New Lessons to Learn and Old Ones to Teach
By Kamau
Part 2
------
Over the next few days Pierga began walking about the room with the use
of his staff. No one mentioned his strange collapse or what had
followed. He made use of his prayer beads and a set of the Canticles
that someone had left for him but also spent considerable time looking
out the window and watching the street below. In any other town Pierga
would not have cast more than an occasional glance to the street but
here it was an endless fascination to him.
Like any good city or market town the street was busy with people coming
and going. But here it was not people who walked the streets but all
manner of creature. There were animals of every kind as well as children
engaged in very adult like occupations. He also pondered with every
human he saw if they had always been a man or woman.
A knock on his door brought him out of once such reflection.
"Enter," he said leaning on his staff and turning about.
A man he marked to be six foot in height entered the room. He was of
moderate build with short brown hair and a beard. From his attire it was
immediately apparent to the former Yesbearn that he was a priest.
"Father, how can I help you," he said with a slight bow.
"Good day Pierga," the man replied moving without hesitation toward the
cat. "I have just returned to the Keep and wanted to see how you were
doing."
"I am healing nicely, Father," he answered. "or so I am told. I am
afraid I'm not a good judge of how this body should feel."
"Quite understandable," the priest replied looking the feline over. "and
not at all unusual I assure you. I have seen a number of people who
stayed here too long struggle with their new bodies."
"Healer Coe said I was doing very well adapting to my form considering
my wound," Pierga explained. "I've regained enough skill with my hands
now to feed myself and I have mostly mastered my tail."
"If my memory of when you were brought here is correct that is very
good," the good Father answered with a nod. "When first I visited, you
were in a bad way."
"You saw me earlier Father?" he questioned not recalling the priest
having come before.
"Yes, shortly after they brought you to healer Coe the Followers who
helped bring you here asked me to come and anoint you. I did so just
before I left the Keep for a few days."
"You gave me Last Rites?" the knight asked surprised that he could do so
to a creature such as himself.
"Yes, it is a sacrament of healing," he explained seeing the cat's ears
and whiskers erect. "That is why it is more properly called the
Sacrament of the Sick. It is Eli's gift to heal in body, mind and spirit."
"But how could you anoint me?" he asked gesturing to his body. "I'm a
beast not a man."
"Yahshua's love can see through the outward appearance," the priest
answered, his gentle baritone voice conveying great kindness. "I have a
number of parishioners who have the animal form of the curse. They all
receive the sacraments just as they did before."
"Father," Pierga began but halted and altered his question. "Your pardon
Father but I fear I don't know your name."
"I am Father Francis Hough," he replied. "I have been sent here from
Ellcaran to minister to the people here at Metamor."
"Father Hough. Yes, now I recall someone mentioning your name," the
jaguar continued. "Father, how is it that you yourself are not subject
to the curse? Has the Ecclesia found a way to protect themselves against
it?"
"No, I'm afraid there is no protection from the curse save time," the
good Father explained. "That is why I don't stay more than a few days
whenever I come here each month. Not only do I desire to stay human but
I am not sure if I were changed that the bishop would allow me to
function as a priest. I'm certain if I were to be changed into a woman I
could not."
"Yes, I believe you are correct on that point Father," Pierga agreed.
"But why have you returned so soon now?"
"To see how you and some others were doing," he replied reaching into
his cassock and drawing out a small silver container. "And to give you
the Eucharist."
Pierga stood aghast at what was just presented to him. How could he ever
hope to partake of the Eucharist with his great sin.
"I'm afraid I can't Father," he said hanging his head.
"But why not?" the priest questioned. "Surely a man in your condition
could not have committed a sin that would prevent him from receiving."
"I have sinned Father," the cat replied, barely lifting his head and his
ears low.
"You do understand the anointing I gave you forgives all your sins," the
priest explained. "Or if you like I can hear your confession and then
you could receive."
For a moment Pierga considered if this would be the time. He could
confess all and be done of it. But how could he here? There was no means
for a priest to level the type of punishment called for with the
greatness of his sins. Not only that but it was needful for him to
confess to his Yesbearn brothers as well for the killing of a fellow knight.
"No Father, I can't," he finally said. "My sin is too great."
"You are guilty of a reserved sin?" Father Hough replied his voice
betraying his shock at the thought.
"No Father," the jaguar answered. "but the penance that I would need to
perform could not be accomplished here. I do not distain your offer but
I simply can not accept."
For a moment the priest looked as if he would persist in the offer but
then slowly returned the container to his pocket.
"When you are ready," he said in a calm and kind voice. "I will be here
for you Pierga."
"Thank you Father," he replied relieved that the priest accepted his
response. "I will bare that in mind."
"I must go to visit others," he told him. "I should be back in somewhat
more than a fortnight. I hope I'll see you at Service then."
"If I am still here I will certainly attend," the former knight assured him.
"Let me at least give you a blessing before I go," Father Hough said
extending his hand.
Pierga knelt and the priest gave him his blessing, laying his hand on
the cat's head as he finished. There was warmth in the touch that Pierga
could not explain but he took comfort in.
"Good bye Pierga," the priest said as he left. "Eli be with you until
next we meet."
"And with you Father," he replied as the door closed.
For a long moment he remained kneeling where he had been blessed. Slowly
he stood and moved to the window just in time to see a deer greet the
priest as he walked up the street. Long after the priest was out of
sight he stood pondering what course he should take. Some day he would
have to confess his sins, some day he would have to face the priests and
his brother knights to receive punishment for all he had done. But how,
how could he return now that he was a beast and not a man? He resolved
himself that the answer would only come through prayer and for now this
is what he would commit himself to. Turning back to the room he picked
up the Canticles and began to read.
Pierga's plans however were altered the next day as Alayna came and
examined his wound.
"That's doing well enough that I think I'll have you try the stairs
today," she told him. "Once you've mastered those you should be free to go."
"Go where?" Pierga asked having not thought about what he would do after
he had recovered.
"Free to go anywhere within Metamor or the valley for that matter," she
answered. "I would not go beyond the valley however as those with animal
forms, such as yourself, are not very well accepted out there."
"Yes," the former knight replied considering what his own response would
have been to a creature such as himself. "But what am I to do and where
can I find lodging?"
"As a knight you could easily find employment with the Duke," Alayna
told him opening the door. "but he also is in need of good soldiers. I
think Sal could help you get a position in the guard if you wanted.
First I think we need to get you using stairs."
Alayna guided the big cat over to the stairs and helped him with his
first few steps. Though it seemed forever Pierga finally reached the
bottom and stood in the entry way.
"I want you to rest a minute before we go back up," she told him. "Would
you like to step outside while we do that?"
"I don't think I'm exactly dressed for that," the jaguar told her
looking at the knee length shirt which was his sole covering.
"No, but I can get you a pair of breaches to wear if you want to," his
healer offered. "We'll see you have a more proper set of clothing before
you leave."
Pierga considered the offer. He had not been outside his room for more
than a fortnight. A bit of fresh air would be pleasant.
"Yes, I think I'd like that," he replied.
Alayna entered another room and returned with an oddly shaped set of
breaches. Pierga sat down on a nearby bench and began to slip them over
his fur covered legs. As he pulled them up his fur was forced the wrong
way making him feel very uncomfortable. Reaching inside the leg he
managed to settle the fur a bit and continued to raise them to his
waist. Abruptly they stopped and the big cat knew why instantly as his
tail was lifted upward.
"Lower them and I'll help you get your tail through the hole," his
female assistant told him. "Like eating it takes time to become accustom
to dressing yourself."
With a nod he allowed her to guide his new appendage out the hole in the
breaches made for just that purpose.
After putting on the breaches Alayna had given him they stepped outside
to the street. The morning was fresh and bright and the street was busy
with people going about their business. As he stood there Pierga became
aware of his size for the first time. As a man he was use to being one
of the tallest in any gathering but here it was far greater. With the
exception of an occasional ox, horse or bear Keeper he towered over them
all. More than once a Keeper who saw him stared as they past making him
somewhat uneasy.
"I take it there are not many felines in the city," he finally commented
after a deer had stumbled from not watching where he was going.
"I would say they are as common as any other form here," Alayna told
him. "But I don't think there's another that's quite your color and
certainly not with that pattern on their coat."
The feline nodded and leaned on his staff as he watched the people move
past. Now that he was in the street he also noticed much more of the
smells that had been assaulting him over the days of his recovery. It
was difficult to discern one from another. His ears were also getting
their first real exercise as they swiveled about capturing sounds, some
of which he had never remembered hearing before.
"Shall we try to climb the stairs now?" Alayna asked after a few minutes.
"Yes, I think I'm ready," the jaguar replied scratching his upper leg.
"Are the breaches too tight?" Alayna asked noting this was not the first
time he had done this.
"Not tight," he answered. "They just seem to irritate my fur."
"It's the first time you've worn any since your change," she told him
opening the door. "I'll mention it to Richard but I think you'll get use
to them in time."
"Perhaps but I must say even my shirt has bothered me," he said stepping
back inside. "Not as greatly as the breaches are but enough to be annoying."
"Give it time," she counseled. "we all had to get use to different
bodies after the curse."
Looking at the well endowed woman who had been born a man the former
knight's ears went hot as he blushed beneath his fur. Undoubtedly she
must have found her body very foreign to her in the beginning.
Pierga found going up the stairs was easier than the descent had been
though somewhat more painful. Alayna was pleased with how he had handled
them and after a brief rest had him make two more circuits of them. At
the end of the last climb she told him that she expected him to start
using the stairs as part of his daily exercise.
This he did quite willingly and would stand out in the street between
each repetition. After a few days some of the faces became familiar to
him though he did not talk to anyone who passed. He also found that his
hip was feeling better with this added exercise though he continued to
be troubled by the breaches irritating his fur. Alayna gave him a tunic
to try but this only raised the irritation to his shoulders and chest.
As he was resting outside between his exercises he spied a familiar
feline coming up the street. Seeing the large fangs he knew it had to be
Sal but he was clothed much different than before. He was carrying a
halberd and wore leather and chain mail armor. Raising a paw he hailed
the big cat who immediately altered his course.
"Good day Pierga," the Smilodon greeted him. "You're looking well today."
"Thank you Sal," he replied. "I'm told that I'll be able to leave in
just a couple of days."
"That is good news. What are your plans after that?"
"I must confess I don't know what I will do. I do have some money but I
don't know where to find lodging here nor do I know what I will do to
earn my keep."
"Lodging is easy to come by. I know there's a room open in the place
where I live, that is if you don't mind having a big long toothed feline
as a neighbor."
"I think I could handle that," Pierga said with a smile. "The price
would be the greatest difficulty for me."
"Most rooms are less than fifteen golds a month and you'll not fine
better in the lower keep."
"That may be but it still doesn't solve the problem of how I pay for
them. Even if I could find work I'm not going to be worth much for a
couple weeks yet."
"You have a skill that is much in demand in Metamor," the saber-tooth
told him.
"Does memory grow shorter with the length of your teeth?" the jaguar
snarled. "I would think after the other day you would understand that."
"I understand that a well trained soldier, no matter what you call him
is valuable here," Sal replied. "How many here could boast of the years
of training you have? How many have the experience you possess? We need
people like you to defend this place."
"And what am I suppose to do," Pierga said, a growl still in his voice.
"Stand there and look menacing? Until this hip heals I can't even fight."
"Do you need to fight to train people?" Sal asked continuing to ignore
the other felines tone. "We need someone with your skills to train
people in the guard and the militia. I do what I can but my duties are
now with the scouts. You could teach these recruits now and enter the
guard when you were fully healed."
"I don't know," the big cat said shaking his head. "I'm not even sure
how well I can fight in this body."
"Wait here just a minute," Sal said entering healer Coe's house.
Moments later he reemerged a smile making his impressive teeth even longer.
"We're going for a walk," he announced gesturing down the street. "I've
got something to show you."
"But my hip," Pierga objected.
"Alayna said you were more then well enough to walk as far as I need you
to," Sal insisted. "And she added it would do you good to see more of
the city."
The jaguar opened his mouth ready to object but relented and allowed Sal
to guide him through the city. They had gone no more then a dozen houses
when a raccoon Pierga recognized from standing in the street smiled and
waved as he saw him walking. The feline waved and returned the smile.
"Oh but just one thing to remember", Sal told him after seeing a boar
Keeper scurry to the other side of the street.
"What is that?" the big cat asked.
"Try not to smile quite so broadly," Sal told him and pointed to his
fangs. "For predators like ourselves a smile can reveal a little too
much of these for prey species to be comfortable with."
Along the way the big cat pointed out several areas that were still
being repaired from the battles fought in the Keep. Soon they reached an
open green where several pairs of combatants were practicing.
"This is what we have to work with," the long toothed feline sighed. "I
do what I can as do others but many times they are simply left to train
themselves."
A yip sounded as a dog Keeper was struck along side the head, not far
from where they watched.
"Guard!" Shouted Sal. "Guard first, attack second."
The dog nodded, still rubbing his ear and turned back to his opponent.
The two had no more then reengaged when Pierga's attention was drawn to
another pair working off to the side. A tall young man, he assumed had
once been a woman, was showering blows on a small raccoon about half his
size. While the raccoon launched repeated counterattacks he never came
near the man who was able to hold him at arms length. Looking at each of
the others who were engaged Pierga could see what Sal was talking about.
Finally a firm thump drew the former knight's attention back to the
human raccoon pair. Turning he saw the coon holding his side where
undoubtedly the man had just laid a firm blow.
"Len, keep a high guard and press the attack," Sal shouted over at the pair.
"But I can't get near him," the animal Keeper objected. "his reach is
too great."
"On a battlefield you can't pick the size of your opponents," Pierga
said in a commanding voice. "You have to play their weakness against them."
"How can I do that when I can't even reach him?" Len objected facing the
big cat.
"By using your size against his," the jaguar told him.
Both of the combatants looked at him puzzled by what he meant.
"Both of you come here," he ordered. "Lad, give me your cudgel."
The young man obediently surrendered his wooden weapon to the cat.
"Now, half speed, come to me," he directed the raccoon.
"But you're even bigger than he is," the small Keeper objected looking
up at the feline.
"And I'm also standing with the aid of a staff," came the growling
reply. "Do it, half speed, now!"
As before the small creature moved in and made his attacks. Pierga, even
with his injury, fended them off with ease. Then he abruptly shouted.
"Halt! Look where you are."
Looking the raccoon saw that the big cat had taken his wooden blade with
a low guard while he himself was high.
"Now, step toward me," ordered the cat.
"But…" the raccoon began but was cut short by a growl order.
"Act, don't talk!"
The Keeper obeyed and as he did so Pierga's blade was pushed back and to
the side.
"Now, step under and lift my blade."
The Keeper complied finding himself now under the feline's arm.
"Disengage, turn and draw," the jaguar ordered.
Not questioning the order the smaller combatant drew back his blade and
turned, his nose inches from the feline's body. Suddenly he realized
what was expected and drew the wooden blade across his opponent's stomach.
"That is how you use your size to your advantage," Pierga instructed.
"Close on your enemy, press your attack from close quarters and use his
own force to clear his blade then finish it. Now practice that."
The big cat tossed the wooden weapon back to the lad he had taken it
from and the two resumed their sparring. This time the smaller of the
two was not as outclassed as before though he still had much to learn.
"Well done," a deep voice came from behind him. "Even with one leg you
handle yourself like a master."
Turning to Sal he nodded in agreement to his comment.
"Do you really send these people out against an enemy?" he asked looking
about at the practice once more.
"Not often, thankfully," he replied with a sigh. "but there have been
times that it was needful. That is one of the reasons I hoped you might
help."
Shaking his head the big cat looked at the saber-tooth and replied.
"How much latitude will I have in their training?"
"As much as you need is my guess," the Smilodon told him. "I'm not the
one to give the final say, that will be up to Jack DeMule our training
master. Once I tell him of your experience and training I'm sure he'll
agree. The method will be up to you. Just try not to break any of them."
"I doubt I could do more harm then they are doing to themselves," he
replied as another howl of pain rang out.
"I wouldn't say that," Sal said with a smile. "Once you have your feet
under you again I think you could do considerable harm from what I just
saw you do with that wooden sword."
The jaguar's ears perked to their full erect position at the comment. It
struck Pierga that indeed he had wielded a sword of wood without even
thinking about it. Whatever the curse against his using a sword was it
did not appear to extend to his use of these training devices.
"True," he said to his fellow soldier. "Let us return to Coe's before I
witness any more of this mockery of sword play."
On the way back Sal explained the basic composition of Metamor's
military and their chief enemies. Pierga listened intently and by the
time they reached the healer's house he was fully aware of why the Keep
needed so strong a defense.
"Sal, there is one thing I do ask you." Pierga said as the Smilodon was
about to take his leave. "Do not make mention of my station to those you
must speak to."
"Pierga, I told you this yesterday," the saber-tooth replied. "I know
the pain you are enduring. I will not inflict more on you by any action
I take. You are a soldier who has been exceptionally well trained and
battle tested, more than that they need not know."
"Thank you," the jaguar said. "I am grateful to you for that and for
your help."
"Send word when you are ready," Sal called out as he began to leave.
"I'll come and show you the way to your new lodging."
Reentering the house Pierga retired to his room where he reflected on
the day's events and what might lay ahead for him in the Keep.
End Part 2 of New Lessons to Learn and Old Ones to Teach
!DSPAM:4beb5119167461804284693!
_______________________________________________
MKGuild mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.integral.org/listinfo/mkguild
