ASPENROOT's Den

. . A forest, shrouded in fog while somehow being continuously in an hour of blue. The forest is cold and mysterious, seemingly in constant silence. But somewhere in the forest is the heart tree, a great system of tunnels, and a great, large waterfall. Above the silent waterfall and draping, mossy vines, a large gap opens to make way for a gurgling river, astral light streaming in through the gap to hit the tree. A small, muscly male emerges from a well constructed tunnel. The entrance is decorated in feathers, bones and other totems and trinkets. He greets you with a warm smile that makes the forest seem not so lonely. He invites you into his tunnel, his voice soft and honey-like, hardly a whisper in the quiet forest, and he raises his nose to the air and declaring rain is coming soon. Do you accept?. . .

NO: you kindly decline, why would you go in a tunnel with this small, grubby stranger! And if it was going to rain, why would they go in tunnels that would probably flood? He nods with understanding, escorting you out of the creepy forest, which seems to cling to your feet as you walk, trying to stop you from leaving. He wishes you farewell as he leaves you on a moor outside the forest, and disappears into the shadows. As you catch the last glimpse of his tail, thunder roars above you, and a droplet of water smacks down on your nose, then another. Soon, the world is swirling in a dimension of soft, cold rain as you stood on the windy prairie.

YES: he smiles softly, gesturing you to follow him. He enters the tunnel and you follow. It reeks of earth, and is pitch black. your pads thump softly on the dry dirt, your larger body grazing the ceiling, while the shorter king presses forward with ease. Your fur crawls, wondering if you made the right choice. It's all dark. You try your best to remember the path you take in case you need to run away. A left, then a right. . then another left? You huff, the dusty air drying your throat. You almost freak out, but a silent voice whispers, warning you to watch your step. You scuffle upwards, then suddenly fall down with a yelp. You are now in a large, earth-smelling hollow with a gap in the ceiling. Moonlight is pouring in the gap, and water is thundering down from the sky, getting caught into a glinting pool of fresh-looking water that sits in the middle of the hollow, just below the hole. It's windless and dry in the hollow, and there are a few rooms extending from the main area, noises of steady, sleepy breathing coming from some, indicating other lions. Some rooms however sound empty, so perhaps they're just other tunnels. The male purrs, "Feel free to take any den you wish, traveler. I wish you dreams." He bows his head, going to his own den for the night.


. . .

King Dynasty

Pride Dynasty

Achievements

Showcase

Beetle Book