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(Part 1 of this story is located here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545084 )
The rest of the night, Benton saw three other Christmas plays, but none stood out in his mind as much as the opening act. He reveled in his newfound sense of enlightenment.
When he went to sleep in Bellows quarters that night, no nightmare dared disturb his slumber. Gent, ever-faithful, slept by his master’s side. The next morning, Benton got up and smiled at the new day. Gent raised his head and wagged his tail. He leaned in to nuzzle his master, but then picked his ears up.
“What’s wrong boy?” Benton asked with concern.
Gent sniffed his master and moaned as he hopped off the bed.
“Oh come on! I don’t smell that bad.” Benton told the retreating dog. Gent was right though. He needed a bath.
Bellows lent Benton some of his own clothes to change into. They were a little big, but they’d have to do.
He went to the bathhouse area and stopped past the steam covered door. Inside were several tubs, kept at a comfortable temperature due to constant pouring of heated water from fire-lit containers sitting next to each station. Several large rectangular windows provided ventilation for the smoke.
“Hey new guy! You’re back!” a fit, red bearded male spoke up from a tub. He was soaking chest deep in water and seemed to be totally content.
“Paul? Weren’t you here last night?”
“Yeah. So? Look at you. When was the last time you took a bath?” He asked half-jokingly.
Benton just laughed as he undressed and entered the tub nearest to Paul. The warm water felt like a Godsend compared to the cold environment outside. He saw an ostrich standing over in the corner of the room, enjoying the steamy environment.
“Why are you here? Won’t the steam ruin your feathers” Benton asked it, remembering the fate of Vincent the horse.
“This is the only environment I can tolerate!” It said in a decidedly female voice. “Well, this and any room with lots of people and body heat.”
Benton gazed at Paul as he realized that the ostrich was a female. “You have no problem with a female ostrich watching you bathe?”
“Do you have a problem when your dog watches you bathe?”
“No, not really, but he’s a male…”
“Well, as long as we’re not the same species, it doesn’t really matter. Hey what’s your name again?”
“It’s Benton.” He told Paul. He never introduced himself by his full name if he could help it.
“Nice to meet ya. I’m guessing you’re going to take a trip to the spirit stone cave very soon. Am I right?” Paul guessed.
Benton thought for a moment. Georgia had said something about going to fetch a spirit stone from the mines.
“Yeah.” He answered. “It really wasn’t my idea, but I’m here anyway.”
“Just watch yourself down there.” Paul warned. “That cave is more dangerous than the weather itself.”
“Why? What’s dangerous about it?” Benton asked as he soaked in the warming aroma of the bathhouse. The ostrich flapped its feathers behind him.
“It’s filled with intelligent animals that prefer to avoid human contact. They’re hostile towards anyone who enters the cave.”
Benton recoiled at the information. Then a thought struck him. “The spirit stones belong to them, don’t they?”
“You got it.” Paul answered and he leaned back and closed his eyes. “Be careful out there.”
Benton met with Gent, Bellows, Joe, and Nightfire in Bellows home. They decided to leave at once for the spirit stone cavern because they wanted to retrieve a stone before nightfall.
“We’ll brief you on the way to the cave.” Bellows told Benton.
They readied the horse drawn stage coach. Benton felt a little pensive about being in it again, but it was better than walking in the cold. He noticed it had no driver. “Who steers the stage coach?” he asked.
Bellows jumped in. “The horses, of course. They don’t need direction.” Benton shook his head as he remembered what kind of place he was in. He stepped into the transport and closed the door behind him as it took off.
“The cave is half a mile from town. You have to enter the abandoned mine area to get to it, but its well worth the wait.” Bellows explained.
The painter waited for Bellows to say more, but he did not.
“What about the animals that still live in the cave?” he asked.
For a second, Bellows appeared surprised, but his face quickly regained its composure. “So someone told you about them, huh?”
Joe stared at Benton with his deep feline eyes. “Someone probably told you that taking the spirit stones would be stealing from them.”
“That was my first thought.” Benton told the bobcat.
“There are those who would say that we have every right to take the stones, since some of us used to live there.”
“What would you say?” Benton locked eyes with Joe, awaiting a response.
The tailor sat back in his seat and looked out the window. “We’re pioneers. Not thieves.”
“They used to live in harmony with us.” Bellows detailed. “We’d trade with them: goods for stones. It was fair. It worked. Then, about two years ago, they came under new leadership after the alpha male of their pack passed away. This new leader was more of a loner and preferred to remain isolated. Back then, we had an arrogant group of townspeople that thought they could persuade the animals. The negotiations went bad and it turned violent. No one was killed, but many were hurt, both physically and emotionally. Ever since then, our relations with the cave-dwellers have been less-than-perfect. It’s a struggle to get them to barter anything now. Sometimes they still turn violent.”
Benton listened and understood. It all seemed like one big misunderstanding.
“Ya know,” he said, “As much as I wouldn’t mind having a spirit stone, I really don’t want to cause problems.”
“Don’t worry.” Bellows said. “I think it would be a healthy exercise to negotiate with them once again. If we do our best to appease them, then I’m confident we can re-establish a positive connection of trade.”
“Are you telling me you’ve never stolen any stones from them?” Benton asked.
“No. We never have and never will.”
Benton looked into Bellows eyes and detected utmost honesty. He felt that these 21st century survivalists were smart enough to realize that a single act of thievery would endanger their lives.
“I didn’t realize how complicated this would be.” Benton pet Gent at his feet as the dog wagged his tail.
Joe smirked. “Welcome to isolationist politics.”
“Unfortunately, the cave-dwellers still call us thieves.” Bellows said.
“Why? You said you’ve never stolen anything from them.” Benton wondered.
“No, but according to them, we’ve stolen their friends.” He said as he glanced at Nightfire. The wolf appeared to be lost in thought.
“What’s wrong, Nightfire?” Joe asked. He noticed that a small piece of jewelry hung around her neck. “What’s that you’re carrying?”
“It’s a present that was given to me after the play.” She said, holding it in her paw as she sat on all fours. “I don’t know who gave it to me. I’ve been thinking about it since last night.”
“Let me see.” Joe stepped over and sniffed it. He grunted. “Someone masked their scent by bathing it in perfume.” He looked closer. “It’s a Celtic cross.”
“Yeah. Whoever gave it to me knew that I was raised in a Celtic church.” Benton looked confused. Nightfire noticed this. “They thought me and my littermates were abandoned puppies. They didn’t know animals very well.”
“We’ve made it to the mines.” Bellows announced as the stage coach stopped. They all hopped out into the snow.
The entrance was rather small and unassuming. To the untrained observer, it would’ve looked like a simple depression in the cliff side. As Benton approached it, he could see a human-sized hole in the former entrance of the mines.
He turned to the stage coach and saw Bellows pull a burlap sack out from under his seat. He heaved it over his shoulder and walked toward the entrance with the rest of the group. “I’ve brought some dry goods to use as trade. I also have some homemade drinks that they might find rather tasty, including wine I bought on my last trip out of town. Some of them have refined tastes.”
Bellows motioned to the group to gather together. Gent trotted next to his master.
“Whatever you do, do not split up. These mines are big and it’s easy to get lost, so stay together. Above all, do not initiate contact with the cave dwellers unless I say so.”
With that, they entered the cave.
(Continue to Part 9: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545302/ )
The rest of the night, Benton saw three other Christmas plays, but none stood out in his mind as much as the opening act. He reveled in his newfound sense of enlightenment.
When he went to sleep in Bellows quarters that night, no nightmare dared disturb his slumber. Gent, ever-faithful, slept by his master’s side. The next morning, Benton got up and smiled at the new day. Gent raised his head and wagged his tail. He leaned in to nuzzle his master, but then picked his ears up.
“What’s wrong boy?” Benton asked with concern.
Gent sniffed his master and moaned as he hopped off the bed.
“Oh come on! I don’t smell that bad.” Benton told the retreating dog. Gent was right though. He needed a bath.
Bellows lent Benton some of his own clothes to change into. They were a little big, but they’d have to do.
He went to the bathhouse area and stopped past the steam covered door. Inside were several tubs, kept at a comfortable temperature due to constant pouring of heated water from fire-lit containers sitting next to each station. Several large rectangular windows provided ventilation for the smoke.
“Hey new guy! You’re back!” a fit, red bearded male spoke up from a tub. He was soaking chest deep in water and seemed to be totally content.
“Paul? Weren’t you here last night?”
“Yeah. So? Look at you. When was the last time you took a bath?” He asked half-jokingly.
Benton just laughed as he undressed and entered the tub nearest to Paul. The warm water felt like a Godsend compared to the cold environment outside. He saw an ostrich standing over in the corner of the room, enjoying the steamy environment.
“Why are you here? Won’t the steam ruin your feathers” Benton asked it, remembering the fate of Vincent the horse.
“This is the only environment I can tolerate!” It said in a decidedly female voice. “Well, this and any room with lots of people and body heat.”
Benton gazed at Paul as he realized that the ostrich was a female. “You have no problem with a female ostrich watching you bathe?”
“Do you have a problem when your dog watches you bathe?”
“No, not really, but he’s a male…”
“Well, as long as we’re not the same species, it doesn’t really matter. Hey what’s your name again?”
“It’s Benton.” He told Paul. He never introduced himself by his full name if he could help it.
“Nice to meet ya. I’m guessing you’re going to take a trip to the spirit stone cave very soon. Am I right?” Paul guessed.
Benton thought for a moment. Georgia had said something about going to fetch a spirit stone from the mines.
“Yeah.” He answered. “It really wasn’t my idea, but I’m here anyway.”
“Just watch yourself down there.” Paul warned. “That cave is more dangerous than the weather itself.”
“Why? What’s dangerous about it?” Benton asked as he soaked in the warming aroma of the bathhouse. The ostrich flapped its feathers behind him.
“It’s filled with intelligent animals that prefer to avoid human contact. They’re hostile towards anyone who enters the cave.”
Benton recoiled at the information. Then a thought struck him. “The spirit stones belong to them, don’t they?”
“You got it.” Paul answered and he leaned back and closed his eyes. “Be careful out there.”
Benton met with Gent, Bellows, Joe, and Nightfire in Bellows home. They decided to leave at once for the spirit stone cavern because they wanted to retrieve a stone before nightfall.
“We’ll brief you on the way to the cave.” Bellows told Benton.
They readied the horse drawn stage coach. Benton felt a little pensive about being in it again, but it was better than walking in the cold. He noticed it had no driver. “Who steers the stage coach?” he asked.
Bellows jumped in. “The horses, of course. They don’t need direction.” Benton shook his head as he remembered what kind of place he was in. He stepped into the transport and closed the door behind him as it took off.
“The cave is half a mile from town. You have to enter the abandoned mine area to get to it, but its well worth the wait.” Bellows explained.
The painter waited for Bellows to say more, but he did not.
“What about the animals that still live in the cave?” he asked.
For a second, Bellows appeared surprised, but his face quickly regained its composure. “So someone told you about them, huh?”
Joe stared at Benton with his deep feline eyes. “Someone probably told you that taking the spirit stones would be stealing from them.”
“That was my first thought.” Benton told the bobcat.
“There are those who would say that we have every right to take the stones, since some of us used to live there.”
“What would you say?” Benton locked eyes with Joe, awaiting a response.
The tailor sat back in his seat and looked out the window. “We’re pioneers. Not thieves.”
“They used to live in harmony with us.” Bellows detailed. “We’d trade with them: goods for stones. It was fair. It worked. Then, about two years ago, they came under new leadership after the alpha male of their pack passed away. This new leader was more of a loner and preferred to remain isolated. Back then, we had an arrogant group of townspeople that thought they could persuade the animals. The negotiations went bad and it turned violent. No one was killed, but many were hurt, both physically and emotionally. Ever since then, our relations with the cave-dwellers have been less-than-perfect. It’s a struggle to get them to barter anything now. Sometimes they still turn violent.”
Benton listened and understood. It all seemed like one big misunderstanding.
“Ya know,” he said, “As much as I wouldn’t mind having a spirit stone, I really don’t want to cause problems.”
“Don’t worry.” Bellows said. “I think it would be a healthy exercise to negotiate with them once again. If we do our best to appease them, then I’m confident we can re-establish a positive connection of trade.”
“Are you telling me you’ve never stolen any stones from them?” Benton asked.
“No. We never have and never will.”
Benton looked into Bellows eyes and detected utmost honesty. He felt that these 21st century survivalists were smart enough to realize that a single act of thievery would endanger their lives.
“I didn’t realize how complicated this would be.” Benton pet Gent at his feet as the dog wagged his tail.
Joe smirked. “Welcome to isolationist politics.”
“Unfortunately, the cave-dwellers still call us thieves.” Bellows said.
“Why? You said you’ve never stolen anything from them.” Benton wondered.
“No, but according to them, we’ve stolen their friends.” He said as he glanced at Nightfire. The wolf appeared to be lost in thought.
“What’s wrong, Nightfire?” Joe asked. He noticed that a small piece of jewelry hung around her neck. “What’s that you’re carrying?”
“It’s a present that was given to me after the play.” She said, holding it in her paw as she sat on all fours. “I don’t know who gave it to me. I’ve been thinking about it since last night.”
“Let me see.” Joe stepped over and sniffed it. He grunted. “Someone masked their scent by bathing it in perfume.” He looked closer. “It’s a Celtic cross.”
“Yeah. Whoever gave it to me knew that I was raised in a Celtic church.” Benton looked confused. Nightfire noticed this. “They thought me and my littermates were abandoned puppies. They didn’t know animals very well.”
“We’ve made it to the mines.” Bellows announced as the stage coach stopped. They all hopped out into the snow.
The entrance was rather small and unassuming. To the untrained observer, it would’ve looked like a simple depression in the cliff side. As Benton approached it, he could see a human-sized hole in the former entrance of the mines.
He turned to the stage coach and saw Bellows pull a burlap sack out from under his seat. He heaved it over his shoulder and walked toward the entrance with the rest of the group. “I’ve brought some dry goods to use as trade. I also have some homemade drinks that they might find rather tasty, including wine I bought on my last trip out of town. Some of them have refined tastes.”
Bellows motioned to the group to gather together. Gent trotted next to his master.
“Whatever you do, do not split up. These mines are big and it’s easy to get lost, so stay together. Above all, do not initiate contact with the cave dwellers unless I say so.”
With that, they entered the cave.
(Continue to Part 9: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2545302/ )
Category Story / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 120 x 120px
File Size 17.5 kB
Thank you!
As for the last four chapters, you know that part on the rollercoaster where it twists sideways and then upside down and then speeds down an incline at like 5,000,000,000 miles per hour? Well, the last four chapters are nothing like that, but they are very cool! :D
-Vaperfox
As for the last four chapters, you know that part on the rollercoaster where it twists sideways and then upside down and then speeds down an incline at like 5,000,000,000 miles per hour? Well, the last four chapters are nothing like that, but they are very cool! :D
-Vaperfox
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