Kerric the Mercenary: Episode 2, A Dirty Corral

The Warcats do not like being put into a dirty corral

As Kerric expected, the Hammer and Shield corral was empty by the time they arrived at DarkGate. If anyone might recognize what the livestock acting up meant, mercenaries staying at the Hammer and Shield would. Fresh meric dung covered the floor, testifying that the company mounted on those horned beasts had just left. One advantage of seasoning a town, any mercenary mounted on anything a Warcat likes to eat, such as those riding sharp-horned meric, got out of town unless they had a contract that made them stay.

In the lead, Aon rode his Warcat, Syn, through the open gate. Syn growled his displeasure at the dirty corral.

“Tantos, Aon, Ownar, Paton. You four have the duty, Tantos it first. Everyone else, see to your Warcats.”

The three not given specific jobs exchanged glances once they dismounted inside the corral. Then Ownar approached Kerric while the other two headed for the front door of the Hammer and Shield.

Kerric pulled a small gem from his pouch and tossed it to him. “Not heavy meals this time. The Warcats have been overeating of late. They, like us, need to get in better shape before heading home.”

“Just something to take the edge off their hunger?” Ownar said, catching it.

“A little more than that, but not much more.”

Loud noise crashed out the door his two men opened it. The place still held a crowd despite, by his estimate, thirty riders having just left. They would be footmen, probably tramp footmen. Just why were so many tramp footmen here? He shoved that thought aside. As long as they were headed elsewhere, it didn’t matter, and they likely were on their way to other work. Even if they weren’t, he could move to the next town bordering the Black Sand to get his men ready.

While he and Ownar talked, the rest of his men entered the corral, dismounted, and began removing their saddles. That action let the Warcats know this was to be a long stay since they did not take saddles off them unless it was for stays over two days.

Tantos took up his post by the gate as Kerric entered. Kerric tossed him another tiny gem. “Once they are fed, see if you can get a towny in here to sweep the place up.”

Tantos gave a curt nod.

It should be safe enough to have some towny inside the corral so long as Tantos kept a sharp eye on the Warcats’ tempers. Normally, it was the guard’s duty to keep people away from the corral. But not even a guard could stop a warcat from killing someone the Warcats didn’t like inside the corral. Kerric trusted Tantos’ judgement more than the others not to get someone to do that job that would irritate the Warcat.

With jobs assigned, Kerric looked around again, then slid to the ground and began unbuckling the complex device used as a saddle. This one had significant improvements over the first one he originally designed for the south so many years ago. Warcats were hard on them. Even improved and with the pieces taking the most stress being made of Colnut, these saddles made for the south were prone to wear and breakage, which required every piece and strap to be thoroughly inspected every time they took the saddle off.

He barely began that process when an alert innkeeper led a dozen comely slaves past him and into the Hammer and Shield. Getting more slut when top level mercenaries came in was a common practice in these smaller outlying towns and Kerric was glad this innkeeper was on the ball. None of the other inns in this town wanted mercenaries to wander looking for company, especially top of the line ones, so was glad to send what slut they had free of charge.

The innkeeper leading them past told him not only was he aware that Kerric’s men were top level and deserving of respect, but confirmed Kerric’s assumption. None of the crowd now inside that inn was anything more than trash foot. Nor had the riders that had left been much better. So why was the town full of low-class mercs?

Episode 1—-3