█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████
█████






occasionally used as shelter within the Aeragh Thicket. On this particular morn, a young vagabond had stuffed himself
in a rather undignified fashion beneath the scratchy bush, and after a few hours of unsettled sleep was finally beginning
to stir. "Oi, Ferris, ya mangy sack o' potatoes..." The rumpled viscet muttered groggily to himself. Scooting out from his
little hovel and into the strengthening daylight, Ferris gave a wide and satisfying yawn. Brushing bits of cobweb and twig
from his curly tussle of hair, he yanked a leather satchel into his lap, rummaging for leftover scraps of beef from the
market. With no luck, Ferris slumped back in a huff. His threadbare cloak peeked out at him from underneath the bush...
And he slowly let a crooked smirk creep across his face. "That rag of a cloak keeps you goin', dun' it?" The town baker had
once said to him. Ferris had only shrugged. Honestly, the baker was right. That godforsaken cloak was nearly falling apart
at the seams, and yet it and his little golden lyre were the things that kept egging him on. The only two things from his
past that hadn't been sold for survival... Ferris sighed. He dug his paws into the dirt, gritting his teeth. A flashback was
bound follow this train of thought, and he most certainly didn't need one of those. He scrambled to his feet, threw the
cloak and satchel over his shoulders, and raced off before the memories could catch him.
The day turns to evening...

"Aye, the twisted road is long.
True, yer bloodied paws be sore.
Still, ya forge ahead,
And to the earth, ye implore;
Hazy sun! Warm my heart!
Roiling reeds, sing a song!
Give me strength,
For the winding road be long...
And my blistered paws are sore.
And yet, I forge ahead!
May I sing this Evermore."

just sang. "Ah, and a jolly good day to you too, sir!" He called. He gently continued to play... another coin rattled in the
cup, joining the last. " 'Tis my lucky day!" In high spirits, Ferris packed up his earnings and instrument. The sun was
sinking down behind the distant mountain peaks... it was time to find a decent meal, and then a bed. Wrapping his cloak
snugger about him, Ferris trudged through the now-empty market towards the one place he could count on for a fresh
shepherd's pie; Wickitt's Inn and Tavern. The owner owed him a favor... Ferris had saved him from a scandal with the
village lord. He shoved his way past the think oak doors, and into the warm tavern light. "FERRIS!" Bellowed a hearty
voice. Mustering up his best toughened tone, Ferris shouted back; "Aye, McKinnon! Life been treating you well?" A large,
hefty viscet lumbered out form behind the counter... And grinned widely. "As well as it can, mate. As well as it can. Sit
this instant! Roselind, get the boy a mug o' ale and a soup bowl filled to the brim. Now, Ferris, give me the day's news,
hmm?" Ferris thumped down onto a torn bar stool with a sigh. "Ach, McKinnon my old friend, times are rough. You
remember Harlis's wee boy, I assume?" McKinnon nodded in recognition. "Well, he passed, not even two days ago. The
Black Death, one yammering fishwife says. Another simply calls it hunger and loneliness. That poor child is the fifth to
die in the past week! What ill plague has this wretched little village wrought upon ourselves, riddle me that, eh?" Ferris
slurped his cup of ale morosely for emphasis. McKinnon shook his mighty head in sorrow. "Never have these eyes seen a
darker time. What are we common folk to do?" He muttered. Ferris shrugged half-heartedly. Taking a final gulp from his
wooden cup, he took a deep breath. "McKinnon, you've been a truly worthy companion. I want ya to take these coppers.
I'm leaving town." McKinnon nearly toppled the off his bench at Ferris's words. "Leaving?! Where ya off to, boy!? I can't
take yer money, ya need it-" Ferris held up a paw calmly to cut him short. "I've been mulling this over for a good length
of time, mate. There's always a soul in the world who could do with a little song in their life... I'm off to see edges of the
earth I haven't yet explored. I could end up with a traveling company, become a player for the King's Men. Even perform a
Will Shakespeare work! Y'know, that English bloke?" Ferris went on eagerly. McKinnon scowled. "Fine." He muttered. "Get
yourself away from the sickness, will you? For me, if anythin'? Ach... go live a full life, for Pete's sake. And keep those
confounded coppers!" His voice rose with every word. A tear glimmered in the corner of the huge viscet's eye... He smiled.
"Away into the night with ya! We mustn't sit here yakking, I want to hear no more of this town's tragedies! Goodnight and
good morrow, my friend." The two exchanged a crushing bear hug. Ferris pulled his cloak over his head... and left for the
hills.
Into The Night He Fled...
The Story You Have Not Yet Fully Read...
There Is Always More.
Simply Sing His Song;
Do Not Let Him Fade.
For Through The
The Mark Upon His Side,
And The Essence In His Eyes,
His Soul
Shall Always...
Thrive.
The Story You Have Not Yet Fully Read...
There Is Always More.
Simply Sing His Song;
Do Not Let Him Fade.
For Through The
The Mark Upon His Side,
And The Essence In His Eyes,
His Soul
Shall Always...
Thrive.



coding by:: _Alex_
art by:: howlingtothestars
art by:: SilverSamurai
All writing by me.