Fireside Stories

[greywalker13]

As the clearing came into view, Candor was struck dumb. The brook they had followed stemmed from a small pool fed by a tiny waterfall, which cast flecks of gold in the setting sun's light. Near the edge of the pool were the remnants of an old fire, likely less than a few days old. This was a place of peace, such a rare thing in the wilds.

Where there’s fire, there are people. This looks somewhat recent, although I can’t tell how often this place is frequented. Still, somewhere like this is rare, and likely well known.

Motioning for Altruism and Mercy to follow, Candor began to set up camp. With the abundance of dry wood that had fallen due to the cold, it took little time to create a fire on the remains of the old one, and a merry blaze was going by the time night was falling.

The trio of new immortals gathered around the fire, and Candor spoke.

“We seem to have some time before night falls. Anyone know a good story?”

[tyr]

Altruism followed Candor at a bit of a distance as they stumbled upon the clearing. He wanted to be able to trust Candor, and he thought that Candor wanted to trust him, but that didn't make them instant friends. He trailed back, because that way, he could see Candor's every move, but he wouldn't be making him overly nervous. He wasn't close enough to do anything to him.

He would appear to know his way around in a forest, I'll give him that. He took the lead awful quick. Just as well. I'm no leader, Altruism thought. He had always known that he was a man in shadow. He stood at the sidelines, behind the scenes, hidden from view. He was a weapon, a tool. He was no leader.

As they emerged from the foliage into a clearing, he could hear the crashing of the waterfall. While not his first choice of camp because of the noise, he supposed that where open ground and fire building capabilities were concerned, it was fine. If he were on his own, he likely would have slept in the forest, perhaps up a tree, if he could find one with wide enough branches. Lacking that, and having companions, he would sleep where they slept.

The sky had barely darkened, but the air was beginning to become rather chill. He doubted they would find another campsite before nightfall. Candor certainly seemed to think that it was a good place. As Candor set to starting up a fire, Altruism took a quick look around the camp, to be certain that they would not have any unknown company. He found that the fire pit was several days cold, and the frosted ground was virtually untouched. Deeming it safe, he headed back to the fire, which Candor had roaring by the time he returned.

Sitting down, he warmed his hands. It had been an easy day, and his strength was obviously returning quickly, so he wasn't tired yet. He didn't want to sleep yet, but luckily, it would appear that he was not alone.

"Story? You mean, from when we were... less dead? Or like a fairy tale? I don't have many of anything, friend. Not a lot of stories. Maybe you should go first." Altruism didn't know what kind of a story Candor wanted. He cocked his head sideways, confused. Maybe I'll tell them about Hallow. That's a story. A good story. It's even a happy story... By my standards. No matter. Candor can go first, or maybe Mercy. I'll just do what they do.


OOC: I'm gonna go ahead and take this post. Thought I'd switch up the order a bit.

[Tetris]

occ// that's okay I don't ming if you guys 'go out of order' or anything haha
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Mercy looked around, trying to find something that would jog her memory for a story; any story but she came us completely blank. She looked over to candor, about to tell him to share his story when her summon, Ethedus spoke.

Well I might have a story, about when I was younger and not yet a summon.

"I was born on a farm north of Indafell, many years before any of you were.All of my siblings looked like regular spotted rabbits. Some of them had grey spots, some brown spots and only one was . I, on the other hand had no spots or markings, whatsoever. I was pure white and if that wasn't enough, I was the smallest of the litter; the runt. Now of course all my brothers and sisters loved to make fun of me, because I was the odd one out. There were rumors of another bunny like me, but black, but I was also born last and had never seen any black brother. But that's beside the point."

"My mother always tried her best to make me feel better. She'd give me first pick at the sleeping quarters and sometimes she'd give me extra carrots when none of the others were looking. However I still had to face the ridicule from my siblings as I grew up. Finally, fed up with being an outcast, I decided to leave my overly large family."

"I hopped many miles until I found a small village. I decided to stay in the wall of a bakery and there I loved for many months. During these months, I managed to meet many other small rodents like me. They too needed somewhere to stay and, partly because I was lonely, partly because I wanted to help others. I let them stay with me. Some were sick, so I nursed them back to health, some were scared, so I helped them face their fears, and some, like me were merely seeking company, which I gladly provided."

"I was happier than I'd ever been. However, all things must come to an end. One day, as I was searching in the rubbish inside the kitchen, the head baker saw me. He chased me all around the place until I finally scurried into a hole in the wall that lead to my 'home'. I quickly warned my new family to flee, for I knew the baker would come back to get rid of us all. Most of them left right away, but one sick mouse couldn't get away before the baker came back. He'd brought a cat and an owl with him, hoping that the cat would scare us out, and his pet owl could get a little snack in."

"The others were long gone, and as far as I know, made it away safely. I knew that the mouse probably wouldn't make it, so I made decision to risk my life for his. I sprinted out of the hole. Now, by then I'd grown to be a rather large rabbit and caught the attention of both the cat and the owl. They followed me in an intense chase around the bakery and eventually into town. Near the edge of town, the owl had gained on me (the cat had ran out of energy a long time ago). I had reached the extent of my energy and was about to give up. The owl's talons touched my hindquarters, and I felt a tingle on my sides. "

"Suddenly the owl jerked to the left and tumbled on the ground. I felt myself being picked up but gentle hands. Looking over to the owl, I could see it was shaken, but not too hurt. It's eyes showed fear and it hurriedly flew back in the direction of the bakery. I turned to my rescuer, hoping that she didn't have an equally horrible fate for me."

" 'it's okay, Ethedus, I'm here to help'" She seemed genuine and I instantly loved her. I was to awestruck to wonder how she knew my name.
'look, it seems that you have gained something.' She put me down beside a small creek. looking at my reflection I gasped. There were forty-three small black spots running from the spot the owl had touched me all the way up my body. I had saved 86 different rodents that had been living with me.
'You are a very special rabbit, Ethedus. Those are a gift for making the ultimate sacrifice.'
I looked up, bewildered. but I hadn't exactly diedyet.
'...well you would have, had I not saved you. Because of that, I would like to employ you into my service. You do not have to accept, but I can guarantee that there will be more gifts if you do decide to join.'
Ethedus looked away from the crackling fire. His eyes were wise and knowledgeable.

"...and that was how I truly became a spotted rabbit."

[greywalker13]

For perhaps the first time since leaving his house, Candor felt at home. A clearing in a forest would provide a clear view to any night predators, whereas sleeping in the thick of the forest left one open for ambush. The accompaniment of Altruism and Mercy served to reinforce his security. They meant no harm to him at this time, and it was unlikely they'd find reason to soon.

Candor relaxed beside the fire as Ethedus told his tale. His eyes narrowed when Ethedus’ story began, but shifted to interest as the rabbit continued.

In the tree above, Vi’Lana ruffled her feathers at the mention of the owl, but closed her eyes in quiet sympathy. To fall at the hands of an owl, only to meet another soon after...truly, he should be proud to have held his temper under these circumstances.

Candor closed his eyes and lowered his head at the end of the tale.

“A wonderful story. I am quite impressed, Ethedus. You have my respect.”

He then addressed Altruism, “It doesn’t need to be a memory. Any story will do. I know both yourself and Mercy have limited knowledge of your lives before this. I have been looking back myself, but my memories grow dim as well. I do, however, remember an old tale, which I think was told to me by a traveling merchant. It’s interesting, as the story itself has a black hare in it. Whether the story is true or not, I don’t know for sure, but it was a good tale.”

Candor turned his eyes back to the fire, and began.

“Once there was a small village. They are not terribly uncommon in the North, but the tale concerning this village falls under the category of strange. It was told to me by a traveling merchant, whom had heard of it in a tavern, spoken by a young man who had ran in as though demons stalked him. He screamed of terrors in the woods and was of such strength that it took 5 men to subdue him.

Once he had calmed down sufficiently and had a pint of ale in his system, he told his tale to the tavern-goers in hushed tones, his terror infectious and gripping the attention of the entire room.

‘It began 4 nights ago, when a black hare entered the town. The gate was locked, so no one knew how it had entered. It was not timid as hares often are, and freely roamed the square. Not having seen a black hare before, we took this as an omen and prepared for the worst. When the dawn came, the hare was no longer outside, but the footprints were everywhere, so we knew it to be no dream.

We held a meeting in the main hall. Tonight we would keep watch should the hare return, and force it away from the village. I and two others volunteered. Our shaman told us that we should not touch it, as it was likely the familiar of a demon, and its death would invoke the demon’s wrath upon us. To this end, we dulled the arrows and sought to capture the hare, and force it to tell us its secrets. I kept watch on the town wall as the others lay in wait.

After the sun had set, the hare appeared on the forest edge and began to dart towards the town. I motioned to my comrades that the hare was upon us, and they drew there bows taught. The hare did not stop to burrow beneath the gate, as we had expected, but instead leapt over the wall in a swift jump and landed silent as a feather. So surprised were we that my comrades delayed in firing, and the hare dodged to the side.

Thereafter began a chase for the ages. Through the town we chased the hare, which seemed to disappear and move around beyond the norm. At one point my comrades and I were chasing it across rooftops, which it cleared with surprising ease. Every time we seemed to chase it to a corner where it could not escape, it would appear behind us and dart back and forth mockingly. Then the chase would resume.

By then the sun was fast approaching, so I called my comrades together. They would chase the hare to the front of the town, and when it leapt over the wall to escape, I would catch it as it landed on the other side. In agreement, I left for the outside of the town, and as the sun began to rise, the hare darted to the center square and was chased by my comrades over the wall.

It seemed stunned when I caught it, and when I demanded it share its secrets, it whispered to me without words:

“You should have just let me have my fun. When I return here tomorrow night, it shall be you and your kin who shall run till the end of days.”

Fearful of this omen, I sought to prevent it by snapping the hare’s neck. Within my hands, however, it faded from existence, only to reappear at my feet. So stunned was I that it was able to flee to the forest before I recovered my senses.

The council that day was tense. It was decided that as I had angered the hare, I must face its punishment away from the village. I bade goodbye to my family, and armed with a bow and knife, waited outside the village gate, and prepared for the third night to fall.

As the last rays of the sun faded, the hare appeared on the forest’s edge and made for the gate. I loosed my arrow, but the hare dodged and continued forward. I yelled a battle cry and charged the hare, which turned and fled to the woods. For hours the game of hunter and prey continued, with the hare never leaving my sight, but never losing any speed. I was determined to chase it until it returned to its master, so I might end this nightmare.

As the dawn neared, the hare suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. Suddenly feeling the eyes of many creatures upon me, I froze. Glittering eyes shone from the woods, and all manner of beast seemed to converge upon me. The hare turned and seemed to grin.

“Playtime’s over. Run home, little boy.”

I immediately fled, not daring to look back and see what manner of demon nipped at my heels. As the forest thinned, I ran for the sunlight, expecting the sight of my village to end the nightmare.
If anything, the nightmare worsened. Screams reached my ears as the village neared. The gate lay wide open, blasted in by an unknown force. Strange figures stalked the town, dragging people from their homes and butchering them as they screamed. My former comrades, the strongest in the village, were lying dead in the town square, as a young woman in the square stood laughing, reveling in the slaughter. She seemed to call the heavens down upon us, and lightning fell from the sky, igniting the houses, and the occupants within. The fire spread with a purpose, soon engulfing the whole town. I had collapsed near the front gate, my legs having lost their strength.

It was then that the hare came up to me, and spoke once more.

“See them run! See them run! Oh, what fun! You should run to. Cause if you don’t we’re going to get you!”

The hare then retreated to the forest, where the endless eyes remained.

What else could I do? I ran.’

They say the stranger left town with the dawn, pausing at the gate to check the snow, then fleeing south, perhaps hoping to lose the winter demons in the warmer climate. No one knows what became of him after, but the merchant swears he saw a black hare at the village gate at sundown; which sniffed the air once and left in the same direction as the man.”

Candor fell silent as his story ended, then looked at the Summons and Virtues sitting around the fire.

“That’s as accurately as I can remember it.”


Ooc: Kinda spooky, but I had this story written up two days ago. Weird.

[tyr]

Ethedus's story drew to a close, and Altruism's eyes glinted with interest. There was something deeper in that story, he could feel it, but as he examined it, he couldn't pick out what it was. Putting it aside for speculation later, he listened to Candor.

Altruism shivered as Candor finished. It wasn't the cold, and it wasn't out of fear, but there had been something unnatural about Candor's narrative. His voice had taken on a whole new timbre, different from his usual one. It had felt like they were there.

"Stories both, that I cannot match. My memory, being faint, I don't remember even the stories that I was told as a child. The ones a mother tells her child to make them behave, or to make them sleep... I have nothing of such. My memory is fading in and out. Something that I remember at one moment is gone the next, and things that I cannot remember come back in snatches and glimpses. I fear that any story I told would be riddled with gaps, but I have an idea..."

He reached out for Tobor, his mind feeling for her. Will you correct me if I make any mistakes, Tobor? Tobor flew from a nearby tree to land near his feet. I will, came her simple reply.

"I was born in a country that I presume is far away. I don't remember what it is called, but I don't believe that it is important. The capital city... is surrounded by small villages." He faltered as he came to memories that were difficult for him to remember. "I... lived in one of the villages with my Mama and my Papa. We didn't always get enough food, we were peasants, but it wasn't a bad life. We got what we could when we could get it. It was just enough, and sometimes less than enough, but I was happy.

"I remember... Papa sent me out to gather in the sheep for the night. I was... seven years old. An older boy came with me. When we got back, the entire village was on fire. The sheep bolted, but I couldn't do anything but stare." Altruism hugged his knees to his chest unconsciously. The story was coming easier now, and he didn't even think to stop or pause. "I went back once the flames died down. Nobody survived. Mama and Papa... I had to forget them. It was all survival.

"The older boy was in the same position I was in. We knew that there wasn't anything left for us there, so we moved on, and into the capital. Big city, there had to be something. Only, there wasn't. There was nothing for two young boys, except perhaps to be sold to a brothel, but we managed to avoid that. We lived on the streets, and ate less often than when we'd been poor.

"The older boy... He went to steal some fruit one day from a stall where the owner didn't seem to be paying much attention. Turns out, the owner didn't need to pay attention, his guard did. He just stuck his knife out, like this," he said, pulling his own knife out and moving it in a hooking motion. He replaced it in its sheath, but kept a hand on the hilt. "Took him in the gut. Right in the middle of the street, entrails, hanging from his belly. And they left him there. The only people that paid him any attention were people that had to step over him, and if they bothered to kick him out of the way, it was more attention than most gave him. He lived for a few hours after that, but then he died.

"I was angry. My immature mind didn't understand what kind of a world would... allow any of this. I thought that it had to be the King's fault. I was going to break into the castle. I wasn't sure what I would do once I got in, but that part of the plan would happen when I got there.

"I climbed the wall when the guard wasn't looking. It wasn't very high. I jumped onto the other side, but when I got there, I was surprised. There was a little boy there, playing with wooden horses. I'll never forget that, no matter what else I forget. He was five years old at the time. He had big blue eyes and pure blond hair. I... told him that I was there to play. I didn't realize until later that that had been the perfect thing to say to him. He was lonely.

"His name was Hallow, and he was heir to the throne. He may even be king now. His father... was not in the best of health. I can't remember, but I think that the old king died..." He trailed off. He did. Word arrived in the monasteries. You were disappointed that you couldn't go to Hallow's coronation. Tobor spoke so that everybody could hear.

"So Hallow is king. I can only imagine that he would be a good one." He began stroking one of his knives. It was a nervous habit. "Hallow took me to his father, and to cut to the point, his father let him keep me. As easy as that. Peasants were like dogs or horses to him. He had just told his son that he could have a pet.

"Hallow didn't see it that way though, which is why I didn't mind. He treated me as his best friend, and I suppose that I was. No other nobles had sons his age, and the city councils were always at odds with the king, so their children were never allowed to be together. He was a lonely little boy.

"He gave me my life back, really. I would have died quickly on the streets, and I knew it. In the palace, I never had to go without food. I was safe, and warm. Hallow and I were very close. I had my own room in the servant's quarters, but I usually just slept on a pallet on Hallow's floor, or even in his bed if it was cold.

"He was always very fair, and kind. I miss him, I will always miss him. He gave me the life that I had abandoned. When you do that for a person... When you save a person like that, the intensity of that gesture, is never wasted. Desperation like that, certain failure, death... And when that is defied, the person who has been rescued becomes devoted to the person that gave them their life. Nothing can pay that back.

"I loved Hallow, as a god. He granted my life, is that not what a god does? I served him loyally. I was his most trusted friend. He trusted me with his life many times, and I would have risked mine for him many times over. I was with him until the age of fourteen, but he was ripped away from me. Or I was ripped from him.

The priest came to court from the monasteries. They were very far away, but that's all I remember. He was looking for the boys who could train in the monasteries. I kept thinking, 'Let it not be Hallow, please not Hallow.' I guess I forgot myself." He gave a rueful grin. "The priest said that I was special. He took me away. That was the last time that I saw Hallow. I told him that I would come back to him. I wonder if I ever will.

"The monasteries took boys of many ages, but the priest said that I was special. Every seven years of my life, a change occurred. At seven years old, my village was obliterated, I live with Hallow. At fourteen, I was forced to leave Hallow for my training. At twenty-one, my training was to be complete.

"It was complete. They told me that I had to drink the poison. It was supposed to... split my spirit, and bring about a change. They said that my spirit would get cut in half basically, and half of it would die. The other half would stay in my body. Either I am the half of the spirit that died, or I am my entire spirit, and I'm damaged. I hope that I am not all there is. I want at least one of me to meet Hallow again...

"I can never go back. I, being Altruism, can never return to him, but a devotion this strong, cannot just dissipate. I suppose that I know exactly why I'm Altruism. The devotion has to go somewhere, and it'll go to my friends. I exist for others." He looked up at Candor and gave a wan smile. "If you don't understand my ways now, friend. You never will. I've laid my soul bare. What's left of it..." He trailed off, parched and tired. His eyes looked forward, but saw nothing. I've given them my everything. I've made my choice. I want to trust...


OOC: Long posts in here! Phew! Sorry about that ^ . He's kind of a downer, but that was the best way I could think of to tell his story, and I wanted to tell his story so you could see what kind of person he is. We're supposed to be bonding!

[Tetris]

OCC//Sorry for taking so long, lol busy weekend(s). Should we continue with more stories? I love all of 'em so far
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Mercy was captivated by Ethedeus' story. She had no idea that her summon had such a dauntless past. She suspected there was more to his story though. Intuitively, Mercy knew that Eth's had many more stories about his history. She wondered if he'd share all the rest of them, maybe not now, but in the future. She also suspected that Eth knew much more about her own past. However, this didn't seem to bother her; she herself, wasn't quite sure she was ready to talk about any time soon.

Mercy loved Candor's story too. I made her delightfully scared. She wondered if it was in fact, truth. She figured that if it was possible for her to come back from the dead , it may have some truth. She noticed that in Eth's story, the antagonist was an owl; relating to Vi’Lana and in Candor's story the antagonist was a hare; which in turn, related to Ethedus. She smiled at this subtle coincidence.

When Mercy heard Altruism's story, her eyes darkened with sympathy. It was as if in her former life, she too had been in a situation like his, and had been separated from someone she cared about. She couldn't recall anything, of course. She hoped with all her heart that Altruism would be able to meet Hallow again, or at least find out about him.

When Altruism spoke, she realized just how lucky she was to meet such great people in this new world of hers. She knew she loved Altruism and trusted him completely, despite only knowing him for a few days. She also greatly liked Candor and decided that he too was worth trusting. This realization made her shed a tear of happiness and hope.

Mercy discretely yawned and withdrew her gaze from the fire.
"You all are remarkable story tellers. I have to say. Shall we continue our tales or is anyone tired?"

[greywalker13]

Once Altruism had finished, Candor closed his eyes and bowed deeply. Altruism’s eyes had shown nothing but truth, and desire to release the burden of his past. He seemed very old once the story had finished, much older than he appeared. To lose one’s life so early, only to be saved by the kindness of another... I can see why he would place the lives of others before his own.

“I believe I do understand now, Altruism. Thank you. I hope you succeed in your reunion with Hallow, and I am glad that you would trust me with this.”

Mercy diverted his attention from Altruism with her question, causing Candor to pause.

“I have another story. It may not be my story anymore, as the one who experienced it is dead, but they are my clearest memories, and I feel you should know them before I forget.”

Candor placed some more wood on the fire, and looked into it as he began to speak, as though expecting to see the story projected in the flames.

“I was once known as Darvos. As far back as I can remember, I lived in the North Lands with my father. We made our living by fishing on the frozen sea, hunting in the forest and trading with merchant caravans that stopped by on their way to settlements further north. To survive each day was a struggle. It was too easy to slip and fall beneath the ice, or to lose in a fight for a kill with the wolves and wildcats. My father told me that this was the true face of the world, and that it was the same no matter where one lived. I took this as literal truth, and did not press further.

The merchants that traded with us did not understand us, and thought us strange. Many times I was asked why I did not live further south in the city. They brought back tales of excitement and power, of beings who lived forever and bent the very elements to their will. They spoke of times of the year when the snow melted and gave way to seas of green, sometimes never truly disappearing as one travelled further south. It was a veritable paradise they described, one which I began to long for. It was this wonder of the unknown that eventually caused my departure, and my death.

I spent more and more time staring out at the sea to the south, wondering what was out there, and if the tales were true. After the days had begun to lengthen once again, I asked my father about these tales. I wanted to find these strange lands, see these wondrous people, and see the world when it was not covered in the white of snow.

My father was slow to answer. He thought for a long time, then spoke.

‘My son, there are many things you have to learn about the world. Here you are protected from many of them, and it leaves you ill prepared for the world beyond. For this, I must ask you to forgive me. There are lands to the south where the snow does not last forever, and living each day does not require you to fight to the death with a lynx. However, it is not the paradise you dream of. The world does not let one live without sacrifice, though the penalty may change. Here, the world shows this every day. We fight because we must. We kill because we must. We do not give without gain we can see, for we have no use for what can be gained otherwise. This is our sacrifice. It is perhaps one of the highest prices, but our dues are paid, and we need not carry Hearts of Ice to pay for the rest.’

I had heard of Hearts of Ice before. It was a condition where one froze their hearts and felt no emotion. No joy, no sorrow. They locked themselves away from the world, ceasing to exist in all but the physical sense. To live from day to day with no reason but to live. A hollow, empty existence. My father saw the confusion in my eyes, and explained further.

‘The Hearts of Ice you are familiar with belong to those who cannot pay their price. The world demands payment from them all at once, and those that are not strong enough to bear their burden have their hearts consumed by the ice, and become the ones you know.

Hearts of ice themselves are different. Here, the world does not hide its face, and we do not hide from it. We are honest to one another. In other places, this is not so. There people and animals still exist on at the cost of one another, but they lie to the world. They believe that they do not need to take from others to live, and that others should not have to take from them. Deception is the trademark of those possessing Hearts of Ice. In those places, you must create this lie that you would not take from others to live, and others tell you that they will not take from you.

It is a false truth, and trust not earned. To live, one needs to gain from another. To eat means another goes hungry. To hunt means an animal dies. Once cannot live without causing harm to others. When we trade, we know that we trade not the meat or the pelt, but the life of the animal that we took it from and what we take in exchange is bought at that price. When a bandit comes to steal from us, we know that we must kill them to live. Their life for ours. To say that one or the other deserved to survive is folly. The strong live and the weak die. This is the way of the world, and nothing will change it. Beyond here the weak will beat the strong, defying the laws of the world, and the ice on their heart will grow. This is done through lies and deception, which is useless here.’

My father had become increasingly angry as he had continued, and the forest itself seemed to shudder in fear. Once he had finished, he grew silent and remorseful. At last, he spoke once more.

‘I could not live in that world. That world and the people within it broke something within me, and I could no longer bear a Heart of Ice. Thus I came to live here, where Hearts of Ice melt before the harshness of the world. If you wish to see the South Lands, you must not forget that the law of world has not changed, merely how it manifests.’

I departed the next morning, armed with my knife and bow. I was both fearful and excited about this new world, and wanted to see beyond what I knew. I felt as though the world lay before me, both as an opportunity and a challenge. I slept where I could, and hunted for food. It was no more difficult than life at home, and the world seemed no less honest. I had not seen other people, or a trace of land without snow, and I began to forget my father’s warning. Two weeks after I left my home, I saw smoke rising from a clearing in the forest. Excited to meet new people, I ran forwards without thinking, and almost entered their camp before I saw who they were.

They were both more and less than human, if that makes any sense. There were perhaps three or four of them, but they seemed...powerful. Powerful and dangerous. They walked with utmost confidence, as though they felt no fear for what lay in the woods. Their skin was pale, their eyes dark. I felt an unspeakable fear, and decided to leave at once and never look back.

I never had the chance. As I turned to flee, a great wolf emerged from the trees ahead, taller than any man, with eyes that pierced the soul. Fire licked at its paws, melting the snow and scorching the ground beneath. I stood frozen, unable to even scream, when I heard a voice from above.

“Why the rush, little man? You don’t need to run. Stay a while. Rest.”

The voice was soothing, and invited me to sleep. It felt strange that I could feel this with a demon wolf staring at me, but the voice... made me sleepy. I must have fallen asleep, for I next remember waking on a patch of scorched ground near the camp’s fire, with the dark people standing over me. I tried to move, only to discover that my coat and boots had been taken, and i had been securely bound hand and foot. Two dark ones had their backs to me, and seemed to be discussing my fate. The shortest of them had a voice identical to the one that had told me to rest, the other two were unknown. The great wolf was nowhere to be seen.

‘He looks nice, for a human.’

‘Looks fit, too. Could make for a bit of sport.’

‘Nice try, Malice. It took a lot to get him all tuckered out, and I’m not going to risk losing him just because you’re bored’

‘It’s not like you’re going to do anything special with him. Let me have my fun, then you can have yours. Seems a waste to just kill someone this rare, anyways. All we’ve had for the past few days are wealthy turds who couldn’t fight worth spit.’

At this point I was desperately trying to wriggle free, and the short one spotted me.

‘Stay’

At that word, my entire body froze and I became unable to move an inch. The short man walked up and looked at me as a child would a new toy.

‘Look kid, I’ll make a deal with you. Malice has been itching to race for a while now, and so far we’ve had no one fast enough to beat him. You seem fast, so here’s what we’ll do: You race Malice to the dead tree at the edge of the clearing and back. You win, and we’ll give you back your stuff and send you on your way, no questions asked. You lose, and we kill you, because we’re bored too. Refuse, and we kill you anyway. Take your pick. Oh, and you’ll be doing this barefoot, so don’t think about running away.’

‘I’ll race.’

I took my place beside Malice, and when the short one yelled “GO!”, I ran faster than I could have imagined. However, Malice was swift as well and easily kept pace. We approached the tree, and he began to slow to turn around. I took this opportunity to get the jump on him, and reached out with my arm. It wrapped around the tree and I swung around, maintaining my speed and outpacing Malice. He had almost caught up by the time I reached the fire, but I won by a hair, and I almost collapsed from the relief. I stood hunched over, and the short man began to applaud.

‘Quite a show! Quite a show! Never see someone beat Malice in a race before! Quite a show indeed! Now there’s just one thing you should know before we let you go.’

He looked me in the eyes, spouting a grin wider than I thought possible, and spoke once more.

‘I lied.’

I saw a flash of silver, felt a shooting pain in my heart, and then the world went black.”

Candor removed his gaze from the fire, and looked at his two companions.

“And that’s how Darvos died.”


Ooc: Sorry for the delay, had no internet over the weekend.

[tyr]

As Candor told his story, Altruism lay his head on his arms. He idly extended a finger towards Tobor, who nuzzled it affectionately. Smiling but spent, he listened.

Candor's story was at least as painful as his own. He could well imagine being thrust into a new world only to have it crash down and end. When Candor looked up and his narrative ended, Altruism could only stare. Eventually he found his voice enough to murmur, "Thank you..."

He could only guess as to whether Candor could tell nothing but truth, but it seemed likely, and he had no real reason to lie about this. Altruism found this the most piercing fact of all. So he will trust us with this too. I can't find it in me to rebuke him, not after that. I suppose... That this is the makings of a friendship, or at least camaraderie. I'm lucky... Very lucky, that I met such wonderful people here.

I don't yet know where I am, or where I'm going. I don't know what will happen next, or if whoever I meet next will try to kill me. I know nothing, but I am glad that I have met these people, and had such a good beginning. There's a lot I still need to learn, but we all need to learn those things, and maybe I won't be so... Alone. It's... Nice.

He cleared his throat, and in a tired voice, he announced, "I think that I may have a story. We need something to lighten the mood a little. I seem to have killed it, haven't I? Then I suppose that Candor buried it... No offense meant at all, my friend. I'm just generally abrasive like that." He gave a slightly crooked smile. He hurried on. "I still don't remember much, but when I was still in the monasteries... Well, we weren't serious all the time. We were all pretty young, except for the priests. I used to think that they must all be a hundred years old." He chuckled a little. Most of the priests hadn't been much over thirty.

"I was one of the older boys there. They didn't like to take anyone much older than 14, since they said our minds weren't... Malleable enough, I think was the word they used. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. Most of the younger boys looked up to me, and the priests said I was special. It was that weird seven rule, I suppose.

"I was pretty good in the lessons, but there was one boy who was just as good as I was. We weren't really evenly matched, I was a good deal older than he was, and every now and then he was better than I was, but then I was better than he was at something else. We had a bit of a rivalry, and we were far from friendly. In our... Sixth year, I believe, so just barely a year ago, it was the year of Isolation. That was part of our training, we had to be okay with being alone, and fending for ourselves.

"I was doing pretty well. We went out into dangerous country for increasing amounts of time before returning to the monastery. I was good at it, but the other boy with whom I had the rivalry was not. I found him one day, trying to catch himself a fish from a tiny stream. I watched him without letting him know that I was there for a long time, but he never caught one. He finally fell asleep on the bank. I assume he was exhausted. I felt a little bad for him, so I snuck a little upriver, and caught a few fish. I put them near him and then left, but I kept watching him.

"When he woke up, he simply devoured the fish. I don't know what he could have been thinking, but I guess he was hungry. I decided to keep watching him. It was the same for the next few days. He failed to find food, and when he fell asleep, I caught some for him. It was like a little game, but I could tell that he was getting suspicious. After a couple days, I stepped out and revealed myself as the one who had been taking care of him.

"I wasn't expecting what happened next. He attacked me! I eventually pinned him, but I was real glad that I was bigger than he was, and that I had had the same training as he had, I can tell you that much. After that, I left him alone. He obviously didn't want me around. When it came time to go back to the monastery, I finally saw him again.

"He seemed fine, but he kept glaring at me. He never really did forgive me for that. I guess the most surprising part of all was when I was talking to one of the priests. It turns out that he knew all about what had really happened, because even as I was following the other boy, the priest was following me! I never even knew he was there. I guess they're the masters for a reason," he laughed.

"I learned a lot from that. One thing was that no matter how great I was, I could never assume that I was the best. Second, I learned about human nature. We like to think we can take care of ourselves, and we don't like it when someone points out that we can't. I try to keep that in mind. Physical violence is not the only way to inflict damage. I try to keep up on the psychological aspect of people too." He grinned. "All in the name of the people I care about. Anything to give me an edge."

[Tetris]

By now Mercy was lying on the grond staring up at the stars, or rather she was trying to stare, but her eyes kept un expectedly closing. She had avidly listened listened to both stores and wished she could tell one of her own past. She closed her eyes and searched her memories. She almost felt something, but it quickly dissappeared, and she cam up with a blank.

Eth, I know this sounds bad, but I don't have any stories to tell them. I can tell there's more to your story...

Ethedus nodded, lept onto Mercy's stomach and currled himself into a ball.

Well, if you guys would care to listen, I'll tell you how I got mynose and eye spots.As you remember, I was saved by a lady from an owl, and gained my side spots. She offered me into her service and....

I immediately said yes. I had no idea what she wanted to do with me (or to me) but those clear blue eyes were filled with trust, love and care. Everything that I'd longed for. She'd saved me, I felt I owed her, an the very least, my life. Plus there was a cat and an owl, out to get me. I figured I'd probably be safer with her than out there bymyself.

The lady lead me to a modest cottage a way into the forest bordering the town. There she took care of me, and helped me grow in ways that I could have never imagined. She taught me many things that a mere rabbit like me could never have known. I learned to speak may different languages, including a little bit of Dragon. She also taught me things like compassion, kindness, trust, love and of course Mercy

The spotted rabbit glanced affectionately over to the half-awake girl. Mercy smiled, glad that she was lucky enough to have such an amazing life-companion, and friend.

Eventually, after many months at the cottage with only the lady, whom I learned to call Aya, I was almost ready for her task. She still hadn't told me what that was, exactailly, but I fugured it was awfully important. However there were two things I had to do before I was compete.

The first was to forgive all those I needed to forgive. She wanted me to go back, to my family. I'd already forgiven the baker, the cat and the owl, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find it in me to for give any of them. They'd been so cruel, so unloving and being young I dodn't believe they deserved my forgiveness.I still loved my mother, yet felt resentment against her nevertheless, for not helping me. In hindsight I realize that what she dide actually helped me become who I am today.

I remember that day being extremely cool and windy. Aya had brought me through a snow storm, back to my old home at the farm. I was scared, terrified to face my brothers and sisters again. A few times I almost turned back, but I knew Aya had given up so much to bring me here, and I didn't want to disappoint her. As I approached the burrow, I saw a pure black rabbit near the entrance. Slowly I approached it.

"Hello, Ethedus, my brother" Her voice sounded strange, and almost...smug?"It looks like you have many questions, which unfortunately I'm not prepared to answer. Go inside, make up with your family."

I looked into the entrance. "don't you mean our family?" I asked, a thousand questions running through my brain. But when I looked back over, she'd dissappeared." I thought it was strange, but focused on the task at hand. Taking a deap breath, I hopped into my old home. I wasn't lucky, at all. The first brother I saw, was the one I hated the most. He'd been the instigator of almost all of my torments.

I could see confusion flicker across his face, then recognition. His eyes widened with suprise.
"Ethedus? Is that really you?" I nodded and to my amazement he hopped over to me and gave me a rabbit-hug.

He brought me to the others. I was glad to see that almost everyone was still there although considerably larger and older. They told me of all I'd missed, and how sorry they were for forcing me to leave. They never wanted to hurt me, they just wanted to make themselves feel better. Soon I found myself forgiving them all of them, and told them too, what had happened to me. Hours passed as I spent some of the best times with my re-found family. However at last, realizing that Aya was probably still wating for me, I told them I had to go and hoped that I could visit again.

Just as I was about to leave, my oldest sister approached me.
"Ethedus, I'm so glad that you had the courage to forgive us." She paused, uncertain if she could continue "do you remember when we were younger, and we told stories about another bunny, like you, but balck? Well, what we said was true. There is another rabbit, she came back when you left and wel, in short, she's just as special as you are, but in a bad way....Well just be careful of her, will you? She's dangerous and, well evil" worriedly she looked around, then hopped away.

As I hopped out of my new found home, I felt a familiar tingle on my nose and around my eye. I knew that If i'd looked in a mirror I'd find more black spots. Happy, but slightly concerned, I made my way through the blizzard to Aya. When I reached the spot where I'd last seen her, she was not there. Instead, there were red spots in the snow, and a pure black rabbit."

...and that is how I got my other spots" Ethedus smiled, satisfied at his cliffhanger.

[greywalker13]

OOC: sorry for the delay, between Con-G, assignments and midterms this week, I'm a little swamped. I'll post a reply soon, but feel free to continue without me. Just treat Candor as falling silent and looking pensive.

[tyr]

OOC: Now, I'm sorry. I've had writer's block all week! I'll give it a shot, but I don't really have anything... I'll just make it up as I go.


Altruism cast a weary glance at Candor. He seemed to be thinking about what everyone had said, and didn't look likely to be speaking very soon. Mercy, sprawled on the ground nearby was an equally probable no. Ethedus had just finished speaking, so it would seem that it was Altruism's turn again.

The only problem was, he had nothing to tell. The silence was growing oppressive, and he was rather tired. He got up suddenly, startling Tobor. My mind is an open book, my ass! If it were, you'd have known I was going to do that! he thought fuzzily. He really was growing tired. He felt clumsy in his movement, but he still made no sound. Be friendly while I'm gone Tobor. I mean it. Tell a story or something. Eth did, he thought to Tobor as he stalked away.

He was really only going as far as the water's edge. Kneeling down, he put his hands into the cold water. It was a shock, but not enough of one. He splashed it on his face, but still, he was tired. Looking around, he leaned over and put his entire head right into the water and held his breath. He stayed like that for a long moment, then emerged from the water, shaking his head. His braids and beads were soaked, but at least he was awake now.

He moved back to camp, tiredness forgotten, his movement once again spry. A daredevil notion seized him, that he should sneak up on his camp mates. They didn't look like they were paying attention. He began to circle around, hoping to get to the trees, but Tobor knew that he was coming, and immediately flew to meet him. Knowing that his little trick was blown, he returned to the camp peacefully. Open book my ass, he thought again. Now that he thought about it though, it probably hadn't been such a great idea anyway. These were people he liked.

He sat back down gracefully and pulled his knees to his chest. His hair was still dripping, cold trails were running down his back. He shivered a little, but put it out of mind.

"Sorry, I had to go do that. I trust Tobor was as silent as ever... But my summon's antisocial tendencies aside, I thought of another story while I was dunking myself.

"When I was a boy, I loved to swim. There was a tiny stream by my village, and I used to play in it whenever the work was done. Sometimes when the work wasn't done, " he smiled, remembering. "I swam for hours, almost every day of the summer.

"When I was six though, a rider came through on the way to the capital. He wasn't a very nice man. He looked dangerous. You could almost smell it on him. The day he came through, he lingered in town to buy supplies, because they were cheaper out in the villages than in the city itself. He didn't really interest me, so I went off, and had my little swim. What I didn't know was that he was meeting in secret with someone else. I never really did know who.

"They met near where I was swimming, but they didn't notice me. It was obvious that they were talking about something they didn't want anyone to hear. When they were finished, they walked away from each other, but the dangerous man saw me. The other man left, but the dangerous man ran and caught me, and shoved me face down under the water. He held my head under until I stopped struggling.

"I guess that he thought that he had killed me, but I was only unconscious. A villager found me and rescued me, and a couple days later, I woke up in bed. My mother was so happy." He smiled again as he remembered the look that had been on his Mama's face. "I didn't swim again after that. I was terrified of the water. I didn't want to drown. Later, when I lived in the castle, not even Hallow could get me to swim. He tried, but he never did get me to.

"It wasn't until I went to the monasteries that I swam again. I was still new there, perhaps only a week or so. They were testing our abilities, like how fast we could run, swim. how high we could jump, how quiet we were, stuff like that. When they tested our swimming, they took us out to a little pond. I refused to get in.

"They didn't take well to refusal there. They did to me what the dangerous man had all those years ago. They dunked me, and held me under. I panicked, I was sure I was going to die. I fought against their arms, and broke free, but the only place to go was further into the water. It had been so long that my muscles weren't adapted to swimming, but in a frenzy, I managed to swim to the opposite shore.

"I didn't realize that was exactly what they had wanted me to do. Some of them actually began to clap for me. It was a weird experience, but that was how they got me to swim again. It was rough, but I didn't shy away after that. I knew that if I rejected their training, they would find a way to make me, and usually that way would be something that either got me to do what they wanted, or something that would kill me.

"I chose life, if that weren't blatantly obvious. I'm still not very good at swimming, and I don't enjoy it anymore, but I'm not afraid. You have to face your fears, and if you're in the monasteries, often you have to stab your fears, and if you don't... sometimes they stab you. The monasteries were rough, but they served their purpose. They make you tough, no matter what you think about it. Not a lot of choice there really, obey or die..." He finally fell silent, wondering what his life would have been like had he been pampered, or if he could have stayed with Hallow. No doubt he would have been a completely different person.

But he liked who he was now. He maybe wasn't happy about his life, but he was happy that he was himself. It wasn't always the means, but the end. He smiled vaguely at the others, wishing that he knew how to explain this to them, but knowing that no words were enough, and they'd sound all wrong if he tried to express them. Instead, he was just content to sit, sit and listen among friends.

[greywalker13]

OOC: Sorry for the huge delay.

Candor listened with interest at Altruism’s first sory, nodding in agreement at the truth behind it. Everyone fells the need to stand alone, especially during those years. To think that we are not capable is a crushing defeat. Still, the genersosity displayed should be accepted graciously.One does not spurn a run of good luck, for it rarely returns.

Ethedus’ story caused a chill to run up Candor’s spine, and he began to sweat beneath his clothes, despite the refreshing cold. It wasn’t just a story. The village, the rabbit, they must have existed at one point. Which means that there may be other truths to the stories I’ve heard. Demons, manipulators, familiars... like us, here.The Dark Ones that killed me could well fall into the category of fable. As do we, I suppose. Are we... demons? Vengeful spirits brough back to destroy? We seem to have terrible pasts, all of us. It may not be too far a stretch. Neither of them act like demons,and I sense that they aren’t like the Dark ones, but... what are we then?

These thoughts distracted Candor, and he swiftly forgot that it was his turn to speak. Altruism rose and left, and did not return for a short time. The sound of Tobor’s sudden departure alerted Candor to Altuism’s return... but not from the direction of the stream. What was he doing? Scouting ahead? Candor turned to look at his companion, a puzzled look on his face. His hair’s wet, so he likely went to the stream, but then why’s he over there?
Altruism said that he’s gone to wash his face, but that still didn’t explain the direction change. Perhaps he got lost? It wasn’t impossible. Night had fallen, and the screen of trees could easily block out the firelight. However, Altruism was more familiar with the territory, and didn’t seem the type of person to get lost easily. A shadow of confused suspicion darted across Candor’s face, before Altruism launched into a new story. Mercy seemed comfortable enough, so Candor leaned back to listen.

The story was a good one, and filled with another truth of the world. You did what you needed to to survive. Candor bowed slightly in agreement at the end, and tried to remember his own experiences. They seemed to be cloaked in a fog, as a hazy memory, but there was no doubt of there existance. Failing to recall a solid story of his own, he decided on another fairy tale. A happier one.

“A truth beyond truths, Altruism. We all do what we need to in order to survive.

I suppose it’s my turn, now. This story was told to me by a nomad who stayed at our house one day. I suspect it’s a part of a longer story, but it works as a stand alone.

There was once a palace made of ice. It floated on the sea, and would touch the mainland but once every three years. The castle was owned by a king, who had a beautiful wife and many daughters. The arrival of this palace was always a time for celebration, for the lords and ladies of the palace would invite the fishers and traders in for a party that would last for three days, at the end of which a boy from the mainland would be wed to one of the king’s daughters. After the wedding, a beaufiful ship made of a pure white wood would take the couple to distant lands further north, where they lived among the gods.

There was one year, however, when the palace did not leave. The princess of the year had been heralded as the most beautiful, and she sang before the crowd of hunters and merchants, capturing their hearts. She chose the boy to become her husband, and the wedding was a spectacle beyond what the world had ever seen. The ship was to arrive in the morning, to carry the new couple to their paradise.

That night the hunters and traders had long departed, exhausted and grateful for the hospitality of the castle’s host. As the moon reached its zenith, a shriek pieredthe night, and a lone figure fell from the balcony of the honeymoon suite. The royal family awoke at once and rushed to the room, whereupon they discovered the door had vanished, replaced with a thick wall of ice, stained red. Through the wall the daughter could be seen, curled into a ball and weeping. Try as they might, the king and his family could not pass through the wall of ice, which grew back as they chipped at it with swords and axes. Fire would not light, and their attempts to reach her with words were in vain. The palace, once filled with a mysterious warmth, grew cold and uninviting. The next morning the ship arrived at port, but instead of the new couple boarding, the king and his family sailed away for the north. The palace and it’s lone occupant remained.

Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, months to years. The sea around the palacefroze into a solid lanscape, and the palace remained, with its sole occupant weeping eternally for the crimes against her.”

Candor breathed deeply, and addressed his companions.

“There is more to the story, but I can’t quite remember how it ends. This part is meant to tell of the folly of humanity for creating Hearts of Ice, which consumes the soul.”

[Tetris]

ooc// Im pretty sure we've all been pretty buisy lately; but yeah sory for taking long too x)
--------------------------------------------------------
After Altruism's story, Mercy murmured something about loving to swim, then drifted off into a half-sleep limbo. Ethedus didn't want to have to wake her; she seemed so peaceful, but he didn't want her to appear rude.

a few more stories, then we'll all go to sleep okay? he licked her face, and she smiled and opened her tired eyes.
"mhmmmm" she mumbled and rolled onto her side, carefully moving Ethedus so he was curled against her chest. It almost appeared as if he was a stuffed animal with a sleeping child.

The two of them quietly listened to Candor's story. Mercy wondered what happened to the poor princess, but was too tired to give it much thought.

Ethedus realized it was his turn again. He figured he could finish his story, but was unsure if Mercy wanted to stay awake for it.

i don't mind if you go to sleep now...

"It's okay Eth, I want to hear the rest of your story. I hope my past was exciting as yours."

Okay. um where did I end off?

"The black rabbit..."

ahh, yes...

I was hopping back from my old home, with my new spots. There was a blizzard outside and when I arrived at our meeting spot, It was not Aya that I found, but the black rabbit that I was warned of.

"What did you do with her? What did you do with Aya?" I knew the answer to my question as soon as I spoke it. She just laughed, a bone-chilling laugh.

Nice to see you too, brother. Oh and in case you were wondering, my name's Deliheml." As she spoke, an indescribable fear surged through me. I almost wanted to turn back, and hide forever with my rediscovered family. But I knew I couldn't. Aya had saved me, I owed her my life. Not to mention, she was my friend.

"Please, at least tell me where she is."

I would, but that wouldn't be any fun would it? Plus I happen to need her. She licked a blood-covered paw. She seemed to grow not in size but in radiating power.

"But why? What did she do to you?"

Little Ethedus, it's not what she did to me, but what she can do for me. I can tell she's been keeping you in the dark this whole time. What a shame. See, your Aya is what we call an Ancient. She's been around for a while, if you know what I mean. Her cells simply radiate wisdom, power and knowledge. Deliheml winked at Ethedus, as she slowly creeped neared to him.

"you're going to eat her?" I gasped in horror. He crotched, ready to attack.

I prefer the term devour. Sounds better, don't you think? Your ancient took a lot of work to capture y'know. I had to go into all the bad parts of this world. Not that I don't like it there, it's just so grimy! She let out a manic sounding giggle.
ohh and thank you for making her so venerable! Y'know if it weren't for you she'd probably be hiding in her godforsaken cottage! Such a wimp

I was angry, very angry. I leaped at Deliheml, aiming for her neck. However, I landed on nothing, she had vanished.

Silly Rabbit! you think I'm that stupid? Another Deliheml appeared a ways away. I charged it too, only to once again find nothing.

"You're the wimp! Fight me coward!" I heard her laughter from all around him, then she appeared to my left. Smiling, Deliheml ran a razor sharp claw down my spine. It ripped through my flesh, just barely missing my spinal cord. I screamed in agony, but managed to turn around and grab Deliheml's left ear. Pulling with all my my might I surprisingly managed to rip a chink of it off. However there was no blood, only black goo that quickly turned to dust.

Deliheml's sickening laughter filled my world again, but this time it was tainted with anger.

Foolish imbecile! You cannot win against me. I am much more powerful.

I fell to the ground, my body (especially my back) screamed in pain, but I refused to make a noise. I thought I was going to die. However, just as I was about to give up, I remembered something that Aya had told me.

'"There is always hope, all you need to do is believe"'

I remembered thinking it sounded corny. However, in my desperation I closed my eyes and tried to shut out Deliheml's laughter. With all my might I tried to summon hope, I tried to believe that there was some hope.

Suddenly the laughter stopped. I opened my eyes to see Deliheml on the ground, looking extremely afraid. She was surrounded in a faint glow that appeared to be preventing her from moving or using her power. She looked much smaller and less frightening. As I hopped closer to Deliheml, the glow grew. I then realized, that I was causing the glow, I was the hope.

Deliheml's eyes pleaded for Mercy. She knew that somehow, I had beaten her. I'd won! I instinctively knew that he had the power to kill her, but remembering another thing that Aya had taught me, I simply hoped that she would go very far away instead. The glow seemed to dissolve Deliheml, and she was no longer there.

I was so tired, and fell back to the ground. I closed my eyes for a moment, then realized that my back was no longer bleeding, in fact, it didn't hurt at all. Then the familiar tingle flowed along the cut that Deliheml had given me. Some of my energy was restored, and I knew that I now had to find Aya.

She was sitting with her back against a tree, bleeding when I found her. There were tracks of various creatures around her, which I assumed to be guards; accomplices of Deliheml. They appeared to have vanished with Deliheml as well.

I could tell that Aya was not in a good state. I sprinted up to her and saw claw marks covering her body. There was one particularly large one across her throat, making her breathing painful. She was barely alive, but still managed to turn her head slightly to speak to me.

"Ethedus... I am proud of you. You have finally become a whole..." Her voice was barely audible. Scared, I closed my eyes and tried to summon hope again. Gently she touched me, and ran her finger down my new black spine-stripe.

"There is nothing you can do for me, Ethedus. It is finally my time to go. Thank you for being such an amazing student, and friend." She coughed, and I could see some blood in her mouth.

"There isn't much time, I apologize but I need to ask one more favor of you." I nodded, ready to accept my final task from her.

"Do you remember the orphanage in town? Tomorrow night, go there. There will be a child on the steps, in a bread basket. Care for that child as it were your own. Be with her, help her and guide her until she dies, and even after that..." Aya closed her eyes, an took her final breath.

"I will."

"thank you Ethedus, and remember I will always love you..."

Ethedus solemnly looked into the fire, and a single tear drop ran down thorough his fur.

"It's okay Eth..." Mercy murmured. She gave him a gentle kiss and drifted off into the realm of dreams.
------------------------
ooc (#2)// also, do you think we should maybe move on to the next day? I think Mercy's fallen asleep, and Eth probably doesn't have much else to say... I don't know if anyone else has any more stories to tell...?

[tyr]

OOC: I agree with the going to sleep thing... We've had a whole whack of stories, so it's gotta be getting late... And I don't have any stories to have Alty tell. Actually, I never did except for the first thing. The other two were made up on the fly. Which is probably why they made very little sense.

My only issue is that I just woke Alt up. He's good for a little while yet. SO, I think I'm going to make him take first watch, stay up while you guys go to bed? Make sure nothing sneaks up on us? That's my plan for now, but if either of you have any objections to that, tell me and I'll edit my post.

If I do go through with the watch, I'll just make it an uneventful night, so it'll be about the same as if he had just gone to sleep, so don't worry on the count of length till posting or anything like that.


Ethedus's story wound to its conclusion, and Altruism could almost feel the rabbit's palpable loss. He couldn't think of anything to say, so he left it alone. How did one comment on another's experiences anyway? Without experiencing them, there couldn't really be a comparison at all. And even if one did experience the same thing as another, it still wouldn't be exactly the same because different people perceived things differently anyway. He did, however understand grief. And he knew that in the wrong hands, comforting thoughts could have the exact opposite of their intended effect, so he refrained from commenting.

Altruism stretched and stood. He could tell that Mercy had drifted off and had no doubts that he probably should too. The only problem was that he was still wide awake from his dunking. And he wasn't sure how much he trusted these woods. Usually, he would set a watch in these conditions, and he was actually a little surprised that he hadn't set one the night before. I was too tired from dying I suppose, he thought wryly.

Obviously, he wasn't completely back to normal yet. I haven't been cracking my usual sarcastic comments today, or yesterday. Now that I come to think of it, I wasn't as annoying as usual either. I really am an ass. How could I forget that? He shook his head in amazement.

Vowing to right this sorry lack, he knew that if he were to get used to being himself again, he would have to take first watch, he sighed and spoke to Candor.

"I'm not quite ready yet, to fall into my blankets... Um, if we had any blankets... And I rarely let a night pass without someone to stay awake so we aren't taken unawares, so I'll take first watch." He finished in a rush, after stumbling through the first half of the sentence. He hoped that Candor didn't take it amiss, or think that he was too eager to stay awake while convincing Candor to sleep defenseless. He really did want to earn Candor's trust.

I can take second watch, Tobor added in simply. You really don't talk much, beyond what's strictly necessary, do you? He thought to her, but received no reply.

"And I can take the last watch again. We didn't sleep much in the monasteries anyway, so I'm used to it," he added, almost sheepishly. "That should last till morning if you'd like a full night's sleep. I know I needed one last night, which was the first night after I died." He stood looking down at Candor, waiting to see if he had any objections.

[greywalker13]

Ethedus’ story ended, and Candor felt a small surge of hope. These demons, or whatever they were, could be defeated. The method, however, was unusal. To hope something away, and then to see it leave... it sounded foolish, but if blades and arrows could not touch them, perhaps weapons forged of the soul could. It would bear thinking, at least.

Mercy had fallen asleep upon the tale’s conclusion, and Candor bowed his head in silent sympathy for the summon.

Altruism seemed somewhat eager to take watch that night, and had it arranged between himself and Tobor. Candor’s eyes narrowed in slight suspicion, and then relaxed. Altruism had no reason to mean him any harm, or he would have before now. In addition, Candor was certain that Vi’Lana was still in the trees above, and would likely intercept any malicious intentions. Candor considered his words carefully, preferring to avoid another stutter.

“Thank you. A full night’s sleep will be much appreciated.”

With that, Candor removed his coat and folded it behind his head to act as a pillow. He turned his back to the fire, and slowly drifted off to sleep. As darkness claimed his vision, a reassuring hoot echoed through the clearing.