I'll be moving along now, Budio," Rupland told his comrade. "Getting busy in here, I see.  I'm sure Akuna is back home now, maybe warming up the soup I made."

"Take care and keep your claws sharp, Rupland," Budio said as he rose from his stool, turning towards the door. "Let us and our females get together again.  Have good drinks and meat!"

"Yes, let's do that!" he smiled at him. "I'll tell Akuna about it.  When's a good night?"

"In a day or so will do.  We'll agree on something."

"Alright.  Keep safe and watch your tail."

=
====================================================================

"So," the earth-feathered Nevrean behind the large hardwood desk began, regarding the six Shigus before her with two amber eyes set between her maroon beak, "what brings the Shigu here today?" She spoke carefully but warily of their presence. All four Shigu captains and their escorts knew she would have rather not met with them on this day. Or any day for that matter. Acli Va'a Cal, Rellon's governor, was a diligent Nevrean and didn't much enjoy the Shigu's regular visits to her office without any type of warning or appointment.

"Another request for supplies," Akuna walked forward with a heavy expression. Her hand slipped under the cloth of her cloak and returned with a yellow parchment between her fingers. Acli broke the seal with the black crescent of her claw, unraveling the paper. Her eyes twitched over it and a little sigh escaped her once she leveled her eyes back towards the northerners.

"Weapons," she stated as bluntly as possible.

"Also armor and other tools we will need," Akuna responded in a mannered way as if she were speaking to a higher-ranking officer.

"Isn't the wood and metal I donate to you monthly enough?" Acli settled the paper flat on her desk, her eyes now fully watching Akuna. "Can't you make weapons out of that?"

Akuna was slightly annoyed at the Nevrean's ignorance, but she allowed her the blessing of an answer. "The wood you give us is not rigid enough and the metal not refined enough to build helmets and swords.  We can't even craft ceramic armor for the reason that the clay of this land is so poor.

"If you would donate better timber and iron, maybe steel, and foundries to craft them, we would be satisfied.  Our weapons are degrading with use and we would appreciate your assistance towards the war effort in donating a reserve supply."

"I can continue importing supplies from Zuzal for your people to build homes, but I cannot give you weaponry and armor.  Our clan is neutral and to remain neutral we cannot import any armaments to your soldiers.  We cannot stand to have any more claws pointed at us, calling us enablers of the north!  You give a great service to us as protectors, but I will not have us accused as helping your conflict with your southern brothers." There was a lingering tension in the Nevrean's expression, as if she expected the northerners to become frenzied with anger at the denial of their request. Akuna could heard the armor of the Nevrean guards behind them shuffle, hinting at the heavy air everyone tasted.

"Don't call us brothers," she warned, trying to restraint the anger throbbing within her chest. "But who is accusing you?  The southerners?  How long do you think they will tolerate our presence here until they take it upon themselves to attack your town.  Where will our arms be if you refuse our request?  How will we protect you and your kin when that day comes?"

"Oh, so this request for armaments," Acli picked up and waved the paper in the air, "is for our benefit?  Even while we just have our guns at our sides?  Hmmm?" she provided with a condescending tone.

"Your guns are devoid of any honor!" Akuna was quick to retort back toward the Nevrean. "And that is to also be said for the ones that carry them."

"So," Acli leaned forward in her leather chair, "my townspeople are without honor?  Me?  My guards?" she waved a hand towards them, whom certainly had a steady hand on the holsters of their pistols.

"How can one be called honorable if they attack a foe at such a distance with those cracklesticks?"

"When you understand the lives of your own to be more significant than your honor then maybe you will understand the necessity of these weapons."

Akuna felt her claws extended outward and then back in, her rage boiling in her gut, but she dare not raise a violent hand against the Nevrean leader lest she have her people pushed out of this settlement.

"But," Acli continued, "even when or if you do understand, I will reject your request to arm yourselves with these 'cracklesticks' just as I have rejected your request for pikes and spears.  Now, take your list of supplies and leave," she pushed the parchment towards them to the point it was teetering on the desk's edge. "You've taken enough time out of my schedule."

Akuna allowed a growl to escape her, fists curled tightly as she attempted to not reveal her row of white teeth. She much desired to leap across Acli's desk and sink her teeth into that feathered neck of hers. She wanted to tear away her flesh and drink in her blood. If the circumstance ever arose, she doubted she could restrain herself from doing the same on the battlefield.

Akuna retrieved the parchment, turning in a huff towards the door. She found the other captain's wouldn't follow her tail at that instance. Instead, they took the time to give their apologizes to the Nevrean governor. Akuna's anger only propelled herself out of the door even quicker, her claws tearing the parchment into small yellow shreds.

=
===================================================================

"What was that?!" Akzla barked at Akuna's back as she and the other captains spilled out onto the streets to catch up with her. "What possessed you to speak in such a way towards our only benefactor?!"

"And what possessed you to bow your heads in submission to that feathered bitch?!" Akuna blasted back, her anger fueling her stride.

"It was our attempt to correct any damage that you might have done to the relationship we have with her!  She is our lifeline here!  She says whether any food comes our way or any materials that we need to build with.  You could have sabotaged that for us all!  Are you even listening to a damn word I'm saying?"

"You act like she is the one holding our leashes." The Shigus continued to march through the roads, their words flaring in the air while frightened locals scampered away from their path. "You act like she is the one commanding us!  Do you not see the fear in her eyes?!" Akuna turned towards Akzla, pointing an extended claw towards her own iris.

"What are you talking about?" Akzla sneered.

"She fears us!  Fears all of us!  We are an army of Shigu warriors and she is afraid of us!" Akuna's steps had ceased, eyes wondering over the three faces of her fellow captains. The Nevrean natives had stopped and watched the flurry of words that the sergals spat out at each other. "There is nothing stopping us from flooding these streets and doing away with these bastards!" Akuna came closer to Akzla's face, her words low as to not be heard from the surrounding Nevrean crowd. "And yet, we are the ones bowing our heads like we owe them our servitude!" Her hands waved over the standing homes and structures at the sides of the road, at the people that stared.

"Devour your tongue, Akuna!  Do you wish to make our allies into enemies?  Our war is not with these people!  Our war is with the southerners!  Have you forgotten that?!"

"She fears us, Akzla!" Akuna ignored the subject. "She fears us and we don't use that to our advantage!  Why?  Why do you wish to make us weak by not exploiting the fear that we project in these peoples' hearts?" Her words were still fierce, presented like a desperate question seeking a desperate answer.

"If fear alone would push our efforts further," Akzla leveled her muzzle up at Akuna's, her breath tickling the hair's on her nose, "then our requests would not go unfulfilled.  We are not dealing with a small village of blond-hairs who detest even the sight of a simple spear.  These people possess firearms and cannons and there is nothing stopping them from arming themselves in the night and doing away with us!"

"How can you say those bastard weapons can compete with our skills of war and strategy?" Akuna asked, as if Akzla were voicing a blasphemous statement.

"If your eyes hadn't been blinded in blood for the last months of our campaign, maybe you would have seen the bodies and mayhem those weapons are capable of!  They ignore strategy, armor, bone, muscle.  If you understood that then you would understand where we stand at this moment.  We have no chance of gaining the advantage of those weapons now!"

Silence then occupied the space between the two captains, excluding their hurried breathes and subtle growls. Marn and Monx waited at Akzla's flanks, watching. The locals around them mimicked their stares, anticipating a brawl.

"We will find another supplier," Akuna finally said, eyes still locked on Akzla. "We will find someone else to craft the weapons we need.  Traditional weapons.  We are fighters, not cowards."

Akuna turned on her heel and walked away from the three captains and escorts, the watching locals disengaging their attention. She could still feel the fiery embers of her anger burn in her chest, but this was not the time to ignite them again. Not here. Not now.

"Who?" She heard Akzla ask, coming at her side like the other two as they weaved through the town's streets. "Who will you commission for what we need?"

"Someone who will not have any objections.  A blacksmith.  A merchant, anyone."

"A merchant?" Marn asked with surprise. "What merchant would have the supplies and resources to take care of our needs?"

"Give me time.  We will find what we need," she assured them. Some might have mistaken her determination as pure stubbornness.