Tail Underground: A contribution
This is something I wrote for Ian Rain Soulfox. Hoping to write a series from this. I like feedback.
Will trudged through the snow covered streets. The white wet mass seemed to have piled up and around him seemingly and grudgingly soaking into everything, duelling him by sapping his waning strength. The city loomed ponderously overhead, he buildings obscured the sky and the storm clouds only occasionally favoured him with a glimpse of the full moon. Cold rain beat down like a heavy cudgel striking with darkest malice.
His legs were aching and every step seemed to drain more of his life. He felt that death would be a release from the torturous trek through the snow but his pride fought his feelings and forced his tired red body to push on. His large black tipped ears were plastered to his skull. He felt sleepy and could've sworn that the temperature was rising but he knew that it did not bode well. The patch work cloak was getting heavier as were his black lined eye lids. Sleep beckoned in a nearby alley, maybe just a nap against the wall. He moved off the street and sat himself down in a sheltering corner closing his eyes. He pulled his knees to his chest and laid his head against the rough brickwork. He was comfortably warm by now.
"The luck of an amateur adventurer." he thought sleepily to himself. A voice whispered and Will's eyes sprang open but he saw no fur. His eyes closed again and the inside of his mind lit up brightly. He jumped to his feet but fell down groggily. Before him was a strange flame floating in mid air, seemingly impervious to the rain that would have snuffed out even a mighty bonfire. It seemed to pull him. Will got to his feet once more and the flame started moving away slowly. He followed after it painfully, though he wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to do so.
After a relatively short walk through side streets and more alleys Will saw lights in one building. Forgetting his fatigue Will sprinted towards the beckoning light, leaving the flame to bob after him. As he cleared a corner he saw a dark ominous figure standing in the doorway to the building. The building was two stories high and light seemed to flare from every window and a part of it seemed to be either destroyed or under construction. It was hard to tell.
Will approached the figure and stood staring at it trying to decide if it would be wise to say something. He wondered who it was. He was answered "I am known as Voldren." The flame passed over Will's head. Voldren raised a dark paw and the flame settled in his palm. Will took a step back, he was afraid, not sure if he should trust the stranger. Just then music touched his ears and fatigue crept back, more insistent than ever. Voldren turned and stepped into the building, walking through what seemed to be a kitchen. Will looked at the windows then back at the dark city and felt the rain still pouring on him. He walked in.
The kitchen was empty, Voldren was gone, but the obvious thing seemed to be the door in front of him. Will opened it tentatively. He saw a large common room with furs sitting at tables, some enjoying ale others sat listening to the music. Will looked about and stepped through. There was a silver wolf looking at him curiously with another fur that seemed to be writing or drawing with his back turned to Will. At the next table was Voldren with the flame burning merrily in his palm. Seated next to him was a well dressed noble in red gold lined clothing. Leaning on the table and staring at Will was a white ram that stared at the petite red fox much as a predator would stare at a tasty meal. Will felt slightly uncomfortable under the wanting gaze.
A paw touched Will's shoulder and he jumped, startled at the sudden contact. His eyes flicked left into a white fox that was slightly larger than him. "Calm down my friend, your safe... and I see also very wet and very cold. What's your name Red?" Will peeled off his cowl. "Uhh... Will sir! That's my name." The fox looked him over. "Well, Will, you look like you need a feeding, eh? Follow me, we'll fix you up. By the way my name is Ian, others call me Soulfox but that's something I don't talk about." Ian chuckled and walked towards the nearby set of stairs. Will followed closely; the ram's gaze was starting to scare him.
They reached the top of the stairs. Will saw a small panda, it was standing in front of a door; it waved politely and offered a friendly smile. Will waved back and offered a tired smile in return. There were three doors in total, all closed and in the hallway was a rat fondling a tiger. Will wondered who this inn catered for, he had heard that the people of this kingdom weren't very kind to furs with "strange tastes" Will wondered how he would fit in with the inn's occupants. He was still young and had a lot to learn.
Ian reached a door that was apart from the others in the hallway. He opened it and ushered Will inside, sitting him on the blue draped bed while seating himself on a strange floating pad across from it. "Now Will, tell me how you came to be here. Excepting the part where Voldren sensed you, he brings stray travellers in from time to time."
Will sat shivering and considered his tale. When he opened his muzzle he was interrupted by Ian "Hold on a minute there kit, let me get you warm first. Ian got up, left the room for only a minute and re-entered carrying a heavy blanket. "There you go. The bed's drapery is mostly show, now where are you from?" Will took off his soaked cloak, shirt and breaches then draped the blanket over him rubbing warmth into himself. "I fled over the border sir... raiders, sir, Mori Edgar's clan, they killed my grandfather and burned the farm. I fled into the forest three days ago and have been walking till I came to the city, the gate guards took all my coin in exchange for admittance, until this afternoon when the storm struck sir." Will looked down, reluctant to meet the white fox' eyes. "I thought I was going to die tonight and without Grandpa I have very little coin and nowhere to go." Will sagged into himself and started crying miserably.
The music drifted through the floorboards in merry contrast with Will's mood. Ian put a paw on his shoulder. "Look son, I can't be here right now, I have an inn downstairs and frankly some of the customers have the power make things very unpleasant if not looked after, you've met Voldren. Your obviously very tired, get some sleep and we'll talk in the morning ok?" Will nodded and lay on his side. He was asleep as soon as his eyes closed. Sometime during the night he was aware of a body next to him, holding him. He nuzzled into the comfortable warmth that it offered and drifted off again...
Will opened his eyes some time later, enjoying the warmth of the thick comforter that had soaked up his body heat during the night. He stared at the length of his arm that was stretched out over one of the thick pillows. His mind swam and he smiled for the first time in days. He'd never been close to his grandfather, the old fox was always very cold but he had been a dependable breadwinner and had never been nasty. He thought of his mother and father, how he'd never gotten to know them and how he was left to his grandfather when they had left together. Will had surmised that the coldness was just a bitterness that had been birthed at the departure of his granddad's only daughter.
He stretched and flexed his black paw pushing his small claws into the pillow. Sunlight streamed in through the single window. Sighing, loath to get up, he curled himself into a fuzzy ball around the pillow and closed his eyes for a few seconds to thoroughly enjoy the best bed he'd ever been in. As he lay there he listened to the morning music. He could hear every word from the Minstrel's mouth. He had listened to a song-maker with magic once, the sound was very clear. Just like now:
Morning sun through the canopy.
Confessions decided upon in morning light.
Green carpet beneath the proven angel,
truth belayed at night it merges
with true might.
Too much alive to care
'bout a label.
Evening mist creeps through the woods.
Connotations severed long 'fore dusk.
Vegetation hugs around
the resting innocence,
her thoughts of you gone...
in forlorn luck.
Too close and far gone
from non-sense.
Midnight spirit wails in the wood.
Connection merged with the earth inspired,
forest consumed soul of God sent.
No longer with the torment,
you sired.
Too far the world and what was
meant.
Only your words.
The notes trailed off. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed only to realize that he was naked and spotted his clothes draped over the little floating pad with his travel pack stowed away right under the table.
He got himself dressed then looked toward the door which he opened and peeked out of. The hallway beyond was empty but here he heard a different type of music it was a lot slower and played with less vigour than the previous evening. He glanced back at the window; he judged that it must have been just before midmorning.
Creeping down the hallway he reached the top of the stairs. "GOODMORNING SLEEPY HEAD!!!" Will jumped and almost fell forward down the stairs. Looking around he saw the Panda bellhop dressed in his skimpy red shirt and figure hugging shorts, who was waving with a cheery grin stretched across his muzzle. He was in front of the door where construction was taking place. "Uhh... Good morning uhh..." was Will's reply. "Call me Ting. Pleased to meet you. Master Ian said to send you downstairs if you weren't awake at twelve but your up I see. He says to meet with him. Just watch out for the Prince and Voldren, everyone else is most friendly, I assure you." Will simply nodded not sure how to respond to the soft enthusiasm of this strange panda. He smoothed over his shaken, frizzled tail then trekked downstairs.
He was met with a scene very similar to the first one. Will wondered how much time certain patrons actually spent at the inn. This time though he noticed a large brown bear nursing a mug of ale at the table closest to the staircase. It was eyeing him.
He saw Ian behind the bar talking to a sword wielding noble who seemed to be asking some questions rather persistently. Ian sported a stormy frown while shaking his head side to side, making the thick bush of fur wave to and fro while sending smaller disturbances down the hair. Will stood transfixed as all shades of light reflected from the fox's head. He saw Ian point past the noble to the Prince. The noble turned to look. When he saw the Prince he seemed troubled, then humiliated and then his facemask turned angry before he finally stormed out of the inn.
The Prince shrugged when Ian gave him a worried glance. That's when Will was noticed; the Prince gave him a glance and winked, Xi stuck his tongue out then licked his lips, Voldren simply stared at him, the bear looked Will over before averting his eyes, the wolf across the room raised his mug to his lips then lowered his eyes into a book once more and Ian's frown turned upside down as he beckoned Will closer.
Will slouched, uncomfortable at all the attention that had been directed at him. He stepped up to the bar where Ian addressed him "Good morning small one. I've got some food in the back for you; you must be starving... you certainly felt scrawny." Will's mood lifted considerably at the thought of food and he nodded vivaciously. "Thank you... I'll sit in the kitchen then get my things later." Ian and Will's heads whipped around when a voice came from one of the tables; it was the bear. "Get the food, you are welcome to sit by me young one. I am in a mood for some conversation." Ian clapped him on the back "There ya go boy!"
When Will had retrieved the plate which contained a generous helping of something that looked like smooth porridge, meat and gravy, he sat down opposite the immense bear. It eyed him once more as Will simply sat there, not sure if he should have started eating or not. "So young one, what's your story, eh? Start with your name." He grinned, his lips parting to display a row of shiny large teeth. One of the fangs was much shorter than the other one and it was perfectly rounded at the tip, unnaturally rounded. "Will sir. It is a simple tale sir. My grandfather was killed by raiders almost a week ago and I never knew my parents. I ran into the forest but got lost. Voldren, the wizard saved me." Will was steadily advancing through the heaped plate. The bear was statue still for a few moments then said: "World has no pity for the likes of you fox. I'm Reamius, previously from the army, royal guard. I left before I could be exposed for being a tailraiser but ha I see our dear prince is also a fur of dubious desires." Reamius flashed Will another warm smile when he read only confusion in the small fox' features. "Tell me about these raiders boy. What colour armor, their headdress, manner of weaponry?" Will licked a line of gravy from the sides of his muzzle swishing his tail from side to side showing his pleasure. "The raiders were bandits sir, from Mori Edgar's clan. I told Grandpa that we should at least try to fight. He said that one does not oppose blood because blood would follow blood. I still do not understand." Reamius seemed thoughtful. "I have nothing to do with myself Will and you seem a decent boy. How old are you?" "Seventeen in the spring sir" "Alright seventeen, stop calling me sir, I am not that much older than you. I have nothing to do now and there happens to be a bounty out on Mori's head. If you'd come with me to your home or the nearest village then we could go about tracking him down. We'll split the money then maybe we'll see where the road leads from there." Will shook his head. "No I don't want to..." Reamius interrupted him: "What else do you have going for you boy? There's little work in the city unless you're whoring yourself or it's physical labour, digging ditches, The Tail Underground is full and you belong here as much as on the street corners." Will was dazed, he hadn't thought through any of this, tears stung his eyes. Reamius saw this and leaned forward putting an arm across the fox' shoulders. "Look boy, show me where to go and I'll take care of you. Does that sound fair? "
Will nodded and accepted the forced fate. The only comfort was the strong arm across his shoulder and the strong bear looming over him with a genuinely concerned expression on his face. The small red fox went to retrieve his tiny pack. A large fur and a much smaller fur left The Tail Underground not an hour later heading for the city gates that were located not a mile from the inn.