No other creature showed up until Paladin Bloodclaw returned on that horrid boat. Both Sharpfang and I made our way over to him. He gave us a look and stared at Sharpfang’s wound for a moment.

“Pendants,” he said. Sharpfang went first and handed over two blue ones and his red one. “Get on board. You will be seen to once we return to the Island.” Sharpfang nodded and went to find a place to rest. I walked forward and handed over nine blue pendants and two red ones. Paladin Bloodclaw just took them calmly without any shock or surprise.

“Impressive. Eight extra points puts you at eleven. That is quick work for two days.”

“Thank you Paladin Bloodclaw,” I said. The constant sense of danger I got from him and him just killing a creature for backtalk made sure I was always polite and respectful.

“Get on board. We leave immediately,” he replied. I got onboard and went to the back of the boat and gripped the railing. This was awful, but there was nothing I could do about it but endure.

Once we were back on the large Island and with the assassin headquarters and training facility, I breathed a sigh of relief. I really hated small boats. The second time wasn’t any better unfortunately. “Both of you follow me,” he told us and we followed him into the training facility and through some previously closed off doors.

We came to a medical room where there was a middle aged otter reading a magazine. “Gunshot,” Paladin Bloodclaw said and gestured at Sharpfang who moved forward.

“Well, I will take care of that. I am Doctor Otto. I patch up creatures and handle all the medical exams. Let’s get this taken care of, now shall we,” he said with a smile and helped Sharpfang into a back room.

“Follow me Mittens.” I didn’t question the Paladin as we left the medical area and made our way through the facility. Eventually we came to an elevator and took it up to the third floor, from the basement level. This was the top floor. I followed Paladin Bloodclaw to an office, where he seemed out of place.

It was warm and cozy. I noticed a painted picture on the wall of a mouse and a rat shaking hands. There were several bookshelves with books on them. Creature Mind: Similar or Different?, Predator Versus Pray: The Natural Combat Drive, and The Snake Philosophy. An older female rat looked up from behind his desk at us.

“One already. There is always one. Thank you, Paladin,” the rat said kindly. Bloodclaw actually bowed his head slightly before leaving without saying a word. That was a surprise. He normally acted with such disdain for everyone else.

“Hello there, I am Doctor Sharpeyes. May I get your name?”

“Um, Mittens,” I replied.

“You must be confused why you are here. That is only natural. You can put your pack to the side there and come sit at the side table, and I will pour you some tea. I have the best herbal blend.” I was getting whiplash, but I sat without complaint. She showed me the inside of the kettle, the leaves, and every step of the process as I got more and more confused. Finally, she served us each a warm cup of tea. We both had a sip.

“Thank you for being patient, but I like to get a feel for everyone joining our organization. I am in charge of the final test here. To speak with all perspective applicants. What do you think about that?” Doctor Sharpeyes asked me.

“Well, I am not too worried. More curious,” I replied honestly while keeping my answer vague.

“So much like your father, Tom Cat. I interviewed him as well when he joined, and how you are here.”

“Well, he taught me a lot,” I replied.

“Ah, what did he teach you?” Doctor Sharpeyes asked me.

“Lots and lots of stretching. Focusing on my movement, using my claws, and trusting my instincts as a cat,” I replied while wondering why she was asking.

“Have you killed any creature before the combat test? If you have, don’t worry you won’t get into trouble,” Doctor Sharpeyes said in a soft tone.

“No. I never even used my claws on another creature before.” I sipped some more tea. I didn’t really like it, but I didn’t say anything.

“As for why I conduct the final test, it is my duty to evaluate the mental health of all Neophytes, Assassins, and Master Assassins. A role I take very seriously.” I nodded at this and sipped some more tea.

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“You seem very well balanced and trained, but we have looked into your records. Many would claim it is the blood of Tom Cat running through you. I think you had outside training?” Doctor Sharpeyes asked kindly.

“Um, no. Well I had school. But I kept my head down there. Even got asked to join a cult, but I refused.” Why was I saying this?!

“Go on, you refused, but you didn’t say anything?” My mind was a bit fuzzy now.

“No. Nothing. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. I saw the sheep dead when I was picked up by Mousethief.” Doctor Sharpeyes nodded.

“Anything else you want to say about the Covenant Church, how you really feel?” I tried to resist, but the words just slipped right out of me.

“I think they are stupid. Good and bad creatures. What is the point? Cats lost a long time ago. No need to keep rubbing salt into the wound and making everyone miserable and angry,” I replied.

“Do you want to destroy them?”

“I…I don’t really know. Its an organization, not a person. I would rather things change,” I replied unwillingly. I tried to clamp down on my jaw, but I just couldn’t. My entire body felt lethargic and hard to move.

“If you could change things by killing key members of the Covenant Church, would you?”

“No. Maybe. Probably not. It wouldn’t help change how cats are viewed. Just make people more mad at us,” I replied.

“Any other secrets you think I should know?” I resisted with everything I had. It wasn’t going to work, so I forced myself to alter my answer. It was very hard, a part of me resisting every bit of it. I felt a tingle of something race through me allowing me to say what I wanted to.

“I have a scratching stone my father got me as a child. I still keep it, because it reminds me of him,” I said.

“Hmm, I was sure there had to be something. A true prodigy. Perhaps blood does run true after all, how interesting.” Doctor Sharpeyes reached over and sprinkled something into my tea cup. “Drink,” she said. I drank the tea and felt control begin to return to my body.

“What…what was that?” I asked.

“A dangerous concoction to force out the truth. Very rare, since the main ingredient uses snake venom. You will have to ask someone else the science. But you won’t be subjected to that again Neophyte.” I looked at the Doctor with a bit of surprise.

“Really?” I asked with surprise.

“Yes really. Everything up to this point has been a test of character and evaluating your behavior. The island is a test of adaptability and willingness. We can’t have stupid or meek creatures. Normally I don’t interview applicants. Their history is carefully checked before they even step foot on this island.”

“But not me,” I replied, and the old rat smiled at me.

“Indeed. You are a very rare legacy nomination. Most creatures in this organization don’t have family and even less want to join it with how high the attrition rate is. That is why I drugged you. Your father insisted,” she said.

“My father?” I asked in surprise. He wanted her to do this.

“Indeed. I rarely interview applicants anymore. Other creatures can do that. But mezimer, the drug I gave you is very risky. If you resist when it is given or know of it, there are ways to stop it from taking full effect. Increasing the dosage can leave a creature braindead. That is why your father wanted me to handle this interview.” I was surprised she was explaining all of this.

“I’m not in trouble for what I said about the Covenant Church?” I asked worriedly.

“It forces the truth. Truth without logic or reasoning. I have heard far worse, even without the drug. As long as you obey and do a good job, any reward is possible.” What?! “Yes. To change the label of a creature from bad to good. But the greater the request, the harder the difficulty of the tasks in front of you.”

“How did you do it?” I had to ask. “You made a whole production of showing me everything, and sipped the tea yourself.”

“A slight of paw while I was pouring. That was why you were brought here without rest. But you are a Neophyte now, well you will have to swear your oaths. But relax for now. That will come tomorrow. For now we can keep chatting.”

“The mental health thing, was that real?” I asked.

“Indeed. I am a Doctor of Varied Psychology. That means, I am qualified to understand multiple creatures. If a mission is hard, or you have to make a tough decision, my door will always be open to you Mittens.”

“No more drugs?” I asked.

“No more drugs. One of the founding principles and key tenets is that no member of this organization is to act against another. It is an ironclad rule. Once you are a Neophyte you will be one of us. That is why you are just applicants to start off with.” I was silent for a bit as I tried to process all of this. The fact she was willing to answer my questions was helping put me at ease over what just happened.

“You don’t go after rouge assassins?” I asked.

“No, we don’t. That is what the Paladins will do if one of us strays. But the High Cleric you will swear your oaths to will explain everything and the expectations. There aren’t many assassins you know.”

“What like a hundred?” I asked.

“In the field, around fifteen. Retired, six that I know are still alive. Each year we take in creatures from various walks of life. Hard cases, the military, private schools, legacies like yourself, and they are put through tests of character by Paladin Bloodclaw. The fighting is to help get you used to combat. Then the island is to test your willingness to kill and think on your feet. While some creatures come into the program having killed before, it isn’t the same as being a professional fighter. Rarely does murder and professional overlap outside of this place.”

“That…that is not a lot,” I said quietly and a bit of shock.

“It isn’t enough to survive, like Sharpfang has done.” I looked up at that. How did she already know? “Your actions were brought to my attention before our chat. While you have passed with flying colors, he failed the last test. Finishing the task assigned.”

“Out there, we have Inquisitors looking for Ancestral Spirit activity, but they are not fighters. We have clean up crews, which he will join. But assassins. Assassins are the best of the best. A failure on any assassin’s part can lead to a grave threat. You saw what a cursed child could do. If that had succeeded countless creatures would have died.” I nodded at that.

“I see,” I replied. I still didn’t get the full picture, but I was tired and more answers would come.