FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Hazel had followed the instructions to the letter to what felt like the deepest and darkest part of Harian's Border Forests. At first the forest was warm and almost inviting, but this far in things felt felt vastly different. There was a noticeable mist that haunted every corner of the forest, and slight glimpses of light shone through the trees - barely enough to keep the forest visible. Tree roots stretched out all across the floor and entangled with various rocks, small hills, and even each other. The abundance of these made Hazel uneasy, as he got the impression the dark-barked trees might somehow spring to life and snatch him away. No kinds of forest life could be heard either, not even the gentle swaying of trees. Just...silence. If one listened hard enough, perhaps they could hear the whisper of ghosts.

Despite the unsettling nature of the forest, young rabbit couldn't help but be intrigued that Penter's rebel group was also hiding out in a forest. However, this place was dark, forbidding, and a touch unsettling. It felt haunted, even. A noticeable contradiction to the forests that Kir and his group of Artol were hiding in. Sure, those forests were thick, and a layer of fog seemed to shield and protect the settlement's location, but there was almost a sort of fantastical, magical feeling, as if he was being welcomed back home by the fog, protected by it. This fog seemed more ominous, even if it wasn't nearly as thick. It felt like ghosts were breathing on him.

Then again, he was welcome among Kir's people. While Penter had sent for Razzle, and in a sense opened his home, Hazel wasn't sure he was welcome. Would Razzle have the same unwelcome feeling? Or was Hazel letting the forest get too far into his head? Perhaps, Hazel mused, Penter finds comfort in dark forests.

Hazel began to walk slowly forward, his ears rotating as he listened for any suspicious sounds. He kept his eyes out for trees that were marked with a red circle, which according to the note indicated the correct path to take. Within moments he came to a tree with a red circle and a line pointing to his left. The rabbit reached into his pocket and produced Penter's note and carefully scanned it.

"Circles guide the land

Pass but past no other tree stand

Face the same as inner hands

Trust in their plan.

Wander wrong join spirits grand!"

Hazel took another look at the red circle with the line pointing to the left.

"Okay, these guide me through here somehow," Hazel thought to himself. "'Inner hands'...what could that mean? Wait a minute..."

He studied the circle once more, and found there were small tick marks on the inside of the circle that matched the hours on a clock. His ears stood straight up in triumph.

"Of course! It's like hands on a clock! So all I need to do is pass this tree, and once I'm not more than one step beyond it turn and face to my left and go on. Okay..."

Hazel passed the tree, turned to his left, and took a breath, hoping that he wasn't blindly walking into a trap. If there really were any spirits in this forest, he was surely at the mercy of them now.

It wasn't more than ten paces before he came to another with a line pointing upwards.

"An upwards line! Well, I don't think I'm supposed to climb the tree, the instructions don't say anything about climbing. So...I guess I go forward..." Hazel passed the tree, his ears drooping somewhat as he feared he had gone the wrong way. Much to his relief, however, he came to another tree circle with a line pointing to the right. The young rabbit felt as if he were being led by the nose, and couldn't shake the feeling that he was going right into a trap. The fact that this thick part of the woods had tree roots pushing up and out everywhere didn't help things one bit, and the rabbit was so concentrated on not tripping and following the directions that he didn't notice some of the trees gently swishing. Hazel looked up and saw that the small pockets of light that shone through were getting smaller and smaller, just barely enough to see. But he didn't dare light a torch, as the instructions forbade it and promised that somehow, light would "show the way forward".

Finally, Hazel came to a duo of trees that each had a red circle with a red dot in the middle. Trees, brushes, and other assorted foliage were on the sides of the trees, stretching out and appearing as if it were some kind of wall. The only opening was between the trees, which was an opaque black. He surmised that he was to go between the trees, but with the darkness before him he wasn't quite sure he had found the right spot. Was this one of the traps of the spirits? The rabbit pulled out Penter's notes once more.

"Darkest shades of black do scare

But through this you must bear

You wish to find the lair

Trust and faith in this pair"

"This has to be it..." Thought Hazel. The rabbit braced himself, and against his own sensibilities walked between the gate-like trees into pure darkness.

The sight on the other side made the rabbit's jaw drop and his fur stand on end. The dark, heavy forests had opened up, letting in a mix of sunlight and fog that gave the opening an ethereal feeling. A few yards away was what looked like a huge stone building, it's true height obscured by tall trees. Stone walls stretched out and around the area with numerous trees lining it, and Hazel looked up and behind him to see that he had stepped through some sort of entry way. However, the way out was obscured by that opaque blackness. Had he stepped through a portal, or was it mere illusion magic?

The trees swayed; this time Hazel took note, and his heart began to beat rapidly. Was that mere magic too? Or were they scouts, bowmen even? Hazel took a step back, and considered turning back.

"This is too much, I can't take this," thought Hazel. "I can walk into some Inele village and deliver messages no problem but this...this is something else! I'm neck deep in unknown territory...if I take another step I could be filled with arrows!"

But something from within the rabbit suddenly spoke up.

"You must press forward. Do not be afraid. Remember why you are doing this..."

Hazel nodded, and reminded himself of his cause. He must press forward! He fought hard to convince Razzle to let him come in his place. He couldn't let his friend, his lover, wander potentially into a trap. Better he than Razzle. The most important figure to both Biel's rebellion and Hazel. He took a deep breath, steeled himself, and took cautious steps forward towards the stone building, even while the trees continued to sway. He came to the front steps of the stone building, which were flanked by statues of wolven warriors clad in armor Hazel didn't quite recognize.

Suddenly, the door to the building opened up, and a gray and white wolf in leather armor stepped out. On his back was a bow, and on his hip was a short sword. On his breast was a black and white sun.

"Well, come on then! What are you watin' for, the end times!?" barked the wolf.

Hazel lost his composure as his ears folded down. "Ah! Uh...well n-no sir you see I was uh..."

"You was what? Waitin' for the spirits to welcome ya in? Thinkin' we were gonna fill you with arrows or somethin'?" the wolf gave a hearty, strangely friendly laugh. "If we were gonna do that you wouldn't gotten this far! Penter sees all, little one! It was foretold that Razzle would send a close friend in his place. Now get in here! And don't mind my Tree Men - they know a shaky little rabbit when they see one, and they couldn't help themselves."

"I uh...Tree...men...? Oh...never mind...let's...let's get on with it yes?"

Never had Hazel moved so fast out of a forest before.

Inside was a stone hallway lit up by torchlight, with a red carpet that was old and worn out. Shadows stretched here and there, dancing to the torchlight.

Hazel looked to the wolf. "What...what is this place? Um, if you don't mind me asking of course."

"It's an old forest temple, yes," replied the wolf. "It used to be used by a settlement of Artol people. According to legend, when the False God Lannis took over the Artol used sacred magic to hide it within this very forest. And none could find it! Until now, that is."

They reached a door on the other end of the corridor. Voices and other commotion could be heard from the other side.

"I take it Penter somehow magically found it?"

The wolf snickered. "'Somehow magically'. Silly boy, you see I was the same as you initially," the wolf gripped the handle and opened the door wide. "That is of course, until I met Penter myself."

On the other side of the door was a massive area where a good couple dozen assorted creatures were partaking in all sorts of activity. Some were conversing, others singing in some foreign tongue, and a few were even sparring. In stark contrast to everything before it, this room was very spacious and open, with various doors here and there on the sides of the room. More statues of various creatures in that unrecognizable armor could be found, and in the center of the room was what looked like a black and white sun in a ring. On the far end of the room were stone stairs that led up to a set of purple and red double doors.

Hazel and the wolf had walked no more than two steps through the doors before a mouse and ferret approached them, both wearing what looked like initiate robes.

"So's this the guy that Penter is expecting?" said the mouse.

Hazel quirked a brow and looked to the wolf. "Was my coming some sort of announcement?"

The wolf nodded. "Indeed! We don't get visitors too often little one!"

"...geez I couldn't imagine why..." murmured Hazel under his breath.

The ferret chuckled as he looked Hazel up and down. "He's supposed to be Razzle's right hand guy? He looks scared half to death! I could probably push the poor bastard over right now!"

"You're a long way from home little rabbit!" sneered the mouse. "Are you sure you're not lost?"

"Enough you two!" barked the wolf. "While his demeanor is certainly worthy of ridicule, he is Penter's guest, and we shall treat him as such!"

"I thought the Emerald Seer was our guest, not this..." the ferret eyed Hazel. "...this delivery boy."

"Are you sure he's the one who delivers?" chuckled the mouse.

This time Hazel's fur shivered in anger, but he bit his tongue and didn't say anything. He silently clenched a fist and hoped the duo didn't see it. Normally he would've answered back, but again, potentially hostile territory.

The wolf reached forward and smashed the ferret and mouse's heads together. "Go on, get! Before I dunk the both of you in the Spider's Well!"

They scurried away, chuckling more jokes at Hazel's expense.

He turned to the rabbit. "Sorry about that. Recent arrivals. They still haven't learned their...manners."

Hazel let out a sigh of disapproval. "You're telling me!"

The wolf stepped in front of Hazel, and instructed the rabbit to follow him to the center of the room, where the black and white sun was. Multiple creatures stopped what they were doing to watch as Hazel approached the center.

"He told me to place you here. He should be out any moment now. Til then you'll have to just enjoy your time in the sun."

The wolf walked away. Hazel mockingly chucked under his breath. "'Time in the sun' how hilarious creatures around here are."

As he waited a dark purple and red feline approached him.

"So you're the one Lord Penter is expecting?" he said, his voice light and whispery.

"Well, no, I'm no Razzle, I'm merely a good friend of his," replied Hazel, who felt a little more at ease in the presence of the feline. Something about him gave an air of honest curiosity.

"Oh ho, but you see rabbit, we all know that. Lord Penter told us what he saw. And it wasn't an Emerald Seer standing in the sun. It was a rabbit made of opal."

Hazel's ears twitched. "Opal? That's my birthstone! But...no...that'd be silly! I mean, how many rabbits are born in Leavesfall? That's an easy guess to make."

The feline smiled. "Ah yes, but do you know how many rabbits born in Leavesfall are in your army? Let alone are the close companion of the Emerald Seer? You see, there was another sign...the opal rabbit had on his left hand an emerald ring!"

"An...emerald ring?"

"Yes! An emerald ring!" cried out a voice from atop the stone stairs. It was a yellow rabbit that seemed rather slim, with shaky green eyes. A black cloak was wrapped around his body, from under it stretched an arm holding a marvelously crafted multicolored staff, atop which a crystal ball of all colors sat. The rabbit began to descend the steps, all commotion in the room having stopped, all eyes of which were now on him. Hazel's heart began to pound once more. Was this Penter? Or another resident looking to try to prove something to him?

The room was silent as the rabbit made his way over to Hazel. The slim creature stood before Hazel, his eyes never really seeming to look straight, always looking as if the pupils were shaking.

"An emerald ring is what the opal rabbit was wearing in my vision," the rabbit said suddenly. "It's not a simple prediction. I am no tarot reader in a tent, no conman who uses the vaguest of questions to 'tell the future'. My sights come from the Lord Master himself. Do you doubt the power of a Demi, Little Hazel?"

For some reason, Hazel couldn't find it within himself to stare directly into the rabbit's eyes. He averted his eyes, and found himself looking at the crystal ball. From within it, he could see a rabbit made of opal, shaped just like him, standing the middle of a black and white sun. On his left hand was a ring made of emerald.

"Do you see now, Little Hazel?" a knowing grin spread across the yellow rabbit's muzzle. "My Mindstaff gives me the ability to share my visions for all to see. Ah, but I know what you're going to say, mere illusion magic, hm? You can be honest with your thoughts. You should know too however, that I am just and honest. For I am Penter, the Chosen Seer of Apokris."

Hazel looked back at the rabbit's face. "Y...you? You're Penter?"

"My Lord..." said the feline, who knelt before him, as did all creatures present save Hazel.

"Quite a different environment from your little camp, hm Little Hazel?"

He shook his head in response. "It's different, and I don't like it. Razzle would never have anyone kneel before him like this! Even if he was the leader of the rebels. What gives you the right to have others kneel before you?"

Penter passed his staff from one hand to the next. "I must admit, I had to get used to this. I did not desire them to kneel before me. They do it of their own volition. But perhaps that is because I am the Lord Master's chosen, hm? Raziya is just...well, an important figure in all of this. But he's far and away from the station I am in. I am their leader, their guiding star back to their Lord Master Apokris. That is why they kneel. For reverence of I, Little Hazel, not worship."

"Even if he was chosen by whatever Demi you claim to follow, he wouldn't have any of this. I know him!" Hazel gave a firm nod.

"You know him as one of Biel's trusted units, nothing more!" Penter tilted his staff towards Hazel. "Though he is important to the Seafarer's cause...he does not have the level of power and authority that I have. And these powers, these revelations, it changes a creature. It has been revealed to me that Raziya hasn't even come close to realizing his potential. He is capable of so much more, Little Hazel."

Hazel quirked a brow and crossed his arms. "Such as? He's a pretty tough guy, with loads of magical powers."

Penter was unfazed by Hazel's claims. "Like me, he was gifted by the Sword of Urashi with these soothsaying powers. Unlike me, he has had them his entire life. He grew with them, I didn't. I learned to...cope with them. At the cost of a piece of my own mind. He is indeed going to become strong, hm? And though you say he has...'loads of magical powers'...that mana is unrealized. He has so much potential, so much power...if only he would realize it and draw from it. Why is it that he doesn't, hm?" Penter smiled. "But...you should consider yourself lucky to have his hand, Little Hazel. Many Artol would want to be where you are. He will be such an important figure in the coming new world. Oh, and to share a bed with a seer as well. Even when the Lord Master ruled, they were uncommon."

Hazel's ears slightly folded down. This guy somehow knew way more personal things than he should! "How do you know about Razzle and me? And..the...the coming new world?"

Penter touched a hand to his staff's crystal ball. "I see all, Little Hazel. You would think it spies, hm? You would think wrong. So very wrong. As for the new world...that brings me to why you are here. Originally I wanted to speak one-on-one with Raziya, to see if he would be willing to work with me and my people. Together we can achieve so much more," Penter looked to his staff's crystal ball. "The coming new world...what will arise after the False God Lannis falls. We will need all to not just remove him and his wicked theocracy from power, but to usher in the new world. Yes, it would be glorious, hm?"

Hazel crossed his arms. "This is what he thought you wanted, some sort of joining. In fact, he gave me an answer in the event he was right. Using intuition, not visions."

Penter gave another knowing grin. "Oh? What did he say?"

Hazel's voice seemed to echo throughout the room.

"No."

The knelt creatures around the room began to murmur and discuss what had just been said. But Penter...he still had that look on his face as if this were going to plan. As if he had read a script to a play, and were merely playing his part.

And then, silence. The room remained quiet for what felt like an eternity.

Penter suddenly began to speak. "I expected this. Yes...this was a possibility I've foreseen. Not the one I wanted, mind you. That's too bad. Our forces together would crush the False God's armies."

Hazel remained with his arms folded, and he cast a gaze of judgment on Penter. "You shouldn't even need your staff to see that answer coming! The Seafarers pride themselves on maintaining a good image with the people! They may knock down Lannis outposts and send their soldiers packing, but they've never came close to what you've done! Supply lines robbed, villages burned down, conversions at sword point...you're a terrible monster, Penter! Your Demi is as well if he condones this!"

An audible gasp was heard from the onlookers. How dare that insolent little rabbit say something of the sort! And in a sacred temple, no less!

"Tsk tsk tsk," Penter leaned his staff closer to Hazel. "You're so naive Little Hazel. Tell me, do you know what a rebellion often brings?"

"Well...yeah. Conflict, and war. Which is why we try--"

"You 'try' to care too much about those damnable Lannis citizens!" exclaimed Penter. "Do you know what war is? It's a no-holds-barred conflict between us, the 'evil misguided rebels' and them, the 'holy and upright followers of Lannis'. It's not some game with rules that you play by! And especially not when you are up against the tyranny of Lannis!" Petner's voice had changed, from one of courteous friendship to its own judgmental tone. "We are small. And we were starved! Poorly armed! Without medicine, supplies! Support! We had to take them! What, hm, you expect a group of mostly Artol people to go wandering into town to buy military supplies? Silly Little Hazel!"

Hazel's arms slightly drooped, but remained folded. "I'm sure you...could have...worked something out!"

Penter began to walk around Hazel. "No. We aren't glorious 'defender of the people' mercenaries going rouge. We are the people Lannis has displaced and wishes to obliterate. So we must take every course of action we can! Every nudge and advantage we can get! And there is something else I've seen about you Hazel. In my vision, the opal rabbit was very stern, sturdy, and strong. Same as you are Little Hazel. You're inexperienced, but headstrong. You are weak. Your army is weak, for it will not take advantage of the conditions which we are in."

Penter stopped in front of Hazel, and looked dead into his eyes. "This is why I wanted to talk to Raziya. He's much more agreeable. One-on-one, no advisers, rebel leaders, or intimate ones to influence him."

Hazel threw up his hands. "Then why let me come all this way? Why not include in your letter for Razzle to come and not send anyone else?"

"Now that's the fun part isn't it? I could have done that. But I needed to see if my powers were working, if this was the right future to see. And...it allowed me to meet you in person. More for me to work with, hm?"

"But you can see the future! You could even see how stubborn I'd be with your proposition!" Hazel pointed a finger at Penter. "Are you trying to waste our time!?"

Penter pushed aside Hazel's finger with his staff. "Do not point at me, boy! Or so help me by the Master's chains I will make you regret it!"

Hazel felt that he had about enough of Penter's antics. His fur brushed with anger. "Regret it how, what are you going to do? And you call us weak? Well, whatever you do to me, Razzle and Biel will pay back upon you tenfold!"

A loud thwack was heard as Penter backhanded Hazel. The shock of it caused the rabbit to fall on his knees as he spat blood into his hand.

"You insolent little whelp! You lack foresight! You don't need to see into the future to predict the pain and anguish you would cause your loved one! But that would be worth it, just to stand up to the big mean rabbit seer, wouldn't it?"

Penter looked to his crystal ball as Hazel slowly rose back to his feet. The younger rabbit wore an expression of frustration and anger.

"Your lack of foresight will cost you, Little Hazel," said Penter as he continued to gaze into the crystal ball.

Hazel took note of this, and sought to take advantage of the distracted seer. "Let's see if you have the foresight for this!"

He struck out a fist, intending to land a jab square on Penter's chest. Nothing too forceful, a warning blow, if anything.

But it was not meant to be. Penter deftly weaved to the side, avoiding the blow. Before Hazel could react, the yellow rabbit took his staff and swung it, landing a blow square on Hazel's unprotected stomach, which winded him and caused him to double over. Penter quickly pulled his staff back, and stepped behind Hazel, lifting one of his feet up, which was planted squarely on Hazel's backside, sending him tumbling face first into the ground. This earned a chuckle from the onlookers. Penter nodded towards the kneeling Artol feline, whom the rabbit passed his staff to so he could deal with Hazel.

Penter knelt down next to Hazel's head. "Silly Little Hazel. I did see that coming. Again..." Penter grabbed Hazel's ears. "I. See. ALL!" the elder rabbit lifted Hazel's head by his ears, and then slammed his muzzle into the ground. Fortunately, the area where they were was carpeted, but that didn't make things hurt any less. Hazel squirmed in pain, unused to this sort of conflict. Next thing he knew, Penter was straddling Hazel's back, facing away from the younger rabbit's face.

"Wha...what are you doing?" exclaimed Hazel.

"You said he'd pay me back tenfold, hm?" replied Penter without looking back at Hazel. "Plus, I feel you need to...learn your lesson Little Hazel. Do you know how insolent little boys are reprimanded?" Penter reached down and grabbed the tip of Hazel's brown and cream colored tail, yanking it upwards.

"Ouch! Hey! Stop! What are you--?!"

Penter raised a hand "Let's kill two soldiers with one arrow shall we? I shall reprimand you for you lack of politeness and foresight...and also put your little 'tenfold claim' to the test."

Another thwack rang out. Hazel squirmed under Penter, who was able to keep on top of Hazel, despite his slimmer looks. The squirming only made Penter pull harder on Hazel's tail in mischievous delight. Hazel reached back behind him and grabbed Penter's sides and tried to pull back, but to no avail. The elder rabbit delivered open-handed blow after blow to Hazel, a loud stinging thwack ringing out with each hit.

The onlooking creatures began to chuckle and laugh more audibly. Hazel had never felt more offended. How dare this rabbit...?!

Penter delivered one last thwack to Hazel's backside before standing up, and took his staff back from the feline as he did. Before Hazel could act, Penter rolled the younger rabbit over.

"What the blazes did you think you were doing?! Is this how you secure an alliance?!" exclaimed Hazel.

Penter chuckled. "Oh, you denied me already, in the name of your beloved no less. So why should I worry, hm? May as well give you something to remember me by. As well as deny you...things, if only for a night," the elder rabbit chuckled again.

Hazel attempted to rise to his feet, but Penter planted a foot square on the rabbit's chest, and pinned him down once more, shoving his crystal ball into the rabbit's face. Hazel tried to look past it as a purple cloud began to brew up from within it. The rabbit's attention was drawn to the cloud, and within a few moments he had become transfixed, and soon fell asleep.

Once Hazel was out and asleep he looked to his feline companion. "This meeting was most productive, hm?"

The feline nodded in amusement. "An interesting choice of humiliation, my Lord."

Penter chuckled. "Children lack the sort of foresight to the degree he did. As if he was to act like a child, then I should respond to him as if he is one. And as he denied me my alliance with Raziya, I decided to deny him in...a peculiar way for the fennec. Not only that but...let's say I administered more than punishment to him."

The feline's eyes widened. "Oh...a test of your powers?"

Penter nodded. "Aye, something along those lines. Untested waters but...I think it will do good. His mind isn't terribly strong as well, and the symbol is hidden in plain sight. I am interested to see how it goes, hm."

"Do you fear retribution from Razzle and Biel?"

Penter looked down at Hazel for a few seconds, and then knelt down and rummaged around in Hazel's pocket. Within seconds he produced a folded paper.

"First, they must find me. But I fear not what thwacks Raziya can deliver to me. They are insubstantial to the pain and anguish I've already suffered."