Four Dogs in Exile 2
Ares stood and looked out the window, at the city which sprawled and spread before him. "Ares" is not his real name. It's just what he calls himself, these days. The city sprawled on and on, miles and miles of it, into the distance. There were tall...
Like a midnight sun
It was a day in early June. The weather was warm, of course, but not as warm as I'd expected. Summer's heat hadn't yet fully arrived. Colt was on his back, all four of his legs up in the air. His tail wagged, showing his happiness. He rolled around,...
Crossing the Rubicon 10
The church was at least one hundred years old. Ornate, made of brick and stone, the tall, old church rose up towards the sky. On top, a bell tower perched like something out of the Middle Ages. The bell had not been rung in decades. Behind the...
Crossing the Rubicon 5
_"Everybody wants to rule the world." - Tears For Fears_ \*\* "No one knows what's going on in Pennsylvania, anymore." Duncan folded up the newspaper and placed it, casually, under his soda. "We knew they had roadblocks along their border," I...
The dog side of the moon
The moon was full. It was around two o'clock in the morning. I was on my hands and knees, in my neighbor's yard, behind his garage, getting completely _pounded_ by his dog. Actually, you know, I guess you could say I was getting dog-pounded. Or not....
Albion chapter 7
Five animal folks rode their feral horses at a steady pace towards the small village. The village was called Two Oaks, and it lay directly ahead - just down the hill and across the lush valley. Behind the five riders, the road (it was more like the...
Four Dogs in Exile 1
This story starts in a bar, because of course this story starts in a bar. I say of course because I'm going to introduce you to a Pit Bull who calls himself Ares, and Ares likes bars. It's a Saturday night, a light rain is falling, and high above the...
Crossing the Rubicon 9
"This city desert makes you feel so cold - it's got so many people, but it's got no soul - and it's taken you so long to find out you were wrong, when you thought it held everything." - Gerry Rafferty. Jack and Drake crouched low on the rooftop....
Albion chapter 4
_For some initiates, the most difficult thing about joining the Sisterhood can be finding a balance - a balance between one's individuality and the Sisterhood as a whole. A balance between the needs of one's Self and the needs of the collective group...
Albion chapter 3
_The Wolves of Norseland first came to Albion more than three hundred years ago. They came from the north, from across the Narrow Sea, sailing to Albion in ships they call longboats. At first, the Wolves were content with brief raids along the northern...
Albion chapter 2
_King Alaric the Just was more than a warrior. More than the bravest of Tigers. More than the most merciful and wisest of Kings. He was also a mage - a fact known to only a few of those closest to him. He only used his magic in battle, and only rarely,...
Albion chapter 1
_We know that the Empire lasted almost exactly 1,000 years. (We know this because they kept very accurate records.) Imagine that. Imagine something lasting that long, if you can. Such a long lifespan partly explains how the Empire was able to shape the...