Monthly Quests 2020

Rabbit screamed an ear-piercing sound as two lionesses descended upon the two of them. The hungry-looking creatures circled around as Rabbit pushed herself closer to Regale, in her panic she hadn't even noticed that Regale was calm, looking down at the two lions. "Calm yourself squeaky!" came a voice from the trees. From the misty blackness, another stallion strode out, with a stride so full of swagger that Rabbit thought he was showing off "We're not here to harm, frighten yes, but never harm." The gold-dusted stallion said with a toothy grin. "Ah, Shelf, it's good to see you! Are you following the star as well?" Rabbit had calmed enough to see that Regale was not very happy to see this other stallion, "Yes, WE are" the overo stallion said as he planted a hoof heavily on the ground, stopping the two lionesses from circling them further. The chestnut stallion made it out of the trees enough for Rabbit to see that he was gilded in gold, his manes growing moss as if he were a tree himself, he smiled another toothy grin at Rabbit "Oh I saw your pawn, but no worries... I'll take over from here. Pet and I will go off hunting red stars for her Highness," Rabbit gulped, surely Regale wouldn't leave her in the hands of..of a maniac...right? Regale sighed heavily though and nodded "Fine, but know we are watching. Do not get her killed," he said as he turned and left them standing there the mist still crawling and swirling over their hooves. "Come little pawn, Puck will show you the way,"  The chestnut stallion turned and the lionesses followed him, the flames of their tails and glowing eyes burning brightly in the darkened forest. Slowly Rabbit followed the lights that were bobbing through the fog. Rabbit walked slowly behind because now, without Regale and in the care of this stranger she couldn't help but tremble with every step. Every twig snap or brush of wings in the darkness was a sharp blow to her ears that made her jumpy, to say the least. Her pink eyes looked around, the twin flames from the lionesses were now tiny dots in the distance. She scrambled to catch up but she stumbled through the dark forest. She burst from the brush and her eyes were assaulted with bright light in various colors. She squinted against it until her rose-colored eyes could see a bit clearer. She was in awe at the flora that surrounded her now which filled the forest with an eerie glow of blues, greens, pinks, and even yellows. The plants and even the animals that scurried around in the brush were glowing.

"Little mouse you shouldn't lag behind," Came Puck's voice, smooth and playful even though there was something in it that made her brain scream 'danger!' "There are things here that would love to have a mouse for lunch," he said as he brushed past her. Rabbit gulped as she followed close behind him. She was looking around and it seemed the forest blocked out the sky mostly, "How... do you know where the Red Star is if it's so hard to see here?"  Puck laughed and pointed his nose up towards an opening in the canopy. "You have to look harder than what's right in front of you mouse," Rabbit pursed her lips as she looked at the gilded chestnut stallion "My name is Rabbit, not mouse," Puck chuckled as he turned his golden eyes on her. "I know that but you had not introduced yourself, so I gave you a name," Rabbit felt her face flush with heat as she said "oh.." with a sheepish smile The two of them walked along and it seemed that the two lionesses appeared again from nowhere. Rabbit looked at one, a light golden color with darker orange markings and glowing eyes of the same color. "Phobos," Puck said as if reading her mind. The Lioness growled as she turned her head ever so slightly to acknowledge Rabbit before going back to stare straight ahead of them as they walked. Rabbit turned again to the second, a darker more brown colored lioness with very bright orange markings and again as if on cue "Deimos," came Puck's voice. Deimos didn't even turn her head or even acknowledge the mare. within minutes of their "introduction", the two lionesses moved low to the ground, moving silently before taking off away from Puck and Rabbit. "Where are they-" Rabbit started before being interrupted "Hunting, some unfortunate prey of my forest has caught their Mistress' eye and now they hunt to bring her glory," Puck said this with a weird smile as he turned to Rabbit. "Would YOU like to bring the Lordess glory?" Rabbit blanked for a second before she realized he was speaking of Ares, she blushed and looked down at the ground. Was she worthy enough of that? Would the Lordess even approve of such a weak being such as she to offer her the glory of hunting something? "Come mouse, the hunt is on," Puck said as he bumped his shoulder into her and pushed her towards where the lionesses had gone.

Puck, Phobos, and Deimos bounded through the glowing underbrush, the two lionesses seemed to have their glowing eyes trained on something but Rabbit couldn't see it. She could hear it though. She heard wings rustling and flapping. She did her best to follow the sounds but definitely kept the three of them in her sights. The rustling turned to crashing as she and Puck galloped after Phobos, Deimos had disappeared into the treetops. Phobos had her head tilted up as she ran, watching something as it flitted through the leaves. They had reached a lake, the trees opening up to reveal the blood-red sky and their prey which made Rabbit gasp in both awe and horror. Their prey looked like a cat in the back but a flacon in the front, feathers, beak, and claws tore at the air as the creature tried to fly away Deimos had leaped onto the creatures back which plummeted them both into the river. "Aha! A fine prey!" Puck shouted to Deimos before turning to Rabbit "The guardians have found us a griffin, let's get it before it can fly away," Rabbit had stopped in her tracks as she watched the dark lioness holding fast to the griffin as it bobbed and flailed in the water. Phobos roared as she ran past Rabbit which scared the mare into a gallop again. They ran the length of the river until it was small enough to cross without being swept away and the three of them stood, waiting for Deimos and the griffin to sweep by. Rabbit reached out, grabbing the griffin's wing but she was unprepared for the strength the creature had as she was ripped off her feet in the water. She didn't let go however as she tried to catch her footing and was sliding across the rocks of the river's bottom. Finally after a few feet she had managed to bump against a larger rock under the water and use it as leverage to hold onto the griffin's wing. She could feel the pulls and tear of tendons and flesh in her mouth but she refused to let go. Phobos leapt across her back to plant herself beside Deimos and sank her own teeth into the back of the griffin's neck. Puck was laughing from the shore as he trotted through the glowing blue water towards them. "You've succeeded in capturing the creature! Now let's end it's suffering and end the hunt," He said as he looked at Rabbit. She stared at him through a mouthful of feathers. Phobos had wrapped her front legs around the griffin's neck, sinking claws to keep herself planted where she was so Rabbit let go of the wing, closing her eyes as she snapped her mouth forwards into the feathery neck of the griffin. She felt claws raking at her legs and chest but she mustered all her strength to clench her jaws tighter until she heard a pop, her teeth almost coming together. She had crushed the griffin's windpipe, the creature let out a strangled cry as it flapped its free wing trying to get away, though its sides heaved as it tried to breathe. Rabbit let go so that Phobos and Deimos could drag the dying creature ashore before the creature gurgled it's last breath and lay still. Rabbit felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. She felt bad for killing such a beautiful creature, but there was also a swell of pride surging through her that she had. Dakar would never believe her. Rabbit watched as the two Lionesses cleaned their paws, Puck approaching her with a wide grin. "Little mouse you have surprised us, we didn't think you could do it," he said as he motioned towards Phobos and Deimos. "But you have surprised us... but I'm afraid your journey ends here... there is your star," Rabbit turned her head towards the sky and sure enough the star was MUCH larger, hidden mostly behind more thick trees but she could feel her stomach sink lower. She gulped as she moved towards it as the lionesses dragged their prize into the gloom of the magic forest. "T-thanks," Rabbit said to them as she eyed Puck almost helplessly until he disappeared into the darkness. With shaking knees Rabbit carried on towards the rest of the forest. Would she make it out of this one alive? Hopefully so.