Chapter One: “Fur”st Impressions

Peeling his eyelids back, a young Scotsman slowly came out of a strange occurrence that happened to him. Sitting up, he looked around but as he did he could see there were no dramatic mountains and glens, nor forests or moorlands. There was no sign of the all familiar Highlands he enjoyed running as a boy. All he saw was nothing but forest. Standing up, he brushed his kilt off as he saw his bagpipes laying next to him and picked them up. He wore a tunic (in Gaelic, a leine), a long, loose-fitting shirt that reached down to about the knee for most Scottish men, an under tunic, 'braies', a rather baggy pair of shorts that generally reached to the knees or a bit lower, his hair up in a ponytail and the ever popular kilt.

Following the sun, he headed off on his way until he came across someone or another town for information on where he was. As he walked, he tried to remember what just happened. Fergus Mckay had been a young full-blooded Scotsman his whole life. Both his mother and father have been supportive and loyal members to the Maclean Clan and had been the third of four children comprised of two boys and a girl being the second born. At the time when he was of age, Fergus soon learned how to be a man using his wits and his brawn. By the time he was fourteen, he learned how to use a sword and got his education from the clans' elder. When he became 19, he trained for combat with his oldest brother as his dad prepared them both for combat with a rival clan due to a dispute between the two clans. As he got older, Fergus became restless and wanted to see most of the world. When he became 21, he was given a claymore encrypted with magic runes as a gift for his birthday from his father. Since then, he's never left home without it.

As for how he got to where he was now, he remembered going for a walk and nearly stumbled along a ravine near one of the mountains of the Highlands as he looked up and discovered something odd: a small collection of pillars with some unusual runes. Curious, Fergus went over to investigate with a hand gripping his sword in case of a trap. Looking it over, he noticed that most of the symbols had a circle with three lines intersecting in the bottom right corner of the circle with one long line running vertically down and the other two running through horizontally. As he investigated, something from the brush startled him. Whirling around, he readied himself for whatever it may be. After a few tense minutes, it was only a rabbit scurrying around. Sighing, he leans against the pillar with a smile of relief and amusement. As he did, however, the pillar glowed blue and hummed making him jump back. The other pillars soon glowed and hummed as well and before Fergus could react, he was blinded by the sudden burst of light and in a flash soon woke up here.

How those pillars came to be he may never know. What concerns him now was how to get back home. If that was all sorcery, he'll just have to find another means of magic to get him back. Until then, he'll just have to preoccupy himself with some tunes from his homeland. He soon came across some luck as he found a river and followed it upstream in accordance to the sun. Two hours later, he felt like he was getting nowhere. Frustrated, he stopped for a moment and banged his head against a tree. Just as he was, he heard a commotion a little ways from him. He looked up to see about ten armed men in armor guarding a boarded up wagon save for a medium sized barred window with one of them driving the wagon behind two horses. Each of them had helms with a small visor covering their eyes. They were making their way down a road just northwest of him.

"Finally someone in this bloody forest." Fergus mumbled. He walks over to them and waves them down calling for them. One of them looked over in his direction and held up a hand to halt the small company seeing the Scotsman walking up to them. "Oy! 'Allo there!" said Fergus with a thick Scottish accent.

"Hello hello!" said assumingely the leader of small company. "Where do you hail from stranger?"

"Scotland. Isn't that where I'm still bloody at?"

"Scotland?" The head soldier looked to his cohorts who looked just as confused as he was. "I don't believe we've ever heard of such a place. Just which part of Mekkan is that at?"

"Mekkan? What the fucking hell is Mekkan?" That was a definite no from him. But for him, he certainly wasn't aware of such a place with a name like that. "Just where exactly am I?"

"If you come with us stranger we can help you find your bearings and get you were you need to go."

"Alright lead on." With a nod, he fell into rank with the soldiers walked along with them as the wagon started up. Along the way, Fergus asked all the right questions concerning who, what, and when. Mekkan was a world made up into seven territories, each of them split up between humans and two other species: the Basitins and the Keidran. The Basitins are an anthropomorphic race, based on the real-world animal species of feline and lagomorph (rabbit). Although they have a strong resemblance to Keidran, they are not biologically the same and could not procreate, unlike different variants of Keidran, which are implied. Most Basitins looked like one another, bearing shades of gray/taupe colored fur and hair, with some extraordinary cases of black amongst their western brethren.

Keidran, on the opposite end, were the collective term for multiple canine and feline based, bipedal, sapient creatures in Mekkan. With all the different species of Keidran are combined they represent the largest race in all of Mekkan, inhabiting most of the sea bordering territory on the main continent. All species of Keidran are based on real world animals which include: Tigers, Dogs, Forest Wolves, Snow Wolves and Foxes. The Keidran have a very short lifespan compared to Humans or Basitin, only living to around their mid-20s in Human years, and are guided by powerful base instincts which lead them to having a much less developed society compared to the other races of Mekkan.

However, due to their perceived less developed culture in the Keidran homelands, usually limited to a tribal or nomadic lifestyle, they were seen as inferior by Humans. The option on Keidran led to a large slave trade of their kind ran by the Humans, though many cases of free Keidran have been seen throughout the land it is clear the regardless of freedom there is constant prejudice towards all of them.

Upon hearing all this, hearing of these Basitins and Keidran peaked the young Scots' curiosity; though the whole slavery bit didn't quite seem to look so kindly to him at all. He had learned about the unfortunate fate that fell upon those brought into slavery, from those serving as slaves either in servitude or in the games of Ancient Rome to those of Ancient Egypt with the Hebrews. All such accomplishments made through the workings of those their conquerors' boot heel. Fergus slightly frowned but played along as a few of the guards seemed to smirk. How anyone could take in such pleasure of one's misery was beyond him, unless it was the teasing sort.

As for where they were, the leader explained that the Basitin species encompassed two separate cultures, both of which live on the Basidian Islands. The Eastern Basitins, living on the Western Isles, are the more technologically advanced of both Basitin cultures, relying on ideals of military discipline and obedience to their superiors. Details about the Western Basitin living on the Eastern Isles were scarce, but it seemed that they still live with a tribal-like culture. The two races are biologically the same species, all being Basitin; they appear to rarely interact, mainly due to the Eastern Basitins seeing the Western Basitins as intellectually inferior and the hostility towards any outsiders in their territory.

As for the Keidran, the Wolf Keidran (known as the The Border Forest Tribe), owned the most land out of all other Keidran species and lived in many settlements throughout their heavily wooded lands in the west. The Snow Wolves were a largely unexplored race and their territory is largely unknown due to the course if the story taking place far away. So little is known about them that they do not even have a title for what kind of tribe or clan they may have. According to the map Fergus was being shown, Snow Wolf Keirdran lived in the north-western area of the mainland. It was assumed that their territory is largely unknown to Humans due to the large mountain range separating them. Their territory appears to largely flat and snow covered to the northern most points but also forested to the western most point. Overall it appeared that the Snow Wolves own the second largest amount of territory out of all Keirdran species, only just beaten by their southern counterparts, though they are the only Keidran race to have an official city which makes it seem as though they are slightly more organized.

The Costal Fox Clan (the Fox Keidran) owned the smallest amount of land out of all the Keidran species, they are only bordered by the Dogs and were located on the furthest point south-west of the mainland. Their territory is largely unexplored and the sight of Foxes are quite rare elsewhere but from the map it looked like they lived in mostly flat land. The Dog Clan (Dog Keidran) were also included in the Forest Wolf territory, they largely inhabited the southern Forerst Wolf territory creating a wedge between them and the Foxes. The Dog Keidran have been apparently quite close with the Humans and partake in slavery deals with then often by selling captured Fox Keidran that only they have access to, though many Humans still group them in with the Forest Wolves. "Man's best friend even in this neck of the woods." Fergus sarcastically muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" asked the captain.

"Nothing." Fergus replied. "Please continue."

The captain then finished off with the Tiger Keidran. The Tiger Clans/Tiger Nomads (as they were often referred to) were largely nomadic in culture, evidenced by their few amounts of settlements. They own the second smallest amount of land out of all the Keidran and were located in the south-eastern most point of the mainland. According to the map it seemed that Tiger lands are largely covered in forest. "You said that most of these Keidran were mostly sold as slaves. Have there been any rebellions or uprisings staged by these bastards?"

"None that are that much of a real threat. Other than that just some guerrilla attacks on human settlements nothing has been as exciting in our war with the wolves."

"So there is a war?"

"Indeed there is." said the soldier near the wagon. "All because those fleabags assassinated our king." Fergus thought he had heard a noise coming from the wagon, almost like a series of growls. The soldier then pounded on the door to silence whatever was in there. "Shut it you fleabag! You wolves are gonna get what's coming to you." he shouted to whatever was in there, presumably a wolf Keidran.

"I assume those are possibly Keidran in there?" Fergus asked flatly.

"As a matter of fact there is."

"And what did they do?"

"They were found along the outskirts of a settlement a day away from here and are now headed on their way to be sold off to the highest bidder." smirked one of the soldiers, seeming to be pleased with the thought which made Fergus clench his fist and grimace but kept it together.

"Just who are you guys anyway? Regular army?"

"Well two of us are Templars actually." said the captain. He then showed the Scotsman an emblem on the chest plate of his armor, a symbol that looked like the ones he saw on the pillars. "The rest are just regular soldiers." When asking about them, Fergus learned that they were the largest know magic guild, specializing in primarily in magic, and were committed to the study and training of magic use. They were led by a council of powerful members know as the Master Templars and these Master Templars are then led by one Grand Templar, currently held by a man named Brahn. The Templar appear to work very closely with both the Human Kingdom and their army, appearing alongside or leading groups of normal troops. The membership requirements seemed quite simple, anyone who wished to join may train as an apprentice. However if one does not show enough magical ability they will be urged to leave. The Templar also seemed to only except largely Human members. Though the true motives and goals of the group remain shrouded in mystery they seem to work in the interest of the Human Kingdom.

It all seemed to contrast with Fergus' way of thinking the more he heard of it. Pursing his lips, he only grunted in acknowledgment. Time had passed and soon it was getting dark as the men decided to rest for the night as they soon got a fire going and some of the men let their prisoners out to relieve themselves. It was the first time Fergus got a good look at these Keidran. Four chained wolves walked out of the wagon as they were linked together in shackles, two males and two females as they were gray in fur color and thick hair. They were escorted by five of the men off over into a part of the woods away from the campsite. Everyone else stayed as they filled their bellies with food and drank their water. As the wolves were being led away, they were manhandled and pushed around by the guards while Fergus just watched.

Clenching his fists, the young Scotsman held his tongue. Now was not the time to act, but that didn't mean he couldn't formulate a plan in his head. When the time was right, then he'd strike.