The Forbidden Forest

[Vampire Toy]

”Once an heir, now a leader. I only hope I can do as well as my father wanted...”

Ammar raced through the forest, his heart pounding in his chest. Ever since his father passed away, the centaur had been busy taking up responsibilities and learning new things. He had never really gotten a chance to go off to do whatever he wanted. There had been far too much work to do, so many things to plan. Now, with everything done and in order, the new ruler was free to go and explore, as he had in his youth.

Jumping over roots and rocks in his path, his hooves pounded the earth, shaking it and awakening the trees to his return. He whooped as he leaped over a fallen log, his hooves thundering through the trees. Ammar slowed down, coming to a stop as he panted. The trees whispered to him, telling him, all at once, of the things he missed. His naked chest glistened when the sun hit it just right.

 

[a porg]

❝I'm gonna hide my heart behind the peacock's fan, and keep my friends real close, yeah this is how it's gonna go.❞

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The sound of a creature moving quickly caused fear to grip Zane. Was he about to be uncovered? From the sounds of it, the boy would fate better remaining in his hiding place. His heart nearly stopped as a centaur bounded in front of him, pausing to catch his breath. Zane couldn't use his wand. The aurors would likely only find him quicker that way. So he let out a rather large sigh.

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OOC: ---

❝Should I kill you with my sword, yeah? Or should I kill you with this word?❞

 

[Vampire Toy]

”Once an heir, now a leader. I only hope I can do as well as my father wanted...”

The trees whispered to Ammar, until his concentration was broken by a fairly audible sigh. He tensed and glanced around, "Who is there? Speak! Show yourself!" the centaur called out, with a strong, deep voice. He scrunched up his nose as he reprimanded himself for leaving his weapons behind, but he would simply have to fight whatever lurked in the shadows with his bare hands and hooves.

 

[a porg]

❝I'm gonna hide my heart behind the peacock's fan, and keep my friends real close, yeah this is how it's gonna go.❞

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Zane slowly stood up and made his way into the sight of the centaur. His voice was one that shook the third year to his core. Upon being asked who was there, Zane snorted. "What's it matter who I am?" The Ravenclaw no longer felt it necessary to take precautions.

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OOC: ---

❝Should I kill you with my sword, yeah? Or should I kill you with this word?❞

 

[Vampire Toy]

”Once an heir, now a leader. I only hope I can do as well as my father wanted...”

Ammar's sight fell on the wizard child and the centaur huffed, puffing out his chest slightly, "This is a sacred and mysterious forest," the centaur slowly approached the student, towering over the boy as he did, "It would be dangerous and unwise to wander any further into the centaur tribe land,"

 

[a porg]

❝I'm gonna hide my heart behind the peacock's fan, and keep my friends real close, yeah this is how it's gonna go.❞

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Zane laughed. "Wisdom? I knew that once. Then I found something greater. I can't explain it, but it always leaves me wanting more. Wisdom left me the moment I stepped foot in the Dungeons those years ago," he replied, trying to sound tough and beyond his years, yet failing in the process. "Besides I can't go back there."

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OOC: ---

❝Should I kill you with my sword, yeah? Or should I kill you with this word?❞

 

[Vampire Toy]

”Once an heir, now a leader. I only hope I can do as well as my father wanted...”

The centaur looked the student up and down, before glancing up at the sky, "Sometimes we must face our fears to be free of them," he returned his gaze to the boy. He walked around the student, studying him and then shrugged, "Otherwise it will haunt you until you fall,"

Ammar tilted his head as he returned to being in front of the student, his eyes fixed on the wizard.

 

[a porg]

❝I'm gonna hide my heart behind the peacock's fan, and keep my friends real close, yeah this is how it's gonna go.❞

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The wizard thought about what the centaur was saying. Perhaps he had a point, but the creature had no idea what Zane was afraid of. The boy was terrified of the professors, he was terrified of his house, he was terrified that the aurors were due to ascend upon the school at any moment, and he was mostly terrified that his own life would be taken from him by the very force that had pushed him to recent events. It was all so much for a thirteen year old to
handle. "What if I don't want to be free from this fear? Perhaps I want it to haunt me!" Zane exclaimed, fury sneaking into his voice. The boy was only angry because he knew the centaur spoke the truth.

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OOC: ---

❝Should I kill you with my sword, yeah? Or should I kill you with this word?❞

 

[Vampire Toy]

”Once an heir, now a leader. I only hope I can do as well as my father wanted...”

"Then you shall live a very sad life, indeed," Ammar's hooves impressed upon the soft earth as he spoke, "You must finish what you started, and hope fate is on your side," the centaur approached the boy slowly, his muscles rippling as he held his hand out to the wizard, "Face your fear and be free of it. You shall learn much from this lesson, if knowledge is your ultimate goal, wizard,"

 

[Firefly_Wanderer]

"A very sad life indeed...or a short one depending on how you play it, little human." Came a slightly younger voice from the trees to the left. Out of the forest a set of long blue grey legs appeared leading up to the trim waist of another centaur. Fairly short blueish hair fell into an angled face as bright blue eyes watched the young wizard carefully. Unlike Ammar, Nurion was thin and built with more wiry muscles. Across his chest a small amount of leather formed a small shirt hiding part of the long scar that stretched from his right shoulder to his left hip. It wasn't vanity that made him hide it, instead it was protection. A little bit of armor on the major vitals always helped. He was never as physically powerful as their leader but that never bothered the centaur. He had known Ammar for a long time and had been with him a long time ago when a group of wizards had entered the forest.

"You're being so nice again. Then again the wizard isn't quite into our territory yet..." Nurion continued as he moved closer to his leader. Unlike the other centaur a strap was slung over his shoulder and a quiver full of deadly arrows was easily noticeable. His bow hung lightly at his side in a special strap that allowed him to draw it quickly if needed. Nurion was a hell of an archer even by Centaur standards. Maybe that was one of the reasons why he followed their leader around so much...maybe not. He didn't wish anything to happen to his old friend. That would be a very bad thing in his mind not only because he was his friend but Ammar had yet to have children of his own. Without an heir there would be blood in the tribe as the position of power was fought over. Centaurs, couldn't keep them from a good fight he guessed.

Coming to a stop next to Ammar Nurion crossed his arms lightly as he looked at the wizard. He was small...very small. Must be one of their young from that school nearby. Very pale he had a smell on him that screamed fear and a bit like death to the hunter. His eyes narrowed dangerously at this his head lowering lightly. It was a reflex for the unicorn like centaur as his horn was a very deadly weapon when he needed it. Why did such a young thing have that scent? Did something happen at the school? Or worse did the wizard do something? "What are we going to do with the boy?" He asked looking at his leader curious to see what his plans were. It had not entered their territory yet but still.... Something was off, seriously off here.

 

[MysticHoneyRose]

Naaki had been just steps behind Nurion. The silent cervine centaur moved to the other side of Ammar with very little sound. Unlike his smaller counterpart the antlered deer made very little comments. He was skittish and nervous around humans, especially wizards. Though to humans this may make him look like a coward in truth his fear makes him a dangerous opponent. Though not as tall as Ammar the deer was taller than Nurion by a few hands. On his head was a crown of antlers, twelve tines in total. On his body he wore no armor nor a weapon. He himself was the weapon. Not only were the antlers deadly but his hooves were sharp and could cause considerable damage. "yes, what should we do" he said looking to Ammar.

He had great respect for the large centaur. He could easily kill many of these humans but instead he gives them a chance to speak..a chance to live. As one who respects life even if he fears it, such a trait Naaki finds honorable. As fearful as he was of the strange scent that came from the young wizard he remained and if needed he would protect Ammar. Though he did not hear his friends thoughts he still had the same going through his mind. Things would surly collapse in their world if they were to lose him. He turned his gaze back to the boy a wary look in his eyes and his large deer like ears pointed forward. Really he did not know what to make of this situation.

 

[Vampire Toy]

”Once an heir, now a leader. I only hope I can do as well as my father wanted...”

Ammar turned to face his companions. How was it that they were able to keep up with him? To know exactly where he would be? The centaur wasn't sure whether he was happy to see his two best friends, or angered that they had deliberately followed him this far. They were his advisers, but he had raced off to put his duties behind him. Ammar glanced down at the wizard, realizing that his duties as the leader of the centaur tribe found him instead, both with this wizard boy as well as with his companions.

The centaur tensed his muscles as he thought of the current situation, realizing how muscular he was compared to Naaki and Nyurion. Ammar was literally built to take down the dangers of the forest, with or without his arrows. At one point, his father had him take down a troll. That was definitely a show of strength for the younger Ammar. He was slow to respond to his friends, "I suppose the only thing we can do, at this point, is return him to his people,"

Ammar, who was not as sensitive to smells as his advisors, did not catch the faint scent of death underlying within the boy's scent of fear. He, instead, felt sorry for the boy, who looked as though he would jump at the sight of an unicorn. Perhaps it was seeing the boy in this state that cooled the centaur's frustration of being followed, "He can not stay here. Lest something else catches scent of him," the leader, pawed the ground, looking around at the forest, listening to the trees for any news of approaching dangers.

 

[a porg]

❝I'm gonna hide my heart behind the peacock's fan, and keep my friends real close, yeah this is how it's gonna go.❞

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Why was it that time moved so slow? All Zane wanted was to be left alone so he could figure out what to do next. He wanted this day to be over and the shadows to be gone. Yet here were even more centaurs unhappy with his presence in the forest. "I don't want to go back. I can't go back," he determined. He did realize that he may not have a choice in this matter.

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OOC: ---

❝Should I kill you with my sword, yeah? Or should I kill you with this word?❞

 

[Vampire Toy]

”Once an heir, now a leader. I only hope I can do as well as my father wanted...”

Turning his attention back to the wizard, Ammar laughed, "You cannot stay here. There are things that lurk through the forest at night. It is not safe for you here,"

The centaur approached the wizard carefully. Surely, this wizard had been taught the dangers of wandering alone in the Forbidden Forest. Especially during the night. Even Ammar was wary when night fell upon the mysterious forest, not leaving the tribe land unless dearly needed. The centaurs were strong, but there were many things stronger still in this forest.

Ammar stared down at the wizard boy, his eyes so stern that the wizard would knew that there was no choice in the matter.