I noticed my father was inside along with the Master Assassins, Southpaw and Gary. “Mittens, I see Sharpeyes has cleared you, which is good to see. Any long term issues?” High Cleric Maximilian asked from behind his desk.

“Nothing serious from the poisoning. But I need to focus on my mental state due to the enraged state I entered,” I replied honestly, and he nodded.

“Please, sit. Your father just recounted things from his perspective, but I would like to hear yours about this…Quackening,” he replied. I took a seat next to the other Master Assassins as I explained what had occurred in detail. The only thing I left out was getting swallowed.

No one interrupted. There was a long period of silence at the end as everyone thought over what I had told them. I wondered what the issue was?

“Four Apostates, they are recruiting heavily it seems,” Gary replied.

“Bastet is known to have several Apostates under her command,” Maximilian replied.

“Bold! Bastet truly is that good?” Southpaw asked my father.

“She only relied on the Snake Ancestral Spirit twice. Once to dodge the HMG fire, and the other time to escape while unleashing a cloud of poison,” he replied.

“We need more support and to increase our recruiting,” Gary said. Maximilian frowned and leaned back in his chair.

“You know it isn’t that simple. We have already increased our intake cohorts, but it isn’t that simple to just get competent creatures who don’t die on their first mission. All three of you have trained assassins and you know the attrition rate is immense.”

“We could start earlier, a longer program to build creatures up,” Southpaw suggested.

“That has been tried a century ago. Training creatures from birth. The civilian casualties were unacceptable. Even creatures trained for a year before going into the field, you are either good or you aren’t.” I listened it while not saying anything. “Our research has not yielded results either.”

“Then deploy the military or the Paladins. You cannot force assassins to take on more missions when they plan to retire or scale back,” my father said. Maximilian let out a long sigh. He then looked at me.

“Mittens. I am letting you hear this conversation, since one day you will be a Master Assassin. I need more assassins. More creatures to send out to stem the constant attacks. To push back on the Apostates and other threats.” I nodded at this. “But assassins can’t be made through training. That spark of creativity, that inner willingness to kill other creatures, and being stable. That is not an easy combination to find.”

The Master Assassins and my father didn’t say anything as the High Cleric continued. “Even our Paladins are stretched thin. If there is a major incident like this Quackening the organization will suffer.”

“What are you asking me?” Worried about what Maximilian was trying to get to. He looked at my father and nodded his head at my father.

“He wants me to remain in the field. I had planned to retire. Ten years is a long time in this line of work with how much I have already done. But that would create an unacceptable drop in our response rate. The chance of a cataclysmic event happening would increase. My point is that this organization should not depend on a single creature,” my father said.

“I won’t deny you have earned your retirement. But this organization can’t hold on if you retire. The Covenant Church would lose ground for the first time in centuries,” Maximilian countered and then turned to look at me. He made a hand gesture towards me and I asked the question that was on my mind.

“Why is there an increase?” I asked.

“Why do you think we have survived against the snakes this long?” he countered.

“The cold weather holds them back,” I replied.

“It has. Centuries ago, the average temperature was a few degrees colder than it is now. The snakes have spread out more on their continent and are pushing more heavily against us. Their power has increased. As the climate changes we are slowly losing the war against them. Even the lizards to the East have become more active.”

“The scaled creatures grow in strength while we stagnate! We cannot falter now, no matter what. Even as this crisis bears down on us,” Maximilian replied.

“What about the military?” I asked.

“Holding the lizards back from getting ideas. There is water between us and the Southern continent. But the edges of their territory become more inhabitable by the day. Soon, they might begin landing on our shores in earnest,” Maximilian said he paused to take a deep breath before continuing.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“The peace must be maintained. We are making progress to develop new weapons to take out the snakes and preparation for full scale war. But we need time. That means, we need everyone out there.” There was silence at this.

“And you need my father to help slow them down, until the Covenant Church is ready?” I asked.

“That we have the weapons needed to break Ancestral Spirits. Already development on armored vehicles with larger caliber guns is taking place. We are looking into air power as well. It is slow going and we are a decade out from developing these things in the quantities needed to completely crush the snakes.”

“But until we reach that point, they grow in power and seek to destabilize everything we are building. Factories to build the parts for the machines to build the parts for our weapons. A supply chain needs to be built up. It is different than any other before it. There are technical problems that need to be resolved.”

“Our best minds are working on this, but right now. At this very moment, we are under a tremendous amount of pressure, and the Covenant Church is looking at us to plug the gap,” he replied. That was a lot of information to process.

There was silence at all of that. “And my bloodline?” I asked, wondering why that was an issue if we were eventually going to win.

“The snakes will just hide, and the lizards are still out there. This organization isn’t going away Mittens. I won’t pressure you in any way out of respect for you and your father, but one day, in the far future, I believe that all creatures can live and work together in harmony,” he said and then bowed his head slightly.

“I am sorry I even considered pressuring you in that way. It was rude and impolite, but we need every creature we can get. And while I hate to say it, cats are some of the best assassins.”

“Thank you High Cleric,” I replied and bowed my head towards him across the desk. I could understand why my father was stressed. It wasn’t just completing missions, it was completing as many missions as possible.

“I will do it,” Gary said, and everyone turned to look at him. “I will go back in the field,” he replied.

“Master, you can’t,” Tom Cat said. Gary turned to look at my father and shook his head.

“Shut up.” The cold tone Gary used made everyone freeze. “If I die, then I die. But I am no weakling. I will go back into the field for the next couple of years,” he replied.

“So will I,” my father replied in a tired and defeated tone. I looked at him but held back from saying anything. While I had been allowed to ask questions before, I also knew when to be quiet. This was one of those times. Just as it wasn’t my father’s place to overly control my life, it wasn’t my place to insist that he retire. Still, I worried for him, since Mousethief wouldn’t be with him anymore.

“I am sorry it has come to this. But there is no room to maneuver. The pressure has increased immensely, and we must all rise to the occasion. Mittens, your next mission will be with Southpaw since you have recovered and you are both to leave immediately,” Maximilan said.

I got up along with the rest of the Master Assassins. My father gave me a hug. “Be safe out there,” he replied. I hugged him back, not caring about being embarrassed.

“I will, I promise. You stay safe as well,” I told him. I let go and left with Southpaw from the High Cleric’s office.

“That was intense,” I said and the rat nodded at that.

“It was. But that argument has been coming for a long time. I guess I am out of luck,” he replied and gave me a cheeky grin.

“What? How?” I asked, wondering if he meant having to work with me.

“I won’t ever get the title of Warrior’s Shadow. I have no doubt that by the time your father retires, your mission clearance will be immense. Three apostates at the same time really?”

“Yes,” I replied, and he shook his head.

“Good job. Even I would be hard pressed in such a fight. Well, get your technician and meet me at the side entrance in an hour. Time to get back at it,” Southpaw said.

“You were on vacation?” I asked.

“No. I don’t like taking time off. While you were off with your father, I was handling a port that was smuggling in nip from the snakes. They are relentless with trying to undermine us,” he replied. I just nodded at that. As I made my way to the technician’s part of the building.

I was pointed towards the room Mousethief was staying in. I knocked on his door. He opened it up. “Mittens, what is it?” he asked.

“We are leaving in forty five minutes from the side entrance with Southpaw. A mission.”

“What? Not even one full night back? Come in, while I get ready,” he said. I entered his room, and I noted several boxes and crates scattered about. “Any clue about the mission?” he asked me.

“No. I forgot to ask,” I replied, a bit embarrassed.

“Well, that is a bit of headache. Luckily, I already planned ahead. Grab those two duffle bags and put them on the table,” Mousethief said. The bags were incredibly heavy, and I put them on the table he indicated.

He opened them up and checked the inside of them. I looked over his shoulder to see guns, bombs, medicine, and various other supplies. After checking each duffle bag, he closed them back up. “Southpaw’s chief technician will have the standard stuff. That bag over there has personal stuff for you,” he pointed at a third duffle bag off to the side.

I got it and checked it. It had everything I would need for a couple of weeks. “I will arrange to have the container follow us to whatever port we end up at. But I know Southpaw prefers a large van, instead of a truck. It can get cramped, so be ready.”

“There are options?” I asked.

“Yes. He went with a van for speed. But containers have equipment, which is far more important in my mind. Like that HMG. Now that was fun. I normally don’t get to use it,” he said with a grin. I had no memory of what the compound looked like after passing out, but it was probably a blood bath.

“Thanks Mousethief,” I told him.

“It’s my job. Don’t worry. One more mission with results like the previous one and you should be promoted in full. Then we can really get to work. It will be glorious. How are you, all cleared I am guessing since we are going on a mission.”

“Just sore, but I should be fine in a few days,” I replied. “Also, my father is still going to be doing field work and not retiring.”

“What?! That stubborn cat. Well, get these duffle bags to the side entrance. I need to make sure your father has someone halfway as competent as me assigned to him. Thought I would have a day to handle things at the very least. Don’t wait for me if I am late. I can catch up,” Mousethief said and I nodded at this. I picked up all the duffle bags, straining my arms and left his room to go meet up with Southpaw.