The moon hid Barga's shine on the night sky. The empty streets echoed the clopping of a horse's hooves as she headed towards the gates with her small rider on her back. It became a habit of theirs. Every day after their overstretched shifts they left the city of Irontop and headed towards the nearby forest for the rest of the night.
Folks around here avoided visiting the woods, and they had a good reason to do so. The local wildlife was famous for their various wolf packs, and for the deadly iron-clawed bear. The safety of the city walls kept the wildlife at bay and its resident safe. But neither were strong enough reason to stay behind the walls for them. The odd duo left the city as they passed the gate and bid farewell for its guards.
The temperature quickly dropped as there was nothing left to shield from the icy wind. Even in summer, it was cold on the mountain range. And there was a good half an hour walk even on horseback between the walls and the first trees. The first breeze waved the centaurs blanket on her back and shivered her little fuzzy equestrian.
"Can't you hurry a little more? I'm feezing here!" Asked the rider, a fine example of the rabbit beast folks. No taller than 4 feet... well... 3 with flattened ears, covered from ear to paw with fluffy brown fur, except for a black patch around her left eye. She still wore her waitress outfit from the inn, and on top that a wool blanket against the wind.
The centaur’s upper torso turned just enough, so she could point to her side at a heavy looking bag which also held their lantern. "Tom. Those bags were expensive, and they might rip if I start to canter."
"I don't care! I don't want to turn into a bunny flavoured popsicle... And don't call me that this close to the city." She jumped onto her paws and shouted at her.
"Then what should I call you. Tomboy?" Asked back then she released a quiet giggle.
"Agh... Get off your high horse, just because I flat as a plank." The rabbit hoped back to her behind facing backwards to her and crossed her arms. "And call me Amy." Finished her sentence sulking. "You fat flanked f..." She muttered.
"I can hear you!" A few moments of awkward silence followed, but then she asked. "Why the sudden new name?" she asked.
"Because Mark unlike you, I work in a tavern which often visited by drunkard miners and if they found me out then I not only can say bye-bye to the tips but also lose my job." Stated Amy.
"Gess, alright. Hold your hors..." She realized too late, her words slipped out.
"Haha, you did it!" Amy jumped up and turned towards Mark and pointed at her.
"I didn't... You misheard." She tried to protest while her face went red.
"Ha, Nice try Bambi, but these radars are sharp" She pointed at her with a victory smile. She tried to make her use a phrase with a horse about a week now.
"Bambi?!"
"Yeah, if you don't get a new name than I gave you one."
"I'm not going to be Bambi." She felt humiliated, she couldn't imagine being called after a fairy tale character.
"Why? I don't think anyone knows it’s a male name."
"That not the point."
"Alright... then... Ji, Jal, Jul, Jil, Jel, Jen.. That is! From now on you are Jenny!"
"No, I am not."
"Sorry Jen, the auction is over, the horse been sold."
Jenny stopped and turned towards Amy as much as she could. She was furious. "Look. My day was a hell as a cart horse, and I don't want to be reminded of what I am. They ordered me up and down all day long without a break. I tried to be nice, but one more word and you sleep on the tree. "
"Noooo, I would freeze! I need my Jenny bed." Amy flattened her ears, grabbed the end of them and brought them close to her face with puppy eyes.
"I... I..." Jenny muttered, he just couldn't get mad at her, the look on her innocent little fuzzy face was enough to melt most hearths.
She dropped the act and pointed at Jenny with a mean look. "Ha, I knew I am too cute for you to resist." Amy realized too late, she stepped over the line. Even a child could have read Jenny's expressions. Anger.
"That's it. You are not sleeping with me tonight." She turned away and started walking on the road.
"But...It's cold at night... I will die! Jenny? Jenny, please! Jeeennyy, please!"
She didn't turn back, nor she gave an answer. Jenny gave a harsh treatment for her little friend.
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Inside the forest not too far from the edge, stood a lonely old patched up tent, hold by frayed ropes from the nearby branches. A smaller cauldron was placed before it, on top of a burn out fireplace. By any means would anyone call this place suitable for living. But they called it home.
Amy hoped down an walked inside the tent.
"T... Amy. After you change clothes, please start the fire while I unpack."
"Alright..." Amy felt terrible, the thought she had to sleep on a tree horrified her.
Jenny took off the lantern and place on a branch, then she lowed her backside and let the bag slide down, so she could start her everyday routine, cooking.
Within minutes the fireplace's flames brighten their surroundings and Amy found herself with nothing else to do. She couldn't stir the cauldron from a safe distance and they had nothing for her to stand on at hand, which wouldn't catch aflame after. Maybe she could have chopped the vegetables but they only had an old table to prepare the ingredients on which was taller than her. And pouring water into the cauldron was out of the question. She just sat down wearing her warm blanket next to a barrel of water. She was too small to help Jenny. Just seeing the towering centaur picking up the barrel with ease beside from her, which was roomie enough for Amy to sleep in it, made her feel insignificant.
She couldn't watch Jenny any longer, she stood up, folded her pillow sheet sized blanket a few times and did what rabbits were best of. Multipl... Cough-cough... Jumping!
With just one hop she was top on a branch 13 feet from the ground next to their secret tree hole where they kept their savings.
"Amy?"
"Yeah?"
"Why did you put up there your blanket?"
"I will sleep here." Amy said with her ears flattened. Guilt settled in Jenny’s heath.
"I... It was not your fault. I did not mean it. Please come down. You can sleep with me, I don't know what would I do if you..." She looked away embarrassed holding one arm with the other.
"Really?" Her ears rose up in an instant as she brightened up.
"If you come down now, I might have a carrot or two waiting for you."
She didn't need more, she jumped down, landed on Jenny’s back and looked around a few times "Where?"
"It's still in the bag. Wait, I will get it for you before you dive into it." Jenny calmed the carrot powered bunny while she stepped closer to her bag and pulled out a bunch of carrots and placed it on the table. Amy followed the orange treats and even before Amy could have put them down she was already on the table.
"Aaaa, yes. You are the best!" She was in heaven, the taste of this one particular vegetable erased all of her problems, well as long as they lasted.
If the carrot's tasted even just a bit better, she was sure her taste buds would have exploded.
Seeing the happy rabbit sitting on the table made her giggle a bit, knowing who she really was, a sports maniac womanizer at school and her best friend since kindergarten. "Don't eat all of them the soup will be ready soon."
"All of it? There is like a dozen of it. I should be the one saying this to you." Amy looked around herself as the cloud of carrot heaven surrounded her.
"Right..." Sometimes it was hard to tell when Amy was sarcastic or meant something.
Within minutes the dinner was ready. Jenny took the cauldron next to the old table. It was far away from being called a soup by their home standards. But here it counted as one. A fast to make and easy to master simple recipe. Grated vegetables, boiled in water with a pinch of salt and wait until it became somewhat thick. The only trick was the proper amount of water so the ingredients don't fall apart completely, once the water boiled away. Jenny used two wooden bowls, and placed a leaf of lettuce in it, then poured the cooked veggie mush into it. Done.
If they were at back home, they would not have touched this so-called meal, but they changed, and their new body carved for different dished.
What was a lavish feast for a rabbit, it was a small bowl of food for a horse. The small cauldron was emptied mostly by Jenny, and by her standards, she ate lightly. The day-long manual labour brought out her hunger, but they had to spare the coin.
Leaving little to none what had to be cleaned they retired to their tent. A few planks, a bunch of straw, a sheet. They called it a bed. Jenny covered the entrance and slowly lower herself onto the bed. She grabbed her blanket and covered herself. And so, Amy's self-rocking bed with built-in heaters was ready, she jumped on Jenny's side a lied down on it. She could feel the bones under her hand and over Jenny's blanket, but thanks to her fur and her favourite cotton blanket it wasn't really an issue. Jenny turned off the lantern.
"Hey, Jenny. Remember what carrots tasted like back then?"
"Faintly, why?"
"I wish they tasted this good back home as well."
"Yeah, me too. Do you think we can get back?"
"No doubt, but first we have to find the others and then worry about going home." Said Amy with confidence.
"How much is missing to find them?" Asked Jenny.
"Well... We have around 84 silvers and a few coppers. And the local mage guild said they do one searching spell for 2 gold coins so 18 gold coins... A lot is missing."
"We been around 2 or 3 weeks? We have a long way to go." This statement was clear as daylight and the facts created a heavy silence. But eventually, Amy broke it.
"You know, maybe we should spend a little on yourself. Yesterday I saw a decent sized table leg at the woodworker, maybe if we ask him nicely, he would form it into a dildo for you."
"Aaaamy!" Jenny snapped at her. This was the last thing she wanted to hear.
"Just imagine, finally you can experience the pleasure of being female as well. As a stallion sized shaft slowly making its way up and then..."
"Careful Amy. I just became too aroused and it may force me to turn to my other side during sleeping." Jenny interrupted her, she had to, ever since they arrived the pressure built up inside her, and day by day it just got worse.
"What? Noooo, you are joking." Amy cried out.
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"Good night."
"Jenny?... Tell me you are joking... Jenny, please... don't roll over me... Jeeeennyy! Tell me you are joking." Amy's voice eventually died down as she fallen asleep, but Jenny couldn't. She bit her lips as she fought against the urge, she rubbed her back legs together, but she achieved nothing.
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They were early up in the morning, they had a lot to do. Making breakfast out of leftovers, heating water to somewhat clean themselves and they also had a long walk to reach the city.
Amy's words still haunted her and hearing the rabbit having her time behind the tent didn't help either. She shook her, trying to break free from her thoughts, and focus on the breakfast.
"Aaaaagh!" Amy's cried out of pleasure.
That's it... She had to find a way to release the pressure or she would go crazy. She will look up that woodworker today that Amy mentioned and put an end to this, even if it is embarrassing.
Back in the city, the two, bid farewells as Amy entered the tavern and Jenny went on her way to help moving thing around.
The Forge, the heart and blood of Irontop. This beauty provided easily over 70,000 jobs which were more than half of the city population. From all around the nearby countries, they ordered from here if they had a chance. Did you want top quality, had a special request or just needed a few thousand things made from metal within a week? Then you just found the place you were looking for. The never-ending requests for tools, weapons but even for nails, piled on, fighting one against another for Irontop's priority.
This mountain range never had volcanos, but even if it had it would be dwarfed by The Forge. The hammers never stopped in the smeltery, and their rhythm dictated the tempo for the workshops, as the bright liquid metal flown like a never-ending river from the crucibles.
Jenny found it mesmerizing, she was fond of them. She always chose dwarf is she could as a playable race in video games and she was a self-claimed master in Dwarf Fortress, and seeing many of them workings here always give her a morale boots even if they order her around as a mule. But today, something was off with this place. More workers were at the grindstones and the production seemed to be weapons and armours oriented. She curiously looked around what they were doing as she headed to one of the directors of the warehouse section.
A dwarf with an ashen full beard braided into two and bracketed at the end each with a bronze cylinder that hung over his chest. His body was old and his face wrinkled, but his eyes still held the ember of his youth. Bleawboru was his name. And currently, he held a small lecture to others, with a shield on his arm.
As Jenny stepped into the warehouse, he stopped speaking and gave her a mean look. She wasn't sure what she did to deserve this treatment but nevertheless, the old dwarf look made her feel guilty.
She slowly made her way closer to him looking away with lowered head.
But then Bleawboru and the rest burst out laughing. "Hahaha. See! Told ye she is innocent as the fresh snow on the mountaintop." His looked at her with a smile. "Come Markina, we are looking into a busy day." He gestured her toward a loaded cart. "I hope you are familiar somewhat where the city gates are. A small army camping not far away from Irontop and this is for them." He stepped next to the cart and admired one last time the weapons. With a sigh, he turned back to Jenny. "Just follow the road after the west gate and you be there within an hour."
Jenny went ahead of the cart and waited till they someone bind the car to her. Bleawboru approached her behind and out of the blue, he gave a big smack on her ass. Jenny out of reflex shifted her weight, raised her backside and responded with a powerful kick toward the dwarf. Bleawboru kept the shield in front of himself when the kick came and forced him back a few feet.
"Hey!" Jenny shouted, but then realized what she just did and turned around worrying. "I..." She couldn't say anything, the laughter of Bleawboru interrupted her.
"Hahahaha. And this is how you test the Irontop's quality. Not even a dent." He admired the shield, then turned toward the rest. "Alright lads, the lecture is over, you now know what the standards are. Now back to work, with you lazy bunch." The other dwarves left. Seeing this Jenny's face went red and in her mind, she wanted to stomp Bleawboru a few times, just for the sake of good manners.
The old dwarf stepped toward her. "Thank for lending an ass there. Those stone brains just started a few months ago, and today on they gonna work alone."
"You could have just asked then!" She snapped at him.
"And miss a good laugh?! Never."
Jenny went back to the cart which Bleawboru bounded after her. She still felt betrayed as she left the workshops, that her favourite race made fun of her, but the more she thought about it the funnier got. She took a quick peek at her flank to help herself imagine the flying dwarf after the kick, but her mind shifted toward a something else. Something that made her bit her lips.
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As Amy entered the room, the scent of frying meat filled her muzzle as it suppressed the smell of alcohol soaked planks. She greeted the owner and since she already wore her outfit, she began to work. She and the few others only had minutes before the first ones arrive, and there were so much to be done. Those who dared to take the night shifts always left the tavern in mess, but how could one ask for more from them after they served hundreds of mainly thirsty dwarves alongside with other races.
Only once had Amy the misfortune to experience the madness and it burnt deep into her memory. The chanting for constant refills that would easily surpass the hammers rhythm at the forge and the barfights at closing times was just the tip of the iceberg. She was told that the dwarves release all their stress at once, they gathered during the day and that's why they became savages. And yet, none of these was the reason she didn't take the nightshifts.
Soon the tavern was full of people who sought a filling breakfast to start their day. Amy hopped back and forth with orders and sometimes with empty plates, while the other took care of the drinks which were too heavy for her to jump around with safely.
The first part of the shift was the same as usual, the morning went without a hiccup. After some refreshment and quick breaks. They started to prepare for the next wave of costumes they expected during lunchtimes when the owner said that they were expecting soldiers or some sort from a nearby camp. Knowing there will be more people than usual brought joy to Amy because it meant more tips as well.
They were in the middle of the lunch block when a large group around 30 soldiers arrived and took seats, Amy didn't need more with her cheerful attitude she jumped towards them and with a big smile she asked for their orders.
"What can I bring for the sirs?" Amy looked up to of them and waited.
It took a few turns for him before he looked down. "Aah. Look, guys, its family-friendly place. Even the owner's daughter is helping out." He got the taverns attentions. "I have no hearth to ask drinks from a child, please bring someone taller." Most of the costumes just looked away, but the soldiers had a great time chuckling. Amy didn't know where the conversation headed.
"I'm not a child, and I am more than capable to handle your orders." She responded politely even if she felt humiliated.
"I see, so you are not a child." He leaned closer to Amy with a grin, she took a step back, the soldier was huge compared to her. Then he stood up from his chair and turned toward one of his mates and shouted while pointed at Amy. "Hey, Travis! I found someone for you, so you can feel big once." The soldiers burst out laughing while he mimicked the fucking.
Amy flattened her ears and waited until the laughter died down. "Your orders, sir." She asked him again in a humble tone.
She got the orders and handed over it to the kitchen. Until the orders were done she didn't go to get more of them, she rather crouched behind the counter and waited.
The food was on the plated and she had no other choice, she picked one up and hopped toward a soldier. She eventually delivered all of them, she was about to jump back when someone smacked her ass and shouted. "Dips on the bunny’s ass." And they laughed again.
For them, these were just jokes, but by the time they were done and left. Amy was on the verge of crying and took out the rest of her shift. She couldn't do this today, the soldiers reminded her what was that one night was. Those drunkard dwarves picked her up and thrown her into the air a few times like some kind of mascot one after another. The feeling of the grips every time one of them picked her up, like a shark's mouth that enclosed its prey. It still haunted her to this day. And more they drunk the more the dreadful games followed. She cried that night.
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Jenny was at her last turn as she was dead tired, pulling all that metal on the dirt roads for hours took a toll on her. The sun was gently falling behind the mountain range, but she could see the first tents ahead of her.
She reached the camp and panted.
"There... the last one." Looking at the boxes and weapon racks she pulled today made her a little proud, she didn't lead an active lifestyle back then, but the feeling what she could accomplish was incredible.
"Great work lad, two more days and we are done here. Go grab a drink, you deserved it." Said one of the members of the workshops, who counted the goods at the camp.
Jenny just nodded and headed toward the barrels, she was no stranger for alcohol, and since they arrived she hadn't had the chance to drink here. She grabbed an iron tankard and poured herself a drink. The smell of the honey mead was unmistakable, she licked her mouth and took a sip or so she tough. Her mug was empty when she finished the 'sip'.
She looked around to see if anyone watched her and poured and another one. This one lasted longer than the first as she walked around a little in the camp. The soldier walked up and down, they seemed to be in a hurry, but Jenny didn't mind them, it not was like they could knock her off.
The ground started shaking, and cheering of the soldiers filled the air. Jenny faces towards the voices and saw in the distance as some kind of dust storm headed in their direction. The cavalry arrived.
Horses and their rider alongside a few centaurs. It was a great sense even worthy to be painted in Jenny's opinion. Medieval age cavalry just had something indescribable that always grasp her. Seeing the raw power, that a unit like this could weld in a battlefield had its own charm.
Eventually, the soldier dissipates who its own way and the centaurs mix up with them. There was nothing else to see and Jenny turned to leave the camp when someone stepped next to her.
"I don't remember having a female in my cavalry."
The voice halted her and slowly turned around. A male centaur without his armour stood before her. He was slightly taller than her and muscular. That was all she saw before she looked away.
"I... I just wandered around a bit after I finish the hauling and then I saw the cavalry heading this way and I... I just couldn't, not to take a closer look at it."
"You hauled all day?" Compare to him Jenny looked underfed.
She nodded and tried to turn around but she bumped into someone with her behind.
"Hey watch it!" An angry soldier shouted at her and went on its way.
"Maybe you should take a quick rest before you go back. Collapsing on the road would achieve nothing." He stepped next to Jenny and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Come, let's have a drink a maybe we can still find something to eat as well." Jenny didn't have the strength, nor the will to refuse it. She followed around the cavalry's captain and after a few more mugs of mead she ended up in his private tent.
She didn't think it through what she was doing. She just let the stallion take the lead and brake her free from the bounds of pleasure.
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little rabbit girl left the tavern, she needed a little time alone. She walked up and down around the markets, eyeing the goods.
She was looking for something. Something that would lend her strength in the time of need, but even a dagger here was too large for her to have a good grip on it. It didn't surprise her, everything here was made mostly for the dwarves, it just made her feel...
"Just today. Get a runestone for half its price! Grab one while you have the chance!" A vendor in purple robes stood next to a wagon and shouted into the crowds.
'That's it, what I need is magic!' With her newly gained will, she ran towards the vendor. "Hi, How much a rune cost?" Amy asked with sparkling eyes.
"Oh. Hello, there little one. The cost depends on the runes, of course, had anything in mind?" Asked the men with a silky voice while stroking his pointy black beard.
"Umm... No... But I know what am looking for. I need something that gives me strength or scares others away."
"I'm in no position to turn away a customer, but I'm afraid, you are looking for a scroll of fortification or illusion which sadly I don't have." He took a small flat stone out of his pocket and for a brief moment, he focused on it. The symbol on the stone brighten up in a bluish light and above it, a small orb of water formed.
"But how about a rune that helps to start your way on the path of magic?" He was well aware that Amy had little to no idea how magic worked. All she needed was a little p...
"How much?" Amy couldn't contain herself.
"For this piece, I usually ask 2 gold coins but since I said half price..." He carefully observed Amy and saw her ears lower. "... and since it's your first purchase from me I say 80 silver coins, for the sake of our future trading. How's that sound?"
"Deal!... Wait here. I go and grab the money." Amy shouted and started to run.
"Too easy" He mumbled and watched with a smile as the rabbit ran away. "Just today. Get a runestone for half its price! Grab one while you have the chance!" And continued his routine.
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It didn't take an hour she was back with a pouch of silvers on her back.
"Here." She lifted the pouch toward the merchant. He took the bag and lifted near to his ear and gave it a shook.
"80 silvers. Well, congratulation little one. You just stepped on the path of magic to become as powerful as you desire."
"Wait. You not going to count the coins?" Amy raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, nonono. I passed that level long ago." He put the pouch into his wagon and handed over the runestone.
"Using such a stone is simple. Focus on it, let it draw power from within you, and shape it. These are all the basics you need." Amy just happily nodded and turned around.
"Thanks." Said Amy and walked back to work with her newly gained confidence.
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The sunset began by the time she arrived at the tavern. The waitresses were on their toes, the last wave of costumes could have arrived at any second for dinner. Amy pocketed the stone and helped them out.
Her shift was over before she realized, now she sat there happily on the tavern's veranda and admire her new toy. But her joy didn't last long. Five soldiers of the last group showed up, they were drunk.
"Traaaavis. I shell make up for the mourning. I gonna hire dat bunny for you."
Amy stood up and watch the bunch getting closer to her.
"Heeel *burb* bunny. Heare a silver to fuck Travisss." He pointed at Travis.
"I won't fuck him." Amy stepped back and watch Travis in disgust.
"How bout two?" It took a few tries but he managed to show two with his fingers.
"I said, no."
"Traaviss, you gonna like her." He grabbed Amy's arm and pulled out a rug from his pocket.
"Take your hand off me." Amy tried to pull her hand out of his grip, but no use. "Help! Hee..." The soldier stuffed the rug ball deep into her mouth and held his hand there.
"Tsh-tsh-tsh. Don't wory I got a carrot too." He laughed at Amy.
She tried to put up a fight, but the two were more than enough and there was five of them, they picked her up and headed to the nearby alley.
Mare words could not describe what she felt at the moment, seeing those giants tearing away her clothes and pulling down their pants to show off their pride. One kneeled on Amy’s arms and with his hand pulled the bunnies legs apart. They were about to start.
But fate or maybe just pure luck, the nightguard walked that way on that night.
"Who's there!" One of them shouted into the dark alley. The soldier knew better than getting arrested, they grabbed their pants and ran away, into the darkness.
The guard walked into the alley, only to saw a rabbit folk lying on the cold stone tiles, crying, broken. Around her on the ground the remains of her outfit while she holding to her strength. A piece of stone.