The battle continues on, Quad and his friends fighting off Iugulare's Rock Hounds, and it seems like there's no end to the fight.

That is...until Noctuis shows up with his own 'rock hound' (It would be an Irish Elk skeleton with glowing white eyes) with it's own goal. It seems that Iugulare isn't the only one who can bring skeletons back to life, and Noctuis gave his creation one specific task - find Quad and end his life permanently.

Meanwhile, watching it all unfold, Rouen waits for the fated moment to happen, where she can finally claim Quad's soul after so many failed attempts. Little does she know that her own personal victory might lead to the end of the world...

----------------------------

So I'd love to include your characters in this, if you'd like to be part of the battle!

What I need -
- A reference to your character (link to their biography, picture reference if you have one) or if you don't have a biography for them, a short description of their personality, strengths, ect would work too.
- If they have a talking hex code or color (i.e. Quad's is red and others would have one like #295832 ), please include that for me! It'll help a lot!
- Optional - If you want to fight a specific rock hound, let me know. Yes, this does include hybrids and alpha varieties!


What you'll get -
- Your character participates in an Endless Forest deer vs. Rock Hound battle!
- Anyone can participate, even fawn characters. If you're reading this now, yes, you can offer your character for the event. No one will get killed in this but your character may get a few temporary battle wounds (or permanent ones if you're into that)
- Everyone who participates will get at least one Rock Hound victory and you'll be included in the hall of fame
- An interesting story that will explain a bit about why Iugulare is the way she is, as well as introduce Rouen to the Forest.

Alrighty, if you want to be involved, post your character's profile and whatnot in the comments below!

Also if someone is so kind to make an artwork of an Irish Elk skeleton with glowing white eyes, similar to the rock hounds, I'll make sure your character gets some extra glory in the battle!


Official Themesong -



Another song I'll use later -



----------------------------

Forest Guardians -
Quad (Red)
Illrose (#352e2f)
Feyr (#FEC652)
Ashe (No color)
Manny (#005273)
Ross (#2F4D70)
Bailey (#9DD1BB)
Darkweaver (Crimson)
Archelius (Brown)

----------------------------




"I hope you understand why I called you here...", she spoke plainly, under the moonlight as she sat on one of the big boulders. Her tail swayed a bit, body melting and oozing on the rock, eyes glowing that piercing grey.

"Iugulare, this has got to stop. You're putting lives in danger over--", he began, but hesitated.

The stoat tilted her head, "Go on. Finish what you were saying. I'm intrigued.", she spoke with that sly bit of a grin on her face.

Quad exhaled slow, "What do you want...to make them go away?"

She chuckled a bit, "You know what I want, Quad. You can end all of this right now. Just surrender yourself to me and--", but Quad snapped at her, "That's not going to happen! I don't know what sort of sick ideas you have but I don't want to be your lover!"

Iugulare rubbed her chin, "Well then, I guess the Rock Hounds'll just have to keep on hunting your friends. So selfish of you, Quad. What is that Earth expression? Hmm? 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few', right?", she grinned again.

Quad's eye twitched. "Don't you lecture me about this! You're no saint you know!"

She stood and stared deep into his eyes, "Just for that, I'll make sure my Rock Hounds find someone you care about, and they'll...", she chuckles, "Well, I won't spoil the surprise then. I guess this was a waste of time."

The stoat turned her back to Quad, just as he shouted, "Wait!", and hopped up onto the rock, but she was gone. He nearly collapsed, but instead just sat and tried to gather his thoughts. "Why are you doing this?", he asked, hoping she was still close enough to hear it.

She was, of course, as she had stopped in the shadows to listen, before slinking off without a reply.




"Come on...you're almost there...just a little more...", she whispered, smiling, crouched over the poor thing while is suffered and gasped. The frog had lived a long, happy life, but he mistook a particularly shiny rock for a beetle, and was choking on it.

"That's it...", her small, but lethal scythe hovered above her, the pointy tip prepared to strike down on the frog. "Almost..."

A slight glow came from the frog's body, just as it let out a croaking gasp. In that moment, Rouen stuck the tip of her scythe into his side. The light faded, and the frog was dead, but it's essence began to leave the body. "There you go...see, that wasn't so bad, was it?", she asked with a giggle. The essence formed into an ethereal frog that looked around confused before it vanished. Rouen nodded, "One more down for today..."

She walked off, her scythe twirling in the air like a baton, just following her floating and twirling. The Forest was full of life, and as a reaper, she wasn't able to touch those who still had life to live. There were rules for this, and as she looked around some more, the lamb quickly snuck behind a tree, peeking out and listening.

"See anything?", Hex asked.

"No, you're safe right now.", Blixt spoke softly, his wise eyes scanning around the Forest for any more Rock Hounds. Trunks chuckled, "Don't worry, Hex. Blixt's better at seeing--", he hesitated, looking over just as the reaper lamb hid behind the tree, "Humm..."

"Hmm? What was that, Trunks?", the blind doe asked. She felt better knowing her brothers were there with her, all the predictions she saw in the stars had happened so far. Trunks shook his head, "Thought I saw something...someone familiar..."

Rouen didn't peek out from the tree again, not for a while. That was close. Trunks, and anyone who had experienced death, could see her. Considering Trunks was a ghost, he would easily spot her there. He would start to approach when Quad quickly thundered toward them, slowing to a stop and huffing, "Oh thank the gods you three are here!", he had to plop down to catch his breath.

Trunks and Blixt looked to him, just as Rouen bolted and slid to another tree. "You okay, bro?", Blixt asked. "Quad? Is that you?", Hex asked, her face smiling a bit.

"Y-yeah, yeah, it's me. No worries. Listen...", he took a deep breath and explained what happened with Iugulare. The trio nodded slowly, Trunks stepping forward, "We'll be fine, Quad. Though...where is Zephyr?"

Quad grimaced, "I can't find her...oh gods...if anything happens to her...", he trembled. Hex shook her head, "We'll find her, Quad. She's just like her father, you know. Very resilient."

He nodded and looked over as he saw a blur, "Wh--what...what was--?"

Trunks sighed, "She's been watching us for a while. Quad, I assume you see her too, right?"

Blixt tilted his head, "What are you talking about? I don't see anything!"

"She's not here for you, Blixt. I know that. And you're not seeing her like Quad and I are because you haven't experienced death like us."

The reaper winced. Damn, they saw her. However, she was very fast, and the two would see a streak of white head to the horizon, stopping to glare back at them at a hill before she vanished.

"T-Trunks...wh-what the hell was that?", Quad stammered.

"That, my dear brother...was our local Grim Reaper..."




"Please, I--", the stag cried out He tried to fight off the owl, but the gooey infection had already covered him. The old deer was trembling as his body burned, muscles tensing while he lay panting and paralyzed.

The owl approached and put a foot on his face, glaring down at him with that smug grin of his, "Pathetic. This miserable excuse for a planet isn't even worth the resources. Hmph...Iugulare chose poorly.", he pushed down harder on the stag's head, making him let out a lough "Gaaaaccckkk!!!" The white infectious owl tilted his head, "Oh, I'm sorry, did that hurt? Heh...oh torture...so much fun..."

He let go and let the infection do it's work, causing the stag to writhe in pain. "It's almost over. And trust me, you'll enjoy what I have planned for you.", he dropped a clear crystal before the stag, "Now...die!", and the second he spoke those words, the stag's body tensed, he gasped loudly, and curling, the stag closed his eyes and began to glow a white aura. The aura at first began to rise to the sky, but then the crystal nearby glowed, and the light began to be absorbed into the crystal. When it was all done, the white crystal shimmered brightly while the deer lay motionless.

"Easy enough...now...let me find a host for this...", he mused, and began to scan around. The owl chuckled to himself, "And to think Iugulare sacrificed hundreds for her pathetic 'rock hound' army. I only need one, just...", he peeked down and saw something sticking out of the snow, "....one....", the owl descended and landed. Before him was an antler, a very impressive one attached to a skull. It was unknown who this was, but the Irish Elk skeleton was one of a great deer long deceased.

"How convenient! I believe this'll do nicely, hoo hoo!", he chortled and walked toward it, crystal now produced on his wing. He put it in the eye socket and forced it into the skull, after a few wiggles, tugs, and curses. The crystal finally rattled inside the skull, before he globbed a good chunk of his white infection and smeared it on the skull. The virus began to slink down into the earth, coating the remaining bones and started to make them form together.

"Now rise! Rise and obey!", he commanded, and at once the earth shook, the skull's eyes glowed a brilliant white while the skeleton started to form. It took a few moments, but it finally all pieced together, and before him was a great, imposing Irish Elk skeleton.

"Oh yes. Who needs these so called 'rock hounds' when I have my own minion to command! Now, listen well, my slave!", the skeleton creaked and headtilted in attention, "You have one task. You are not to do anything else but what I command, got it?"

The skeleton opened its mouth and creaked.

The owl grinned. "Find and kill Quad, the Grand Talux. And the instant he is dead, take his essence. I trust you not to screw this up! Now go! On with it!"

The eyes glowed brighter. The skeleton understood, and it turned and ran off. As Noctuis sneered, he flew into the sky and followed his creation.

Close by, Ashe poked his head out from behind a tree. He had heard all of it, and ran toward the Twin Gods hill, looking for someone to report it to. On the way, he nearly tripped over Illrose, who had been resting among the flowers and enjoying her afternoon. Ashe turned, "Sorry, didn't mean to bother you, I've got to get to the Twin Gods right away!"

"What is the hurry, little one? I don't believe the Twin Gods would be available this late...", Illrose spoke calmly.

"Well I just saw something strange, a weird-looking owl just brought an old elk skeleton to life and--", Ashe began, when Illrose stopped him, "Owl? Hmm...I wonder if it's the same one I may know. But go on..."

Ashe continued, "He told the skeleton to 'find and kill Quad'..."

Illrose's eyes widened, and she stood up at once, "It's him, no doubt. They call him Noctuis. And if Quad's in danger, then I'm not going to sit around. Come, let's go to the Twin Gods then."

Ashe nodded and sped off in the direction of the hill, Illrose thundering not far behind. Two others peeked up and saw the two running. Feyr headtilted and was curious, so he followed them thinking they were playing a game or something, while Mandel was already sitting near the hill and stood when they arrived. "Illrose? What is it?", he asked at once. "Oh who won? That looked like a fun game!", Feyr smiled as he spoke.

"No games this time, Feyr. We have a situation.", she looked to Ashe, "You might as well tell them."

Ashe explained what was going on. The strange glowing crystal, the skeletal deer, the weird-looking owl, and the words spoken about Quad. Mandel grimaced, "That sounds like those wolf skeletons we've been dealing with the past week, but an Irish Elk skeleton? Something's much different about that..."

Feyr trembled, "I don't like the sound of that at all! We should find Quad, he'd know what to do."

Illrose nodded, "Then I suggest we all pray to the Twin Gods. Splitting up would not be wise here, and they'd be able to find him faster."

Ashe, Feyr, and Mandel nodded in agreement, and the four bowed their heads and prayed.




"Dad!!", Zephyr called, as Quad slid to a halt nearby. He looked to her in relief, thank the gods she hadn't been hurt! He ran to her, "There you are! Come on, we need to get to the Playground. I want all of you to be safe." Zephyr showed him a crystal, smiling a bit, "I can handle myself, you know! Looks like those weird wolf skeletons are running around again. This was a yellow one I got rid of."

Quad blinked a bit and nodded slowly, "Just be careful, alright? Iugulare said something about threatening my family so she may come after you with more. Your uncles are watching over Hex right now, I think if we all gather together we'll be safer."

Zephyr nodded again and the two of them headed off to the Playground, but as Quad turned he caught a slight glimpse of someone following them. It was brief, just a flash, but he saw all white. Didn't smell like Noctuis' infection though...was this the thing Trunks warned him about earlier?

----------------------------

They arrived just in time. Trunks and Blixt were still with Hex, but others had come. He looked to the group of deer - his friends knew something was happening and were here to help. "Quad's here!", Bailey announced. Manny nodded, "Good timing too! Something doesn't feel right...". "I feel it too. We're not alone here.", Illrose warned all of them. Feyr and Ashe scanned the horizon, while Ross sniffed the air, "I smell it! It's close!", he said.

Archelius had just arrived, and went to Trunks and Blixt. Hex blinked her blind eyes just a bit, "I know that one...I can sense his aura...it's Archelius isn't it?" He nodded, "Yes, I'm here, Hex. Don't you worry."

Darkweaver exhaled slowly, "She is...here...", he raised his head and pointed his snout southward. They all turned as they saw Iugulare with an army of Rock Hounds, all different eye colors, even several hybrids in the mix.

"We're ready, Quad. We're ready to take her on.", Feyr encouraged Quad. He trembled a bit, and just as the others began to prepare themselves for a fight, he called to them, "Wait, everyone! Let me...let me talk to her."

"What? Quad, are you--?", Illrose began but he nodded, "Please, just trust me!"

Ashe nodded, "We trust you, Quad. Do what you think is right."

He at once ran toward Iugulare and her Rock Hounds, sliding to a halt, "Iugulare, please, let's not do this! There's no need for any more fighting!"

She scoffed, "After all your selfishness from this morning? I don't think so! You put yourself into this situation and I'm not leaving until--"

"I give up!"

The deer gasped at that, and Iugulare even blinked, "You...you're surrendering?"

He exhaled, "If it'll stop this senseless fighting, I'm willing to--", but he was interrupted by a terrible voice nearby, "Well this is touching!"

Everyone looked to see Noctuis, but to their shock, he was sitting on the antlers of a skeletal Irish Elk, eyes glowing white in the skull sockets. "Noctuis, what the hell is that?!", Iugulare shouted.

The infected owl chuckled, "I'm glad someone noticed my work! I suppose I'll call it a Rock Elk to match the stupid name you came up with."

The eyes bothered Iugulare, so much she ran to Quad, "That crystal...he's used magic I'm not even familiar with." Quad gulped, "What do we do, then?" The stoat shook her head, "I'll try to get rid of it. Get your deer out of here, I don't know what that thing'll do.", and with a quick motion of her head, the Rock Hounds turned their attention in unison to Noctuis and his Rock Elk, and at once the entire army charged after them.

The owl grinned, "Now you'll see why I will be the one to rule this stupid rock! Quad! Prepare for your death!", as he flew off, the Rock Elk charged after Quad, almost fully ignoring the Rock Hounds coming after it aside from slamming it's massive antlers into a few of them and sending the bones flying off.

"RUN! RUN QUAD!!!", Iugulare screamed as she fled herself, the Irish Elk skeleton not stopping whatsoever. Quad froze, the sight of that massive Irish Elk coming for him petrified him.

"DAD!!!", Zephyr shouted, and Quad snapped out of it just long enough to get his antlers down, and with a horrifying CRRRRRRACK!!, his big red antlers collided with that of the Elk's, causing him to slide back and nearly topple backwards. He only didn't because the antlers had locked briefly before letting go. The Rock Elk relentlessly reared up and slammed its antlers into his, causing Quad to stumble back even though he held his defenses.

The Rock Hounds surrounded the two of them, but were confused as to who to attack, so they held back while the Rock Elk relentlessly slammed into Quad's skull. After a few more blows, he fell to his knees, his head spinning, and without warning his four wings burst from his back, his body shimmering with light now. The Rock Hounds hissed and a few fled, the others backing up due to the light burning the infection holding them together.

Illrose, Darkweaver, and Bailey were already running toward the fray, Blixt badly wanted to as well but he stayed back with his brother and sister. Feyr and Manney followed behind the first three, with Ashe and Ross waiting back.

Illrose and Bailey slid to a halt as the Rock Hounds hissed at them, "OUT OF OUR WAY!", Illrose roared, Darkweaver not stopping and just barreling into all of the skeletons. As this was going on, Quad suddenly shot a burst of light at the Rock Elk, a blinding light that made his friends even turn their heads to brace. When it was gone, he blinked in shock that it didn't seem to affect the Rock Elk.

The skeleton took one step toward him, opened it's skeletal mouth, and returned a blinding flash at him. It was quick and made Quad wince, and just as he tried to shake it off was when his body began to turn back to it's normal dark-blue and white rather than the glimmering white it was. The deer watched in shock as his wings literally fell off and laid to rest on either side of him.

"Oh gods!! What's--?!", were the only words he could speak before the Rock Elk reared up high, and slammed into Quad's antlers so hard that once strong red antlers snapped off and landed onto the severed wings. It was enough force to make Quad's head slam into the ground as well, almost knocking him out but he barely stayed conscious and tried to stand, so dazed that he completely lost his focus.

"Help him!!", Ashe cried out, running with Ross to join the rest of them at the Rock Hound barrier. Illrose, Darkweaver, Bailey, Feyr, and Manny were so busy trying to get through the barrier that they didn't even notice Quad was down, this was when Archelius charged on with Blixt to join them.

Quad wearily tried to stand, his body trembling in shock, and he had just barely opened his eyes and looked up to see the skeleton before him. It was in slow motion, the hooves were already in the air, and he closed his eyes just as the Rock Elk's hooves slammed into his chest, his ribs shattering and his heart hit so hard it stopped. "GRRRKKK!!!", the sound was horrifying, and caused the deer to stop and look.

"QUAD!!", Manny screamed. Blixt had just made it there in time to slam into the crowd of Rock Hounds, and now all of them were trying to get to Quad.

Iugulare was speechless, watching from a hill nearby. Noctuis landed on a branch above her.

"What...what have you done?!", she spoke in utter disbelief.

The owl smiled, "I believe I just killed an immortal, hoo hoo! Even I'm impressed it worked so well, stealing his powers like that. It's such a shame I didn't think of this sooner."

Iugulare was in so much denial that she couldn't control her Rock Hounds, and now they all began to attack the deer through her frustration and denial that Quad was dead for good.





He sat up, as if nothing had happened. He moved and rolled out of the way, his antlers ready to take another blow, but the Rock Elk hadn't moved, it was motionless before him. He looked around and saw all the Rock Hounds were as well, and his friends frozen in time - Illrose had a Rock Hound hooked in her antlers, Ross had just kicked one in the skull, Ashe was pouncing after another one, Blixt was glaring right at him with a horrified face. When Quad realized time had stopped, he turned and looked down...and gasped in shock seeing his mangled body laying there.

It took him a second to understand he was dead. He didn't panic. He has been dead several times before. But this was definitely a first, he remembers the feeling of being dead before the Twin Gods' powers kicked in and he would come back to life in a new body. He started to think about that, it usually wasn't this long to wait before he was resurrected. What was going on?

He then saw something completely strange, there was something sticking out of his body. He looked a little closer, realizing it was something metal, with a long handle.

Shhhhlink!, it levitated, the point no longer penetrating his body, and that was when he saw motion in the corner of his eyes. He looked and there was a lamb there, smiling and approaching him as the scythe returned to her and floated just above her. Quad tilted his head, entirely confused.

"Looks like I finally got you. I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for something like this to happen.", she spoke calmly, smiling rather pleasantly.

"Wh-who...who are you and...?", Quad began, trying to adjust to speaking without actual vocal chords.

The lamb chuckled, "You know, that seems to be the first thing everyone says.", she approached him and Quad stumbled back, "Relax, Quad. I can't hurt you. You're already dead, I'm sure you figured that much out. But to answer that question, well...", she bowed her head, "My name is Rouen, and I am your personal grim reaper. I'm here to guide you on to the next life."

Quad stumbled back a bit, "G-g-grim reaper?! But...", he tilted his head a little, "But aren't you...supposed to be more...scary?", he asked.

Rouen made a face, "Now don't YOU start with me too! Another thing everyone says...", she sighed a little, "I'm only one of several reapers. There are famous ones that mostly take humans on to the next life. But we're not all doom and gloom, you know.", she smiled and approached him, "I'm just one of the cuter ones.", she winked.

The Talux blinked, and then looked around again, before looking skyward and noticing an odd thing - the sky had turned into a swirling vortex, like seeing a spinning galaxy real close. Rouen giggled, "It's beautiful, isn't it? Stare too long and you'll make my job very easy, you'll just float on to the next life...". Quad was fixated on the beautiful thing up there, but he had to close his eyes and bend his head down so he wouldn't look, "N-no...no, I can't! Not now!"

Rouen tilted her head, "I'm sorry, Quad...you're all out of extra lives. It'll be alright, don't even worry about Earth or your Forest anymore. You've suffered for a long time, and have had a very good life! I can't wait to see Axie grow up some more, and Zephyr! She's wonderful!"

Quad shook his head, "Please, please I can't leave now. If I can't go back...so many...so many of them will die..."

The lamb smiled, "Well that'll be good for my business, heh...", she nuzzled his side, "It'll all work out, you'll get to be there for all of them when they do pass on, and all of you will have a wonderful time and--"

Quad cried out, "No! I WON'T LET THEM DIE!!", and then there was silence.

The lamb just stared at him, "There is...a way you can go back..."

"Whatever it is, I'll do it."

"You're not going to like it..."

"Tell me."

The lamb hesitated, and then said, "You can trade your soul for one of your friends' here. It has to be one close by. Or even one of your family members. It makes me wonder who you would choose...are friends more important, or family?"

Quad would have cried if he had tears to shed in this form, "How could I choose?", he looked to each and every one of them. Manny, Archelius, Bailey, Blixt, Feyr, Ashe, Darkweaver, Trunks, Hex, Illrose, Ross....Zephyr...

Rouen looked to them all too, and said, "Quad...I'd change the rules if I could. But it's reaper policy. It was initiated thousands of years ago that souls could be traded. Once we've reaped a soul, we can't just put it back without leaving with nothing."

He noticed all were motionless still. "Tell me..., he began, "Is time really stopped here...or is it going on while we talk?"

The lamb smiled again, "I'm glad you thought about that, but no, it's stopped for now. I can turn it back on, but Quad...", she had a serious moment, "It's much better if you didn't know what happened."

"Let me see...if...if I can't decide after a little of it, then I'll go with you.", he insisted.

Rouen blinked, "Are you sure about that? It most likely won't be pleasant to watch..."

Quad closed his eyes, "I'm sure. I want to see them all in action before I make any sort of decision."

Rouen nodded gently, "Alright, then. Don't say I didn't warn you...", and her scythe spun, and at once, everyone was in motion again. Quad had to turn his head away while the Rock Elk continued to stomp on his corpse, as if it was enjoying destroying his body. Everyone was screaming, Rock Hounds were being flung left and right, and all of his friends and family were fighting with everything in their hearts.

He could only spectate...and he hated it so much...




To be continued...