FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Jon awoke to a sudden fright, reaching for his spear. As he looked around, he realized there was nothing to fear and so he eased himself. The fox gathered his items and continued his run to the fort, he ran for many hours and after another day he arrived at the fort, relieved that it was still standing. As he approached the iron doors to the wooden palisade, a guard halted him. Stepping towards him a hand in his hilt, a large knight asked Jon

"In the name of the king, who goes there? A begga?" The wolf snorted and spat eyeing Jon. Jon stood looking up at the knight, he placed his spear on the ground and answered the knight. "I a...was the squire of Barahir, he's gone now" he looked down remembering the knight's face and the foes that surrounded him. The knight eased some and let the young fox pass through, returning to his post as well. Jon made his way to the commander's tent, a large tent and warm too, as warm as it got in that tent. Jon looked upon his commander, scars covering his face, a part of his right ear gone, cut in a battle a long time before Jon was even born. The old fox looked up slowly from a map. "What is it young squire?" The commander asked, his voice rough and scratchy, he took a drink of water. Jon fumbled with his hood and told the commander what had happened. The old fox sat listening quietly, when Jon was done, he let out a huff, standing up slowly, looking Jon in the eye. "Well Jon, thank you for bringing me this news..." there was a long pause before he began again, staring at the map. "We must keep moving south, how far do you believe they are from here?" he asked looking back up to Jon. Jon looked around, "by nightfall they'll be upon us..." the old fox looked around at his subordinates, then back at Jon. Sighing and going over to his sword unsheathing it, standing silently as if studying the blade then looking back at the others. "Captains...Jon..."he looked down again at the map and rolling it up. "We will make our stand here...prepare the men, get the archers on the wall and get the gates sealed, I want everyone back in the fort by evening." He walked past Jon and stopped "and you boy, get yourself some food and armor." Jon nodded and hurried out the tent. He felt like he would be sick a tightening in his stomach and he ran over to a corner and stood hunched over. He couldn't bear the thought of being slaughtered in this fort, in the cold and becoming one of...them. Jon made his way slowly to the dinning hall, poking at his food eating small bites at a time unable to finish even half of his meal he went to the quartermaster, who gave him a new sword and leather padded armor and a helm. The sun was setting and the men were placed on the walls and at the gate. He was part of the men on the walls, he stood shaking next to the other knights, some of them shaking as well, others with stern looks on their faces, ready to face the onslaught of the dead.

For what seemed like hours after the moon had rose, Jon heard that awful cry, some of the men dropped, casting away their helms and covering their ears. Jon could hear the Old Fox shouting orders. Hundreds of pale lights could be seen approaching from the forest surrounding the wooden fort, captains giving orders to notch the arrows. The dead began to approach the walls getting closer every minute. Across the walls the order "Loose" could be heard and the whistle of arrows being released, many of them hitting their marks with a thump, bringing some of the enemy down. The shrieking of the dead ravaging fear through the ranks, some running off the walls to the main hall hoping to escape death. The enemy made it to the wall and began to climb, some of the dead clumsily using axes and swords hitting at the palisade pulling themselves slowly up the wall. Many of the archers began to run low on arrows using the last on the heads of the dead coming up the walls. A ringing of swords across the wall, the knights unsheathing their swords, the moonlight and fire mixing and shining off their blades as they came down upon the dead beings. Jon rushed forward seeing one of the dead raising a sword to strike down a fellow knight who's sword was stuck in another. He thrust his blade into the side of the dead being and pushed him over the wall knocking down some of the dead who were climbing. The knight nodded to him and continued to fight off the dead. Clashes of swords and axes, the shattering of shields and armor coming from the walls. Within the hour, the wall was covered in the bodies of dead and knights alike. Jon had followed some knights down the stairs to protect the gate but to no avail, the dead had began to come down from the walls to surround them. Jon stood ready to fight to the end, he had a burst of bravery in him as he charged against the dead. Blocking a cut to his head to follow with a thrust to the throat of the dead, pulling out the blade to slash down at the shoulder of another, cleaving off the the head. He cut his way to the stables with the Old Fox and a few other knights. The dead had not followed and the doors closed on the stables. Outside the sounds of a chaotic battle were still ringing in his ears. After a sudden realization he hurled turning away from the others. The commander came over to him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's okay boy, you and a these knights here can still make it." He said trying to reassure Jon, although he was not sure himself. As he caught his bearings and made his way to a horse where others accompanied him mounting the horses and began their way to the door. The door opened and out they charged, cutting down the dead in their path, at least twenty were making their way out and to the gate where they cleaved a path through escaping to freedom. They rode hard through the night, Jon looked back seeing the dead slaughtering the last knights who resisted. Unfortunately for those he sought shelter in the main hall were cut down hiding in the rooms. The old fox was able to fight on a little longer making it to the doors of the main hall protecting the door until he was overwhelmed, many blades piercing him.

Jon was exhausted and was slipping into sleep, but the wind blew just as he would doze off. The battle was over and their forces defeated, the dead gaining more ground everyday. This was just the start of a terrible war to come.