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7.1 Interlude: Zef

2020-01-15 10:13:00 "She's perfect, Fenna," Zef said, staring at the sleeping baby in his arms. "She'll never do anything wrong." "Hah, I think you're in for a surprise then," said Fenna, laying in bed. She was probably tired, but Zef couldn't tell. She looked more b... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/7-1-interlude-zef Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv Abigail Talia Fenna Amara

6.8 Roots

2020-01-10 10:13:00 I turned around to see Havik as he plunged a dagger into my side. The pain ripped through me and I fell to my knees. I felt him pull the dagger back out and then heard a thunderous growl. I dropped Talia to the ground and there was a cracking soun... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/6-8-roots Kaia Tigala Lolan Talia Havik

6.7 Roots

2020-01-03 09:53:00 "The cavern's coming down!" Someone shouted behind me as a wagon-sized rock fell from the central column and crashed into the floor. The vine wrapped around it had pulled a section of the column out of line from the rest and the column was proving... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/6-7-leaf Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv Abigail Crag Talia Havik Riak

6.6 Interlude: Talia

2019-12-27 11:12:00 "Abigail. I need some more oregano for this soup. Can you go ask Gemma?" Abigail was laying on a cot on the other end of a crude tent. She was dirtier than her mother liked her to be, but that was the way it had to be when exploring a new land. Sh... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/6-6-interlude-talia Abigail Talia Havik Gemma Vern

6.5 Roots

2019-12-20 11:54:00 "They'd kill us too if given the chance," said the Treek, snaking his vine around the central column of the cavern. He wasn't wrong. They would try to kill us if the tables were turned. The looks on their faces when they saw me said it all. Treeks... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/6-5-leaf Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv Abigail Crag

6.4 Roots

2019-12-15 11:57:00 We watched from our perch above the Dwarven workers waiting impatiently for Abigail to make a few footholds into the stone. She was almost finished making a path to another opening below us where the worm's tunnel must have continued before they d... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/6-4-leaf Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv Abigail Crag

6.3 Roots

2019-12-10 11:09:00 "Run," said Zef in a quiet voice. I looked over at him and found him looking back with wide eyes. Was he scared? That was a first. Usually, he'd be joking in a situation like this. Him being scared was more terrifying than the fact that a group of... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/6-3-leaf Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv Abigail Crag

6.2 Roots

2019-12-05 10:40:00 I pushed Tigala back into the crevice as soon as the Gnome stepped out of the portal, hoping he hadn't seen us. We peaked our heads over a rock and watched as he looked around. Whoever he was, he seemed wealthy. He wore bright clothes fashioned ... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/6-2-leaf Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv Abigail Crag Havik

6.1 Roots

2019-11-30 08:48:00 "There's a Treek down there," I whispered to Lolan who was laying on his stomach next to me, peeking over the edge. Lolan followed my eyes to the Treek wielding vine-like roots. The Treek commanded the plants to burrow into cracks in the stone and... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/6-1-leaf Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv Abigail Crag

5.8 Growth

2019-11-25 12:03:00 "You just did fire magic?" Tigala said, staring me down. I looked at Lolan out of the corner of my eye. "Uh, yeah. Yeah. It was just a little though." "Why on earth are you trying fire magic? You already blew up an entire forest. And then you try ... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/5-8-growth Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv Abigail Crag

5.7 Growth

2019-11-20 13:10:00 "So, what changed your mind, Marv? I thought you were going to hang back and keep Abigail safe," I said. He looked back at me with no sign of amusement. "Something was coming after us in the tower." "What was it? Something big enough to get in?" ... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/5-7-growth Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv Abigail Crag Gemma

5.6 Growth

2019-11-15 11:37:00 The sun beamed through the web of vines, rising just high enough in the sky to land one of its rays directly across my eyes. I groaned and rolled over. I heard wings flap and then felt Chipry land in my hair. It was loose from sleeping and covered... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/5-6-growth Kaia Tigala Chipry Marv Abigail Crag

5.5 Growth

2019-11-10 11:35:00 "My name is Kaia. I'm here with your father, Marv. I'm going to come get you," I said. I began climbing the tree, using my magic to bend branches to me and make easy foot and handholds. At the very top of the tree, I found a very small Dwarven gir... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/5-5-growth Kaia Tigala Chipry Marv Abigail Crag

5.4 Growth

2019-11-05 11:35:00 Leaves slapped against my face as I ran through the forest. The only light that guided me was the reflection of the moon off of the deep green leaves. The flashes in the distance grew louder—closer. Something about running through the fores... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/5-4-growth Kaia Tigala Chipry Marv Abigail Crag

5.3 Growth

2019-10-30 10:24:00 "Great. So now you've made another creature out of magic you don't understand," said Tigala. I didn't respond. The rock creature just stared at us and we stared back. After a few moments of silence, it seemed to look around. It saw some other pebb... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/5-3-growth Kaia Tigala Chipry Marv Crag

5.2 Growth

2019-10-25 10:55:00 Once we had traveled far enough that the screams of the giant lizard and the battle cries of women and men faded out behind us, we stopped to take a break. I leaned against a tree. "So what do we do now?" Marv said. He was slumped against another ... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/5-2-growth Kaia Tigala Marv

5.1 Interlude: Marv's Tale

2019-10-20 10:56:00 Tink tink tink It was a sound he'd heard so many times before. The sound of the mines where Marv spent his days. Countless other Dwarves, not unlike himself, were scattered in the distance, each in a separate passage connected by a central minesha... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/5-1-interlude-marvs-tale Marv Griff

4.5 Entangled

2019-10-15 10:20:00 From the stalk of neck where the Saurian representative had just chopped, were now two more necks and heads. The creature didn't slow down at all. In fact, it seemed to fight with more tenacity. "I'm going to help," said Zef. "Really?" I said. "T... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/4-5-entangled Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry Marv

4.4 Entangled

2019-10-10 10:20:00 "Rodrigo! There's a giant lizard running towards the colony!" said the balding Gnome who stood by the window. He looked back at us with raised eyebrows and panic on his face. Rodrigo stood, his forehead creased with concern as he looked out the w... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/4-4-entangled Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Rodrigo Marv

4.3 Interlude: Sillius

2019-10-05 17:56:00 "She's dead! Are you really questioning me on this? They killed her," yelled someone near the back gate of the colony. A small Gnome went running toward it. He turned the corner to find a large boar-like Beastfolk holding a limp black and white p... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/4-3-interlude-sillius Kaia Tigala Zef Rodrigo Tibil Srak Lobo Sillius Sungura

4.2 Entangled

2019-09-30 09:55:00 The hippo Beastfolk worked on Lolan for about an hour before she was ready to stop. Rodrigo didn't say much else to me. And I didn't say anything to him. We sat in silence throughout the whole operation. I contemplated what Rodrigo meant, while he... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/4-2-entangled Tigala Zef Lolan Rodrigo Marv Nadira

4.1 Entangled

2019-09-25 10:55:00 With mountains high and valleys low We dig deeper in the earth To protect our mountain home And all that it is worth Not the dragons of the sky Nor the serpents of the sea Nor the beasts of the land Can ever take what's mine from me The red-hair... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/4-1-entangled Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Marv

3.8 Shoot

2019-09-20 10:08:00 The giant bipedal tree strode through the forest in the distance, each footfall like a miniature earthquake. Is that really something I created? Could I do it again without the remnants of some old magical explosion? I was amazed and had so many ... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/3-8-shoot Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Lobo Chipry Mila Raffa

3.7 Shoot

2019-09-15 10:14:00 I woke up to my body being jostled around. It all hurt. Every muscle felt like I had just worked it specifically for hours on end. Every bounce reinforced the pain and made me groan. "Oh, good. You're awake." I opened my eyes to see Zef running n... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/3-7-shoot Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Rodrigo Lobo Chipry Raffa

3.6 Shoot

2019-09-10 11:04:00 Tigala dove into the room in her tiger form aiming more for Lobo's arm and weapon than his body. She crashed into him and his shapeshifted sword slid across the floor. Then Tigala turned her back to me and growled at Lobo. "Don't do this," she roa... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/3-6-shoot Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Lobo Torm Chipry Mila

3.5 Interlude: Tigala

2019-09-05 11:16:00 Up ahead, she could see them. The creeping group of Gnomes covered themselves in blurry illusions that mimicked their surroundings, but she had seen it all before. She knew right where they were—low to the ground where the images were at the... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/3-5-interlude-tigala Tigala Lobo Jaku Duma Katan Wadu Gatooli

3.4 Shoot

2019-08-31 11:09:00 I rushed into the center of the room where the body laid and began to roll it over. The body was limp, giving me no help in moving it. It rolled over its lower shoulder and settled onto its back. The glaring green of the veins beneath the body mad... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/3-4-shoot Kaia Zef Lolan Lobo Torm Chipry

3.3 Shoot

2019-08-26 10:57:00 That was dumb. Why did I say that? Now she's going to know we're free. I thought, mad at myself for warning Tigala. The creature lurking in the branches turned to look at me. It bared its crooked teeth and then looked back at the tree dwelling tha... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/3-3-shoot Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Lobo Torm Chipry Mila

3.2 Shoot

2019-08-21 10:21:00 I heard the crunch of leaves behind me as we searched around the base of the tree. I turned to look and saw no one there. The other search party was supposed to be around here somewhere. Had they caught up? I studied the forest and looked for move... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/3-2-shoot Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Lobo Torm Chipry

3.1 Shoot

2019-08-16 10:48:00 "Do you remember before all of the fighting started, Zef?" asked Lolan. "There's always been fighting," he said. "There's just more of it now. But yes, I remember before this war started, before the—" he stopped himself and glanced at me. H... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/3-1-shoot Kaia Zef Lolan Chipry

2.6 Interlude: Lolan

2019-08-11 10:02:00 "Let him up!" she screamed. "Stop it! He can't breathe!" The boy plunged once again into the water, replacing the nearby screams with the sloshing. He struggled to break free of the grip holding him under. He flailed as hard as he could but the bi... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/2-6-interlude-lolan Lolan Brendell Ashlynn Wikith Tarnall

2.5 Bind

2019-08-06 11:11:00 I woke up as a crack of thunder ripped through the sky and the rain came down in sheets. I had a small canopy of branches and broad leaves forming an umbrella over me. I kind of remembered doing it, half asleep, earlier that morning. I looked down... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/2-5-bind Kaia Zef Lolan Galia Chipry

2.4 Bind

2019-08-01 10:58:00 I watched Lolan sneak through the tents. He was creeping toward another camp that was dark. I put on my Human jacket and pants from my bag, hopped down from my hammock, and whistled. Chipry startled and then floated down to my shoulder as I walked... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/2-4-bind Kaia Lolan Chipry

2.3 Bind

2019-07-27 10:07:00 I felt Lolan start to breathe heavy and was reminded of his strange racial predicament. The person in yellow was using storm magic, which is only known by the Elves. And they were good at it. I was terrified, and I had no issues with the Elves in ... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/2-3-bind Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Rodrigo Tallesia Chipry

2.2 Bind

2019-07-22 09:19:00 I walked into the darkness followed by the rest of the group. Light from Zef's staff reflected in irregular patterns on the damp cavern walls. We walked in silence. I'm sure everyone else was thinking about our predicament, and how we got here. Tr... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/2-2-bind Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan

2.1 Bind

2019-07-17 09:47:00 The four of us walked through the forest as an awkward sight: a Treek, a Gnome, a half-breed, and a Beastfolk disguised as a Saurian. Once we got far enough out of sight from the colony the Beastfolk dropped her Saurian disguise, transforming back... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/2-1-bind Kaia Tigala Zef Lolan Chipry

1.8 Interlude: Rodrigo

2019-07-12 09:47:00 The colony lay dark and silent, as the sun still hadn't crested over the hills of Daegal. Rodrigo was sitting with his feet up on a mahogany wooden desk. He was wearing glasses, and an open book sat in his lap. The uncomfortable position put press... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/1-8-interlude-rodrigo Kaia Lolan Rodrigo Tibil Tallesia Kethral Srak

1.7 Germ

2019-07-07 10:29:00 The bobcat Beastfolk stomped out from under the canvas, like a lion defending its kill. A fresh bandage was wrapped around her left arm, and fresh ointment covered a wound across her face. She stared at Lolan and me—her chest rising and fall... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/1-7-germ Kaia Zef Lolan Chipry

1.6 Germ

2019-07-02 10:01:00 I stared hard, studying his face, to determine if I was crazy or not. Here he was, a half-Human half-Elf hybrid living among the Elves all this time. No wonder he wore the hood. The Elves would exile him if they found out. If I knew anything about... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/1-6-germ Kaia Zef Lolan Rodrigo Chipry

1.5 Germ

2019-06-27 12:23:00 My eyes opened to a bright light piercing through various shades of green. The leaves all around me filtered the light and created dancing shadows across my face. Chipry tweeted incessantly in my ear, the way he tended to do in the morning. I groa... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/1-5-germ Kaia Lolan Chipry

1.4 Germ

2019-06-22 10:29:00 Rodrigo finished his speech by explaining a large communal map in the tavern behind him. "Please mark the location you'll be searching each day to avoid overlap, and report any findings you may have. You'll be rewarded for any information you prov... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/1-4-germ Kaia Zef Rodrigo Chipry

1.3 Germ

2019-06-17 10:02:00 The tiger dove toward me as groups of other races watched. Not one stepped in to protect me, an unarmed teen, from the Beastfolk warrior. I took cover on the far side of the well, trying to keep the small structure between me and the tiger. As I d... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/1-3-germ Kaia Daegal Rodrigo Chipry

1.2 Germ

2019-06-10 10:19:00 7 years later... "Welcome to the new land of Daegal!" The captain's voice was barely audible over all the chatter. He let out a hearty chuckle. "Now get off my boat, ya filthy lot." At his command, Humans began shuffling down the gangplank and ont... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/1-2-germ Kaia Chipry

1.1 Germ

2019-06-03 11:32:00 I stared at the rich dark earth, expecting something that never came. No change, just simple, barren soil. I concentrated, willing life and growth, and a green spark burst into existence. It was faint. I focused, causing small tendrils to form roo... ]]> https://houstonhare.com/stories/sprig/1-1-germ Kaia Lyndon Mother