Tsurgdari: Sniper's Nest

By Landon S.

After escaping Kashka's capture, Shiro wakes up lost in the Forest Region. After his map is destroyed by the river, Shiro has to rely on his instincts while keeping foot to avoid being hunted, and to find where he is, so he can head for Afron.
Meanwhile, Taro has arrived in Afron, one of the 5 Tsurgdari cities. Where Tsurgdars do not sleep, nor are there quiet places to hide. However, instead of having to survive on garbage and cold nights on the streets, he finds himself being a guest in one of the most prestigious hotels in Afron under unusual circumstances. Is Shiro the only target?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387319343

Book preview

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Chapter 1: Intervention.

Kashka keeps staring at the waters as his target for capture was washed off far away. Then turns back to Otoko.

Otoko holds his katana in a sparring stance, while the guards aim their slingshot weapons, lever crank action right at Kashka. In response, Kashka popped his staff to the side and glares at the Oksoti General in front of him..

By the orders of the Guard, You are ordered to leave Oksoti territory immediately! Otoko shouted.

Kashka takes a step forward. The Oksoti guards, with their brown wooden chest guards and upper leg guards, and their green scarfs aimed for him with their lever-action slingshot guns. 

You interfered with my prey. Kashka states with his cold, calm, factual tone.

That Tsurgdar is under protection of the Oksoti guard, you violated that protection, leave now or face arrest! Otoko demanded.

Kashka raises his staff in the air, with a push of the button, unconnected from into the chain linked fold. He sheathes it and turns his back on Otoko. He is going to put off the hunt....for now.

He is out of your jurisdiction, your threat means nothing. Kashka threatens, taking his leave.

Chapter 2: The River City, Afron 

Taro

Hours have passed since my departure from Karihan Village, I left my home region for the Forest region, a huge, expanse region of trees and many plant life, some mountains and hills are visible though. The region where Tsurgdari are of a light brown fur, and slightly different tastes.

I had been here in the city of Afron for hours. Red and white brick homes and many tall low-rise buildings with mostly flat roofs, as well as tall buildings in the shape of sake gourds, a Northern mountain influence on architecture. Tsurgdari of all races crowd the streets, and a place where almost everyone owns a land sailor.

Land sailors everywhere, and not just the large passenger ones common at home, these smaller models were for families, and enclosed models I have never seen in my life.

However, this is overlooked by the fact that hundreds, no, thousands litter the street!

So many people, it is scary. I know nobody in sight. I avoid any and all spaces, for my own comfort as this situation is not. I avoid any place as cities to me are very, sleezy. 

This is how most Tsurgdars feel or should feel about cities anyways. They are just......unnatural. The idea of a large city is as foreign to us as, well, if there are aliens out there in space....Though large towns are a different story, I guess.

The markets where crowds sample all kinds of food of the Afroni Tribes, pudding from an Anglia Island, fruits from all over the world and the coasts. Even if I get hungry..... I do not want to be around here.

All these Tsurgdari. Talking to each other, lounging around all day, having all their fruits brought to them via land sailors and man-made river expansions for barge and boats alike. A Powerhouse for those who want the easy life as they have systems that allow them to live a cushy life.

I shudder thinking about this horrible large place, it feels, feels just so.....unnatural.

I look up in at the yellow sun in the night sky, dark, yet light blue with a hint of purple. Like daytime, only much darker, and one yellow sun out. The yellow eclipse or something like that, I never really paid attention other then the fact that the eclipses signal the end of the week.

I yawn as I am ready for bed, except there are no beds to sleep on..... 

I have no money, and I never rented a room in my life, I have no idea what to do in my situation. So I do what I think is best.

I head down the nearest, Alley? Is that what it is called? I went down to a corner full of garbage and trash. It is not cozy, but I am too sleepy to care, and passed my bedtime, I think. 

I go ahead, and prop my head with a sack of what I assume is blankets, wet, and smelly blankets. To stay warm, I curl up and cuddle myself in a bed of discomfort on the red brick stone path. Despite my natural case of insomnia. I shut my eyes, and try my best to sleep.

I twist and turn. Thinking when I have fallen asleep, only to be awakened by footsteps, barking animals, small insects swarming around this sack that smells. How can I sleep like this?!

With a final growl from aggravation, I stand on my sore paws and journeyed the city....again. I can never sleep. Even when I was safe back at home......

The dark blue sky lights up with bright lights illuminating across the whole city, giving the sky a dark glow. But at least the city will be quieter now.

That was a lie.... Instead of the City's civilians going to bed to sleep like we do back home, more People litter the Market Square than earlier. Music plays from all over, night markets filled with food I never seen before, even if they are not Afroni. Rice rolls in a fryer from the Southern coastal region islands, soups with chili with a desert flair, fried fish with pickled vegetables, which is an Afroni original. So many foods from all over the world, though mostly Forest Region I presume.

As tasty as it may look. I do not want much with this city. I avoid any places with a massive crowd, a large one to say the least. 

I begin shivering from the cold air, it feels like it is starting to get cold, granted it is warm thanks to the roads and buildings trapping the heat. I hug myself in embrace and for warmth. I continue looking for another area, hopefully to find some sleep, and a warm pathway. But even if, what good will that do? It will be useless if I find nothing.

As I grovel into another alleyway. My breathing shortens, replaced with rapid breaths, my nerves buzz all over, my body tensing and stimming from all this stress I am forced through. My breathing becomes rapid, my vision, growing blurry, tears rolling down my eyes, or what my brother calls an anxiety attack.

I lose control of my senses and panic, the lights, the Afron tourist and residents, it's, it's too much!

This city, my banishment, away from family. No one knows I am here. Mom, Dad, Shiro..............

My tears flow at I hold my hands over my head. Flowing tears, Upset.......I am so lonely, lonely in this cursed city.......

Chapter 3: Awakening.

That fight, that battle. Kashka the opponent, that losing battle...... It plays in my head over and over again. No matter how many times it played. I lost, again, again, and again.

The only way I can, or could have escaped, leaping into the strong, flowing rapids. Where am I, where did I go?

With my eyes barely opened, I lay in a pool of water, shallow. I felt something smack my face, like a fish. 

I am now awake, but too dazed to be aware. I am too tired to do anything, I must have been unconscious for hours.

Smack!

I felt another blow to the face, it was like a scale like hand slap, or a fish for certain. My eyes open completely as I am smacked in the face the third time.

I look all over to find that I am in a bed of water that flowed gently where I was out cold. I moan and yawn as I gaze at the yellow sun. How long was I out.....?

Another fish leaps from the pool of river water, and on my face. I bounced up onto my limp feet and shake my head. I am wide awake now! 

I pick up my drenched staff and search around the water, looking for something very important, something I really need, the map which should help me back on the path to Afron. I look further down, to find the piece of paper resting on a small boulder in the river, about to be dragged to the Southern Mountain Region.

My map! I shout. I run to the sleeping parchment and shake it dry. It was, ruined, the map's ink was smeared all over the parchment, and most of the ink was washed away. Not good, not at all.....

With all the twist and turns. I do not know where I am, except for the fact that I am at the border between the Northern Mountain Region and the Forest Region. I turned to the right, green forest for miles. To the left, forests that turn from green to red. With this distinction in mind, I know that if I want to get to Afron, I go right. 

I am fully awake, and without reason to sleep due to getting enough of that out cold. I need to get a  move on while I have the energy. It is pobably dangerous to be in woods all night. But what choice do I have? 

I do not have the materials to make a tent, and I would spend more time building than running from my attacker. I know he is still after me.

With a smack of my hands together, I rush into the woods and begin another journey to find Afron. Because I will be safer there in the crows.

But the most important reason,