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-Authors Note-: This is a complete re-imagining/rewrite from the original Fire and Ice I wrote, back in 2003, I'd like to imagine my artistic talent has improved since then...you be the judge :)

Fire and Ice - Reforged -

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

30thJuly, 2019 (Revised/Rewritten)

All Rights Reserved.

Jessica groaned, hefting the woodcutters axe before swinging it around and over her head, firmly driving it down on the log that stood on the old tree stump. With a crack ,the wood split in two before she set down the axe beside the stump and untied the old, faded scarf from around her neck and wiped her sweaty forehead with it.

Muscles ached from hours of repetitive, often back breaking labour, but it needed to be done. Gazing around, she seen the woods turning - leaves gone from the vibrant green of spring, to the reds, yellows and tans of fall - all too soon would the winter come and she needed as much firewood as she could cut before then.

Life for her was hard - yet peaceful - as she crouched down, the ragged hem of her once beautiful gown rustling, she cast her mind back for a moment to a more glamorous life and time...

*

Once, she and her husband had been Lady and Lord, highborn Nobility. They had feasted alongside the King and Queen who ruled over this Kingdom with benevolence and kindness. They had hosted many exquisite dinner parties for the Nobility and had been amongst the top echelons of the inner circle. No-one judged them for being anthromorphs - as they weren't exactly common - but not that uncommon either.

Then come the Dark Times - as many referred to them - rumours swirled that the King and Queen had been assassinated, poisoned by a Master Assassin - yet no proof of this was ever discovered. Their only son, a hedonistic, cruel and spiteful spoilt young human - ascended the throne. At just eighteen years of age, the quietly spoken about rumours - and they were just that - was the young Prince was possessed of a dark and malicious nature.

*

Shaking herself out of her reverie, Jessica turned her attention back to the task at hand - gathering her firewood. Crouching down, she began picking up the split timbers, Her torn gown, once a thing of beauty and finery, was now torn and streaked with stains and dirt. Patchwork cloth here and there were sewn into it, the puffy arm sleeves had been torn off and the hem was ragged and frayed.

With a grunt, she felt her back muscles ache as she lifted the armload of timber and made her way back towards her cottage, placing it in the crude shelter she had built before returning to gather more. Halfway back, she froze and her black tipped ears swivelled, as she head the muffled gallop of hoof-beats.

Wiping her scarf across her head, she frowned and stopped beside the stump, looking down the rough road that lead past her cottage. It had been many years since her husband died - and almost as long since anyone- had come this way. She had grown used to being self-sufficient, hunting when she had need of meat, a nearby stream provided her with fresh water and the fruits of the trees and a small crop provided her with a rough, crude bread from their wheat grains.

Galloping along the path, come a beautiful stallion, decked out in heavy chain mail barding, an ornate surcoat reaching to his knees, and astride the powerful destrier sat a human-like figure, dressed in heavy plate armour, a shield hanging from the saddle and a great sword strapped across his back. Reining in his snorting and panting horse, the Knight, for Jessica was sure that's what he was - who else could afford such finery - slowed and come to a halt, a dozen paces away.

"Hail, Lady - " Come the rich, vibrant and deep voice from behind the visor.

"Hail, Sir Knight - " Jessica responded, then sat on the stump and stared at him.

"By order of his Majesty," Began the Knight, stiff and formally. "I hereby invoke my -"

"Begone Knight, you're not welcome here!" Jessica snapped, then stood and walked towards her cottage. "I have no need of you or your self-righteous King!"

"You dare - " He began, incredulous at her rudeness.

' 'I do more than dare- Sir Knight! Once, I was Lady Blackmayne of House Blackmayne..."

"You were...my Lady, I apologise, I had no idea!"

With a dismissive wave of her paw, Jessica snorted. "I abandoned that life, when your precious _King_come to power. I know what lives within that hell-spawns heart - what he done to me and mine..."

"I never - " Spoke the Knight.

"No, you're privileged, born human- Sir Knight...you weren't forcibly evicted from your home in the middle of the night - your titles, lands and wealth stripped away... Because of why? Because we weren't born as Humans? How did he justify murdering countless numbers of we, the Anthromorph people? Oh, that's right - he didn't - because he signed into law a ruling that were were no longer classified as people!"

"He...I never - this was never spoken of..." Come the voice.

"You must have been away on some Holier Than Thou quest or some such - to have not heard of the "Great Purge" as it was called. Thousands of us put to death for who were were - burned in mass graves and buried, those precious few of us who escaped - a few hundred - had everything taken from us! Our rights, our prestige, our wealth...forced to live and starve in the wilderness like beasts! Tell me Sir Knight, will you cut off my head now and bring it back to the Castle to claim the bounty? Will you?"

"I...forgive me My Lady, I meant no disrespect! I truly did not know of such actions taken against your people. I merely sought refuge for one night, I have been travelling long and am weary - I thought I might beseech you, as is our right as Knights, to a single nights hospice!"

Grudgingly, Jessica nodded. "I may not trust you Sir Knight, but your request is granted, a single night you may stay, as is written in the Old Laws I still adhere too."

Dismounting, he seized the reins and bowed slightly.

"I am Sir Kathis, Knight of - " He began.

"So be it, Sir Kathis," Growled Jessica. "Be forewarned, I might look naive and innocent, but I sleep with a very sharp blade close at paw. Try to harm me, and I promise, you will not leave this wood alive."

"I have no wish to claim your head Lady, I swear on my life that no harm shall befall you at my hand."

"I will hold you to your words Sir Kathis, but as I said, be forewarned! I know every inch of this forest like the back of my paw. Everything from the smallest insect to the largest of beasts - I know them all. I am not the only Guardian of these Woods - many are far more predatory than I shall ever be. Harm one of the denizens of this wood - and you will never see the dawn, I promise you this!"

As the Knight led his horse near, it suddenly reared and pawed at the air, whinnying and fighting against the reigns.

"Woah, calm yourself!" Growled the Knight, as he struggled to hold his stallion in check.

Rolling it eyes, the ears pinned, the Stallion fought and kicked out, as if fearing for its very life. Jessica noted this with interest, and a half-lidded glare directed at the stallion. Stepping aside, Jessica watched as he gained control over the terrified horse, then lashed its reins to a branch. Opening the door to her cottage, the Doe watched as the Knight entered, then she gave the terrified Stallion another baleful glance, before walking inside and shutting the door.

With a squeal of fear and suffering, the Stallion shrieked with a cry of forlorn fear and mistrust, that echoed out into the woods...

*

"I wasn't expecting visitors - " Jessica murmured, as she cleared away a crude wooden chair and gestured for the Knight to sit.

As she prepared water to boil, Jessica sat near the open fireplace, the warmth of the fire slowly easing the tight muscles in her back, as she looked over the Knight.

"Fine armour and well cared for - " Jessica idly noted.

"Aye, I pride myself on my appearance and keep my equipment well maintained."

"I find it - intriguing - you do not have a squire."

With a heavy sigh, Sir Kathis took his helm off and set it down on the table, then slid the scabbard off and leant it against the table as well, Jessica noting, it was kept within easy reach.

"Alas, my squire perished but a scant week ago, a proud and noble born lad, he would have made a fine Knight."

"Such is life, is it not?" Jessica spoke, seemingly disinterested.

"Aye Lady, such it is. Forgive me, I wish not to burden you with my problems. I have ridden the length and breadth of this Kingdom for many months, often without encountering a person such as yourself!"

"I explained why," Jessica growled quietly, then rose and prepared tea. "We are hounded and hunted - often just for sport - small wonder we choose to live as far from humans as we can."

Her hooves clicked on the hard packed dirt floor, as she fetched two crude bowls and poured the tea into them, then carried them over to the table.

"My hospitality isn't probably what you are used too - but I live meagerly on that which the forest provides, or I can grow myself."

"It is more than I expected My Lady, thank you. I shall not intrude on your privacy and solitude any more than is courteously expected."

"See that you do not, the longer you are here, the more my own distrust grows."

With a sigh, she sat down, then idly ran a hooflet around her bowl, looking deep into the rising steam as she pondered her own, private thoughts.

"Forgive me Sir Kathis, for my rudeness and anger. I spoke unbecoming of a High Born, and beg your forgiveness. It has been many moons since I had company, let alone someone of equal stature as I once held."

Holding out a delicate paw, she waited as Sir Kathis held his own gauntlet hand out. As she shook it, he visibly paled, feeling her tight, firm grasp.

"That is quite some grip you have - " He murmured in surprise.

"Aye, it comes form living alone, doing many back breaking chores and other things. It has a tendency to harden ones heart, soul and body."

Rising, she turned to the fireplace, then began stirring some strange stew that bubbled there. A wracking sob tore at her, before she sniffled and used a paw to wipe at her watering eyes. Sir Kathis rose from the table, then walked over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, before she snarled and tore herself out of his grasp and fled to another crude doorway, the door slamming closed behind her.

*

In her bedchambers, Jessica threw herself down on her crude straw pallet bed, then clutched the wolf skin pillow tight to her chest as she began to cry heart-brokenly. It was as if an icy dagger had been thrust into her chest; all the dark, rotten blood of her suppressed grief and anger overwhelming her. Emotions she had fought to suppress for over a decade bubbled up from the wellspring of grief she had suppressed.

She did not want to remember them, not then, and not now...

To Be Continued...