Forums → Art, Music, and Writing → Endril and End Cold

The next part to come within the hour. Unless I have to mow the lawn...

whats with all the squares??

I used italics for when people are speaking this time, but there will still be marks for apostrophes. Enjoy.

The company thought that Sloth had gone, but they were wrong. As they headed into the rain-soaked east, he watched them with an evil smirk under his hood. He was extremely pleased with how things had gone so far. The stupid rabbits were very easy to sway, but the hawk had almost ruined his plans. He stood in the rain, thinking back on the conversation that heâd had with the three members of the warren. At first, he had decided that he could get what he wanted along with the return of his eternal life, but now he realized heâd been bold. The three had to be destroyed before they reached the city. He slowly floated over to LazyOne, a plan forming in an instant. He rested his hand against LazyOne and laughed. Soon, my leafy one. Soon, they will be gone, and the warren will be mine.
* * * * *
Secretmapper slowly wandered through the many tunnels of the warren. Itâd been a rough day, as Gantic had been on edge and bossy. He sighed. When heâd arrived at the warren, he had planned to be in charge soon. However he was wrong. Gantic was a militaristic machine of a leader, efficient and cold. Secretmapper wasnât necessarily the most popular rabbit, being quiet and solitary. When Nurv, Cowmaster, and Jeol hadnât arrived after a few days, the warren was in a dull, shocked state. None of those members had been very large, but they were key members to the society of the warren. As he reached a new tunnel, he ran into Lycanac, returning from his all-day shift guarding the front entrance. Lycanac had also had it rough, as when the adventurers did not return Gantic had bombarded him with questions, and Lycanac had quickly lost patience. After the tenth time he told Gantic that, they asked permission to leave, I gave it to them, and they left. Thatâs it, he had finally relented and Lycanac had left grumpily. Now they met, and the consternation exploded.
Hey Lycan. Howâs the shift?
Not good secretmapper. Ganticâs gone insane. Secretmapper sat and nodded slowly. He didnât want the downfall of Gantic, but it was nice when someone understood.
What shall we do about Nurv and the rest do you think? Lycanac thought for a few moments, then shrugged.
I donât know. I have no idea why they would leave, and now that theyâre gone, I guess life continues as usual. Gantic will probably be sending us out for more rabbits later. Secretmapper nodded. They said goodbye and continued on their way.
* * * * *
DD lay in his den, sleeping peacefully. When the silent figure of Sloth drifted in, he did not notice, although he noticed in his sleep that the dead grass lining his den was suddenly softer. Sloth floated silently, there and gone at the same time. DD began to toss and turn, and awoke with a start. He jumped as he turned to find the wraith silently watching him. DD stared suspiciously, and after it became apparent Sloth would not talk, he said,
What are you doing here? Canât I get a little sleep around here? DD sat defiantly, waiting for an answer.
Indeed. I understand you ran into a little trouble with a rabbit and a hawk. DD was furious. Word traveled so fast in the woodlands these days, and he was sure that the humiliation was soon to come from the fox community. How would you like to get revenge, with another rabbit on the side? DD brightened. Not only did it sound good, but also it would help avoid the ridiculing that the foxes would offer.
What must I do?
They are headed for the Eastern Lake. Track them down, and kill them. DD was salivating. Sloth quietly drifted out of the burrow, pleased. However, his work was not completely done. The party had a head start; they must be delayed, perhaps even killed before DD got them. He knew whom he wanted.
* * * * *
The large knight stirred from its position leaning against a massive aspen. He peered through the mist that prevailed in the forest. He had just felt something. As he stood and listened, he soon realized it was Sloth. Guard the misted forest from two rabbits and a hawk? Sloth was getting crazier. CommanderDude, changed to simply Commander when he took up the solitary life in the giant forest, began to lumber towards the general entrance of the forest. He sighed. Life had been peaceful, but getting back to the old grind did not seem to be a bad idea. Drawing a gargantuan two-edged sword, he stopped by the oak marking the furthest the forest was from the Eastern Lake. He sat, and as the mist swirled around in endless tendrils of sadness and longing, he closed his eyes and waited.

Well, its pretty obvious when they're talking.

woo! commander is so awesome!

Oh yeah lets get ambigous!

I'm starting the next part now.

I went back to quotations, and the large amount of dialogue in this portion makes it tedious to read. However, this is another epic submission with a deadly twist. As always, enjoy.

The rain was gone. Steam rose from the wet ground as Nurv and Jeol hopped across a large expanse of country land. Cowmaster rode a small, cool thermal draft about 15 feet off the ground. It had been one week since they had embarked, and so far it had been nothing but grassland. None of the adventurers had been more that 20 miles away from the warren, and they were fascinated by everything they saw. Nurv had developed a nasty blister on his front right paw, and had begun to lag considerably. Assured by Cowmaster that heâd watch Nurv, Jeol had quickly run into a large cornfield as the hawk alighted next to Nurv.
âYou hanging in there bud?â Cowmaster asked as Nurv stopped and began to lick his paw studiously. As they listened to Jeolâs fascinated gasps from the cornfield, where heâd found a large beetle, Nurv replied.
âIâm fine. I have this damn blister, the warren is in danger, and weâre going who knows where in the middle of it all. Cowmaster nodded sagely. They entered the cornfield in silence, and about five minutes later emerged to find a large stream winding its way as far as they could see. The two stopped, and Jeol ran to meet them.
âCome ON you guys! This stream is amazing, you can see these huge fishes swimming around!â He again rushed off. Nurv started after him with a slight limp, while Cowmaster started an awkward hop skip to keep pace. The sun had begun to set, and soon the three were asleep under a tree on the banks.
* * * * *
Sloth floated slowly a few hundred yards away from the warren. He shone a dull green, and seemed to flow in and out of the piercing sunshine that pervaded the warren. He had watched the comings and goings of the warren the past few days, and was content. His plans could be put into action whenever he wanted, but he liked this slow patience. He could wait. As the same sun that had set on Nurv and company began to set on the warren, he quietly advanced. When Lycanac disappeared into the tunnel he had guarded the entire day, Sloth stopped. Again he waited, until it was pitch black. He smiled, and the grass underneath him first grew, and then died. He concentrated for just a second, and then disappeared.
* * * * *
Gantic walked the commanderâs tunnel with his usual air of superiority, although he did not deliberately mean it. He was tired, and in the morning would, as Secretmapper and Lycanac had predicted, send some rabbits after both Nurvâs party and new rabbits. He entered the generalâs quarters, a large spacious hole he had dug himself. Waiting in the hole was Zaichic, his advisor. Gantic settled down into his large bed of fresh daisies. He was ridiculed for this ritual, but it relaxed him. In a small dugout aside from the hole he heard Secretmapper snoring lightly. Gantic broke the silence.
âSo, what do you think I should do about the disappeared ones?â Zaichic turned and looked at Gantic for a long moment. Gantic knew Zaichic was one to ponder things, so he was patient, cleaning himself absent-mindedly until Zaichic spoke.
âThey are sure not to come back. Of that I am sure.â Gantic resisted the idea to roll his eyes; Zaichic was a good advisor but thought of himself as a bit of a prophet. âI think you should let them go. Tomorrow, send some rabbits for new members. The warren is dying. Zaichic turned and would speak no more. Gantic thought on what he had said. Just as he was about to push the issue, the burrow collapsed.
* * * * *
Secretmapper was awoken in a shower of dust and a fit of coughing. Once it subsided, he stood stock still, terrified. After a few minutes, he pushed his ear against the new wall the cave in had caused between him and the generalâs quarters. He heard nothing.
âHello?â Nothing. Just as Secretmapper was about to come away, he heard a voice, faintly.
âSecretmapper? Is that you?â He brightened.
âZaichic! Are you okay man? What happened?â
âI donât know. The burrow just collapsed. Itâs dark, and I canât find Gantic.â
âOkay, hold on, let me get through.â A few moments later, Secretmapperâs head appeared. âSo whatâs to be done?â
âEscape and see if everyone else is okay.â
âWhat about Gantic?â The question caused a scramble among the remains of the burrow. When they finally found Gantic, they pulled him clear.
âWell?â
âDead.â Said Secretmapper somberly. The two rabbits had burrowed their way out of the generalâs quarters in another ten minutes, and when they checked upon the others, no one else had felt anything.
* * * * *
Sloth threw his head back and laughed. The nearby tree cracked. He was enjoying this. He had not been able to instill this much despair into one place in a very long while. He glided over to the collapsed burrow and slowly shuffled around it. He snickered as he realized he was dancing on Ganticâs grave.
* * * * *
A lone howl of some great beast echoed around the misted forest. Commander paid it no heed. The creatures in the forest had learned to fear him. He smiled underneath his helmet, a smile less evil than Slothâs and full of a sad story that only he knew. He had been sitting since receiving his commands, and he groaned has he rose to his feet. He walked to the nearest tree. Might as well do a little whittling while he was waiting, he thought as he uprooted a giant birch in one heave.

Popularity poll

I'll make a few of these, because good fans deserve to have a say in the direction of the story

So what's more interesting; Nurv, Cowmaster, and Jeol's journey, or Sloth and the warren?

I dunno, I found both of them equally interesting. But great story so far!

does anyone think this is moving too fast?

How deep am I in the story?

Quite, however you are in before even halfway, at the beginning of book two.

Attention: The party is actually headed west; fail on my part.