The Winter Assault - Kayla's Story

The Winter Assault	Charles ‧ Daria ‧ George ‧ Jono & Jo ‧ Misha ‧ Murikeer ‧ Raven ‧ Rickkter ‧ Thomas Dan & Topo ‧ Drake ‧ Fox Cutter ‧ Kayla ‧ Oren ‧ Rois ‧ Ryuo Lightbringer Temple ‧ Ecclesia Chapel ‧ The Long Scouts ‧ The Moranasi ‧ Miscellaneous
Characters (Main ‧ Supporting ‧ Minor Metamor ‧ Other Minor ‧ Cameo ‧ Mentioned) Locations ‧ Chronology ‧ Society ‧ Casualties

Kayla's story intersects three subplots of the Winter Assault — Murikeer's story, Rickkter's story, and Daria's story. Though she is not critical to the events of Winter Assault, she is prominent enough to merit a page of her own.

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Part 2

Around noon of December 24th, Rickkter arrives at his apartment to find Kayla on his couch. She was allowed off work early, and is looking forward to attending Misha's party with Rickkter. Each has a gift for the other: Kayla has a rare book for him she bought from Zhypar, while Rickkter has a fine grooming kit for her. Kayla remarks that he could use it after his long patrol. Rickkter insists she use his old brushes on him, as he wants to save the kit for her. Kayla relents and grooms his fur.

^C1

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At 1:30 pm, after grooming him and selecting his wardrobe, Kayla sets off with Rickkter for the Long House. Rickkter briefly chats with Copernicus, and the two pass a child-morph tossing contest in the hallway, and stop to listen to some carolers.

At 3:15 pm, they arrive at Long House and find Misha and Caroline at the dessert table. After some small talk, Rickkter and Kayla help themselves to some desserts. Rickkter fails to get an answer from Misha about the bean dip, who only gives a stern refusal to answer. Kayla parts ways to talk to Jenn.

^C1

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As Kayla is enjoying a drink, she suddenly sees Murikeer standing nearby. Llyn is chatting with a friend across the room. Both Murikeer and Llyn are dressed very simply, though Muri has an illusion spell on himself to appear more dazzling. He explains that he and Llyn will both change later tonight to attend Hough's service, but he hopes to meet Kayla again tonight. He tells her to meet him at the library, hinting that he has a gift for her. Llyn looks around, and Muri breaks away to join her, while Kayla is caught up by Caroline.

^C1

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Part 3

As evening approaches, Kayla and Rickkter join Caroline and Misha for an exquisite dinner service. When the musicians stop to eat, Misha asks Caroline and Rickkter and a couple other guests to play for them. Once the regular musicians return, Kayla and Caroline dance with their respective boyfriends.

^C1

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As the party continues on, Misha calls out to a hedgehog morph to bowl with him. Kayla quietly leaves, gets her present for Murikeer from her room, and heads to the library, which is empty save for a governess quietly telling stories to children. Murikeer meets her and leads her to a solarium overlooking Laracin's courtyard. Murikeer is still awkward, having not celebrated holidays in years. After some talk about the party, about Llyn, and about their evening plans, Kayla gives Murikeer a present, a polished and properly weighted cue stick. Murikeer's present is a finely crafted chess set, with rose quartz pieces resembling the heroes of Metamor, and dark granite pieces representing Nasoj's. Amazed by its beauty, Kayla hugs Murikeer, and licks him on the chin. They share an intimate look, until Kayla breaks away to get back to the party.

^C1

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Part 4

Hedgehog bowling is well underway when Kayla returns. Rickkter is glad to find her, but is suspicious when he smells Murikeer's scent on her. Kayla explains that Muri is still shy around people, especially if Llyn is also present, and so they met secretly in the library to exchange gifts. Rickkter relaxes. After Rickkter compliments her beauty, the two of them turn back to the game.

^C1

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Part 5

At 7:50 pm, Rickkter is trying to teach the Longs an old drinking song when Madog rushes into the Long House in a frenzy. Madog finally manages to say that Kyia told him and Saulius that Lutins are attacking the Keep. As Misha barks out orders for his troops, Rickkter tells Kayla to go to the Lightbringer Temple, where she will be protected. Kayla stops him; she doesn't want to lose him, after she lost everything the last time Nasoj attacked. But Rickkter has no choice. He tells her that she can help by telling anyone she meets to head to the Temple as well. With one last hug, the two part ways.

^C1

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Part 10

Daria paces, frustrated at being away from the battle, in particular away from her father, even though she knows her efforts will be hopeless. Merai listens to her frustrations, and hugs her silently.

Suddenly, there is pounding on the temple doors. Merai heads to the guarded doors, where a woman's voice cries out they have wounded people with them. Merai asks Kyia to let them in; Kyia complies, as no enemies are near. As soon as the group of twenty Keepers enter, the door shuts. Merai directs the acolytes to start healing the three injured Keepers. A skunk morph thanks Merai; it is Kayla. Kayla tells what she's seen of the battle. Daria asks about the outer wall guards. Kayla tells her what she knows, but the chances aren't great.

Kayla opts to stay with the wounded, and Merai gives them some water. Kayla asks what Raven's plans are; Merai says that Raven's plan seems to be to wait the battle out, as most of those in the temple are not soldiers. Kayla tells her that she knows techniques on fighting in territory far better known to the defenders than the enemy, known as "otrinca" warfare. With a smile, Merai brings over Daria to have her listen.

^C2

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Part 12

Over the next couple hours, Kayla helps Daria plan her battle strategy.

^C3

She also meets Misha when he enters the temple, though with no news of Rickkter.

^C3

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Part 19

It isn't until after Daria's team escapes from the small barracks that Rickkter is with them, and the two finally embrace. Having suffered a long time wandering the Keep and fighting in battle, Rickkter suggests to her, and the crowd, that they all have dinner.

^C4

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While at dinner, Rickkter introduces her to Jacob and his three cellar rat morph companions. She gives Jacob her gratitude for saving Rickkter; uncomfortable, he leaves to settle business with Raven, while the rats join Rickkter and Kayla for dinner.

^C4

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Part 22

Kayla has a silent cameo during Raven's meeting, where the decision is made to capture a slave of the Moranasi. She is seen afterwards, helping Rickkter into an all-white outfit before he sets out again from the Temple, making sure that he promises to come back to her.

^C5

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Epilogue

In the night of December 28th, after cleaning themselves up, Kayla and Rickkter sit together in his apartments, wrapped in a warm quilt and watching a fire, taking stock of what they went through. Though it will be a long time sorting the injured and the dead, both are glad to have each other, and content to do nothing but cuddle and fall asleep in the warm blankets.

^C6

Appearances

	2	3	4	5	10	12	19	22	epi
Charles Matthias	✓	m
Murikeer	✓✓	✓✓	M
Rickkter	✓✓	✓✓	✓✓	✓✓		M	✓	✓	✓✓
Misha	✓✓	✓✓	✓	✓	m	✓✓
Raven		m			m	✓✓	m
Daria					✓	✓	✓
Merai					✓✓	✓	✓
Jacob							✓
Thomas	m	m		m	m
George		✓
Kayla	✓✓	✓✓	✓✓	✓	✓✓	✓	✓	✓	✓✓
Madog				✓		M
Saulius		m		m
Kyia				m
Arla	C*
Caroline	✓	✓
Finbar		✓		✓
Georgette		✓
Jotham		m
Kershaw		✓		✓
Laura	C*	✓
Lisa		✓
Llyn	✓	✓	m
Meredith		✓
Ralls		m
David								✓
Copernicus	✓	m
Hough	m	m
Kimberly		m
Andre	m	m
Elliot							✓
Fox Cutter	m	✓
Goldmark							✓
Julian							✓
Laracin		✓
Zhypar	M
Shamgar	✓
Long guard llama	✓
Will Hardy	m		m
Jenn	✓	m
Spiny Norman		✓	✓
library governess		✓
Dream/Malger		m
Wester					✓
Malia					✓
Nasoj		m		m
Phil	M	m
Clover	M
Saroth	m
Electra	m
Sean	m
Kayla’s grandfather		m			m

• Kayla: A skunk morph, an intelligence secretary, Rickkter's girlfriend.
• Charles Matthias: A brown rat morph, Long Scout, secretly a black-rank Sondeckis.
• Murikeer Khannos: A skunk morph, a teenage mage specializing in illusion magic.
• Rickkter: A raccoon morph, a battle mage with advanced knowledge of magic.
• Misha Brightleaf: A fox morph, leader of the Long Scouts.
• Raven hin'Elric: A wolf morph, the Keep's Lothanasi high priestess.
• Daria: A female gendermorph, a young squire training to be a knight, and Merai's best friend.
• Merai: A tabby cat morph, a Lothanasi priestess.
• Jacob Fox: A blue fox morph, a writer.
• Duke Thomas: A horse morph, the duke of Metamor Keep.
• George: A jackal morph, captain of Metamor Keep's regular patrols.
• Madog: A fox automaton from the Suielman Empire, rebuilt by Misha.
• Saulius: A rat morph, a knight of Metamor, a close friend of Yacoub's.
• Kyia: A nymph, the spirit of Metamor Keep.
• Arla: A border collie morph, a Long Scout.
• Caroline: An otter morph, a Long Scout, Misha's girlfriend.
• Finbar: A ferret morph, a Long Scout.
• Georgette: A female gendermorph, a Long Scout.
• Jotham: A male gendermorph morph, a Long Scout, specializing as a healer.
• Kershaw: A red panda morph, a Long Scout.
• Laura: A female gendermorph, a Long Scout.
• Lisa Ringe: A child morph, a Long Scout.
• Llyn "Joy" Wanderer: A mink morph, a Long Scout.
• Meredith: A bear morph, a Long Scout.
• Ralls: A male gendermorph, a Long Scout.
• David: An ant morph, a Kamasi mage, a friend of Misha's.
• Copernicus: A lizard morph.
• Hough: A child morph, the Keep's Ecclesian priest.
• Kimberly: A rat morph, Charles's fiancee.
• Andre: A wolverine morph, a knight of Metamor.
• Elliot: A rat morph who lives in the cellars.
• Fox Cutter: A fox morph, the Keep's librarian, secretly a former assassin.
• Goldmark: A rat morph who lives in the cellars.
• Julian: A rat morph who lives in the cellars.
• Laracin: A tamarack morph.
• Zhypar Habakkuk: A kangaroo morph.
• Shamgar: A rhinoceros morph.
• A llama guard outside the Long House.
• Will Hardy: A badger morph, Caroline's father.
• Jenn: A wolverine morph, Andre's wife.
• Spiny Norman: A hedgehog morph.
• A young governess at the library.
• Dream Serpent: A pine marten morph, a musician, secretly a Dreamwalker.
• Wester: A male gendermorph, a guard from Euper.
• Malia: A female gendermorph, a guard at the Lightbringer Temple.
• Nasoj: A mage, the enemy of Metamor Keep.
• Phil: A rabbit morph, the Keep's head of intelligence.
• Clover: A rabbit morph, Phil's wife.
• Saroth: A dragon morph, the Keep's weather mage.
• Electra: A child morph, a mage native to Magdalain Island, Saroth's and Sean's teacher.
• Sean: An eagle morph, a mage native to Magdalain Island.
• Kayla's grandfather, a great strategist.

Winter Assault Connections

• In part 19, soon after Rickkter reunites with Kayla in the temple, she is introduced to Jacob and the three cellar rats.