One of the great things about a collaboration is the chance to work together with other authors to combine ideas and build a world together. I am probably wrong in this but I don't believe I've ever seen a collaboration put together like the one from Brutus's "First Meetings" or mine and captainkelrin's "Life Turns Right". Most collabs or co-author writings consist of one author writing one chapter and the other writing the next. In ours one author writes how their character acts and the other writes how their character responds. So you have two or more authors writing the same chapter together at the same time, every time. The dynamic that creates in the story makes it more fun to me and I would encourage anyone who's friends with a fellow author to give it a try and see what you come up with. And again, if I'm wrong about the above please let me know.
A/N:
Brutus held little William in his arm while holding Andy's paw with his left. The bounty hunters had found them again. His wagon was burning, his books turned to ash as well. A crunching sound from behind them caused them to run as fast as they could through the night. Anything to get away from that pig and his cronies. Fighting wasn't an option. The other hunters could catch them.
"Daddy, slow down, please." Andy cried as they ran.
He pulled them behind a tree and let William down so they could try to catch their breath before trying to run away again.
PANT
PANT
PANT
The noises began again and they began sneaking as well as they far away a fox was watching while unobserved himself.
"Come little ones!" He heard the voice call in a low whisper.
This one was good. His footfalls were quiet, but the little ones trailing him were not yet able to replicate his stealth. Nor was the one following them. Loud grunts of exertion followed their footsteps along with the occasional oink and threat.
"YA WON'T GET FAR DEMON! YA AND YER HELLSPAWN WILL ONLY DIE TIRED!"
"Amatuer."
He thought to himself, waiting in the bushes to the side of a clearing in front of a rockface. The panicked wolf being chased obviously didn't know where he was going. The pig bounty hunter on his trail wasn't much better. He listened as they grew closer and closer, until the wolf, along with three hybrid pups, burst through the bush and nearly slammed into the rockface. He quickly turned to try and get out of where he'd been cornered but it was no use. The pig came out of the bush shortly after and stopped just short of them, his sword up and pointed at their throats.
"I got yer now, demon." He huffed out.
"Please! I'm no demon! Just let my children live, they're innocent!"
"Ha! You expect me to allow those hellspawn to roam free? No, there's no reward for them, I'll put them out of their miserable existence along with you!" He raised his sword above his head, the wolf pulled his young under him in a vain attempt to keep them from harm.
The next sounds he heard were a meaty thunk and gurgling. He looked up to find the pig staring wide-eyed at them, an arrow through his throat. He dropped his sword and fell to the ground. Seemingly from nowhere, a hooded figure approached. The wolf stood and approached, his paw outreached to express his gratitude.
"Thank you kind sir. You hav- Whoa!" The moment the ranger had the wolf's paw in his own he yanked him onto the ground and pulled his arms behind his back, tying them there. He then pulled one of his swords from its scabbard and held it to the back of the wolf's neck.
"You have a bounty on your head. I collect whether you're dead or alive, your choice."
A pained whine came from the wolf as his body seemed to collapse. A sense of defeat coming over him. The bounty hunter pulled him to his feet and soon realized he'd made a mistake. A light flashed from the wolf's paw and he felt himself thrown back, slamming into the rocks. Barely keeping his wits about him just enough to grab one of the pups still standing nearby. He put a dagger to his throat.
The wolf's magical blast had broken his bonds and he turned in time to see one of his young ones grabbed by the strange… fox? The creature holding his child looked like a fox, but not one he'd ever seen before. His fur was a silver-grey and black, with orange piping along his throat and a white underlayer. That thought only caused him to pause for less than a second as he realized the threat he held to his young.
Brutus knew the fox had him where he wanted him. With Will as a hostage he could do nothing to stop him. The only thing left was to bargain and hope for the best. His power didn't even kick in when he made his plea. He was just that emotional.
"Please!" He faced his palms down. "I'll go with you, do whatever you want, just don't hurt my children, I beg you."
There was a long pause as the two mammals stared each other down.
Then the blade dropped.
Confusion showed on the foxes features as he realized this mammal was not what was advertised. Sure he had magic at his clawtips but he was just trying to survive. He wanted to protect his children. This wolf was being persecuted for being alive. The fox knew how that felt. He cursed under his breath as he remembered the poster he had in his pack.
Wanted: Rogue caster. Demon Spawn. Warlock.
Black wolf clad in leather passing himself off as a bookseller. Observed using magic to cause harm indiscriminately without thought for the lives of those around him. Is believed to have two apprentices of very young age. They do not matter. Bring him to justice dead or alive. 500 gold piece reward.
These pups were his. Neither seemed to be dangerous and one was just a toddler. How could they say kits didn't matter? In that instant the todd made up his mind.
"Backtrack on your path for ten minutes then turn south. It'll put them off your trail while I lead the others north."
Brutus nodded and started walking back along his own tracks only pausing to say a quiet, "Thank you."
He watched as they disappeared in the treeline, in his heart he hoped they made it. The next thing he hoped for was the feeling in his limbs- AAAAHHHHHH! There it is! He thought as his appendages all tingled painfully at once.
…
Two years had passed since that fateful day. The fox had moved on and left the guild. It was dangerous to stay in one place for too long. He spent a year as a mercenary for a small kingdom. They combined their traditional army with the unconventional skills their mercenaries brought to defeat larger armies and kingdoms. Eventually the kingdom fell to their own selfish greed.
He continued to move on, using his plunder and pay to sustain him for nearly a year. Then one day, as he passed through a village, he heard a familiar voice.
"We leave in three days, be sure to have your belongings ready. Thank you Esmeralda, we'll see you then."
"Well."
The black wolf's ears perked towards the voice suddenly coming from beside him. A cloaked figure sat upon the rails of a wagon to be his height. Beneath the hood a face he never thought he'd see again.
"I see they haven't made you into a rug yet."
"You." Brutus stated flatly. "I thought the guild had finally figured out the poster was phony."
His eyes were red with a mixture of exhaustion and emotion. One paw was resting on a battered mace hanging on his belt, while the other was palm up facing the fox.
"I don't have much to lose this time. If you try to take me, I will fight to kill." He warned.
The fox held his paws up in a disarming manner and spoke calmly. "You have nothing to fear from me. I left the guild over a year ago."
"Oh, well then I suppose I ought to introduce myself." The wolf said visibly relaxing. "Brutus Blackfur, bookseller and soon to be master of a traveling caravan of fellow traders. My mate should be around here somewhere. I think she'd like you."
He used his height to his advantage as he looked around for her.
"Somehow I doubt that. I assume she has your proteges with her?" He asked.
"The boys?" His face fell and he looked as though he wanted to cry but couldn't. "Somebody caught up to us. Their mother sent hired killers after us."
"I'm sorry to hear that." The fox said, sounding sincere.
Brutus shook his head sadly. "Selena was always a crazy vixen. That used to be part of her appeal." He then looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Listen, if anybody asks, it was bandits, alright? Nobody needs to know I actually know a warlock that deals with demons."
"I'll keep that in mind." He jumped down from his perch and landed in front of Brutus. "Well, best of luck to you and your mate." He turned to leave.
"What do you do now if you aren't in the guild anymore?" He spit out as it came to him.
The vision of that arrow from across the clearing was stuck in his mind. If this mammal was still that good then he could be a valuable member of his new group.
He paused for a moment as he considered the question before answering. "I survive."
"Wouldn't you rather live? Surviving all by yourself with no one to talk to is not exactly a good time in my opinion." He looked over the weapons of the fox and the ease with which he carried them. "I could use somebody to help me with my pathetic guards. They could get lost in a two street town."
"You want me to join your caravan? How would the rest of your group feel about a former bounty hunter and mercenary joining their ranks? How would your mate feel?" He wanted to get a feel for what he may be facing before committing to go along.
"In a word, safer." He looked more and more pleased with this idea. "Most of them agreed to join me because I hired guards to help keep them safe from bandits and monsters. With somebody as experienced as you in charge of them I might be able to keep them in line."
He thought the offer over in his mind. It had been a long time since he'd been a part of a group that wasn't trying to stab him in the back or just use him as a pawn. With some reluctance, he decided to accept the offer.
"Alright, count me in."
Brutus tossed him a leather coin purse. It was heavy with coins.
"You have three days to get whatever supplies you might need and there should be enough for a wagon and a hauling beast." He smiled for the first time. "Don't be late. What do I call you anyway?"
"Bearach, Bearach 'The Grey'." The wolf's smile broadened.
"Welcome aboard."
A/N:
Featured in this chapter is my DND character Bearach(Bay-rock) 'The Grey' Sionnach and BrutusDeagon's Brutus Deagon, caravan master and warlock.