Introduction

The silence of the forest was shattered with a minor hum, as the blue portal shimmered into existance. Anyone casually looking into the portal, would have noticed it looked out on a similar forest, slightly different in a few regards, but a similar forest no less. The calm surface of the portal was broken with a ripple as a large male rabbit stepped into the world. He was in his mid twenties, a rather large humanoid, solidly built and battle worn, he carried the scars from a few adventures across his features. He slid a long slim sword from its scabbard as he took his bearings. The faint dull blue glow that danced across the surface of the blade telling him many things. He sheathed the blade again, and signaled to his mate on the other side, who stepped across the boundary of the portal into this world. Deactivating the device that created the portal, he went back to his task assessing their new world. His mate looked around, stretching from the journey. She inhaled deeply the air of their new world, and unslung the backpack she wore. Shaking slightly, she unruffled the quills on her back, the long journey wearing the backpack matting them close to her skin. "The air smells nice." she remarked, adjusting her outfit, adjusting and re-settling the cloth straps across her back. As a hedgehog, she needed to custom fit and create all her clothes, the thick number of quills covering her back and neck presenting a unique design problem. "No industry in this world, or at least none in the area."

"Doubt there is any at all." he unsheathed the blade to show her his discovery "The Mageblade is glowing again, there's a high concentration of magic avaiable in this world. If they understand how to use it, they might not have needed industry." He smiled, resheathing the blade. Pausing a moment to unlimber the carrier on his back, he examined the contents. Of all the riches they had in the world, the carrier held the most valuable thing in their lives, their daughter. "She slept thru the transit again." He chuckled, unfastening the babe from her carrier and lifting her to his chest, resting her little head on his shoulder. The child was a miracle, an anomaly from her birth, part rabbit, part hedgehog, she was blessed with the best parts of both of her parents. With the two of them being from different worlds, they weren't sure they could even have a child. But as with all things, the miracles of life conquer everything, even their genetic differenes. She had her mother's looks for the main part, but had her father's ears, feet, and cottonball like tail. Her quills, just recently hardened from their soft pliable baby quills, into small, hard quills just like her mother. "Crystal could sleep thru anything." He smiled, and adjusted the minature outfit his daughter wore, a scale outfit they made, built off the same design that Haley currently wore. Her long ears, a gift from Time's side, were pulled back with a pair of pink ribbons.

"You mean like the time we were ambushed and she slept clean through the fight, or like the time we were sneaking past those guards and she decided that it was time to exercise her lungs." She chuckled, and took her daughter into her arms. "Hard to believe she's going to be three months old soon. Time seems to fly when you're trying to find a world to call home." She ran her fingers thru the fur on Crysal's face, a small look of sadness crossing her face, her eyes filling with water. "We need to find a home soon, on a world that we can live in without fearig for our lives. A world for her to grow up in like a normal child. A world that can accept us for who we are. I'm tired of being an outcast everywhere I go. I don't want her growing up living life always on the run." She wiped a small tear from her eye. "Time my love, I'm tired of running. I want to start living again."

"I know. I realize I say this every time, but hopefully this world will be the one for us. Maybe we can start a new life here." He sat down next to his wife and daughter, wrapping his arms around them both in a large hug. "But Haley, you know I only want the best for you two. We just need to keep looking until we can find our own world." Moving off to the side, he began setting up camp.

"I know," she sniffled, composing herself again. "It's just that I never wanted my life to be like this, moving from world to world, trying to find a place we can call home and start over again."

"When I found your world, it was in the grips of a civil war." he smiled, remembering falling in love with her when her town was under seige, they were both captured trying to get a message to the outside world. "I did what was best for us. I would have stayed with you forever, but when you found out that I had a device that would let me travel to another world, you forced me to take you out. I was content with living there with you."

"Well, since you were the only rabbit on a world populated by nothing but us hedgehogs, you did seem a little out of place. You stuck out like a tower in the middle of a corn field. But I did it only because I was in love with you," she started crying, "You were to have been executed the next week. When I found that you were willing to die to stay even another day with me, I knew what I had to do." The babe in her arms awoke with a sigh, she cooed and cradled her daughter close to her bosom.

"That was three years and a hundred worlds ago." He started a fire. "I have no regrets about that day. I didn't want to pull you away from your family for my own selfish reasons."

"I had no family, and you know it. My parents were killed in the start of the civil war." she sobbed, letting the squirming child in her arms down to crawl around in the grass. "I had nothing left but you. I was seventeen, I knew what I was doing, and I don't regret it. They would have killed me too. You saved my life." She smiled slightly, cheering up after remembering their rocky start. "This looks like a nice world. Then again, so did the last dozen."

"We could always go back to The Compound the next time we see Dsan." Laughter escaped the rabbits lips, "At least we didn't end up on a barren isle like that one world. You, me, a slab of rock, and nothing but water as far as the eyes could see."

"Not much to look at, but it made for one hell of a honeymoon." she smirked at him. "I'll never forget that night, with it's six moons. What a sight. Three days waiting for the World Skipper to recharge, with nothing to do but relax, and get sunburnt in parts I didn't know I had." She sat in her mate's arms, watching the sun set on this world. The World Skipper was the device Time had that would let them travel between worlds. Unfortunately it took nearly three days for it to recharge to the point it was good for another use. This fact made it vital that they look into each world before crossing over, not wanting to step out on a world they could not survive on. "And as for going back to The Compound. You know we had reasons for leaving, and we thought we would not be able to get back when we made that decision. It wasn't until we were ready to depart that Dsan told us he found a way to track us to come for a visit... No, I don't want to go back there." she sighed, remembering the charismatic Dsan, the only other man who found a place in her heart, and the sorrow she felt when she made the decision to leave. She smiled, rembering how he pledged himself as her adoptive father, giving them a place in The Compound to make their own. But after a few months, they decided that it wasn't the life for them, they picked up, said their goodbyes, and left. "Look there!" she exclaimed pointing into the night sky, a faint blue orb hang in the evening sky "Well, so far, only one moon."

Glancing across the horzon, Time sat upright, squinting his eyes for a better look. "Look!" he exclaimed, pointing Haley towards a thin column of smoke rising out of a valley a few hills away, just barely visible in the setting light. "Where there's smoke, there's fire, and where there's fire, there's almost always people."

"Well, at least we know which way to start out tomorrow morning." she kissed him gently on the cheek before gathering up the crawling child and heading into the tent.

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In the hour before dawn, Time sat alone, awake on the hillside where they made camp. His body normally took a long time to adjust to the day/night schedule of each world they went to. It never seemed to affect Haley one bit, she usually slept until something woke her up. He was brewing a cup of tea from his canteen when he heard a voice comein up the hillside. "Hello there? You new to these parts?" A male humanoid walked out of the forest into the sunlight. He wasn't wearing any clothes except for a wide belt of pouches that encircled his waist. He looked somewhat like the wolf-people that they had encountered months ago, but his features were more gentle and subtle. As he walked up the hill, his golden brown fur caught the light of the morning. Time walked down towards him, arms out, palms up, showing a hopefully universal guesture that he was unarmed and friendly.

"Yes. New to this world actually. My name's Time." He walked up to the man, who was a clean head shorter than he was, and possibly his age, if not younger. He extended his paw in a handshake.

"Tet. Tet Solfire." understanding the gesture, he grasped paws with the rabbit he glanced up at the tent. Haley, having smelt the brewing tea woke up and saw the new visitor. She quickly placed her sleeping daughter back in her bed before returning to watch the man talking to her husband.

"That's my mate Haley, and our daughter Crystal." he turned to walk up the hill, guesturing to Tet to follow.

"You said you're new to this world? I don't understand? Where are you from?"

"It's a long story. Would you care to come and share breakfast with us?" Time started walking back to the camp. "It's not much, but like I said, we just arrived." As they walked the few yards back to the camp, Time filled Tet in with the brief details of their journey. Even showing him the device that let them cross between worlds "Haley love, I'd like you to meet Tet Solfire."

"Good morn m'lady." he said, taking her paw in his hand gently kissing it. "I come from Vixenberry Village, just down in the valley, just over a few hills from here. I was taking my morning walk when I noticed your campfire." He sat down on a log, sipping at the mug of tea Time handed him.

"We saw smoke from your village last night when we arrived. We were going to work our way there today." Haley pulled some dried fruits out of a sack and passed them around. "I hope your village isn't afraid of outsiders, like most of the worlds we've been to." she ducked into the tent, the cries of her daughter signaling that she was awake.

"You'd be welcome there. The village was founded by people, much like yourselves, that wanted a place where they could live without the prejudice of other people." He munched on a piece of dried apple before continuing. "I'm a member of the village council, not a ruling body as such, more like a collective intelligence. I'm sure you'll be glad to know there's people much like yourselves down there. I don't know about where you've been, but you look like normal folks here." He looked over at Time. "You however, are the largest man I've ever met. You'll definitely make yourself some friends, if you are as strong and smart as you look."

"That's good to know. You mean there are people like me down there?" he looked hopefully towards Haley, returning the expression of hope on her face. "I haven't seen another rabbit like myself since I left my world, nearly 4 years ago."

"Four years? That's a long time to be searching for a home. Well, at least you have someone to share the journey with you." Tet chuckled, and ran his fingers along the necklace he wore. "My friend. I am mated, just like you. My wife is a rather gorgeous member of the rabbit kind. In fact, we also were blessed two months ago with the birth of our first child. A son." He smiled, and poured himself another mug of tea. "You don't have to worry about problems with inter-species relationships down there. Besides, I'm half wolf, half fox myself. However, I must warn you, there are people in other villages who frown on people like me. But I assure you, our village is not like that."

Haley walked out of the tent, and handed Crystal to Time. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Maybe we finally found ourselves a home. Let's just hope the rest of the people are as kind and honest like him."

"Don't worry my love. I feel good about this one this time." he held his daughter close, riffling his fingers thru the small quills on her back. She gurgled and swung her legs over his knee, kicking the air infront of her.

The conversation wandered on while they broke camp. Time taking the opportunity to find out more about their new world. It was amazingly similar to both his and Haley's own. It was the early part of the spring season, the crops were being planted for the summer. And even though Time's mageblade could detect magical energy, from what Tet could tell them, no one has ever been able to do anything even remotely like magic, or for that matter, ever considered it. The more they talked, the more Time and Haley became sure, that this was finally the world they would make their home in.

---------

"Trixi hon, I'm home. And I've brought some new arrivals. " Tet called into the main room of his and Trixi's house. The grey furred girl came through the door, her long english lop ears pulled back behind her head with a bow, she was stunned slightly at the sight of the two travelers, several months of travel on the road apparent in their clothing.

"Oh. Hello there. Welcome to Vixenberry Valley." she smiled, and walked towards the pair. "You look like you could use a nice soak in a bath. Er, no offence." she blushed, and walked over to the crib in the corner, checking on the sleeping child within. "You just passing thru, or are you looking for a place to stay?"

Haley walked forward, cradling Crystal in her arms. "That, is a rather long story. We were hoping to find a place to settle down. We want our daughter to have a normal start to her life. Instead of growing up always on the run."

"Tet," she called over to the vulptod, who was helping Time organize their belongings. "Since Magruder no longer here, why don't you see if they would want to take over his old house. I'm tired of seeing an empty house there." she brushed aside the curtains on a window, showing them the view of a small cottage barely a stones throw away.

Tet looked up from the backpack he was sorting through and glanced at Time. "That's a good idea." he paused, returning the backpack to the pile. "The Magruder place hasn't been lived in for nearly two years, since old man Magruder died. It's still in pretty good shape."

Trixi picked Alastair out of his crib, and took him to the changing table set up next to it. "Alastair honey," she cooed to the partially awake babe, "we're gonna have some new neighbors." She turned to Tet, "Why don't you take him and go check it out," she smirked at Haley, "Let us new moms get aquainted."

"Yeah, go ahead, we'll be fine." Haley smiled, setting Crystal on the floor to crawl around and play with the hand-made toys.

"The women have spoken." Time said, making his way to the door.

Tet led the rabbit out the door, pausing to quickly kiss Trixi as he left. The old Magruder place, was a small cabin, barely three rooms. It was in excelent condition, the villagers keeping it clean. "Only a few dozen yards from my house, with a great view of the whole village." Tet gave Time the grand tour of the area, showing him the water well that supplied the village, and introduced him around, stopping at houses and buildings, making him feel at home. "We don't have a monetary system like some of the other villages do. We are more of a family in this town than anything else. If you need something, just ask, we basically all help each other out. It's a simple life, but we wouldn't have it any other way."

"Beautiful place here Tet. Haley seems happy so far. I think we've finally found ourselves a home." He clapped Tet on the back, as they made their way back to their wives. "It will be good to have a place we can call home. And finally have a place to take a nice long bath." He chuckled, "I'm normally a white rabbit, but these past few months on the road have turned me into a sort of light brown dustbunny. But I have to ask you, What's with the wall surrounding the village?" He pointed at the nearby stone wall, nearly twice his height, surrounding the village.

"That's been there, as long as anyone can remember." He turned towards the wall, running a paw over the weathered rocks. "Vixenberry Valley, nearly ten or twelve generations ago, was a fort. Built in this secluded valley, the original founders of this town built that wall to keep the attacking hordes to only one available entrance route."

"The road we walked in on?" Time remembered walking down a long dirt road, with similar walls on both sides, stretching nearly a mile into Ivywood Forest.

"That same one. They were able to hold that road with only a handful of men." he dug the fingers of his paw into the cracks in the stone, digging out some old moss and bugs. "And over time, the barbarians gave up. And Vixenberry Fort, became Vixenberry Valey."

"Are there ever any raids? The secluded location must be well sought after for many reasons."

"Not as far as I can remember. This place is left pretty well alone." Tet walked back towards the center of the village. "I don't even know how many outside towns even know of our existance."

"Sounds like paradise." Time smiled, clapping Tet on the shoulder. "I'm sure Haley will love living here. The cottage is a beauty, needs a little decoration, but other than that, I've gotta thank you Tet. You're a rare man."

Haley fell immediately in love with the house. The two of them took furnishing and making it livable with a new found passion. They finally had a home, after years of searching. For the first few weeks, they found themselves the center of attention, all the local villagers stopping by, offering food or help. After a while, things soon settled into the daily routine of living life. Time spent most of his days, happily working around the fields and village, most of the townsfolk more than glad to have his exceptional size and strength around when they were building something. Haley and Trixi spent their days together, bringing lunch to their mates during the day. When the village found that Haley had a talent for sewing, she was suddenly found by dozens of moms, each wanting help in keeping their growing kids in clothes.

They were finally happy. Living together, in a world they could call their own, a part of a community. They were alive again.

---------

It was a chilly summer morning when Time set out. Haley and Crystal were still asleep when he left. He packed a small lunch, grabbed the Mageblade from it's spot above the hearth, and strapped it to his waist. The World Skipper hung from his belt, the soft glow of its only light showing it was charged and ready. He grabbed a piece of wrinkled and worn parchment from an old pack, and headed out the door, leaving a note on the table for his wife to read when she awoke.

"Haley hon, I've gone to hide the World Skipper. I don't want anyone accidentally activating it. We have no need for it anymore, so I'm going to bury it in the woods. It's the only thing I have left from my past, and the only link we have with Dsan, so you'll understand why I don't want to destroy it. I I finally understand his final conversation we had. I will be back before dinner. Love, Time."

The journey thru the forest, was an easy one, the path was fairly worn, and the cool of morning making the journey proceed quickly. He soon came to a spot he was familiar with, the top of a hill he and Haley had never came back to. The spot on which they first stepped into this world. A fitting resting place for the device which brought them here. Pausing to take a drink from his canteen, he unhooked the shovel from his pack, and began digging a hole. He intended to make sure nobody ever found the device, but wanted to keep it safe in the event it was needed.

After digging down nearly to his height, he placed the metal box in the hard dirt, and covered it back up. Taking care to replace all the sod in the same position, he spent plenty of time making sure the ground looked as if it was never touched. Satisfied at his job, he relaxed for a few moments, washing away the dirt of the afternoon of digging, he pulled out the sealed parchment he carried with him clear from The Compound and Dsan. Breaking the fragile wax seal with his thumb, he unrolled it. It was a set of instructions, meticulously scribed in the flawless penmanship of the Chowish Mage Dsan. "In the few months I've known you Time, I've come to learn a great amount about your mind. I think I know you pretty well. I know you will eventually find yourself a home, and one day, will wish to get rid of the device you call The World Skipper. But I know you, you won't destroy it. I've placed a small tracking spell over it, so I can find you when I have need. These instructions will let you point that spell towards your home, so I may find you when the time comes for you to stop your adventuring."

"Dsan my friend, I knew you had a knack for seeing the future." he scanned the rest of the document, rembering how to pronounce the chowish runes that were written within. Pausing to take another drink of water, he stood up and unsheathed the mageblade, the only other gift he had from the mysterious man. "And I always wondered why you made me learn to speak your tongue. I guess I underestimated you."

"I have found a home" he began, speaking the words in the strange language of the Chowish mages. His throat complaining about the deep guttural sounds the words required. He held the mageblade in his hand, and quickly ran it across the palm of the other, slicing into the calloused skin, coating the blade with his blood. The blue flame of the sword suddenly flared into brightness, the inherent magic of the world enhancing the blood spell. He grimaced in pain and squeezed his hand, letting drops of his blood fall on the ground where he had buried the device. "I call upon the magic of Dsan Tsan, buried far below me." he raised the sword, sliding his blood covered palm across the blade, coating it with a thin red covering. "I call upon you to extend your magic to my need. Quickly, he shoved the blade deep into the ground, and turned to face in the direction of his home. "Dsan my friend" he continued, coughing slightly as his throat struggled with the unfamiliar sounds. "I can be found there." he punctuated the sentence by quickly pulling the sword out of the ground with his blood covered hand, pointing towards his home, the blue flame flaring to a brilliant white. He sank to his knees and muttered the closing verses of the spell, his form becoming cloaked in the magic fire that covered the blade, linking him into the spell, strengthing it and making it permanent. As the spell ended, he felt exhausted, like he had just run a marathon, but weirdly refreshed. He used the remainder of the canteen to clean off the mageblade, pausing to marvel at how the magic sealed the cut on his palm, to the point where not even a scar was visible.

---------

It was near the end of the summer when the raids began. Time was hard at work helping build a structure. His significantly larger, and stronger body doing the lifting and moving of beams that normally took three people to budge. Haley and Crystal were over under a tree, sitting with Trixi and Alastair. They were waiting for him to take a break for lunch. He reached down and grabbed a large oaken support beam, grunting in the heat, he worked his fingers into place and lifted. The large member creaked as he lifted it off the pile, it was to be a main support post on the structure they were building. Muscles tightened and flexed as he lifted the massive timber. Before he arrived, moving something of this size took usually three people and half an hour. Time grunted and dug his feet into the ground, lifting the pole onto his shoulders. Walking ponderously he knelt and let the waiting villagers guide it into the foundation hole that was dug for it.

"Time my boy," remarked the old villager who was supervising the construction. "You certanly are a wonder. That oak log weighs more than any three of us together, and you lifted it without any problem."

"Just helping where I can." he stood up, the log in place. The years of everyday running and fighting, combined with the recent months of good solid physical labor, were evident on his body. Muscles stood out across tight skin on his limbs, rock hard muscles showing gracefull curves underneath his thin summer fur. "I'm taking lunch, I'll be back in a bit." he walked off towards the tree where his family was waiting. Wiping the sweat of his brow with one sweat slicked limb, he reached down and kissed his wife. "How about a hug from my doll?"

"Eww.. you're all sweaty." she ran a finger down his muscular chest, slick and matted with sweat from working in the sun all morning. "But okay." she wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Why don't you walk down to the stream and wash up, we brought your lunch."

Patting his infant daughter on the head, he stood up and bowed deeply, his long ears swinging forward and touching the ground. "Yes my lady, your wish is my command." He walked off, grabbing a fellow worker who had the same idea, and playfully throwing them over his shoulder, intending to dunk him in the river.

"Haley, don't take this the wrong way, but you got yourself one hell of a good looking man." Trixi sighed, passing Haley a canteen of lemonade.

"Hmm.." Haley smiled, drifting off into the fields of a daydream, entranced by the rhythmic swaying of Time's furry lapine tail. "He sure is."

"Don't take me wrong, I'll take Tet over him any day. But your husbands body is enough to make anyone believe in a higher power. You remember that group of girls that was sitting under the tree across the way?" she gestured to a large elm tree across the open area.

"Yeah, why?" Haley snapped out of her daydream state, sticking a bottle into Crystal's hungry mouth.

"Well, earlier, when he took his shirt off, you would have swore those girls were going to pass out." she smirked. "He's built like a god come to life, and you can just see those girls wishing that they were you."

"You don't think they'd try to take him from me?" her ears perked up as she scanned the area.

"Heavens no! Those girls are barely half his age. I doubt some of them are even old enough to be wearing a bra." She smirked. "Don't let it ruffle your quills. Time's alot like my Tet. He's a one woman man. I saw it in his eyes when he kissed you. He'd never even look at them twice."

A commotion broke out on the far side of the village, Trixi's sensitive ears picked up the sounds of a battle. "Grab the kids quick! The village is under attack!" She scooped up baby Alastair in her arms, and helped Haley with Crystal.

"What about the guys?" Haley screamed, the sounds of battle reaching her ears. The sight of Time sprinting towards her telling her he knew of the battle. She ran into his arms, and pointed to the direction the noise was coming from, still a few hundred yards off.

"Haley, Trixi, get to safety, Raiders are attacking." he stopped to make sure the women were on the way to the houses, when he ran back to the construction site to rouse the other men. "To arms! To arms!" he shouted as he ran to the building they were building. The villagers were mostly farmers, and not used to battle. In the months he lived in Vixenberry, he didn't so much as see another weapon, his sword being the only one he knew of. Time reached down and pulled a long 2x4 from a stack of wood and ran off towards the sound of the battle, no time to race home to get his blade.

"Time, over here" came Tet's voice. He was brandishing a pitchfork. A line of villagers were forming a wall of pointed farm impliments, blocking off the only access road into the village, the stone walled path that stretched out of sight into Ivywood Forest. They were vainly trying to form up a wall that would keep the invaders out of the village, but Time's battle trained eyes saw they would be no match for the organized charge they were facing.

"Tet," Time yelled over the noise of the onrushing horde "Trixi and Haley are heading to my house with the other women, does anyone have a sword?"

"No." Tet yelled, watching the raiders charge towards the line. In any second, they would be on them, and as Time knew from experience, they would run right over them without stopping.

"Tet, send someone back to my house to get my longsword, it's above the fireplace." Time jumped over the line, 2x4 in his hands, weilded like the clumsy weapon it was. In the past few months of living here, he was able to size up many of the villagers. They were farmers, unacustomed to fighting, whereas he spent the past four years, fighting for his life every day. He charged the raiders, thankful the walled path forced the raiders to run three abreast. He ran faster, hoping to slow the raiders from reaching the village. He had a plan to give the village plenty of time to prepare, he just hoped it didn't cost him his life pulling it off.

He met the front line with a crash, his significant size plowing over the first two rows of attackers. His motions and fluid grace in battle marking him as a formidable foe, the seasoned raiders swarmed towards him, trying to push him backwards. Time dove head first into the battle, hacking and slashing at the invaders with the crude weapon, and often his hands and feet. He halted their charge. They saw him as a potential threat, stopping to deal with him before continuing their assault on the village, barely a hundred yards away. It was the gamble Time made, that they would forget about the village and fight him, hopefully long enough for the children to get to safety. "You will not reach my village!" he screamed as he battered his way through the ranks, crushing heads, weilding the board like a club. He fought like a machine, moving from one to the next, saying nothing, fighting like a man possesed. His body moved with the fluid grace of the angel of death he had become, saying nothing, giving no quarter, no mercy. It was no longer only his life that he fought for, but the village he made his home, and his family. His eyes glazed over with battlerage as he fought on, no sound escaping his lips. He was bleeding slightly from several sword slashes, but the blood that was covering his fur was not his own. Throught the grisly fight, there was only one sound in his brain. The sound was of his soul, marking off the grim count of the number of lives he took that day, each one another mark he would have to atone for, the day his soul moved onto the great beyond. He started slowly backing up, the raiders pressing their attack harder and harder. Swinging high, he crushed a head or two, always skipping back a step when they swiped at him. Slashing low, he snapped knees and legs, his assailants getting crushed as the rest of the horde stepped on them. He couldn't fight them all, no matter how long he had, eventually he would tire and fall, and death would come soon. Seeing a weak spot in the nearby wall, he swung his 2x4 club at it, causing rocks to crash on the heads of the onrushing horde. He stumbled, barely catching himself, and still he skipped backwards, taunting the warriors with every step, crushing the heads of the nearest barbarian that got to close.

The raiders were started leaving him alone, and were working their way into the village, pushing the killing rabbit back, and back, paying for each inch with their lives, until they finally broke into the open and swarmed into the commons. Time fought on, without regard for anything but stopping the invaders from destroying his village. Somewhere in his bloodlust clouded vision, he saw Tet, and a few others, joining in the fight, but still he pressed on, a blood covered demon of death, moving without sound from one raider to the next, fighting with his bare hands, his crude weapon dropped long ago. Fear creeping into his mind, he could smell a building burning in the back of his mind. He was shocked out of his battle rage when he heard Haley's voice scream out over the din of the battle. "Tiiimme!" she screamed.

"Haley!" he snapped out of the battlelust, turning to see Haley, running to bring him his sword. She tripped, striking her head on a root, nearly lapsing into unconsiousness. She curled up into a fetal ball, quills bristling in all directions, waiting for her head to stop pounding enough to stand up. But her quills would do her no good against the scimitars the raiders carried. And Time knew it.

Diving through the battle that raged around him, he stopped at the construction site and grabbed a large oaken beam, eight inches thick and nearly seven feet long, he lifted it up in the air like a twig. Racing across the compound, his long lapine legs propelling him ever faster forward, he saw red. Screaming, he charged the raider who was focusing on his wife. Slashing out the gut of a pair of villagers coming to Haley's aid, the leader of the raiders spotted Time approach, a large stampeding rabbit weilding a long wooden pole like a sword, Haley forgotten for now. Time ran harder, covering the field in a few seconds, mind focused on only one thing, saving his mate. The warrior leader took up a defensive stand, intending to block the shot Time was charging to deliver. "You killed many of my men this day. I'll see you dead before the sun sets." He reached up and removed his facemask, showing a snarling grin underneath. Time hurtled forward, legs throwing him faster with every ounce of energy they could muster. He was no longer pulling his punches, as he did when it was just Haley and himself, he was against killing for any reason. But this time was different, he wasn't just fighting for only his life anymore, but for the life of his wife and daughter. He swung the large branch behind him, winding up for the strongest blow he ever made. "That's it Rabbit, telegraph your moves, I'm waiting.." The raider made no move, waiting to deflect Time's incoming blow.

Time swung the oaken beam with all his might, focusing every muscle and every erg of his being, adding his formidable inertia into the blow. The oaken weapon struck the raider's sword and snapped the blade in half without so much as slowing down. The wooden shaft crashed thru the raiders armor, as if it was no more than paper, shattering the bone beneath and continued on through, powdering the spine, lungs and heart of the man who threatened his wife. The force of the impact was such, that the sound alone could be heard across the common area. The body of the lead raider was thrown back nearly a dozen yards, his spine and ribcage crushed from the blow, his life snuffed out even before his body stopped bouncing.

Seeing their leader defeated in such a grisly manner took the fight out of the rest of the raiders, who promptly fled in all directions, trying to get to the hills. Collapsing to his knees in exhaustion, Time reached down and stroked the face of the woman he loved. "Haley, my love, I thought I was going to lose you." He cradled her in his arms, not wanting to let go.

"I had faith in you love." she said, gently kissing his cheek, sitting up, she ran her fingers across his skin, matted with dried blood. She tore the hem of the skirt she wore, binding the cuts on his arms, washing them clean with some water she fetched from the nearby stream.

Tet walked up, and kneeled next to the prone form of his friend. "Time my man, remind me to never piss you off." he shook his head, looking at the shattered form of the enemy leader a dozen yards away. "I have to hand it to you man, without your help today, they would have razed the village to the ground. I think seeing you fight like you did, got the rest of the village motivated." He got up and padded towards the crumpled form across the way, pausing a moment to let his stomach settle from the grisly sight he saw. He kneeled down and flipped it over to examine it before standing up and returning to Time's side. His face turning white as he struggled to contain his lunch. "You don't fool around do you."

Time groaned. "My friend," he said, clapping Tet on the shoulder. "I wish I didn't have to. But they would have done the same to every one here." He grimaced as Haley tightened up a bandage on his thigh.

"You'll be talked about for years my friend." Tet sat down, washing his paws in some of the water Haley had. "They'll call it 'The Blow that Saved the Village.' I was clear on the other side of the common area, and I heard the impact. Hell, I think the only think keeping that fellow's head in this village is pure luck. There's nothing left of that man's chest. That oaken weapon of yours blew his spine out through the back of his armor."

"Don't remind me. I don't enjoy what I did." He reached up and ran a paw across Haley's face, "Where are the kids?"

She took his hand between hers, and placed it back on his chest. "They're safe, I put them and Trixi in the crawlspace under our floor a while back." she looked around a moment "In fact, I can see Trixi coming this way with now."

Trixi waved and jogged over, Crystal in her arms, and carried Alastair in his pack on her back, both children were, amazingly enough, asleep. Time sat up, surveying the damage from the battle. "Well, looks like we got our work cut out for us cleaning up." He stood up, taking his daughter in his arms, kissing her gently before placing her into the protective embrace of his mate. "Tet, grab a few dozen men, and some shovels. Let's get this grim task over with."

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Late that night a few hours before the dawn sunrise, Tet walked back into his house. "Trixi love, it's over." he sat down at the table, drinking deeply the mug of water she poured him. "If I live to be a thousand years old, I'll never forget what happened today."

Trixi sat down in the chair opposite Tet, Alastair sleeping soundly in the room behind them. "None of us will. But at least we're here to remember, thanks to you."

"Me, no..." he paused, setting the mug back on the table. "It was Time that did it. If he hadn't slowed them down enough for us to get prepared, we would have all been dead." he hung his head in exhaustion. "I've never met anyone like him. When we started cleaning up, he took a shovel and started burying the raiders bodies." he paused a moment, remembering the grisly afternoon. "He felt that even though they were intent on killing us, they at least deserved a decent burial..."

"Amazing."

"Yeah. Do you know how many he killed?" he paused a moment, watching Trixi nod a silent "no". "He does. He told me. fifty... Can you believe that, I counted a total of a seventy raiders dead." he paused a moment, his face going white as he remembered. "When I looked down that road, it was like looking into a sea of blood. I still don't understand how he walked out of there. As far down the road as I could see, there were bodies, broken, and battered. I don't know how half of us could get ourselves to even start cleaning up that road. " He sobbed silently, Trixi cradling him in her arms. "That was the real battle, down that road. The handfull that fought us were nothing compared to that. They drove him back, step by step, and they paid for each inch, carpeting the road with their dead. There were spots, two and three bodies piled ontop of each other, it was hell. We were incredibly lucky. Out of the whole village, we lost only two people. It's tough for me not to believe that we would all have been dead today." he looked in her eyes, and placed a paw over hers. "When I took him home, he was still shaking. He told me he's had to fight like that for years just to stay alive. After seeing the battle today, I think know how he feels. No wonder he's a wreck."

"Do you think we should go over to their place for tonight?" she said, pouring Tet another glass of water. "Maybe with his friends nearby, he would feel better."

"No. I stayed with them until he fell asleep in Haley's arms. She's with him, and they're only a few yards away..." He shook his head, staring at the floor. "I'll tell you one thing. The whole way home tonight, he confessed his soul to me. Said that he never wanted to kill anyone." He took a gulp of water before continuing. "He cried Trixi... cried the whole time he was burying each and every one of those raiders." He paused, leaving the mug on the table, cradling his head in his hands. "They were ready to kill him, kill us all, and he still maintains enough compassion to cry over their deaths."

Trixi slid over next to him, and wrapped her arms around him. He returned her embrace with a hug, and started sobbing. "Go ahead and cry Tet." she ran her fingers through his fur. "It means you're alive. I'm here." She took his paws between hers, and led him to the bed they shared. "You need sleep," she helped him into the bed, kissing him on his forehead. "I'm here, and things will start looking better in the morning."

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It wasn't until late in the evening the next day that Time finally woke up, his battered and bruise covered body creaking and groaning with each step as he walked outside. Haley followed close beside him, arm wrapped around his waist. A roar of applause came from the open area, as every member of the village saw them walk outside. A few of the farmers who helped out on the grim cleanup job the previous night were in the front of the crowd, they lifted him onto their backs and marched him to the center of the village. "What's going on?" he asked the people who were carrying him thru the throng of the villagers.

"You saved us Time. Can't explain now, just relax and enjoy for once." They carried him to the center of the village, the scene of the final seconds of the previous day's battle. The village had taken and erected the long oaken pole he defeated the enemy leader with, standing it up on the spot of their climactic encounter. Next to the pole, was a few wooden boxes, arranged to give a raised platform. Standing on one of the boxes, was Tet Solfire.

"Bring the bunny here lads," he motioned to the second box next to his, the villagers swarming around the area to all sides. Time stood up on the box, barely keeping his balance on the small surface.

"What's this about Tet?" he looked over to the vulptod, who raised his hands to quiet the crowd.

"My friend," he began as the village quieted down. "Yesterday you defeated the barbarian horde that attacked us. Now, don't interrupt." He interjected, Time making a move to speak. "We all agreed that if you hadn't slowed them down like you did yesterday, they would have stormed right in and killed us all." A few members of the crowd started cheering. "And the Council decided early this morning that a monument should be erected, so that future generations will never forget your heroic actions."

"Tet, I'm honored and everything, but..." he started speaking, the vulptod cutting him off.

"But nothing." He reached down and picked up a large wooden plaque from a waiting villager. "Early this morning, after we made our decision, The Council made this." He held the plaque towards Time, reading the words enscribed in a metal plate on it's surface.

"On this spot" he began, "The Warrior Rabbit, Time, defeated the commander of invading barbarians, saving Vixenberry Valley from destruction." He turned to the oaken pole that was standing behind him, placed the plaque on it with a nail, and continued reading. "This pole on which this plaque hangs, was the exact same pole that Time used as a weapon to defeat the raiders. We this day, erect this monument in his name, so that the memory of his courageous fight, will never be forgotten."

"Tet... And everyone else.." Time said, tears sliding town his cheeks. "I thank you for this, but the victory yesterday, was not mine alone. Without everyone here, I couldn't have done it. All I did was slow them down so that you had time to prepare." he paused a moment, as a group of men worked their way to the front. "Two villagers died yesterday, not counting the many raiders. We can't forget them."

"Time, we know." Tet stopped, hopping down from his box to meet the men who had worked their way to the front. Time recognized most of them from the battle yesterday. "And they will not be forgotten." One of the men, a wolf, not much more than a pup, walked up to the rabbit, a cloth wrapped bundle in his arms.

"Warrior Time" the boy began. Time recognized the lad from before, his father was one of the two villagers that died in the attack. "The Village has a long tradition, reaching back many generations to the days even before Vixenberry Fort. The tradition says that in times of need, a leader may be chosen, to rule in place of The Council." The lad paused a moment, unworking the wrappings of the bundle in his arms, the cloth falling to the ground. In his still young hands, lay a golden scabbard, polished to a gleaming shine, the hilt of the blade glittering in the late sun. "This blade has been passed down from father to son in my family for many generations, that it may be kept safe until a new Warrior is chosen. That Warrior is you, Warrior Time." A silent hush fell over the crowd, as the ceremony continued.

"Warrior Time" an older villager began, taking the blade from the boy's arms. "We the village council, nominate and elect you as our leader. The attack yesterday may only be the first, and we are in need of someone like you to lead us into the days ahead." He reached up and handed the blade to Time, bowing as he backed away. "We are yours to command, Warrior Time."

"Warrior Time" spoke a middle aged woman, the only female council member, her wrinkled and grayed feline features speaking her age and wisdom even before she spoke "In all the days of long past when this was still Vixenberry Fort, a Warrior was chosen to lead in battle. This Warrior was the one who most embodied the spirit of Vixenberry Fort." She pulled out from under her cloak, a thick purple sash, decorated along it's length and width with sigils and runes. "When I was a child, this sash was given to me by mother, like it has for many generations. So that the next Warrior can take his place, wearing the names of all Warriors before him, that their spirits can guide his way." She walked up, and stretched to loop the long sash over his neck and shoulder. "Wear it with honor, for your name will be added to it to guide all future Warriors in all generations yet to come, Warrior Time."

"Warrior Time" Tet spoke up. "In the days to come, we are in need of someone like you to guide us into the future. Will you lead us?" The group of men in the front of the crowd kneeled, bowing their heads to him, the crowd all around in all directions slowly knelt, silent in waiting for his answer. "The Council is yours to command. Warrior Time."

Pausing a moment to gather his thoughts, a tear streaked down his cheek. Time addressed the silently waiting crowd. "I am deeply honored by this. But I am not a warrior. I never wanted to be a warrior. I just did what I had to do to survive." He hopped down from the box. "I am not a leader. I am only a man." He turned to Tet, lifting him up to his feet. "Please, stand up, I'm still the same man I was yesterday, nothing has changed that. I don't deserve this, it's something we all deserve." He walked through the still kneeling crowd towards his wife standing off to the side, their daughter in her arms. "I will not lead unless the village is under attack. I am not worthy of ruling over free people like yourselves. I am only a man." He picked up the cloth that the sword was wrapped up in, retying the lashings. "I will be your Warrior. But I will not lead."

Haley caught up to him as he cleared the crowd. The villagers were dispersing, silently pondering his words, some understanding the deeper meaning behind them, some following him, some getting back to their daily chores, but they all understood that the future was still theirs to decide. "Time hon. What are you going to do? These people need you. They want you to lead them. Even if you still let the council make decisions, at least they'll see you and have hope."

"And I'll be here for them." he said, stopping and turning to her. He reached down and placed an arm around her shoulder, her back quills brushing against the scarred and bandaged cuts on his arm. "But I have no intention of being a leader. We are all free people here, and even if I was a fair ruler, there would always be a doubt in my mind that I was taking their freedom away from them."

"Time, you are a rare thing." she said, placing a kiss on his cheek, the two of them walking back arm in arm to their home in the twilight darkness of the summer evening.

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