It was the next morning when training had officially begun; Ermey was running beside the kits as he was instructing them on how to run. Private Snowball was the squad leader as Ermey was commanding them on how to run.
"…right, left, right, left! Left right, left, right, left! Left, right, left, right left!" Ermey commanded them on how to run as he was getting ready to see what they would be chanting. Squirrelkit was watching over this. This was Parris Island, South Carolina… Thunderclan home territory Marine Corp, an 8 week college for the phony tough and crazy brave. Squirrelkit was thinking to herself as Ermey began the chanting. "Mama and Papa were laying in bed."
"Mama and Papa were laying in bed." The kits chanted as they jogged along. Ermey soon continued the chanting.
"Mama rolled over, this is what she said…" Ermey wanted the kits to repeat after him as they continued to jog along.
"Mama rolled over, this is what she said…" The kits responded as the sun was warm on their uniforms as they continued running along.
"Ah gimme some…" Ermey continued chanting jogging along-side the kits.
"Ah gimme some…" The kits chanted and Ermey thought the pitch could be raised a bit.
"Ah gimme some…" He chanted again more clearly so the kits could respond louder.
"Ah gimme some…" The kits responded as Ermey liked the pitch. He soon continued the chant.
"P.T…" Ermey continued on wondering if the kits would respond.
"P.T…" The kits responded as Ermey thought the pitch could be raised again.
"P.T…" He spoke again waiting for the kit's response.
"P.T…" The kits responded as they were getting familiar with the rhythm.
"Good for you!" Ermey continued the chant wondering how the kits would respond.
"Good for you!" The kits chanted as they kept jogging along. Ermey soon spoke again.
"And good for me!" Ermey continued the chant. The kits were keen on responding to him now.
"And good for me!" The kits responded as Ermey smiled a bit to the kits.
"Mmm, good." He spoke. The kits soon turned and responded.
"Mmm, good." The kits chanted as they kept jogging. Ermey knew he wanted to make things more complicated for them.
"Up in the morning of the rising sun." Ermey continued as the scenery was changing as other kits were training for combat.
"Up in the morning of the rising sun." The kits chanted after his words. Ermey soon turned as he chanted another phrase for them to repeat.
"Gotta run all day until the running's done!" Ermey chanted as he wanted the kits to repeat after him.
"Gotta run all day until the running's done!" The kits chanted, Ermey was ready to step it up a bit as he wanted to slur some of the lines.
"Ho Chi Min is as a Son-of-a-bitch!" Ermey chanted as he wanted the kits to repeat after him. The kits soon spoke.
"Ho Chi Min is a Son-of-a-bitch!" The kits chanted as Ermey was still jogging along as they were almost done. Soon he gave them one last thing to chant with.
"Got the blueballs, crabs and the seven-year itch!" Ermey chanted as they were just almost there. The kits knew that this was the last chant so they wanted to put on a show.
"Got the blueballs, crabs and the seven-year itch." The kits chanted as they had just jogged around the perimeter of the complex. Ermey turned to them as he stopped to speak to them.
"Good job this morning, your pitch could be louder but there is always room for improvement. I'll see you after lunch." Ermey soon got up and left as the kits were soon heading into the mess hall to get something to eat after a long morning jog.
The mess hall was serving up fresh fish rolls as the cats weren't used to this, most of the fish that was used was shell fish such as shrimp, crabs and lobsters to name a few. This also came with a side of beans, some water and a treat to compliment that. Whitekit sat down with Spiderkit and Squirrelkit as they had got their lunch too.
"How was that morning's jog?" Whitekit asked them as she was still smiling. Spiderkit took a bite of his fish roll as he was hungry. Squirrelkit spoke as she was exhausted.
"Oof, I wasn't expecting to be up bright and early and we've been jogging all morning, I feel like we should rest up for the day before moving on to the next activity." Squirrelkit panted as she wasn't used to these exercises yet. Whitekit soon looked at her as she was eating her lunch.
"Well we better get used to it since we will be doing this often and obstacle course racing. I want to see that course that we just passed that morning." Whitekit responded a she was eating. She must have been hungry after that morning's jog.
"What getting up at 4 in the morning and jogging for the next 20 miles or so, I'll bet he'll be making us run within the next week or so." Spiderkit hissed as she took a bite of the fish roll. He had the longest legs of any of them but Squirrelkit was wondering why he would have them run. She knew she had to finish up lunch before the next phase of training would happen for the afternoon.
That time soon came as the cats were soon gathered around as Ermey marched right up to them; they were in their columns as Ermey soon spoke.
"I've decided that you will begin marching with your rifles. You standard 7.62X51 rifles that will be your service tool to get the job done. Of course if you do get really attached to these rifles, you can take this into combat." Ermey explained what they were. He soon wheeled over two racks of M14 service rifles. The cats soon went over as they all in an unorganized fashion, began to grab the rifles that would be the most service to them. Once the racks were empty, they were ready to begin. "Now marching with your rifles isn't going to be a simple task. When marching you will hear several commands. Meaning when you have the stock up on your arm, you grab the stock with your other paw before swinging it to your chest and putting it on the other arm. So when you hear right or left you follow up on these movements. Now let's see how well you preform to said commands. Any questions?" Whitekit soon raised her paw as Ermey turned to her as he wanted to answer to her.
"If we mess up, do we have to be corrected?" Whitekit asked as she seemed a bit nervous about this. Ermey was still remaining calm.
"Don't worry, if you mess up, I will be there to help your correct it unless you're a certain someone." Ermey responded as he prepared to march with them. "Now wait for me to give the signal to change and march." The cats listened as they began marching along waiting for the commands.
They were soon marching along on some asphalt as Ermey was calling out some of the commands and everyone was doing well so far. Squirrelkit was waiting for the command as they prepared to switch.
"Left, right, left right, left! To your left shoulder. Hut!" Ermey commanded as the cats took the rifles off from the right side and presented it before putting it to the left of them. Ermey continued marching with them. "Left, right, left, right left! Right shoulder. Hut!" The cats dismounted the rifles from their left before presenting and putting it to their right. Ermey continued to march with them. "Left, right! Platoon… Halt! Left shoulder. Hut!" The cats stopped as the followed along. Except for Private Pyle who mistakenly puts the rifle on the right shoulder instead of the left one. He decided to correct this but Ermey spotted him and it was too late for him. Ermey walked over to him. "Private Pyle, what are you trying to do to my beloved Corps?" Ermey hissed as he was wondering what mistake he had made. Pyle stood there with his mind blank.
"Sir, I don't know sir." Pyle responded. Ermey knew he had to be shitting himself with Pyle. He soon began to speak to the kit.
"You are dumb, Private Pyle, but do you expect me to believe that you don't know left from right?" Ermey asked him as he thought Pyle didn't know basic directions. Pyle tried to deny it.
"Sir no sir." Pyle responded as he held up his rifle. Ermey knew he had to once again test Pyle.
"Then you did that on purpose! You want to be different!" Ermey hissed at Pyle wondering if he was trying to be an individual.
"Sir no sir." Pyle tried to deny it but Ermey was ready to test him. Ermey soon slapped Pyle hard across the left cheek as he wanted him to see which direction that came in.
"What side was that, Private Pyle?!" Ermey asked him wondering what side he was slapped in.
"Sir left side sir." Pyle responded as he knew that direction had to come from the left side. Ermey was looking at him, wanting to confirm that he was correct.
"Are you sure Private Pyle?" Ermey asked him as he wanted to be correct before he would slap him again.
"Sir yes sir." Pyle responded. Ermey soon slapped Pyle again hard but this time across the right cheek, knocking his cap off.
"What side was that, Private Pyle?" Ermey asked him if he knew on what direction that it came in.
"Sir, right side, sir." Pyle responded as he needed to go pick up his cap again.
"Don't fuck with me again, Pyle! Pick up your fucking cover!" Ermey instructed him just ready to humiliate Pyle even more.
"Sir yes sir!" Pyle responded as they got ready to continue their exercise.
It wasn't later as they were continuing the left right procedure on how to march in formation. Squirrelkit and Whitekit were helping Ermey lead as they were chosen. Bringing up the rear was Pyle, his fatigues were pulled down to his ankles; he was sucking his paw, his cap backwards and he was holding his rifle muzzle down, struggling to keep up.
Hours later, they were back in their barracks as they had their M14's with them. Ermey was inspecting them as they were getting ready for bed, they were getting up early tomorrow for another day's worth of training.
"Tonight, you pukes will be sleeping with your rifles! You will give your rifle either a girl's name or a boy's name! Because this is only pussy you cats are going to get! Your old days of finger banging Mary Jane Rottencrotch through her pretty pink panties are over! You're married to this piece, this weapon of iron and wood. And you will be faithful. Port… Hut!" Ermey told them what will be happening. He knew the recruits were a mix of toms and she-cats so he wanted to make sure that there were no barriers as the cats soon got their rifles ready. "Prepare to mount." He ordered. The cats were waiting on what to do as they were nervous about this. Soon he gave the order. "Mount!" On Ermey's words, the cats mounted to their bunks with their rifles and they lie on their backs at his attention. Ermey nodded as he wanted them to repeat the oath that every fighting cat needed to repeat. "Port… Hut!" The kits soon snap the rifles to the port side of their arms in a position where the rifles rested over their chests. "Pray!" The kits soon began to say the oath all in unison as Ermey listened in on it.
"This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it, as I must master my life. Without me, my rifle is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him first before he shoots me. I will. Before Starclan, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviours of my life. So be it… until there is no enemy… but peace. Amen." Ermey smiled as he turned as he walked out as he knew it was time for them to sleep seeing how they had another day ahead of them. He soon prepared to head for his bed to rest up for the night. He soon gave one last order for the night.
"Order… Hut!" The kits soon snap the rifles to their sides. Ermey smiled a bit before looking at the kits as he gave their orders. "At ease!" He soon went to the light switch as he turns it off as it was time for them to sleep. He soon turned to the kits as he wanted to wish them a good night for their slumber. "Goodnight ladies!" The kits all turned their heads to Ermey as they wanted to wish him a good night too.
"Good night, sir." They responded in unison exhausted from the day's training. It was clear there were going to be many more like this ahead of them before they could be deployed into the field. Ermey soon turned to a couple of guards that were watching the barracks over for the night as they had live rifles and flashlights made to protect the recruits in case the enemy came storming in.
"Hit it, sweetheart!" Ermey told the guards as the guards turned to him as they soon spoke.
"Sir, aye-aye sir!" The guards responded. Ermey soon walked off to bed for the night as he knew that he would bring the kits through their paces once more. Squirrelkit was looking across as she could sense that Pyle was not accustomed to something like this kind of drilling, she knew she needed to help him in what way but how would she do it? She needed to figure out how.
[A/N]: Basic training for the kits and I will jump ahead as I don't want to spend a day a chapter on their training since it would get old really fast and we needed to get more views on this story seeing we only got three. I hope this chapter will bring in your interest to this. We're still competing and we're on the losing streak now. Let's hope that we can get more attention. And then we'll ship 'em all off to Nam. See you all next chapter for more recruit training. That is all.