Training Time Again, For Joy...

[firdawsi]

In the guard, there was a saying. Piss off the Captain, and you will find out just how much bite a leopard has. For that was what was rumored of the fine Captain. Men who fought beside the Captain found themselves weaving incredulous stories of why the Captain was never seen with armor or weapons. They spoke of claws, of teeth, of inhuman things no mere unmagicked mortal was ever meant to see. But, alas, this was a new time, where such creatures had to be accepted, and accepted with peace, for there were no more witch burnings, vampire stakings, or lycan hunts...unless, of course, you wished their retaliation with more than a little law to back it. The Captain, then, was accepted, but not because it was necessary. Guards who saw the feline grace, who saw their Captain in combat accepted, nay, worshiped their Captain from that moment forth. No tale could give justice to the fierceness, no account could explain the skill. Here, on the grounds, where 'Captain' was a word never spoken save in hushed tones, there was one person who was respected above all and one person alone.

"Capt Dawsi!" A medium-heighted woman turned, her long hair, with its beautiful ripples of light-streaked dark, sweeping over one bare shoulder. All she had on was an army green tube top and matching shorts, her chiseled waist showing in detail. Her body was desirable, vuluptuous, beautiful, her movements always lithe. Her skin was a Sahara brown, darkened both by blood and by sun. If one thing had to be noted, however, it was for certain her eyes. Her eyes were green as spring grass, and sharper than any dull grass blade, so that nothing was missed and no detail skipped.

"Yes, Bianc, what would you have of me?" In a sea of men and few women, all fully clothed, the woman stood out without much effort. This man, however, treated her as the others, if not bowing even lower. "Capt Dawsi, the new horses are here for your inspection."

"Very good, Bianc, very good. Let it be known that training will begin this afternoon, once I have checked each and every horse." The man nodded and the woman looked away, her attention already seemingly elsewhere. Her gaze lit on the sky and she thought, not too off, that it would soon be noon. Day ran long these days, into the hours of eight and nine, so she did not worry that there were over one hundred horses to tend to. Everything would happen in good time. "Shield a touch higher, Michaels!" she suddenly barked, having glanced to see a trainee defending against a teacher who was using every lack of skill to an advantage. The new trainee looked surprised. The woman grinned from ear to ear, knowing exactly what was going through the young one's mind.

He had heard the stories. Oh yes, those teeth and claw stories, and had thought his dear Captain not to be trained in arms. That mistake would have cost the boy big were he sparring against any other opponent with only gossip as a judge, so it was better he learn the lesson sooner. "Much better, Michaels!" And again she had already moved on. Not until later was her demonstration so for now she would watch, and count the sun's rays until at last the noon bell rang for lunch.

[Cassius Ado Virtus]

"I will see the captain of the guard."

"She is conducting training General, Sir -"

"I will see the captain. Now." It was not so much a command as a statement of fact, in a flat and solid tone. There was no refusing it, and the guardsman turned and bolted to fetch the captain of the city guard.
General Cassius was short of time today, and there where things that must be done. He was by no means a harsh or uncaring man, but now he had no time for idle conversation. He required a moment of the captains time to deliver new standing orders, before he had to return to the keep to prepare for the council.
The darkness was drawing ever closer, and time was growing scarce.

[firdawsi]

The noon bell rang just as one of the posted guards ran to Firdawsi. She smelled his scent nearing before he got close enough to speak, and thus sent a question to organize his thoughts before he reached his Captain. "Raoul, there had best be a good reason for leaving your post." The guard, who, as one of the four-years, had learned to ignore the Captain's strange sixth sense, answered before he even reached her.

"The General of the Army, Capt Dawsi, here to see you." Dawsi's eyebrow raised in a fine arch. Where the General ruled on the outside, Dawsi ruled on the inside, forever collaberating to create the safest home possible to the many residents of Karador. "On training day? How very odd. He must be off to war soon, or on some other business."

The two leaders were very alike, in that their men and women respected and followed them, but Dawsi was so much more delicate looking, she would never be taken seriously by any save those who had seen her in battle or heard her wisdom. The General, on the other hand, was seen as a leader and known as a leader, and that was that.

Dawsi walked towards the guards post at the entrance to the training grounds, Raoul on her heels. Every soldier was trained to walk like a soldier, but not one person had ever dared tell Dawsi she was not a soldier because of her smooth, feline gait. It was a walk that never stumbled, a soft walk, that never gave hint to where she might be, a walk that could sneak up on anyone and never have them know any better. By the time the Captain got to Cassius, only ten of her men had even noticed her absence.

"General Virtus," Dawsi's respect for the man was all in the fact that they, together, kept Karador safe from the same level. Eslewise, she would find him as a rough man, always bellowing orders rather than calmly attracting attention to be heard. Alas, the job of an army General was to be in heard in the din of battle, the job of a Guard Captain was to tell one man or a group of men what to do next.

"You have chosen to visit me on a most important of days." Already the men and women were beginning to move past them as more and more were dismissed for lunch. "Please, would you like to come to my office? I'm most certain the servants will be more than happy to bring refreshments to my room." She nodded to one of the guards, who went to tell the servants to bring a meal up to the Captain's office. "Please," she said with a smile, sweeping her hand before her to indicate that the General should walk beside her. "You know the way."

[Cassius Ado Virtus]

Cassius nodded and grimaced slightly, his frown tightening, "I'm afraid there is little time for that, Captain. I have only stopped by on my way back up to the keep, to deliver the City Guards New orders personally." Cassius said matter of factly, his voice steady and flat, but not cold nor superior.
"As I'm sure you are aware, the city is under military control now, and the city gates and walls are manned by my men. I have documents for you that detail the patrol routes and times that my men will cover in the outer city limits, and the areas of the inner city that will be left to your men. Note however, that a doubling of the guard is at the forefront of the orders. In times like these, no mistakes can be permitted, for the good of us all." Cassius paused, before withdrawing a rolled up and sealed parchment from his upturned helm. It carried the seal of Karador upon it, and there was no denying its official nature.
"I trust that you understand the need for this, I do not mean to impose myself and my men upon you for pleasure, but out of necessity. I know you and your men will see to it that the people of this great city are kept safe, from themselves and others." Cassius offered her the rolled up and sealed parchment, before saluting her smartly, almost mechanically.

[firdawsi]

OOC: Did K herself actually dictate this, or are you just imposing? Because maybe I should define the words 'army' and 'guard' for you...

As Dawsi listened to the General's message, her normally friendly face closed down, a ghost of a frown on her lips. The Lady knew how well her guards were trained, and knew the trust her men sustained. Frankly, Kalista herself would most likely not have thought of the idea herself. Re-strengthening the walls with other men, that was most welcome, but replacing the guard? "I most certainly did not know." Dawsi's voice was calm, collected. "While I am sorry to have to do this, General, I must. Unless Kalista herself brings me good reason for the replacement of my guard, they will stay in place. You may add men, if you feel it necessary, but otherwise, I suggest you keep to your own area of expertiese."

"There is no necessity, Cassius." Suddenly, Dawsi had thrown aside his title, which by refusing to use hers, he had given court offense. This act showed that she thought of neither as a lesser, but both equals, and if he did not want to bring her up to his level in his mind, she would bring him down to hers. "I assure you that my men are all trained." Something feral, dangerous flashed in the Captain's eyes. In a challenge between a human and a lycan, both trained in the arts of fighting, there was no doubt as to who would win. Kalista knew what Dawsi was, or at least she should have known. This is why Dawsi knew, knew the orders were not Kalista's doing. Dawsi's guard fought with animal instict, pride, as trained when they reach their third year. Her boys were silent, and there were no better to guard the castle walls.

Dawsi ignored the salute, taking hold of the parchment in one long-nailed hand. Oh no, Kalista would never pit General against Captain. What was this all about? "As I said, Cassius, I am more than happy to attend a meeting with you and Lady Kalista, perhaps this night. For now, I return to train my men to fight. Perhaps, just perhaps, you should go back to your grounds and try the same. Last I heard, the casualty list has not improved over your watchful glare." Smiling pleasantly and bowing, Firdawsi turned from the General without salute. "Bianc, please, give the servants and the cook my apologies, but I will dine in the Mess Hall with the soldiers as usual this day."

Dawsi glanced one last time at Cassius, and felt her eyes flash a touch of gold. Great Warrior in the sky, she needed to hunt after dealing with humans like the General. No understanding of dominance in them, none. They don't understand the careful deal two alphas make to ensure the safety of all, rather, in their human need to expand, conquer, they try to take territory they do not know the least about. With nothing more than a nod, Dawsi sauntered off, and, had she had a tail in human form, it would have been twitching with annoyance as her sway turned deceptively light. The other guards must have sensed it, because, as she passed, none tested their Captain's ability to pounce while still in such a human shell.