Chapter 1 - The big blue blob
The woods lay thick and dark, the only thing granting the two any light was the moon, partially blocked by the high trees. "We'll die out here if we don't find warmth" Tilen's voice was hoarse and filled with fear, his naked body shivering terribly. Duncan said nothing, he had no idea what to do, the catholic church, the most powerful force in the western world, was hunting him, maybe they could go to byzantium, no, it was too far away, and they would need to pass through the holy roman empire to get there. Could he really leave france? It was his home, he loved his country. "It looks like you boys could use some help." Tilen and Duncan found themselves facing a strange robed figure, an old and weathered looking male crow, holding a staff reassembling a large tree branch more than anything else. Before the two could say anything the creature tossed them both clothes, Duncan a brown robe with a white cotton shirt and pants and leather shoes to boot, Tilen a white cloak with leather pants and boots. The Crow smiled after the two finished getting dressed "good, now we can talk more comfortably" Without warning his staff's tip caught fire. "Even better," smirked the figure "Most mages would be less upfront about their powers," "I'm not most mages count Alfrin, and to be honest I'm surprised you didn't use the religious definition of my kind," Duncan frowned "I'm not exactly part of any god's holding right now," The bird chuckled "I suppose not" "Come, we'll talk in my hut, by the way, my name is Qual." The walk felt like an eternity, Tilen jumping at every step, Duncan could hardly blame his lover for being so cautious, the forest was awfully foreboding, and as far as they knew, the holy guard was hot on their trail.
"Here we are." The hut was what you would expect for a witch living in the woods, small and shabby with a dark and bleak atmosphere that would make the most experienced of inquisitors feel disheartened at the site of it. "Forgive me if this is not what a nobleman such as yourself is used to," The wolf gave the bird a stiff but noticeable grin "I was a mercenary before a lord, I've seen worse, trust me," Laughing Qual replied "I'm sure you have milord, come inside, please," Without waiting for a reply Qual walked briskly into his home "Amber, you up girl?" An english accent quickly replied to the bird's query, a slightly deep but nonetheless feminine voice filled the fur's ears. "Yes master, I'm up." A light skinned human female with long rose blonde hair walked into their vision, she wore a dark purple robe and held a staff with several carvings embedded into it's surprisingly sleek wood, dragons and wolves taking up the majority of the artistry. Humans were a rather rare site in the west, thanks mostly due to the great plague of seven fifty six created by a group of radical mages who hated humans, it affected only them, despite the large fall in human population the papacy will only allow human men to take the holy throne. "Tell me Qual, why are you helping us? Surely it can't be out of the kindness of... well witches don't have hearts...your arse?" the only hint of comedy hid itself in Tilen's eyes, something only Duncan could see. Ignoring the last comment, the crow replied "It's always good to have allies, I can see great things happening with you two, despite the most unfortunate events recently transpiring," Qual walked over to a dark corner and retrieved a sheathed sword and bow, accompanied by a quiver of rather poor looking barbed arrows. "These aren't much but they're better than your bare paws, I figure one of you can hunt," "I was a
poacher before a bitch." Tilen said, grabbing the equipment from the chuckling crow's hands. Tossing the blade to Duncan the cat slipped the quiver over his slender shoulder and toyed with the bow, it was of crude design, the weapon was basically a bunch of sticks melded together and some cheap rope acting as the bowstring, more fit as firewood then a death delivering stick launcher. "Perhaps you can buy something of value with this," Qual tossed the two a small coin pouch and a large sack filled with fruits "About one hundred livres, should get you a couple nights in a shit inn and some slightly better weapons" "I think it's best if you two go to ireland, my kind has a safe haven in Dublin," "We aren't mages," "No, but
Amber is." The lady looked surprised for a moment, as if she was lost in a different world and just now returned to reality. "What?!""Last I checked you had ears, you've been itching to leave the wilds for a long time girl, now is your chance," Amber stumbled on her words horribly, as if trying to say a hundred things at once, it took a long second before her speech became recognisable to anyone in the room. "Master, this is not how I wanted his," she managed to finally sputter out"You know how to get to the haven, I'll send a message to an old friend, he can teach you far better than me," "Very well... master," Tilen raised his hand "Hey, not to look a gift-horse in the mouth but outside of this forest she's an apostate, you sure we want that attention?" "If you didn't want help from us illegal mages boy, maybe I should have left you both naked in the cold," "Point taken," "This is a rather queer blade," The sudden noise from Duncan caused everyone to snap their heads in his direction, he was holding the sword about seven inches away from his face. "It's enchanted, any living skin that sword pierces will feel a rather unpleasant temperature spike, I infused it with my own blood, it will cause the foe's fluids, water or cum for example, to burn awfully, it won't seriously damage anything, but will hurt like a hot piss," "Pleasant," "Hey lord count, you're already a convicted heretic and blasphemer, why not be a demonic consort too?" "I suppose this weapon will only be temporary," The sword, like everything else, was in awful condition, it clearly had been a long time since someone polished or sharpened it, even had a few chipped spots on it's edge. Amber walked up to the cat and wolf, she moved with a dark elegance in each step, venom in her aura. Duncan finally saw her eyes, not that they were hidden before, he just didn't pay attention. Her left eye was blue, her right was violet. "There is a village not far from here, the guard would never look for you in a small fishermen's shithole," "Wait, I was always afraid of something like this happening, I have a stash of livres, about five hundred, in an old cabin on the border of Toulouse." "So we stay at the village for the night, then head for that glorious coin," Tilen patted Duncan on the shoulder and began to
walk out of the grimy hut. Qual Smiled "Tread carefully you three, there is a revolution brewing, on that may send the whole world into war."---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Dearest Lords and Ladies of the court, I know you all want to know my stance on the papacy's recent creation," A large room with a countless number of furs occupying seats all set to face one thing, the throne. King Aaron Fusil was a strong and well loved fur of only twenty five years, known for not only his charm but also for his looks, his fur was a light cream coloring. "Let it be known that france will, as it has always, stand with his holiness pope Leo and that heretics and heathens will no longer poison this great land," The King took a brief pause. "If any however wish to poison britannia..." The last statement caused a couple of the nobles to chuckle. "My lord." A thin but rather tall rat in a sky blue robe and gold trimmed shoes stepped forward, looking clearly nervous. "My king I am not at all saying this is true but there have been quite horrendous rumors that you have participated in lustful acts with another male." Aaron just smiled. "You know what I love?" A wolf and fox lay on a bed with silken sheets, in a room of great opulence, gold and silver decorations litter the walls along with decorative swords. "I
love that during the day you sit upon a great throne, a chair that held the asses of hundreds of kings," Renard snuggled up to the king's neck, placing his face in such a way as to still look into his eyes. "But at night you sit on my cock," "To be honest, your cock is far more comfortable than that damned chair!" "Well aren't you sweet," "Did you hear about the holy guard's recent raid on Count Duncan Alfin's castle?" "Bloody hell, how could I not hear about it?" The king sat up, any sense of relaxation dead "He is one of the most beloved furs in the damned country,
the people of Narbonne are practically revolting, and duke Noren is beyond upset," "Why not pardon him?" "It's not my decision, this is official papal business, even if I wanted to help him, that would mean angering the pope, france could be excommunicated!" Renard wrapped his arms around Aaron, giving him a side hug "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you angry," Aaron sighed "it's okay, I've just been stressed of late, the church is breathing down my neck, people getting restless and war could break out with england any day now," "Bloody hell, sometimes I envy the common rabble, least they don't have to put up with the pope's bullshit," "You know the holy guard is a thing, so yes they do," "Are you questioning your king?" "No, just being a wise ass."