Boom! It's novella time! Following one of the characters seen only briefly in the first book... It's the character from the... *ahem* "sketch"... I did a few days ago... And this is going to be his story. I have a goal to write several of these novellas alongside the main series... of which I am becoming increasingly convinced I screwed over... ...Anyway, there are a lot of places in my universe, therefore a lot of characters I'd like to create stories for as well! And thus. We have a novella in the works!
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Arrabalta: Prejudice (Novella Alpha)
Chapter One-
Troubled Mind

It’s been an unusually rainy season in the Marsh Plains. A rainy season in the notorious flood prone area like this usually results in nothing good. Though the denizens of this region have learned to adapt to the watery environment they live in each day of their lives. Many of these denizens are water-based creatures such as the spear wielding tribal otters, the logging expert beavers, and the highly adaptive amphibians. None have it quite as challenging as the otters however, as they live on the edge of the Volold Desert. Not only do they fare the extreme rain, they fare the extreme heat that flows off the desert at a constant basis each summer. That’s not taking into account the massive Bandit raids they suffer because of the Kobold Bandits that make their hideouts there. This has forced the Uronian otters to become a defensive self-contained primitive military resorting to water-based Force wielding, as well as spear related combat. They depend on no one except the Cavran badgers along the coast for supplies. Because of their distrust of many species, especially Kobold and Vulpine, they attempt to alienate themselves from the rest of Uron. It is very unlike an otter to do such a thing since most are usually friendly and sociable. But tough times and tough living conditions have made Uron different in that regard. Some Uronian otters have become prejudiced and even disrespectful and corrupted due to this way of life. The death of their previous chief at the paws of a Shadow Vulpine did not help any matters become resolved in the slightest. It made their hearts grow even bitterer. With lack of pride they were forced to request the aid of the Guardians after a Kobold Bandit raid took the entirety of their supply right prior to the drastic flooding had begun in the Marsh Plains. They soon learned that separating themselves from the rest of Nyethra might have been a very unwise decision in the end. They grudgingly agreed to cooperate with the other towns in the Marsh Plains, Thalda, Empra, and Aera to survive the harshest season of the environment that they share. Especially now that the Kobold Bandit and Shadow Vulpine organizations are in disarray after the Battle of Justice, Uron cannot afford to be alone.
This was against the Uron second in command, Kalaus Comonda Riys. He held the reputation of all who knew him as the most prejudiced and untrusting creature in all of Nyethra. The previous chief had been his father after all. He often found himself arguing with over half the village, Chief Jormund included, over Uron’s affairs with other Nyethran settlements.
Kalaus also held admiration for the village’s apothecary keeper, Mairce for as long as they were cubs. The medic point blank always turned him down on account of his brash prejudiced nature. However Kalaus still never understands why she strikes him down. Even gifting her with a rare otter delicacy he fished up never sways her on his side. This only fueled his bitterness. It grows each time no beast ever sees his way.
It was an overcast morning. There was a chill in the air. More rain was on the way. Kalaus stepped out of his wooden home, given only to those higher up in importance; others live in sandstone buildings. His whiskers twitched as he detected the moisture in the air and sighed. ‘Another rainy day is on the way. It figures,’ he thought bitterly. As he took a step down the front stairs of his home, he heard a greeting come from nearby.
“Morning Kalaus.” Kalaus groaned. The only otters that did give him any attention at all were the otter cubs that pestered him and refused to leave him alone.
Kalaus sighed to himself and looked the other way. “What do you want Pesky—I mean, Pescu?” Kalaus remembered the time the otter cub’s mother threw him in to the river for calling her daughter Pesky. But she was pesky! Nevertheless, Kalaus didn’t want to face her wrath again.
“Watcha doin’?” Pescu asked in the most annoying voice that Kalaus could barely tolerate.
“I have to go to Jormund to find that out,” Kalaus said through gritted teeth.
“Oh, okay! Hey! If you aren’t going to do anything, can we play a game together?” Pescu persisted.
No matter how many times Kalaus says no…
“Please! I bet you it will be fun!” the otter cub persisted, swaying her tail, innocently oblivious to Kalaus’ annoyance brewing inside him.
Kalaus started to walk in the opposite direction, scowling to himself. Pescu started to follow, but thank Iridescence he heard her mother calling her name so she didn’t. As he passed the apothecary, he tried to look in the window to see a glimpse of Mairce, but she was nowhere to be seen inside. Kalaus sighed. He was beginning to lose hope on her after all the years he’s tried to woo her. He was starting to get old; the tip of his muzzle was dulling out. Soon he’ll be too old to mate. He remembered when the two of them were young. Oh how he fantasized so many wondrous things they’d do together in their young lives. Now they will never come true. He was just getting too old for it all. And so was she. Chasing her was becoming pointless.
Kalaus shook the thought from his head. He mustn’t focus on that now; he must get to Jormund for his assignment. Not very many otters gave him greeting as he passed them, and he seldom returned them and when he did, there was very little feeling in them. But unlike usual times it was mostly out of lack of enthusiasm rather than scorn. He hoped it wasn’t too noticeable. Soon Kalaus became self aware that his walking posture was sagging and his tail was drooping. He found himself missing turns as if he were distracted. He bumped into someone a few times. A hushed apology later and he found himself bumping and tripping over the steps of other houses.
“Mr. Riys? Are you all right?” came the voice of the new chieftain of Uron, Jormund. Jormund was a big otter that always seems to gain weight no matter how little he eats in the low-food seasons. His metabolism is so slow it was said he survived three months with only a loaf of bread to eat.
Kalaus shook his head and flattened his small ears in embarrassment. “Chief! Y-yeah, I am fine,” he lied.
Jormund narrowed his eyes as if he didn’t believe his subordinate. “Are you ill? Perhaps you should see Mairce. You know that us otters develop the greatest medicinal remedies in all of Nyethra right?”
Kalaus swallowed hard at the mention of Mairce’s name. “Of course. Everyone in Nyethra should know by now. Are you bragging to yourself again?” That was another thing Jormund was known for. He brags about himself and the otters often. “Anyways I’m fine. Just a little distracted,” he admitted.
“May I ask by what?” Jormund asked. Kalaus shook his head. “Ah a personal trouble, eh? Those are the worst… You never know when you can resolve them on your own or if you need help with them. And you always gotta try to keep them to yourself,” Jormund said softly. Kalaus only looked at his chief. “It’s up to you if and who you divulge into… but remember, help is just a paw stretch away,” Jormund said.
Kalaus nodded. “I-I’ll keep that in mind, sir.”
“I assume you are here on account of your assignment for the day?” Jormund changed the subject. When Kalaus nodded, “I need you to go to Cavra and retrieve logging supplies the Qostan beavers shipped for us. The rains have eroded a large portion of the sandstone homes, and it is about time our village became one hundred percent out of wood. Oh and we need more supplies for the apothecary speaking of which. The number of colds is absurd due to this rain.”
Kalaus took mental notes of everything he needed. Wood. Medicinal supply. Got it. Kalaus looked at the gray sky and sighed. It was going to rain on this trip and that did not make him feel happy. Sure he was an otter and otters generally love the water, but the amount of rain they’ve seen recently; it was just too much!
“You will need to take a few more otters with you and carts so you can haul all the stuff back here. I’ll have Pa’eb take of the carts and you go choose the rest of the party, alright?”
Kalaus only nodded. Pa’eb was a burly sort of otter that was another captain of the defensive guards. Though the two weren’t unfriendly with each other, they have been competitive of being the best guard in Uron. “Wait. That’s two of the three head guards leaving Uron; are you sure that is a good idea?” he asked.
“I’ve considered the risks. Ganda will be fine running the guards by herself for today,” was Jormund’s reply.
Still Kalaus wasn’t sure. One head guard can hold their own with their guards against a pawful of enemies like the Kobold Bandits, but if they become too outnumbered… “Jormund, what if the Bandits attack while we are gone and Kanda’s force cannot handle it by themselves?”
Jormund chuckled. “Have you forgotten? Ever since the Battle of Justice, the Guardians have dispersed themselves all around Nyethra! We can rely on them to help if we need them again can we not?”
Kalaus felt something boil in his stomach. “What? Foxes? Help us? It’s because of a fox that you are our chief today you know!” he said.
“Have you forgotten that these are the Guardians we are asking help from? We should know by now that they really do mean to help. They aren’t deceitful—“
“Like every fox actually is? No fox can be trusted even if they have this demeanor of protecting Nature, as we know it. How do we know it isn’t their fault for all this Goddess forsaken rain?! How do we know that they aren’t slowly trying to flood us and kill us!?”
“Kalaus! Cease this at once! They cannot control everything in nature, merely attempt to retain its balance. And maybe bringing more rain to our region is meant to balance out something here,” Jormund said gruffly. Kalaus was muttering under his breath, tail lashing.
“Whatever. But haven’t you realized that the nearest Guardian Station is in Cavra? How are we going to get their help in time if something does happen?” Kalaus pressed.
“Do not lash your tail, Mr. Riys; you’ll splash the water and risk us all getting ill. And as for your question, we will send a water flare that can be seen from Cavra is something indeed goes awry,” Jormund said.
Kalaus crossed his arms. “I still do not like that we have to rely on badgers for supplies and foxes for protection. Why can’t we take care of ourselves?”
“We aren’t built to survive battles and hardship alone, I’m afraid. But it is better to have allies than none at all,” Jormund replied.
Kalaus grumbled a grudging agreement.
“Now off with you. You need to reach Cavra before nightfall. Go find your companions. I must go find Pa’eb before he goes and recruits his guards.” Before Kalaus could say another word, Jormund waddled away into the village. Every time he spoke out against foxes or any beast for any sort of help that isn’t from them he was shot down. But why? Kalaus shook his head again. He must focus on the mission. But whom should he take with him? Half the village was inflicted with a cold or flu, the more capable otters were in the guard force. Maybe he should take his own guard force. That is an idea.
The “barracks” as they call them, where the guards are usually housed and met for duty, were right behind the chief’s house and were the tallest buildings in Uron. That way threats like the Kobold Bandits can be seen from a further distance. Upon approaching the barracks, Kalaus saw the muscular figure of Pa’eb doing roll call of his own squadron. “Pa’eb,” Kalaus said to get his attention. The otter turned around. His face was scarred and bruised. He was the original otter guard; at one point he was the only one protecting Uron. Those who first hear about him don’t even think he is an otter considering his unfriendly demeanor and his fascination with war.
“Ah there is the second in command. Fashionably late as always?” Unfriendly demeanor, but friendly like otters usually are. It was off-putting seeing someone so rough looking be so friendly in Kalaus’ opinion. He didn’t respond so Pa’eb went on. “Better late than never, eh? Have you prepared for the quest to Cavra?”
Kalaus nodded briskly. “I just need to choose who to come with us. I thought—“
“Your guards would be fit to do so, I presume? Do not worry about that; I’ve already spoken to my own squadron about the job. Right?” He added to the dozen otters lined up behind him. They all responded with an eager reply. Like Pa’eb, the guards were all stronger than Kalaus’.
Kalaus nodded again stiffly. “Well I guess that will save us some time,” he said uncomfortably. “Shall we go? Jormund is waiting for us at the edge of town with the carts,” he said, noting the feeling of the day progressing too far than he was comfortable with. It was harder to judge the time of day due to the gray clouds above threatening to cry on them at any second.
“Indeed,” replied Pa’eb. He turned to his guards. “Let’s move out!”
In order to reach the eastern edge of town, all otters on the west side must swim across the river. The Vrangar River split Uron down the middle in order to accommodate for their notorious water filled lives. There was no bridge connecting the two sides of the river. Any outsider would find that unusual, but the otters enjoy it. Except when the rains refuse to even let up for a day, causing them to be sick of water, and worse yet, cause the river to threaten dangerous floods to the town and crops downstream. Kalaus in particular was in no mood to go for a swim today since the past few days have made him feel like he swam nonstop. Nonetheless, with reluctance, he jumped into the river and swiftly swam across it. His rudder like tail steered him in the right direction to keep the current from turning him further north. That was another thing the rain did. It made the river’s current a lot faster and stronger. Even the younger otters were having trouble swimming in it.
Kalaus jumped out of the water and shook his sleek fur dry. From down the road he could see the chief waiting for them with half a dozen large carts sitting idly by him. Pa’eb and his crew surfaced beside him. He nodded to them before starting ahead of them towards the edge of town. Within earshot the chief addressed them.
“Ah, there you lot are. I assume you have preparations made?” he asked.
“Yes we have sir,” Pa’eb spoke formally. “It is time for Uron to evolve in its infrastructure. We cannot go on with these sandstone buildings. Not when the weather is like this,” as he finished, a raindrop splashed onto Kalaus’ nose causing him to sneeze. “And with colds on the rise and Mairce unable to keep up despite her extraordinary healing skills, we must assist by obtaining a large amount of supply from the shipments Cavra has received from Qosta.”
Jormund nodded approvingly. “That is correct. I wish you a safe journey.” With that he half walked, half stumbled away. A big otter with small legs was not a good combination for mobility.
Pa’eb looked at the carts. “Six carts. Twelve guards.” He turned to address them. “I want two of you to a cart! Move it!” And with the command, the guards scrambled to side of each cart. Then Pa’eb turned to Kalaus. “I’ll take the lead. You guard the back, okay?”
Kalaus had no objections. He just wanted to get it over with. He looked up and saw the clouds were an even darker shade of gray. A few more raindrops landed near him. ‘What brilliant timing,’ he thought. ‘I have a bad feeling about this.’
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Full series: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5340298/
Book One: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11187661/
Book Two: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15292987/