Glancing over his shoulder Heinman walked as quiet as he could down the sewers under Marienburg. He was sure he was being followed, he could feel it. Stepping on a slipery stone, he slid and went down. Hitting hard on his back he let out a curse. The next second, he clapped his hands over his mouth, and looked around himself. The sewer water on his hands did little to make his already ugly apperance better. His shoulder-long grey hair was almost black of all the dirt. His clothes, once some of the finest produced i Marienburg, was now nothing netter then rags, the fine blue texture brown of dirt. His face had once been handsome, but in the Marienburg under world, nothing survives intact. His face was warty after not having washed it for nearly a year, his nose broken, and four teeth had been knocked out. The once fine blade dangling at his hip, was rusted and burnt, after using it to roast rats and such stuff over fires to eat. He eyes nearly blind after living in near constant darkness for over a year. His only other belongings was a few copper pennies, a small, torn purse for them and a backpack, which he used to store dead rats in. He was one of the Rat Catchers, Vermin Soldiers, even called Rat-mens. How wrong those who called Rat catchers for Rat-mens were. He had seen them. The hideus mutants. The warpstone spawns. The Skaven.
Gnatta glanced around the corner. The human-thing had fallen over. That explained the noice before. He signalled to his friend-thing to come over. He also was one of the Skaven. Speaking in a low voice, Gnatta said "We must strike now against the human-thing! He has fallen over!" "But boss-thing said that we were only to shadow him!" his friend-thing squeeked back. "This is the territory of the Clawed-hand clan, you fool-thing!" Gnatta queeked. "And they are pawns to Clan Eshin!" "Maybe we should only stun the human-thing." The friend-thing said "Then we could take him back to Boss-thing!" "Yes-Yes! Good idea! Fast-Quick! Strike!" Gnatta squeeked. Running around the corner they stumbled into something big, something alive.
Heinman couldn't belive this bad luck! Trying to avoid them by going backwards in his own tracks in the dust, he was nearly pushed of his feet by two Skaven! Fortunately, both Skaven had fallen over, one had landed on the walkway, the other in the Soup. The Soup was a nickname for the stream of human filth and other, more unpleasant things. The Skaven on the walkway darted up to his feet and unsheated a small, but wicked blade. The one in the Soup splashed around in it, trying to get to the walkway halfblinded. Having dulled his reflexes he just stared in disbelief at the Skaven rushing at him with the dagger. He heard a twang and something darted by his right arm. The attacking Skaven suddenly flew backwards hitting the wall and droping his knife. When he hit the wall, blood splashed out onto the sewer wall. The place where the Skaven was hit had a small splash of blood on the floor and a very small trickel of blood led to where the Skaven had hit the wall. He saw the small bolt that had buried itself in the creatures neck. Spinning around he saw a man in a long black cloak, a black tunic and darkpurple pants. The hood was up, shadowing his face, making it impossible to see it. He stood and calmly took a bolt from a small pouch hanging in his belt, beside a short-sword in a black scabbard. He reloaded his crossbow and aimed it at Heinman. He pressed the trigger and let the bolt fly. Stunned Heinman felt the bolt fly bast his neck and he heard a squeel of pain from behind. Once again he turned, this time seeing the goo-drenched Skaven lying on the ground, with the bolt in his arm. A trickle of black blood began to meld with the sewer-water. It began to crawl towards the killed Skaven. Seeing his companions blood on the ground it probably realised it was dead. Spinning around to face them Heinman could see that the creatures eyes were filled with hatred. Turning around it began to slowly walk away. "Who are you?" his saviour said. "I-I'm a Ra-Rat Catcher , sir." Heinman replied shocked. "Well I can see that, but whats your name?" the man asked. "Euhm... H-Heinman, sir." Heinman said confused. Who were this man, interested in something like himself? "Could you possibly be Heinmann von Urztberg?" the stranger pressed on. "W-Well, no longer. Y-You see I-I've been dis-inherited by my f-father." he replied, too shocked and confused to think. Suddenly, the man falled down on his knees, saying "I found you my Lord! Praised be Sigmar!" "You found who?" the now realy confused Heinman asked. Bowing so deep that his forehead touched the ground he replied "Forgive me, but your brother has died, so your father has inherited you again, my Lord!" "Huh? So... you're not joking?" Heinman answered. "Why should I joke with you about such important matters, my Lord?" the bowing man said. "So my friends hasn't payed you t-" he was drowned by the sound of scuttling feet, coming from aroud the corner. The man grabbed him around the wrist and started to run, stumbling, Heinman was forced to follow. "Where's the closest exit, sir?" the man shouted. "In the end of this sewer part!" Heinman replied. Risking a glance over his shoulder, he saw five or six skaven in leather armour with spears scuttling towards them, closing in every second. Then they reached the end of the sewers, and with them the ladder. The man jumped up half the ladder and tried to push the heavy iron hatchet open. It didn't move."Sir, its rusted so we have to break it open! You try, while I fend them off!" he shouted over his shoulder. "Gotcha!" Heinman replied. His warrior jumped down the ladder and unsheated his crossbow in one move. He aimed it before he landed and shot as sone as his feet touched the ground. Heinman climbed up the ladder and glanced over his shoulder to see one Skaven falling to a bolt in its chest just to reveal a bigger Skaven in full leather armour with a mail shirt and a short-sword and shield. He began to push the ladder open as he heard another shriek of pain and a tumph. He pushed it again and it still didn't move as heard a a third pain filled squeek followed be the sound as he sheated his crossbow and drew his sword. Frustrated he threw himself against the hatchet and with a high-pitched queek it opened. Looking down he saw the man chopping the tip off a spear and a kicked another Skaven down into the Soup. "Hurry! The hatchets open!" Heinman shouted and climbed up the open hatchet. He was quickly followed by the warrior, and together they pushed the iron hatcet on again.Blinded by the sun-light, he walked into something, tripped and falled with his head on something hard. It was wonderfull when it all blackned.