“Take a deep breath.” I said softly, “Feel the weight of the crosswbow, hold your breath for 10 seconds.” I was surrounded by four were-rats. How did I get here?

Lucius and I decided to scout out the last remaining hideout we were aware of. We both agreed this would be a good use of our time since both Zacarius and Nikolean needed time to rest.

We both crafted outfits for our subterfuge and set off to watch the suspected hideout. Lucius don the disguise as well to do merchant and I was his man servant. I must admit it did bother me that my elvin only seemed to be bother with me because of Lucius.

After a hour of so watching the house through the window of the cafe, I made my move. Hiding and moving silently I made a pass around the entire house. Taking care to note entrances and exits as well as listening to any sounds.

The hideout had erected a large fence obscuring most of the main floor. Dark curtain shut from in inside blocked any view from the windows. I did hear the clanking and grunting of combat from the eastern side of the building.

I reemerge and signal Lucius and reported my findings to him. He suggested we head back to the guild hideout and change our disguises once again. Our goal was to infiltrate the enemy and learn when the attack would happen.

I knocked on the door and was greeted by a burly doorman.

“Yeah what do you want?” He said in a huff.

“We are new recruits” I answered.

“I was not aware of any new recruits” he glared at us “especially a tiefling”.

“That is above my pay grade, all I know is that Myzer sent us”

“Myzer sent you?”

“Yes”

The door open and he motion for us to enter in. I stepped in with Lucius directly behind me. The entry way was a large room and off to the right I could see three were-rat spell casters conversing.

The burly doorman eyed us up and down and said “Well what are you waiting for? Go start your training”

“And where would that be?”

He pointed to the eastern direction and Lucius and I headed off. But instead of heading to the training room I took the opportunity to explore the building. We discovered a hidden door that leads to the outside. I wedge a pebble in it so that we could open it from the outside.

Lucius became concerned that we would be missed so we headed to the training room. Once we arrived, I counted four were-rats and three humans. Two of the were-rats were firing crossbows at target dummies. One were-rat was sparring with a human, and two humans were sparing with each other. A rather large were-rat was barking orders and commenting on the others fighting style.

Lucius and I announced ourselves as new recruits. The two archers sniffed at me and said “You have been touched”.

I remained silent as I scan the room.

“I was not aware of any new recruits but you two can not be any worse than these in here.” His rat teeth became visible as he cocked his head and smile “Well let me see what I am working with, step into the spar ring and show me what you got.”

I walked to a weapon cached and grabbed a rapier and stepped in the red square. I looked around and said “Who am I sparring with?”

The were-rat cackled and pointed at Lucius, “There is your opponent”.

At this time Lucius selected a rapier as well and then stepped into the red square. I attacked him and tried to feign as if I was a poor swordsman. I could tell he understood and counter.

The were-rat yelled “You are pathetic”

I shot back “I am really not a swordsman I prefer range attacks.”

Lucius took the time I was talking to hit me in the gut with the back of his rapier and said “Had we not been sparring you would be dead now”

The were-rat cheered, “I like your tiefling!”

I tossed my sword down and walked over to the crossbow, I lined up the target and shot hitting a bullseye.

The were-rat eyed me with skepticism “Do it again, perhaps it was a luck shot”

I shot again hitting my target again.

The were-rat howled, “Finally some recruits I can work with.”

“I can help train your archers to be better if you like.”

“Proceed”

I told them to take a deep breath and hold for 10 seconds and not to shoot. However in their excitement they both fired. Both hit their targets on the mark.

The room flooded with more were-rats as there was some excitement in the air. The leader told everyone to follow my orders, as the crowd left to discuss something. Lucius took this time to head to quarters to rest. I wanted to use this time to keep everyone occupied so he could be free to explore.

In the time that I had spent in the room two humans had died from sparring with each other. As I took on the mantle of instructor I informed the were-rat and remaining human to spare but not to the death. The were-rat ignored me and killed the human. I then asked him to dispose of the body and he looked at me with contempt and uttered “I do not take orders from you.”

At this point I had enough with his arrogance, I withdrew my blade and struck him. He did not fall from that first strike, but the look in his eyes that I hurt him told me all that I needed to know. He struck me with his sword with a glancing blow. I thrust my dagger into his ratty flesh and watch as the life seeped from his eyes. “That was quick” he said in a hush as he died.

I wiped my blade on his body and quickly pocketed the dagger back in my disguise. The archers started screaming that I killed him. I was perplex because I was sure they were occupied with practicing and did not see the encounter.

The room flooded as more and more were-rats flooded the room. I eventually saw Lucius return in what I can only assume he heard the commotion. I motion for Lucius not to get involved, I would have to talk my way out of this.

The door man and the instructor wanted to know what was going on. I explained that I killed him since we were sparring. There were murmurs in the room that I killed one of their own. I counter with the simple fact that I thought we were recruits.

Both the door man and instructor seem satisfied with my answer. I exhale silently as none of them thought to ask me how I manage to kill a were-rat in his hybrid form. I had a answer ready but was thankful that I did not have to use it.

Lucius and I are now committed, we are in the belly of that rat and hopefully will find out when the attack will happen. I only hope Willow is safe and happy.