DaddyBear the Minivandian halted his noble steed, SilverRust. The magic box of positioning, as well as the scroll of directions he had brought with him, told him that he had reached his destination. That day he, along with his mate the Lady of Eyre, his son The Young Prince, and his daughter Listens To Stories, had travelled far from his abode in a quest to acquire a new dog of war. His two long time companions, Turf of Azure and Walks in Darkness, were still strong and reliable, but their long years of service were beginning to tell on them. While they still had their vigor, he wished to bring a new hound into the family. By so doing, the older dogs would teach the younger about loyalty, honor, and duty, and the younger dog would help to bring energy to them.
So my lord DaddyBear had journeyed far. First, his clan had travelled to the Town of Elizabeth, there to purchase provisions. Next, they had braved the Field of the Litch. The Minivandian had placed strong counter-curses against the undead on SilverRust, but even so, he kept a weather eye out for the damned as they transited that plain. Finally, they approached their destination, the Burrow of the Drakes. There lived the master of hounds with whom DaddyBear and the Lady of Eyre had arranged a deal for a new hound of battle.
Upon dismounting from SilverRust, the Minivandian was immediately confronted with a fully grown male war dog. His copper-colored coat shone in the sunlight, and the menace of his challenge was made apparent by the rapid wagging of his tail. DaddyBear offered his mighty hand to the hound, who sniffed it, and after ascertaining the identity of the Minivandian, offered friendship by kissing the palm.
Just as the Minivandian was beginning to pat the sentinel on his head, the Master of Hounds emerged from his manor.
“Welcome, my lord! Your reputation as a warrior and fair dealer is only eclipsed by your punctuality! I have for you a wonderful pup of a mighty set of war dogs.” he said. From behind his back, he brought forth a small bundle of fur.
The pup was as black as the soul of a necromancer, and had eyes the color of old oak. As the Minivandian took him into his hands for inspection, he awoke and uttered a guttural muttering. DaddyBear answered the dog in turn, impressed that such a young dog would know even this rudimentary battle talk. Further inspection of the pup showed that he had strong limbs and neck, that he was well fed, and that his teeth were small but sharp. DaddyBear also noticed that his outer coat, which normally would have been the same color as the soft inner coat, was streaked with silver.
Noticing my lord’s attention to the coat, the Master of Hounds chuckled and explained “His mother is of the new breed of silver hounds, while his father was of the coppery brown variety. Between them, they had 10 pups in the litter. Three were silver, four were brown, one was the color of spun gold, and two are black as midnight in a mine. This one was the largest of the bunch. He is the color of his father’s grandfather, who could walk in the moonlight and still not be seen, but has hints of his mother’s lineage as well. The wizards tell me that dogs of this kind are proof against werewolves and the undead, as the silver in their fur is anathema to those damnable creatures. Of course, it’s not as powerful as the dogs with a coat of all silver, but it is indeed a boon to the dog and his master.”
DaddyBear grunted his appreciation. Such a dog would be handy in his regular hunts for the undead on his lands. Looking deep into the small dog’s eyes, he saw the glowing of a warrior hound’s soul. The fire he saw in the dog’s eyes told him all that he needed to know. This would be a worthy companion.
My lord DaddyBear handed the pup over to the Lady of Eyre, who began to cast her spell of images so that far away family would see the new addition to the household. Listens to Stories and the Young Prince began to pet the young war dog. DaddyBear and the Master of Hounds walked to a small table to settle the price and complete the purchase of the dog. After such, the Master of Hounds called in the high whistle of his craft, and two war dogs, one silver and one copper, came running from behind the manor. The silver one was obviously the mother of the small pup. The other dog, who stood taller than the Young Prince at the shoulder and whose chest was broader than that of the Minivandian, was the father. The Minivandian cocked an eyebrow at the Master of Hounds, who grinned broadly.
“This is Samson, who has been my companion and sire of strong pups for many years. Fortunate you are that you chose the largest of his progeny. The wizards tell me that your young pup may grow to be as large as him.”
The Minivandian smiled as well. Such a hound would be a great asset in battle. He hoped that the prediction of the wizards would come true. Of course, if the dog should prove to be such a beast as was expected, he could also be used as a mount for the Young Prince for several seasons, which would bring happiness not only to his son, but also to his mother.
The pup was brought forward so that his mother and father could give him blessings, and then the Minivandian packed his family back into SilverRust to begin their journey home. Many adventures did they have as they passed through the Field of the Litch, and the silver dusting in the coat of the new dog did indeed work to keep the undead away from DaddyBear’s clan. Upon arrival at their home, a joyous meeting of the hounds occurred. Both Walks in Darkness and Turf of Azure accepted the young pup, who was given the name Water of Fire in recognition of his origin in the land of the firedrakes.
That night, as my lord DaddyBear sat down to enjoy his evening refreshment, the young pup whined to be held. Setting the bundle of fur on to his lap, DaddyBear reflected on the coming years of battle with this new hound. He smiled as he thought about the hunts for undead souls, battles against the unholy hordes, and long watches in the cold woods he would enjoy with this dog. Scratching the pup gently behind the ears, he uttered the battle talk, reciting the blessing of a new warrior.
Many years did Water of Fire serve DaddyBear the Minivandian. Many legends tell of the black war dog with the look of silver dust upon his coat, who could chase down and subdue both the horned cattle of the prairie and the undead marauders of the forest. When my lord DaddyBear grew old and passed his armor and mighty sword onto his sons and daughter, also did he pass on this massive war hound, and in his old age he enjoyed showing his grandchildren how to speak with and direct him. He particularly enjoyed telling them the tales of his adventures with the dog, but those are stories for later.
Now let me tell you tales of high adventure….
