"Claaaaaay! Clay get back 'ere this instant! Did you really take your brother's pants?!" Watershine gave Clay a hearty slap on the back, "I can't believe ya actually did it!" Clay shrugged, but couldn't help smiling. It was a good prank, that is until he was finally caught by his mother.
"Quick through 'ere!" Mudnose said frantically. Pulling on Clay's arm, Mudnose led the weasel through a hole in the small fence surrounding the cottage.
"I can't fit through there!" Watershine protested. "I'm too big."
Mudnose growled in frustration. "You're not the one who'll get an ass woopin' ifin he gets caught. Run down t' the end of the fence where the ocean is and swim 'round, you're an otter right?" Modnose poked the otter in annoyance, "Right?!"
"Yes, yes, I s'pose I am. Meet me down there ok?"
"Yea, yea, watever, move your wet tail."
"Claaaaaay! I know you did this! Come back 'ere this instant!"
"Claaay!"
"Waack!" The weasel was jolted to his senses as his instructor, Sergeant Stumptooth, levelled a wooden stick onto his head. He was daydreaming… again.
"Ya were Sleepin' Clay! Again!" Stumptooth snapped.
"Yah, I noticed." Clay grumbled, rubbing the top of his head. Clay was fairly tall for his species. Despite being a weasel, he'd grown to be nearly as tall as some ferrets although he was still very skinny.
"I'd suggest ya pay attention Clay, it might just save yur life, watever value that might 'ave. Should start callin' ya slob instead." Stumptooth jeered.
Clay glared up at the ferret. "Call me slob an' I'll cut yur thoat," he growled. His mother had named him Clay because of the tanish brown fur that covered his body, his belly being the only thing that was white. Clay's back talk earned him another smack on the head which he decided was enough for one day and refrained from further comment. Stumptooth turned away and made his way back to the front of the tent where he began sorting the various blades he had on show.
Mudnose, a skinny ferret with dark brown fur and Clay's long time friend, was doing a poor job of containing his laughter. Clay didn't get what was so funny about being smacked around by the sergeant, but he didn't bother to ask. Clay's brother, Gritter, was sitting next to Clay and he gave Clay a shy smile. Gritter was very small for a weasel. For whatever reason, Clay had gotten all the size meant for his brother. Clay leaned over and mock whispered in his brother's ear, "Watever Mudnose thinks is so funny, I bet he'd find it a lot funnier ifin he didn't smell like a walkin', talkin', swamp."
"I 'eard that weasel!" Mudnose shouted up indignantly before grumbling something to Wruddy, the sea rat sitting next to him.
"Oh thank Vulpez he did." Clay said, continuing to mock whisper in Gritter's ear. "Now mayhaps he'll do somethin' 'bout it." Gritter was now failing to control his laughter, Mudnose only responding with a growl from behind them. Stumptooth seemed to notice the bantering, and walked over to them, resulting in everyone shutting their snouts.
The Sergeant cleared his throat before displaying a double edged blade in front of them, balancing it perfectly on his hand. "This, me messmates, is a Gladius or short sword, not t' be confused with the scimitar. This blade has an edge on both sides and comes to an even point directly above the hilt." Stumptooth whirled around, tossing the blade in the air before catching it expertly by the hilt. As much as Clay hated to admit it, the move was very impressive. The ferret sergeant was getting up in his years, but ya wouldn't have guessed it from his dexterity. "The scimitar be a slashin' weapon, but this 'ere be a stabbin' weapon. Now that ya know this, mayhaps yew'll not make a fool outa yurselves when ya finally see combat." Stumptooth pointed at Darkclaw, "Wat're ya do with a scimitar?" The rat seemed taken aback and completely caught off guard, "uh, I-uh um. It - be a s-slashing?"
"That's exactly right. Clay! What'll ya do with this?" Stumptooth once again displayed the gladius. "Stab." Clay responded firmly.
"Thats exactly right. Your weapon is your best friend. Never forget that, keep it close to you, and learn how to use it for it'll be the only thing keeping yew from the gates of hell." Satisfied with the answers, Stumptooth signalled them to gather around the table at the front of the tent. All the recruits formed a semicircle around the table where a number of blades were displayed. "Pick yur blade and head out t' the courtyard. Grab a partner and begin sparing, an' try not t' kill each other will ya."
Clay immediately turned to find his brother, but he had already gone outside. Vulpez spare me! Why's he always runnin' off? Clay pushed past beasts, making his way past the crowd of recruits and out onto the courtyard. The high noon sun shone down on his fur, a beautiful day promising a great and relaxing evening. Clay sighed with relief as he saw Gritter sparing with Wruddy. As annoying as Wruddy could be, the sea rat wasn't going to hurt his brother. Now I just need to find a partner for myself. Clay was turning to look for Mudnose, when he was suddenly shoved to the dirt by a large stoat… Vray. As Clay stumbled back up. The female stoat tossed a rusty gladius at Clay's feet. He looked at it critically, before going to pick it up. A mistake of course, as she took the opportunity to smack his head with the flat of her blade. She smirked mischievously at Clay who at this point let his sword hang down at his side noncommittally. Vray snarled as she got into a fighting stance and Clay sighed, raising up his sword. He had never used a gladius before and wasn't really sure how to use it. Vray leaped forward aiming a blow at his side. Clay saw the move, and jumped back, moving his sword in an attempt to block. His sword missed hers by a fair margin, but his jump back allowed him to escape the attack.
"Are ya tryna kill me!" Clay snapped. It was more of an accusation than a question. Vray paused for a moment in mock thought. "Yes," She said matter of factly, before lunging again.
Clay sidestepped her lunge and stuck out his foot in an attempt to trip the stoat. While he succeeded in doing so, she swung the cutlass up in a wide arc as she fell, catching him on the cheek. The feeling of blood dripping down his face made him shiver with a weird sense of delight. Without thinking, he lunged for the grounded stoat. She rolled to the side just in time and the point of his blade buried itself in the dry courtyard dirt. Clay tried to pull his sword out, but his effort was ended when Vray kicked him in the snout, knocking him onto his back and ending the spar. She could have walked away then and there, but of course she needed to humiliate him. Walking over, she pressed a footpaw onto his neck. He gasped for air and clawed desperately at the footpaw holding him down, the sun beating on his exposed face and forcing him to squint or else go blind. "Move yur paws an' I'll let ya up." She said coolly. It took him a minute to register what she was saying and all the self control in his body to willingly move his paws away from the thing that was denying him from air, but he did and she let up.
