Fantasy Dawn of Weisben

[Mmetafour]

Dawn of WeisbenIsolated and locked away in his castle it has been months now since the king of Weisben, Capitol of the Nations of Callcaus, has called for the lives of any and all oracles in his lands. The scramble for the destruction of the fore seers has filled the entire country with terror. Immediately following the war between Callcaus and Ceil, the smaller neighboring country, Callcaus is already experiencing a decline in its economy and workforce. On top of this, a vicious plague of some sort, known as "The Gloom", has broken out across the Nations, causing blackening and cracking skin and fur and a slow decent into a more feral demeanor, ultimately leading to all encompassing madness and death. No animals who have contracted the disease have survived its effects, and every doctor, mage, and alchemist in the land are in a desperate hurry to find a cure. Anyone who becomes inflicted with the Gloom withing the Nations of Callcaus are asked to give themselves over to the authorities of the kingdom, so the king may help them to the best of his ability, but those who have complied with this ruling are never seen or heard from again, because of this, most animals choose simply to hide their affliction until they no longer can, at which point they are usually taken anyway. It is a dark time for the kingdom of Weisben and indeed all of Paies. Most other countries are on high alert after the war between Callcaus and its much smaller neighbor, unsure if the king will randomly decide to attack someone else next and diplomatic tensions are extra high as he refuses to see any other political powers face to face.

The lands of Paies

Priue

Capitol: Tassaglam...........Priue is the nation of the avian races, crows, owls, blue jays, parrots and all manor of other birds can be found in the forests to the north of this nation. Tassaglam lies deep within the largest of these forests, the Uinim Forest. To the south of the nation lies the Great Desert which seeps into Callcaus. Priue is ruled over by the king of Tassaglam, Arman, the wise hawk. It is a prosperous land that he rules over kindly and justly. Many of the cities are made into the trees of the forests and sit high above the ground, making war with any of the avian cities rather unique. Although Priue is very keen on keeping itself out of foreign affairs. The seeds and fruit that grow in the forests to the north are rare and make for a very successful trading network.

Callcaus

Capitol: Weisben...........Callcaus, now known as "The Nations of Callcaus" is the largest of the nations of Paies, it is home to a great number of animals, almost any that can be imagined live, or have passed through Callcaus at one point or another. The Great White Tree is situated to the east in Callcaus, its mystery drawing onlookers from across the continent. Also to the east lies the port city Erkim, and to the north in the Great Desert is Lilicarit the Sand City. There are numerous mountain ranges in the nation, notably the mountains that stretch across the border of Callcaus and Idyam. Callcaus is currently ruled over by Talidon the King of Weisbin. The Golden Dog was revered towards the beginning of his rule, while upholding the piece and continuing to honor his father and grandfather before him. His bloodline was responsible for the unification of the nations. However in his more resent years things have changed, he declared war on Ceil for no apparent reason, tho the two countries have always been a little shaky, however Ceil is much smaller and vulnerable, a full scale invasion was a bit much, and even when the king invaded he didn't take any land, he just destroyed things. The king most recently locked himself inside his tower and hasn't been seen by his people for months. There quite few smaller towns and cities that are sprinkled around Callcaus, all which contribute to the nations support, but due to the kings more recent behavior, the nations that came together under one banner are having doubts about that decision.

Ceil

Capitol: Jjiseam...........It is said that when the Goddess of the Earth awoke, cracking the soil in half as she rose, the Canyon of Eden was formed after she left the ground. The Sand City Jjiseam was built into this sacred birthplace of the earth and gave way to the nation of Ceil. Due to its position near the great desert, the consistant dry heat usually deters most animals from living there and is home of mostly reptiles and rodents who live deep inside the canyon. Other cities near the ocean are much cooler and inviting, prompting many animals who travel to the country to visit Jjiseam periodically and stay in the more tropical areas. Ceil is country founded on the principle of scientific advancement and knowledge. There are a number of great libraries in Jjiseam and in Ceil as a whole and the country usually boasts the most accomplished magicians and alchemists in the world. Ceil is ruled by the Counsel of Four Stars, whom each have seats in the capitol and are typically selected from the academies from across the small nation. Currently three of the four seats are being held; The Northern Sky, The Eastern Sun and the Southern Wind. Ceil also happens to be the creator and distributor of a wide variety of desert grown spices, allowing for a healthy amount of trade with most other nations.

Idyam and the islands of Byall

Capitols: Renclas and Dedreum...........Idyam is the smallest of the nations of Paies, it sits nestled between Ceil and Callcaus, tucked behind a large mountain range which creates a natural border between Idyam and Callcaus. Because it is so small and out of the way, unable to produce many unique things, tho the mountains do provide a decent supply of metals, Idyam must rely on its ability to trade with other nations to support itself. The merchants from the cities of Idyam are said to be the greatest hagglers in the world. Foxes, raccoons, and other shifty critters make their homes in the towns scattered throughout, though due to the corruption that competent trading brings, a variety of gangs and mobs have cropped up in the nation, operating against each other and occasionally in lands beyond. Byall and its surrounding islands are home to the Docks of Glahil, arguably the greatest ship builders in the world live and build here, as trade routes over land take far more time to traverse than sailing does. As such, Idyam and Byall also house one of the most powerful naval forces in the world. Due to their close unblocked borders Idyam and Ceil often work together on many projects. Trading allows Idyam to help fund numerous scientific pursuits which Idyam is happy to share with its neighbor. The two nations have been close allies for a very long time. Idyam and Byall are ruled over by King Bito and Queen Duan.

Yeim

Capitol: Retsol...........Yeim is the beautiful land of rivers and beaches, sitting on the southern tip of Paies it is known for its hospitality and its wonderful magnificent buildings and architecture. Yeim always strives to be the most beautiful place in the world, and its hard to argue that it isn't. The diversity found in the cities of Yeim are matched only by the Nations of Callcaus, and many say that is only by grace of size. Retsol, the city near the edge of the nation is said to be the city where the wind itself sleeps, impressed so much by the beauty of the city. Wind is said to blow differently on different streets of the city and in some areas it stops completely, almost as tho it were taking in the sights. The Juil family, the bloodline of Peacocks that has always been present in Yeim are the current rulers of the nation, although they rule very loosely, cutting Yeim into a number of districts as the family has always believed that art cannot be held back by the governing forces of the nation, different leaders for different places keep the artistic expression of each district fresh and unique. Tho there are multiple districts the Royal Yeim army is under the control of the royal family and has members from every district, and tho it would seem like so many different leaders would cause chaos in the army, instead, it seems to work perfectly together, like a canvas of twisting a melding colors or a fine tuned orchestra. Yeim doesn't particularly need much trading due to the separation of districts and the ability to generate money from visiting tourism. The districts generate money from other districts, trading among themselves and being introduced to new art.

Bietyal

Bietyal is an uninhabited volcanic island. It falls within the territory of Pruie. The volcano that sleeps there, Tagusin is said to be the home of the goddess of fire, who still sleeps to this day after creating fire in the world. The island is only visited when necessary to collect herbs unique to it as it is considered sacred ground and the rest of the goddess is not to be disturbed.

T'sall and the Beyond

There are lands beyond Paies, but until the story takes us to these lands, they are for the most part irreverent

The Magic of Paies

Dawn Streaming and Mages

Born into the world with a special skill, Mages are capable of harnessing the magic that is produced from the soul itself. Each mage has a place inside themselves from which they can draw magic producing almost anything imaginable, from fire, to sounds, to images. A more competent mage can create more extravagant magic. This type of magic is known in the world as dawn streaming and it is rare. A mage's left eye will glow with the color of their soul during their manipulation of magic.

Oracles and Seers

Even more rare than Mages, Oracles or Fore Seers are children imbued with the ability to see into the future, pear across the present and peak into the past. During their younger years this power is random and nearly uncontrollable, and Oracles can randomly stop responding to the real world as their ability draws their conscience into another time or place. These episodes can last for minutes to hours, but are harmless and expected unless the Oracle is in a place that could be dangerous if they suddenly stopped responding. When an oracle receives years of training and practice they begin to gain control over their power, allowing them to separate their visions from reality and pinpoint where they'd like to look, and when. At this point they are known as Seers. It is theorized that Oracles have a power that is a unique gifted off shoot of Soul streaming. An Oracle's right eye glows with a specific color during their visions.

Soul Streaming

Unlike Dawn streaming, which flows from within a mage, Soul streaming flows from what is known as "the soul of the world" itself. Any animal can learn to soul stream, tho it is extremely difficult, and because animals are casting magic using the soul of the world, they can expect varying results because there are two parties involved whereas Dawn streaming is simply the power of the mage. Because the soul of the world is so much larger and more powerful than the power contained within any single animal, the raw strength of soul streaming magic FAR exceeds the strength of any dawn streaming spell, but caution is usually exercised when attempting spells of any massive caliber as the results could be drastically different from what the caster is hoping for. Both of a casters eyes will light up when producing magic with soul streaming.

 

[Mmetafour]

OOC chat

Character submitions

 

[Mmetafour]

-16 years prior-


"Lady Ava, we must go..." The night is new and the scent of wet grass fills the near quiet house on the outskirts of a small town. A small drizzle had just stopped almost as tho the sky and the wind were holding their breath in this moment. Ava was holding her breath, her fluffy ears flopped as she looked at the decorative rug on the floor. Despite the short mouse tugging at her arm, the white rabbit sat in her chair across from her old friend, staring at the colors swirl and interact with each other on the carpet.


"I promise you Ava, they will be fine....I will take care of them, I will guard them with my life" Sister Liana was always kind, and her words were always sincere, ever since Ava met her when the two were children. Ava looked up into the brown bunny's eyes and noticed her soft smile. Despite the circumstances, Liana was calm, as usual. She was ready to take on the burden and the responsibility that may very well cost her her own life. Ava's eyes wandered over to the stairs leading up to where her two young babies were sleeping. Her paws clenched in her lap as her legs tensed up. She'd been running so much, she hadn't even gotten the chance to properly look them over, she'd only had them for a few days and already.... 


Ava's vision started to blur, tears forming as she looked back at Liana "Ezra doesn't like to eat...." she stammered out softly, her voice breaking a bit "Like his father....he....you need to...make him eat" she said as the mouse behind her raised her ears, her nose twitching a bit. "Ava please, now" she said desperately. Liana nodded and tilted her head a bit, standing and walking over to her, helping her out of the wooden seat. "Ava, it's time to go" she said gently, holding her paws. Ava stood with her squeezing Liana's paws "I will always love them Liana, the will know? will you tell them that?" she asked as Liana wiped away her tears. "They will know" she whispered and nodded toward the mouse who tugged on Ava's arm a bit more. The mouse and the white rabbit walked towards the back of LIana's house, Ava's amber eyes locked on the staircase the entire time until the two slipped out of the back door and the house returned to silence.


The smile on Liana's face faltered and faded away as she took the candle on the table, its dim light flickering and filling the room with a soft glow. She blew the flame out, letting the wisps of smoke rise as she put the candle back. For a while she watched the smoke in the darkness, her eyes adjusting to the night before she started for the steps.

 

[Mmetafour]

-Present Day-


Tauls moved his paws against the grass, laying against it under a tall tree, a couple of white clouds moved slowly across the sky as the brisk summer breeze flowed through the training grounds of the Weisben Royal Academy. The young dog watched as the leaves of the tree gently moved with the wind and he tried to breathe in sync. He had been studying for the past few hours in his room, trying to prepare himself for what was supposed to be a surprise examination, though he had overheard his instructor, Sir Santon the Grey, speaking about it to another of the knights. Whether finding information about the test beforehand was PART of the test itself, he didn't know, but he was sure that his foresight would inevitably be chalked up to his scouting skill. He blinked and watched lazily as a butterfly struggled in the light zephyr moving toward the tree.


"Tag...? Taaaag? TAAULS?" He snapped to, looking over at his side where another dog sat. Kanteir Geym was a black, short-furred rottweiler whom Tauls had met when he first entered the army. The two of them moved through the basic soldier training that all guards must go through before deciding to continue through the more rigorous Royal Knight training here at the academy. He was a bit hard-headed and he didn't always understand the more complicated tasks which Tauls was always willing to help him complete. However, he was, unlike Tauls, large and tough, making the two of them a perfect pair. Although it was rare, when the two of them joined Tauls was picked on by any other recruits, and sometimes even full blown knights, for being quite a bit smaller than most other recruits, but there was Kanteir, ready and willing to pick a fight with anyone who dared to slander his friend. Needless to say, the combination of Tauls' dedication and effort along with Kanteir's intimidating presence put a stop to any belittling very quickly and the two of them were best friends ever since.


"huh?" Tauls replied as he glanced at his friend's gently flowing tunic as Kanteir shook his head in disbelief.


"Are you even listening to me? did you hear a SINGLE word I just said? any of it?" He asked raising his ears.


"Sorry..." Tauls laughed quietly "I was just-"


"Off in your own world. Yeah I know" Kanteir snickered "oh boy....what am I gonna do with you? I really hope they don't decide to have you guarding the king...you cant even pay attention to whats going on around you"


"There's more than one...guard for the king" Tauls said, his eyes moving to the side "I guess it'll be up to one of them, to...y'know pay attention. They can let me know when something has happened and I'll react accordingly"


"Ah yes" Kanteir smirked and placed his paw over his mouth clearing his throat "Sir Tauls, not to be too forward, but were you aware you have a sword through your gut?" His deep voice carried over the wind and Tauls scowled a little.


"oh do I?" He rolled his eyes, smiling a little "No actually, I was not aware! thank you so very much sir for informing me, I must alleviate myself right away!"


The two of them laughed as Tauls sat up slightly, resting his hand on his leg and looking out towards the academy. Archery posts were placed in the vast field as well as sparing circles and first aid stations. Animals were jogging across the fields while others studied in the grass. Despite the times surrounding the kingdom and indeed the entire nation, the academy always seemed like a symbol of unity and knowledge that progressed even as the world stood still. Tauls wondered if this is what it was like in Ceil, he'd heard of all the libraries and the schools there before the war. How much had the war destroyed? As he pondered, his eyes gazed out past the Academy towards the rest of the city of Weisben, smoke rising from houses and carts being rolled across the roads that lead into the denser part of the city and far in the distance, the castle, where the king had been for months, unseen and unheard.....

 

[SilverFlight]

Likara's paws slid on the loose earth, she nearly lost her footing as she rounded a corner, reaching out to snatch at her quarry's ragged cloak and missing by a claw's breadth. She growled in frustration, a sound that only lent the swiftness of terror to the other creature's feet. She was not a runner and her breath was already coming out in ragged gasps. She had been chasing the slippery rat for close to half an hour, now gaining now losing ground but always on his trail. She had to hand it to the moth-eaten rodent, he was faring much better than she expected. They spun around the corner of another stone dwelling and the rat lurched up a pile of crates and over a fence, his small size lending him speed to the task. Likara followed more slowly only just catching his worm-like tail vanish down a back alley. They were not far off from the academy. Surely the little thief was not so dense as to try and escape in there? The walls were high here and sheer stone, but with a clever maneuver up a drain pipe and the rat was on the rooftops skirting the wall.


"Oh no you don't." Likara had worked hard for this lead, and badgers were notoriously dogged in their determination. At the next house she leaped to the rim of a cart, its owner startling as she spilled apples on the ground. She left his angry shouts behind as she half-landed on a roof and scrabbled the rest of the way up. The rat's bulgy, watery eyes seemed nearly to pop out of his head when he saw Likara's hulking form barreling after him on the rooftops. She tried not to look like she was having trouble, her claws were slipping on the clay tiles and it was hard going. Her quarry made nimble work of it, but slowly Likara was gaining, beating his cunning with raw willpower. 


Finally the rat changed tactics; he darted to the roof of a market, its canvas awnings closer to the walls of the academy. He took one leap, using a grounded wood pole as a stepping point and threw himself at the battlements. His forepaws found purchase and he clambered up. Likara followed him, but the pole began to give as she put her full weight on it. She botched the jump and landed half on the wall, the wind knocked out of her as the pole fell, taking the canvas down over the unfortunate merchant's head.


"Sorry!" She wheezed as she clawed her way onto the stonework platform. Suddenly pain blossomed in her face as the rat delivered a savage kick to her left eye before dashing on. The blow made her slip and she nearly toppled back down into the street, but her claws raked the stone and she kept her balance.


"Damn little gutter slug...playing dirty..no honor in a single wretched bone..." 


Now however the rat made his mistake. He got down off the wall, sprinting across the green, making for the other side of the complex. Likara landed hard on the turf and took off. The rat knew the terrain better than she, and he was more agile, but she was stronger and in an all-out sprint she knew she could beat him...she just had to do it before they reached the other side.


She caught up to him a mere halfway there, passing two dog soldiers before she withdrew her axe and angled it so the harmless shaft hit the rat's feet and he fell. She was upon him in a second hauling the skinny form to his feet, axe back in hand and slamming him against the tree.


"A merry chase you've led me on rat. Now, you are mine."


She did not stop and think how it looked. A large, menacing badger, eye still closed and watering from the kick, threatening the slighter creature, and before two guards, or training guards. From every angle, she looked like a villain, but all Likara thought about was that she had her prey at last.


@Mmetafour

 

[Mmetafour]

The addition of two animals on the academy fields usually wouldn't have caused much of a scene and since it was early afternoon and most classes were being taught inside, the commotion that followed as the mouse began to sprint across the grass after landing. A few heads turned looking over at the two shapes dragging across the upper fields. Students who were arching and sparring turned their attention to the badger that landed a few moments after. Kanteir's head turned quickly while Tauls was still laughing at the joke they'd been making. His ears rose and swayed as he caught the pants and groans of both animals trudging closer to them, he quickly rose to his feet, placing his large black paw on the hilt of his sword.


"Give me just a moment good sir and I'll have this blade out in....a...." Tauls' laughter slowly faded along with his smile as he saw his friend rise up, rising out of the grass to see what he was looking at. "what is it?" He asked, looking as he too got to his feet, catching the two approaching animals in his sight for the first time. "What the?" he whispered to himself softly, frowning a little as they watch them get closer and closer. Kanteir puts his other paw up, motioning for the mouse to stop


"HALT" He bellowed loudly, but the mouse, without even sparring a glance, passed right by him and Tauls which must've been a surprise to Kanteir as he had his blade half out of its sheath expecting an attack. The mouse continued on and Tauls watched his small legs carry him through the grass toward the tree before the badger passed right by them as well, tossing an axe at the mouse's feet. As the badger continued forward grasping the mouse by his clothes and hurling his body against the hard bark of the old tree, leaves falling a bit from the force. Kanteir imediatlly begins to move forward but is stopped as Tauls places his paw against his chest "wait..." he warns quietly, eyeing a group of other students who are curiously coming to see whats going on "this requires a more subtle approach, I'll get them out of here...." He looks up at his tall friend and smiles, pointing towards the gathering crowd "you get THEM out of here..." Tauls pats Kanteir's chest, starting to walk towards the badger as the rottweiler, shook his head, eyeing him and beginning his own walk towards the other converging animals.


"alright alright, there is nothing to see up here, just a couple of lost merchants arguing about food, we've got it handled" Kanteir's voice starts to fade as he moves away.


"excuse me!" Tauls says, trying to get the badgers attention without causing any more trouble and attracting more students, or worse, knights.


@SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

It was only when Tauls' voice rang out did she stop and take in her surroundings. There was a crowd gathering, slowly being herded off by the larger of the two guards. The one who had spoken was smaller but still but a striking figure in his armour, though his large, flopping ears made him look much less fierce.


She realized quickly she was making a spectacle and then quickly made a face. She opened her mouth to explain when a high-pitched squeak cut her off.


"P-please help! The badger's going to kill me!"


Likara's muzzle snapped back to her quarry with an outraged snarl, "What?!"


"I was just minding my own business," the rat gushed, "When out of nowhere this big brute demands by coin purse! She's a thief! She chased me across town when I wouldn't give it to her!"


Likara shook him harshly. "Enough lies you maggot!" but the uneasiness in her voice could well have been taken badly. She was painfully aware that she looked like the tormentor and he the victim. She was the foreigner and he was local. She gave the young guard a cautious stare. Her hand was still gripped firmly about the axe handle.


"This is not what it looks like..."


@Mmetafour

 

[Mmetafour]

Tauls raised an eyebrow looking at the badger for a moment before glancing back at the mouse. He held his paws up, cautiously, trying to appear much less threatening, lest the his words cause more commotion. He turns his attention back to the mouse. "I highly doubt that...no thief with half a mind would jump into royal territory shouting and throwing axes....speaking of which.....I saw the form of that axe throw" He says, looking back at Likara. "If she wanted to kill you....she would have"


Tauls turns back to look at the crowd asking Kanteir questions and staring over at them, some of them concerned regardless of the dog's claims that Tauls would handle it. Tauls meanwhile, looked back at the badger and the mouse "Listen, I'm not sure what your......situation is, but I can assure you both that you're breaking strict laws by being on royal land without proper reason, if you ARE a thief, a bag of coin is going to be the least of your worries if you don't let me escort you both off the premises before this gets any worse. If you aren't a thief, I seriously doubt you want to be caught and branded a criminal for something so....easily avoidable" He chooses his words carefully. 


@SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Likara gave a blink in surprise before a smile spread across her charcoal muzzle. The guard had broken down the creature's lies so easily. Here was one who was smart, and by his next words he was reasonable too.


Likara could not argue with a word the dog had said.


"You are observant and very forgiving master knight." Likara said, the growl gone from her tone, which was now warm with gratitude. She had expected they would have arrested her.  "We will go with you gladly of course." She gave a sharp look at the rat, still holding him up by the collar of his coat. The rat gave her a sharp appraising look, his fabrications obviously no longer useful to him.


"Come now, quick. A name. Tel me who you work for." She shook him again but this only managed to extract a giddy laugh.


"What will you do to get it from me?" The innocent victim was gone from his expression and posture, instead he played the part of one who held all the good cards. "Torture? You don't have the nature about you."


"Don't tempt me." The badger snarled, putting the blade of her axe to his throat, but this seemed only to make the rat laugh harder.


"You are clearly out of your depth stripe dog, your eyes are fierce but they aren't a killer's eyes." He laughed. "You won't get a word from me and you know it."


Likara raised her axe then as if to take his head of right there. She held it for a moment, glaring at him, then brought it down hard to bite into the wood by his nose, sheering off his right whiskers.


He was right. She wasn't a killer. She had fought for her life true, but striking down opponents in the heat of battle was a different thing than to hurt someone who could not fight back. This was not the way.


Her shoulders slumped and she relaxed her grip on the rat, allowing him to struggle free. He gave one final laugh before saluting her cruelly and turning to dash for the exit.


With a defeated grunt she put a paw to her eye gingerly, dabbing at the blood on her brow where the animal's claw had gashed her. She could still see from that eye, which was something.


"I believe you were showing me out..." She sighed heavily, turning her good eye on the patient soldier, her expression rueful.


@Mmetafour

 

[Mmetafour]

Tauls watched as the young badger's face softened a bit, allowing him to relax, realizing that he had potentially defused the situation. He blushed deeply and looked away slightly as she referred to him as master knight, chuckling, quite a bit embarrassed, before his frown returned as the now rather callous mouse spoke to her. He raised his hands to speak to her about attacking the mouse here of all places before she slammed her axe into the tree, letting the mouse escape. Tauls took a deep breath.


"yes....if you would please follow me" He said, walking in the grass, towards the path that cut through the fields from the main gates of the academy to the academy's main grounds as Kanteir stayed behind, getting the curious students to return to whatever it was they were doing. Surely some of them would have questions for Tauls later, but if luck was on their side, neither of them would have to explain anything to any knights, hopefully this would all pass over. Tauls, looked up at the clouds in the sky again as he lead the badger onto the dirt path and started heading in the direction of the main gate. He occasionally glanced over at her, taking note of her face, whatever had happened between her and that mouse must not have been very pretty. Still the dog attempted to keep her business private. It wouldn't be very knightly to poke his head into the business of civilians, he may have already saved a life today and that was good enough.


@SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Likara walked in silence for a while before she came out of her sullen thoughts to break it.


"Please accept my apologies." She said sincerely, tucking her axe back into the belt at her waist. "I won't forget your kindness. From now on you have a friend in Likara Twostripe...for all that means." She said the last part with a hint of bitterness, she felt  incompetent more than anything else as she walked with low spirits to the gate. Taking a deep breath however she tried to sheath the feelings that cut her.


"Its a wonderful place." She remarked, taking in the bright scenery around her. "You must have a good life here." Then she thought for a moment.


"Tell me about the academy." She said politely. "How does the ranking work? What can you do as a graduate from this place?" As far as she knew, her home in Idyam had nothing like it, she wondered if only dogs were allowed to train or could anyone? Gathering information was also a good thing to do, and she decided to take advantage of having a soldier to question.


@Mmetafour

 

[Mmetafour]

"It is quite nice...." Tauls replied, looking back towards the beautiful blue buildings that, together, made up the grounds of the academy. "and there is no need to be sorry, I'm no strict knight in training, I only know that some members of the facility are less forgiving than others, really..." he looks over to her "...it was admirable that you had the courage to chase that mouse into this place." He nodded as they got closer to the gates.


"The academy is mostly for students of magic and sciences, there are a number of mages here as well as training alchemists, botanists, mathematicians. Really all manner of students. They go on to study and build and produce magic." He shrugs "not exactly my strongest attribute. After a soldier finishes his or her basic training for the army....in whatever town they do so in...they have the option to join the army immediately, OR they can come here and go through more advanced training, so they can be royal knights. Mostly polished guards for the city and the king himself..." He says, thinking about the current state of the king and his relationship with his people "for all that means..." he said, nearly matching Likara's tone.


"as for living a good life", he laughs "if you like eating bread and cheese all day long then yes.....our life is fantastic"


@SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

"Ah, so you are not a fully-fledged knight." She said with a playful smile. "I am fortunate indeed."


This time it was Likara's turn to blush as he commended her courage. She waved off the praise. "Courage or foolishness, one can often be mistaken for the other." She was still smiling however.


She listened intently to his description of the studies. Her ears perked at 'magic'. Was this a place then to go and improve? She stored that little tidbit away.


Likara chuckled as he mirrored her speech, understanding the meaning right away.


"Yes, eating all day long sounds good to me, but I confess I may get sick if all there was was bread and cheese."


She brought the conversation back around to the previous subject after this. "You do not think much of the duties of a royal knight?" She inquired gently.


@Mmetafour

 

[Mmetafour]

"to be completely honest, they were my father's duties, and his father's, and HIS father's before him....I sometimes wonder if I wanted to be here at all....perhaps I don't know...what I want" He says softly, realizing that he may have said a little too much as the two of them approach the gates. Two guards stand at them, wondering who in the world this badger is.


"I don't remember allowing-" one of them starts.


"Its fine" Tauls interjects "she simply got lost is all, I am escorting her out, no need for alarm"


The two guards look at one another for a moment before opening the gates for them and Tauls leads her right outside "well, thank you for making my day that much more interesting madam Likara Twostripe, perhaps we may meet again someday?" He smiles at her, "Hopefully on THIS side of the gates yes?" he says, giving her a small polite bow.


@SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Likara gave him a look then that was both sympathetic and understanding.


"I know a thing or two about following in shadows." She said quietly, "and nobody I knew was ever happy using tradition as an excuse to follow a path. If you follow something it should be your heart that guides you, not the will of others or their expectations." She stopped herself from saying more. "It seems I should apologize again. It is not my place to give you life council." The look on her face told him that she hoped he would still consider the words.


When the pair reached the gate Likara assumed the role of meek foreigner and nodded at Tauls' excuse for her, stepping to the other side.


She returned his smile broadly as he thanked her.


"I hope we do meet again." She replied, surprised at herself when she found she truly meant it.


"Without my being in danger of arrest, preferably," she added grinning.


Likara returned his bow in her own people's style, clasping her sharp digging claws together and pressing her forehead to them. 


"Farewell until then."


@Mmetafour

 

[Mmetafour]

Tauls nodded at her after her light bow. "Farewell" he returned to the badger, starting to turn, but then realizing that he hadn't given her his name "Oh, I am Tauls by the way, Tauls Cobb" he says "Just in case you see me walking about and want to say hi I suppose" he shrugs, laughing a bit before bowing once more and walking back towards the still opened gates. He passed through them, returning to the path as the guards slowly closed them behind him, making his receding figure only slightly visible through the ornate metal bars.


The dog thought of both his own words and Likara's, his silver armor clinking softly as he walked on the dusty trail. He felt the wind blow against his tail and wagged it slightly as he reflected on what he'd shared. His father had always been so adamant about joining the military. The highest possible honor, according to him, was to become a warrior and defend the people you care about, to be a shield for justice and support what was right. Although Tauls had always been more of a day dreamer, he'd wanted nothing more than to bring that look of honor and happiness to his father's face, and he knew it was possible. His father had already been so proud when he'd joined the army, and again, when he'd graduated to the academy. He looked down at the dust being kicked up by his covered feet, kicking a rock into the grass beside him with a clank of the armor.


He'd never even told Kanteir that maybe, just maybe, this life WASN'T what he wanted. Tauls still shared his father's aspiration for protecting others, and, when he started his training, his dedication to the throne. However now that the king had gone to war, the nation's people were falling ill and disappearing, and the gates of Weisben castle had been sealed to any and all animals, he had begun to wonder if maybe, the king himself didn't share his father's ambition. If the royal guard truly was the right hand of the king, then what would he become staying on this path?


"at it again huh?" a familiar voice woke him from his deep thought. Kanteir stood before him, having stepped onto the dirt path with him. Tauls hadn't realized how far he'd walked while staring at the ground. He was nearly back on the main grounds of the school where the dirt gave way to cobblestone paths leading around patches decorated with baroque shrubbery and flowers, which veered off to the many large buildings. "Did you handle it? wheres the girl? and that mouse?" Kanteir bombarded him.


"Oh...she.." Tauls takes a look back towards the gate, which was now far off "they're gone, the mouse ran away, and I escorted the gir- er....Likara out. Hopefully that's the last we'll hear of all that, I handled it" He finishes, giving his large friend a toothy grin.


Kanteir laughed deeply "yes" he patted Tauls' shoulder "yes you certainly did! and good thing too, I do not wish to be one of those students that has some wicked event hanging over their head for all his time here, let us be done with this" He smiles, starting to walk towards the school as Tauls takes one last glance at the gate, walking behind him. "yes, let us be done"


@SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

"Tauls." She repeated thoughtfully, nodding to herself and turning to go. She had no doubt she would recognize him if she saw him another time, his face was charming enough that it stood out in her mind's eye.
She had only walked a few paces before the familiar weight of solitude settled on her heart. She looked back, but the gates were already swinging closed in her wake. Likara brought her gaze up before her to take in the unfamiliar city; Its sights, sounds and smells were both similar and completely different from her simple mining town and she felt a wave of homesickness catch in her throat, as well as the uncertainty of the daunting tasks she had set herself.
Hardening her resolve again she strode forward with a new determination. She was Likara Twostripe, she would find a way to succeed.
Striding into the bustle of the market the young badger set about finding some of the sweet pastries she had scented during the morning's chase. With three of those in her large paws she took a seat just beyond the stalls and began contemplating her next move.
Squeezing information out of her target's underlings was not going to work, she needed another way if she was ever going to prove that her parents had been indentured illegaly. On the wall across the street she spotted a bounty poster, the face of a grizzled grey terrier sketched in detail above the advertized reward sum. That got her thinking; the underworld was a small place, most skilled criminals were connected, or at least acquainted. That was how it worked in Idyam. If they weren't allies they were enemies and it would only be a matter time before she found someone all too happy to sell her target out. She was willing to bet that hunting the bounties strategically would grab the right attention. That was well and good, but the beasts on those posters would not be easy to take down...she would need more paws. A team then, but where to go about recruiting?
She was halfway through her last pastry when a conversation near her peaked her interest:
"...tonight. The tournament's got some good names in it this year! Bolk is the best hand-to-hand fighter within a hundred miles! I'll be goin' sure as my whiskers!" The pair of cats walked on, leaving Likara grinning with her answer. A tournament, that was sure to attract some decent fighters. Likara devoured the last of her food and made a hasty way back to the inn she was staying at.


@Mmetafour

 

[Mmetafour]

Returning to the dorms that housed the recruits of the royal guard was much easier than Tauls had expected. Not a single animal asked him anything about the situation outside. As he glanced up at his excited partner, he couldn't tell whether Kanteir had said something that had quelled any curiosity or if the students in the decorated halls of the dorms just weren't around at the time. The two of them made it back to their shared room and Tauls immediately began to remove his armor, stripping down to the same simple garb Kanteir had been wearing, nothing more than a tunic and some light leather. "What are you so happy about?" Tauls asked his smirking companion as he placed his armor on the rack beside the bigger, less well kept armor that belonged to the rottweiler.


"you mean you forgot?" Kantier asked, clearly not surprised. He moved to his bed, opening up the small desk next to it and removing a rolled up piece of paper, handing it to Tauls who looked at it and raised an eyebrow. He slowly unrolled the page, examining the contents. 'THE ROYAL ACADEMY'S 13TH ANNUAL HAND TO HAND DUELING TOURNEY' It read in large black letters, sitting above the picture of last years champion Bolk Burnican, the Pug with Power.


"oh right....tonight huh?" Tauls asked, looking up at him. Tauls had never really liked fighting, and preferred to settle any arguments or disputes with speech where possible, probably a side effect of his much smaller stature, or perhaps his silver tongue?


"yes Tag TONIGHT" Kanteir jeered, punching the air several times in front of him "and you're coming"


"ohhh no no no no, I have to-"


"oh yes yes yes" Kanteir gave him a harsh look, putting his hand against Tauls' shoulder "I'm gonna need the moral support, and YOU are going to need to get out of this box" He said, waving his hand around the room "live a little, have some fuuuuun, maybe even meet a cute girl? I saw the way some of the mages looked at you when you were sparing the other day eh?" He patted Taul's shoulder. "you dog" he winked


Tauls rolled his eyes, he may have had a silver tongue, but he knew that there was no way he'd be able to talk himself out of this. He sighed, resigning to his fate. Looks like he'd be attending the annual hand to hand dueling tourney.


@SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

The family of hares that ran 'The Plume and Barrel' were a friendly lot, initially suspicious of Likara for her foreign background but quickly warming up to her pleasant smiles and her unserious demeanor. The daughter, Chel (who had just turned five years) would take every chance to follow the badger about the tavern on the ground floor when she saw her. Likara had spent two weeks there now, hunting the animals she had gathered information on, but her business was not known to the hares; the last thing Likara would allow would be their involvement.


"Likara!" Chel squeaked, running over to the door and pulling it wide for the badger, who was wearing her grin on the other side of it.


"Well! If it isn't my favorite little hare maid in all the tavern!"


Chell giggled, "I'm the only hare maid in the tavern."


"Don't see how that changes things." Likara countered cheekily.


Her father looked up from the accounts he has doing at the back table. "Lands child, what did you do to your eye?" His low, paternal tone made Likara's heart twist. He sounded so much like her own father.


"Oh..um," She tried to think of a lie, but the old hare saved her the disgrace, he got up and fetched healing supplies.


"Chel, see to the cut."


"Yes father."


Likara thought about protesting, but it would be rude to refuse the offered care of her host, she let the young hare clean her wound and apply a sweet-smelling poultice. Her eye was still red, but the old hare examined it and said there would be no lasting damage, and there wasn't a word more about it. 


Afterwards Likara decided to run herself through her paces in the dirt yard out back. It had been a while since she had fought without her axes and she wanted to make sure she put on a good show. No one would join her cause if she couldn't prove she had at least as much skill. Chel went out to watch, bringing a basket of clean sheets with her to put out to dry.


"I want to be a knight." Chel said happily, using a stick to prod the sheets into place on the high line, she was too short to reach it.


"Is that so?" Likara set the first stance of a set, grounding her feet and standing in a half crouch, her body turned sideways, one paw tucked by her side, fist turned up and the other out before her, paw open. 


Keep your center low. Her father had said to her. Your center is close to the earth, the earth is your ally.


"Yes well, my dad doesn't like the idea, he says fighting's for barbarians and drunks."


Likara smiled at the girl's direct and honest words. "He's right." She said simply, then she began to move: She stepped into the next stance like water, her body flowing forward, ending in a sharp snap as the blow came from her tucked paw, lashing out at thin air so it was now the one held up, and her other was tucked back. She ducked and pivoted, blocked and stepped, each movement fluid until the strike. That always came lightning fast, and with a force that was unbelievable.


"So why do you do it?" Chel's voice was small, her eyes wide with wonder. Likara stopped, letting her claws paws fall to her sides.


"Sometimes, violence is thrust on you. You don't get the choice not to fight...that's why we always need good beasts who can."


@Mmetafour

 

[Kayso]

Stella stood up in a dusty chamber, her goggles effectively sparing her eyes the discomfort that was so common in the Great Desert. She had decided to take one small detour on the outskirts of the Canyon of Eden before entering Jjiseam for her monthly trade venture, and it was definitely proving worthwhile. The decrepit walls were not promising, but as this was a very little-traveled area she thought she would take a chance. The walls of the old building looked like they would fall at any minute but she was confident that she would be quick enough if it came to getting out at a moment's notice. Once inside it was obvious that nobody had been here in years, maybe decades. Sand half-filled the single room and there were no paw prints to be seen. She couldn't see much of value in there, but one thing caught her eye: a corner of the room where the sand had drained. She had quickly stepped over to it, brushing aside the soft, pale sand that had settled on the ground when she noticed the cracks in the floorboards surrounding some sort of trap door. She opened it, lit a small torch she carried, and jumped inside, falling on the unsteady pile of sand that broke her fall.


As she stood, she looked around, removing her goggles and letting them rest on her head. A broken rope ladder lay to the side of the sand heap, clearly having been eaten away by years of neglect. Tables lined the wall, which were surprisingly clean and well-kept. This place was not left in a hurry. Beakers and vials lined the top of one of the tables, dusty but otherwise immaculate, not a trace of chemical or fire to be seen. On the table opposite were small compartments that held ingredients of all kinds, still in relatively good condition, and some which had not been seen outside this strange room for quite some time. This would be of great interest to some lucky creature in Jjiseam. But the thing that caught her eye perhaps the most, as she stepped back from collecting the ingredients of the table into her satchel, was on the third and center-most table. A book.


She picked it up carefully, not wanting to damage the pages if they were in an unstable condition. It was heavy, and looked to have been bound by hand. She slowly opened the cover, the anticipation stifling her along with the dust and sand and dank air. The words... they were not in a language she recognized.


Suddenly the sound of trickling sand that had been her only companion in this room grew until it became almost deafening. A gust of wind must have been blowing the sand in the house into the now opened hole in the floor, and with how small this room was, the sand upstairs would easily drown her if she didn't get out soon. Stepping to the very back of the room, she centered herself toward the pile of sand that was steadily growing higher and wider second by second. She ran toward it, keeping her balance as she lightly but quickly stepped over the treacherous pile, jumping as high as she could into the steady stream of falling sand, reaching up and catching the edge of the floor in her free hand. As she hung there, she desperately tried to shove the book into her satchel, the sand leaving her vision blurred, but she managed to succeed and, raising her other hand to the roof above her, pulled herself up among the shifting floor. She ran outside the dilapidated door and was greeted by a sandstorm that whipped her fur into a hurricane around her. Pulling her goggles back over her eyes, she made sure her satchel was sealed and, looking once more at the strange building that seemed to crumble a little as she left, headed out through the sandstorm in the direction of Jjiseam.

 

[Mmetafour]

The afternoon was already beginning, the final rays of today's sunlight streamed in through the window of Tauls' dorm. Any moment now Kanteir would walk through the door and snatch him up from the bed so they could head down to the sparring grounds in the fields. He'd already been outside earlier before he decided to come back to study. The other students had been helping to set up the large arena within which the tournament would be held this year. It was actually quite a step up from last year, due to the fact that there were an over whelming number of attendees last year and the academy hadn't expected the turnout. Tauls turned the page of the book of herbs that he'd been studying for the past hour, looking through to see which plants were poisonous and which were safe to eat. He figured that by studying the different plants it would give him an edge in both botanical testing AND cooking as there were a vast number of spices that had been documented and he'd always enjoyed creating dishes that blew the others out of the water, regardless of the fact that only simple ones were mandatory. He looked up at the door from the page, expecting his friend any minute as his leg bounced almost impatiently, before standing up and stretching a little, patting down his tunic.


Just as he began to pat the door knob twisted and in came Kanteir, beaming and strutting into the room without even closing it behind him. "are you ready Tag?" He asked, his eyes trailing from tag to the book on his bed.


"yeah.." Tauls responded quietly. "Not that I've got much of a choice" He scoffed "I was actually waiting for you"


"well here I am" Kanteir smiled "I've got a surprise for you" He said as a couple of other students walked by their open door. "Something really exciting, I think you're gonna like it" He grinned


"oh?" Tauls smiled nervously, the last time Kanteir had a surprise for him it ended up being a box full of honey comb, which alone would have been magnificent, had he remembered to remove all the bees from the box first. "It doesn't....have wings does it?" He asked, smirking a little.


"no no no, come on, once we get to the arena I'll show you, its almost time for the tournament to start" Kanteir laughed softly, starting to walk towards the door as Tauls reluctantly followed close behind. He closed their door as they exited out into the decorated hall of their dorms, and walked with Kanteir towards the front of their building, into the common room where other soldiers sat and spoke to each other.


There was a large table to the left of the room, surrounded by wooden chairs, with a plant sitting in the center. On the right were some comfortable sofas sitting in front of a fireplace, the wooden floors were old and had carpets decorating the surrounding area as well as a large crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling overhead. The smell of fresh bread was wafting in from the kitchen which could be reached by passing the table on the left and students and teachers alike filled the room. From the way they were talking it was obvious the majority of them were going to attend the tournament, who knew so many animals enjoyed watching other animals beat each other up. Tauls was thankful he had the right mind never to WANT to fight, which, usually, kept him away from things like this. "This is going to be amazing...." Kanteir said under his breath, noticing all the students speaking about the tournament.

 

[SilverFlight]

Likara ate an early supper of root vegetable stew, a pot that the innkeeper had had left over from the night before. He smiled as she downed the food voraciously.


"Nothing at all's gone to waste since you took up lodgings here." He laughed as he prepared the tavern for this evening's guests.


"'There is no greater misconduct in all the world than to waste good food.'...an old badger proverb Madrick." She grinned at him as she pushed the empty bowl aside. "As always I am grateful for your cooking skill, would that I could make anything but boiled potatoes!"


Chel sat grumpily on the steps leading up to the rooms. She had since uncovered that Likara meant to compete in the tournament and was still brooding at her father's refusal to let her watch.


Likara hopped down off the high bar stool (she was short enough that her legs dangled) and crossed the room to the young girl. "Now now, what's this I see? A despairing hare on a stair."


Chel was visibly trying to to smile at the silly rhyme. "You're father's quite right, its enough that I've been ruined by violence for entertainment, there's not need to go spoiling a pretty young kit like you."


"Ardo and Ashton will be there, I bet you a silver." Likara nodded with exasperation at the mention of Chel's rebellious older brothers.


"Aye and if one of them manages to fool the referees he'll have earned the sound beating he'll get." Madrick growled but Likara caught the worry in his voice.


"If I see them I will do my best to send them home." She reassured him. "And as for you," She tapped Chel's nose affectionately. "If I happen upon some sweets at one of the stalls I'll shall fetch them and we can share them together just you and I."


Chel brightened at this and as she wished the badger luck she went back to her chores with a little skip.


The market square just before the gates was buzzing with excitement. Stalls had stayed open past regular hours and the golden light of the setting sun turned their canvas walls to fire. It seems the merchants were taking good advantage of the crowds.


Likara found a stall selling candied fruits and kept her promise to Chel, exchanging a few coins for a small pouch of them.


She hadn't known the tournament would be held at the academy and her thoughts went to that morning and her encounter with the two dogs. "I wonder if they are close by?" She mused. She knew next to nothing about Tauls, but she had the feeling this type of event was not particularly his fare.


The registration desk was off to the side of several dirt arenas. One central ring was elevated on a platform so the spectators could better see the fights.


"There is a strict no weapon policy beyond this point," said the straight-backed academy dog behind the desk, a Labrador with light gold fur. "We'll keep them for you here."


Likara wrote her name and then passed over her belt, axes and all before stepping beyond the gate. It seems anyone entering the tourney from the city side was not permitted to keep their weapons. A good thing.


"Here legally now." She said to herself with a smile and walked onto the grounds. She took a moment standing off to the side to appreciate the elegant architecture of the buildings and the well-kept gardens.


@Mmetafour

 

[Mmetafour]

As the two of them made their way out of the dorms and into the fresh late afternoon breeze they continued to notice all the other animals talking about the upcoming tournament. Usually there was something fun happening on campus in one way or another, be it some sort of magic competition or even a cooking contest, but nothing else compared to the turn out for the annual hand to hand dueling tourney. Tauls followed next to Kanteir as the two of them were led by the cobblestone path towards the western field. It was immediately obvious to Tauls how much more effort had gone into the event this year. The path leading to the field was decorated much more lavishly this time. Balloons floated on trees and lamp posts and the scent of whatever was being prepared for the fans of the tournament was wafting towards them. Fried insects and sweet fruits, creams of all flavors and textures, with his sensitive nose Tauls could smell almost every one individually, even from here. The sun was reaching the point where it would soon go down and the lamps had been lit, most likely by practicing mages who'd simply called fire to rest inside the glass cases.


"Can you smell it Tauls?" Kanteir smiled "All that amazing food...mmmmhhhh. If I don't win tonight at least I can feast like a victor no?" He said, walking slightly ahead as they passed a couple of guards who, to their dismay, had probably been put on the first shift of duty for the night, they would no doubt miss the first few rounds of the tournament while they had to patrol.


Tauls, despite not wanting to go to the tournament, still couldn't argue about the food. He was looking forward to being able to eat as much as he wanted, or at least as much as was within reason, he wasn't the richest of the students.


As the two of them got closer, the growing crowd got louder and chatter about the competitors flew every which way. Voices mixed together and words involving food and bets flew about the field as the animals began to converge from the city and the academy to the large area they'd prepared to host the event. There were stalls of all sorts set up among the grass and the trees. Bards played music as vendors sold all sorts of foods and colorful objects to men, women and children alike.


They let children attend this event? Tauls thought to himself, wondering why any parent would want their child to witness such a brutal pass time. As he continued to walk absentmindedly he felt a bump against his side and looked down confused.


"Oh! I'm so sorry mister!" Came a small voice. Tauls looked down to see a small brown bunny standing near his side. The boy's nose was twitching, it must've been what hit him in the side. He looked up at Tauls with a mix of horror and excitement on his face and Tauls smiled at him. He had his long brown ears tied in a knot, resting behind his back and a small wooden sword in his hand as he stared up at Tauls.


"don't worry little one, you're quite alright" He responded, smiling "is your nose okay?"


"Wow! y-yeah! Are you a REAL knight mister?!" The boy's excitment spilled over as he realized he was off the hook. Suddenly another bunny, not much older than the one next to Tauls grabbed the brown bunny's hand, looking up at both Tauls and Kanteir, but speaking to what must've been his brother, considering how similar they looked.


"Ardo come ON, or were gonna miss the opening ceremonies!" The bunny said, dragging his starstruck brother off before Tauls got the chance to answer his question. Kanteir looked at him and laughed softly, shaking his head. "Do you remember being that young?" he asked


"That was a long time ago Kanteir...." Tauls smiled, turning back to his friend

 

[Kayso]

Jjiseam was one of Stella's favorite cities. True, she hadn't been many places outside of Ceil, but compared to the quieter, cooler cities on the coast, Jiseam was noisy and hot and brilliant and Stella loved it. There was so much more to do, so many more creatures to observe, and so many more books to read. Ceil was known for its educational resources, and Stella took advantage of them every time she could. Whenever she came to trade goods and stock up on supplies, she stole a few precious moments in a library where she could keep her mind sharp, as opposed to the trade markets, where she perhaps kept her tongue sharper.


She had just made a decent profit on the antique alchemy ingredients she found at the old house in the desert, and was looking forward to a little leisure time. Making her way to her favorite library, she scampered up the large stone steps that poured out of its entrance. Once inside, she made her way to the language section and, after taking a few tomes off a select shelf, found a quiet corner to sit. The dimly-lit library got darker and darker as Stella sat, searching the books for the characters found in her mysterious book, until an elderly fellow came by, lighting the lamps on the tables for the readers.


"Thank you." Stella remarked as the old field mouse scurried away. Just then, when the light had begun to illuminate the pages in front of her, Stella noticed she wasn't alone. Not far away, at the next table, was a young caracal who did not hide the fact that he was staring. Stella stared back, a slight look of irritation showing plainly.


"Can I help you with something?" She asked after a few uncomfortable moments.


"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare."


"Well, you kind of fell on the opposite side of unintentional." She replied, unamused.


"Yes. Well. I cannot argue with that." He nervously chuckled. "I was just admiring your book. I apologize, but may I ask where you got it?"


"You may ask, but I may not answer. In fact, I'd rather keep that to myself, if you don't mind."


"Of course, of course. But..." He walked over to her table. "May I?" He gestured toward the open pages. Stella pulled the book closer to her, looking up at him with defiance.


"I assure you, I have no intention of taking it from you. It's just... I was wondering if I could see what it says."


Excitement suddenly rose in Stella's voice. "You can read this?" She asked.


"I can." The stranger replied. "Though I haven't seen this language written in a long time."

 

[SilverFlight]

Likara took in the fantastic sights and sounds. There seemed to be a relative air of excitement and good cheer carried by everyone, she could feel it slowly creeping into her until a small grin broke onto her face. She could barely remember the last time she had attended a gathering like this.


It wasn't long before a familiar voice caught her ear, apologizing loudly for bumping into a stranger. She stepped around a group of squires and her eyes fell upon little Ardo and two more familiar faces. Likara's expression brightened as she watched the exchange, waiting for the two hare brothers to move off, though keeping an eye on where they were headed.


"Well! My new friend Sir Not-Quite-a-Knight." Her tone was playful, not mocking and her warm gaze told them she was glad to see them.


"Good evening master Tauls, master Rottweiler." She bowed to Kanteir also and waited for him to offer his name. "Are you here to compete, or to keep vagabonds like me from getting carried away?" She winked.


Out of the corner of her eye she watched Ashton carefully approach the registration booth, Ardo hanging back, paws up to his mouth in anticipation.


Likara sighed. "Well, its seems my first opponent of the night is the foolishness of young boys, one moment gentlemen." 


She closed the short distance back to the booth and heard Ashton's smooth lies. He was a little too good at that Likara thought.


"Don't let this one pull the wool, he's hardly fifteen, not old enough to compete by far."


The young hare spun, staring at her with angered disbelief. "What business is it of yours badger?" His tone was flooding with youthful defiance and Likara stifled a smile. 


"Your father's business Ashton, you hate me now, that's fine, but go home and help your sister. Your family's worried about you."


The young hare made no move, only glared daggers at Likara. Her eyes flitted quickly to Ardo, who she knew practically worshiped his older brother.


She had to turn them back home, one way or the other.


@Mmetafour