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The Eternal Forest

Chapter IV

2022 by Zorha

Lucus reficiat

Silva Marciana

41 AD

The distant tweets of birds stirred Reprobus from the depths of unconsciousness. He blinked his right eye open to the warm rays of late morning coming through one of the open windows of the fortalice. Despite the serene calm stirring the giant sandy colored wolf awake, the ruined interior of the small watchtower lay restiment to Romulus' ferocity only the night before.

The chaotic view tilted at a disorienting angle. In one corner, an entire bunk lay in pieces. The small table they had cena at still lay upturned at the far wall. Dried wine and splattered blood coated everything. Crusty blood matted the fur around his left eye. He whined and staggered to his four feet. Aside from the stiffness of laying in the same position for most of the night, his body put everything back where it should be.

Romulus, being a demi-god, could have snapped his neck and ripped off his head, ending Reprobus' profane existence. This fact did not go unnoticed. And has brutal as last night's rape had been, Reprobus knew Romulus well enough that he preferred him alive.

Last night was simply a slap on the wrist. A warning.

Dried Blood and cum still coated the underside of his tail base, and it annoyed him. Reprobus padded to the window, and with an agile leap, jumped through it. His stiff joints popped with the landing on the other side. With how sore he felt, it felt good to stretch out the sinew and josstle his mended bones. The giant wolf trotted up the trail, past where he cut the firewood, and after a little while, found the stream of the Breg burbling gently downhill.

He crept to its grassy edge, cautiously putting a huge forepaw into the stream. He didn't dare go too deep, lest the running water rip his spirit from his flesh, as it did to so many of his kind during the Great Flood. Once he was satisfied the bank was shallow enough, he rolled into its chilly waters, splashing about and cleaning himself off.

Tu-ag-e/o ... k?ei ... k?risto .... k?owitso ...

Reprobus scrambled to his feet, tossing up water in his sudden panic. He looked upstream. The water had spoken to him, its feminine voice distorted, but fluttery and unmistakable.

Kwemanan ... hwi ... wiðuz ... hailaz ...

Her reverberating words thrummed through him like a deep ripple. Coming up from the very mountain itself. Pulling him upstream. Beckoning him. He stood there, water dripping off his matted sand and stone colored fur. But what was the Deer Goddess saying to him?

Venire ... reficiat ... in silva ...

Reprobus shook himself out, droplets of river water spun off the guard hairs like rain. He understood the offer now. Or was it a subtle command? He looked back towards the fortalice, hesitant. Romulus bade him to head directly back to Rome. Lingering here in the Black Forest would go against that order.

And outright disobedience would evoke a much less ... lenient ... punishment.

But Reprobus could not get the last thought of last night out of his mind now. Was Romulus the strongest Wolf King? Was this Deer Queen of the Black Forest ... stronger somehow? The way Romulus seemed hesitant to talk about her. Yes. There could be no doubt now.

He felt compelled to know. And to follow the Strongest there was. Be it Royalty or Divinity.

Reprobus climbed out of the shallow banks of the Breg and loped up the narrow trail following it upstream. The normally creepy dark forest seemed less imposing now. It may have been a simple trick of the mind, but the canopy above seemed to part a little, letting a winding shaft of light bounce off the Breg next to him. Without the golden, shimmering trail of water, Reprobus would have easily gotten turned around and quite possibly lost forever in this unending, Eternal Forest ...

The Celts had brought with them tales of the Fae, who might steal mortals and raise them. And if one was not careful to offend the Fae, a mortal might be misdirected about in their wooden realms until their limited forms gave up their spirits.

The Germanic tribes as well, brought tales of the spirits from above who fell to earth. Those that did not stake a kingdom in the underworld became Waldleute; forest and mountain spirits.

They all had a common core. The war in heaven that shattered a star. The fall of an order of light into abject chaos and darkness. And a seemingly inconsequential battle over the souls of this temporal world.

* * * * *

Many hours later the stream narrowed, threatening to disappear. It was little more than a brook, barely babbling now. Reprobus thought the air felt thinner here. The ubiquitous call of the cuckoo seemed chipper, as if the universe itself was in perfect harmony. Time itself seemed to stand still.

Reprobus rounded a final bend in the trail and stopped dead at the sacred grove he found himself in. Sparkles swirled and flared in the very air. The trees very themselves seemed still, sentinel. The mountain itself seemed sloped around the small source of the Breg, flowing from out of the very bosom of Abnoba Mons herself.

And at the very center, the Deer Goddess and her Consort watched as the old man with arthritis lay in the healing spring tickling out from small boulders. His blue eyed nephew sensed another approach to the renewal ceremony, and turned. His young, excited eyes lit up on the sight of Reprobus.

"Cauaros." He whispered out.

He ran to the giant wolf, hand still clutching the toy carving of the Deer Goddess. A haunt of fear spread over his uncle, and he tried to struggle to his feet before the Deer Goddess placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, staying him. His nephew threw his comparatively small arms round Reprobus' shaggy neck. The sandy colored wolf blinked. The mortal child had no fear of him. Reprobus' suddenly thought back to all the mortal children he had consumed after the fall of Pydna.

The child's innocence, his boundless trust jostled the once unrepentant monster. He sat on his haunches, unexpectedly humbled.

The Deer Goddess smiled at this in earnest, and leaned down to whisper something in the uncle's ear. At first, the old man looked upset. Then, upon reflection, seemed saddened but hopeful. The young boy pushed his small nose into Reprobus' furry forehead, as if to smell, then bounded back to the two women tending to his uncle. He knelt in reverence into the mossy forest floor, clutching the carving to his chest.

The Deer Goddess undid her vestments, once at a time, until she was completely naked. Her consort followed suit. The boy didn't seem curious or bashful at their different, naked forms. The Goddess sat behind the arthritic old man, who laid relaxed on his side, the healing spring barely covering his worn knees.

The Deer Goddess raised her arms to the canopy above. Her ethereal antlers manifested. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead all around those in attendance, the same vibrating hum thrummed up from the very earth, through the trees, and up to the blue sky above. She placed each of her hands on the uncle's shoulders, the small dancing flashes of lights flaring in luminosity. The eyes of the old man closed as the ache in his old bones faded. The thrum's intensity lowered, but remained somehow lingering in the back of Reprobus' neck somehow.

She glanced at her consort, who somehow understood the silent command. The other naked woman's form shifted seamlessly until all that remained was a large black wolf. The boy and his uncle did not seem fazed. The black wolf padded over to the sandy wolf.

Follow me. She said, and much like Romulus, her thoughts slipped into Reprobus' with perfect comprehension. She took off, and again, Reprobus felt compelled to follow. They lopped over headwaters and small boulders for a while until coming to a small exposed outcropping. Here, away from the unending canopy of the Black Forest, they both sat and watched the fiery circle of the sun begin to dip to the western horizon, casting long shadows behind them.

Why did you bring me here? Reprobus asked, attention drawn to the east bank of the Rhenus and its line of diminutive Roman watchtowers in the far distance.

Because you want to know about ... my Queen. The black wolf narrowed her yellow eyes, as if a little protective of the subject.

Yes. Reprobus admitted. He felt an odd comradery with this consort immediately, but did not yet know why. Who is she?

She is the Goddess Abnoba. Keeper of these mountains, forests, and rivers. Warden of the eternal hunts.

Reprobus seemed to mull this over. Why has she shown herself to me? Again, the black wolf's eyes narrowed, as if slightly jealous.

I don't know. Should I have been allowed, I would have killed you when we first met.

I don't understand. Why does Abnoba allow Romulus and I to kill the mortals here with impunity, and sack the forest for its wood?

Because you hunt them. And you harvest the forest. You consume her bounty. All these things my Queen oversees. That is her purpose. That is the way of things here.

And what is your purpose? Your name? She turned her head, nostrils flaring ever so slightly.

Before I tell you, grant me a boon.

Very well. What is it you want from me?

Who are you? And why do you follow the eater of men? Reprobus stiffened and turned his head. His eyes flared red with the fires of pride.

I am Reprobus of Canaan. Born of Nephilim. He is Romulus of Alba Longa. Born of Mars. And he is my conqueror, my King.

She looked away, thinking this over a while. So he conquered you?

Yes.

And you follow his cruelty why?

Reprobus visibly flinched. At first he wanted to snap at her. Then he wanted to argue with her. And then after thinking about it for a few brief moments, deflated. The sun continued its slow fall to the far west.

I thought ... he was strong. But now I am unsure. He turned back to regard her. Why do you follow your Queen even though you never seem to catch her?

Because that is _my_ purpose. But despite everything, my Queen finds it curious that you have not found yours.

I know my purpose. Reprobus bared his fangs. I serve the Strongest of this realm.

And who is that? She asked, muzzle lips pursed, ears erect, baiting.

I serve ... Reprobus' thoughts trailed to nowhere. He had witnessed the strongest of the Gods he knew thus far serving blessings to unremarkable, wizened, and utterly spent mortals But why?

The wind whipped up a bit, waffing up from the bottom of the sharp mountainside below. The leaves rustled. Reprobus had no good answer for his counterpart.

I am the one who guards the gates to the Underworld, judging mortals' actions and choices. She offered. I am as Anubis. Cerberus. Garm. C?n Annwn.

Reprobus looked again to the Hellhound next to him. Why do the Gods and Goddesses care so much about them?

Because they possess what we can never have.

And that is?

Free will.

Reprobus snorted and looked away in disgust at the absurd idea of pathetic mortals being placed so highly in the celestial order.

So answer me, contemptuous one, could you have said no to your Romulus after he beat you? Reprobus glared at her, eyes blazing again. They trembled. And he tried to deny her. But couldn't. And you know what Romulus will do to you once he catches you here. It will lead to your demise. But you came anyway. Because you had no other choice.

The sun was a fiery half circle now on the horizon. The shadows around them seemed to thicken. A slow sort of despair gripped Reprobus' heart.

The boy did not fear you. Even though my Queen has told him of your darkest deeds.

Why?

Because he chose not to. Just as those strung up on crosses chose to give their lives up in defiance of Kings and Gods. Mortals' time here may seem a blink in our eyes, but the time of Gods and Kings will eventually come to an end.

Sacrifice. Selflessness. Humility. These are not the traits of the Gods, but of Mankind. And that is why the Sons of your God Yahweh served and fell in love with the Daughters of Men.

Reprobus watched the last bit of light slip away. This world grew dark and cold. The wind was a cruel empty whisper in his perked ears now. All the works that Romulus and he had done. All the manipulation of mankind. All those centuries ... Why? The sudden vision of the Cross crossed Reprobus' mind. And then it became clear why Romulus was afraid of its symbolism.

Reprobus.

Yes?

Abnoba would ask this of you. In the morning, escort the man and the boy safely down from here. To where the Breg and Brigach meet.

He paused to answer, contemplating this request of him.Was he doing this because he had no other choice? After a few moments, he nodded. Once he was done there, he would go to Rome and then Judea.

Abnoba's will be done ...

Deep down Reprobus knew the danger that threatened the uncle and his nephew. He also knew that in aiding them that same danger now sided against ... him ...