"Training begins in earnest today ladies and gents," called Alton. "We'll all be doing ten kilometres every morning at oh-six-hundred to start the day."
Everyone groaned.
"Miro and Maback will accompany us on guard duty."
The two dragons looked completely relaxed about their new duties. Maback appeared to be still chewing on his breakfast, as he kept snapping his jaws contentedly on something meaty.
Winter, who had now officially taken on the role of quartermaster, had sourced proper training outfits for everyone.
Short black shorts with a black t-shirt that read 'Army' for the men. The same for the women but their running shorts were black lycra.
"This will be a much better view than we've ever had on our training runs before," Baer whispered happily to Niko, admiring the girls in their tight running pants with their t-shirts clinging to their breasts.
Niko laughed with wicked delight, nodding. "Can they even run with all that booty to drag about? Not to mention those heavy boobies…"
"I guess we'll see," said Baer. "I'll be somewhere at the back of the pack today in case any of them need help carrying all that junk."
"I might keep you company, good friend," Niko snickered.
They set off on a route that would take them around most of the south of Horsham. Alton was leading the men and Delphi was leading the women.
The men were all extremely fit and had not lost much condition on the journey, so they didn't struggle at all.
"General, I thought we were on a mixed run together," complained Baer, who had hoped to hang at the back and enjoy the view.
"You thought wrong," called Alton, who knew full well what the young man had 'hoped' to do. "I'll be setting a faster pace for the men, and General Chastain will set the correct pace for the women. If any of the women are running a bit faster, they're welcome to join the men's run."
Calls of "no way, "forget about it," and "you guys go on up ahead," came from the female runners, who were already out-of-breath.
The regular runners among the girls were managing a fine pace, though slower than the men; Arrie, Winter, Ruby, Feifei, Delphi. Loveday, Indy and Lili were struggling. They were all martial artists and fencers, so while they were physically fit, ten kilometres was not a distance they were used to, and the three of them started to seriously flag after about three-and-a-half kilometres.
"How far have we gone General?" puffed Indy. She was really struggling with all the extra weight she was carrying in her chest.
"About three clicks," Delphi called back to her.
"Oh my God! I don't think I can do this Loveday," she panted to her friend who ran next to her.
"I'm pretty sure I'm in the same boat," replied Loveday, whose face had turned as red as her hair.
The smaller girls easily kept pace with Delphi, trotting along at her heels like a herd of gazelle that could run all day.
Lili had dropped even further back than Loveday and Indy.
Initially, she had been swearing like a trooper as the pain kicked in, but now she was in so much hurt that she was completely silent.
Miro, who was ambling along beside the girls, was not having any of this straggling stuff, and he ran back towards Lili as the gap widened between her and the second-from-last runners, Indy and Loveday.
He dipped his head to Lili's level, looking her in the eye crossly.
"Piss off, Miro," she gasped, her breath rasping in and out noisily.
Miro let out a loud hiss for the benefit of Delphi, who looked back to see Lili struggling in last position.
"Now you're an effing dob-artist to boot," she cursed the dragon.
"Lili! Come on, move it along. Take the pain! Arrie, you're on first. Set the pace please."
Arrie beamed and added a bit of speed to the pace which was already unmanageable for the laggards.
Delphi dropped back to run beside Lili. "Come on girl. This isn't like you. What's going on with you? Push through it!"
"Sore. Between my legs," she gasped to Delphi.
"What the heck, woman? Cormac's long been recruited, so that sounds recreational? No sympathy allowed where the injury's self-inflicted." Delphi lowered her voice, "have you been getting contraception from Winter?"
Lili nodded vigorously. "Of course!" her face was screwed up with pain. "You really think I'd have his baby?"
"I don't know what to think. I didn't think you'd keep shagging the guy a moment after you didn't have to."
"The shagging's the only good bit about Cormac, why would I give that up?" she groaned.
"Don't toy with his emotions, Lili. You'll upset the team's equilibrium. Make sure you're honest with him about why you're sleeping with him."
"I am Delphi! He just talks over me and doesn't believe me. He thinks I'm talking dirty to turn him on."
"Okay. Too much information. Sit him down and give him the truth with both barrels. But right now, keep pushing girl!"
Delphi ran up to check on Indy and Loveday. Both girls were bright red in the face and dripping sweat.
"Too much for you in one hit? Ladies?"
"I can make it General," Loveday was determined to see this through to the bitter end.
"I don't think I can do it General," Indy was almost in tears. "It's really hurting my chest."
"Hop up on Miro for a bit Indy," said Delphi, softening at the poor girl's obvious distress, through no fault of her own… Bloody Emperor and his sexual predilections…
"Hey!" Lili called as she watched Indy get special treatment. "That's blatant favouritism!"
"Not at all," said Delphi. "She has a legitimate physical reason she can't continue. Yours is self-inflicted and not that bad. Push through the pain, private!"
"General fucking Chastity Belt," muttered Lili grumpily. "Let's see how she feels when she finally lets that prince between her legs. She won't be running ten kilometres then, will she! No! She'll be bloody crawling on her hands and knees and saying, 'I'm sorry Lili, I had no idea it was this bad!'"
Delphi took back up her lead position, slowing the pace slightly to allow for Loveday and Lili's struggles.
"Winter, see what you can find for Indy that makes running easier for her. Some type of high impact super-size sports bra."
"Hmm. I haven't seen anything suitable. I might have to make her something."
"Perfect. Do what you have to."
As they reached just past the seven-kilometre mark, running through the old botanic gardens, Miro let out a hiss and stood to his full height, Indy clinging onto his back for dear life.
A pack of huge dingoes emerged from behind the dense conifers that had run wild, at least six tubiàn wild dogs, each standing at seven, even eight, feet tall.
"Bloody hell," cursed Delphi.
They were only lightly armed with daggers.
"Everyone drop in behind Miro! Miro, call for help," she gestured at him to gather more dragons.