Chapters Next
Close
Brave New World.2,978 words
The Unexpected Guests.2,438 words
A Growing Pack.2,468 words
It Begins.2,160 words

Brave New World.

I awoke to birdsong. With a stretch, I sat up and flicked my leather duster to the side. Turning to my backpack, previously my pillow, I pulled a meager meal of scavenged food for my breakfast. As I ate, I consulted the scroll and map I had found when I first woke up here.

According to the map, I should be seeing the cave entrance around mid-afternoon. I popped a wild cherry into my mouth. The scroll said it would only lead me to it, but I must do the rest. The rest of what, I wonder. With a shrug, I returned the scroll to its place. I threw my duster on, tucking the map into an inside pocket, before belting my sword on.

It was a finely made messer. The blade barely had a curve, with a fine etching of a frozen flame along the spine and fuller. The nagel was detailed as a wolf's paw, and the end cap as a wolf's snarling head. Leather wrapped a handle just long enough for me to hold with both hands. The sheath carried the same design of frozen flames as the blade it contained.

I cast my gaze around the forest I was in, tying my hair back as I did so. With a sigh, I scaled the tree I had slept against. Most of the way up, I paused to take in the view. From my vantage point, I spotted the gorge the cave was supposedly in. Making note of any nearby landmarks, I also noted the vague outlines of buildings in the distance. Must be that town on the map. What was is called, Something Ville? I shrugged before climbing back down the tree. Whatever, it'll make a good place to start after I deal with whatever's in the cave.

Reaching the tree's base, I slung my backpack on. Picking up the walking stick I had made yesterday, I took my bearings and continued my hike. As I walked, I cast my mind back to the day I woke up here.

I had no recollections of my personal past, but clear memories of learning my various skills. From those, I could glean that I had a history of misdeeds to my name, even if I couldn't remember the actual acts. The strongest memory was that I needed to go to this cave for my newest job, and that my purpose would come to me there. I had been walking during the two days since.

My thoughts were interrupted by a low growling from my left. I planted my stick firmly into the ground, watching as a group of wooden wolves emerged from the bushes. After counting five, I drew my blade. Motes of silvery light danced across the swords spine, drifting to the ground, as the etching faintly glowed with a pale light.

My eyes drifted over the small pack as a sixth wolf deigned to show itself. "Alright." I growled, holding my blade low. "Who want's to go first?"

The smallest one lunged at me. I spun my blade into the side of its skull, pivoting on my heel as I did so. Using its own momentum, I forced it to continue past me. I spared it a glance before focusing to the rest of the pack, noting the small patch of ice forming around the cut. It seemed to freeze the blood, clotting the wound. So that's what it does. Keeping an ear on the wolf behind me, I made a quick thrust at a wolf trying to shift closer from my right.

We kept this dance up for a while. Several wolves' had patches of ice forming on them. I could tell the wolves were trying to wear me down, but I wasn't going to give that satisfaction. Taking the initiative, I stepped forward, neatly slicing through a wolf's leg. I smirked when it landed on its frozen stump.

I had to give ground so as to close the opening I gave. Stumpy decided to cut its loses and retreated. A few more strikes like that and they'll break. I thought smugly.

Then a seventh wolf entered the clearing. It stood about a half-foot taller than the rest, and covered in resin covered scars. As the rest of the pack backed away, I realized that the alpha had arrived.

"Well, shit." I grumbled. I shifted my stance to point my blade at the larger wolf, two hands gripping the hilt. I risked a glance at my improvised walking stick.

The alpha charged in my moment of distraction. I barely dodged in time, only scoring a slight nick off of its shoulder. The ice didn't even take. We circled the clearing, the alpha and I refusing to show the other our backs. I started to scrutinize my foe for any opening I could find.

Then I got lucky.

The alpha overshot its lunge, plowing into the wolves behind me. As most of the pack rushed to their alpha's aid, I bull rushed the smallest wooden mutt.

Somehow, it was caught off guard. I forced my forearm under its head, pushing it up, and rammed my messer into its guts. Without stopping, I shoved the twitching body to the side and bolted into the trees. I hauled ass in the direction of the gorge. I could hear the wolves rallying and charging after me.

Somehow, I led them on a merry chase. I swung my blade at any wolves I could see trying to flank me. After a few minutes of frantic running and slashing, I saw the alpha running just outside of my reach. Both of us kept a wary eye on the other, and kept pace.

I glanced over to see it suddenly peel away from me, trying to skid to a stop. Ah, hell yeah! You don't-!

I ran out onto nothing. I looked down to see just how far I had to fall. I had just enough time to sheath my sword before I slammed into the steep slope. Then my world became a rolling mass of pain.

I came to at the base of the cliff. My everything was sore. With a groan, I sat up and checked over my gear. Thankfully, nothing was broken. I looked up the slope I had fallen down.

Tall and steep, it had kept the wolves at bay. I didn't doubt that they were looking for a way down to get me.

Good luck with that. I taunted. I pulled my map out while I had a chance. I quickly found my location within the gorge, and turned to face the direction of the cave. Lapping up the map, I tucked it back into my coat and began walking again. Gonna miss my stick. It was a good stick.

It didn't take very long before I had come across a jagged opening in one of the cliffs. I felt my pocket buzz. I pulled the scroll from its pocket, unfurling it with a quick flick. I looked between the scroll and hole a couple of times, matching the new picture with the cave. Tucking the scroll back into it's pocket, I quickly pulled my pack from my back and fished out a torch. I quickly lit it after slinging my pack back over my shoulder and unsheathed my blade. I entered the cave with my blade held in a low guard, torch held above and behind my head.

I stepped as carefully as I could through the dark, following the curve of the wall. Soon, I had to make my way around stalagmites and ducking stalactites. After walking for what felt like an hour, the cave suddenly opened into a cavern. I cast my gaze from one side to the other, before my eyes stopped at my feet.

Oh, hello. I thought. You are not natural... I placed my foot carefully onto the first of the many carved steps. I walked down the stairs as they curved with the wall to my left. Only the open air greeted me on my right. As I neared the bottom, carvings started to appear on the wall, depicting a scene of a large bipedal canine leading an ice covered army of those wooden wolves and smaller two-legged canines. It transitioned through a war-torn battlefield between the canine forces and an army of horses, some with wings, others with horns, but most with none. Leading those forces were a pair of equines with both carved at the base of the stairs.

I paused, before whipping around, messer pointed at large dog's snout. It widened it's eyes, backpedaling as it raised its large hands in surrender. Wait, hands? I kept my blade raised as I took in the creature in front of me.

It stood on it's hind legs, balancing itself with a mangy tail with short bony spines at the end. It wore a red vest over its dark gray fur. Large expressive lime green eyes fearfully stared from their place above its snout. I looked behind it to see two others, one larger and darker, the other smaller with a tanner coat.

Well, looks like I found the natives... I moved my torch out low and behind me. I slightly lowered my blade, ready to bring it back to bear. "Who are you?" I rumbled.

"R-Rover." The lead one stammered, never looking away from the blade and the drifting frost. "This is Spot and Fido." He, judging by the voice, seemed to get control of its voice as it spoke. "Why are you here in our sacred cave?" His eyes flicked to my neck. "You here to pray, too?"

I looked over the three dogs. I pointed with my torch to the stairs. "Sit there." I commanded. "If you have any, light a torch." The largest one, Fido, wordlessly pulled his own torch out and held it out for me to light. The three dogs sat under the carvings without further words. "If any of you move, I will strike." I rumbled a warning.

I found a crack in the floor and jammed my torch into it. With my now free hand, I pulled my scroll out. What am supposed to do now? As if to answer my thoughts, the ink on the scroll moved to show a copy of the carvings as well as the faces of the three dogs. It also showed a design for a studded collar.

I looked up at the dogs, placing the scroll into its pocket. I picked my torch back up, stomping my way back to the stairs. "I have questions that need answering." I growled. "You will answer them." Rover nodded his head in a nervous blur. "I will sheath my blade, but I will be quick to strike if any of you move to cause me harm." Seeing them all nod their understanding, I put action to words.

"Why is this cave sacred?" I began.

"This was the first home all packs in this area had. Many of our ancestors were laid to rest here." Rover spoke up. "While it has been abandoned over time, every dog still makes pilgrimages at least once in their lives to pay respects to our ancestors, who carved our northern brethren's prophecies onto the walls. This place, called Old Home, is also our final refuge. This will be the last bastion of Diamond Dog kind in the end days."

"What do the carvings mean?"

Spot raised a hand. "It is the prophecy of the rise of the Diamond Dogs over the Ponies of the surface!" He barked.

Rover smacked Spot with his tail. "There is more than that!" He turned back to me. "It was said that a dog would be born who could wield and control winter as the Pony Princess' control the sun and moon, and that this dog would unite all of the packs under their collar. They would even be able to command the spirits of the wild wolves, like the timberwolves of the Everfree. This dog would lead us to claim our place on the surface.

"Many dogs have tried in years past, but all have failed. Lord Crunch came the closest, but he was defeated by the Princesses the first time he left the caves." Rover sighed sadly. "None have had even met the prophecy's basic signs. All pack Alphas have had weapons enchanted with the best ice spells, but none could command the season itself. These days, while we still believe that we will one day carve a place out on the surface, the prophecy is told as a fairy tale. None truly believe in it."

I tilted my head. "Do you?"

"Once, maybe, as a pup." He shrugged. "But who doesn't want to grow up to be the great hero of the packs at that age?"

Thinking back to the collar design, and Rover's words, I asked. "What is the meaning behind the collars?"

"You don't know?" Spot gasped. I saw Fido look at me with pity as Rover clubbed the smaller dog with his tail again.

"I am sorry, for you to lose your pack at such a young age." Rover sighed, rubbing his bare neck. "It is how dogs tell which pack each other is from."

I motioned to Rovers neck. "And your's?"

"Banished." Fido grumbled.

Rover nodded. "Kicked out of our pack because we lost a slave."

"You keep slaves." I rumbled lowly.

"Our Alpha did!" He snarled. "Some other packs do, too. They think it will," he raised his paw to make air quotes, "'help them remember their place beneath us'. They are the exception, not the rule. No sane Alpha would risk the wrath of the Princesses if they found out."

"And yet, you still took slaves." I stated.

"What else were we supposed to do?" Rover whipped his arms out. "Challenge the Alpha for his place? Bruno would be chewing our bones for dinner!" He panted into the echoes. "We're glad we banished, but..."

"No pack, no home." Fido sighed.

"No one take strays in." Spot whined. "We have no collar, we must be bad. Safer for pack, safer for Alpha."

Rover nodded. "So we come here, maybe scrounge a living in the Everfree above us. Hope that a pack would take pity on us and either take us in, or, more likely, end our suffering. We've been staying in the ruins over there." He waved off across the cavern's floor. "You have no pack, you can stay with us."

I looked over the group of dejected outcasts. These were dogs who had nothing but the vests they wore and each other. "This is just sad." I sighed. Spot quickly shot a glare at me, but the others just looked at me with sad confusion. "What's stopping you from starting your own pack?"

Rover snorted. "No one knows our names, and Bruno would hunt us down for daring to set up a territory so close to his. He likes to scam pilgrims as they come here." Another sigh. "If we could make a name for ourselves, far from here, while getting the resources we'd need, then maybe we could buy the leather we'd need to make ourselves our new collars. And, besides, what could three dogs accomplish? We'd never make names for ourselves."

"Give me one good man, and I'll show you." I gave a mirthless smile.

Rover squinted at me. "Wait, were did you get the leather for your fancy coat, if you are a stray like us?"

I placed a hand on my swords hilt. "Made it myself." I rumbled. "I don't have the equipment to make more leather, though. And I'm not ruining my duster for you."

Fido waved a paw. "Alpha's need fancy coat. Easier to find like that." The other two nodded sagely.

"We get leather somehow." Spot stated.

"If alpha lead us?" Rover gave me an expectant look.

"... You want me, a 'stray' you just met, with no clue as to my past, lead you?" I raised an eyebrow.

"We know that you have a fancy sword, and that you have a fancy coat you made yourself, so you must be a strong fighter. We know that you can stand with no tail, so you must be very nimble. You ask questions with minimal threats, so you must be smart." Rover shrugged. "Why wouldn't you be a good leader?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not even a Diamond Dog."

The three shared a look. "You're not? Then how did you get down here?" Rover asked.

I pointed back up the stairs. "I came in from the cave entrance in the gorge."

"You must be dog." Fido rumbled. "Only dog can find Old Home surface entrance."

"Fido's right." Rover nodded. "Ancestor's placed a powerful spell on Old Home to keep the Winter Ponies out when they followed them from the north. No non-dog can find this place, so long as it is remembered."

"But why me?"

"We be here for many sleeps now, without purpose." Spot explained with a hopeful smile. "You come, give us purpose?"

I blinked with a shake of my head. "Isn't claiming allegiance to me like this a little quick?"

They shared another look. Rover spoke up for the trio again. "For the last several days, we've been felling like we've been waiting for something." He nodded at me. "I think you might be it. So, what do we call you? And what do you want to call your pack?"

Is this what I'm meant to do? I mentally sighed. Lead three mutts to "glory"? I turned from Rover, walking off towards the ruins. "You can call me Fernando." I sighed.

Thinking on the design of the collar, and how they seemed to be made from frozen flame, I smirked. "From now on, we are the Arctic Hounds."

Author's Note:

Scroll Notes:

One Nameless Blade.

One Odd Duster.

Alpha of the Arctic Hounds.

630 views

Chapters Next