Witcher tale: The cats path
Chapter 1: The raid
AN: Each chapter is a short story. Leave your opinion and reviews.
It was a cloudy and foggy morning when the ships captain came out of his cabin, most of the sailors were on the deck taking care of their usually business. The black sails of the other Nilfgardian ships could still be noticed in the fog, six warships in total with another six being merchant ships. Like the other detachments this one was give orders to patrol the coast and guard the merchant convoys from raiders. The Skelligen raiders have became a problem in this area as of late. Their leader, one of the Drummond clan named Ragnar was raiding and pillaging for the past few months and the trade has started to suffer, so a part of the Nilfgaardian navy was sent to deal with them. The nilfgaardian captain went to the front of the ship, still assessing the situation. He was confidant that that his little fleet could take on the Skelligen raider with easy. The first mate approached the captain, unease could easily be noticed on his face. The captain turned to his first mate and told him to relax, that the raiders don't stand a chance against them, that they are nothing more than a nuisance. Then out of nowhere a horn was heard, a battle horn. The two looked in front of them and saw a large longboat coming strait at them.
The captain yelled "Morvudd! Seiâ'fyll aâ'anval! (Enemies! Attack formation!)." The nilfgaardian soldiers took their positions and braced for the incoming battle. At first they thought it was only one ship but to their surprise it turned out to be more then ten.
A voice came from one of the Skelligen ships "For clan Drummond! For Skellige!" The ships crashed into each other and the battle started. Drummond raiders jumped at the nilfgaardian ships, ready for battle. The outnumbered nilfgaardians stud strong, probably to no small part of their discipline.
Battle cries could be heard "Glòir aen Nilfgaard (Glory to Nilfgaard)"For a small moment the nilfgaardian captain thought that they almost won this battle, but then he noticed a strange man jumping into the fray. He did not look like other raiders, he wore light armor, had two swords on his back and a cat medallion around his neck. He pulled his steel sword out of its scabbard and started catting down the nilfgaardian force. He moved with such speed that no one could react in time, his fighting style looked more like a dance, he cut several man in half and dispatched others with ease. He easy dogged any attack that came at him and soon the ships crew was overrun by the raiders. In the end the nilfgaardian ships were taken over by the Drummond raiders and few remaining survives of the crew were tied up and put in the center of the ship. A large man with a brown beard and one eye approached them and beside him a bald man with a cat medallion, weird cat like eyes and a scar running across his left cheek. The captain looked at the two man with pure hate.
The nilfgaardian officer spoke "A d'yaebl aép arse!(Devil up your ass!)" The two man looked at each other and then the large man called one of his man to his side.
"What the hell is he saying Guthrum?" Ragnar asked. The captain repeated himself several more times and also added a few more insults. The man translated the nilfgaardians words to witch the Drummond leader only laughed. "You got a big mouth on you, well lets see if you will be talking like that when laying on the bottom the the sea. Boys take this one and toss him overboard!" Moments later two warriors took the captain and tossed him into the sea, still with ropes tide around his arms and legs.
Ragnar shouted at his men "Take everything you can boys! Its all ours now!"
One of the man came to Ragnar "What shall we do with the rest of them?"
"Well, leave them here, we need someone to tell the emperor who raided his convoys. Guthrum translate this: My name is Ragnar Oneeye of clan Drummond of Skellige. Tell your emperor that it was me and my raiders who took your precious cargo. And that Skellige will never bow down to anyone, especially not Nilfgaard." The man did as he was told and translated his leaders words to the terrified remains of the Nilfgaardian crew. After they were done with the plundering, the raiders returned to their ship and set sail away from there. The ships were loaded with loot, everything from fine silk to gold and jewels. The witcher was standing at the edge of the ship when Ragnar approached him.
"This was quite the trove, probably one of my best and you were great out there, are you shore you wouldn't want to stay with us? With you we would be unstoppable."
The witcher didn't move, he only spoke in a deep voice "As I said before Ragnar I will aid you only until you get to Kerack, that was our deal."
"Alright, but its a shame to waste your talents hunting monsters in some god forgotten swamps for a few coins when you can get all you want with us."
"I'm a witcher Ragnar, my place is on the path hunting monsters not people."
"Yet you don't have a problem killing them, you proved as much."
"Yes, school of the cat witchers don't have a problem killing people like others do, but that does not mean all of us like it."
"Shame, but well if that is what you want I will not argue with you. We are going to Karack to drop you off and then me and my boys are going back home. People back home are going to love what we bring back."
The witcher turned around and looked at the raider "Thank you old friend."
"Ah don't mention it, I still owe you for saving my live from those sirens. So where are you going after Karack? Temeria. Redania."
"Probably, but my final destination is Kovir. I heard that people pay good money there for witcher work."
"And when the winter comes?"
"Who knows, maybe I will stay there or I might return to Skellige or I might die fighting some monster for a few coins somewhere. We will see what the future brings."
"Well then I suggest you take some rest, I will inform you when we reach Karacks shore."
The skelligen longboats were really some of the best in the world and the men manning them were truly some of the sailors, they reached Karack in short time and the cat witcher was once again setting off on his path. The two friends said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Once he was back on the ship Ragnar looked back and said "Take care witcher Gaetan and good luck on your path."
