User:FelixSagittarius/Warrior(2)
Warrior(2)
| Author's Note: The continuation of 'Warrior(1)', as written in the origional. |
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Tales from the Blind Pig story universe |
As I entered the Blind Pig, I saw that there were a fair number of herbivores in the back, well away from the door - not cowering, but being intelligently cautious. Deer, rabbits, and a number of other small animal morphs.
I paused, removed my cap and bowed to them, then said "I am Lord Felix Swiftarrow. I was just set upon by a group of Humans First yahoos. I'm still here - they're not. I apologize for any distress all the noise may have caused you. I'm a horse/centaur morph, so I know all too well how we herbivores react - again, apologies."
They nodded back, relaxing, and went back to what they had been doing.
The carnivore types and assorted others who had come outside to see what all the the noise was were coming back in, all but the guards on the fallen. The wolf types went to one area, the mule morph to the piano and the huge bull behind the bar.
I limped over and asked, "Are you the publican here?"
He looked startled, then nodded and seemed to grin.
"I apologize, sir, for any trouble my act of self defense has brought on your establishment. Also, I apologize for carrying in weapons that are not peace bonded. I had to snap the bond on my sword to use it. Will you please take my equipment and place it somewhere safe until it's time to leave?"
He nodded again. I lifted the baldric with my sword sheath over my head and handed it over along with the shield, then unbuckled the quiver and bow case and set them on the bar.
"And if you have some paper towels or rags, I seem to be leaking and wouldn't want to ruin your floor."
He handed over a roll of towels and I used them to sop up the blood drips from the cut on my flank
"Excuse me, Lord Felix" said a voice from behind.
I turned to see the wolf morph in the cape.
"Aye, good sir?" I replied.
"Introductions are in order, I believe" he said with that English accent. " I am...The Wanderer," he said and bowed, sweeping the cloak around, " and this is Donnie, our bar owner and patron. Please be aware that he doesn't speak, but he hears very well and he does sign or write."
"Ah," I replied, "I don't know sign, but I've watched it and it's graceful."
"Yes, even so," he replied, " and if you have need of translation, there are a number of people here who can do that. Now, as to getting that rather nasty looking gash looked into, lets get one of the doctors over here. Dr. Stein," he called " some work for you. A rather nasty cut that needs looking into."
A large form moved away from the wall - a LARGE equine morph, a shire at least, standing on his hind legs with roughly fingered hands. "Well, little brother, got you a good one, did he?" he said, reaching into a bag of medical supplies for a razor to shave the area around the wound.
"Not as good as I got him," I replied. "I hit him in the head with a shield bash and he was still out cold when I came in. Which reminds me, Wanderer, DID someone 911 those yahoos? If they did, we're going to have some Boys in Blue with them."
"Yahoos indeed, by their behavior," he laughed, "yet sent packing by your Swift response! Well! Let me check on the call -in..."
"Your pardon, on second thought, once they get over their scare the ones who got away will call it in, on that you may bet. Probably called the Humans First HQ for reinforcements also. They'll tell everybody how they were attacked by the evil SCABS centaur while innocently out walking is my guess. What we need is at least a newspaper reporter with a cameraman, better for a TV crew to get this on video."
"No problem, dear boy." he replied.
I blinked, then said, " This IS a SCABS related event, and the media aren't real friendly to us."
"True, but we have a friend in those places." he replied. "Let me call her and get her down here."
"Right, then." I said. "Now, we wait and see."
The ambulance, the cops - a norm and a large canine morph in uniform - and a contingent of Humans First yahoos all showed up at roughly the same time. Ms. Underwood had arrived first and asked me to come outside for an interview, so I collected my weapons and was standing just outside the door, on three legs, with a large group of SCABS people around us as the good Doctor worked on sewing up the gash in the light of the TV cameras. I was speaking with Ms. Underwood, telling her about the fight and how I'd been attacked, for no reason, by at least a dozen of those nasty people with clubs and knives and been forced to defend myself. She asked to see my weapons. I showed them to her, making sure to point out that the bow, a lethal weapon, was still securely tied in its sheath, and handing her the sword for her examination. "Why, it's wood!" she exclaimed, "I had thought steel when you said sword." "No, not wood, milady, rattan, wrapped in duct tape for durability. I fight in the Society for Creative Anachronism, and live steel is banned from the field - someone could get hurt!"
"Excuse us, Ma'am", said the norm Officer," we have a report of a vicious attack on an innocent group of people by this person and we need to get his side of things. Sir, we need your name, address, and such."
I gave them the info requested, then said, angrily, "Innocents, in THIS neighborhood? Niflheim! Look at the weapons there in the street, and look at the gash in my side! I came down here to get a beer and check out the bar, I'm attacked by at least a dozen yahoos with clubs and knives, I defend myself with shield and sword, and they have the gall to say that?"
"Chet, can you check and round up those weapons? And try to match them by scent to the users, please." the norm Officer said to the other cop. The canine Officer nodded and started chalking the outlines of the knives and clubs, tagging them and gathering them up.
"Here's his sword, Officer," she said, "I was just looking at it. It's made of - rattan, did you say?" I nodded.
She passed it to the Officer, who said, "Hm, it's got a number of cuts on it, a couple fairly deep."
"Yes sir, I countered a number of knife thrusts with it, and here, see what they did to my shield! It's all chopped up. It's plywood, and meant to counter wooden swords like the one you're holding, not live steel. I'll probably have to throw both of them away and make new ones. And look at my tunic, that yahoo over there tried to stab me and cut this hole in it. If it hadn't been for the chain shirt, I'd have been really hurt! There are the pieces of his blade right there," I said and pointed.
"Chain shirt? What's that?" the Officer asked.
I pulled the tunic over my head, the chain mail glittered in the camera lights. "I had been at SCA fighter practice earlier this evening, we work out in what we'd wear on the fighting field, and on the way home I remembered that my sparring partner had recommended this place. I decided to come and give it a look see, then go on home. It's easier to wear mail then carry it, so I still had it on when I was attacked."
"Hm," the Officer said. "Is this where he tried to stab you? Several of the rings are spread, and others are scratched." The TV crew got a close up of the damage. "The cloth pad underneith is damaged as well, a nick from the look of it." "Yes, sir," I replied, "There's a sore spot there. His blade snapped off, and I returned his compliment with my sword, which isn't lethal like that knife!"
The ambulance crew was working on the injured in the street, and one of the paramedics came over to speak to the cop. "We've got a number of broken bones here, ribs and arms primarily and one broken thigh bone - all impact injuries. Whoever hit them was strong and accurate - looks like he tried to disarm for the most part. The only head injury is a concussion, the guy's coming to now, but he's going to have one hell of a headache."
"I sure hope so! He's the one that cut me!" I growled.
The canine Officer returned after putting the knives in the trunk of the squad car and said, "The scents on some of the blades and clubs match the people in the ambulance, Sarge. I've got the info on them all from the ambulance crew. They'll be leaving for the hospital in a minute."
A group of Human Firsters started to come over to try to get their version on camera. The SCABS crew moved to stop them. Insults and profanity started to fly, and the cops hastily got in between and ordered everyone to back off. Everyone backed up a few paces, but the insults still flew. The cops called for backup, there was real danger of a riot starting. "Back off, I said, I'll use pepper spray on the first idiot who throws a stone or a punch, and I don't care which side they're on!" the norm cop hollered. Grumbling loudly, both sides withdrew. Ms. Underwood went over to the Humans Firsters, and promised to talk to them when she was done with me, which quieted the situation down. The cops came back over to where we were standing.
The ambulance attendant had been talking to Dr. Stein, and he came back to the norm cop. "The SCABS Doc said they have a place they'll take him, so we'll take the load we've got and get them seen to." Turning to me, he said "That must have been one hell of a fight, you must be damn good that you only took that one wound. The injured guys are swearing at the one who lead them, something about 'Easy, my ass!' I'd be careful if I were you, these people are vindictive as Satan himself."
Another couple of cop cars roared up, and the Humans Firsters began to drift back into the dark. The camera crew talked to Ms Underwood, who turned and said she was done with me, but needed to do a standup for the camera crew and would see me inside when she was done. I asked the Officer if he needed any more info - he apologized, but said they'd need my sword and shield for evidence. I passed over the shield, as he already had the sword, received a receipt for both, then asked about what would happen from here. He said, "From the sound of things, you defended yourself and any injuries inflicted were due to that. For the gang that attacked you, armed assault at least, I'd say. Up to the prosecutor. We'll be getting in touch with you." I nodded, thanked the Officers, then limped into the bar.
"Well, Milady Underwood, how well do you think that went?" I said.
"That was GREAT - one centaur against at least a dozen armed 'Firsters, and they either end up on the ground or running - that gave them a black eye for sure." she laughed.
"Only one problem I can see for a while," I replied, "I'm going to need a place to heal up where they know equine medical care. "
"I'll take you out to Epona. After a couple of weeks or so when you're healed up, you can go on back home." Dr. Stein said.
"Hm, I'll let the Post Office know to hold my mail. I'll also need some equipment from my shop so I can get my time sensitive company commitments worked on. There's a big archery event coming up next month, and a fair number of people ordered a dozen new arrows each. At least they're easy and quick. You're going to use a trailer for transport?" He nodded. "Right, then, if it's ok with you, we can swing by my shop and I'll get the things I'll need and carry them out there with me. Are there any norm friends or human morphs out there? The color dipping and sealing chemicals may disturb the true equines and should be done outside, and that'll save my time for fletching, tieing off, and cresting. I'll pay for their time, or, if they want, one of my bows and instruction in its use." I said.
" I think we can find someone, especially for a bow as beautiful as the one in that scabbard!" said Dr. Stein.
"You looked at it, did you? I put a lot of work into that one - it's my personal weapon, about a hundred pounds draw, and it doesn't stack at all. I shoot it in the Asian style with a thumb ring, and get excellent accuracy now, although it took forever to get good with it. The ones I make commercially aren't quite as pretty, but they work very well and are as exact a copy of the old horse people's horn bows as I can make."
"Hey, Lord Felix, come on over and I'll get you that beer and finish the intro's," said Wanderer.
"Ale, and coming," I replied. "If you will excuse me, good gentles?" I limped over to the bar.
"Now for that ale, Wanderer." I said. He nodded to Donnie who reached for a schooner and filled it with a dark, creamy looking ale, and passed it over. I took a sip, and let the flavor flow around my mouth, then took a full swallow. "Oh, my! This is some good stuff! You have it all the time?" Donnie nodded.
"Louie," I lisped, "I think thish ish the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"
"Mais oui, mon amis Rick, mais oui!" he laughed, "and well come!"
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