In the dark depths of Gastros' sewers, the dim light of torches illuminated the rat-men's lair. Their leader, Squeal, a shrewd-looking rat-man with piercing eyes, sat on his makeshift throne of bones and debris. Around him, his lieutenants whispered nervously about the rumors circulating in the city.
"Have you heard about that new group?" said Snarl, one of Squeal's most loyal lieutenants. "They say it's led by an evolved and that he's recruiting men to take us down."
Squeal growled, showing his yellow, sharp teeth. "Just another fool trying to challenge us. We've dealt with plenty like him before."
Rasp, another lieutenant, approached, his narrow eyes filled with concern. "But this one seems different. They have runic muskets and are training seriously. They're not like the unprepared guards we usually face."
The rat-men's leader rubbed his fur-covered chin. "So, they're better armed, are they? Very well, then we'll need a different strategy."
He stood up, his movements agile despite his frail appearance. "We need to gather information. Find out who this evolved is and who's funding him. We won't let these humans take our territory without a fight."
The rat-men began to disperse, each with a clear mission in mind. Squeal called over one of his most skilled spies, a cunning creature named Whisk.
"Whisk, you're the stealthiest of us all. I want you to follow these new recruits and learn everything you can. We need to know what we're up against."
Whisk nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Consider it done, boss."
As Whisk disappeared into the shadows of the sewers, Squeal sat back on his throne, lost in thought. He knew the threat was real, but he also knew that the rat-men had survived by being clever and ruthless. They would use every dirty trick in the book to defend their territory.
Over the following nights, Whisk snuck through the city, observing Kiros and his men training. He made mental notes about their tactics, the frequency of their drills, and even the personalities of their leaders. When he returned to the lair, he brought detailed information.
"Boss, this Kiros is really strong," Whisk reported. "But most of the recruits are still inexperienced. They have good muskets, but they're not good at using them... yet."
Squeal smiled maliciously. "Then we have a window of opportunity. We'll strike before they're ready."
The rat-men began preparing for a series of surprise attacks. They would use their knowledge of the terrain, the tunnels, and hidden passages of the sewers to catch Kiros and his men off guard. They would attack at night when visibility was low and use guerrilla tactics to weaken Kiros' force.
Squeal was confident. "These humans may have powerful weapons, but we have the advantage of numbers and knowledge of the terrain. They won't defeat us easily."
As night fell over Gastros, the rat-men gathered silently, ready to launch their first attack against Kiros' recruits. The war in the shadows was about to begin, and Squeal knew it would be a brutal and relentless battle.