Gutter Rats

The Watch Camp

The ground was still wet with morning dew as the children marched down the mountain, gathering in a large group before the Watch Camps gates. Four Nests in total had come, Kira’s asking to be excluded as there was much work to be expected from their Guild Masters this day. The Watch guards eyed the group of youths, but otherwise did nothing to engage with them as they assembled waiting for the stragglers.

People streamed past the group without pause, their number not nearly as great as one would expect for a readied Harvest. Culus put it down to being early morning with much of the City celebrating the night before. He fully expected the Camp to be in full swing when the sun’s rays came out to warm the mountain path.

Initially meeting just before first light at the top of the Ascendant road, Culus had made sure to check everyone had brought along a spare bowl or cup. Tom, Tetsu, Houba, along with their seconds in command had helped tremendously in keeping the exuberant youths under control as they all greeted each other eagerly with chatter down the mountain being incessant. It had been forever since the Nests had joined together for an outing, the risk of unwanted attention being hard to mitigate for such a large group of Coreless.

Everyone had gone to bed the night before filled with the promises of meat and a hot meal in the morning, that excitement was now bubbling over. Culus and the Nest leaders found themselves constantly stressing the same point over and over down the mountain, so as to keep the group whole. There was no such thing as a free meal. Work was to be done and danger expected in a camp full of Cultivators.

Today’s mission was to bring back as much meat as they possibly could, including that which they could store. Ki meats were notorious for going off quickly, so finding a discarded beast carcass that had no core was paramount. Any small portions of Ki meat they did acquire, were to go directly to those suffering from the shakes.

Arriving first at the gates, the guards raised their faces in challenge at Culus’s approach. Not for his commonly worn conical straw hat which hid his eyes, or the many heavily patchworked drags he wore to conceal himself far above the average shirtless labourer behind him. But that this coreless peasant dare curse out loud before them.

“Shi-baal,” Culus rasped as the ropes swayed gently in the wind. “Back! Davi, change of plan.”

“Change of plan!”

The kids made their groans audible. The thought of a delay to their promised meal at suffering more instructions was insufferable as scaling the mountain itself. The Nest leaders shushed them, but Culus could see he was operating on borrowed time. The gutter rats were hungry and even he could smell real meat being roasted inside.

With less than half their actual number gathered, the Nests had brought along mostly their oldest and strongest. Others opting to stay behind and help tend to the little ones as well as their sick friends. After a quick head count, Culus had them form up into groups of no larger than thirty. Completely abandoning the idea, they go about looking for work in pairs.

Of those gathered, only the Runner clan could field two groups. The rest of the clans however did have the number enough to form another, bringing the total to six groups. It was with a shriek and cry of alarm that Culus knew his time was up.

“Dammit Houba! Get her back in her group. Everyone! Get back in your groups. You’ll see soon enough.

Seeing the swaying corpses of Cultivators at the end of a rope the, he felt it would take more to stay safe here.

“Alright, Listen up!” Culus boomed out loud, quieting the gathered children. The only rule for today. DO NOT SPLIT UP! Chances are you’ll be dead as soon as you do, but don’t worry, those will be the lucky ones.”

A concerned mutter filtered through the youths, allowing Culus to lower his voice.

“Good, I have you attention. If you’re frightened, that means you’re finally thinking with your heads and not your tummy’s. If you’re too frightened, now’s your chance to turn back. You won’t get it again until mid day.”

Although some heads did glance back up the mountain, none seemed to think the climb worth it without a meal in their belly’s. Quieter this time, he spoke to them all.

“This is the Watch camp. Not only is it filled with Cultivators who do as they please, there are even crueller people about who make this camp their source of revenue. You’re nothing but money to them and they will disappear you. You know what the Watch is like and you know they care nothing for Coreless peasants. Do not ask them for help, even if you need it. They might very well kill you themselves, because you bowed wrong.”

“Group leaders! Make sure everyone stays in the group. It’s everyone’s responsibility that we come back safe, but I know you guys can count. Get in. See what tasks your group is best suited for. Get each their task Chits and protect it with your lives. Loose that and there’s no food or payment.”

“How do we know what the group is best suited for?” Asked one leader.

Culus almost drew a mind blank at the question. It was Tetsu’s second in command enquiring.

“You ask them, Tseka. Get a group decision and stick to it.”

Culus could see worry was clouding Tseka’s thinking so he added a few words.

“Look guys, If they try to split you up, just call out immediately. Everyone stops what they are doing and goes to help. Only jobs that are off limits are the Lime buckets, the skin on your arms will peel right off. Don’t worry, the pay for that is quite good, so lesser Cultivators and Seeded usually fill it up quickly. If you do find yourselves being pressured into an unwanted Task, huddle up and walk away to a different workstation.”

“You’re mostly going to make sure there’s no swearing, spitting or fighting with the other labourers. I need every Leader to make sure the girls have at least six roast Java beans.”

The idea had been Juri’s after witnessing washer woman use them to dye their clothes black. When chewed on they tasted foul but were ultimately harmless, if not bitter. However, they still caused ones mouth to blacken somewhat frightfully and gave the breath the repugnant stink of Lepra Flower.

Few things were a turn off for vile would-be-rapists, but a Lepra addict was definitely top amongst that number. Expecting a helpless victim, only to have the girl turn around and smile a crazed rot toothed Lepratic’s grin, had a serious douring effect. Most had their sensibilities suddenly returned to them as they turned tail and fled. The beans were to be used as a last resort.

“Can we please go already,” someone moaned. Causing Culus to cut short with the Leaders.

“Alright fine. Here it is guys, the food!”

Everyone fell deathly still, drawing near to hear better.

“There are going to be large stew pots at each of the workstations. Eat as much as you can before you start, you need only show your work chits. It is for us as labourers, but remember to be polite the cooks. The cooks are going to be tossing aside whole chunks of meat. We want that meat, take as much as you’re allowed.”

“They gonna laugh at you and say things like bad grade or zero grade Ki meat, but that’s the stuff we want. It keeps much longer than Ki meats and we can dry it with salt for later use.”

Culus looked perplexed at the kids suddenly disbelieving faces before realising. “Obviously not Red Salt guys, come on!”

Red Salt was a valuable alchemical commodity, and terribly dangerous in preparation and transport. But ultimately were farmed exactly the same way as normal salt pans, the only difference being Red Salt occurred shortly after Beast Waves or Pinnacle attacks.

“Lets go! And so help me, If I see you guys splitting up… dammit”

Four of the groups surged ahead, not even waiting for Culus to finish. He could only shake his head, smiling ruefully at their eagerness. Still, he was concerned for their safety and saddend to see their eagerness tempered so quickly as they suddenly huddled in fright before the Guards pressed them through with a stern warning of theft.

Like the hanging bodies above the gate weren’t warning enough.

Juri walked up beside him, sharing in the grim vigil.

“How are you going to get raw meat past those guards, let alone the spare bowls of stew.”

All labourers are allowed to take home a single cooked meal to share with their families. Honestly, I think it helps prevent the theft of more precious items if your hands are already full. Besides, it’s demeaning for a Cultivator to have to search every peasant on their way out.

It’s quite clever really. They come across as charitable, but you’ll find that meat has little value during these harvests. The stuff we get anyway. I’ve never been stopped from taking raw meat, it’s like we’re cleaning up for them.

Worse I’ve seen them throwing wagon loads of the raw meat into the swamp pools. The fish thrash madly on the surface for it before something big swooshes right through them. The Watch Patrols try bagging those ones. You wouldn’t believe the creatures they pull out, monsters.

Juri guffawed, “and you’re sending me out there?”

No.

But you said…

“I know what I said Juri, but let’s be honest with each other. Those dead people up there change everything. I don’t think we’re going to be back here tomorrow. I don’t think we’ll even be here for an evening shift.”

Juri turned to look at Culus with a controlled face but dead eyes. Clearly, he was still dealing with his hurt.

“Please, Juri or at least try. You above all should know I’m not perfect, but we need to work together, especially here.”

Culus pointed at the gently swaying bodies.

Juri gulped but looked anyway, not understanding what he was supposed to see.

“Dead people. So what? They haven’t turned yet and this is Qaelang. There is no shortage ragged corpses. Keeps the corpse collecters employed.”

“Look closer. Most of those soon to be desecrated dead still have their boots on. Those corpses are ragged because their armour has been stripped from them. You’re not looking at peasants Juri. Those hanged men are Cultivators.”

The youths that had remained, all of the Runner clan, instantly made the sign of Giver at hearing what Culus said. Some few even ogled the corpses more intensely before Juri barked at them not to make a scene.

“Alright Culus, you’re not wrong… in this regard. What do you suggest.”

Culus gave a rare smile. On anyone else that might come off as sulky, but coming from Juri it was nothing short of a resounding endorsement. He’d take it.

“Tonight any dead not collected from this Wave will start to rise. See those banners, the weird narrow but long ones. Those are from the Monasteries.”

“I see them. Quite a few actually.”

“Exactly. I wouldn’t be surprised if all the Monasteries were down here.”

Juri frowned with concern. If all the Monasteries had sent Monks down from their peaks, that meant there was a lot of work going on out in the swamps.

“Have they come for the food too?” Davi asked, causing Culus to chuckle.

It was an unimpressed Juri who replied shortly.

“Come on Davi. Monks don’t eat meat. They’re here to kill the dead.”

“Whaaat. That’s just a silly superstition, Juri. Monks pray for the dead and help folk return to the great cycle.”

His was not the only doubting face, most of the tales told amongst the Nest would give an eel farmer a run for their Koku.

“Sometimes that takes the point of a sword Davi. We don’t ever see it amongst ourselves because we’re not Cored, but those things change people. Beasts too, especially in death. The last thing anyone wants to do is take on a Spirit Beast. You need top level Cultivators for that.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, he is,” interjected Culus. “It only take one Spirit Beast to cause untold havoc, if you’re to believe the stories. Also these aren’t your normal Monks, these are Warrior Monks.”

“Back on point though, my suggestion is we pull a morning and afternoon shift only. Get our fill, then head out to collect firewood as a whole group. By that time the Monks should have cleared an area and as a large group we shouldn’t have hassles from others trying to steal our wood.”

“It might be better if we send half our number back with the food, before we collect firewood.” Replied Juri. “I don’t imagine anything good coming from us carrying cooked meals or raw meat around the swamp.”

“Fair point, Juri. So be it, let’s go get some food now. Be sure to let the others know as soon as you see them.”