FA+
Shop
565
Views
Views
17
Favorites
Favorites
Category
All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Any
Size 1024 x 1024
File Size 1.3 MB
More from SunStreak091
PREV:
FIRST:
The early morning mist hung low across the battlefield as Graham sucked in a cleansing breath, his expression hard and steely focused at the sight before him. The massive ranks of Kredellian foot soldiers and cavalry mixed with scores of barbarians and Kobold dotted the opposite hill from where he stood, infecting it like a plague as they let out roar after terrible roar that echoed across the green valley. The combined Leonid and Xolan archery assault had softened them slightly, yet they showed no signs of faltering at the hands of such a paltry attack. Even General Motson, one of the top warriors of the Xolan kingdom for many years knew it all too well.
This battle would be won or lost on brute force and guile.
Graham tried to stifle a tremble as his heavy steel plate armor shuddered around him as he reacted to the sound. His muscles, now larger and firmly toned under Bakari's tutelage gave him a sense of power and control over his destiny that stoked his desire to defend his homeland. Yet he could not keep them still as he could not be sure if it was a sign that he was now a warrior aching for the taste of battle, or he was reverting to his old ways and preparing to slink away into the back ranks, too scared for his life to mount a challenge to his foe.
It was just at that moment that he felt a firm, padded hand slap against the his shoulder plate, nearly knocking him off balance as he looked behind him.
At that moment, all of his fear, his unease, his insecurity melted away, leaving only confidence, strength, conviction and...love.
Bakari shot him a toothy, confident grin, her strong feline muscles pulsating under her coat of golden fur that was partially obscured by the ornate Xolan armor and helmet that now adorned her body. Her massive axe stood proudly in her grasp, reassuring him that it was on his side and would protect him and all he stood for. Without saying a word, with a mere look in his direction, he felt as if he could do anything, as if he was the warriro he had aspired to be when he joined the army. Though a twinge of fear remained in his psyche at the thought of losing her to this battle, his mind flashed back to a conversation during their training, when he had had a moment of weakness and ended their sparring session early.
"Graham, what is wrong? You almost had me that time!" She had said, annoyed and confused.
"I...I'm sorry...I..."
"Graham, you must tell me," she said, her tone softening as her sensitive nostrils caught a whiff of the fear that was eminating from his every pore.
"It's just...what are we doing this for...?"
"What do you mean? You've come so far, why do you doubt yourself now?"
"I mean...I know this is stupid but, every time we spar...I think of what might happen to us...what might happen to you...on the battlefield. I...you're the best thing that ever happened to me...I...can't stand the thought of losing you..."
A long pause hung in the air as the imposing female leonid absorbed his words.
Then, just as Graham looked back up to meet her eyes, he felt the tang of a padded palm against his cheek as she lightly slapped him, shocking him into attention.
"I will not hear that kind of talk, Graham. Not now. Not ever. Those are the words of a coward. You are no coward."
"But...wha...?"
"It is arrogance to think you are the only one that must live with such fears. I could not bear the thought of losing you. Yet, my honor dictates I must help you defend your home by any means necessary, both as your comrade, and your mate. This means I must live with that fear every day. Part of me has dreaded this day for that reason. Yet, I feel strong, stronger than I have ever felt, because you are at my side. I would rather have that feeling for a minute, an hour a day, than never at all."
"Besides, the Kredellians have never faced the two of us together in battle before. We will prevail. On my honor as a warrior. We will prevail...t'charra..."
A wide smile bloomed on the young Xolan warrior's face as he met his mate's smile. She was right, of course. Just by being herself, she had helped him become who he wanted to be, and he had to agree, he would have been content feeling that way for a minute than never at all.
"Grralth'i...t'charra..." he whispered back to her in her language.
"Thank you..."
Just then, a horrible roar rang out before them as the Kredellian hordes broke ranks and flooded down the hill into the valley, racing headlong at the Xolan lines.
"CHARGE!!!" came the cry from General Motson as Graham and Bakari loosed their own roars from their lungs, breaking into a mad dash towards their enemy.
There was no fear, no apprehension, only raw power and conviction between them as their muscles tightented like guitar strings, ready to dash their foes asunder.
The future was an abstraction. For now, they were together.
And together, they were unstoppable...
THE END
Thanks so much for viewing and reading my little narrative. Not sure if I'll do another one as I don't want to clutter up my gallery with heroforge screenshots, I don't really consider them "art" per se, but hopefully you all enjoyed them.
Bakari and Graham:
Sunstreak091
Rendering: www.heroforge.com
FIRST:
The early morning mist hung low across the battlefield as Graham sucked in a cleansing breath, his expression hard and steely focused at the sight before him. The massive ranks of Kredellian foot soldiers and cavalry mixed with scores of barbarians and Kobold dotted the opposite hill from where he stood, infecting it like a plague as they let out roar after terrible roar that echoed across the green valley. The combined Leonid and Xolan archery assault had softened them slightly, yet they showed no signs of faltering at the hands of such a paltry attack. Even General Motson, one of the top warriors of the Xolan kingdom for many years knew it all too well.
This battle would be won or lost on brute force and guile.
Graham tried to stifle a tremble as his heavy steel plate armor shuddered around him as he reacted to the sound. His muscles, now larger and firmly toned under Bakari's tutelage gave him a sense of power and control over his destiny that stoked his desire to defend his homeland. Yet he could not keep them still as he could not be sure if it was a sign that he was now a warrior aching for the taste of battle, or he was reverting to his old ways and preparing to slink away into the back ranks, too scared for his life to mount a challenge to his foe.
It was just at that moment that he felt a firm, padded hand slap against the his shoulder plate, nearly knocking him off balance as he looked behind him.
At that moment, all of his fear, his unease, his insecurity melted away, leaving only confidence, strength, conviction and...love.
Bakari shot him a toothy, confident grin, her strong feline muscles pulsating under her coat of golden fur that was partially obscured by the ornate Xolan armor and helmet that now adorned her body. Her massive axe stood proudly in her grasp, reassuring him that it was on his side and would protect him and all he stood for. Without saying a word, with a mere look in his direction, he felt as if he could do anything, as if he was the warriro he had aspired to be when he joined the army. Though a twinge of fear remained in his psyche at the thought of losing her to this battle, his mind flashed back to a conversation during their training, when he had had a moment of weakness and ended their sparring session early.
"Graham, what is wrong? You almost had me that time!" She had said, annoyed and confused.
"I...I'm sorry...I..."
"Graham, you must tell me," she said, her tone softening as her sensitive nostrils caught a whiff of the fear that was eminating from his every pore.
"It's just...what are we doing this for...?"
"What do you mean? You've come so far, why do you doubt yourself now?"
"I mean...I know this is stupid but, every time we spar...I think of what might happen to us...what might happen to you...on the battlefield. I...you're the best thing that ever happened to me...I...can't stand the thought of losing you..."
A long pause hung in the air as the imposing female leonid absorbed his words.
Then, just as Graham looked back up to meet her eyes, he felt the tang of a padded palm against his cheek as she lightly slapped him, shocking him into attention.
"I will not hear that kind of talk, Graham. Not now. Not ever. Those are the words of a coward. You are no coward."
"But...wha...?"
"It is arrogance to think you are the only one that must live with such fears. I could not bear the thought of losing you. Yet, my honor dictates I must help you defend your home by any means necessary, both as your comrade, and your mate. This means I must live with that fear every day. Part of me has dreaded this day for that reason. Yet, I feel strong, stronger than I have ever felt, because you are at my side. I would rather have that feeling for a minute, an hour a day, than never at all."
"Besides, the Kredellians have never faced the two of us together in battle before. We will prevail. On my honor as a warrior. We will prevail...t'charra..."
A wide smile bloomed on the young Xolan warrior's face as he met his mate's smile. She was right, of course. Just by being herself, she had helped him become who he wanted to be, and he had to agree, he would have been content feeling that way for a minute than never at all.
"Grralth'i...t'charra..." he whispered back to her in her language.
"Thank you..."
Just then, a horrible roar rang out before them as the Kredellian hordes broke ranks and flooded down the hill into the valley, racing headlong at the Xolan lines.
"CHARGE!!!" came the cry from General Motson as Graham and Bakari loosed their own roars from their lungs, breaking into a mad dash towards their enemy.
There was no fear, no apprehension, only raw power and conviction between them as their muscles tightented like guitar strings, ready to dash their foes asunder.
The future was an abstraction. For now, they were together.
And together, they were unstoppable...
THE END
Thanks so much for viewing and reading my little narrative. Not sure if I'll do another one as I don't want to clutter up my gallery with heroforge screenshots, I don't really consider them "art" per se, but hopefully you all enjoyed them.
Bakari and Graham:
Sunstreak091Rendering: www.heroforge.com
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Any
Size 1024 x 1024px
File Size 1.3 MB
Comments