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Skempta

An arrow skittered off my raised shield, glancing harmlessly aside. I bolted forward, bearing down on my prey, a shortbow wielding human dressed in a light tunic, with a small belt knife strapped horizontally across the front of his belt.

The man showed an almost fairy-like agility, however, dancing backwards to avoid my oncoming shield bash.

I followed with a quick high slash from my longsword, but this too, he escaped by ducking under my swinging arm, spinning around behind me with another arrow.

I managed to spin, feeling a hard thud in my shield, leaving a long shafted projectile protruding from my bulwark.

I stepped forward, low slash, with a rapidly following shield bash aimed for the human's face.

He managed to overstep the sword, but was caught off balance by my slamming shield.

The man toppled over, face broken from the force of the blow, and I quickly ended his pain with a single thrust to his heart.

The crowd roared their approval at my ending the poor man's life.

I turned just in time to catch a thrusting spear with the very edge of my shield, forcing it down and wide.

A quick chop from my sword rendered the spear-shaft broken, and I moved forward to my newest foe, a broken spear-wielding dwarf, punching out with the edge of my wooden round shield.

He managed to bring the sundered spear-shaft to bear, deflecting some of the blow from my shield punch.

He was still off balance however, and I used the opportunity to press the attack, thrusting low, chopping high, keeping him on his toes.

After an upward sweeping diagonal swipe form my sword, I caught him off guard by dropping the rim of my shield in a downward punch, snapping his overextended knee backwards.

His cry of agony was brought to a quick halt as my longsword bit through his thick neck, dropping his head from his shoulders.

A sudden force slammed into my lower back, blasting me forward painfully.

I managed to roll with the blow, ending in a standing position.

I flipped about to face my newest attacker, a humanoid tiger standing on two digitigrade legs, arms and feet wrapped in dirty linen wraps. He wore a simple blue cloth tunic, and held no weapon.

I grinned at the tiger-man.

"Kenaz. Long time." I greeted.

He gave me a nod before circling around, ever maintaining his combat stance.

"Here to teach me another lesson?" I asked coyly.

I relaxed quite a bit once I realized my last foe was the feline monk. He had this strange code about not killing. Not that he was some unreasonable hero type, like Rekkdyr, only that he felt there was a greater victory to be had in winning so completely that you didn't have to resort to bloodshed. Great for me, too, because I had yet to best him in combat.

I circled around to match his motion as the crowd fell silent in anticipation.

They had seen our dance quite a few times now, and though it was common knowledge our particular showdown never ended in blood, the audience still seemed enthralled.

I dove forward with a downward thrust, simultaneously bashing upwards with my shield.

Kenaz anticipated my assault, leaping high over the thrust, and planting both feet on my bashing shield with such fluid grace, I could barely keep up. He kicked off, doing a full backflip, sending me stumbling backwards.

I recovered just in time to slam my shield into a quick jab. If it where any other, I'm sure his arm would be broken. Kenaz, however, just spun around swinging with a backhand, whilst his clawed foot swept up with an awkwardly graceful slashing kick to my kidney's. I ducked the backhand, and moved to slam my shield in the path of his foot, both of us spinning apart.

We resumed our circling each taking a slight reprieve from our duel.

He eyed me with a slight grin.

"Learned from last time." He said, nodding to my bare side. I gave him a toothy grin.

"May take me a while sometimes, but I catch on eventually."

"It's a wonder your still alive." he grinned.

Growing impatient with our circling match, I leaped forward, thrusting high, only to have my sword arm slammed from two opposite angles, buckling my elbow, and sending my sword scattering across the arena.

I stepped back, taking my shield up in a double handed brace, slamming and deflecting with as much speed and ferocity I could manage.

The feline was more than a match for my speed, slamming and dodging with incredible speed.

I managed to slam him off balance with my shield, and stepped up to press the assault. He fell backward, attempting to catch himself. I should have caught his feint.

As soon as I stepped in, he wrapped his pawed foot around the back of my thigh, kicking up from the ground with an incredible amount of agility, catching the edge of my shield with his other foot, claws digging into the wood around the rim.

His momentum from the maneuver continued up, around, and downward, twisting the shield from my grip, and sending it spinning off to the opposite end of the arena.

I blinked in shock, just long enough for him to finish his spin, coming to land softly on his padded feet.

"Show off." I grinned, stepping back form the agile cat.

It was his turn to press the assault, closing the distance with a quick step, opposite leg kicking up high towards my face. I blocked with both arms, feeling the pain explode through my forearms from the force of the blow.

I gritted my teeth through it, slamming my knee forward toward his stomach. He brought his leg straight up, slamming his knee into the soft flesh of my outer thigh, effectively deflecting my attack.

Without his foot ever returning to the ground, he twisted, bringing his leg parallel to the ground, kicking straight out into my gut, blasting the wind from my lungs.

I stumbled backwards, gasping.

He leaped forward, thrusting with a palmed hand.

I headbutt forward, managing to catch his forearm with the antler's protruding from my forehead, knocking the attack aside.

He spun around, managing to avoid the sharp points of my natural weapon, and dropping to one knee, firing three quick jabs as he descended, one to the stomach, inner thigh, and opposite ankle.

My legs buckled, and I collapsed to my knees, panting.

Kenaz stood before me grinning. The crowd roared in excitement, knowing I was defeated.

I punched forward weakly, but my attacks were easily defeated.

He burst into action, slamming me backwards with a double palm strike, and somehow managing to hook my left leg up into one of the forks in my own antlers.

He grinned, forcing me on my side, pinning my right arm with my own weight. He dropped his own leg down on my right leg, pinning that in place.

With his right hand, he gripped my left ankle, pinning my leg into the hook of my antler.

His right hand easily untied the cloth belt, letting his tunic fall open to reveal his emerging cock.

I grinned, despite my rather uncomfortable predicament.

"Could have just asked."

He growled in response, slamming his barbed member deep to the hilt in my awaiting pussy.

I grimaced at the sudden intrusion, but the pleasure of his sudden violent thrusts started wracking my body.

The cheering from the audience was deafening, but somehow, I managed to hear as he leaned forward to whisper in my ear.

"Funner this way." he said, dragging his large, rough tongue across the inner thigh of my left leg.

I groaned at the stimulus, feeling the familiar sensation building in my pussy.

His pace quickened, the feeling of his barbs scraping at my vagina walls brought me to climax.

He slammed his hips into me, erupting with a powerful spurt deep into the depths of my cunt.

He wasn't done, however, pulling his swollen barbed monster out of my love hole, he roughly pulled my left leg out of it's trap, pushing me face down and pinning my legs apart, taking aim at my exposed asshole.

I gritted my teeth as he slammed his still dripping cock into my tight hole, continuing on with his savage fucking.

I bucked back to meet his thrusts, as I felt him lay his weight across my back, cock still buried deep.

He slowly licked across my bare back, his sandpaper-like tongue sending chills down my spine.

He stopped by my neck, nibbling gently with his large tiger-fangs at my green flesh.

I suddenly burst with another climax, just as I felt him fill my ass with his feline seed.

He dropped me suddenly, standing up, barbed cock bobbing freely.

His cream oozed out of my abused holes as I slowly rolled over onto my back.

"Let's do it again sometime." He winked, refastening his tunic, leaving an obscene bulge in his crotch.

I laid back, eyes closed, a content grin on my face, despite the roar of the audience.

Rekkdyr

I pushed my body weight up from the floor, feeling my arm screaming in protest, but I ignored it. I wasn't going to give in to pain. Not again.

I dropped back down to my chest, before pushing back up, my hunched gnoll back as rigid as I could manage it. The pain in my chest and arm was enormous.

I gritted my teeth, extending my elbows fully.

"You should really relax. You're not fully recovered." Vailadriel scolded.

I shook my head, dropping for another push up.

"You couldn't see it, Vail. I failed. Those poor kids paid for my failure. If I had been faster, or stronger." I growled, unable to help myself.

I leaped from the floor, punching my wounded hand against the back wall of the cell. Pain shot through the heavily scared forearm, but I ignored it.

"Skempta claimed he was no natural beast." she said, as if that was supposed to make it okay.

I growled again, leaning against the cold stone of the cell wall. The dream, the same one that had plagued me every night, came to mind. Every night, it got worse. Sometimes I'd devour her, sometimes, I'd rape her. Sometimes both.

I slammed my fists again and again against the wall.

That damn laughter. That demonic, hyena laughter.

My eyes shot open at a soft touch to my lower back.

Vailadriel stood behind me, glancing up from the darkness.

"Don't blame yourself for the actions of another." she said, a soft smile growing on her lips.

I took a deep breath.

"It's not just my failure..." I told her. "I've been having these...dreams. They seem so real."

"What are they of?" she asked, pulling me to the mattress to take a seat.

I let the tiny elf girl lead me to the poor mattress.

"As I said before, I was found by King Jaris of Duskshire. He had a daughter, Princess Telris. She was one of the few of the court who not only treated me kindly, but whom I actually considered a friend..." I buried my face in my large hands.

"These dreams...I've done things..." Tears swelled in my eyes.

A gentle hand caressed my back lightly.

"That's not you." she whispered, embracing me tightly.

I embraced the tiny elf, completely enveloping her.

"It's said gnolls have the blood of demons in their veins. Could it be that no matter how hard I fight it, I am destined to fall into a depravity for which there is no return?" I whispered, deep voice rumbling with a low growl.

"I'm proof that is not true. You put your life on the line, just for some elf girl. One who was terrified at your mere appearance." she said soothingly. "You were given your opportunity to give in to any demonic heritage you may believe exists, and yet you didn't."

I remained silent. Vailadriel held me tightly, running her delicate fingers through my fur. It was then that I remembered I was still naked.

Taking a deep breath, I rose from the mattress, pulling myself free from the elf girl. She glanced up at me questioningly.

I walked to the cell door, glancing out through the dark corridor.

After our first night sharing these cramped conditions, I had broken down and asked her her actual age. Fifty-two years was well on to humans, and unheard of in the lifespan of gnolls, but that was still prepubescent in the lifespan of an elf.

"I'm sorry." she said.

"It's nothing." I muttered, flexing my injured arm painfully.

I pushed everything out of my mind, focusing on a crocodilian face in my head. Even if Vail was wrong, If I would eventually succumb to my bestial side, that didn't matter anymore. I vowed to bring an end to the monster Krell, or die trying.

Aatu

Fornvarr and I sat on the edge of a small cliff, overlooking the large expanse of trees below us. It had been nearly two weeks since I'd decided to travel with the human. In that time, I had grown more comfortable around him, as he had given me no reason to doubt his sincerity.

Finally, he began to speak to me about his ways.

"Many would have you believe that the Arcane is the truth to magic. That specific magical study is capable of targeting far more than the simplistic ways of worship from an old faith could ever hope to." he was speaking distantly as he gazed off into the sprawling trees below.

My eyes followed his to the expanse of oaks and willows, the very woods we had been climbing out of for days.

"The truth is, power is not why we walk our path. It may be awe inspiring to see a druid shape-shift into an eagle and take flight, or call lightening down from the sky, but that is not why we do it. If it was, then we would simply follow the cold calculated study as a wizard. No, it transcends that." He paused for a moment, closing his eyes. The light of the sun was slowly fading below the horizon to the west, and the scent of moisture hang heavy in the air.

"There is a rhythm to the world, in the trees, and stones. It is a beautiful thing, even in the darkness." He continued, opening his eyes.

"Don't the druids have differing beliefs? How can you speak with such certainty?" I asked, glancing up at him.

"All faiths, no matter how similar, believe differently. I doubt you will ever be content to join us at the Circle of Autumn. Our customs are foreign to yours. However, the potential exists for you to bring a new generation of druids to the world. There is only one truth in our practice, and that is nature. The rest is as varied as life itself. Wolves couldn't be more diverse than man." He smiled.

"We are guardians, as well as tenders to the world. We don't have power over it, like many believe. Magic is a natural part of life, and there are rules and laws to abide to the natural order. We only manipulate what we are allowed to. It is a blessing, as our roles as wardens." He turned toward me.

"Can you accept that role? World tender, guardian of the natural order?" he asked.

"You spoke of the Naettura. I thought that was their role?" I asked.

"Their are many threats from beyond the spirit worlds. Naettura are eternally bound to the earth, and defend it from true threats, both physical and spiritual. But they are few now. The Archdruid of my circle remembers when he was a boy, the Naettura were more. Where they've gone, I do not know. In their absence, it is up to us to carry on their task."

"I'm willing to try. I've never heard of my kind following such a path, before, though." I said.

"That is where you're wrong." he smiled knowingly. "Close your eyes, just listen. Should be easy for you with those keen ears."

I did as commanded, growing much more comfortable around the human man. Something strange seemed to radiate from him. A sense of honesty from a creature I'd always been warned about.

"Listen to the wind as it cuts up from the rock-face. Listen to the sounds of the leaves in the canopy. The sounds of birds or beasts you may hear." he spoke softly.

The wind tussled the leaves, below, and as he spoke, cut up gently through my fur. I inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of rain on the air, as well as that of a great owl, the same one I'd smelled for about a week now. The beast had been following us, but Fornvarr had made no sign of notice.

My heart slowed, and my breathing became slow and rhythmic. A squirrel chattered somewhere in the distance.

"Now, open your eyes. See the world."

I opened my eyes to the fading light, gazing out beyond the valley below. The last rays of sunlight were slowly sliding across the top of the canopy.

He stood, turning to leave without another word.

I remained, gazing out at the world. I thought I could hear a distant beating.

The next morning, I awoke, curled up next to a large tree on the outer border of his camp. The heat of the fire was too much for me, I came to realized quickly.

He was already sitting up, preparing a small mixture of berries and dried meats.

He noticed me stirring, and smiled, tossing me some of the dried meat.

"Good morning." He grinned as I ate my two strips of meat. I would have preferred fresh stuff, but the time saved from not having to hunt every step of the way was necessary.

"C'mere." he said, pulling out three items from a pouch. I had no idea where he got all these things, as when I'd first met him, he just had the clothing on his back.

I approached the fire reluctantly, sitting as far from the heat as I could manage.

He placed the three items, a carved antler, a small stone owl figurine, and a leather-wrapped fetish on the ground between us.

"One of these items is magical. I'm going to attempt to teach you a spell that detects which one. No guesswork here. You will know which one it is if you successfully cast the spell."

This was the first time he had tried to teach me anything even remotely magical related. Mostly just meditations and bits of knowledge related to the world and how it worked.

"Now, casting will be different for you than me, because of our natural differences in shape." He stated.

He whispered something in another language, and made a strange gesture with his hand.

"Many spells have somatic as well as verbal elements required to cast." he explained.

"If I have no hands, how can I mimic those movements?" I asked.

"What do you typically use to grip things?" He replied.

"My mouth. But It doesn't have the same range of motion your fingers have." I pointed out.

He just smiled.

"Repeat the spell. It is in the secret language of the druids. Forvitnask." He said

"Forvitnask." I repeated.

"Now, think hard on what you are attempting to do. Detecting the magical trinket amidst the mundane objects. Winter wolves have strength in their breath. Perhaps that may be the root that grounds you to magic."

I looked down at the items, seeing the three lined up below me.

"Forvitnask." I whispered, a slight icy wisp escaping my lips. Frost lined my muzzle, and the center object, the owl statuette, began to glow slightly.

I wolfish grin came to my face.

"The owl." I said, glancing up at Fornvarr. He had a look of surprise on his face.

"I've never seen anyone successfully cast on their first try." He said, eyes wide. "Well done."

We finished our morning meal before Fornvarr gathered his random items and trinkets. We set off just as the sun began to climb high into the sky.