THE BOY HEROES FROM THE LAND OF ERIK (A Series of Epics)

Epic no. 2 -

Journey to Aranathra

By DamiJon

Email at damijon123@gmail.com

Authors note: I'll leave character descriptions below this, since it might be hard to keep track of the six main characters, and then in further chapters, I might keep it at the bottom, depending on what people say, if it helps, etc. There's two new characters introduced in this chapter, and two sex scenes as well, with some more world building. Thanks for all of those that email and enjoy the story! <3

 

Character list:

Prince Asher is 11, long brown hair, 4 ft 9. He hasn't unlocked his transformation abilities, which is why he has to go to the "shrine".

Prince's Trainer, Tomas, is 15. Short hair, bright blonde, 5 ft 4. Can transform into a gray wolf.

River, the Wizard, is 10. Long whitish blue hair, blue eyes, 4 ft 7. Suffering from an illness, which is linked to him being unable to use his transformation abilities, and needs to get to the shrine immediately, or else he will die.

Ythl, Wizard's trainer, is 13. Mid-length brownish hair. 5 ft tall. Can transform into a fox and a hawk.

Toby, Archer, is 14. Mid-length curly black hair, golden red skin. 5 ft 2. Can transform into a bear cub.

Hunter, Sword Expert, is 13. Short, straight ginger hair. 5 ft 4. Can transform into a boar.

(more detailed character descriptions will be at the end of the chapter).

 

Journey to Aranathra

CHAPTER TWO

 

In the morning, Liam is the first to wake up, followed by the prince and his teacher. The three of them work together in making coffee and breakfast. the smell of freshly brewed coffee, beans from the demons of Harath, wake up the blue-haired wizard and his master, whom is still in his fox form. They dress at their own pace and meet at the table to map out the trip to Cantos. Asher's the first to finish his food and leaves early to say goodbye to his father. He pays the man next door all of the coins in his pockets to rent a racehorse and comes back within two hours with two more, returning the one he's on back to the man. The time comes for everyone to say goodbye to Liam, who watches them leave the house with tears forming in his eyes.

The four of them ride side by side on the two horses through the forests and villages, past some of the major cities, and out from the walls of the kingdom. As they approach the southeastern section of the wall, they see the Keepers busy at their work. Mostly, those who tend the wall work alone or in small groups, inspecting and repairing as needed. The wall itself is huge, an immense living barrier protecting the heart of the Kingdom of Aigua from the predations of outsiders. At points, it is thirty feet tall, two dozen feet wide at the base. Shrubs, thorny bushes, and trees grow together, their branches and limbs intertwined. The Keepers monitor the growing wall, encouraging the vines and plants to grow together in ways that ensure strength and stability as well as protection.

As Asher and his escort approach, they can smell the heady scent from the thousands of flowers that blossom along and within the wall. Roses, daffodils, marigolds, and a hundred other flowering plants are grown into the wall, their blooms just as carefully tended for their beauty as the thorn bushes are for their sharp thorns.

A few of the Keepers stop and watch the party. Most pay them no mind. Coming from within the kingdom, they're presumed to be friendly. The trail Tomas is leading them on seems to go straight into the wall. As they get closer, the branches and limbs, the vines, and tendrils coil back to create a small tunnel-gate through the wall to the outside world.

Once through the tunnel, they pause and look back, watching the foliage slowly move to close itself back up. From the outside, the wall is a mass of thorns, some the size of a man others small and thin, yet strong enough to pierce leather. The blooming flowers start higher up the wall, creating a two tier effect. The top half is brightly colored, with no seeming pattern or plan among the many-colored flowers. A lone figure, unseen until it moves, waves at the party. The sentry waves and then almost disappears among the cover of the wall. How many others are watching them they can only guess.

The group resumes their journey, the sense of security and home, behind them. On the other side of the Wall of Petals.

As they exit, they follow a path beside a powerful river stream among wild nature; branches curved and arched in every way, thick moss cemented into every step they take. Dozens of deer and elk intrude on their path, in which they wait, but not in any hurry to avoid their beauty. Cedar trees reign tall and consume much of the forests. The unrestraint chaos of nature would lose anyone that's doesn't know about the paths to Aigua, as the venture towards it is considerably dangerous. One wrong step in a quiet forest and you could fall into a river or lake, a hole in the ground, or simply a death trap. All of them know where they're going for this part of the trip, even if they believed their memory around these parts were a bit foggy.

A few hours later, they stop at a creek to fish. Luckily for them, there's enough wild salmon to feed them for days. They cook and eat their meal beside a fountain and well that have been written about for centuries in folklore. It shows to them that they're taking the right path. After lunch, they venture near the first small village, one of sixty close to Aigua, named Archer's Gate. It's noted for its flat grounds, mighty trees, and magnificent waterfalls. Again, they stop to admire it's unique beauty, giving River enough time to have his medicine and tea so that he can hold up his strength.

Ythl, Tomas, and Asher take great care to keep an eye of River. This is the easiest part of their journey and if his health fails here, their travel to Aranathra will be much slower and more difficult than they bargained for over dinner last night. Stopping for rests frequently seems to help River maintain his strength. They are able to make good enough time to satisfy Tomas. Still, he wonders how useful the frail boy will be, should they be forced into conflict. Against any foe, much less Crayus and his followers.

While his thoughts are occupied with River and 'what-ifs', Tomas still pays attention to their trail and surroundings. The forest here is thick and dark. Travel off of the well-marked and worn paths would be difficult, perhaps even dangerous. Low, rolling hills covered with shrubs, ferns, and trees hamper visibility, especially away from the paths.

They still see their share of deer or elk, but they hear far more than they see. For Asher and River it is their first trip beyond the wall. The world seems dark and mysterious. For Ythl and Tomas, it has been years since the wars took them beyond the walls and the world feels just as dangerous, except perhaps the dangers are more well-hidden.

After several hours, with the sun moving low in the sky, they see their destination. Cantos! The lake, which give the village its name, reflects the sky. A few boats lazily make their way to the shore. The village sets on several low hills, with paths running between them. The smells of civilization greet them. Cooking food, wood and peat fires, the acrid smoke from forges and smithies. Still, it is a welcome sight for the tired travelers.

The four young travelers ride over the river on top of a wide bridge, where the guard, a sabre-tooth anthro tiger, bows and allows them to enter. He taps down a staff three times, and the sound makes a loud, humming sound that rustles birds from the trees. As they enter the village, Ythl explains to them what he had done. While they have no gate protecting them from dangerous outsiders, they have a powerful invisible force-field, kept up by the magic of the tiger and someone else. He notes that there must be another, because only someone that's lived for a few hundred years could master magic that powerful. The young wizard gets his answer soon enough as their horses come to a stop. An anthro elk. Despite his age, being near three hundred years old, he still has much youth left in him, and looks as if he's near in his mid-thirties. The elk wears nothing more than a loincloth that covers his genitals and buttocks. His fur is mostly a milky gray, black from his neck on up, down his arms, and below his kneecaps. While he's not built, that's not to say that he has some muscle in him along with his slender build.

"Your majesty..." The anthro elk bows down on one knee. A silver necklace around his neck glimmers in front of them. He stands back up and smiles. "You've made good timing. Very good, indeed. No problems on the way?"

"None at all." Asher lends out his hand, letting the older man kiss it.

"To those that don't know me, my name is Stefano Aldorucci and I am the leader of Cantos. We're peaceful people, five-hundred and thirty-three of us to be exact, but that isn't to say we're naïve of what goes on outside of these walls. Come... Follow me."

The three of the other boys introduce themselves to him as they walk through the village. It's population seems to be a mix of anthros and humans, but it's hard to tell how many of the ones they think are humans are actually shapeshifting anthros. Here, children play free without any fear, lovers caress each-other, and not a frown is noticeable on any of them.

Stefano speaks to them as they walk in zig zags with their horses to their side, "Not too long after the cult rebellion lead by Crayus and his men, we were attacked, like many of the other small villages neighboring Aigua. Many lives were lost in the other towns, but when they came to us... All we needed were five men and two women to hold them off. At the time, they had more than three hundred and fifty followers in their cult, but by the time the battle was over, their numbers were around a hundred. They fled, but when they went to slaughter the other villages we were there to stop them. As you know, they've stopped those attacks and have been focusing on building their cult somewhere out far away in the forests. Many believe they're living about two hundred miles away and waiting for another time to strike, but that's all talk if I may say. He chuckles. Now the cowards and bastards attack our shrines. There's not many of them left, but they're enough of a destructive force. Somehow, they remain invisible, while causing so much chaos in our communities."

Tomas nods gravely You seem very well informed of their recent activities. "Your people have had no sign of Crayus or his minions?"

Ythl interrupts, "Perhaps later, Tomas. I'd like to find the two we're here to meet and get River settled in and resting. Once we've eaten, we can discuss our quest and mission." He watches River, a worried look on his face.

Tomas looks over to River. "Yes, that's good counsel, Ythl. We're here to meet Toby and Hunter. If you could, Master? Mayor? Chieftan? Aldorucci, help us find their home..."

"Yes, yes... I'm sorry. I can go on with you later about them, but all of you must be quite tired. Especially you, young one." He gives a mournful glare to River.

"I'm fine, really." River speaks up confidently, holding tightly to his staff. "Having new friends with me has also been a blessing. I feel very fortunate for this opportunity... Most people that get my sickness just get a slow death because venturing to find a shrine is too dangerous."

"Very dangerous, indeed." The elk comments. "But!" He points as he raises his voice. "One doesn't know true value of life without suffering. I've lived for quite some time and can tell you... I've suffered plenty but fighting to live on is always worth it. No matter how weak you've become or how much you think you've lost... You must always hold on."

They walk in the direction to a cabin house, smoke rising from its chimney. At the front of the house, an anthro boar carves at a four-foot-tall sculpture of a raven. The boar is about six foot five in height and his muscular strength crushes all that lays eyes upon him. His fur is a velvet red around most of his body, breaking off into lush light pink over his chest, stomach, and most of his face. He wears a fur trimmed robe that's worn open on one shoulder, revealing the muscles in his arms and chest, a leather vambrace over his left wrist and forearm, and a bandolier over his chest. To the left of him, a young boy their age builds arrows.

The boy looks up at them, smiling, but continues his work. His dark hair hangs in loose curls past his ears and just above his dark eyes. His skin, as he works in a sleeveless leather vest and buckskin pants that end just above his knee, is almost a blood-red. Not pink as for most people, but a deeper crimson that seems reflect the golden rays of the sun. He works quickly, his hands surprisingly nimble as he attached arrowhead to arrow shaft. A good two score arrows rest completed beside him with another score of unfinished arrow to his opposite side. "Zephran, we have company." He gives a sharp, quick whistle. From beyond the house a large dog lopes to his side. The hound is very large and thick-bodied. Liam would be able to use him as a mount. His dark fur is highlighted with rust colored socks and markings on the front shoulders and around the muzzle. The dog sits close the red boy, keepings its eyes on the newcomers.

Stefano leads them up closer, greeting his best friend before he goes on. "Good day, Zephran. Here are the rascals that I told you about last night. Prince Asher himself, his teacher Tomas, River, and his teacher Ythl. If you don't mind, I have to make dinner for my husband now."

"Go on. Tell him I said hello. Maybe the two of you can come over for a drink or two later on when I get these boys tucked to bed." The tall husky boar sets his incomplete sculpture to the side, then speaks to the dark-haired boy in the grass opposite to him. "Toby, these are your new companions. Remember what your parents and I had been telling you about these past few days?"

River blushes as he notices the grand tusks on the boar. He can't help but to stare at how much larger and robust his body is compared to his sick, fragile body.

Right as Zephran and Toby begin to bow, Asher stops them. "Enough of that for the day. I'm the one that should be bowing."

Toby cocks his head to one side. "Why should you be bowing? You're the prince." He pauses.

"Well, for one, the help is appreciated and much needed. And for two..." He smirks at Zephran. "Don't any of you recognize who this man is? They've already written about him in the books! One of the greatest fighters in Aiguan history. I won't recall the names they've given you, as I'm guessing that you're tired of them by now."

Zephran laughs. "Toby. Go ahead and mend to their horses. The four of you, sit. Make yourself at home. This isn't my son. Just the boy next door... He'll be accompanying you. My son will go as well. Right now, he's busy with the blacksmith, but should be back home in an hour. We have one bedroom for two of you, another at Toby's house. Probably best to take the room his parents have, because our place is quite a mess right now."

Toby stands, looking at the man-boar. "Just the boy next door? Just the boy next door?!" He glares at the larger warrior before stalking off to the horses. "Come on, Baltus." The dog rises and follows the boy keep the boy next door company. "Oh, my mistake. Keep "JUST" the boy next door company." He leads to horses to a nearby barn and takes them inside.

Tomas watches Toby leave. "Your feats are well-known and stories of you well-told, to this day, Zephran. But, um, he seemed irritated."

Ythl stands with an arm around River's waist, though River repeatedly tells him he doesn't need his help to stand. "Inside, if you don't mind. I'd like to make some tea for River and I."

"Go on. My wife will help the two of you as well." He smiles and sighs, watching as they enter the cabin home. Asher and Tomas sit across from him on a thick tree log. "He's a bit cocky. Being a prodigy does that to you, I guess. Don't take my word softly on this - that boy next door might be one of the best archers on the planet. Definitely in the top ten, if I may say... His parents trained him and somehow surpassed them. Oh." He slaps his forehead. "And he's my sons boyfriend."

"Boyfriend, huh?" Asher is excited by the idea of a couple travelling with them. "So if he's surpassed his parents, does that mean your son has surpassed you?"

"Ha!" The red-furred boar bursts out in heavy laughter as he pulls out a tobacco pipe. "Hunter still has a lot to learn. For one, he's never been in a battle. He's thirteen. When I was his age, I'd already fought in two wars alongside my father and brothers. You can be the strongest man or woman on the planet, but if you haven't been in combat, then that strength means nothing. Why? Because there's another form of strength your tested by. Mental. Psychological."

Tomas nods but says nothing. Letting Asher absorb Zephran's words. He's tried to explain that same thing to Asher and to others who have never seen battle. But for whatever reason, his small size or age, they don't seem to list to him the way Asher is listening to the old boar.

Ythl helps River into the house. A somewhat startled woman greets them. "Er, um, welcome, m'lords." She pokes her head out the door, frowning at her husband. She shakes her head as she offers the wizards chairs. Ythl explains that he'd like to brew some tea and she obligingly puts a kettle on. "So, you'll be staying with us overnight, I take it?" When Ythl nods, she exits the kitchen mumbling to herself about "that husband of mine and his odd friends." Ythl brews a batch of River's medicinal tea, as well as relaxing herbal tea for himself and his hostess.

"I'm really fine, Ythl." He sits down, rubbing the necklace his aunt gave him with one hand. "We'll never get there if we have to stop so that I can have my medicine all of the time." Despite his feeble attempts to fight him off, he drinks his tea anyway. "Toby looks pretty nice. Kind of cute too, don't you think?"

Ythl sips his tea, nodding and shrugging, "If one likes those types. I'm partial to blue over red, myself." He watches River closely. "How are you feeling, River?"

Outside, Tomas watches as Asher in enthralled with whatever Zephran has to say. The spark of jealousy that he feels is short-lived. Though he and Asher are close, he has no claim on his prince. He picks up a finished arrow, examining the craftsmanship of the shaft, the feathering, the arrowhead. His low whistle speaks to how impressed he is. That a boy younger than him is able to do such work is remarkable.

River quickly finishes his tea, leaving the house with Ythl to join Asher and Tomas outside. The young wizards sit hand in hand beside each-other while the other two are more separated by their interests.

As the wizards sip tea and relax, Ythl quizzes River. "Stefano mentioned a barrier, or wall, of their own that protects the village. What do you make of the wizard who created the barrier?" As they discuss the theory and practice of such protections, fascinated by details only a wizard could understand, Zephran, Ahser, and Tomas drift a little further away from them. They're joined by Toby and his dog, as they jog back from the stables.

"So, Toby, these are very fine arrows. Did you make your own bow as well?" Tomas is genuinely impressed. "Have you had any experience in battle?"

Toby lays down, retreating to his project and eyes the two of them cautiously, but then followed up by a smile as he sets his anxiety aside. "No, not yet." My parents say that it's a test for Hunter and I to see if we really wants to buy Augian warriors or not."

"So you've never even had any combat experience?" Asher gives him a brow, although he's never had to fight to the death either.

"No, but I don't think I'd have a problem taking a life." The curly haired archer crosses his arms and grins, almost laughing for some reason. "If they're not for you, then what holds you back?"

The older boar interrupts their conversation. "What stops you at first will be the shock and fear. Oh, the fear! Having taken a life for the first time and then surrounded by others sprinting to you with their swords. That's what kills a knight the fastest! If he survives that moment and carries on, then he'll live to fight another day for however long he may, but that's what truly matters. Nothing can prepare you for that moment except fate."

"So it was fate for you?" The prince moves closer along the grass in-between Toby and Tomas.

"No, no..." Zephran exhales a cloud of smoke as he pauses from speaking, then explains in a much more quiet, colder tone. "My father and his father and my uncles and their parents, they were all knights, warriors, commanders, lieutenants. And they were all raised to kill! See, that's what's different. Being forced into it at such a young age. My father and I would train for hours and he would beat me ruthlessly when I didn't meet up to his demands. I forced myself to be perfect for him. Fought along with most of my family in battles as I grew up. Watched most of them die too. That pain from losing family, from constantly have to be on the watch for enemies, and the never-ending battles in mud and blood. When I train my son, I don't beat him, nor do I yell at him like my father did. I will not force him to become a warrior, but if he wants to be one so badly, then I must let him be... When I wasn't fighting in battles and the epic wars that you've read about, I was an executioner, which meant I was constantly taking lives at every point in my life. My father died right around the time that my wife revealed that she was pregnant and I had gone quite insane at the time, so in pain from all of the loss. Having a son is what changed me, forced me to move out here in Cantos. I wanted to give my boy the best childhood he could ever have and be a better father than mine ever was."

River cuddles into Ythl's arms as the two of them move out from their conversation and listen to the powerful warrior sitting above them.

"An executioner?" Tomas seems surprised. "Was that much different from battle? At first thought, it seems totally different."

Toby adds, "I don't think I'll have a problem killing in battle. After all, it's either kill or be killed. I don't know about killing someone who's defenseless or doesn't want to be there."

Ythl lets his hands wander over River's back and shoulders, massaging him tenderly. At one point, he lets his lips brush against the back of River's neck and whispers to him. "I'll give you long, slow attention later. It should stimulate your energy levels for tomorrow and ease your stress."

The blue-haired boy blushes, not knowing what to say, but allows himself to fully relax into Ythl regardless.

A boy comes from the backyard of the house wearing a black leather apron, boots, and a loincloth. He's a year younger than the archer, 13, and has mid-length straight red hair that's deeper in color than it is shiny. Standing at five foot four, his arm and leg muscles are much larger than the other boys, although he still has quite a bit of his youthful attraction to him. "Hope I'm not late for dinner." He offers a dagger to his father, which is sheathed and has many jewels attached to its handle. His father looks it over and gives him the fine stamp of approval, then gives it back to him. The redhead motions to the grass near Toby, and lands a kiss on his lips as they roll around freely. That is, until he see's that the prince is right there watching. "Your majesty!" He goes on both knees and bows his head to the ground and apologizes.

"No need to apologize. Love is not a crime in Aigua." Asher stands up, moving one foot over the two of them and sitting back by his teacher.

"So, you're a maker of blades? And you're a maker of arrows. You seem meant for each other." Tomas says with a smile. Zephran offers the dagger to Tomas, who takes it and examines it carefully. Asher leans in close, resting his head against Tomas' shoulder as the warrior points out the fine craftsmanship. "You made the entire weapon? Blade, handle, decoration? Everything?"

"Of course!" Hunter hands him the dagger. "So we're leaving in the morning, right? How many of you know the way? Other than you, babe." He kisses his boyfriend Toby on his neck, tickling his side.

Tomas examines the dagger, passing it off to Asher. He smiles at Hunter. "Very well done. Do you do swords?"

Hunter replies, "Daggers, swords, axes, pocketknives, maces, you name it. I'll make it. Some jobs are harder than others, but I always get it done. That blade there, you see those jewels? There's six gemstones, all different colors, which sparkle and glare. Found those in the lake a few weeks ago while I was out fishing. Weird huh? I think I'll take her with me."

Ythl snuggles and nuzzles River, rubbing his back and shoulders. He whispers to him. "I don't know what it is, River. I find myself unable to keep my hands off of you. I want you quite badly."

"After dinner..." River responds tiredly. He takes his hand and rubs it to his face.

Hunter's mother emerges from out of the front door with a wide tray with glasses of water, handing one off to everyone. She appears human, but is actually a shapeshifting boar, complimenting the redheads father, who is a full anthro boar. "Beautiful night, isn't it? Perfect weather too. The cool air, that bellowing mist, purple sky, crescent moon. Looks like we'll have to have dinner outside right? You boys are hungry, right?"

The six young ones cheer for food on unison.

"Yes, ma'am, famished." Tomas rubs his belly as he answers, standing. "Is there something I can do to help?"

Ythl leans into River. "Should we ask for something light for you?"

Toby rises quickly to his feet. "No, Lord Tomas, you're our guest. Sit and relax. Enjoy some stories from the old timers." He ignores the glare from Zephran. "Hunter and I will be all the help she needs. Right, Hunter?" He reaches down and pulls the grumbling, thick-set Hunter from the ground. Keeping hold of his hand, he drags him into the house to assist with supper.

A few minutes later, the couple emerge with the wife with bowls of spicy potato stew for everyone, except river. Hunter's mother kneels down and politely hands him a large bowl of spinach salad with slices of fruit on the side. All of them eat together and get to know each other a bit more, sometimes bragging about their talents as well. Toby makes an example as to his use of bow and arrow, setting up a few target stands in the front of his house next door. He fires three arrows at once with his eyes closed, each of them hitting a bullseye, then continues on with bizarre tricks until everyone gets the point. Hunter spars off with Tomas for fun, using wooden swords of course. The redhead wins three of the four matches. After they've finished playing around, Hunter's mother brings all of the dishes back inside and his father leaves to do some late work with the blacksmith.

"We'll take Hunter's house." Ythl and River stand close to each other, opposite of Asher and Tomas.

"And.. I guess that means we'll take Toby's." Asher slaps Tomas's ass real hard. "Have to get at least one more night of action into us before we start our trip, right?"

Tomas's face burns bright red. "That's hardly a matter for public discourse, my Prince!" He turns to Ythl and River. "Do you need help? Is there anything I can do?"

Ythl waves off his offer. "Thank you, Tomas, but we'll be fine." He turns to Hunter and Toby. "Thank you for your hospitality. Thank your mother for supper. It was very tasty and restorative." He and River make their way to their quarters.

"We will probably be up first." Hunter looks at his boyfriend for an agreement. Toby always wakes up early. The four of them walk towards the archers house. As they do, the dark haired and red-skinned boy pull arrows out and toss them in a stack by the door. The house candle-lights are out as they enter, so Hunter takes burns one as soon as he walks inside. He guides the prince and his teacher to a small, but very clean guest room. "Lube is under the mattress in case you need it." He gives Tomas a wink, then says goodnight and follows his love to his room.

Toby waits for Hunter to enter shutting the door after him. He sits on one edge of the bed, bouncing slightly, as he kicks off his boots. "Well, this is going to be an interesting trip don't you agree? River and Ythl are a couple? Do you think? And Tomas and Asher?" He shakes his head as he undresses.

"Hard to tell." Hunter sits down beside him, taking off his boots, then tossing his apron off. "You know how it is in Aigua, where in combat the students have to always give themselves to their teachers. As I recall, that's what Tomas and Ythl are to those two. Judging by the distance between them as well, they might have had some past relationship." He unties his fundoshi and sets it aside, revealing a flaccid, thick cock at around four and a half inches. His circumcision scar is more than halfway down his shaft and he has bright red pubes, which are not completely trimmed away, but aren't a bush either. "We'll need to pack either tonight or tomorrow morning."

The bed is large, considering the two boys who share it. A single chest of drawers dominates one wall, shared by the odd pair like everything else. An oil lantern sits on a low table next to the bed. Toby removes as leather bracer from his wrist, setting it next to the lantern. He strips naked, piling his dirty clothes in one corner, next to a leather backpack, already loaded with clothes, extra arrow heads, his arrow making tools. His hunting bow hangs above the pack, two quivers of 20 arrows each, hanging nearby. "Already packed, Huntie-baby." He sticks his tongue out, pulling his pants and unders off. His thin penis flops loosely before he spins his hips rapidly left and right, swinging his dick around. It begins to stiffen. "You're soft. Don't love me anymore?"

"Hope that was a joke." Hunter spits into the palm of his left hand and begins to stroke himself, already hard to his full six inches after pounding away at it a few times. It's thickness matches the strong frame of the rest of his body. "You're not going to leave me for any of those other cuties, are you? I know that the prince is rather tempting... Or is it the blue-haired one? He's obviously the most adorable of them all. But none of them compare to you. You're my babe, my love, my everything. My cub." He moves back into the bed, taking a hold of his boyfriends shoulder and kissing him on the lips.

Toby relaxes into Hunter's kiss. His tongue eases its way into Hunter's mouth. As their tongues wrestle, his cock hardens to its full six and a half inches. Almost as long as Hunter's, also circumcised, it seems smaller, when in truth it's only thinner. He breaks the kiss, letting slobber and spit from both of them flow. "What are you in the mood for? I'm hankering to ride you." He crawls onto the bed, resting on his knees. He thrusts his hips forward. His cock juts out from his curly, black pubes. They're thick, but trimmed short. His cock aches towards Hunter, the mushroom head eager for contact. His scar is fairly faint, though.

"You haven't bottomed in a long time. Any particular reason you want to tonight?" As he speaks, Hunter begins to transform into an anthro boar. The bristles of fur are much of the same color of his fathers, a deep vermillion red everywhere except parts of his face, upper arms, and chest, which are white hairs. Unlike Ythl or Tomas, his cock doesn't change as he transforms. Once the fur has grown out, his face begins to change. What once was a small nose morphs into a trunk, which he's always been embarrassed of. Next are his tusks, with two large teeth, shiny and white as well, sticking up and out from his mouth. The last thing that changes are his ears, red and matching his hair, which also stick up.

"I wanna remember what you're like when I've got that Tomas doing me." Toby drops down, cupping Hunter's cock and balls in his hands. He looks up and grins at his boyfriend as he brushes his lips against the boar's cock-head. "We're going to bottom for each other. I'll go first." He takes the head into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the crown. He slides the tip of his tongue over the pee slit. The taste of his cock excites him and he sucks happily.

"Oh, thank the Gods... I was gonna freak for a moment." He relaxes further into the bed, letting his boyfriend massage his arms and legs as he sucks him off. "Ahh. That's perfect. Nice and slow. As he's sucking him off, he finds a bottle of lubricant under his pillow, which had just been used the night before."

Toby realigns himself so that Hunter can finger his ass. He closes his eyes, losing himself in the sensations. His mouth is filled with cock, although he pauses for a moment every few seconds to rub the crimson red dick over his face. His ass is offered to his boyfriend, his moans encouraging Hunter's fingers. The ginger leans up more and coats three of his fingers with lube. He starts careful and easy with him, knowing that it's been a while since he's taken it. Once he's gotten past two fingers, he applies even more lubricant to him, moaning as he fingers him. "Fffuck. You're gonna be so tight. I won't last long." He leaves three fingers inside of Toby, allowing him to adjust to it, then begins to move them in and out. Unlike him, the redhead doesn't need as much preparation, as he ascribes to being a proud bottom in the relationship. Feeling that he's ready enough, he holds up Toby's chin, leans in for a tongue kiss, then takes out his fingers. "Ok, babe. I think you're all good."

Toby wiggles his butt at Hunter. "Well, get in here then. Before I change my mind, babe." He rolls onto all fours, hands and knees. Wiggling his butt again, he rests his head on a pillow, looking back to watch what he can as his boyfriend prepares to mount him. "I really want you inside me, Hunter."

"Do you?" His grunts are louder in his animal form. He lubricates his own member before pulling his boyfriend's legs up on his shoulders and positioning the head of his cock to his lover. You want it that bad? As his fingers clench tightly, he slowly pushes all of the way into him, letting out a loud, heavy moan as he does so. He stands on his toes, still arced and eyeing his boyfriend. "You're pretty cute in your human form like this. We should do it like this more often." He pulls halfway out, then thrusts back into him again. "Is that ok? Doesn't hurt, does it?"

"Unngghh!" Toby's face contorts in pain and passion. He reaches up, grabbing Hunter's shoulder, squeezing them tightly. He digs his fingers into the hair and bristles. "You're fine... don't stop." He gasps and quivers and his eyes glaze over before he closes them tightly. "Ahhh, Hunter..."

"Ok. I'm gonna keep going." He smiles. As he begins to pick up his pace, his nostrils begin to wet. He leans his head down, heading in for the kiss. "Fuck yeah. Is that your prostate I'm hitting when you make that moan?" His grunts are loud and beastlike. Hunter fucks him faster, knowing that he's already close even though it's only been a few minutes. "Uhnn... Fuck, babe. I'm almost there."

Toby brings his hands down onto the bed, grasping the covers as he spreads his arms out wide. Bracing himself, he moans as Hunter fucks him faster and harder. "Anngghh, yes...Hunter, fuck me!" Sweat coats his face and chest, dripping down onto the blankets. His cock is hard, it and his balls bounce with every passionate thrust from his lover.

"Gahh!" He pounds his boyfriend's ass as fast and hard as he can right as he feels himself about to bust his nut. As he does so, his fingernails dig deep into Toby's skin, causing him to bleed a bit. He spurts five strong shots of cum deep into him, panting in exhaustion after he's came. Hunter continues to fuck him, although a bit slower, not wanting to simply pull his much thicker cock out of him right after he's came. "Think you'll still have it in you to fuck me?"

Toby grins, running his tongue around his lips. "Oh yeah. Drink of water and I'll be ready to go." He pulls Hunter down into a kiss, long and slow, deep and soft. He sighs as they break the kiss, sitting up and grabbing the wooden cup of water next to the lantern. He drinks it down. "Alright, on your belly or on your back. Get ready to get fucked." Toby climbs onto the bed, on his knees. He takes a handful of lube and strokes his cock, waiting for Hunter to choose his position.

"Why not on my side?" He lays down on his right side, moving one leg up and spreading his ass cheeks. His small and thin tail flaps from side to side in excitement. "Or is that too much work on you?"

"Pshaw. Too much work. I'll wear you out, bacon!" He takes two fingers, dipping them in lube and then sliding them up Hunter's asshole. "You're lucky I'm stretching you out, relaxing you before the cub makes you his." As he fingers, he lay over Hunter, kissing him hard again. They only kiss for a few moments before he pulls back, smiling broadly. "You feel ready. What say you? Shall I mount you?"

"Mount me, break me, make me wake up your parents if you must." He reaches back, feeling his boyfriend's skin. His erection is hard again, already dripping pre-cum.

Toby positions himself, laying on his side, behind Hunter. Spreading Hunter's cheeks, he eases his hips forward, sliding his well-greased cock between the boar-boy's ass cheeks. He pauses for a moment when his head meets resistance at Hunter's hole. Toby adjusts his legs and reaches one arm over Hunter, wrapping around his chest. He pushes in suddenly, causing a moment of intense pain for his boyfriend which transforms into incredible pleasure as all of Toby's six and a half are pushes deep inside of him. Toby leans his chest and cranes his neck forward, locking his lips onto Hunters. Their tongues joust and spar, making war as much as love in each other's mouths. Toby pauses, moaning as his cock slides out and is slammed back into Hunter. "I love you, boar-boy." They kiss again as Toby settles into a rhythm of slow withdrawals followed by fast, hard thrusts.

Hunter spits into the palm of his hand, reaching down to stroke himself as his boyfriend fucks his ass. The pain he feels at first is momentarily and brief; his body has learned to adjust after bottoming almost every day for his love. "I love you too, bear-cub." He returns with more kisses and squeezes Toby's hand. "Fuck yeah, babe. Gods, you're so fucking hot. Are you gonna transform, hun?"

Toby smirks, "Oh, someone's in a hurry for cock." He closes his eyes, concentrating for a moment. He begins to breathe more heavily, more loudly. Hunter feels the cock deeply embedded inside of him, the head gently resting for the moment against his pleasure nugget. As a boy, Toby's six and a half inches are satisfying. As he transforms, his cock thickens the girth almost doubling, Even as Toby gains fur and claws, the wide head and protruding snout of a bear cub, his cock and tongue grow larger. Both boys moan and groan, even whimper as the large cock inside of Hunter grows thicker while the long, rough tongue of a bear invades his mouth for rough and anxious kisses.

"Unnhhh.... Toby..." The young boar strokes himself faster and makes out with his boyfriend, not wanting to break apart their connection. The growing girth pressed into him only makes him want the bear-cubs cock more.

Toby only breaks their kisses to nibble and kiss Hunter's neck or shoulders. These breaks are short and lead to ever more passionate kissing between the two boys. With one paw wrapped around Hunter's chest, Toby pulls him close and holds him tightly. He's fucking him deeply and furiously now. The fur helps deaden the sounds of their flesh slapping together again and again, but doesn't silence it completely. Toby's groans, which accompany each thrust, begin to sound more and more like a growly. Hunter knows that sound, the sound of his bear getting close to filling him with seed. Gasping and grunting, Toby warns his partner. "I'm gonna cum any second. Gonna fill your honey pot...your Hunter pot..." He smiles briefly at his joke, pulling Hunter's face to his own, smashing their lips together, driving his tongue into Hunter's mouth and down his throat as if trying to reach his prostate from both ends at the same time. His claws flex involuntarily, scratching Hunter, and Toby's eyes flutter and roll back into his head. He lets loose with a scream that is as much growl. "Angghhh! Hunter!!! Unngghh!"

"Fuck yeah!" Hunter moans and grins gaily, reaching behind him to feel at the fur of his lovers back. "Give it to me, babe. Ah, fuck! Gonna cum again!" Out of his surprise, he sprays another load out onto the sheets. After he's came, he scoops a glob of it up and offers it to Toby, knowing it will drive him wilder. "Love so you so much."

Toby's bear tongue licks the cum from Hunter's finger, slipping between each digit as needed to recover the honey from his lover. His cock jerks a few more times as he tries to squeeze every ounce of sperm from his balls and into Hunter's ass. When he's sure there's no more, he pushes Hunter onto his stomach, withdrawing his cock and moving down the bed. "I love you more than anything, Hunter." He buries his snout in Hunter's ass, using his tongue to drive into his hole and lick out his own cum. The bear tongue is almost like another cock, strong enough and long enough to dive partway into Hunter, like a bear licking for ants on a dead log. Hunter groans and shivers as Toby eats him out. When finished, Toby sits back on his haunches his tongue licking over his whiskers and sides of his mouth for stray juices from their fucking. He slowly changes back into the young teenage boy, laying down on Hunter's back, peppering him with kisses before their lips lock once again. "Marry me. Say yes. And let's do it in the morning before we leave. Marry me, Hunter."

"Marry?" Hunter relaxes, somewhat shocked by his proposal. They've been dating for half a year now, which still feels like a short amount of time to him. However, he can't fancy being with anyone else other than the bear beside him. "I'll marry you. How will we go about it?"

Toby slides off of his lover, lying next to him. He lays on his side, staring into Hunter's face, smiling. "We get permission from our families, then either Elder Stefano or Prince Asher can do a little ceremony." He blushes, looking away for a moment. "Unless you want something more formal and fancy. I don't. I just want us to be us forever."

"I think... I'd rather it be with Stefano, if that's ok." Hunter slides the sheets up to their chests, then presses closer to him so that their bodies are touching. "My parents won't have any problem with it."

"Good." Toby holds Hunter close, pulling his head to his chest. Hunter doesn't resist, snuggling close as they begin to drift off to sleep. "Of course you're going to have to learn to cook. My wife has to be a good cook. And you do have those wide, child bearing hips." Toby laughs and kisses Hunter again.

"Hey!" He argues sarcastically. "I'm your husband, not wife! You're lucky that my mom taught me how to cook..." Hunter reaches over to shut off the light, inhaling the scent of his boyfriend as he yawns loudly. "Goodnight, babe. I love you more than anything. Tomorrow, we marry."

"And then our honeymoon quest." Toby sighs happily.

 

 

"Are you sure these are enough blankets? I can ask for more, River." Ythl stands beside the bed, holding the layers of a thin sheet and blanket in his hand. He stands barefoot, but still wears his robe. "I just don't want you to be cold."

"Fine... I'm fine." River ignores the constantly worried cries of his teacher, too busy reading from the tiny spellbook that fits in both of his hands. A large saucer-shaped bowl sits on top of a nightstand to the left of him and the bed, which begins to emit a mist. Before it can engulf the room, he ends the spell and has it dissipate. "Ok. I just wanted to get that one down in my head." Their bedroom is much smaller than the one in Toby's house, fitting just enough room for their bed, a dresser, a table, and two nightstands on each side of the bed. A large window faces them, although the curtains shield anyone from seeing inside.

"Should you really be taxing yourself with castings?" He removes his robes, folding them carefully over the back of a chair. He strips out of his undergarment, a type of fundoshi. His skin is smooth, hairless with a healthy color, just a slight hint of a tan over his pink skin. His nipples are very small and hard for some reason. He's flaccid, but still measures nearly four inches. Climbing into bed, he sips from a wooden cup. "Are you tired? Would you like to talk?"

River sets the book down beside the bowl of water. It's only after he see's his teacher nude that he remembers that he's also naked under the bedsheets. "I'm just worried that if we end up in danger that I'll end become a burden for everyone. I want to make sure that I'll be of some use too, you know." He crosses his arms as he pouts. His long blue and white hair is a mess, but it only makes him that much more painfully adorable to Ythl.

Ythl slides closer, until he can wrap his arm around River's waist. He runs his fingers through River's hair. "How did your hair get so disheveled and why does it look so good like that?" He smiles and chuckles. "You won't be a burden. If we need your magicks, I know you'll do all that you can to help us. I don't mean to worry so much. It's just that the night before Asher and Tomas arrived, my dreams were troubled. I've an uneasy feeling that I can't determine if it's an omen and warning, or if it's me being overly protective of you and Liam." He sighs I'll be happy. "When we're at the shrine and both of you are healed..."

"You're telling me..." River moves further down in his bed, laying on his side and facing Ythl. "Our staffs are touching side by side on the wall. Did you set yours like that on purpose?"

"Maybe." He glances at the staves against the wall. "I think a good massage might do much to restore you for the journey ahead."

"A massage? Let me get into position then." River lays on his stomach, pushing the sheets down just above his buttocks, then squeezes his pillow as he closes his eyes. His skin is pale and hairless, while his body is thin.

Ythl moves over to his pack, rummaging among its contents. He smiles and withdraws a small clay jar, sealed with wax. Returning to the bed, he puts their tea within River's reach, climbs in, hiking one leg over River's buttocks. Straddling his apprentice, he pops open the jar and takes a glop of the almost clear gel within. It's cold to the touch and he smears it over River's shoulders. As Ythl works the gel around River's back and shoulders, it begins to warm and tingle. The smell is reminiscent of pine needle or pine sap. Slowly, methodically, Ythl works on River's back and shoulders. He ignores his own erection, though it rests and rubs against River's ass cheeks. "Just close your eyes and let me relax you."

River forgives Ythl for his erection, not caring if he plans to mess around with him later on or not. Instead, he focuses on what his teacher tells him to do, which is to simply relax and let him massage him. The wax works like a miracle on his aching bones, which have been hurting all day despite telling him otherwise. "Thank you... I'm sorry for being so rude today. It's just, I don't like everyone looking at me like I'm sick all of the time."

Leaning forward, close to River's ear, Ythl scoffs. "You weren't very rude at all, dear boy. Sadly, though, you are sick. Those of us who care about you..." He begins very gently rubbing his cock against River's crack. "...are going to be concerned. Once we've arrived at the Shrine and you're healed, I promise to be more of an asshole to you, okay?" He kisses River's cheek, shifting his body to bring their lips together in a slow kiss.

River blissfully smiles and returns with careful kisses before accepting his masters tongue into his mouth. As they kiss, he begins to feel his own boner pressed to the bed sheets. "That feels good... When you rub it right there."

Even as their lips are pressed together, Ythl smiles when River confirms he's found a spot that he enjoys. he attends to that spot with his dick, large as it is, rubbing and caressing the smooth, soft skin of his student. "Are you up to do more, River?" His hands move over River's back and sides, reaching underneath him to squeeze and massage his chest. His cock, nearly seven inches and so warm, becomes almost a third hand massaging River's ass.

"What more do you want to?" He turns his head to the side and looks at him, watching as he worships River's body. The blue-haired boy raises his ass into the air, making it easier for Ythl to feel the rest of him.

"I thought that perhaps I would lick your butt...suckle your testicles and penis." As he describes what he has in mind, Ythl plants tiny kisses on River's shoulders, neck, and ears. His dick slides into the sweet ass crack, rubbing against River's hole. "If you're willing or interested, I might even take your ass as my own...fucking you."

"You would?" The two of them have not fucked each other before and River is still a virgin in that aspect. That isn't to say that they've had their fair share with just about everything else. Unfortunately, the sickness has made the ten-year-old much less lustful as he used to be. "Do you... Even have what we need for that? I mean, I'd let you do it... But it'll be my first time, so you have to be gentle."

"I will always be gentle with you." He teases River's hole with his dick, even as his kisses are joined by soft, gentle nibbles on River's ear lobes. "I have everything we need. Wizards must always be prepared."

"Ok..." River patiently nods along. "Should I flip over or stay as I am?"

"Have you a preference?" Ythl moves a hand down River's back, teasing his skin. Quickly, he puts a finger in his mouth, then moves it to River's hole, probing gently as the kisses continue. "On your back let's us see each other."

Without responding, River flips over, then raises his right leg and holds it towards himself so that he can get to his ass a bit easier. His tiny hairless erection is only two and a half inches long, cut with a cute mushroom head, a light brown ring along his shaft, and an equally small sack that holds his miniature marble-sized nuts. "Better?"

Ythl's eyes fairly sparkle. "Perfect. He reaches for the jar of oil, careful not to confuse it with the massage gel." Crawling forward a bit, he positions himself, his hard cock seeming huge as it lays hard and engorged on top of River's much smaller dick. He smears two fingers of oil on his dick, slowly moving it over and against River's, and two fingers of oil on River's hole. He fingers him slowly, relaxing and stretching the hole in preparation for taking him for the first time.

Both of the wizards fingers slide in easily; they've done this many times before and he's even been able to take a third finger without any pain at all. As his teacher fingers him, he reaches for Ythl's cock and strokes it as they frot. "Does that stuff taste gross? I kind of want you to put in my mouth before we do it."

Ythl moans at River's touch. "It has very little taste." Ythl climbs over River's legs and body, straddling his chest. He raises his arms, lacing his fingers together behind his head. His chest and armpits are hairless, his skin smooth and pale. With a jiggle of his hips, he holds his cock close to River's mouth, offering his flesh-wand to his apprentice.

River sits up a bit more, twinkling his eyes up to Ythl as he sticks out his tongue and takes his first lick on his master's cock. He uses one hand to hold his sack, massaging his testicles gently, then takes the head into his mouth. The sounds his mouth make as he sucks him are loud and dirty, showing off how much he's learned to use his lips, tongue and the rest of his mouth to give him the best blowjob he can. One finger reaches around and rubs against Ythl's sweaty hole as he takes all six inches into his mouth. Unlike the other student Liam, he has a gag reflex that makes him difficult to deep throat, but does it anyway, coming up for air and coughing after taking him for as long as he can. I'm fine. He smiles, kissing the tip of the cock in front of him. River drools spit all over his dick, then strokes him with a backhanded technique. "I'm ready for you... to take my virginity."

Ythl smiles down at River's wet face, shining with spit and juices. As he slides down River, straddling and sliding, he pauses long enough to bring his mouth to River's. His tongue explores his apprentice's mouth, tasting himself mixed with the boy's flavor. It's exciting, increasing desire for both of them. "Your kisses taste delightful." One last kiss on each of River's nipples and Ythl returns to the task at hand.

He swings off of River, settling down between his legs. He takes River's left leg and pulls him closer, kissing and sucking his toes as he holds the leg in order to open a venue to the boy's ass. It winks at him, pink and moist. Placing the head of his cock against the hole, he nibbles River's ankle. "Tell me if it hurts. Promise."

"I promise." River exhales slowly, concentrating on relaxing his body and being with Ythl in the present moment. He knows that it will most likely hurt, as it did when he was first given three fingers, but as always, he adjusts.

Ythl nods, adding a bit more lube just to be safe. He pushes forward, the head of his cock sinking slowly into the warmth and wetness of River's hole. He's loose and relaxed and the head goes in with little difficulty or pain. Pushing deeper, it seems that River's ass becomes hotter and hotter, tighter and tighter. Part of Ythl, his fox blood perhaps, urges him to mount and fuck the boy beneath as hard and fast as he can.

Instead of listening to his bestial nature, Ythl moans and breathes deeply, controlling his lust. He slides himself slowly into River, watching the boy's face. They are both sweating, beads forming and trailing down their chests and faces. When River grimaces, Ythl slows, almost pausing. When his face relaxes, the cock pushes deeper, the curve in the shaft bringing it close to River's sweet spot, his pleasure gland.

"Ohhhhh..." River's head leans back as he moans, feeling a pleasure he's never felt before. He reaches down, using just the tip of two fingers to stroke himself as Ythl presses further inside of him. The muscles of his tight ass tense up, forcing Ythl's cock to stop until they adjust more so that he can take him inch by inch. When he feels him press against his prostate, River lets out a wild, uncontrollable moan. He looks into Ythl's eyes and smiles. "It doesn't hurt too much. You can go all of the way now."

Nodding, Ythl leans forward, letting his bodyweight help push his cock deeper into River. He pulls back slowly, pushes in slowly, pushing more until his balls are smashing between their bodies. He pulls out and pushes in a little faster, but just as deep. Soon, he has a rhythm set, fucking River gently, but thoroughly. He leans over at one point, letting a glob of spit escape his mouth and landing on River's dick as he's stroking himself. They both moan. "You are so tight and warm...I want to stay in you...It's incredible...angghh...yes, oh, River..."

"Don't stop, then. Here, come closer to me." As one of his hands strokes himself, the other traces Ythl's back. His moans and whines are long, higher-pitched than his already pre-pubescent voice, but they're not obnoxiously loud. As much as he thought it would hurt like he's hurt from others, it doesn't in the slightest. However, he still wants him just like this - gentle, loving, with grace. "Kiss me when you're going to cum inside of me."

Ythl nods. He leans down, kissing River's neck, nibbling slightly, moving to his ears. All the while his cock enters and re-enters him, pressing and rubbing against his prostate with every thrust. HIs pace has quickened, but he's not fucking River as much as he's joining with him, uniting their bodies through the physical act and their hearts through the tenderness and care. Ythl grunts and gasps for air once, twice. He presses his mouth over River's pressing his tongue against his lover's. Shaking from head to toe, he moans and groans into River's mouth as his cock swells and fires it's stream of cum into the younger wizard's ass. The stream of life flows into River, splashing his prostate. Ythl cries out. "Unnggh! RIVER! Aahh!!!"

"Ythl..." River tightens both of his arms around his masters back as he feels the orgasm fill him. He leaves soft kisses and hickies on his neck and shoulders, panting as he does so. Once their bodies have slowed down from the rhythm of fucking, River returns with long, pressing kisses. "That was amazing. I'll never forget this moment we've shared."

Ythl gazes down into River's eyes. His cock is still inside the younger wizard, slowly softening. "It was amazing. A blessing given physical form, River." He enjoys the long kisses. When his dick finally pops out of River's butt, Ythl rises from the bed, returning with a damp cloth. He gently cleans River, kissing his privates and freshly cleaned butt. He lies down next to River, pulling him close. "You are very dear to me, you know that, don't you?"

"I think so." River touches two fingers, looking around the room as he thinks quietly. "What makes me so special, though? My Dad because he died to protect the king? Or because I'm one of the last of my bloodline?" He stuffs his feet under the covers but lets enough of his nude body show off for Ythl.

Ythl takes a sip water and laughs. "Believe me, I was not thinking of your father or the King when I was in you." He snuggles close to River, cuddling and holding him. "What makes you special is you. What's inside you. The kindness and compassion. The way you work hard at your studies, but still manage to smile and laugh. Your loyalty to me, to your bloodline. All of it combines to make you unique and special." He takes another drink. "It doesn't hurt that you're cute as a button and sexy as anything all at the same time, either."

River blushes, almost embarrassed by all of the compliments. "You're special to me too... And your uncle as well. Adopting me after my parents passed away, becoming my teacher, always being there for me through all of the grief and now my physical health. I think that's what keeps us so aligned - our compassion for others, ability to empathize. I'm still learning of course, but..." He sighs and lets out a long yawn. "Thank you, Ythl, for everything you do and beyond." His eyes slowly shut and as he falls asleep, he cuddles up further into his teachers arms.

Ythl kisses the top of River's head, holding him close. He starts to drift off to sleep, but thoughts and memories of his dreams recently torment him. Before slumber overtakes him, Ythl offers silent prayer and casts a simple protection spell over the both of them.

 

Note: As said before, I'll give you a bigger, better description of the characters below!!! I'm also going to include other notes that went on for the creation of this epic, that some of you might find interesting, or just boring... lol. Thanks for reading btw, feel free to send emails. Really helps motivate me to keep editing these chapters and honoring my boyfriend by doing so too.

 

 

 

 

Main Characters (Bigger info) –

 

Prince: Asher is 11, long brown hair, 4 ft 9, very athletic and good at sword combat (but not an expert yet), he has an abnormal experte in his jumping abilities. He's not a spoiled prince. Empathetic, extroverted, Somewhat calm for his age. Knows more than one language to read, write, speak. He hasn't unlocked his transformation abilities, which is why he has to go to this "shrine". He's afraid he doesn't have what it takes to become a future king or has the strength. His mother was assassinated by Crayus when he was 6 years old, which are also his earliest memories.

  Combat style relies on maneuver and position rather than brute strength. Favors sword and shield, good with a bow or spear as well.

Experiences to date have been homosexual, Asher is worried about being able to produce an heir when the time comes. Birthmark on his left thigh. He's very skinny. Versatile bottom. He has no pubic hair, penis size is average with a slight curve. Helmet head. 3" long when hard, cut high and loose with a dark brown ring, no frenulum.

 

Prince's Trainer: Tomas is 15. Short hair, bright blonde. 5 ft 4. A genius in combat, language, training, transformation. He is very protective of his prince. Late bloomer for his age. Completed a shrine ritual when he was 10, so he knows the route perfectly like the archer. Although, he's plagued by nightmares and trains constantly, afraid that he'll fail his king and prince. Extroverted, but paranoid of others. Has already fought in a single war as well. Can transform into a gray wolf. 

Bisexual, but has pronounced his life to the king. Active with the prince. He's a little under average for his age due to being a late bloomer, but still confident due to his physical strength. Vers top. 4" hard, cut with a very light almost unnoticeable scar, high and loose, has his frenulum.

 

Wizard: River is 10. Long whitish blue hair, blue eyes. 4 ft 7. Wizards are very rare, but he is also a rarity of his own with many abilities. Half of the males in his family (anthro wizards, lynx dominant) died at the age of ten from unknown illnesses or weren't able to make it to the shrine. It's urgent for him to take ritual bath. He's shy, introverted, very religious to his studies (Worships the water God Ryafos and air God Sokox). Has a sacred ancestral staff he uses. He's the last in his family's ancestry, next to the priestess that guards the shrine that he must visit. Afraid that he won't have what it takes to save his aunt at the shrine due to his illness.

He's gay. Bottom. 2.5" hard, cut high and loose with a dark brown ring, fren still there.

 

Wizard's Trainer::Ythl is 13. Mid length light brownish hair, almost a dirty iron color. Striking golden eyes with large irises. Slight of build and 5 tall exactly. Expert in languages and codes, games of intellect. Projects a very stuffy air and personae, very precise in speech and manner, but relaxes considerably when among friends. His father was killed in the first uprising, along with most of his distant relatives. Due to the wizard being an only child, his uncle has taken custody of him, and his uncle (heir to the king) has commanded him to help River with training and that he gets to the shrine. 

   Can transform by blood ability into a fox. Has learned a second form, a hawk, which he keeps secret from all but a very few. Twin-Changers are exceptionally rare and their body parts are invaluable to the practitioners of the Dark Arts. He prefers spells which disadvantage his opponents, creating openings for his allies. Can summon direct and destructive magicks, but feels drained and sometimes ill when using magic directly to kill other people. (His magic has the unknown effect of creating a psychic bond with human targets. The more often he casts upon the same person the stronger the bond grows. It is this bond that makes him ill after killing with magic).

  Enjoys sex with his apprentice but harbors no illusions of being in love. Is gentle in bed typically and is surprisingly well endowed, 6.5" hard, cut high and loose with a barely noticeable scar, still has his fren.

 

Archer: Toby is 14. Mid-length curly black hair with golden red skin. Lives with Hunter in a small village. 5ft 2. He'd be considered a prodigy if he were known better. Master with bow and arrow. Probably the best next to the prince's trainer at tracking trails, remembering maps, and nature. His father served some higher command for the king and has already exceeded his training. Can perfectly transform whenever he wants to a cub (young bear). Confident, but not cocky. He carries and plays a flute and lute. Knows some magic towards making indestructible arrows that he can bring back to him and spells for blessing the dead. Worships the wind and earth gods.

Gay. In a relationship with Hunter. Well-trimmed. Top, loves kissing more than anything. Big, but not as thick as his boyfriend. 6" hard, somewhat thick, cut high and loose with a uniform circular scar that's dark and compliments his red skin tone.

 

Sword Expert: Hunter is 13. Shorter, straight ginger hair with perfect soul.  5ft 4, very lean and powerful build. Fight with a mix of speed, power, precision. Quick temper, especially protective of Archer, even though he's younger. Temper can be used against him in a fight.  Competent in working with basic metals and leathers to repair gear. Good with hands in technical skills. What we'd call blue collar. Can transform into a young boar. His father, Zephran, is powerful, ruthless ex-warrior, ex-executioner, and his stories of battle are well-known among Aigua and Harathi people. 

   Homosexual in steady relationship with Archer. Thick, rather than long penis, 5.5" cut, cut very high and tight, frenulum gone, scar more than halfway down his shaft.

 

The Bad guys –

 

Crayus   Used to be a lieutenant for the king until he attempted an uprising with a religious cult that he started. Tells his followers that the Goddess of Destruction speaks through him and says that he is the true ruler of the kingdom. He assassinated Asher's mother, although his uprising was a failure and he could only flee. There was a short war after the uprising that lead to his loss, but he still travels with some warriors (Around 40 or so) and those who worship him (around 100), committing acts of terrors on small neighboring villages or desecrating shrines that heal and help those with transformation abilities. He takes over the one that they need to get to. He's about eight foot tall, gigantic muscular body, uses powerful and stolen armor, uses stolen magic weapons that he's taken from neighboring shrines and temples that he has destroyed. His army of zealots have been slaughtering wizards and mages ever since.

Woltot Thrace. Worked for the king in helping train those with transformation abilities. He lives in his transformation body as a beast/monster and can slaughter villages of a hundred all by himself. Him and his men tried to attack Toby and Hunter's village but failed and haven't returned ever since. He killed River's parents and also killed Ythl's mother in the first uprising. Has no remorse and lives to kill others.

 

Charictux Anrast  He's the true mastermind behind the evil. Plagued by curses from the Goddess of Destruction, he has used his magic to make Crayus believe he's hearing voices from the Goddess, which are actually his, commanding him what to do. He does this because he wants to become the strongest and only wizard left alive on the planet. Even though the Crayus can use the weapons to his advantage, the wizard is unable to use the magic he steals and tries to learn because of the madness and cursed nature in him, meaning he can only use the evil embedded to him. This might also be why he feels the need to kill so many of his own kind.

 

 

Other Important or Minor Characters -

 

 

King of Aigua - Gerallt Cadigan  44 years old. Shapeshifting anthro, leopard. Has fought in wars before, but cannot do so anymore due to some sort of injury that limits his energy level. The injury has defied the efforts of healer and physikers to diagnose and treat. The physical symptoms are vague and inconsistent. In truth, the King is severely depressed due to the murder of his wife and the strain of running the kingdom under threat of war from The Cruiberg. He does not sleep or eat well, listening to his advisers, but ignoring their advice. Thus, his minor injuries have never been allowed to heal and his mental state exacerbates their effects.

 

Liam Keshet - Full on anthro, golden lynx pup. Friend and apprentice of Ythl with photographic memory and very intellectual despite his age (7-8yo). Comes from a wealthy family of the most esoteric philosophers on the continent. Ythl visits him before he leaves.

 

Stefano Aldorucci, anthro elk, wizard and leader of Cantos.

Lorelai, River's Aunt, Priestess of Aranathra.

 

Lilia, Dryad of Aranathra, friend and lover of priestess.

 

Garallen Montejoy – Seems to be in his fifties, but is much, much older than that. When he was much younger, River's age, he studied formerly under the White Mages of Harath. He disliked being confined to one area and the structure imposed by the White Mage Order. He left after less than two years, travelling alone or with groups of other travellers throughout Harath, Aigua, and even Cruiberg. Learned the basics of magical research and experimentation from the WMO, used those skills in his own pursuit of the magickal arts. 

  Studied under or alongside a number of hedge mages, wild mages, elves, and demons. Has a great variety of simple spells and rituals useful in his lonely travels. He fought alongside the Aiguans against the Cruiberg, and against Crayus. He did not enjoy the restrictions and orders in being a war mage. He has chosen to travel where he likes, when he likes, helping who he likes. He had a family once, but he does not easily speak of those times or of what happened to them. He likes the people of the three kingdoms much more than he cares for their rulers. He will help peasants almost without fail. 

Like a raven, he is prone to short, sharp movements. He maintains a number of secret nests throughout the the three kingdoms, returning to each according to his whims to visit the friends he's made there. He defies sexual classification, sometimes choosing to be with men, women, boys. He doesn't care for young girls. In his bird form, he's been known to surprise an eagle or two. As a raven, he collects things that interest him and tokens of his friends and adventures. His unpredictable nature and the variety of his training and learning give him an advantage in most magickal encounters. He is able to recognize the rituals of his foes and counter them with the range of spells, enchantments, rituals, and styles he's learned over the years. 

 

Yuval Eldric – Immortal mage who has lost memories of his previous life and lives in a permanent body of his 9-year-old self. In reality, he's 38 years old, a refugee of Strararis, versed in Dark Magic. Believed to be Garallen's ultimate apprentice.

 

 

 

Places:

 

The Kingdom of Aigua - A huge kingdom somehow off site due to it being deep into the woods and forested with nature around its walls. Three times as large as Harath, but holds the same amount of people (four million). Just as diverse and liberal as its neighbor as well (except Harath has many more demons). They're relatively peaceful, having no poverty and mostly solving their narcotic problems. Aigua is an ancient kingdom, perhaps tens of thousands of years old. Family oriented royalty. Half of the population are anthros (two million), a large chunk are humans (one million), gnomes (500,000), and the rest are mages (200,000), elves (150,000), wizards (149,850), demons (100), and giants (50).

Aigua has been walled off and highly protected to preserve its rare community, but also its collection of diverse, legendary animals/creatures (what some would consider monsters) that live inside with them. Most of them reside by the forested lakes running through the kingdom, but some live among them and are worshipped too. They used to have a water dragon, but it was killed in a battle four-hundred years ago by the Cruiberg King's sword. 

Very psychedelic landscape to the kingdom. The people are very spiritual and religious, but that doesn't mean they're not afraid of battle or going to war, as they've had to defend themselves since before their community was born. They have an alliance with Harath.

The borders of the kingdom are protected by a huge, living wall of shrubs and trees. The wall is tended by a special cohort of mages, wizards, and others. The anchors for the wall are giant trees or huge thorned bushes. The wall is thick and tall, with pathways grown into the Aiguan side allowing the Wall Keepers to inspect, repair, and travel along and within the wall. During times of peace, the Wall Keepers encourage great collections of flowering plants along the wall, giving it the nickname "Wall of Petals." During war time, the Keepers turn their efforts to defence, the flowers replaced with thorns large and small, many coated with sap that irritates similarly to poison oak and poison ivy. The wall, when grown for defence, is referred to as the "Wall of Thorns". There are those that say the wall has giant, hungry versions of venus fly-traps and pitcher plants. Versions large enough to trap a full sized Cruiberg warrior. The Wall Keepers smile at such stories.

 

Village of Cantos - A small village with houses built on hills by a lake. Population of less than a thousand. Lead by a wizard (more than 400 years old) and his family. They have a very small militia, but are highly trained. Were able to fight off Crayus and his men when they attempted to attack the village. They have an alliance with Aigua. Hunter and Toby are both from this village.

 

The Shrine of Aranathra - A shrine deep inside of a pit underground that fell into a sinkhole 15,000 years ago, according to the stories, which is why it's so hard to get to. It's the closest shrine to Aigua that hasn't been destroyed and is still operated by a priestess (River's great aunt). It's said there are less than fifty functional shrines left on the planet. The priestess or whomever protects it must live there.

Every shrine has its own library, area for prayer, along with a large pool of green water. The water, when done with the ritual, heals anthros that are sick or haven't been able to transform yet. 

 

Shadowdweomer Forest

 

Neighbors:

Kingdom of Harath, King Haelex II. - Five million people: humans (4 million), dwarves (400,000), mages (365,000), anthros (8000), elves (3000), and demons (300),

Brackenford, major city on the river 

Port city

Mountain city

 

******* Anthro Stuff *****

 

There are three forms of anthro. (In terms of most common to least). First, those born with tail/fur/ears like an animal, but are mostly human in looks. Second, those born with a human body structure but with all fur/tail/ears of the animal they're connected to. Third, those that transform into their animal or have qualities from the first. The third have a common genetic disorder in some that leads to sickness and death and they must visit a shrine if they cannot transform by their tenth birthday. They can only stay in their anthro form for 3-5 days if the decide not to transform back at all, which is why they often switch forms.