Cattaras trains.

Even though it's fairly well spoiled by the title (don't look!), I'll let this one speak for itself... ... ... for now.

 
Minor cursing

 
Cattaras woke and groaned, turning onto his back on the hard pallet. Where the hell is that tatami Catrina told me about? he wondered to himself, then remembered the words of that little shit ro- sorry, Master Sliver when he grumbled the same last night.

"Your sister was injured and in need. But you may earn such comforts later," he had said softly, ignoring further growls.

He smirked, remembering further the earlier events of that day. He had been spending the day at his campsite with Becky and had just taken time for himself to take care of a few matters.. well to take a pee, if you must know.

Anyway, he was readjusting his loincloth and turning around when he jumped. Standing there was a robed Muri-dan, leaning somewhat against a walking stick. He growled at the figure. "What do YOU want?"

The robed figure chuckled. "So like your sister's description- and yet so unlike." The Muri- dan chuckled and straightened up, pulling back the hood of his robe. Here Cattaras could only think I could say the same thing about you.

Half Catrina's height- and therefore a bit shorter compared to Cattaras' massive frame, the way he carried himself showed he had no fear from the bigger tiger. The fur and the walking stick screamed 'old man' but the eyes? The eyes told a different story- one of strength and virility that made Cattaras take a step back before catching himself. "Master Sliver? What are you doing here?"

The muri-dan chuckled. "So... my old misdeeds have preceded me? Your sister spoke highly of you- other than certain issues that I can feel we are beyond now. And I see in you the training of my old students. Good.. this is good, knowing what you face. But I do not believe it will be good enough..."

Cattaras had considered this- but it took only one moment in time to convince him of the wisdom of Sliver's words. He had trained with the Muri-dan Trinity until he was faster, stronger and more devastating than anything he knew of- and then he had used that strength to defeat Daisuke and break the final bond he had over him.

He had had little time to consider his victory though when Catrina had pounced and trounced him easily- leaving him beaten with the words, "Do not forget who is in charge here, dear brother," ringing in his ears.

Cattaras shook his head to clear the memory then looked at Sliver, who was waiting patiently for him to travel through his thoughts. "Perhaps... would it be possible for you to train me, sir?"

He felt kind of funny calling this Muri-dan 'sir', but if Catrina's stories- and the training of the Trinity- were anything to go by he deserved all the respect the tiger had.

The old Muri-dan looked Cattaras over with a judgmental eye, then spread his hands. "Yes... I can, and will, train you. However, I fear the task ahead will require more training than I am able to give you. I will have to think on this. Come. Although time here may not be an issue, our time to prepare is still short and we must take advantage of every moment."

Cattaras had followed. I mean, what else was there to do?

====================

Cattaras rose from his pallet and stretched, working out the kinks. His sleeping quarters weren't even inside the main house- but in a small stable nearby that seemed unused- but smelled as if it had seen plenty of use. The morning air was chill as he pulled his robes tighter about him.

Sliver was standing at the entry to the stables. He nodded as Cattaras saw him. "Come," was all he said as he turned and led the way to the house- which Cattaras found was much like his sister's descriptions.

So was breakfast, which was just as filling as Catrina had said- even for a man of Cattaras' size. In fact so was the training that Sliver had ready for him- except he was starting with larger rocks than Catrina had.

He looked a question at his Master then and Sliver looked only slightly embarrassed. "As I said before, it is all I have. I will be attempting to get you a teacher to take you beyond what I can while you are busy catching up with your sister."

Sliver turned away as Cattaras slipped out of his robes down to his loincloth, blushing so as to make the big tiger wonder if the old man swung both ways- then about where and how he satisfied his itches before driving the thoughts from his mind as he donned the harness. Sliver headed back to the house- and whatever tasks held him while his students trained.

So it was that before you could say 'gods this job is boring' Cattaras was slipping back into his robes, the sun high in the sky. He had thought about heading in to lunch the way he usually dressed, but decided it would not be good to have a Master who was either too embarrassed, or too aroused, to eat.

After lunch the two men settled in to spar and train, and Cattaras was truly amazed. I mean, Catrina had told him how good the old Muri-dan was, but until he was standing against him and having him block every tactic Cattaras had learned in all his years taking on the baddest this world had to offer? At that moment, Cattaras knew why Sliver was referred to as a Master!

Of course, that didn't mean the tiger didn't push the old man to his limits.

Cattaras fetched water in the evening, as Catrina had, but it was not a test for him. They both knew he could make the trip in a chi powered flash. So Sliver forced him to make the trip in as much time as possible. "Stop, smell the flowers- enjoy the scenery." he had said. "You must learn to enjoy the slow times when they come to you. Dinner will be waiting when you return."

The only weird thing to happen happened after supper, when Cattaras was sliding into the hot baths. He leaned back in the water and closed his eyes...

Then suddenly sat up with a splash- someone'd just touched his junk!

He caught a fleeting ghost of a form in the heavy steam, but when he followed it.. well there was nothing in the cold air of reality. Cattaras returned to the bath, although he was sure he could hear laughter outside.

Could that have been... he started thinking, then stopped himself. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know if Sliver would do that! Besides.. that touch had felt too... feminine.

He had asked Sliver about it later, but the old man had just blushed and muttered about someone being "totally incorrigible'' and that it would all make sense soon enough.

He had found a blanket waiting for him on his pallet as he finally dragged himself to bed.

And so it had gone for the next several days (Or weeks- or was it months? Catrina was right, time did seem to get lost here.) However long it was, Cattaras had moved into the main house, had learned about all he had to learn from Sliver.. and had gotten used to his invisible companion. Anytime he stripped down, for plowing or for bath he could feel her eyes on him. Any time he closed his eyes he felt her touch.

It would have been unnerving- had it not been so arousing!

Anyway, one afternoon Cattaras finally did what both men expected to happen- he got through Sliver's guard and hit him, knocking him back a few paces. The big tiger looked at his paw for a second as if to say 'did you do that?'

Sliver straightened up and then bowed to his student. "You should fetch water now, then prepare for dinner."

Cattaras answered his bow but looked puzzled. "Prepare? Prepare how?"

Sliver smirked. "Clean yourself up. Take an early bath and wear your best robes.. and be sure to wear a robe. We are having a guest tonight."

He then left Cattaras to his chore, and to wonder what the old man had meant about a 'guest.' As he settled into his bath, however, he felt something was missing. Someone, actually, his invisible friend was not there. There was no feeling of eyes upon him- no uninvited grope of his privates....

It was odd- and made taking that bath less relaxing than when there had been gropes!

He finished cleaning himself up and donned a fresh robe and loincloth then stepped outside to tie on those warachi sandals. As he looked toward the main house something looked... wrong. It was too well lit.

He began to make his way to the house, and as he drew nearer he began to hear noises from within- happy noises, including a laugh so familiar it send a chill up his spine and .. well there were other reactions to that familiar laugh as well.

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(To be Continued)

It's cool to see Sliver back, of course. He's an excellent character, and as you can see, we're going to have more NPC's introduced. It's definitely an interesting story so far!

This is an awesomely solid character builder for Cattaras, just as it was for Catrina. We'll revisit the House of Sliver, but Kadlin's up next. Then Becky and Fumblies again!

Yay!