█ ▌「 Tales from Eldingar Warren 」 「♔ WAR ♔」▌█

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do not post.
literature for WAR such as activities, and deeper character lore will go on this thread.

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First Digging

Messily burying his front paws into the mild earth was Hrathyn-Rah, the hardy golden buck, his concentrated admiral eyes not changing focus to anyplace but the slovenly dug tunnel which he was determined to ameliorate. The buck was quietly grunting throughout his work, although he was, undoubtedly, among the most vigorous and healthy young rabbits of the Island he now found himself to pioneer. The low hum of the swiflty traveling river rung in his tall ears and was constantly subject to his thoughts as he scraped away jagged rock edges with his lengthy claws from the narrow, lumpy tunnel.

Though the hearty buck made many attempts to enshroud it, he grappled with the knowingly simple task of digging a hole. The new life he was forced to adopt after being mistakenly expatriated from his homeland and shipped to this unorthodox land was not HIS way of life; this rabbit was a prince, the future monarch and heir to the throne of the most mighty and prestigious Warren he had suddenly left behind.

Luckily for Hrathyn, the former Prince was not long in finding new company, for a chocolate-colored doe with white expressions on her nose and belly hopped his way with her claws coated in dirt. The doe was named Eaglet, and she and the Prince had been acquainted only a couple of hours after he mysteriously landed on the Island, where she found him lost and dumbfounded in the forest after his calamity, much to her amusement.

"Hrathyn, are you thirsty? You should take a drink from the river and I'll continue your tunnel."

She offered him, but Hrathyn was too stubborn not to remain at the site of his day's labor, altleast until he forged his tunnel to look less like a knobbly, misshapen snake and more like a proper rabbit's doing.

"Not yet, Eaglet, there's much work to be done! Let's keep on digging now, don't stop!"

He panted and, at this, Eaglet gave way for a sigh. Not one of exhaustion, rather of rue, and even pity. At last, she decided to abandon her own hole for the time being to come to his aid, and without a word she carefully pushed him from his spot above the hole and promptly took over. There were foothills that half-surrounded the digging site where the two had hoped to build their warren that cast a long shadow over the holes before noon, but now as afternoon set in that shade vanished and the sun seethed their backs as they dug. Still, Eaglet crawled her way into the lopsided tunnel and harrowed it into a pleasant shape in nearly no time. Hrathyn-Rah watched in wonder while she brushed her powerful arms back and forth to form a flawless burrow; she broke and moved the earth so fast it seemed she could see blueprints in her mind.

Finally she called out to Hrathyn-Rah to come inside, and when he did he marvelled at all Eaglet had done. First, he noticed the tunnel was much less narrow and he could now travel through with ease instead of being scraped by roots and twigs with every movement. The tunnel came to an opening; it was dark and vacant, but neatly built. Hrathyn-Rah glanced at Eaglet, standing contently behind him awaiting his feedback. He heeded her normally stark-white paws were covered in a fine crust of earth and there was even a single drop of scarlet blood that dripped from one of her claws.

Hrathyn-Rah had worked his hardest, but indeed he needed the assistance of his newfound comrade, Eaglet. Part of him was embarrased, as the mighty Prince of Ohvruvala, having been outmatched by the doe. But even he knew this was no time to compare, and most importantly he was grateful to have a skillful companion at his side in the efforts of building a warren in the likeness of his homeland.

"I should've done us both better. I'm sorry, Eaglet."

He uttered as his gaze met her modest eyes. Eaglet had no forgiveness to bear, as she knew there was no reason for Hrathyn-Rah to apologize. Instead she articulated in her voice, firmly yet kind,

"It's okay. I know you are strong and vigorous, and you have great skill too."

She reassured him in an echo throughout the empty burrow where they lay. Hrathyn-Rah smiled briefly, but she continued,

"You may be stalwart and a Prince, but you simply lack working etiquette."

Her words hit the buck like an expeditious hrududu. He began to feel thwarted by the doe, for no rabbit had dared speak to him like that in Ohvruvala.

"But don't worry. I'll make you into a better worker by Vatal-Inlé."

The doe turned and exited the burrow soundly, leaving Hrathyn-Rah alone with his thoughts. A short minute later, as the sound of Eaglet scratching away at another tunnel resumed in the background, the forlorn Prince decided,
Maybe Eaglet was right.

[crackerbox_palace]

First Hunting

Silisi took one hop cautiously, pushing his way gently past the entrance of lush and green thickets and bushes that led into a sunlit clearing in the woods. The soft, golden glowing grass brushed against his legs in the wind as he stood, his nicked ears upright and attent of his surroundings. After a silent moment of observation, he called out to his warrenmates,
"You can come out now. It's safe."

Out from the thick vegetation behind him emerged two other rabbits; Hrathyn-Rah, their Warren's respected Chief, and Eaglet, an athletic doe and fierce warrior of a rabbit. The two moved heedfully onto the rich forest floor where they met with Silisi. The smokey grey buck was the Seer of Eldingar, and his warrenmates trusted him and his extraordinary senses very much.

He had abilities unlike any animal they had met before- the way he could detect dangers no other rabbit could have guessed, and the visions he claimed to see, like dreaming as he was awake- all of it was strangely enchanting to Hrathyn-Rah and Eaglet. Silisi made them feel safe and protected, enough so that they allowed him to lead their frequent trips to the Elordhi Woods in search of food or medicine.

Thus, it was under the judgement of their wise Seer that the three rabbits ventured deeper into the shady forest. It was morning, and they were all growing hungry. So Silisi did his best to satisfy his warrenmates, following his powerful sense of smell through countless bushes of ivy and ferns, through shallow pits of mud from last night's minor drizzling, and through tangles of brambles that got caught on their furs.

At this tiring journey, part of Hrathyn-Rah desired to turn back for home, and to settle for a few crunchy old pines as a meal. But he knew better than to question Silisi, his warren's noble Seer that he and Eaglet had grown to accept and trust. As the leader of Eldingar Warren, however, he decided he mustn't push every duty onto his Seer, Silisi, no matter how much he wished to rely on him. He voiced, with nobility and authority, as a Chief Rabbit should,
"Silisi, are you still feeling well?"

To which, the concentrated Seer replied,
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Hrathyn-Rah glanced at Eaglet; though she was a hardy doe, he could see she was hungry and tiring out. There was other food to be found in the forest apart from whatever Silisi had been hunting keenly for nearly the past hour.

"Well, I think It's best we all take a break."
The Chief Rabbit remarked. Silisi gave way for a perplexed gaze, and Hrathyn-Rah clarified himself quickly.
"What I mean is, we should turn back. At home we can make a decent meal of simple grasses, and come back later for whatever it is you're seeking."

Hrathyn-Rah sat and scratched behind his ear, before pausing to glance at Silisi, expecting his response.
"Well, Hrathyn-Rah, sir..."

He sighed patiently, disappointed at the lack of findings from his mission. They think I'm crazy, he thought to himself before he continued with relcutance.
"I've got a feeling we're nearly there. Whatever it is I'm looking for- I'm not sure either, but-"

Abruptly, Eaglet shouted from several meters away,
"Hey, Rah? I think Silisi has definitely been onto something."

Hrathyn-Rah and Silisi quickly hopped to Eaglet's side, where she looked past a tall bush. She opened a peek-hole in the leaves with her long claws, where they all looked through. Sure enough, among all the trees down the slope they gazed at, there was one in particular that caught their attention. It was a great hazelnut tree. It stood firmly, digging deep into the earth with its thick, smooth brown trunk. Surrounding it on three sides was a shield of big, round, yet pointy viridescent leaves. The tree was beautiful, and the rabbits admired it for a while. But as they got up close they discovered the dozens of nuts scattered about the forest floor, perfectly ripe and ready to eat.

"Dig in,"
Silisi laughed with his proud warrenmates as they feasted on his findings. He nibbled one or two bites into one hazelnut. Silisi hadn't a big appetite, but he enjoyed keeping Eaglet and Hrathyn-Rah company as they ate. However, it didn't take long at all for the three to collapse into a resting state under the shade of the enormous tree. Eaglet lay between her warrenmates, graciously touching her nose with Silisi's.
"Thanks for everything."

She uttered, and Silisi couldn't help but grin with content. Hrathyn-Rah joined in with the praise, adding,
"You've done good for us. I shouldn't have doubted you, Silisi."

The Seer responded modestly,
"Don't worry about it, Rah. It's my highest honor to do my part in serving our warren."

"I thank you for it."
Hrathyn-Rah remarked, standing from where he rested.

"Now, what do you all say we bring a few of these back home?"
He scooped up a large hazelnut and stuffed it into his mouth, Eaglet and Silisi following his lead back to the safety of Eldingar Warren.

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Ohvruvula

Years ago, there was a rich and copious warren, its vast holes and tunnels woven in with the invigorous, fertile grassland earth beneath the golden grasses and abundant wildflowers. Beautiful and exuberant, the vast plain covered all the horizon for miles, and miles, seemingly without an end.

The prestigious rabbit kingdom that prospered on this land possessed total rule over the majestic, sunlit country, complete with dispersed, long rows of benevolent trees that cut sharply across the gold glowing plains. These trees provided drowsy shade for the warren, their branches remaining poised above, and among their plentiful leaves there was, every summer, the juicy fruit from which the local rabbits enjoyed their occasional hearty feasts on special evenings, to honor their vigorous kingdom and its cherished monarchs.

This breathtaking country was named the Kingdom of Ohvruvala. The kingdom's rabbits were all strong and healthy; many were endowed with utilitarian skills like fighting, running, and surviving from a young age. Both the bucks and the does from Ohvruvala were notably larger than those from other warrens, beyond Ohvruvalan territory. Simple storytellers and poets sometimes had claws comparable to those of the Kingdom's fiercest warriors. Despite the capabilities of their powerful army, the rabbits of Ohvruvala seldom engaged in warfare with the neighboring (but still distant) warrens. They and their king had earned the unconditional respect of many foreigners.

This could never have been established without a steadfast and substantial leader. Several kings reigned their time over the Kingdom, each of them having used his wits and his brawn to protect his people from all dangers.

(this page is under construction)

[crackerbox_palace]

Hrathyn-Rah- History

Prince Hrathyn-Rah had a blissful youth as the first born prince to his parents, the King and Queen of Ohvruvula, and the heir to its throne. The prestigious rabbit kingdom was home to countless rabbits, all of which cherished their monarchs for leading the warren to its exemplary state where no one ever starved or was killed by the white blindness.

Hrathyn-Rah's playfellow from childhood was his younger brother, Prince Brekennion. The two were raised a part of the royals of the seraphic kingdom, and formed a close bond despite their rivalry for their father's approval. As kits, the two of them made up stories about two courageous rabbit heroes and played out in the fields, oathing to one another before they together battled with imaginary stoats and dogs,
"I, your brother, swear never to abandon you, not even in the face of 1000 elil."

It was a promise which they lived by until parted. With time, as Hrathyn-Rah and Brekennion matured, they remained companions in their duties, often aiding patrols and hunting parties together.

Everything the young princes ever knew changed the day the Ohvruvulan Seer was found dead in his burrow, his cold body covered in sores and reeking of disease. The warren's finest healers identified the condition not as the white blindness, but as the black blindness, spread by rodents to other mammals, an illness unheard of in Ohvruvula for hundreds of moons.

As panic set in among the kingdom's rabbits, the ambitious Hrathyn-Rah made his attempt to reassure his people. He pledged to his kingdom that he and his best warriors would begin their quest to exterminate every rodent in the grassland. With his brother at his side and a party of fierce Owsla behind him, Hrathyn-Rah embarked on his mission shortly before Inlé of that same day.

After a while, the rabbits caught the scents of numerous rodents, which were traced to the vast shore east of Ohvruvula. The moon cast its white reflection on most of the dark water like always, but tonight the rabbit's eyes were shielded from moonlight as they approached the unfamiliar contrivance that floated on the sea. It was a big and immense structure unlike anything they had seen before. Brekennion, being the most clever of the party, remarked his observation,

"Whatever creature built the stone tower near the lake, and the wooden planks on this shore must be responsible for this device too."

Their amazement was interrupted when one of the bucks called out, "Rat! There's a Rat!" And began a vicious pursuit on the rodent. Much of the rabbits followed, but the slender animal was too fast for them to catch, merely escaping them by climbing the long ropes that were tied to the floating object on one end and the structure of wooden planks on the other.

When Hrathyn-Rah proposed the rabbits follow the rodent onto the strange, gigantic 'floating device,' his brother, Brekennion, immediately named the idea far too dangerous.
"You are too arrogant, brother, enough so to lead these rabbits to their deaths tonight."
He proclaimed, to which Hrathyn-Rah responded, "If we do not kill this nest of rats, then all our people will die. It's a risk I must take, even if it is alone."

Brekennion was always loyal to his brother, but he would not allow for his people to suffer at the hands of his ignorance and foolishness, as he percieved it. "Very well then. I cannot stop you, my lord. But I can order these rabbits to go back home. You will not put their lives in jeopardy."

"So be it; go back to the warren, then"
Ordered the heir, to which Brekennion obeyed, turning his back and hopping to the treeline from which they all emerged. As they approached the edge of the shore, Brekennion let out a sigh and whispered to the strongest buck, named Aythi,

"Take your warrenmates home safely for me. Hrathyn-Rah may be a fool, but he is my brother, and I cannot leave him alone on this."

So as Aythi led the travelers home to their warren in the grassland, the cunning and mischevious Brekennion hurried to his brother, tailing behind him with silent, nimble steps. Hrathyn-Rah hadn't noticed his brother until he turned to scratch his ear, letting out a frightened yell, much to the amusement of Brekennion. "What are you doing here?" He inquired, to which his brother replied,

"I remember a promise I made to you once, never to abandon you, not even in the face of 1000 elil."

He whispered warmly and Hrathyn-Rah grinned. How he missed being a kit and playing with his brother in the forests of tall, golden grass.

Hrathyn-Rah was not discouraged because the party abandoned him; he still had his brother, the most resourceful rabbit he'd ever come to know. Concentrated on his mission, Hrathyn-Rah, with the help of Brekennion, traced the stench of rodents to a dark crevice aboard the vast floating device.

As he crept inside, nearly two dozen rats hissed and rushed to where the brothers stood. They fought with the rogue animals courageously, and though the rats attacked the princes in numbers, every time Hrathyn-Rah helped his brother tear free from their grip on his black fur, and with pummeling force from his front legs he threw and thwarted them.

The tumultuous chorus of squeaking died, and was replaced by the panting of Hrathyn-Rah and Brekennion, both of them exhausted, but inredibly proud of what they'd done together. "Can we go home now, brother?" Brekennion joked in between breaths. Hrathyn-Rah laughed, and nodded, "Of course."

Brekennion limped against his elder brother, whom supported his movements with vigorous muscle and strength. They sat as Hrathyn-Rah pondered, looking below to the structure of wooden planks. He had barely begun assisting Brekennion down when there was a low growl from above. The brothers froze.

Hrathyn-Rah's eyes keenly scanned the deck above for a threat as he twitched his ears, listening intently. But his increasingly rapid heartbeat and the heavy exhaling from Brekennion was the only noise he heard now.

But, it was not for one second after Hrathyn-Rah turned his back to the noise when a swift and monstrous animal covered in spikey, rough fur pounced with a piercing cry onto the vulnerable spine of Brekennion, causing the rabbit to squeal and wriggle in panic. Hrathyn-Rah was frozen in shock, watching the beast's claws abrading at his brother's flesh as he howled out of desperation, "By Inlé! Pfeffa! Save yourself!"

Ignoring his brother's warning, Hrathyn-Rah rushed to his aid with wrath. With all the power in his hind legs, the rabbit prince leaped and landed himself ferociously on the haunches of the cat, burrowing his teeth into its flank from behind. With another deafening yowl, instantly the beast let go of Brekennion, his tired, wounded body thumping onto the floor. It turned to face Hrathyn-Rah with its sadistic green eyes in the shape of a slit, letting out a crackling hiss as the strapping rabbit roared and charged furiously its way again.

The cat leapt in an attempt to pin him, but Hrathyn-Rah, sliding under its belly, scratched and kicked like an elil himself. As the brawl took place, Brekennion stumbled onto his feet, ungainily crawling to the edge of the bloody deck the brothers had found themselves scrimmaging on. It was a height, but with the remainder of his strength, he might have been able to hasten down.

When Hrathyn-Rah caught sight of Brekennion, limping his way to escape, he exclaimed in a raspy, struggling breath, "Get away while you can, brother!" The cat now grasped his throat with its forceful paw, claws penetrating his brawn as he lay there, so nearly defeated.

It was a sight that broke Brekennion's heart. It was like time froze in that moment, and the young prince was forced only to see the warrior, that was his brother, trounced on the cold, hard ground. And for an instant, he locked eyes with the very beast that had tormented he and his brother. The cat slouched over the still body of Hrathyn-Rah, with a wicked snarl on its face that revealed its dozens of teeth that pointed like mountains. Its killer gaze taunted Brekennion, and, at last, the prince had enough of seeing his brother being slaughtered at the paws of the elil.

Brekennion cried enraged noise at the cat, to which the greedy animal pushed aside his brother's motionless body to trail its new prey. As soon as the cat released its grip on Hrathyn-Rah, he was relieved of all pressure and started to breath again. As he lay there, slowly regaining his vision and movement, Brekennion swiftly hopped about the deck, the cat tailing him keenly with every movement.

Brekennion felt no fear; only despair and grief for his dying brother as he paced faster and faster, sprinting now with the feline gaining on him with every second. Through his blurred vision, what Hrathyn-Rah distinguished was devastating.

He saw, in the black of night, his devious brother, performing the final trick of his life. In the blink of an eye, the cunning Brekennion veered in a sudden leap, cutting through the air and over the edge of the deck with the cat, which imprudently sprang into the violent sea with him.

Debilitated, Hrathyn-Rah bellowed out in anguish, bounding to the edge of the deck where his brother jumped from.

My brother, the most knowing rabbit in Ohvruvula, is gone.

He was overcome with complete and total disbelief and soon was numb with tremendous loss and guilt. It was there, on the swaying deck that he mourned. He wept, and he quivered, and he blamed himself for the death of his beloved. In the fullness of time, his enervated body gave into fatigue, and he dropped from his knees completely to the ground, collapsed.


The following day, Hrathyn-Rah was awakened by the loud calls of unfamiliar, white birds which swarmed the sky above him. They frquently dived down in the midst of their flights, into what, he wondered. When he summoned the force to stand upright on his hind legs, he saw nothing but an endless sea to the west, and an outlandish terrain to the east, one very unlike the homely grassland of Ohvruvula he was from.

For a while, he gazed at the distant, yet towering mountains and hills of this new land. Though he was overwhelmed with exhaust, and desolation, he crawled down observantly from the floating contrivance which carried him to the strange country where he stood. He shuffled his paws in the warm sand from the shore, step after step drawing himself deeper into the land before stopping himself to think.
He questioned what to do, and where to go next, but not for long.

What more do I have to lose?

He thought to himself as he ventured further and further into the terrain where he would see the remainder of his fate, where the lone, shattered prince would come to rule a new people as Chief. Though he would always have a home in Ohvruvula, he'd not yet known that this land would be home to he and his kin as well.

Thus came, the Warren of Eldingar.