The king wakes up with a huge headache. Berot closed the curtains last night after putting the king to bed but he still has to shut his eyes to avoid the urge of clawing them right off his face. He should know better than to try and outdrink Calien, especially when the big rat provides the ale. He is known for enjoying the rare stuff. The stuff dwarves reserve for special occasions. The stuff brewed from forbidden fancy forest fodder fit for fighting flying foxy fairies. Some of it has been sitting in dark glass bottles since the first time Calien made his presence in the island known to the black dwarves. Even dragons have been known to shy away from the stuff, and they have fire in their bellies, but not Calien. That rat likes it to burn when it goes down. Not only does he like it to burn, he hates drinking alone and has a very uncanny ability to quite easily convince others to partake of the spirits with him. The king has fallen into that trap many a time before, and last night was no different. Calien usually starts him out with the fruity stuff. Something sweet to stimulate the king's tastebuds and numb them out a little bit. Once they catch a good buzz, he sends for the nutty ales. Those are usually brewed with nuts and mushrooms picked from the forest's floor by the black dwarves during the nights when the light in the sky is at it's brightest. The shrooms that grow out of the fugan goat pellets are quite popular. Hard to come by but worth the risk of gathering them. They have great magical properties and can turn the tightest of elves three sheets to the wind. This is usually when Calien decides to incite the dancing abilities of his drinking partners. The king summons the royal minstrels and they have a great time dancing to their tunes. This all went down last night while Ruscotelep and Lissy were trying to tear each other's heads off in the arena. Once Calien starts losing his buzz, he asks Jacho Centeno for his best brew, The Black Mountain Whiskey. It is distilled deep in the fugan forest near the forbidden black mountains. It's main ingredient is dragon slobber, a very rare substance that takes much bribing to secure. Calien just loves the stuff. The king not so much, but by this time he doesnt know what he is drinking anyways. When Jacho delivers the stuff, the king is so out of it that he will throw back anything that is put in front of him and Calien knows it. The rat laps it up straight from the jug. He gulps the whole thing down and without fail turns into mister happy drunk rat. He hugs everyone, gives away free advice, teaches new spells to the young ones and even dances with the kitchen gnomes. The king is not so lucky though. Once he swallows the contents of the golden goblet in front of him, his brain get scrambled and he loses control. In that state things happen that he will not remember. He sings, he dances, he hugs everyone, he squeezes every boob in the place and if well received, maybe more. Calien makes sure to wipe everyone's mind afterwards to avoid any of it getting back to the queen but, oh so many good times have been had.
The king manages to step into the hallway still naked and at full mast. The servants dodge him and dive into whichever empty room is nearby as he goes past them. He walks through the main hall and into the kitchen before discovering his lack of clothing. Any other time he would give his subjects the benefit of covering up with something but today his head is about to explode and unless he gets a quick cup of gnome tea to sooth his pain, watching him walk around the school naked will be the least of their worries. At the other end of the kitchen, sitting pretty on a wooden stump, holding a cup in his hand, sipping said tea, Calien smiles and waves for the king to join him, "I knew you would come down soon enough. Here, let me pour you a cup of this wonderful concoction. It is freshly steeped and ready to put a smile on your face." The king sits across from him and says nothing. Calien, being his usually chatty self, cant shut up long enough for the king to ask him to stop talking. Instead, the king lifts his arm, empty cup in hand. Calien obliges, "You had a great time last night. I hope you dont hold that against me." The king takes a sip from his tea, "I dont remember anything as usual." Calien smiles, "It is for the best. Trust me, you had a fantastic time and so did everyone else. I thought it would be best to have one last night of debauchery before heading into battle." The king scratches his nutsack, "Dont get me wrong. I am sure everyone is very apreciative, I just wish I could remember any of it. I would like to know how I got all these bite marks on my thigh though. And there is a pain on my back that frankly I am a little afraid to find out the story behind it." Calien stands up and walks around, "Oh that! Do not worry, that was your own doing. You made one of your students whip you once across your back with a leather strap just to prove that you could withstand the pain without flinching. You were wrong!" The king stands up and places the empty cup on the table before walking out into the street followed by Calien. It is only then that he realizes the need for some sort of clothing to cover his body with. He reaches for one of the curtains by the main hall's window and yanks it out before wrapping it around his waist. Calien notices a difference in the quality of the morning light. Something is amiss. The golden fog that usually blankets the fugan forest this early in the morning is not as crisp as should be. Instead of feeling the warmth of the morning light peering through the mist, there is a coolness that makes Calien's whiskers curl up. He makes the king stop and take notice. They decide to go out the back gate and look into the valley below. Just as they are about to reach the wooden doors, Berot appears through the fog in a hurry, "The wolves were under attack last night but not from the goats. The pack leader has strange bite marks on her back. I need a healer to help me. Can you come with me?" Calien nods and they take off running towards the pens followed by the king. The anguish in Berot voice is enough to make them worry. The pack leader is laid on the dirt floor trembling with pain. Calien puts his hand over the beast's wound and they close. The wolf is still very weak though, "She is going to need a lot of rest if she is to recover. Do you have any idea what caused this?" Berot places a blanket over his friend trying to choke back his tears, "I dont know yet, but I am going to find out." There is a deeper tone to his voice. He feels for the pack leader but there is more than that behind his statement. He wants revenge. The king walks around the pen and calls out for Calien, "These are not goat prints on the mud. They are boots; knights' boots to be precise."
Berot kneels right on a puddle to inspect the footprint, "They are bigger than mine. What race do you think they are?" Calien looks in the distance, "They are nobles. It is a race similar to the wood elves but they hail from Peler Ambaron, the city of dawn. They are creatures of light but thrive in darkness. Their eyes have adapted so well to their city and the Black Bull Forest that surrounds it that they find it difficult to exist during the daylight. Their knights are known for feeding on blood. That is what those marks are from. They are punctures from the noble knights fangs. What I want to know is why are they here, unless they are hunting with the necromancers." The king unconciously picks up one of the pack leader's pups but their mother is not very happy about it. To avoid losing an arm, he slowly tries to put the wolf down but the creature keeps going back for more affection. They do not know any better at that age, but Berot knows that a wounded jealous mother wolf can spell big trouble for the king. He steps in, grabs the pup and brings it close to his mother who quickly clutches it in between her front paws and licks away any scent the king might have left behind with his touch. Disaster avoided, the king and Calien walk back to the school to get ready. Berot stays behind to make sure his wolves are safe. As Calien starts to close the pan's gate behind him a loud screech startles him. Out of the fog a large figure aproaches them. It's Lissy. Behind her, a smaller figure laughs. Ruscotelep emerges from the mist. The two of them seem to be best of friends. The king is very happy to see it, "So! Is that all it takes? Let them try to kill each other and if they survive then they become friends?" Calien asks, "Where did you two leave Aamini?" Lissy screetches again. The king has no idea what she is saying. Ruscotelep translates, "She will be right here. I think she went to get something to eat. Why are you wearing that curtain father?" Calien remembers what they are supposed to be doing, "The wolves were attacked last night by noble knights. We have to ready the school for more possible attacks. Go get Aamini and gather the rest of the students by the main hall. We have a lot to discuss. I think training its over. The necromancers are bringing the fight to our doorstep and we are going to defend ourselves." The ladies take off and the rat turns to the king who has a quizzical look on his face, "What is the matter?" The king shakes his head, "Is it just me, or did Ruscotelep just had a conversation with us without hiding her eyes? I know you are inmune to her ability but why did I not succumb to it?" Calien stops, "I'll be damned! You are right. Were you looking at her the whole time?" The king smiles, "Yes and she looked straight into my eyes a couple of times and smiled. What a wonderful smaile she has. There is so much happiness in her eyes. So much joy. How did this happen?" Calien has no idea, "Her mother's strength comes from her feelings. The more pissed off she gets the stronger her ability and her desire to kill. What happens when the two of you are alone and she is happy? Have you looked into her eyes then?" The king thinks for a moment, "Well, yeah! Kind of. I mean, we do this thing where she lets me look into her eyes until I am about to sucumb. Right before I feel the pull, I close my eyes. But all I see in her eyes is lust and desire. You know how she is. She would much rather have a great night of lovemaking than waste a single moment smiling at me. I think because we are so aware of what her sight could do to me, we never bothered looking for anything in each other's eyes."
The two of them enter the war room inside the main hall. Calien looks at the crowd of students gathering in the arena outside the window, "Are you going to be able to calm the elders down? Everything is happening much quciker than we expected. If the necromancers have warlocks teleporting noble knights into Fuga, they must be planning something. Do you think they are here for Ruscotelep?" The king gets really serious, "If that is the case, they will die. We need to get her mother in on this. I will send for the elders once she is fully aware of what is going on. Crawlpaw should have been back by now with news from her anyways. The princess is not yet fully prepared for battle. I know she is powerful but her self confidence is going to get us all killed. She still needs to learn a lot." Calien turns to him, "I know my friend, but we do not have time. Those noble knights will be back for more blood as soon as darkness falls. If they are feeding from the wolves we might still have a chance to get them on our side. But you are right, we need to get word to the queen. Who is the best ranger in your class?" The king walks up to the window, "Her name is Tabon. She is the one that looks like a bird. Strange little elf she is but one hell of a ranger. Do you think she will be safe traveling through the forest alone though?" Calien has a plan. He points and summons her into the main hall. She rushes in. When the king said she looked like a bird he wasnt kidding. This elf is wearing a cloak covered in feathers from head to tow, but no regular feathers, these are the feathers of a Ducula Poliocephala, the invisible bird. Tabon notices Calien inspecting her cloak, "Is there anything wrong?" Calien steps back, "No! Nothing wrong. I have a job for you, thats all. That is a very nice cloak you are wearing. Could you tell me how it came to be in your possesion?" Tabon does a little spin, "My father gave it to my mother before he was taken by the elders. She gave it to me when she brought me to the school. I am not sure how father got it though. He never told us. Why do you ask?" Calien turns away, "Oh no reason in particular. I was just admiring it. Did your father show your mother how to use it?" Tabon is confused by his question, "Hmmm. Well... I stick my arms through the holes in it and make sure it stays on me. Is that what you mean?" Calien laughs, "No. Your cloak is one of a kind my young elf. The feathers it is made of are quite hard to come by. The bird they come from has what is the most coveted ability known on both the light and dark side
The king manages to step into the hallway still naked and at full mast. The servants dodge him and dive into whichever empty room is nearby as he goes past them. He walks through the main hall and into the kitchen before discovering his lack of clothing. Any other time he would give his subjects the benefit of covering up with something but today his head is about to explode and unless he gets a quick cup of gnome tea to sooth his pain, watching him walk around the school naked will be the least of their worries. At the other end of the kitchen, sitting pretty on a wooden stump, holding a cup in his hand, sipping said tea, Calien smiles and waves for the king to join him, "I knew you would come down soon enough. Here, let me pour you a cup of this wonderful concoction. It is freshly steeped and ready to put a smile on your face." The king sits across from him and says nothing. Calien, being his usually chatty self, cant shut up long enough for the king to ask him to stop talking. Instead, the king lifts his arm, empty cup in hand. Calien obliges, "You had a great time last night. I hope you dont hold that against me." The king takes a sip from his tea, "I dont remember anything as usual." Calien smiles, "It is for the best. Trust me, you had a fantastic time and so did everyone else. I thought it would be best to have one last night of debauchery before heading into battle." The king scratches his nutsack, "Dont get me wrong. I am sure everyone is very apreciative, I just wish I could remember any of it. I would like to know how I got all these bite marks on my thigh though. And there is a pain on my back that frankly I am a little afraid to find out the story behind it." Calien stands up and walks around, "Oh that! Do not worry, that was your own doing. You made one of your students whip you once across your back with a leather strap just to prove that you could withstand the pain without flinching. You were wrong!" The king stands up and places the empty cup on the table before walking out into the street followed by Calien. It is only then that he realizes the need for some sort of clothing to cover his body with. He reaches for one of the curtains by the main hall's window and yanks it out before wrapping it around his waist. Calien notices a difference in the quality of the morning light. Something is amiss. The golden fog that usually blankets the fugan forest this early in the morning is not as crisp as should be. Instead of feeling the warmth of the morning light peering through the mist, there is a coolness that makes Calien's whiskers curl up. He makes the king stop and take notice. They decide to go out the back gate and look into the valley below. Just as they are about to reach the wooden doors, Berot appears through the fog in a hurry, "The wolves were under attack last night but not from the goats. The pack leader has strange bite marks on her back. I need a healer to help me. Can you come with me?" Calien nods and they take off running towards the pens followed by the king. The anguish in Berot voice is enough to make them worry. The pack leader is laid on the dirt floor trembling with pain. Calien puts his hand over the beast's wound and they close. The wolf is still very weak though, "She is going to need a lot of rest if she is to recover. Do you have any idea what caused this?" Berot places a blanket over his friend trying to choke back his tears, "I dont know yet, but I am going to find out." There is a deeper tone to his voice. He feels for the pack leader but there is more than that behind his statement. He wants revenge. The king walks around the pen and calls out for Calien, "These are not goat prints on the mud. They are boots; knights' boots to be precise."
Berot kneels right on a puddle to inspect the footprint, "They are bigger than mine. What race do you think they are?" Calien looks in the distance, "They are nobles. It is a race similar to the wood elves but they hail from Peler Ambaron, the city of dawn. They are creatures of light but thrive in darkness. Their eyes have adapted so well to their city and the Black Bull Forest that surrounds it that they find it difficult to exist during the daylight. Their knights are known for feeding on blood. That is what those marks are from. They are punctures from the noble knights fangs. What I want to know is why are they here, unless they are hunting with the necromancers." The king unconciously picks up one of the pack leader's pups but their mother is not very happy about it. To avoid losing an arm, he slowly tries to put the wolf down but the creature keeps going back for more affection. They do not know any better at that age, but Berot knows that a wounded jealous mother wolf can spell big trouble for the king. He steps in, grabs the pup and brings it close to his mother who quickly clutches it in between her front paws and licks away any scent the king might have left behind with his touch. Disaster avoided, the king and Calien walk back to the school to get ready. Berot stays behind to make sure his wolves are safe. As Calien starts to close the pan's gate behind him a loud screech startles him. Out of the fog a large figure aproaches them. It's Lissy. Behind her, a smaller figure laughs. Ruscotelep emerges from the mist. The two of them seem to be best of friends. The king is very happy to see it, "So! Is that all it takes? Let them try to kill each other and if they survive then they become friends?" Calien asks, "Where did you two leave Aamini?" Lissy screetches again. The king has no idea what she is saying. Ruscotelep translates, "She will be right here. I think she went to get something to eat. Why are you wearing that curtain father?" Calien remembers what they are supposed to be doing, "The wolves were attacked last night by noble knights. We have to ready the school for more possible attacks. Go get Aamini and gather the rest of the students by the main hall. We have a lot to discuss. I think training its over. The necromancers are bringing the fight to our doorstep and we are going to defend ourselves." The ladies take off and the rat turns to the king who has a quizzical look on his face, "What is the matter?" The king shakes his head, "Is it just me, or did Ruscotelep just had a conversation with us without hiding her eyes? I know you are inmune to her ability but why did I not succumb to it?" Calien stops, "I'll be damned! You are right. Were you looking at her the whole time?" The king smiles, "Yes and she looked straight into my eyes a couple of times and smiled. What a wonderful smaile she has. There is so much happiness in her eyes. So much joy. How did this happen?" Calien has no idea, "Her mother's strength comes from her feelings. The more pissed off she gets the stronger her ability and her desire to kill. What happens when the two of you are alone and she is happy? Have you looked into her eyes then?" The king thinks for a moment, "Well, yeah! Kind of. I mean, we do this thing where she lets me look into her eyes until I am about to sucumb. Right before I feel the pull, I close my eyes. But all I see in her eyes is lust and desire. You know how she is. She would much rather have a great night of lovemaking than waste a single moment smiling at me. I think because we are so aware of what her sight could do to me, we never bothered looking for anything in each other's eyes."
The two of them enter the war room inside the main hall. Calien looks at the crowd of students gathering in the arena outside the window, "Are you going to be able to calm the elders down? Everything is happening much quciker than we expected. If the necromancers have warlocks teleporting noble knights into Fuga, they must be planning something. Do you think they are here for Ruscotelep?" The king gets really serious, "If that is the case, they will die. We need to get her mother in on this. I will send for the elders once she is fully aware of what is going on. Crawlpaw should have been back by now with news from her anyways. The princess is not yet fully prepared for battle. I know she is powerful but her self confidence is going to get us all killed. She still needs to learn a lot." Calien turns to him, "I know my friend, but we do not have time. Those noble knights will be back for more blood as soon as darkness falls. If they are feeding from the wolves we might still have a chance to get them on our side. But you are right, we need to get word to the queen. Who is the best ranger in your class?" The king walks up to the window, "Her name is Tabon. She is the one that looks like a bird. Strange little elf she is but one hell of a ranger. Do you think she will be safe traveling through the forest alone though?" Calien has a plan. He points and summons her into the main hall. She rushes in. When the king said she looked like a bird he wasnt kidding. This elf is wearing a cloak covered in feathers from head to tow, but no regular feathers, these are the feathers of a Ducula Poliocephala, the invisible bird. Tabon notices Calien inspecting her cloak, "Is there anything wrong?" Calien steps back, "No! Nothing wrong. I have a job for you, thats all. That is a very nice cloak you are wearing. Could you tell me how it came to be in your possesion?" Tabon does a little spin, "My father gave it to my mother before he was taken by the elders. She gave it to me when she brought me to the school. I am not sure how father got it though. He never told us. Why do you ask?" Calien turns away, "Oh no reason in particular. I was just admiring it. Did your father show your mother how to use it?" Tabon is confused by his question, "Hmmm. Well... I stick my arms through the holes in it and make sure it stays on me. Is that what you mean?" Calien laughs, "No. Your cloak is one of a kind my young elf. The feathers it is made of are quite hard to come by. The bird they come from has what is the most coveted ability known on both the light and dark side