Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ugh. She's never gonna let me live this down. “Baphy, let’s go together, what if there’s too many?” Gah, dammit Mary, why’d you have to be right this time? I hate it when she’s right. Even more when she gets smug about it. And don’t call me “Baphy,” you wool-headed little tyrant. It’s Baphomet. B-A-P-H-O—ugh, forget it.

I glared at the prick that managed to catch me and tested the bonds on my arms. Fuck, this webbing is too sticky. I can't break free, and just my luck, I'm out of fervor so I can't summon up a curse. I would've made it into a sword or a dagger to cut free if my hands weren't gunked up like this. The stuff clung to my fur and skin, pulling every time I shifted, making my fingers numb from the pressure. I twisted my wrists again, feeling the sticky threads dig in deeper, but it was no use. They had me good this time.

My legs and hooves were bound up tightly too, wrapped in layers of that same silky crap, pinning me flat against the rough stone altar. I bet there's some sense of deja vu in this. I've met and rescued a handful of other folks tied down just like this, and now here I was, about to be sacrificed myself. The irony burned worse than the wounds. Except no one was coming to cut me free, unless Mary decided she was too worried and headed out after me. By the One, I hope she won't be reckless enough to actually try and carve a path of her own to find me. Our cult needs protection too, even if Ratau swore we wouldn't be attacked there. The old rat might know his cards, but he ain't infallible.

"I'll have you know, it took a lot of effort and blood to bind you, sacrificial goat. Many lives of our brothers and sisters you have taken, and yet even after allying yourself with the great betrayer, you couldn't hold a candle against the old faith," the priest gloated as he leered at me with his many creepy eyes, mandible twitching in visible excitement. The bastard hovered there, his spindly legs dangling like they were too lazy to touch the ground, his body all chitin and shadow under that hooded robe. His voice was a wet rasp, like he was gargling gravel, and every word came with a spray of spittle that landed on my face.

I swear, what the fuck is a priest of Shamura doing all the way in Darkwood? Weren't those creepy spider fucks supposed to stay in Silk Cradle or something? Ugh, and as if it couldn't get any worse, the prick just wouldn't shut up. He kept circling the altar, his claws clicking against the stone, eyeing me like I was some prize catch. The air around him stank of decay and old silk, making my nose wrinkle. I tried to shift my head to get a better look at the camp around me, tents made of patched hides, fires sputtering with green flames, and a bunch of those scuttling minions scurrying about, but the webbing held my neck stiff.

"Oh yeah? Big talk from a coward! Soon as I break out of this web, I'll show you what—aggh!" Fucker didn't even let me finish before stabbing his dirty claws at me. The pain shot through my side like fire, sharp and deep, blood welling up immediately and soaking into my fleece. I bit down on my lip to keep from yelling more, tasting copper on my tongue.

"Tsk tsk, you have quite the mouth, don't you, goat?" I hissed, trying to block out the pain, even now I could feel blood trailing from my side, warm and sticky against my fur. It trickled down, pooling under me on the altar. "I traveled all the way from Silk Cradle to see what all the fuss is about, and 'this' is what awaits me?" The bastard sneered in disgust, as if this was a waste of its time. He leaned in closer, his breath hot and foul, those eyes blinking out of sync like they couldn't agree on what to focus on.

“I had planned on simply sacrificing you, but... I've come to learn that crown bearers such as you do not die so easily... or rather stay dead." He pulled his claw back, wiping the blood off on his robe like it was nothing. Shit, I have to find a way out. The bonds and the crown are no good, not unless I could at least get a free hand. I flexed my fingers again, feeling the webbing give just a tiny bit, but not enough. My crown sat heavy on my head, the purple eye dim from lack of fervor.

"Hmm, perhaps I could use you to lure out that damnable lamb. It would surely be a boon to reap two wretches with a single strike." His speaking brought back my focus, what was the fucker talking about again? Me! Bait!? "As if I'll let you—" Gah, shit that burns. He jabbed me again, just a poke this time, but it sent fresh waves of pain radiating out.

"Tsk tsk, that mouth of yours is clearly a problem. That and, much as I loathe to admit it, you still pose quite a threat to my warband...." The prick tisked at me and started to ponder, I'm not liking that smile of his one bit. His mandibles clicked together as he thought, like he was chewing on the idea. The camp around us was buzzing now, more of those scamps gathering, their little eyes glowing red under their hoods.

"Though I wonder how you'll do without any limbs. Surely even without them, you'll make for good enough bait."

"See to it that it is done. I have other matters to attend to." With a dismissive wave from his hand, he then floated off to who knows where, his robes trailing like smoke. The high guard stepped up, a big brute with a scarred mask and a blade that looked like it had seen too many sacrifices from the rusted gore on it’s edge. He grunted, dragging the long blade behind him.

Just then, his words caught up in my head. Huh, he's planning on cutting my limbs? Uh oh, that's definitely not good. Best case scenario is that I bleed out and die so I could get back to the cult. Sure, it would be humiliating coming back with my tail tucked between my legs, but at least I'll be back there. If I don't... I dread what they would even do to me. 'Come on, think, Baphomet. You've gotten out of worse.' But my mind was racing, the pain making it hard to focus. The guard raised his blade, the metal glinting in the firelight, and I braced myself, glaring right back at him.

Damn it, snap out of it! I have to focus, come on, come on, think! As the moment draws nearer, all I could do for now is glare balefully at the high guard that raised his blade up. The crowd of scamps and alcolytes started chanting, low and rhythmic, their voices like buzzing insects. I strained against the webs one last time, feeling a thread snap, but it wasn't enough.

Then, just before the blade came down, he was knocked on its side, black ichor spewing out the headwound. The guard toppled like a felled tree, his body hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Wait, what was that? I craned my neck to try and see what's happening, but I can barely move my head to see. The webbing pulled tight, straining my muscles. Then I heard another yell and a loud thump as if something heavy crashed into another thing. Then the telltale sound of another sharp object whistled by, followed by a wet squelch. More shouts erupted from the camp, scamps scrambling, weapons clanging as they grabbed whatever they could.

Looking up best I could, I saw it. I had no idea what kind of animal it is. With one of my eyes kind of bruised, it's a bit hard to properly take a look at it, but from what I can tell, it's tall, its shadow pretty much looming over me. Another thing is that it lacked fur except on its head and face, which exposed a lot of its muscles, and man, is this guy a nudist or something? His skin was bare, tanned, and marked with scratches, like he'd been roughing it in the woods for days. He moved quickly, grabbing a fallen sword from one of the guards he'd just downed.

Wear a robe at least, man, like the rest of us civilized animals! Obviously, it doesn't count as I had my fleece on, and my thick wool-like fur pretty much covered up everything else. Still, definitely a male judging by its looks alone, and I am thankful that he at least wore some sort of pants, even if they look frayed and crudely stitched over multiple times. At least I won't have to stare at his dangly bits. The pants were made of some rough fabric, torn at the knees, like he'd patched them with whatever he found.

So, last thing I'll see before biting it is a freak animal, huh? The world sure has a fucked up sense of humor. At least it's good looking... wait, why did I think about that? 'Shake it off, Baphomet. Not the time.' "Come on then, do it you—" I shouted at it, no way I'm showing fear to this freak, even if I could feel my cheek warming up a little. Thankfully, my grey skin and brown fur covered any would-be blush. He paused for a split second, those round eyes, nothing like the horizontal slits I'm used to, locking on mine.

I waited for the cold bite of steel when I saw the weird animal raise one of the high guards' sword up above. Guess it wanted to steal their kill, huh? Well, bring it, you big hairless ugly—wait, what? I paused to blink as the sword went past my arm and cut through my bindings. The blade sliced clean, the webbing parting with a sticky snap. Blinking in disbelief, I felt him cut the rest of my bindings, working methodically, freeing my legs next. The relief was immediate, blood rushing back to my limbs, pins and needles prickling my hooves.

Looking up wordlessly, I could feel my jaw opening in disbelief. What's he doing? And just as I was about to ask, he hoisted me up from the stone table I was on and slung me over his shoulder. "W-wait, what, hey!" The world flipped upside down, my fleece dangling, blood rushing to my head. His shoulder dug into my gut, right where the stab wound was, but I gritted my teeth.

"Hold on tight, lady! We're getting outta here!" Then he simply ran. I could feel getting jostled around as he made his way through the woods. His grip was firm, one arm locked around my legs to keep me steady. The camp exploded into chaos behind us. From shouts, the twang of bows, and the sound of feet pounding the dirt.

Yells and shouts rang across the camp as he took off. The route of escape he took was not clear of any cultists. Tents blurred by, scamps lunging out with daggers and clubs, but he dodged or shouldered through them. One grabbed at his leg, but he kicked it off without breaking stride.

"For the worm!" One of them shouted, brandishing a dagger that is almost as big as their body is tall, and charging forward. It was only a scamp, like any other, it’s clad in drab grey robes and hood, another indicator of those creeps was the single red inverted cross in the middle of the hood's hole. The little bastard was fast, scampering low to the ground for a second before leaping up.

Usually they wouldn't be much of a problem for me, even if there's a dozen of them. Common as fieldstones, those creeps are. But it's a bit hard to fight with your legs dangling over someone's shoulder like a sack of grain. Plus, I don't know if my 'saviour'—ugh, just thinking of the word soured my mood, even knows how to fight, given how he's running instead of fighting. 'Great, now I'm the helpless one. Mary would laugh her wool off.'

My hand flew to the side, willing the crown to transform into a sword of my own, hoping to at least do something worthwhile while playing the part of a damsel in distress. I concentrated for several moments, yet still felt no weight of steel in my hand. "Damn it, what's taking so long?" I hissed under my breath. Even out of fervor, I should at least be able to do this much.

My confusion stayed for a few lingering seconds that felt like hours, that is until I looked down and saw my hands were both still covered in gunk. Just as I was about to yell at him to look out, since I'm apparently so defenseless that I can't even cut down a scamp, he reared his leg back and punted the little cultist hard. Given that the cultist were shorter than me and barely reached up to his chest, needless to say that the little scamp went flying through the air where it landed with a thud on some bushes. The impact shook leaves loose, the scamp rolling end over end before going still.

I blinked in surprise at that. Guess he has some fight in him after all. It feels... bad to just clam up and not be able to do anything. By the One, I hate it. More scamps poured out, but he kept moving, weaving between trees now as the camp faded behind us. The woods closed in, branches whipping past, snagging at my horns.

Taking me out of my funk was another scream, this time a lot more guttural and feral. It was about the same size as the scamp from before, if not a bit bigger by my estimate. One of the worm's spawn, a bagworm. It must’ve smelled the blood and went to investigate. Pests, these things were. Usually playing dead like a log before ambushing anything that moved, but apparently they're drawn to crown bearers like me. This one was fat and green, its body segmented and covered in fake foliage that rustled as it moved.

It crawled along the ground with surprising speed, its bush-like body shaking and shedding dead leaves stuck to its grubby body as it charged. Red slanted eyes bore down on my crown before it lowered its head, intending to gore the legs of the male carrying me. The thing's horns were sharp, gnarled and twisted like wood, aimed right at his knees.

Though it seems that another warning was unnecessary, as he saw the green bagworm coming a league away and quite impressively, as much as I don't want to admit it. Simply leaped over it, landing and continued his sprint. His feet hit the ground hard, kicking up dirt, and he didn't even slow down. The bagworm screeched in frustration, twisting around to give chase, but we were already pulling away.

Unfortunately, while he landed quite alright on his own, I felt my ribs slamming against his shoulder. "Ack—you have a passenger!" I hissed through clenched teeth while suppressing a wince. At least my wool cushioned most of it, but my already bruised ribs were definitely flaring up in pain. The stab wound throbbed with each bounce, fresh blood occasionally seeping out.

"Sorry... sorry... not much... option back there!" He seemed to both shout and rasp it out at the same time, though his pace remains steadfast. His breathing was heavy, chest heaving under me, but he didn't stop. I could feel the heat from his body, the way his muscles tensed with every step.

I was about to retort when I noticed we were almost to the edge now. Looks like he was smart enough to take the path of least resistance. Then I heard more angered shouting from behind. The whistle of an arrow was enough to cause concern; it became more so when my carrier stumbled a step. Despite being me, I do hope that none of the arrows hit either of us. One whizzed past my ear, close enough to feel the fletching and making my ears flatten agains’t my head.

"Archers!" I shout out loud. I was sure he already knew from the sharp whistling as the arrow flew. But even I would get focused on one thing too much, I think Mary called it something to do with a tunnel? I can't remember. More arrows flew past, thudding into trunks or the ground. He then began running in a strange left to right motion. I'm sure he muttered something under his breath, but the sudden motion made my head spin a little. The erratic motion threw off their aim, arrows missing by wider margins now.

Whatever it was he sought to accomplish with the strange way he moved was working, by the sounds of arrows thudding against trees or falling short and landing in the dirt. The shouts grew fainter, but they weren't giving up yet. I twisted to look back, seeing flashes of grey robes and red slitted eyes through the trees.

The treeline was just a breath's hair away when my carrier suddenly ducked. It nearly took all the air out my lungs, and I was about to bark out a retort. But was silenced by the sound of something big thudding against a tree in front of us. It was a big spiderweb, a cocoon of silk in of itself, and no doubt the work of that priest earlier. The web shimmered, thick strands stretching between trees, designed to trap anything that hit it. Cursing up a storm under my breath, a curse like that was definitely meant to snare us. I do hope he can't simply fling it around at a moment's notice.

Though it looks like my temporary companion isn't taking any chances and ran straight into the woods, veering off the path, crashing through underbrush. The sounds of angered shoutings slowly getting quieter until the only sound I could hear were his ragged breath and loud thudding footsteps, that and the slight hammering of my own heart. My pulse pounded in my ears, matching his steps. The woods thickened, vines and roots tripping him occasionally, but he powered through.

Damn it, this wasn't supposed to go this way! If it were just a regular encampment of the worm's worshippers, I would've been able to handle it no problem. I'd have cut through them like butter, gathered some resources, maybe even recruited a stray or two. But now, of all days, one of the blasted spider's came to dip their webs into Darkwood. Ugh, I'll have to tell Mary about this later, aren't I? Much as I loathe the impending conversation and no doubt reprimanding words, something like this can't be ignored, and we'll have to deal with it sooner or later before they sprung up another trap or ambush.

I tried not to dwell on what this implies if they're spreading outside of their typical domain. What's next? One of those sea dwellers coming up from Anchordeep to poison our water supply? A hunter from Anura snatching up our potential followers before we can rescue them? The old faith was getting bolder, pushing boundaries. We'd have to scout more, fortify the cult grounds. 'Mary's gonna fret over this for days.'

My thinking was interrupted by the sudden dizziness from earlier returning. My already bad vision further disoriented with how fast he was going, not to mention all the leaping and vaulting. Ugh, this is gonna make me sick. Trees blurred into green smears, my stomach churning with each jolt.

"Oi, can you slow down!?" I shouted over the whipping wind on my face. It felt sort of nice, I guess, like a cool river water after the beating I took. Eugh, at least the air doesn't make my fur wet. But the constant motion was wearing me down, my wounds protesting louder.

He visibly panted but shook his head. "Nope, no can do! We gotta get as far away from those freaks as possible." Then I heard him mutter something under his breath, something about first sane thing he met? What was that supposed to mean?
"Ugh, can you at least—ack!" Whatever I was about to say got interrupted as a branch smacked my face. It stung, leaves sticking to my fur, a small cut opening on my cheek.

"Sorry! Gotta keep pace, gotta go fast!" He was still panicking, but audibly chuckled to himself at the last part. Weirdo. His laugh was light, almost out of place, like he was trying to lighten the mood even while running for his life.

I crossed my arms and grumbled. All this running is hurting my ribs. But nothing really compared to a stab wound; getting stabbed in the stomach was the worst. I shuddered. Yeah, I won't stay dead, but that doesn't mean I don't feel pain. The memory of past deaths flashed momentarily, arrows, blades, poison. Each one hurt like hell before the void pulled me back.
After what has got to be a solid ten minutes or so, the guy finally got tired and slowed down. Seriously, how was he running for so long and so fast? His legs must’ve been on the verge of snapping. He stumbled to a walk, then stopped in a small clearing, leaning against a tree for support.

"Finally, ugh, thought you'd never get—" And then he dropped to his knees, with me getting flung to the ground near him. I hit the dirt with a grunt, rolling once before sitting up, spitting out leaves.

"Pffft... pthu pthu, what's with you!" Really, one moment he's running through the woods. The next, he's dry heaving onto the ground. He was on all fours, retching, his back heaving like he was about to puke up his guts.

"Sorry.... sorry.... just... give me a minute.." He retched again. Whoa, he looks really out of it. Guess I wasn't too far off with that leg thing. His face was red, sweat pouring down, mixing with dirt and blood from small cuts.

"Or maybe five... better yet ten.." He collapsed onto his side, breathing hard, eyes closed for a moment.

Grumbling to myself, I got up and looked at my still webbed hand. The weirdo didn't cut it completely free, so now I can't even stretch my fingers. The remaining webs clung stubbornly, sticky and tough. I tried picking at it, but it just pulled on my fur.

"Look, can you do anything about this before you pass out or something?" I grumbled and thrust my bound hands towards him. He blinked for a moment, finger still raised as he gathered his bearings before standing up straight. He gave a stretch of his limbs, and man, were they long. He also looked really wet? Which was weird since we didn't pass through any river. Then his smell got stronger. Even from a few feet away, I could smell it and strange is the only thing I can think of. Musky, salty, not like any beast I've encountered.

While my mind was wandering, he took out an object and walked towards me. The rustling of the leaf and ground beneath us snapped me out of my temporary trance. My brow was raised in confusion, I thought he was getting a knife? Where was its blade? It was small, and seemingly made of some shiny metal.

Before I could ask, he flicked his wrist and a blade flips out. Whoa, it's smaller than a dagger, but the blade itself looks well made. Steel at the very least, and quite the complex thing for a simple knife. Why not carry a dagger instead? The mechanism clicked smoothly, like it was crafted by someone who knew their trade.

For a moment, I pondered who this guy was. He's dressed like a wildling that doesn't know what words are, can run for ages past the point any other person I know, and yet he has something more complex and intricate than anything I've seen so far just there in his pocket! 'Where'd he get that? Some hidden forge?'

He was not idle though, as he immediately grabbed one of my wrists. It wasn't forceful and actually quite gentle. His skin was warm, calloused but not rough.

"Right, hold on." Then he made a shallow cut into the webbing before ripping the silk from my hands without much fanfare, simply grabbing it and tearing it off like plaster. The stuff came away in strips, pulling bits of fur with it.

"Ouch, can you be any rougher?" I sarcastically say, flexing my fingers and rubbing my hand. The web was stuck on good, and him ripping it off left my hands with a light stinging sensation. I shook them out, feeling the circulation return.

"Sorry, sorry, princess. We don't exactly have much time here. Even with a head start, there's no telling how quick they'll track us down." He folded the knife back with a click, tucking it away.

I bristled at the comment. Princess? Who does he think I am? I was about to yell at him, when I saw how confident he is about me being a princess. Frowning, I'd ask him, "And what makes you think I'm a princess, hah?" I say, planting a hand to my hip. My fleece shifted with the motion, the silver bell on my collar jingling softly.

He blinked then looked at me up and down, especially at my crown, then back down to my eyes. "I thought the crown was a given? Though I never really heard or seen a goat princess before." He chuckles and rubbed that weird face fur of his. The stubble scratched under his fingers, sounding rough.

"Oi, what's that supposed to mean?" I narrow my eyes at him. Did he think a goat couldn't be royalty or something? I stepped closer, hooves sinking into the soft earth.

"Nothing, nothing! Didn't mean to insult you... honest." He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. His hair was messy, sticking up in places from the run.

I kept my glare up for a bit longer before dropping it with a sigh. I suppose I could go a bit easier on him. He did get me out of that pinch. 'Fine, he gets a pass. For now.' "And what are you supposed to be, some kind of deformed furless ape?" I shot back at him and gestured vaguely to his taller, a bit gangly but somewhat muscly body. He was built lean, like he could handle long hauls, not bulky like some of the guards.

"Rude. I'd like to think of myself as more than just an ape." Instead of being angry or insulted like I'd expected him to be, he's smiling? And was that pride in his voice? A weirdo for sure. He straightened up, crossing his arms, that smile widening.
Continuing to stare at him, I shook my head and asked, "So, are you gonna keep heaving there or are you gonna tell me who you are?" There's a near zero chance that he was with the old faith, with the way he didn't recognize the crown or the fact that he ran through their camp and snatched me away. But it is weird now that I think about it, everyone here knows about the old faith, even if they're not a part of it.

Maybe he's from beyond the great blue? Then again, we're a ways from Pilgrim's Pass, and he doesn't look like a fish or any sailor I've seen before. His clothes were odd too, not robes, but tight-fitting pants and what looked like remnants of a tunic, all torn up. Still, couldn't hurt to ask. Maybe he could be a follower? We could always use more of them, more of them, more power to us. Plus, loathe as I am to admit it, I'm a bit curious about him.

Okay, maybe more than a bit. Where does he come from? Is there more of him? And what does that mean for us? Would he help us out? He certainly was willing to risk his life to help me, so that at least would give him some points with Mary. 'She'd probably hug him on sight. Ugh.'

Seemingly recovered for the time being, he shook his head and offered up a smile. "Name's Theodore Rhodes, though you can just call me Ted." He enthusiastically said, thrusting an open hand forward. His palm was broad, fingers long.
"Right... Ted. I'm Baphomet." I say, trying to at least be friendly and taking his hand. It's quite a bit bigger than mine as he enthusiastically shook it. Looks like someone's excited. His grip was firm but not crushing, warm against my cooler skin.
"Man, you can't believe how long it's been since I saw someone." He stopped for a moment and his smile dimmed to something a bit shyer. He glanced around the woods, like he was checking for threats.

Well, that at least crossed the wildling guess out. Someone who got really lost? But really, who would be that clueless? 'Long time since he saw someone? What's his story?'

"Though I wished I could've met you before... you know.." Then I saw his eyes nervously roam over my body, no doubt worrying about the injuries, the ones I have because I lost and got ambushed. He lingered on the bloodstain at my side, frowning.

I rolled my eyes at him and scoffed. "It's fine. I heal fast." Even now, my cuts have stopped bleeding, and my ribs have lessened to a more manageable pain. The wound was scabbing already, the crown's power kicking in slow but sure.
Thankfully, he decided to believe me for now and switched topics. "Aaaanyhow, I don't know if you're a local or been kidnapped by those fanatics... so you got a clue on where your home is?" He asked in an almost hopeful and pleading tone. You've gotta be kidding me. Is this guy lost? Okay, I take it back maybe he really is that clueless.

"So you're telling me... that you ran into the woods, not knowing where it'll lead to. On the off chance we won't run into any more old faith?" I say with a raised brow, my arms crossed between my chest. My bell jingled again with the motion.
"Well, when you put it that way..." Ugh, this guy is unreal. At least he had the decency to look embarrassed, his cheeks turning a bit red under that stubble

Muttering low to myself, I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my snout. "I swear, why do I always get stuck with the dim ones..." 'First Mary with her endless worrying, now this tall idiot.'
Looking up, he only tilted his head to the side, confusion plain on his face. "Ugh, fine. Yes, I know where my home is."

"Great, let's get a move on then. Much as my legs are begging to rest, we can't really take more than a breather here." He said with a forced smile after sucking in a deep breath of air. He tested his legs, wincing a bit, but pushed off the tree.

Before I could tell him to sit back down and wait a few more moments, as I really don't want to lug him around if he passed out. He looks heavy enough to be a bother to drag, he surprised me yet again, as he grabbed me from under my knees and placed an arm over my back before bringing me close to his chest.

"W-what are you doing?" I most definitely didn't squeak at him, staring up from being in his arms. His hold was secure, cradling me like I weighed nothing.

"I know you're playing tough, but you're obviously hurt from what they did to you, and I don't exactly have any bandages on me, so this is the next best thing." His voice much calmer and gentler than I heard before, then he jostled me a little again as he readjusted his grip on me.

"You... you... playing tough!?" I took a breath and scoffed. I've been shot by arrows and turned to a pincushion before. Sure, I may or may not have bled out after and woke up back at the cult with Mary nagging me, but I can take a hit, damn it!

"You know what? Fine!" I wanted to just wiggle out of his arms; my sides do feel sore. The bleeding stopped, but I lost a lot of blood, and even if I manage to go back and kill them, I'd likely die doing it. Doesn't help that now, since he's closer, I could smell him better. I hope whatever made him so wet looking doesn't stick to my fur too much. I haven't met anything the crown couldn't clean off me yet, and I don't want that to change.

My nose crinkled up as I took another breath. I'm still not sure about the smell, it's just so different from anything I've smelled before. I think it's making me feel weird. 'Why's my face heating up? Must be the blood loss.'
"That's the spirit! Now point the way and on we go!" The weird animal spoke again, tone as chipper as before. Is he even aware of what he's doing? Unbelievable.

"Yeah, yeah, gimme a minute." I closed my eyes and took a breath. I could tell him the way back on foot, but that'll take hours, and it's already dusk. Mary, no doubt fidgeting back home. I don't really like worrying her too much. So instead, I used a recently learned trick with my crown. It would leave me tired for the rest of the day, but it's better than trudging for hours and potentially running into more beasts or old faith.

Humming as I made up my mind, I deepened my mind and focused any energy into my crown. Its eye snapped open the same time mine did, burning an icy purple gleam as the ground below us turned to an inky black, trapping his feet like quicksand. The puddle spread out, dark and viscous, swallowing the leaves and dirt beneath.

The puddle began to grow larger, quickly encircling a good area around him. The surface bubbled like it was boiling, yet I know from experience that it felt more cool than it is hot. Bubbles popped on the surface, releasing faint wisps of shadow.

"Oh, uhh, uhm... this is normal, right? He he, please tell me this is normal." He rather anxiously fidgeted in place, conflicted whether to drop me and run or toss me from the goo. His arms tightened around me, eyes wide as he stared at the growing pool.

Unfortunately for him, I can't really spare the focus. So I simply smiled at him. Mary would say that I shouldn't enjoy this... but she's not here now, is she? "Oh, don't you worry about it." I say with a smile so sweet Mary would be proud. Eugh.
Then six pitch black tentacles sprouted out from the puddle, large and wriggling. Each of them latched onto his shoulders and wrapped around his body. They coiled tight, cold and slick, pulling with insistent strength. Then, as his panic became larger, the tentacles dragged him under before he could do or say anything else, while I chuckled in amusement. Soon, the puddle receded back into nothing, leaving no trace from the duo that they were ever there to begin with.

Chapter Text

My paws fidgeted as I weaved another bowl from a set of leaves, setting it aside I let my eyes roam for a moment across the clearing. The cult grounds weren't much yet, just a patch of dirt and grass we'd cleared out from the woods. A few small tents dotted the edges, each one barely big enough for a single follower to crawl inside and sleep. Not fancy, but they kept the rain off. Over by the farm plots, the berries were coming in thick on the bushes we'd planted in neat rows. A scarecrow stood watch there, stitched up to look like Baphy with her horns and purple fleece, though it was lopsided and missing an eye.

It was supposed to scare off birds so they don’t pick at our crops, but mostly it just looked grumpy. The cooking fire pit was right here in the center, a flat stone slab I'd set up myself, with a ring of rocks around it to keep the flames from spreading. Smoke curled up from the low fire I'd started earlier. And then there was the shrine, off to one side. It gave off a faint hum sometimes. The temple was nearby, a simple wooden structure with a peaked roof, big enough for sermons when we gathered the flock. Plain walls, no decorations yet, but that’s something for the future.

No one else seemed worried, and it broke my heart a little. I saw two of our followers working on felling a tree with their axes. The methodical thuds as they swung at it echoed across the clearing, they don't seem to worry at all that one of us isn't here yet. Another I saw was kneeling with her paws clasped together in prayer before the statue of me and Baphy. Looking at her statue for a bit too long, I tore my eyes away from it and instead glared at the flat stone serving as our cooking station. 'She's fine, she'll be fine... she has to be... right?' I think to myself glumly. Gah, why did I let her convince me to go out there alone? Ah, I'm such an idiot! I should've insisted on going with her. What if she ran into trouble? What if she needs help right now? Oh, why do I always second-guess myself like this?

The berries that were picked earlier steadily began to soften, and with a few pokes from a stick, soon broke down. I absent-mindedly poked a few more of them, moving them around so they wouldn't stick and burn. The mixture bubbled on the stone, turning into a thick jam. It was the same thing we'd been eating for days, berries from the plots, mashed up and cooked. Not much variety yet, but it kept everyone fed. I stirred harder, trying to focus on that instead of my worries. A quiet steady thudding got closer, and a gravelly rasp sounded out.

"You seem to be bothered, lamb. What is it that bears heavy on your mind?" Ratau asked me as he stopped and stood beside me. The old rat leaned on his stick, his one good eye fixed on me.

My composure held for just a moment longer before breaking as one of the bowls I weaved came undone when I gripped them too tightly. Leaves scattered across the dirt. “Oooh, she should’ve been back by now, Ratau! What if something terrible happened?” I swiveled my head around to look at him. We're still early in our crusade, and we only started a month or two ago. The flock was small, just a handful of followers we'd rescued so far, and losing Baphy... I couldn't even think about it. What would we do without her?

The old former vessel doesn't seem nearly as worried as I had hoped him to be. His expression only seemed to be that of calmness and confidence. "Fear not, lamb. Do place more faith in your fellow vessel." He closed his eye and hummed for a moment, tapping his stick on the ground.

"It is rare for two vessels to be chosen at a time. The odds are surely in our favor. Why, I'm sure she's clearing up some old faith as we speak." Ratau chuckled for a bit and opened his eye again, a smile graced his muzzle. "She is a lot more ruthless than you give her credit for, lamb. Her skills with an axe is that of a natural."

"That's kind of the reason I was worrying!" The stick I held snapped as I was holding it too tightly. I frowned but continued to move the berries with the now shortened stick. "She is always charging in without thinking! What if she bites off more than she can chew out there?"

I sighed for a moment, muttering an apology over to Ratau. I didn't mean to snap at the former vessel, he was nothing but helpful ever since the two of us met him. Without him, this place would've been a mess. "Baphy's reckless, and she's not one to back off from a fight."

Ratau remained quiet, humming and silently urging me to go on as I now focused my attention on making dinner. The first batch is about done, so I began pouring them into the bowls I made. The jam slopped in, steaming a bit in the cool air. "What if she got captured? What if she got injured so badly she can't get home? What if one of the Bishops got to her!? What if—"

"Please, lamb, calm yourself," Ratau said to me, his voice gentle and calming. "Now take a deep breath, and exhale." He demonstrated, breathing in slow through his nose.

I did as he told and calmed down a little. I had unknowingly almost hyperventilating. But my frown remained on my muzzle. My thoughts were still racing, Baphy out there alone, facing who knows what. The old faith had spies everywhere, and those priests were sneaky.

"Perhaps you should look at it from a more positive angle." He continues in what I had dubbed his teaching voice. Because that's the tone he uses when the two of us first met him and taught us the basics of things. Like the cornerstones of a cult, how to convince people to join us, what we need to maintain it once we got things up and running, Food from the berry plots, shelter in the tents, faith built through prayer at the shrine and it’s importance. He'd drilled it into us day after day, even showed us how to lead a sermon in the temple without stumbling over words. Among other things.

I nodded to myself, my golden bell jingling as I do so, trying to convince myself to try and look at things in a more positive light. "Okay, okay, happy thoughts... positive things.." I took another deep breath, and this time a small smile graced my lips. Maybe she was just taking her time, gathering extra supplies or something.

"So, Ratau, what do you think she's up to out there?" I ask him. He's sure to have some ideas if he suggested to think positively, right? I scooped more jam into bowls, stacking them near the fire pit to keep warm. The stack wobbled a bit, so I steadied it with my paw.

"Well, if I had to guess, perhaps she found a potential new follower on her crusade?" He offered. That does sound possible, but...

"Why isn't the portal opening then? It's been silent ever since she left." I tilt my head to the side for a moment, looking over at the inert stone slab in the clearing. The candles surrounding it were lit but the flames were dim, flickering low like they were waiting too. The slab was flat and gray, carved with faint runes that only glowed when the portal activated.

"That is correct, but there may be the possibility that the encampment was a particularly defended one." He offered his insight back, leaning on his stick as he thought. "She might be handling a bigger group, taking longer to clear them out. Or perhaps she is negotiating with a wanderer, convincing them to join our flock."

"Right, right, uhm... maybe she found some merchants and haggled for hours?" I giggle to myself at imagining her haggling for an item like she's in a market. Knowing her, she might scare them into giving her a discount. She'd probably glare until they handed over extra seeds or tools.

"Again, another possibility," Ratau said with a nod. "Now, are you feeling better, lamb?" He asked once more, his eye crinkling at the corner as he watched me fill another bowl.

"Yeah, I guess so." I nod and hummed a little. The second batch was done now. The bubbling smear of gooey jam ready to be scooped up to another couple of bowls. I filled them quick, the steam rising and carrying that sweet berry smell across the clearing. Some followers glanced over, sniffing the air. One, a fox with red fur, wandered over and took a bowl, bowing low before retreating to sit near the shrine, eating while staring at the statue with reverence.

"Thanks for talking with me, Ratau, and sorry again for uhm.. yelling at you." I said a bit meekly at the end. He really was patient, wasn't he? Standing there all day, giving advice without complaining. even when I was rude with him.

"It is no trouble, lamb. I am merely doing my duty as a guide in his name." He responded with a knowing smile, content that he had managed to calm me down. "In truth, it is quite fortunate that the two of you have a bond as strong as this." Ratau nodded to himself, seemingly pleased and not annoyed at my worrying. He glanced toward the shrine, where the black ichor continued to drip steadily into the basin

"It is a heavy burden to bear a crown. To have that burden shared surely must be a boon." He said in that wise tone of his again, and I guess he's right. There was no way I could do all this by myself, even if Ratau was still there to help me out. There was just so much to do around here. Tending the berry plots, fixing up the tents when they collapsed, leading prayers at the temple to keep faith high.

Sure, the former vessel had plenty of knowledge to share, given that he says he was a vessel himself before me. He'd told stories about his own cult, how he'd built it up from nothing, the mistakes he'd made like not watching the food stores close enough. There's also the fact that he told us that he can't help more than just tell us about things, something about being a guide, bound by rules from the One Who Waits. That unfortunately means we have to do everything by ourselves. No lifting heavy logs or fighting for him, just words of advice, pointed out from the side.

Even when work was helped by Baphy, there were times we couldn't finish things on time or there'd be an issue among our followers that we needed to solve, like that one time two of them argued over who got the bigger tent. All of that weren't even counting that we need to regularly go out to crusade, either for supplies, thinning the old faith, or to gather more followers for the flock. The portal stone only lit up when we brought someone back, and it had been quiet too long.

"Yeah... I couldn't have possibly done it without her." I sighed and let a small smile crept up my muzzle, eyes roamed over to the stone portal we usually came back from. The large stone platform still lay inert, the many candles surrounding it were as dim as the portal platform our followers would typically arrive in. I stared at it, willing it to glow, but nothing happened.

Much as I wanted to stare at it all night, anxiously waiting for her to come back, I can't. Our flock needs food, and I as one of their shepherd must do my duty. I grabbed more bowls, handing them out to the followers who wandered over. They thanked me with bows, heading back to their tents or the shrine to eat.

"Starting a cult of your own is no easy task, lamb. I should know." Ratau gave another smile and a mirthful chuckle. He'd lost his own cult, he said, to some mistake he wouldn't talk about much.

Grabbing one of the filled bowls, I turn over to Ratau. "Here, dinner's done! At least most of it. Can you tell the others they could take a break and eat before they go to bed?" The followers were winding down, some already crawling into their tents.

He took the bowl in his hand and nodded. "Very well, lamb. I shall inform the others." He paused and swirled the jammy soup in his bowl. "After I finished mine, of course." He wryly added, taking a sip of the liquid dinner to his muzzle.

"And do remember, ease that mind of yours. Trust in your fellow vessel." Ratau added as encouragement, patting my shoulder before walking off to the tents.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm not gonna freak out again, Ratau." I giggled to myself. Guess I really did overthink it. 'She's tough. She'll be back any minute now.' I told myself, stirring the last batch. I told myself, stirring the last batch on the stone slab. The bubbles popped slowly, the jam thickening just right.

"That's the spirit!" He nodded in approval. "A leader must be strong, both in body and mind. They must be—"

A low hum seemed to flow through the clearing, and a faint noise of chime seemed to echo around. Making my ears perk up at the noise. The ground vibrated a little, like something big was stirring.

I gasped and swiveled around quickly, eyes locking into the stone slab that were now glowing. The candles surrounding it burning ablaze despite the sweeping gale that seemed to permeate in the air. Purple light pulsed from the center, swirling like smoke.

My hooves were already moving before I even knew it. 'She's here, she's here, she's here!' I think to myself. Ratau said something but I didn't hear it, far too excited to meet her again. I dodged past a tent, nearly tripping over a root, but kept going toward the portal.

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There's always a particular feeling that comes with teleportation, from the cold feeling of the void, it's kind of like being yanked through a stream by the tail, spat out the other end with your insides left behind. Even though I only really mastered the technique a while back and stopped appearing in random places. The tentacles had pulled us under, through that inky nothing, and now we were popping out. My head spun a bit, but I shook it off.

I could say with pride that I’ve gotten used to the gut-swoop by now. But judging by the terrified choking sound coming from under and the tight grip on my body, he never experienced something like that before. Ted's arms squeezed around me like he thought we were drowning, his breath coming in short gasps, his breath coming in short gasps that I could feel against my wool.

Heh, he probably thought we'd been captured or worse. Though I did tell him not to worry about it earlier. Err.. I did, right? Eh, pretty sure I did. And I’d give more than just a chuckle if it won't rattle my ribs more than it did. Definitely cracked one or two back there. The pain throbbed with each breath, sharp where that priest had stabbed me.

The moment I felt the cool evening breeze brush against my face, which was certainly a welcome reprieve from the scorching day rays earlier I knew we were back. The air here was cleaner, though still tinged with smoke from the cookfires. The cult grounds spread out around us: the stone portal slab cooling down behind us, candles flickering back to normal. Small tents scattered around, tepee-shaped things for the followers to crash in. The farm plots off to one side, berry bushes heavy with fruit under that stupid scarecrow that looked like a bad copy of me. The shrine loomed nearby, that big statue of me and Mary standing side to side, our hands clasped between us and the other two stretched out to the sides. Black ichor dripped from the eyes into the pool at the base, that shallow basin where followers sometimes dipped their paws for blessings. And the temple, plain wood but sturdy, with its peaked roof where we did sermons to keep everyone in line and faith high.

A sweet scent wafted through the air, making my nose twitch in excitement. Mary must've gotten started on making dinner already. My nose twitched again as I got another sniff, berries again by the smell of it. Normally I'd gotten sick of the taste after eating it for weeks in a row. But right now I didn't care, because I was so ready to just eat and fall asleep for the next day and a half. My legs felt like stones, and the webbing residue still itched on my hands.

"Oh my God! I thought I was gonna die back there." Ted heaved and took in a large gulp of air. He staggered a bit, still holding me in his arms like he forgot I was there.

His sputtering brought me back from my musing, my eyes opening with much more effort than I would've liked. Looks like that did take a lot out of me, the teleport had drained what little reservoir I had left. "Oh, relax, will you?" I rolled my eyes at him. Really, he's brave enough to run head first into an old faith encampment but he's scared of a little magic? The guy's got weird priorities.

"Easy for you to say." He narrowed his eyes down at me. "I swear I could still feel them slithering up to me." His arms pressed closer to his chest, inadvertently lightly squishing me up against him. His shirtless skin was warm and I could feel the hard muscle under it from whatever he did before ending up here.

"O-oi! You forgetting something?" I tiredly say, unable to muster more energy than I wanted. My voice came out rough and quiter than I’d like.

He looked down at me, to see my arms crossed in front of my chest expectantly. 'Well, go on then, put me down already.' I thought to myself as I stared up at him, hoping that he'd get the damn hint. The cult grounds were quiet now, most followers probably eating or heading to their tents.

He blinked for a moment before understanding graced his eyes. "Ah, right." Then he crouched down so that he's lowering me to my hooves. His movements were careful, like he did not want to drop me and make my injuries worse.

The moment my hooves touched the ground, I tried to straighten up my back and stretch. Key word there being tried, since I stumble forward immediately. My legs buckled, the world tilting as fatigue hit hard. Damn it, guess I was more tired than I thought I was. Though before my face could meet the dirt, Ted moved his arm in front of me.

The long limb meeting my chest and firmly grasped my shoulder before he righted me. Strong arm sinking into my wool, though luckily not enough to aggravate my wounds. The stab spot twinged anyway, blood crusted under my wool.

"You uhh alright there, buddy?" He asked with concern, as I struggled to stay standing. Only managing to do so marginally as I swayed from time to time. He kept his hand steady, propping me up, propping me up like I was some weakling and it grated on me.

'Oh, we're buddies now, are we?' Awfully quick on that, isn't he? I think to myself. Ugh, at least he and Mary would get along swimmingly, both of them too damn nice for their own good. "Ish fine... I'm fine." I say as I held onto him for support. Ugh, I must’ve been weaker than I thought. The clearing spun a little, tents blurring with the berry plots in the distance.

'Okay, I better go and find Mary. I'm willing to bet that she's fidgeting in place somewhere, wait... what's that sound?' My inner thoughts interrupted by what sounds like something rapidly stampeding towards us. Hooves pounding the ground, fast and light, kicking up small clods of dirt.

I turned towards the noise to see a white blur speeding towards us... towards me specifically. Mary, fleece bouncing and bell jingling as she ran full tilt from the fire pit.

“Ack—oh no, don’t you—” I say to her, steady enough on my hooves that I have to get some distance between me and Ted. But that didn't make much of a difference, as she barrelled into me like a wooly battering ram. Her arms wrapped around my neck, momentum knocking us both over.

I let out a grunt as I hit the ground, back first. Pain shot up my bruised ribs, making me see spots. “Mary! Gerroff me!” Her weight and my lack of balance resulting in both of us tumbling to the ground with a thud. Dirt kicked up, grass sticking to my fur. The impact jarred my wounds, making me hiss through my teeth.

But she didn’t let go. Of course she didn’t. Her face buried into my matted fur as she sobbed against me, her arms wrapped around my side. While I was trying to shove her off me with my arms. "Get—off—damn it!"

But as always, Mary was stronger than she looks. “Huuu, Baphy! I was so worried! Where were you?! You were gone for so long!” Her voice muffled against my fleece, tears soaking in her wool.

I squirmed in her grasp, trying to pry her off with a mix of annoyance and mild panic. “Agh—I’m fine, you dolt! Now get off!” I pushed at her shoulders, but my arms felt like jelly. The cult followers nearby paused, watching us with curious eyes before going back to their bowls of dinner, some chuckling softly at the sight

She finally pulled her face back, just barely enough to peer into mine, and her gasp was so dramatic I swear it echoed around the clearing. Her big black eyes widened, pupils widening.

“You’re hurt!” she said, touching my blackened eye gently. I winced in response, it may have started to heal but it still stings a little when touched. The swelling throbbed under her paw.

“It’s just a scratch,” I muttered, trying to sit up. But it's pretty much useless with me tired as I am, and Mary still on top of me. "Seriously, get off before you crush my ribs more."

“FINE? You were gone for three whole days, Baphy! That is not fine!” She practically screamed at my face. Uhh, was I really gone for that long? I could've sworn I only took out a couple encampments before I was ambushed. Time blurred out there, fight after fight, dodging arrows, summoning curses until fervor ran dry, then moving on to the next camp.

I was about to argue. Sure, I may have gotten a bit carried away and maybe I lost track of time a little. "Look, I was busy hacking through those old faith bastards. You know how it is, one camp leads to another, and next thing you know, the sun has set a few times." I grumbled, shifting under her weight to ease the pressure on my side.

Mary's eyes softened a bit, but she did not budge, her paws still on my shoulders. "But three days? I thought you would be back by nightfall, or at least the next morning. What if you had been trapped? Or worse?" Her voice cracked, and she hugged tighter, making me groan louder as my cracked ribs protested.

"Damn it, Mary, ease up. My side is killing me." I pushed again, this time with a bit more force, but she held on like a vine wrapped around a tree.

The soft tapping of a wooden stick against ground signaled the arrival of another, that's when Ratau came into view. I could barely see him from all the Mary in front of my face, but I could recognize that old rat anywhere. He cleared his throat for a moment then spoke. “Lamb… perhaps we should address the larger matter at hand,” Ratau intoned, though his eye darted to the side of me.

Right.... I wasn't alone when I got back, was I? Ted was still standing there, so I craned my neck to look, and there he was. Still there and a bit out of it, but the guy was obviously taking in the sight. I get that the clearing looked... functional, even I could admit that much. Tents, fire pit, berry plots with that dumb scarecrow, the shrine dripping ichor, the temple waiting for the next sermon. But is it just me or does he looked more anxious than I thought? Maybe it was wonder? From what he told me before, this must've been the first friendly place he's been to.

Though he is staring rather intensely at the direction where our statues should be, well they are pretty to look at. At least that's what I assumed he was looking at; a bit hard to look at things when there's a lamb in my face. The ichor pool reflected the candlelight, making the whole thing glow faintly in the darkening clearing.

It was at this moment that Mary turned her head over to him, still a bit watery. She sniffled a little more before wiping her face on her forearm. “Baphy,” Mary whispered quietly beside me, tone a bit shyer now that she noticed there were someone else watching us. “Who… who is that?”

I sighed, my breath coming out ragged from the pain. “Okay, first of all, stop calling me that. And second… that's Ted." I say, thumbing over where he is. My thumb jerked weakly in his direction.

"That's me." He confirmed with a nod, his smile not wavering one bit. He shifted his weight, his torn pants rustling, the frayed edges dirty from the forest.

"Ted, huh?" Mary echoed out, her face still looking a bit on the shyer side of things. She finally loosened her grip a little, but didn't get off yet, her weight still pinning me.

Another nod of confirmation from him.

"So, how did you and Baphy meet?" She asked out. Wait, did she forget where she is? Still pinning me down like a sack.

"Well—" Ted was about to answer when I not so subtly coughed out loud, which caught all party's attention to me. Good.

"Let me stop you right there. Before the two of you—" I glared at both Ted and Mary, who was still clinging to me for whatever reason. "—talked each other's ears off, would you mind stop sitting on me?" My ribs ached damn it.

She looked at me for a moment, blinked then down to where her arms were still wrapped around my chest. And back to my face.

“Oh! Right! Eheh... sorry!” Mary sheepishly said before she finally clambered off me and dusted herself from tumbling me over, brushing grass from her wool. She was still wobbling slightly with nervous energy, her bell jingling. Then she trotted forward toward the human with a well-meaning smile. She smoothed her red fleece, the fabric falling neatly over her shoulders.

Meanwhile, I took a deep breath and rested my head back down on the grass. Much as I am glad to be back, Mary can be overwhelming at times. The cool grass felt good against my wool, easing the bruises a bit.

It was then Ratau, the old rat, looked down at me and hummed. "Quite the injuries you have sustained there, goat." He intoned, his lone eye roamed over to the stains and matted wool that covered me. Blood crusted on my side, webbing bits still stuck here and there.

"Oh, shut it. You don't know what happened back there!" I snapped at him, but he only chuckled. Damned old coot, I'd do something else if I wasn't so damn tired. My eyes felt heavy, the day's fight catching up.

"In that case, do enlighten me." He urged me to go on, tapping his stick impatiently.

"The old faith are making a move." I closed my eyes, remembering the encampment and those I demolished before it. Priests aren't supposed to be seen this much, far as I knew, they loved to pull strings from afar. "Been seeing a lot more priests than I should've."

"That is... troubling news indeed." Ratau slowly said, nodding as he does so. "If the priests of Darkwood are rousing up, then Leshy must be up to something. If not, then his disciples—"

"Silk Cradle." I interrupted him.

Ratau paused and stared at me more intently. "Agh huh? I beg your pardon?" He sputtered for a moment, worry and confusion clear in his tone. His stick trembled a bit in his paw.

"The priests... they're from Silk Cradle. Not Darkwood." I spat the words out, the memory still fresh in my mind. That spider bastard gloating, his claws digging in.

"Whuh.. huh... what!?" Ratau seemed to be taken aback. Heh, looks like he's not all stoic after all, huh? His fur bristled under his hood.

"Yup." I said again, confirming what must been his fears. The implications sucked, priests from different bishops crossing each others territories meant big trouble.

"Priests of Shamura.... in Darkwood?" He repeated quietly, as if not believing the words themselves. He paced a little, stick thumping.

"Uh huh." I yawned, the exhaustion pulling harder.

"Are you going to tell me more about this... disturbing development?" Ratau now loomed over me, his aged face looks somehow older now. Wrinkles deeper, eye wider as he leaned in.

I thought about it for a moment, my eyes remained closed as I do. I could tell him all about it right now. The ambush, the webs, the gloating priest. But then I'd have to do it again when Mary comes back, and I just don’t have the energy for it right now. "Nah, not now." I say to him, deciding that this would be the best thing to do. Well, best for my headache, that is.

Ratau doesn't sound like that's what he expected to hear, based on the choking noise he made. "What do you mean not now!?" He leaned in closer, stick poking my arm.

He continued to scream out. Ugh, can't he panic a bit quieter? "This could mean the bishops are allying closer, or expanding! We need details... their numbers, their plans!"

"Later. I'll have to tell Mary anyway. So might as well do it then." I shrugged and moved my arms behind my head. The grass is nice and cool, but my arms should do for pillows right now. I settled in, ignoring the prods from his stick.

"You cannot be serious..." Ratau said, voice deadpanning at me.

"I can and I am. Now wake me up when Mary’s done fawning over the new guy or whatever it is she's doing right now." I yawned and shooed him away with a paw. My crown felt heavy, the purple eye dim and barely open.

"By the One, you're serious..." The smack of a palm to a face was heard. "Goat, please, you need to tell me more. This is of the utmost emergency. Goat? Goat!?"

My ears pressed flat against my head as I droned him out. Ahh, I think I deserve a bit of nap time after all that shit. At least most of our flock were asleep now... ugh, I do hate opening a portal while low on fervor. Puts too much strain on the crown, and my head in my opinion. The tents were quiet, fire pit dying down. I let the sounds fade, drifting off while Ratau kept poking and muttering.

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Okay, okay, Mary... deep breath, biiig smile. You're friendly, be approachable. You got this! Totally... yep! I smoothed my fleece again, bell jingling softly. "Hi there! I'm Mary. That one there is Ratau, and over there is Baphy! Who I'm sure you've met before."

First pointing to myself before gesturing towards Baphy, who was still laying on the ground. Hmm, I'll need to tell her to get up soon, she'll catch a cold if she sleeps outside like that. And Ratau, which is standing over Baphy, seemingly talking to one another, though about what I couldn't really make out the details of. He looked worried, poking her with his stick.

I enthusiastically said, turning back to meet the strange animal Baphy brought back with her. My eyes trailing up.. and up.. and oh geez, he's a lot bigger up close, isn't he? He has to be at least a full head taller than me. No fur except on his head and face, skin exposed like he'd never worn a proper robe. 'What kind of creature is he? So tall and... bare. Does he not get cold without fur?'

"Well, like I said before." He started off, then crouched down so that he's staring me eye to eye. Looking at it, I noticed that they look blue as the sky, and the pupils are rounded, unlike mine and Baphy. Odd, but kind of nice.

He thrust his hand forward, the motion startling me out of my daze. I stared at the limb, the way his smooth looking paw, free of any fur, the way five digits together formed an open hand. No claws, just blunt ends.

"I'm Ted!" He said in a friendly tone. I guess I'm lucky that he's not hostile or overly scared of us. It's a welcome change of pace really, most folks we meet are either old faith or scared wanderers.

I stared at the offered limb for a moment before grasping it with my own. His fingers closed around mine. 'They're quite smooth, but also a bit calloused. Ooh, firm and muscly too.' I think to myself. Maybe he was a farm hand before this? Or a builder? "Nice to meet you, Ted!" I say as I shook his hand up and down enthusiastically. My bell jingled with the motion.

"Likewise. Hmm, firm grip you got there, your highness." I blinked then quickly let go of his hand. Oh dear... did I grab it too hard? Was I hurting him? 'Oh no, what if he thinks I'm too rough?'

Then something he said clicked. Did he call me your highness? Oh gosh, did he think I was royalty? Slowly a blush crept up my face, my eyes breaking contact and looked over to the side. My paws fidgeted, twisting together.

"Oh please... I'm nothing like royalty." My voice came out a bit meek, redness seeping into my cheeks as I twiddle with my fingers. 'Why would he say that? Is it the crown? Or the fleece?'

He smiled at my response, then it curled a bit more at the edge as it gained a teasing glint to them. "Well, you certainly could've fooled me." His admission made me shuffle from hoof to hoof. I couldn't help it, alright! What kind of girl wouldn't want to be considered royalty? It was flattering, but confusing.

I giggled a little. "Do you uhm.. mean that? I mean! What makes you think that I'm... royalty?" I stuttered a little but managed to get the words out in the end. My mind raced—what if he was from some far-off land where crowns meant queens?

Ted chuckled, the sound lingered in my ears. "Well, I'd say the crown is a good indicator. Looks kinda similar to the one Baphomet have, now that I think about it." He leaned in a bit, eyeing it.

I blinked at that. Oh... I guess that is true. My blush was dimming down by this point. But before I could say anything else, his face got closer to mine. Thankfully, his attention was on my crown. "Neat looking thing... a family heirloom?" I was about to answer when he shrieked and fell on his rear. The red eye had blinked, staring back at him.

"What happened? What's wrong?" I asked with a small frown. 'Oh no. Did I do something wrong?' A small thought crept into my mind. Had I screwed it up? Scared him off before he even joined?

He waved me off with a hand. "Nothing, nothing... that eye spooked me a little, that's all." He chuckled and shook his head. "I guess I should've seen that one coming. She did have a similar thing with her crown." He hummed after seemingly remembering something, brushing dirt off his pants.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Praise the One, he wasn't scared by it... just surprised that’s all. He might really join our flock! I mean, I haven't even brought it up yet, but I'm sure me and Baphy could convince him! 'Okay, stay calm. Ask about him first.'

Unaware of my inner turmoil, he chuckled and let out a relieved sigh. "Man, I know I told Baphomet earlier that I was glad to meet someone civilized. But, boy, I can't stress that enough."

I tilt my head to the side at that. "What do you mean?" He looks kinda dirty, but he talks just as well as anyone does. Though that begs the question, why is he barely dressed in rags? His pants were torn, no shirt... just exposed skin with scratches and bruises.

"Oh, you know... just that I've literally not talked to anyone in like... uhh, I want to say close to a week?" He seemed to think while scratching the little fur he has on his face. The stubble rasped under his fingers.

"I thought I was gonna go crazy." He chuckles and shook his head. "I mean, I was thiiis close to find a coconut or something and start talking to it instead." He emphasized his point by nearly pinching his fingers together and narrowing his eyes into slits. Geez, he must’ve had a really rough time until now. Wait...

"What's a coconut?" That got him to pause for a moment, closing his mouth before raising a finger and speaking again. I'd never heard of it, maybe from beyond the lands?

"Well, it's a kind of fruit uhm... hard shell but good on the inside. Plenty of uses for it too." I nod and follow along, even if I never heard of such a thing. Maybe some sort of exotic food? 'Sounds useful. Wonder if we could grow them here.'

"Anyhow, where was I.." He got to his thinking pose again. "First people I've met... coconuts.... ah yes! Do your people have a war going on, or is there just a tribe of genocidal people lurking in the forest?"

Genocidal... oh, he's talking about the old faith! "You mean the old faith?" The ones who'd hunted us down, sacrificed our kinds.

"I think so. Pretty sure Baphomet told me that before too." He nodded to himself, then his nose crinkled up. He sniffed the air, head turning toward the fire pit where the last batch still sat on the stone slab.

"Hey, is it just me or does anyone else smell burning?"

I frowned and took a sniff of the air. Burning? The only thing that was supposed to do anything with fire was the fire pit and— "The berries!"

I sped away towards where the fire pit was, my hooves trampling the grass as fast as I could. 'Aaaah, how could I forget!?' I yelled to myself in my head. The last batch—I'd left it on the stone!

Arriving at the site, I could see smoke rising from the stone I was using to cook the berries in. Working quickly, I grabbed a nearby stick to pour the now burnt jam into a bowl. The mixture was black at the edges, stuck hard.

"Ah ah, hot hot hot!" I juggled the bowl in my hand for a bit before steadying it in my paws. At least it didn't spill... but it looked awful, charred and bitter-smelling.

I stared at the bowl of burnt berries glumly, when I heard footsteps approaching. But my focus was on the bowl of food I had just ruined. 'Oh no, what a waste. And with Baphy back, she needs to eat...'

"So, I'm guessing that was dinner?" His voice startled me, and I almost dropped the bowl but caught it in time. Ted stood there, peering over my shoulder.

"Y-yeah..." I quietly say. I was thankful that everyone already ate... there's still bowls unclaimed, and I could simply heat those up. But this one's ruined. "And I haven't given you or Baphy anything to eat yet.. this was supposed to be for you two." I mumbled quietly

"Aww, don't be so down." An arm patted my shoulder as he said so, a shadow loomed over me. His hand was gentle, but I still flinched a bit.

"Besides, it doesn't look that bad to me." He must be joking—it's burnt. The top was crusted black.

"I can't give you this!" I gasped at him, moving the bowl away from my body. I know it'll taste bitter, and bad, and-

"Yoink." He then used that long arm of his and simply snatched the bowl out of my grasp.

"Aaaaaa, don't eat that!" I protested, trying to grab the bowl out of his hand. But he simply raised it higher, chuckled, and tossed a handful of the charred bits into his mouth. He chewed, making a face but swallowing.

I stared at him, definitely not pouting as he chewed the ruined meal. 'How can he eat that? It must taste awful!'

"See, still edible." He claimed like it was a natural thing. "I'd say that gave it a nice crunch to it." He smacked his lips, like he was proving a point.

"I can't believe you'd eat that." I muttered and looked away. 'Now I feel even worse... he's eating burnt food because of my mistake.'

He shrugged. “Far from the worst thing I’ve eaten before. Trust me. You’d be surprised what qualifies as ‘dinner’ when you’re lost in the woods for days.” He handed the bowl back, half-empty now.

My lips pressed into a thin line, but a small laugh escaped despite myself. He looked so smug about it. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re being too hard on yourself.” He countered easily, tilting his head toward the spare bowls. “So why don’t you heat one of those up for your friend, eh? She’ll need plenty of food and rest to even begin healing.”

He has a point... I sighed and poured out one of the made bowls back into the stone. My crown's eye opening and spitting a small spark of fire to make the fire pit hot again. The flames licked up, warming the jam quick.

After a few minutes of quiet tending, I scooped the warmed berries back into a bowl. It's getting late, and the stars are already out. I'll have to patch Baphy up proper come morning, clean the wounds, maybe use some camelia we had stored. I balanced the bowl carefully in my paws and walked toward where Baphy was sprawled out. The grass bent flat beneath her like she’d simply melted into the ground. Her chest rose and fell in slow, heavy breaths, while Ratau looked to be in a frantic little panic, muttering to himself and poking at Baphy's cheek with his stick.

“Lamb! Oh, thank goodness you’re back!” He blurted as soon as I came into view, hopping toward me with wide eye. “She said something about being ambushed by priests from Silk Cradle... Silk Cradle! And then... then she just shut her eyes! She hasn’t moved since! She won’t even tell me what she meant!”

I sighed and kneeled down, placing the bowl near her face and let the smell wafted over. "C'mon, Baphy. I know you're hungry." I say in a sing-song voice. The steam carried the berry scent right to her nose, sweet and warm.

Her nose twitched, once, twice, then she opened her eyes. "Ah, dinner's here? About time." She didn't even flinch and quickly took the bowl from my hands and chugged down the jammy soup. She slurped it fast, the red mush dripping a bit on her chin.

She finished in mere moments, then she let out a belch and rubbed her mouth with her hand. "Urrp, that was good. Now I'm off to bed. See you all tomorrow." She set the bowl down, pushing up on her elbows with a groan.

Baphy was halfway to getting up when I gripped her shoulder. "Baphy.... aren't you forgetting something? Something you want to tell us about, hmm." I sweetly say to her, my eyes thinning to a line. 'She can't just drop that and nap!'

She groaned and sighed. "Ugh, can't we do this tomorrow? Preferably after breakfast?" Her voice dragged, eyes half-lidded as she rubbed her temple.

I wanted to demand her to tell us right now, but after looking at her again... oh geez, she's really tired, isn't she? Bags under her eyes, fur matted with dirt and blood. I breathed in, then out. "Okay... okay, tomorrow. But don't you forget it, missy!" I chided her and poked her in the cheek.

She batted my hand away and grumbled. "Yeah, yeah. I'll tell you allll about it tomorrow." Baphy yawned and staggered away to our tent, hooves dragging in the grass. The tent was bigger than the others, shared between us, simple cloth taken from the old faith over poles, but with room enough for two.

I watched her head over half asleep, I then let out a sigh and gave Ratau an apologetic look. "Sorry, Ratau... I guess it's for the best we save it up for tomorrow, alright?" 'He looks so worried. What could Silk Cradle priests mean?'

He seemed deflated, but understood as he gave a nod. "As you wish, lamb." Then he shuffled away to his temporary hut near the outskirts of our clearing, a small shack he'd built himself, away from the main tents.

'That's one more thing to worry about tomorrow...' I think to myself. Now all that's left was to head to bed myself. Turning around, I almost bumped into Ted, who was watching with an amused smile on his face. He'd followed me over, quiet on his feet.

Ted... who didn't have a bed yet... oooh crud. My stomach dropped. “O-oh no!” I gasped, my paws flying up to my mouth. “You don’t even have a place to sleep yet, do you? I should have thought of it sooner!” The tents were all full, and we hadn't built extras yet.

He waved a hand, brushing it off with that easygoing tone of his. “Don’t sweat it. I’ve roughed it out before. One more night under the stars won’t kill me.” He glanced at the grass, like it was no big deal.

But the guilt sat heavy in my chest, like a stone. “Still… it’s not right,” I mumbled, ears drooping. "I can’t just let you… lie out here in the dirt like some… some beggar!" 'He's our guest! Maybe even a new follower. I have to do something.' I resolutely think to myself.

Before he could protest again, I felt the Crown stir atop my head, its single eye peeling open with a slow, deliberate blink. A warm thrum coursed down into my chest, and I exhaled, letting it flow through me. The air shimmered faintly, carrying a scent like hot metal and incense. I focused on the power, drawing from the faith we'd built up in the shrine.

Ted gave a startled yelp as his boots left the grass, his body lifting a few inches into the air. “W-woah woah—hey, wait a second—!” His arms flailed, eyes wide.

A soft glow enveloped him, crackling at the edges like embers before bursting outward in a brief flash. When it faded, his nonexistent tunic had been replaced. A soft robe of deep red fell against him, reaching his shins. It opened at the front, with a small line of buttons at the collar held it neatly together. Down the front trailed an inverted triangle of white, framed by tiny drops of white paint that looked almost like tears dripping down. Simple, but warm. Our cult colors, to make him fit in.

He blinked, and then slowly touched the new fabric with his free hand. His eyes widened, darting from the robe back to me. "What... how did you...?"

“There,” I said, rubbing my arm sheepishly. “It’s not much, but… it should help keep you warm tonight.” The Crown's eye closed, the drain hitting me, making me a bit more tired.

Ted’s mouth opened like he wanted to say something, then shut again. After a long moment, he let out a shaky laugh and gave me a very awkward thumbs up. "That... was certainly something... do remind me next time before you go on ahead and magicked me up, alright?"

There was a shakiness to his voice that I couldn't place. I would've thought about it more, but I'm feeling rather drained for the day. The magic took more out of me than expected, leaving me a bit light-headed.

“Anyway. I hope it’s comfortable.” I mumbled to him, glancing at the robe. It fit him okay, even with his height.

“Yeah,” He said softly, still smiling, still looking down at the robe in disbelief. “Yeah, it is.” He tugged at the collar, testing the fabric.

Satisfied, though a little embarrassed, I let the Crown’s eye fall shut again. The magic’s weight slipped away. “Goodnight, Ted,” I murmured, voice quieter than I meant. 'Tomorrow—build him a tent first thing. And hear Baphy's story.'

And with that, I padded back toward the tent I shared with Baphy, my heart still beating a little faster than normal. Tomorrow, I promised myself, I’d make things up to him properly. The clearing was dark now, stars out, fire pit embers glowing low. I ducked into the tent, Baphy already snoring inside. Sleep came slow, thoughts swirling about priests and this new stranger.

Chapter Text

I smiled and watched the little ewe retreat back to her tent, which left me with.. the grass again. Great, 'well at least she gave me a wardrobe change' I wryly thought to myself, the smile slowly leaving my face once they're out of view

With a sigh I sat down on the grass, it's quite a bit colder in the clearing compared to the forest. I guess that's to be expected, looking around it started to dawn on me just how.... lost I am, most of the residents here retreated to their tent. Which looked decent enough to sleep in 'I wonder if I'll get one of my own' I mused to myself, that is if I decided to stay. The tents dotted the edges of the clearing, leaving the center open around the fire pit, which was just a flat stone slab ringed with rocks, embers still glowing low from earlier.

Nothing look similar, the only recognizable symbols were the upside down crosses on those fanatics, and something that looked worryingly close to a pentagram. I... I don't even want to think about what that implies, occult stuff, maybe? All this existential dread and thinking got me tired, so I decided to take my mind off it for just a moment. First, I took off my pack and set it in front of me.

It's practically half of what it used to be, which was a backpack that got shredded when it got caught in a branch. At least I found some sewing kit from an abandoned camp, in hindsight I probably shouldn't be poking around there now that I know some murderous fanatics are roaming the area. Those camps had been eerie, littered with scattered bones, weird altars, and robes stained with what I’m pretty sure was blood.

Doing a quick inventory check I found what I was looking for, there's little left there. A lighter which is almost empty, some berries that I'll probably throw out tomorrow, smoked pieces of those worms I’d hunted back in the woods and a few strips of bird meat, also smoked. That I managed to hit with a sling. The worms had been gross at first, but hunger made them palatable after cooking over a small fire. I wasn’t even sure if they’re edible at first, well it hadn’t give me the runs yet so they should’ve been fine

A phone that's either dead or slowly dying, as I'd turned it off to save battery, not that it'd do me any good without a charging port. And I doubted they'd have an outlet out here; everything screamed low-tech. Next was my wallet that I hesitated to even look at right now. Flipping it open would just remind me of home... ID, cards, a photo. So I pushed it aside and found my notebook

Flipping over the pages I'd filled with what things I knew were edible, sketches of berries that didn't kill me, and a crude map filled with landmarks or scratches I'd made in trees so I wouldn't go in circles during my trek through the endless woods

Finding a blank page I chewed on the end of it while thinking what to write, I could write about my thoughts as usual... but I decided against it, 'not tonight' I'd think to myself

Instead, I jotted down what I'd learned today, from the apparently quite diverse cast of animal people around. Notes on things like how none of them seemed to have ever even heard of something like me before. Then I added bits of doodled drawings of Mary, Baphomet, and the little hamlet that was made in the clearing. Mary's sketch came out fluffy and wide-eyed, her crown with that red eye staring back from the page. Baphomet looked sharper, horns curving forward, her purple crown and fleece similar but with a different vibe. Granted none of them was in color since I only had a pencil. The clearing I drew as a rough layout: the tepee tents around the edges, the fire pit in the center, the farm plots with berry bushes and that lopsided scarecrow that looked like a goofy version of Baphomet, the shrine with its big statue of the two leaders back-to-back, hands clasped and arms outstretched, black goo dripping from the eyes into a basin below, it hummed faintly even now, like it was alive. And the temple, a wooden structure with a peaked roof, plain but big enough for gatherings.

I couldn't help but to imagine the place this was before, from the faint signs I noticed. It's clear that this used to be a proper settlement, from the crumbling stone statues on the outskirts riddled with moss, to the pentagram etched into stone slabs.... wait pentagram?

My eyes widened for a bit, panic seeping into them for a second, and I'm glad I was alone at the time so no one saw me panicking

'Okay okay calm down for a second' I think to myself and took a breath 'The pentagram were used by a lot of civilizations during the ages, so I can't chalk this one up to be demonic or something. I can't assume they're bad or cursed right off the gate' I'd convince myself, drawing a quick sketch of one to note the details, there’s five points, inverted, but maybe it meant something else here.

I'll have to ask around and cross reference things with what I know... man I wish I brought some proper books, 'Ugh why can't I be sent here with Wikipedia or something?' I groaned out in frustration

Giving the area another once over, the moon and clear sky giving me just enough light to see when I squinted my eyes, I noted that the little hamlet seemed to be a small settlement. Barely counted as one, with the biggest building being the temple with wooden walls, no windows, just an open door for entry. Then there was the shrine, off to one side, that statue looming taller than me, the black ichor still dripping slowly into the basin

It looks... odd to say the least, I mean is it part fountain or something? I mean it has to be for that black sludge to pour out of their... eye sockets and into the basin below, whatever it is I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to go near it

Everything else seemed incredibly simple, from the plots they use to farm, the scarecrow, or the fact that they only have a single crop right now, those berries that grew wild in the forest. I'd seen similar ones during my trek, sweet, a bit tart but filling nonetheless.

There's also areas near the outskirts that seemed to be some sort of lumber yard, with axes left leaning against logs, and a quarry of sorts, with picks stacked nearby, rocks piled for building.

So if I had to guess, this world would be akin to the middle ages. Either bronze age or iron age to be specific, I sighed again and jotted down more notes in my book. I should have plenty of pages left, but once that's used up I'll have to learn how to make paper... joy, or I could just chisel on rocks, maybe carve into wood or something. At least that'll be less complicated

I shook my head, just more things to worry about in the future. For now I looked over to the tents, especially the biggest one that held my savior. Or technically I saved her but then she brought me here... it doesn't matter, point is those two are probably the most important figures here

Humming I thought back about those two, especially about what they could do. Those crowns seemed pretty much attached to them, even when Mary had bowled over Baphomet, which was adorable that the two cared about each other. The thing didn't even fall off her head

Then there's the obvious elephant in the room, magic. These people seemed to use magic for things as no one seemed surprised when something obviously magical happened, though I wonder what kind of category those two would fell into?

Did they learn their magics the same way wizards do with tomes? Maybe they're born with it like sorcerers and the crowns act as a focus, or maybe... they're warlocks with a pact with something greater and their crowns became their conduit

'Oh man I might be losing it, this isn't dungeons and dragons... is it?' I chuckled for a moment, but then contemplated again 'Or maybe...' a thought came to my mind, one related to sailors and celestial bodies

'Are those two... magical girls?' The thought stuck to me, I wasn't the most versed in them but even I watched sailor moon once or twice before when I was a kid. Now granted, I wasn't the most knowledgeable on the topic. Heck even what I could remember about it is fuzzy at best, but then again... from what I could recall they at least tick off a couple of boxes

The crown is one thing, pretty sure they have all have some sort of magical artifact, then there's the fact that they look like mascots. I think that's an important part of it, of course there's the obvious magic part of it

I chuckled and quickly dispelled the thoughts, as funny of a theory as that would be. I don't think that's the case, though I'll say it now that I won't be surprised if they got some sort of magical transformation under their sleeves, still... they do look adorable I'll give them that much. With their wool, colourful fleece and crown, even topped off with jingling bells.

With that train of thought out of the way, I looked up to the sky above. It's beautiful tonight, the sky's clear. No cloud in sight, the moon glowing from its crescent shape, and would you look at that. Stars, without light pollution they really do look beautiful, denser than I'd ever seen back home.

Except... when I looked upon them closer, it became increasingly clearer how out of place I am 'The Orion is nowhere to be seen... there's a faint chance that I'm simply where it's not visible, but the chance of that is slim to none' I try to suppress a sigh when the heavy thought came to my mind, but it came out anyway. No Big Dipper, no familiar patterns just alien constellations twinkling in the sky above.

God just where the hell am I? Is this the afterlife? Was I kidnapped by aliens? If so then why do most of them look like Saturday morning cartoon characters? Hell even the oversized worms in the woods can look disarmingly adorable at an angle, from far away, preferably without looking at its mouth

Feeling exhaustion creeping in, I looked down again. Seeing my notes half filled out, and deciding that would be enough writing for the day.

Putting it back inside my pack, I fluffed it up as best I could and laid it behind my head. It's not the most comfortable pillow and would most likely give me neck pain.... again, but then what can you do. Deciding to leave tomorrow's problem for tomorrow's me, I closed my eyes and slept. Silently hoping that I'd wake up in my bed.

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The incessant chirping of birds grated on my ears even as I press them against my head, why couldn't they just shut up in the morning!? The sounds echoed through the tent, bouncing off the cloth walls.

I try to fall back to sleep, forcing my eyes shut and willing myself back to the land of dreams. That would probably work, if not for the finger poking at my cheek

"Baphy.. c'moon wake uuup" An annoying voice kept speaking next to me, even when I groaned and turned to the side, pulling my fleece over my head.

Someone let out a gasp, I'd wager it was Mary "Wha... Baphy! It's morning, get up! Already" Damn that early riser, doesn't she realize by now that not everyone is willing to get up at dawn like her?

"Mary... I swear to all that is holy, let me sleep. I bet the sun's not even out yet" I hissed through clenched teeth, turning around once more and covering my ears with my arms. The mat under me was lumpy from woven leaves, but it was better than the ground.

"Not out!? What!?" Mary sputtered and doubled her efforts to wake me, tugging at my fleece "The sun's been shining for a while, can't you see?" I assume she'd been pointing at something, but I still held my eyes shut

"No I can't, because our tent doesn't have any windows" I deadpanned at her after finally giving in to her insistence and looking her in the eyes. The tent was dim, light filtering through the seams

She blinked before realization dawned on her, then she seemed to took it as a challenge. As soon after she flipped the tent wide open, letting the morning sun rays beaming into the once dark tent, hitting me square in the face.

"Gah my eyes! Mary what the fuck!?" I screeched out when the sun's blinding rays hit my eyes, fuck that stings. My eyes feel like they've been blinded

Mary simply tutted "We have plenty of things to do today missy and we're burning daylight, c'mon already!" She insisted once more, her golden bell jingling as she shifted.

Getting up with a groan, I glared balefully at her while she still kept up that stupidly wide smile of hers "There you interrupted my sleep... happy now?"

Mary rolled her eyes at me "Oh now you're being dramatic, come on we have so much to do today!" She said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster, which to my current annoyance is a lot.

"Oh yeah like what?" I honestly couldn't be bothered for anything today, most of the wounds from yesterday's been mended already and pretty sure my ribs are back together. But that doesn't mean anything for my energy, the crown might’ve fixed my body right up, just not my energy with how dead tired I still am

She held up several fingers "One the flock needs tending to, two we need to patch you up, and three you still need to give us an explanation on yesterday"

I groaned and rolled my eyes but didn't do much else, I want to laze around and rest up for the day. But as much as I don't want to admit it, she's right. Running a cult isn't a one woman job, Mary is doing her part, so I supposed I should be doing mine

"Fine fine, I'm up I'm up" I relented and got to a seating position, stretching my limbs and letting out a yawn. Damn it I'm nowhere near as rested as I would've liked. My side still ached a bit from the stab, even if the crown had mended most of it overnight.

"Good, now while you're at it. Why don't you go ahead and cook breakfast" Mary said, quite satisfied that she managed to rouse me awake. Her crown brushing the top of our tent as she hopped from one hoof to the other, getting some blood to flow in her legs and shaking off the last dregs of sleep

I scrunched up my brows "Why do I have to cook?" The thought of mashing more berries made my stomach turn, we’d been eating the same damn thing for weeks now.

"Well someone has to do it while I lead the morning sermon, unless you forget we do have a flock now remember?" She smoothly said with a raised brow of her own, crossing her arms.

Shit, she has a point there. Someone has to feed them and she's a whole lot better in that whole speeches thing than I am, give me more old faith to cut down and I'll be right on it. Talking to people? Blegh, not that I hate them or anything, just that I have my strength and Mary has hers

"Yeah yeah, you go on and talk them up. I'll get something cooking" I sighed and got up, might as well get it started. Not like anyone else was gonna do it

"Oh and show Ted the stream before you cook, he looks like he could use a good scrubbing" She added just before exiting the tent, ducking under the flap

I whipped my head around to her "What!? Hold on, why should I do that!?" I shouted at her, but the little lamb was well on her way out our tent, hooves clipping on the grass.

"Sorry can't hear you, I'm sure you'll do great, love you now I gotta go byee-" She trailed off and hoofed it before I could tell her to get back here and do it herself, her red fleece flapping as she headed to the temple.

Argh that sneaky little... Palming my face I dragged it down and let out a long suffering sigh. Best I get going I guess, unfortunately no amount of sulking is going to get anything that needs doing done

Getting up for a stretch myself, I managed to get the crick out my neck but still feel some sore spots from yesterday. Scratching my wool I could feel most of them had scabbed over already, the crown definitely working overtime to fix me right up. Making what has to be months of recovery to something closer to a couple of days at most, even less so with a little patch up aid from herbs or whatever Mary had in mind.

Opening the tent and exiting from it I'm greeted with the sight of the sun, looks like another sunny day ahead. Good for a day of crusading, hah fat chance Mary would let me go out with my condition. Which is a damn shame for sure. The clearing was bathed in morning light, the grass still dewy from last night.

Glancing over the clearing, it's noticeable that it's fairly quiet at the time. Though there are noise coming out of the temple, everyone must've gathered already for the sermon. Guess it's time for me to do my part

Walking over to the fire pit to start it, I caught sight of Ted already up and awake. He was sitting a distance away from the shrine, cross legged staring at the statues of me and Mary before looking down on his lap and looking back at the statues again.

I wanted to simply get the cooking over with and maybe feign talking to him slipping my mind when Mary come asking, 'On the other hand I am curious to what he's doing..' I thought to myself

In the end curiosity won me over and I walked over to him, most of the flock members simply prefer to just talk or gossip with one another to fill their time when they're not working. So I've got to admit, seeing someone do something piqued my interest

Even as I got closer he seemed to be none the wiser, 'What's got him so focused like that?' I pondered to myself, the statues look alright I guess. And it inspires faith enough to fuel our crusades, but he seemed to look at it the way a scholar does a book more than a devout does an idol

Once I was practically behind him, I glanced over to see what he was doing. When I do, it seemed that he's painting? And also writing at the same time? A weird way to spend your time but what do I care, 'Quite a bit apparently since you're snooping around to see what he's doing' a little voice seemed to whisper in my head. Shut up, I’m just... making sure he is not planning anything sinister against our cult! Yeah, that’s it, totally normal stuff!

Anyway, he's not half bad really. He seemed to paint with plenty of lines, but enough detail to make it really look like the ones in real life, and there's writing underneath each painting. There's a few I could recognize from a glance, the shrine, the temple, and the tents are an easy one. He even sketched the farm plots, berry bushes and all, with the scarecrow in the background.

Unable to restrain my curiosity any longer I asked him "What are you doing?" I hadn't meant to surprise him, but apparently my tone was harsher than expected as he all but jumped at my the sound of my voice, his tool skidding across the page.

"Gack- who what!?" I saw him swivel his head around, eyes wide in surprise, nearly dropping his book.

He breathed a sigh of relief "Oh... it's you, Jesus try not to give a guy a heart attack next time would you?" He said with a greeting smile, but how would I even attack his heart? I don't have a sword or dagger on me, I mean I could use the crown to change into a dagger, but isn't it clear by now that we're not going to hurt him?

"Sure I'll try to remember it" I say with a roll of my eyes, really this guy needs better awareness of stuff. What if he gets ambushed this time? It wouldn't do for a potential follower to get kidnapped "Anyway, care to explain what you were doing?"

"Drawing, or well closer to doodling really, I keep a journal. It helps me kill time and remember things. I draw what I see and I write notes. It’s not painting. It’s just—” He gestured at the stick and the book, as if the gesture could explain it. “Pencil and paper. Simple stuff.”

Pencil and paper. The words struck me as odd and useless at the same time. He held a thin stick that left marks like trail dust on clean stone, and a collection of folded pulp that took an image and kept it for later. No ink, no crown magic, no ritual, and yet, somehow it worked. Of course I know what books are, but it's still odd to see someone trying to fill one, or something close enough to a book without ink and quill

"Uhuh...." I wasn't sure if anything he did has any use to it or is it just another time waster, but... okay I'm getting off track here, still need to start cooking before Mary's done with her sermon or she'll lecture me about being lazy

Apparently he could tell I wasn't convinced and was about to launch into another tangent, that is before I raised a paw to stop him "Anyway, I'm going to cook breakfast and you are going to wash up. There's a stream nearby you can use since you look like.." I pointed at his general direction, it's even more clear how dirty he is now that the sun is up and I can see him "That.."

He looked down and grimaced, at least he had the decency to know about it "Aalright then, oh and what's on the menu for breakfast?"

"Berries" I answered flatly, it's too early for someone to complain

"Again?"

"You don't like it, don't eat it"

"No no, it's just... is there really nothing else?"

"Like I said, you don't like it. Don't eat it, no one is forcing you to" I narrowed my eyes at him

"Okay okay I was just asking" He seemed to get the hint and raised his hands in surrender, good. I didn't like it either but berries are fast and easy to grow so they'll feed us, but I do miss a more varied diet. It's been a while since I ate something proper “So... the stream?”
I sighed and pointed toward the edge of the clearing, where the trees thickened. "Just follow the path there, into the worn out dirt trail. Can’t miss it, It’ll lead you straight to the stream. Not far really, just past the lumber yard where we stack wood” The lumber yard was a pile of logs and axes left out, ready for chopping more for the temple or tents

“And don’t wander off, who knows what’s lurking nearby. It should be safe, but you never know." I added the warning to him, because he sure looks like he needed it

"Got it. Thanks, Baphomet." He stood, brushing grass from his robe, and headed off, pack slung over his shoulder
I watched him go for a second, then turned back to the fire pit. 'Better get started before Mary finishes and nags me.' The moments blurred by as I weaved a small basket from leaves to pick the berries from the bushes in the farm plot. They are nice and ripe, plump and red. The motions were as monotonous as they come: pick and drop, pick and drop. I continued on until I at least have enough portions for everyone, and maybe a bit more than usual since we will have an extra mouth to feed

Setting the haul aside the fire pit, I focused power on the crown. The eye splitting open, emitting a purple glow that chilled nearby air. I waved a finger to the kindling below and a sprite of flame followed, it catches the kindling ablaze. The fire burning a cold blue

Mary might’ve been more skilled at fire magic than I am, and that I'm still tired. But something as simple as lighting up kindling barely took effort thanks to the crown

Once the flame has started, I powered down the crown again. The eye closing back as it slumbered until I called upon the power again, then while I waited for the stone to heat up. I started on weaving the bowls necessary, once again it's monotonous work. But it's unfortunately a necessary one, until we get proper bowls that is

After the bowls are done, I began to cook the first batch. Occasionally moving them around so they won't burn and mashing them to a more jammy texture, it's not really cooking and more so heating them up so they're easier to eat. Because really what more can you do to berries that's already ready to eat?

During this I struggled to stiffle a yawn that ended up coming out anyhow, damn it. Looks like I'll be crusading tomorrow at the earliest, much as I want to go out today. It wouldn't do if I get sloppy out there, a missing swing can turn to a missing limb if one isn't careful

Thankfully despite or even due to how boring the task is, I made the portions quite easily. Just in time too as I heard chatters from afar 'Looks like they're finally done' I hummed as I saw Mary hopped over to where I am

"Ah you're done with breakfast, good job Baphy!" She smiled and nodded to herself, grabbing a filled bowl and handed it out to a follower who took it with a grateful bow and retreated away

I growled at the nickname "And I told you not to call me that, are you hard of hearing?" It's been weeks and she still hasn't stopped calling me that

"Aww but it's so much cuter than Baphomet don't you think?" She complained and tried to justify the name calling

"Well I don't care that it sounds 'cuter' I like my name as is" I huffed and turned away from her, Glaring at the berries I'm cooking to distract myself . The jam bubbled on the stone slab, steam rising from it.

"Come oon don't be such a grouch" She teased, bumping my shoulder with her elbow "You're just cranky this morning aren't you?" She continued, smile bright on her face

"Gee ya think?" I turned to stare at her, Seriously, I wanted to catch some extra shut eye and she dragged me outside. Of course I'm pissed off, what else does she think would happen? My horns itched in annoyance.

Just as easily she started the conversation, she switched the topic "Soo... where's Ted? I haven't seen him anywhere" She made a show of looking around the place but not seeing him anywhere, peering toward the tents and the farm plots.

"Dunno, maybe he's still washing up in that stream" I shrugged and scraped another portion to a bowl

"Still? It's been quite a while if you told him to go before you started making breakfast..." Her smile slowly dimmed as her eyes widened in panic, oh boy here we go again

"What if he's drowning? Or drowning? Or he slipped? Or or..." Her mind whirls to all sorts of speculations, great now I'll have to calm her down "What if he ran away!?"

"Relax you dolt, does it really look like he was itching to get away from us yesterday?" I rolled my eyes at her, really. If he wanted to he could've snuck away when everybody's asleep, not like I was in any condition to stop him short of killing him

"Look maybe he's taking his time, grab a bowl and eat. If he's still not back by the time you're finished you can check the stream yourself" I say shoving a bowl to her paws. The jam slopped a bit, warm and sticky.

Mary stared at the bowl in her hands only for just a moment before eating it as fast as she could, coughing more than once as it went down the wrong hole. Then she was prepared to run off to the stream, bowl already forgotten and left on the grass near the fire pit

She got to a few steps before a rustling from outside the clearing caught both her and my attention, we didn't have to wonder for long on what it is. Since Ted came out into the clearing not long after, and he seems to be carrying something too on his shoulder, a long stick with things dangling from it.

Once he got closer I got a proper good look at him, and I've got to say. Whatever species he belongs to definitely doesn't look half bad, the fur on his face and hair looks better now that it isn't covered in dirt and twigs. It somewhat reminded me of sand near pilgrim's rest, golden and smooth. His skin was cleaner, tanned from the sun, scratches less noticeable. 'He cleans up nice,' I thought, then shook it off. What am I thinking? Focus.

He's still wearing the robe that Mary no doubt made for him, but it looks like he tied half of it to his waist. Revealing his patched up pants, when he got close enough the smell of fish hit me before I knew it

He caught them, and more than just a few. Decently sized too from what I could see, all strung up on a long stick he got propped to his shoulder. By the one he has food... actual real food and not more berries

I had to wipe my mouth at the sight of it, thankfully none of them seemed to notice that. The two being too busy chatting up to each other as they got closer to the fire pit. Mary was beaming, hopping a bit.

I caught the tail end of their conversation as they got here "Oh its nothing really, the stream was clear and a sharpened stick does wonders if you throw em just right" He grinned with pride, then he planted the stick on the ground

"So, did I miss breakfast already? Thought we could use something more than just berries to start off the day" He looked around, noting that most of the followers were already back to work, some tending the berry plots, pulling weeds from the rows; others chopping wood at the lumber yard, axes thudding; a few praying at the shrine and a few more staring and whispering at him now that they got a good look at him

"Oh no we just finished cooking up the last batch, isn't that right Baphy?" Mary happily chirped as she took one of the fish off the stick, wanting to prepare it for cooking on the stone slab.

"Yeah... these are done" I warily said, scraping off the last of the berries to a bowl. The residue would give the fish a sweeter taste than normal, but it would still taste good, better than plain berries anyway.

"Oh you already cleaned it?" She said in pleasant surprise after looking into the fish, I took a glance and she was right. The guts been removed and the scales are nowhere to be seen

"Well duh, it won't be that good to eat if I didn't clean it first right?" He said as if that's the most obvious thing in the world, it surprised Mary and me too to be honest. Not only did he catch them without us needing to tell him to, he also prepared them. I'll even bet that he'd cook it himself if he didn't see me already cooking something

Mary giggled and shook her head, the bell jingling a bit as she does "No no, it's just a nice surprise to see someone being so active is all!" She says as she took the fish and placed them on the stone, scooting over next to me to help turn them.

"Why don't you and Ted take a quick break, these will be ready in a bit" She smiled and shooed me over, oh now she wants me to rest. I didn't object and moved, letting her take over the station. The fish sizzled on the hot slab, fat popping.

"Alright then, just give a shout if you need help!" He replied before finding a spot and sat down on the grass, I followed and sat beside him. Staring at his face, he seemed to be somewhat calm? Which is a bit odd, I'd expect him to be more jittery and panicky.... okay that settles it, he needs to join us. If not for simply more believers, it's for a competent one

I continued to stare at him as I questioned what strategy to use so that he would join us, though while I was focused on thinking how to convince him, he noticed me staring at him

"Is there something on my face?" He asked with a smile that somewhat wavered, though it could just be me being tired. His blue eyes met mine, round pupils odd compared to ours.

"More like the lack of something" I looked him up and down "I see you cleaned up" I stated the obvious, his skin color seemed somewhat pinkish but it looks to be on the slightly darker side of things

He scratched his face fur and looked to the side "Yeah, I haven't exactly found something to properly wash up in the woods" He admitted with a chuckle

A period of silence soon fell between us, damn it how does she make it look so easy? It's clear that he's expecting me to say something, but what do I say? Aggh why didn't I leave this to Mary?

Thankfully, I didn’t have to think too hard, because the smell of sizzling fish finally began to spread. The smoke drifted through the clearing, richer and warmer than anything berries could ever manage. My stomach grumbled so loud I was sure he heard it, though Ted had the decency not to comment.

The scent did what it always does. Like moths to a flame, the flock began drifting closer one by one. Their half eaten bowls of berries somewhat forgotten, whispers rose, and before long they were forming small, orderly lines, each pair of eyes fixed on the fish as they chatter excitedly about the improvement to their meal. Mary was all too happy to greet them, handing out the finished portions with her usual bounce.

Even Ratau hobbled over from his hut, nose twitching. “By the one, is that… fish?” He asked with wonder in his voice

“Yes it is!” Mary declared proudly as if she had been the one to catch them. “Ted brought them in fresh just now.”

Ratau’s eyes flicked between Ted and the roasting fish with suspicion, intrigue, and maybe a bit of jealousy in them "Truly? I hadn't known him to be a fisherman"

Ted just gave a small shrug and grinned "It's not that hard really, would've been better if I had a net. But a sharp stick do just fine" He repeated what he said earlier, resourceful too I guess

By the time everyone had their share, only a few larger fish remained, set aside for us. Mary carried them over, leaf plates balanced expertly in her paws, and plopped down beside us, her little tuff of tail wiggled. “Well, that should keep everyone fed until midday! Now…” Her bright eyes narrowed just a fraction as she turned to me. “…Baphy. You owe us an explanation.”

I groaned, dragging a paw down my face. “You never forget anything, do you?”

“Not when it sounds ominous,” Mary shot back. “Yesterday you said something about a priest from Silk Cradle? And then you just… napped.”

Ratau leaned in, his ears twitching. “Yes. I am still waiting for details. It is no laughing matter if what you said is true.”

“Alright, alright.” I rubbed my eyes. “Yes, I was ambushed. Not far from the edge of Darkwood. And yes, it was a priest of Shamura. Normally they never leave Silk Cradle. That’s their whole thing. So either this one wandered far, or something bigger is happening.”

Mary tilted her head, concern dimming her usual cheer. “But… Darkwood belongs to Leshy’s domain, doesn’t it? Why would one of Shamura’s priests be there?”

“That’s exactly the problem.” I sighed. “They shouldn’t be. If priests are crossing boundaries, then the balance between the Bishops might not be as stable as we thought.”

Ted, who had been chewing quietly up until then, suddenly spoke up. “Okay, hold on. Time out.” He made a little T-shape with his hands, which only confused Mary. “What’s the big deal here? You keep tossing around names like I should know who they are. Leshy, Shamura… Bishops? Am I supposed to know this?”

Mary blinked, then glanced at me, then back to him. “Oh. Right. You… really don’t know anything about the Old Faith, do you?” She set her portion aside, scooting closer.

“Not a thing,” Ted admitted, shaking his head. “So far all I’ve figured out is that it involves crowns, those fanatics, and apparently four big names you all tiptoe around.”

Ratau cleared his throat, adjusting his robes with deliberate slowness. “Then let us enlighten you, outsider. The Old Faith is ruled by four Bishops, siblings in power and cruelty, who divide this land into their domains.” His voice dropped to a low tone

“Leshy, the Bishop of Chaos, whose Darkwood crawls with his beasts. Heket, the Bishop of Famine, who reigns in Anura with endless hunger and bounty. Kallamar, the Bishop of Pestilence, lurking in Anchordeep. And Shamura, the Bishop of War, weaving knowledge and secrets within Silk Cradle.”

Mary nodded solemnly. “Each one is scary in their own ways. But they don’t usually meddle in each other’s domains. Which is why Baphomet’s run-in with Shamura’s priest is so strange.”

Ted’s brow furrowed, his hands stilling on the half-finished fish. “So… what you’re saying is that one of these four or at least one of their higher followers is breaking the norm. And if they are, things are… worse than I thought?”

“Exactly.” I muttered, leaning back against the grass. “And if one priest is crossing lines, it's more than likely that they have something planned"

Mary’s ears flicked back, and she hugged her knees close, tail twitching with nervous energy. “But what if they’re still out there? What if that priest didn’t go back to Silk Cradle? What if it’s hiding here in Darkwood, waiting for us to slip?” Her voice wavered with that panicked edge she always got when her imagination started spiraling. “Or—or maybe it’s not alone. What if there’s an alliance we don’t know about?”

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Mary, stop. You’ll tie yourself into knots with the ‘what ifs.’”

Ratau, who had been quietly gnawing on his share of fish, raised his head with a grunt. “She’s not wrong to worry, Goat. A priest abandoning their post is not common. Arrogant, the lot of them. They’d sooner die than admit failure. Which means…” He gestured with his cane, his one good eye narrowing. “…if one was seen here and not in Silk Cradle, it wasn’t without reason. Something deliberate is at play.”

Mary’s ears perked, though worry still shadowed her expression. “Deliberate? You mean they’re planning something big.”

“Exactly,” Ratau rasped. “Priests serve their Bishops with fanatical pride. If one crossed boundaries, then it’s not a mistake it is likely a message. Or preparation.” He tapped the ground once for emphasis. “And I doubt they’ll take lightly to being thwarted, even in small ways.”

I clenched my fists, heat rising in my chest. “Then we strike first. We track the priest, cut him down before he can crawl back to his master. I won’t let them think they can walk into our lands unchecked.”

Mary whipped her head toward me, alarm written plain across her face. “Absolutely not! You’re still hurt from yesterday, you could barely stand when we got back!”

I bared my teeth, ready to argue, but the worry in her eyes made me falter. Damn her. “Tch. Fine,” I muttered, turning away. “But sitting around and waiting isn’t much better.”

“It’s better than charging in half-dead and making it easier for them,” she said firmly, her tone gentler but no less final.

Silence hung for a moment, broken only by the faint crackle of fish cooking. Then Mary’s ears perked, and she tilted her head toward Ted. “Say… we never did ask. What are you, exactly?”

Ted blinked, caught mid-bite. He chuckled lightly. “Me? I’m human.”

“Human?” I repeated the strange word, rolling it on my tongue. “Never heard of that animal.”

He chuckled, though even to me it sounded humorless "Honestly wouldn't surprise me, given I haven't seen any of you before either"

Now that gave me pause, just where did he come from? Surely he met someone like us before right? Then before I could ask, Mary chimed in

“So where do you come from then?” She asked, curiosity bright in her tone, leaning forward.

Ted hesitated "It's... complicated, let's just say" His gaze drifting away from us. “...It's somewhere far far away.”

I narrowed my eyes. Vague. Too vague. Convenient too “And how did you end up here?”

That question seemed to give him more pause. Ted rubbed the back of his neck and gave a dry laugh. “Now there's a funny thing I can’t answer, because.... I don’t know.” He finished lamely, sounds like he hadn't have a clue either

"Honestly I thought I got blackout drunk and someone decided to drop me off in a forest because they think it's funny" He started off

"But as the hours and eventually days pass, I... well let's just say you start thinking other possibilities" He wistfully say, looks like he already had time to accept his situation "So yeah, real glad I found you guys" He ended with a smile

Mary’s expression softened. “Well… until you figure it out, why don’t you stay with us?” She offered, her voice bubbly again.

He blinked as if he didn't quite expect it "Are you sure?" His tone hopeful, good going Mary. You got him on the hook, now reel him in

She nodded "Uhuh, though you'll have to help out like everyone else. Hope that's alright with-"

Mary never had a chance to finish what she was about to say, as Ted closed the distance and hugged her. Literally sweeping her off her feet as he held her tightly "Oh thank you thank you thank you" I should feel nothing, but why do I feel resentment? Was it because he carried me first yesterday? No, no, that cannot be it. No way. 'Why does that bother me? He is just... grateful. Yeah.'

After a bit more, he let go, making her stumble on her hooves as she hit the ground. "It, it, it is no big deal, really," She stuttered out, no doubt blushing even if I cannot see her face. Her floppy ears had a visible tint of red to them, and she fidgeted with her bell.

All the while I stared, still a bit unsure. I'm glad he's staying, more followers would help turn the tide even if it's just one more. But why did I feel so bothered earlier? Despite my inner questioning, no answer came to mind. 'Is it because... no, that can’t be. He is just some tall, furless weirdo, what even is a human anyway? Get it together' I shook my head, pushing the thought away, but it lingered, nagging at the back of my mind like an itch under my wool.