Prologue
"A tale for a journey begun."
"The fellowship we have sung."
"To escape from his right."
"In the middle of the night."
"He hopes not to step into dung."
The winged unicorn minstrel smiled to his unseen audience as he polished his silver mandolin. "I greet thee, noble travelers. For a story so grand, yet still you do stand, come seat yourselves thusly by my fire. For I have a tale to quoth pon your ears. A ballad of a fellowship of chance, but why would'th they stay together for so long, one might ask in a song? Ah, come... I'll reveal the truth of his repeal... The Princely Otter Fellowship."
[Princely Otter Fellowship] RS-01 An Otter in Training
By Darrel Vanwinkle (Cpt Pouchlaw)
May 18th, 2006
Chapter 01
As the noble giraffe couriers were showing proper protocol in their bowing before the majestic otter of nobility, King Lutraon, just off to the side within an alcove a young male otter wearing princely clothes with a feathered cap stood gingerly shaking his head. He quietly mocked the couriers, muttering, "Oh great and most powerful liege of the furthering seas, gracious king of the rubbery knees, harlot's guard of the lantern's tease... we bring forth to you a brown-nosing gift of peace that we hope will appease you enough to grant us your blessings to convey back to our master who is too big of a coward to come and bow to you himself. Oh dominas, sominas, hominas."
The young otter was suddenly struck on the side of his muzzle by his mother, the wife and queen to the noble otter who sat on the throne. "I thought I'd find you here being disrespectful. Come, you're already late for your training exercise with the captain of the guard."
The princely otter placed his paws on his waist. "I don't want to be a castle guard. Hey! Let go! No!" These last few words were spoken because his mother was already beginning to drag the young prince off down the adjoining hallways toward the training quarters.
That night, very late, the princely otter found himself on the castle's roof, gazing out past the castle's walls at the surrounding lands beyond. "I'll never get out of this place. I hate it here."
Suddenly, a female voice exclaimed softly, "If you could get out, where would you go? What would you do? You live in safety here, but beyond is a world of danger and adventure."
The princely otter turned his head toward the voice and saw a completely black-clad, masked, female wolf with a katana strapped over her back. "Who are you? I've never seen you in the castle before."
The female wolf chuckled, "I was making sure a visiting lord knew that he could not hide within this castle to escape the wrongs he did in another land. I am a warrior of the night. I am a ninja. As for my name, that you must earn. Were you serious about leaving the castle?"
The princely otter hummed, then replied, "Yes. I do not want to spend the rest of my life as a castle guard or be pressed into the kingdom's army. I want to make a real difference in the world. But alas, because I have grown up in such a protected place, my ability to fight or survive is as raw as the drawl meats in the kitchens. I wouldn't last a day out there without some form of training. But I don't want a castle resident holding my paw my whole life, either. What can I do?"
The female wolf turned her masked muzzle toward the princely otter and said, "Tell you what... if you can pay a fee of my choosing, I will make sure you gain the non-castle training you seek so you may survive in the world. What do you say?"
The princely otter was ecstatic! "You have yourself a deal! I'll pay anything! What do you want?"
The female wolf made no noticeable motion, but the otter could tell that she was grinning. "I want your name and I want you to get the giraffe warlord out of the castle by any means that you can. If you do this, my guarantee and promise for training you will have."
The princely otter shook the female wolf's hand. "I am Royal Prince Rab Lutraon, but I don't want to be just a prince anymore. And I'll do whatever I can to get the lord out of the castle."
Rab was sure that the giraffe lord wasn't too happy with being tricked out on to that balcony where the female wolf ninja awaited him, but that was in the past now. Rab didn't see what had happened between the giraffe and the wolf, but later he'd be told that the giraffe tried to fight her and lost. Rab and his hostess were now running along a darkened forest trail to the east of Lutraon. Rab wasn't sure what running had to do with survival training, but it was a good sprint.
It was a good two hours later when the female ninja wolf permitted a stop. "I know that you must be tired, Prince Rab. This is my encampment." She then threw a bedroll directly into Rab's chest, knocking him backwards on his tail. "You have to earn a tent. Be sure you get plenty of rest. Tomorrow we travel whether you're ready or not." She then entered her tent.
End of Chapter 01
"A tale for a journey begun."
"The fellowship we have sung."
"To escape from his right."
"In the middle of the night."
"He hopes not to step into dung."
The winged unicorn minstrel smiled to his unseen audience as he polished his silver mandolin. "I greet thee, noble travelers. For a story so grand, yet still you do stand, come seat yourselves thusly by my fire. For I have a tale to quoth pon your ears. A ballad of a fellowship of chance, but why would'th they stay together for so long, one might ask in a song? Ah, come... I'll reveal the truth of his repeal... The Princely Otter Fellowship."
[Princely Otter Fellowship] RS-01 An Otter in Training
By Darrel Vanwinkle (Cpt Pouchlaw)
May 18th, 2006
Chapter 01
As the noble giraffe couriers were showing proper protocol in their bowing before the majestic otter of nobility, King Lutraon, just off to the side within an alcove a young male otter wearing princely clothes with a feathered cap stood gingerly shaking his head. He quietly mocked the couriers, muttering, "Oh great and most powerful liege of the furthering seas, gracious king of the rubbery knees, harlot's guard of the lantern's tease... we bring forth to you a brown-nosing gift of peace that we hope will appease you enough to grant us your blessings to convey back to our master who is too big of a coward to come and bow to you himself. Oh dominas, sominas, hominas."
The young otter was suddenly struck on the side of his muzzle by his mother, the wife and queen to the noble otter who sat on the throne. "I thought I'd find you here being disrespectful. Come, you're already late for your training exercise with the captain of the guard."
The princely otter placed his paws on his waist. "I don't want to be a castle guard. Hey! Let go! No!" These last few words were spoken because his mother was already beginning to drag the young prince off down the adjoining hallways toward the training quarters.
That night, very late, the princely otter found himself on the castle's roof, gazing out past the castle's walls at the surrounding lands beyond. "I'll never get out of this place. I hate it here."
Suddenly, a female voice exclaimed softly, "If you could get out, where would you go? What would you do? You live in safety here, but beyond is a world of danger and adventure."
The princely otter turned his head toward the voice and saw a completely black-clad, masked, female wolf with a katana strapped over her back. "Who are you? I've never seen you in the castle before."
The female wolf chuckled, "I was making sure a visiting lord knew that he could not hide within this castle to escape the wrongs he did in another land. I am a warrior of the night. I am a ninja. As for my name, that you must earn. Were you serious about leaving the castle?"
The princely otter hummed, then replied, "Yes. I do not want to spend the rest of my life as a castle guard or be pressed into the kingdom's army. I want to make a real difference in the world. But alas, because I have grown up in such a protected place, my ability to fight or survive is as raw as the drawl meats in the kitchens. I wouldn't last a day out there without some form of training. But I don't want a castle resident holding my paw my whole life, either. What can I do?"
The female wolf turned her masked muzzle toward the princely otter and said, "Tell you what... if you can pay a fee of my choosing, I will make sure you gain the non-castle training you seek so you may survive in the world. What do you say?"
The princely otter was ecstatic! "You have yourself a deal! I'll pay anything! What do you want?"
The female wolf made no noticeable motion, but the otter could tell that she was grinning. "I want your name and I want you to get the giraffe warlord out of the castle by any means that you can. If you do this, my guarantee and promise for training you will have."
The princely otter shook the female wolf's hand. "I am Royal Prince Rab Lutraon, but I don't want to be just a prince anymore. And I'll do whatever I can to get the lord out of the castle."
Rab was sure that the giraffe lord wasn't too happy with being tricked out on to that balcony where the female wolf ninja awaited him, but that was in the past now. Rab didn't see what had happened between the giraffe and the wolf, but later he'd be told that the giraffe tried to fight her and lost. Rab and his hostess were now running along a darkened forest trail to the east of Lutraon. Rab wasn't sure what running had to do with survival training, but it was a good sprint.
It was a good two hours later when the female ninja wolf permitted a stop. "I know that you must be tired, Prince Rab. This is my encampment." She then threw a bedroll directly into Rab's chest, knocking him backwards on his tail. "You have to earn a tent. Be sure you get plenty of rest. Tomorrow we travel whether you're ready or not." She then entered her tent.
End of Chapter 01
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