Overgrowth web comic The Monk

A tall rabbit in a grey robe sits on the edge of a cracked stone ledge above a sea of mist, holding a red apple. Sign: "The Monk"
A huge island of rock and grass floats on two stone pillars above rolling hills. Caption: "Sky Ark Rabbit stronghold Central island" Nen: "Nissaya Nissaya!" Nissaya: "Yes Nen?" Nen: "Everybody else's harvested already. Why's ours not ready yet?"
Panel 1. Nissaya and young Nen talk on a grassy ledge beneath the floating island. Nissaya: "We don't get as much sunshine or rain as up on top, so it just takes a little longer" Nen: "Since you're big and strong, why don't we just go up and take some of the good land from the Twinleafs?" Panel 2. Close-up of Nissaya, with Nen beside him. Nissaya: "We don't have any need for violence -- this is good land too Nen" Nen: "Really?" Nissaya: "Yup, and the harvest will be ready in just a little longer so lets go and make sure the tools are ready ok?" Nen: "Yeah, ok!" Panel 3. Nissaya and Nen walk side by side along a stone corridor. Nen: "Nissaya, why did you become a monk?" Nissaya: "Hmm..."
Panel 1. Nissaya and Nen walk through a stone corridor. Nissaya: "I was a bit older than you when Gramps died, but I'm an orphan just like you Nen" Nen: "Is that why you're always looking out for me?" Nissaya: "Someone has to keep an eye on you" Nissaya: "Us orphans should look out for each other!" Panel 2. Close-up of Nissaya. Nissaya: "Now I'm old enough to take care of myself but I like it here. When I pray to Priya I feel close to my Gramps." Nissaya: "Master says if I pray deeply enough maybe one day Priya will show me the other side" Nissaya: "I never got a chance to tell Gramps goodbye" Panel 3. Nen reaches up to a table of blades and tools; Nissaya is in the foreground. Nen: "Whoa! This one's cool!" Nissaya: "Are you even listening to me?" Nissaya: "Give that here"
Panel 1. Wordless. Nissaya and Nen sharpen blades and tools in a stone workroom. Panel 2. Rows of monks bow to the floor before a lantern-lit stone door. Panel 3. Nissaya and Nen sit at a meal beside an old white-cloaked rabbit. Panel 4. Night. Nissaya sits on the edge of his bed while Nen sleeps in the bed below.
Panel 1. Night. Nissaya stands thoughtfully by a wall. Panel 2. Under a crescent moon, Nissaya leaps across stone blocks. Panel 3. Nissaya, seen from behind, faces the rabbit in the green tunic, who stands on a block with a hand raised to the brow. Nissaya: "Abha!" Ahba: "Nissaya"
Panel 1. Nissaya and Ahba embrace beneath a crescent moon. Nissaya: "I missed you" Ahba: "Oh Nissaya" Panel 2. Close-up of the two cheek to cheek. Ahba: "Nissaya, we can't keep doing this" Nissaya: "I don't care if I'm punished" Panel 3. The two stand close, holding each other. Ahba: "I don't care if I'm caught either, but are we going to keep doing this forever?" Ahba: "You're going to have to choose me or the monastery" Nissaya: "I can't leave right now... Too many people depend on me" Nissaya: "I can't turn my back on my brothers or my beliefs" Ahba: "Oh Nissaya..."
Under a crescent moon and dark clouds, Nissaya and Ahba walk away from each other along the top of a stack of stone blocks.
Panel 1. Nen shakes the sleeping Nissaya. Nen: "Hey wake up Nissa!" Panel 2. Nissaya lies on the bed; Nen is beside him. Nen: "Why are you still asleep?" Nen: "Something happened at the fields!" Panel 3. Nissaya sits up and Nen leaps back. Nissaya: "What?" Nen: "Ah!"
Panel 1. On the grassy terraces beneath the island, rabbits stand among flattened wheat and a fallen stone pillar. Panel 2. Tall close-up of a rabbit seen from behind, looking down at the flattened grass. Nissaya: "The wheat!" Nissaya: "Who would do this?"
Panel 1. Nen kneels by a fallen stone guardian that is crushing the wheat. Nen: "Nissa look..." Nen: "They knocked over the guardian we set up" Nen: "I thought it was supposed to protect our fields" Nen: "It's fallen on the wheat and crushing it!" Panel 2. Nissaya lifts the stone guardian upright while Nen watches. Nissaya: "It's okay Nen" Nissaya: "See! We can just set it back up!" Panel 3. The guardian stands again; Nen kneels before it as a giant dark fist looms overhead.
Panel 1. A black mark is painted on a stone pillar. Nissaya stands at the left; a hooded rabbit with a cane stands before the pillar, seen from behind. Nissaya: "Master, that is the Twinleafs mark!" The Master: "Calm down Nissa" The Master: "It's been many years, but this isn't the first time a few rowdy youths have caused us trouble" Panel 2. Close-up of the old white-cloaked rabbit. The Master: "Khyo tests us in many ways, but we mustn't give in" The Master: "We walk the path of peace" The Master: "Look closely..." Panel 3. Close-up of a wheat stalk. The Master: "The damage only affected a small area" The Master: "Wheat is a strong plant. It will recover and bring a good harvest" The Master: "This harms us not at all" The Master: "Pray deeply on the meaning of this young Nissaya"
Panel 1. Wordless. Kneeling monks fill the lantern-lit prayer hall facing the stone door. Panel 2. Fewer monks remain kneeling. Panel 3. Only two monks remain. Panel 4. A single monk is left bowed before the door.
Panel 1. Nissaya kneels in the prayer hall with both hands pressed to the floor. Nissaya thinks: "Ahba... Why... why can't I be with her?" Nissaya thinks: "Gramps, can you hear me?" Panel 2. Looking up at the lantern-lit stone door. Nissaya thinks: "Lord Priya, what am I supposed to do?" Panel 3. A single monk kneels far off before the door while a large rabbit stands in the foreground, seen from behind.
Panel 1. In a dark hall, young Nen stands facing the Master, who is seen from behind. Nen: "Master, I know I'm not supposed to bother you" The Master: "Come here Nen" The Master: "What's wrong? It's about Nissaya isn't it?" Panel 2. Close-up of the Master, with Nen beside him. Nen: "He hasn't eaten in two days" The Master: "Hmm... He seems deeply troubled" Nen: "He'll be okay right?" The Master: "Yes young Nen, he'll be fine" The Master: "He must find his own answers" An off-panel voice: "Hey!"
Panel 1. Two dark-furred rabbits in green robes, one raising a stick, stand in a bright doorway. One of the two intruders: "See, I told you they wouldn't do nothin' about the field..." One of the two intruders: "Hey! You priyats in here?" Panel 2. Close-up of the two intruders. The intruder at left: "See!" The intruder at left: "They won't fight back!" The intruder at left: "They don't "believe" in it!" One of the two intruders: "Hahaha" The intruder at left: "That means we can do whatever we want!"
Panel 1. Nissaya crouches startled in the foreground. The two intruders stand in the bright doorway; the Master stands at the left. Nissaya thinks: "What the?" Panel 2. The Master leads Nen by the hand. The Master: "Nen, go get the others."
Panel 1. The Master stands in a pool of light before the two intruders, whose feet show at the top. The Master: "Have you two youths come to learn about Priya?" One of the intruders, off-panel: "Hit him with the stick!" Panel 2. Close-up of the two intruders. The intruder at left: "Hit him!" The intruder at right: "Naw, I don't feel like it" The intruder at right: "Hey, they pray to that thing right?" Panel 3. Nissaya crouches in the prayer hall. Nissaya thinks: "It's them!"
Panel 1. Nissaya stands clenching his fists at the back while two intruders in the foreground shove the Master aside. One of the intruders in the foreground: "Yeh, dumb huh?" One of the intruders in the foreground: "Get out of the way old man" Panel 2. The intruder with the stick faces Nissaya, who stands with fists clenched. The intruder holding the stick: "You wanna fight?" Sound: "Grrr" Panel 3. Close-up of the Master raising a hand toward Nissaya. The Master: "Nissaya, stop!" The Master: "Resist Khyo!"
Panel 1. An intruder raises his stick at Nissaya; another intruder creeps behind. The intruder holding the stick: "You scared?" Panel 2. Close-up of the left intruder, with a second intruder climbing the stone idol beside Nissaya. The intruder climbing the idol: "Looky looky!" The intruder at left: "Haha!" Panel 3. Close-up of Nissaya, alarmed. Nissaya: "The idol! You can't touch it!"
Panel 1. An intruder clings to the stone idol. The intruder climbing the idol: "Ha ha ha" Panel 2. The idol tilts as a hand grips its top; Nissaya lunges toward it with raised hands. Nissaya: "No!"
Panel 1. Wordless. The huge stone idol topples toward Nissaya, who lunges toward it with arms outstretched. Panel 2. Nissaya strains under the idol's weight with both arms raised.
Panel 1. The toppled idol rests on Nissaya's raised arms. Panel 2. Close-up of Nissaya staring in shock. Panel 3. The two intruders look back at Nissaya and flee. The intruder at left: "Oh shit!" The intruder at right: "Run!" Panel 4. Close-up of Nissaya's forearms pinned under the idol, bloodied. Sound: "Arrg!"
Panel 1. Rabbits cut and carry wheat on the terraces under the island. Caption: "1 week later" Panel 2. Nissaya, his forearms bandaged, sits hunched beside Nen, who holds a bowl and spoon. Nissaya: "Nen, grab my robe" Nissaya: "We're going to help with the harvest" Panel 3. Close-up of Nen looking up. Nen: "But Nissa, you're supposed to be resting" Nissaya: "Come on"
Panel 1. Nissaya sits on the edge of his bed, his forearms ending in bandaged stumps; Nen sits on the next bed. Nen: "Nissa, this seems like maybe a bad idea?" Nissaya: "Maybe" Nen: "Like, what if your stumps start bleeding again and it gets all over the food?" Panel 2. Nen jumps up beside Nissaya, who stands. Nen: "You're going to go anyway right?" Nissaya: "Yes" Panel 3. Nissaya stands while Nen, behind him, lifts a robe over his shoulders.
Nissaya, his forearms wrapped in bandages, stands with his back to us before a wooden door; Nen stands on a stone stair beside him. Nen: "Let me get the door" Nissaya: "Thanks"
Panel 1. Nissaya comes through a doorway, his forearms bandaged; Nen peeks in at the edge. Nissaya: "We'll need some straps." Panel 2. Nen ties straps around Nissaya's bandaged forearm. Nen: "This is going to be awesome!" Panel 3. Nissaya holds up a scythe strapped to his bandaged forearm while Nen stands beside him. Nissaya: "Yeah, not bad"
Panel 1. Nissaya harvests wheat with a scythe strapped to his arm; other monks work in the distance, and the Master and a younger monk stand at the right. Panel 2. Close-up of the Master and the younger monk. The younger monk: "Master?" The Master: "Yes?" The younger monk: "I don't understand the wisdom of allowing Nissaya to harvest" The younger monk: "He's not healed yet" The Master: "Hmm, he seems to be harvesting well enough..." Panel 3. Close-up of the Master. The Master: "But he is struggling, and this is part of his struggle" The Master: "We must let it run its course"
Panel 1. Sunset over a bank of clouds; a tiny figure stands far off at the horizon. Panel 2. Nissaya, large, and Nen, small, stand side by side. Nissaya: "That's it for today and only a little left for tomorrow!" Nen: "I'm hungry!" Nissaya: "Heh, me too Nen!" Panel 3. Rabbits sit eating around a table under a hanging lamp. A rabbit seated at the right of the table: "Good job out there Nissaya" A rabbit seated at the left of the table: "Hmmhm" Panel 4. A rabbit walks between rows of beds in a dim room. Sound: "Zzzzz"
Panel 1. Nissaya leaps across a gap toward Ahba, who stands on a stone pillar under a crescent moon. Ahba: "Nissa!" Nissaya: "Ahba!" Panel 2. Nissaya and Ahba embrace; Ahba wears a scarf at her neck. Ahba: "Oh Nissaya" Panel 3. The embrace continues; Nissaya's forearms are bandaged. Sound: "Sob" Ahba: "Oh Nissa, your hands..." Ahba: "I heard about the accident" Nissaya: "Ahba, it's fine, I harvested today" Nissaya: "I can work"
Panel 1. Nissaya speaks close beside Ahba, who leans against Nissaya's shoulder with eyes closed. Nissaya: "I was praying before I was hurt. I prayed and prayed and there was no answer..." Nissaya: "After the injury, I was asleep for days and there was no gramps, no sign..." Nissaya: "Nothing" Ahba: "Nissaya... no" Panel 2. Close on Nissaya's bandaged forearms, handless and trembling. Panel 3. Close on Nissaya's face, head bowed; the edge of Ahba's ear is at the bottom. Nissaya: "That's why I'm going to leave the monastery and be with you" Ahba: "Nissa" Panel 4. Nissaya and Ahba face each other; Ahba's hand rests against Nissaya's bandaged forearm. Ahba: "I can't"
Nissaya, in a dark vest, his forearms bandaged, faces Ahba, whose hand rests against his bandaged forearm; Ahba has her back turned, a scarf at her neck. Ahba: "This isn't the future I wanted for us"
Panel 1. Nissaya stands with head bowed, bandaged stumps hanging; part of another figure's arm is at the right edge. Panel 2. Nissaya stands alone on a tall pillar under the crescent moon while a tiny figure, apparently Ahba, leaps across distant pillars.
Panel 1. From above, Nissaya sleeps curled on a bed while Nen stands beside it. Nen: "Nissa! Wake up!" Nen: "We're going to finish harvesting right?" Panel 2. Close on Nissaya, head bowed, awake. Nissaya: "Yeah, let's do it" Panel 3. Nen stands on a bed holding up a long cloth while Nissaya sits beside him. Panel 4. Nissaya kneels at a stone block, a strap around his forearm, while Nen helps.
Panel 1. Nissaya, in a robe, has two curved blades strapped to his bandaged forearms; Nen's head is at the right edge. Nissaya: "They look kinda dull" Nissaya: "I'll need to sharpen them" Nissaya: "How about you go fill up our canteens?" Panel 2. Nissaya at the left and Nen at the right, beside a doorway. Nen: "It's really hot out today huh?" Nissaya: "Yup" Panel 3. Nen bounds away past stone pillars. Nen: "I'll be right back Nissa!"
Panel 1. Nen leaps through the air carrying a canteen. Panel 2. A line of green-cloaked rabbits with a banner walks along distant stone pillars; Nen crouches on a pillar top at the upper right. Panel 3. Nen peers around the edge of a stone pillar.
Panel 1. Nissaya sits sharpening a curved blade on a stone slab, eyes closed, the blade strapped to his bandaged forearm. Nissaya thinks: "Ahba.." Sound: "Snik" Sound: "Snik" Panel 2. Close on Nissaya's face, a tear running down. Nissaya thinks: "I'm not worthless!" Panel 3. Nissaya stands with his head bowed. Nissaya thinks: "None of this makes sense..."
Panel 1. Nen runs, breathless, through a doorway. Sound: "Huff huff" Panel 2. Close on Nen, out of breath, shouting. Nen: "Nissa!" Sound: "Huff" Sound: "Huff" Nen: "Twinleafs!" Panel 3. A curved blade lies across a stone slab; a bandaged arm is at the lower right. Panel 4. Nissaya, scowling, faces Nen, who is small at the lower left. Nissaya: "What?" Nen: "A big group of them and they were almost to the fields!" Nissaya: "This is the last time they cause us trouble!"
Panel 1. Green-cloaked rabbits walk a path under a green banner with a dark mark; an elderly grey-furred rabbit in a white cloak, with a cane, stands among them. Panel 2. Close on a whiskered rabbit in a green cloak, gazing out. Panel 3. Close on a rabbit in a green cloak, head lowered.
Panel 1. A tall green-cloaked rabbit is struck, blood spraying from his neck; others stand around him and a white-cloaked shoulder is in the foreground. Sound: "?" Panel 2. Close on Nissaya, teeth bared and fur flecked with blood; at the right a green-cloaked rabbit is cut and sprays blood. Panel 3. Nissaya, blades on his bandaged forearms, stands among green-cloaked rabbits; one lies cut down at the bottom and the others recoil.
Panel 1. Nissaya swings a curved blade in a great arc, his head dark against the sky. Panel 2. A black blade sweeps in toward a pink column covered in tiny faces. Panel 3. The blade cuts into the column and blood bursts. Panel 4. The blade drags through, blood streaming. Panel 5. Close on a wide-eyed green-cloaked rabbit's face struck by a red spray.
Panel 1. A green-cloaked rabbit stands calmly; a dark shape looms at the left edge. Panel 2. He raises a hand as a dark blade slashes across his side, blood spraying. Panel 3. He lies on the ground, bleeding, while the old white-cloaked rabbit looks on. The Master: "Nissa..."
Nissaya, spattered with blood, crouches with blades strapped to his bandaged forearms among dead green-cloaked rabbits, severed heads, pools of blood and a fallen green banner. The old white-cloaked rabbit is at the right edge. The Master: "But they came to apologize"
Nissaya, face and clothes spattered with blood, looks out, his bandaged forearm at the lower right. Nissaya: "Now I understand" Nissaya: "This is what it feels like to give in to Khyo" Nissaya: "It feels... good"
Panel 1. Nen looks up at Nissaya, whose legs and a blood-dripping blade are at the left edge; a dead rabbit lies at the lower left. Nen: "Wow Nissa, you got all of them" Panel 2. Nissaya, flecked with blood, lifts his head toward the sky. Nissaya: "Not all of them" Nissaya: "Lets go take the good land"
Title card. A yellow dog in armor holding a bladed polearm and a white wolf in a red collar holding a spear face each other across swirls of red and blue paint. Caption: "Overgrowth: mad dog" Sign: "Click or press right to continue"
Panel 1. A stepped stone pyramid stands in a cave. Caption: "I first saw him on the cave pyramid of New Rakan— about to make the worst decision of his life." Panel 2. Seen from above, small figures stand on a tiled floor. The white wolf: "You misunderstand the code, Wolfblood." Panel 3. The armored yellow dog, holding a polearm, faces the white wolf, seen from behind with a red collar; two robed onlookers stand beyond. The white wolf: "You must wait at least a month before challenging me again."
Panel 1. The white wolf stands relaxed with a spear and a short blade. The white wolf: "If you train, and train hard, maybe you will be able to rise above the limitations of your breed— and finally pose a threat to me." Panel 2. The armored yellow dog, a polearm in his hands, snarls. The armored yellow dog: "You dare speak of the code! My whole clan died defending this place, while you stayed back and hid like the coward you are." The armored yellow dog: "With every breath you take you dishonor their sacrifice, so you will breathe no more. The code offers no protection for cowards!" Panel 3. Close on the white wolf's face. Sound: "Sigh" The white wolf: "Let's get this over with." Panel 4. Close on the yellow dog's paw planted on the ground, a blade tip at the lower left.
Panel 1. The yellow dog's paw presses the ground. Sound: "Tap" Panel 2. The white wolf stands braced with spear and short blade as the yellow dog launches at him from above; only the dog's leg and foot are in frame at the right. The armored yellow dog: "For the clan!" Sound: "Whoosh"
Panel 1. The yellow dog leaps overhead, weapon raised; the white wolf is at the lower left. Sound: "Shiing" The white wolf: "Still so slow." Panel 2. The wolf thrusts his spear toward the dog at the right edge. The white wolf: "—and so unbalanced." Panel 3. Close on the dog's hand gripping a hilt. Panel 4. The wolf and the dog swing their weapons and clash. Sound: "Crack" Sound: "Shiing"
The yellow dog lunges at the white wolf, who is knocked back, his spear flying from his hand. The armored yellow dog: "Die!"
Panel 1. Close on the white wolf's hand, with a red wrist guard, gripping a spear shaft. Panel 2. The wolf twists through the air as his spear streaks away to the right. Sound: "Shhhhh" Panel 3. The wolf lies sprawled at the left as the yellow dog charges, the spear stuck in his thigh. Sound: "Whump"
Panel 1. The yellow dog, a blade in his hand and a spear stuck in his thigh, strides forward. The armored yellow dog: "Just a scratch!" Sound: "Rip" Panel 2. Seen from behind, the dog walks toward the white wolf, who crouches at the upper left. Panel 3. The dog drops to his knees, clutching his bleeding leg, a knife in his other hand. The armored yellow dog: "Aarrgh!" Sound: "Thud"
Panel 1. Close on the white wolf, teeth bared, shouting. The white wolf: "Yield! It's over!" Panel 2. The armored yellow dog snarls and charges, a knife in his hand. The armored yellow dog: "Grrrrrrr!" Panel 3. The dog's knife stabs the wolf's bloodied forearm while the wolf's blade strikes the dog's head. Sound: "Crunch!" Sound: "Whack"
Panel 1. The yellow dog, a blade through his head, clutches at it; a dropped blade is at the lower right and a dark figure at the left edge. The armored yellow dog: "—urrg" Panel 2. Close on the dog's bleeding head and armored chest, a red-streaked blade at his shoulder. Sound: "Slooop" Panel 3. The dog lies on the ground, head tilted back, blood over his eyes.
Panel 1. Close on the white wolf's face and cloak. Panel 2. Close on the fallen dog's armored body. Panel 3. The white wolf faces an armored, brown-furred figure approaching from the right. The white wolf: "Clean up this mess."
Seen from above on a stone platform, the white wolf and an armored brown dog stand over the bloodied body of the armored yellow dog; a white-furred figure and a dark wolf watch from the platform edge. The armored brown dog: "Where should we bury him? The Wolfblood clan graveyard is full." The white wolf: "Just throw him in the trash for the bottom-feeders." The white wolf: "He won't be missed."
Panel 1. Seen through a round opening, four figures carry a stretcher with the body down stone steps from a fortress doorway. Caption: "I had never seen such a persistent fighter before" Caption: "His technique was unrefined, but he clearly had the heart of a warrior" Panel 2. A shaggy white dog in a blue-gray vest, a staff on his back and bandaged wrists, shakes a red canister. Sound: "Shkk" Panel 3. A small figure climbs a rocky crag. Caption: "I decided to make sure he had a fitting burial"
Panel 1. Two small dogs in white robes, one behind the other, carry a heavy black bundle along a ledge above a refuse heap and complain. The left bearer: "Why do the big dogs always make us carry the heavy loads? It's not fair" The right bearer: "Cause they can. Same old story" Panel 2. Seen from above, the two bearers walk a ledge over the heap, still complaining. The left bearer: "Ugh, I'll never get used to the smell of this place" The right bearer: "It doesn't bother me. Won't bother you soon nuff" Panel 3. The black bundle drops into a huge refuse heap. A bearer: "In he goes!" A bearer: "Let's get outta here" Sound: "Whump" Sound: "Crunch"
In a rocky dump, three gaunt scavenger dogs close in on the black bundle lying in the foreground: a pale long-haired dog on a rock, a thin gray dog standing, and a dog with a bandaged head crouching at the right. The pale dog: "Are they gone?" The thin gray dog: "Think so, let's see what we've got today" The bandaged dog: "Ahhhh... Smells fresh!"
Panel 1. A scavenger with a bandaged head, red marks at the eyes, whispers. The bandaged dog: "Shhh... Hear that? He's still breathing" Panel 2. The thin gray scavenger leans over the wounded dog lying in the black bundle, hungry; the wounded dog stirs. The thin gray dog: "I'm so hungry... I don't know if I can wait..." Sound: "Urs" Panel 3. Seen from above, the traveler with a staff on his shoulder, back to us, steps in toward the bundle where the scavengers stand. The traveler: "Get away from him!" The traveler: "I won't let him die like this"
Panel 1. The traveler stands on a ledge holding out a red canister. The traveler: "I don't want any trouble with you" The traveler: "If all you want is food, I have some to spare" Panel 2. The thin gray dog snarls. The thin gray dog: "What's the catch? I bet it's poisoned!" The thin gray dog: "They probably sent you down here to finally get rid of us" The thin gray dog: "I'm nobody's fool!" Panel 3. Close up, the traveler eats from a red canister. The traveler: "Mmm... You think the dogs up on the steps even care enough to bother killing you?" The traveler: "They barely know you exist. I guess you've been down here a long time not to know that" Sound: "Chomp" The traveler: "This is delicious, you sure you don't want any?"
Panel 1. The thin gray dog, in profile, answers the traveler's offer. The thin gray dog: "Fine. Give me the food!" The thin gray dog: "You can have the corpse" Panel 2. The traveler, on a ledge at the upper left, tosses a red canister; the thin gray dog rears up with both hands raised to catch it. The traveler: "Here... Catch" Panel 3. Eyes closed, the thin gray dog savors the canister while the other scavengers crowd at the lower left. The traveler: "There is one thing..." Sound: "Chomp" Panel 4. Close up, the traveler makes his offer, a staff on his back. The traveler: "Where I come from, one need not fight to gain a position of respect" The traveler: "My master is wise. He has asked me to find those who have been cast out because of injury or lack of fighting ability" The traveler: "He even welcomes cowards, so long as they possess some other skills." The traveler: "Perhaps you and your friends are interested?"
Panel 1. The traveler lowers himself on a rope into the pit; the pale scavenger watches him while the thin gray and bandaged scavengers huddle below, sniffing. The thin gray dog: "Some kind of cult, huh?" The thin gray dog: "Not interested" Sound: "Thud" The traveler: "No cult..." Sound: "Sniff sniff" A scavenger: "Smells good" Panel 2. The traveler, back to us, crouches over the wounded dog in the black bundle and speaks to the scavengers. The traveler: "Do you really wish to spend the rest of your days living in the filth of this backwater keep, scavenging corpses?" The traveler: "Well, I think if our friend here was going to die he would have done it by now. Seeing the extent of these wounds, I can't believe he still lives" The traveler: "He must have a strong will indeed" Panel 3. The traveler sits holding a canister, still talking to the scavengers at the right. The traveler: "Even if you aren't interested, I could use some help" The traveler: "I'm out of food now, but left a cache of supplies up the road. It's not far, and there is plenty there for all of us." The traveler: "If you are willing to help me move this fallen warrior, I would be happy to share the food with you and your friends" The traveler: "It will give you some time to consider what I said"
Around the bundled wounded dog, the traveler (back to us, staff on his back) and three scavengers introduce themselves: the thin gray dog, the bandaged dog and the pale long-haired dog. Janner: "I should introduce myself. I am Janner of Clan Stonecutter" Chase: "You can call me Chase, and my clan can go to hell" Chase: "That's none of your business anyway" Sound: "Snarf" Taff: "I'm Taff of Clan Bonetooth" Brummie: "My name's Brummie... I don't think this guy is going to tell us his name, isn't that right, Corpse?" Brummie: "I think somebody tossed a stretcher down here the other day..." Brummie: "Wasn't in the best shape, but I bet we could use it!"
Panel 1. Four travelers walk a path through green hills toward rocks and a tree, two of them carrying the stretcher. Caption: "Little did I know that calm day in late summer how perilous our journey would be. I think back and wonder what I should have done differently, yet I feel there was no way to avoid our evil fate" Janner: "It is right up ahead, by those rocks" Brummie: "This place you're from, how far is it from here?" Janner: "Cliff Bluff Pyramid is about fifteen days journey..." Janner: "Longer if I don't receive your help" Brummie: "I think I see the cache" Panel 2. At the cache among the boulders, the blindfolded Taff stands beside Brummie, who crouches at a huge bag. Brummie: "Yeah, here it is" Brummie: "You weren't kidding, this bag is huge" Panel 3. Janner offers the food; Chase stands next to the stretcher on the ground, while Brummie and the blindfolded Taff sit on the rocks. Janner: "Help yourself" Chase: "Aren't you afraid that we could, you know, kill you and take all you stuff?" Janner: "No, I'm not worried. How about you... Are you afraid of me?" Taff: "There are three of us and just one of you" Janner: "I suppose so..."
Panel 1. Taff, blindfolded and wrapped in a cream shawl, stands at the left; Brummie sits at the right holding up something purple. Taff: "I used to be able to fight..." Taff: "I can't do anything anymore" Brummie: "Not one of your moods again. Look! There are biscuits here, and jam!" Brummie: "How can you be upset?" Panel 2. Janner raises a flask to drink. Janner: "I don't suppose you've decided on my offer" Sound: "Sip" Panel 3. Taff, Brummie with a big bag in his arms, and Chase at the right edge answer; Janner's purple shoulder shows at the bottom left. Taff: "I have nothing here, don't see why not" Brummie: "I'm in, so long as there are more treats" Chase: "Fine. I need to keep you two out of trouble" Chase: "But don't think for a second I believe these claims of yours" Janner: "Good! Eat a little and then we can keep on going"
Panel 1. A hand-drawn map shows a red route winding up from a pyramid at the bottom through mountains and monoliths. Caption: "Our path took us deep into a nameless desert dominated by great sand dunes and monoliths. I was familiar with the way, and we were well provisioned. Our progress was good" Brummie: "Nobody goes this way" Chase: "It's because there's nothing out here" Janner: "Don't worry, I know the route" Panel 2. A line of tiny silhouetted travelers climbs a sunlit dune toward distant monoliths. Brummie: "Fresh air, and the view is great!" Taff: "I wish I could see it..." Panel 3. At night, tiny figures sit around a campfire under a rocky overhang. Janner: "I'll take first watch. Brummie, could you take the second shift?" Brummie: "Yawn... Sure, no problem..."
Panel 1. Darkness with faint red veins, as if seen through closed eyelids; the dark beats. Sound: "Thump thump" Sound: "Thump thump" Panel 2. A narrow slit of pale light opens like an eye; dark finger shapes show in the foreground. Sound: "Thump thump" Sound: "Thump thump!" Sound: "Wheeeze" Panel 3. Under a crescent moon, the wounded warrior sits up, a hand to his head, beside the stretcher and a small campfire; the others lie asleep in the dark. Caption: "Deep in the night, the fallen warrior awoke to find himself in a desolate landscape of rocks and sand." Caption: "How long did he sit in a daze of pain? Not long." Caption: "Did he struggle on his wounded leg? Not him." Caption: "He had faced death and survived. Sometimes I think he brought some of it back with him" Sound: "Zzzz"
Panel 1. Sunrise over desert hills. Janner: "You didn't see him, Brummie?" Brummie: "I guess I fell asleep..." Panel 2. Seen from above, the empty stretcher lies in the sand, bloodstains on its canvas. Brummie: "I'm sorry" Chase: "Well the corpse is gone now. No sign of him..." Panel 3. Seen from above through streaks of wind, Chase, Taff, Janner and Brummie and the stretcher are buffeted by the rising wind; the wounded warrior clings to the edge of a dune at the left. Chase: "The wind is picking up. Must have blown away his tracks and scent" Taff: "His scent is still strong here..." Janner: "The winds bring a storm. We need to go and make it as far as we can before it hits." Janner: "We didn't pack enough water to wait it out." Brummie: "It's... my fault. He'll wander in the desert and die.." Janner: "I don't think so. He took some food and a canteen." Janner: "I bet he's fine, and well on his way back to New Rakan" Janner: "I wish I had the chance to convince him to join us"
Panel 1. Footprints lead up a sandy slope to a distant crest; two hooded figures are hunched at the bottom, backs to us. Panel 2. Taff, bandaged over the eyes and in a cream shawl, sniffs the wind; a small dog crouches on the dune crest at the upper left, and a brown dust storm sweeps in from the right. Taff: "The air smells strange" Taff: "Dust storm blowing in..." Panel 3. Taff faces the oncoming dust storm.
Panel 1. In a thick brown sandstorm, Janner leads the three other travelers, all bent against the wind. Janner: "We have to find shelter!" Panel 2. Tiny silhouettes of the group struggle along the foot of a cliff in the swirling dust. Panel 3. Silhouetted in a cave mouth, the travelers take shelter, Janner at the center with a hand raised.
Panel 1. A dark tunnel; a silhouetted traveler with a staff on his back walks in. Panel 2. At the tunnel's end Janner, in front, stares ahead; Chase, Brummie and Taff stand behind him. Janner: "Amazing!" Panel 3. A hidden cavern: sunbeams fall through the roof onto a pond, a small tree and a waterfall; the group stands small at the lower left.
Panel 1. Janner crouches over the cold remains of a campfire; a small gray figure stands on a rock ledge behind him. Janner: "We aren't the first ones to shelter here" Janner: "Looks like someone was here a few days ago" Someone: "Hey take a look at this" Panel 2. Chase, seen from behind, and Janner look down toward the pool. Janner: "What is it?" Panel 3. Seen from above, a clear pool with fish swimming in it; two figures at the bottom edge look in. Caption: "Dinner"
Panel 1. Two fish roast over a small fire beside a knife stuck in the ground; a pack sits at the upper right. Brummie: "This place is great" Brummie: "These cave fish didn't even put up a fight" Panel 2. Two travelers sit in the dim cave, one at each end of the panel. Janner: "It is hard to tell if the storm is letting up from in here" Chase: "A few days of rest aren't going to kill us" Panel 3. Brummie stands at the left ready to go outside; Chase stands in the middle, hands on hips; a pale-haired figure and the blindfolded Taff sit by the fire at the right. Brummie: "I'll go check outside and see how it is... I have to pee anyway" Janner: "Good idea. We don't stink this place up"
Panel 1. Brummie walks alone through a dim rock tunnel. Brummie thinks: "This tunnel is kind of creepy" Panel 2. Seen from behind at the tunnel mouth, Brummie looks out at a stormy desert where three dark shapes stand. Brummie thinks: "What's that?" Panel 3. Close view of Brummie shielding his eyes from the wind. Panel 4. Three dark, armed figures stride through the storm, one kicking up a leg. Brummie: "Raiders!" Panel 5. Brummie runs toward us, mouth open; a masked raider with a blade lunges in at right. Brummie: "Run! We need to run!"
Panel 1. A masked, rat-faced raider swings a weapon into Brummie, who reels back with his head thrown back. Sound: "Wump!" Panel 2. Brummie falls; the raider leaps over him. A black inset at the right shows a white impact flash. Sound: "Thud" Panel 3. A narrow strip replaying page 69: a sunrise sky. Janner: "You didn't see him, Brummie?" Brummie: "I guess I fell asleep..." Panel 4. A narrow strip replaying page 69: the stretcher, with Brummie's balloons across it. Brummie: "I'm sorry" Brummie: "Not this time" Panel 5. On the ground, Brummie bites the raider's arm. Sound: "Grrrr" Sound: "Crunch"
Panel 1. Brummie, a white-haired dog, and the rat-masked raider grapple on the ground; Brummie's teeth are in the raider's arm. Panel 2. Close up, Brummie's blood-stained jaw and a blade slash across the corner. Panel 3. Brummie lies at the left, bleeding; the raider crouches at the right and shouts after him. The rat-masked raider: "Get back here!"
Panel 1. Five raiders stand in the storm: Griz the rat-masked raider crouching at the left, a hooded masked one, a cat-faced one in a scarf, the big armored one with a sword, and a bear-faced one at the right. Griz: "There was a look-out... I thought I had him. Damn thing bit me" A raider: "Sloppy, Griz" A raider: "Someone sell us out?" Griz: "I don't think so. Looked like a traveler. Probably just trying to get out of this damn storm" The armored raider: "Well he saw us now. Not much point in a secret hideout that ain't secret" The armored raider: "So let's keep it that way" The armored raider: "Kill anyone you see" Panel 2. A group of small figures moves off across the rocks. A raider: "Come on"
Panel 1. Brummie, hooded, staggers in, blood running from his throat. Brummie: "Raiders" Sound: "gasp" Panel 2. Close up, Brummie clutches his bleeding throat and coughs. Sound: "cough" Sound: "gurgle" Panel 3. A cave interior: a shaggy traveler stands facing us while a dark raider raises a blade behind him. Janner: "Run!"
Panel 1. In the cave, Taff, blindfolded, Chase, hand raised, and Janner, with a staff on his back, react. Panel 2. The big armored raider drives a sword into Brummie, who sinks bleeding; far off at the upper right, small figures stand on a green hill. Sound: "Chunk"
Panel 1. The shirtless, cloaked warrior strains to lift a huge boulder in the foreground; far off, the armored raider stands over Brummie's body. Sound: "huff" Someone: "Brummie!" Panel 2. The warrior climbs up the face of the boulder and heaves at it. Sound: "Crack"
Panel 1. The armored raider, a bloody sword in his hand, stands beside the cat-faced raider in the scarf; the underside of a boulder shows above. The armored raider: "Your friend can't-" Panel 2. The huge boulder drops onto the cat-faced raider and bursts in blood. Sound: "Whooosh" Sound: "Splatt"
Panel 1. In the cavern, the shirtless warrior stands on a high rock at the upper left, pointing up; Janner, from behind, and Chase turn to flee while Taff, bloody-eyed, shouts. Janner: "The corpse!" Chase: "An escape. Look there" Chase: "Maybe we can climb up" Taff: "A fight? Someone give me a spear!" Janner: "This way Taff, we must flee!" The pale-cloaked raider: "What?" Panel 2. A narrow inset of a waterfall with light falling through the roof, the way out.
Panel 1. Two figures cling to a rock wall in a narrow panel. Panel 2. Janner, a staff over his shoulder, stands in the foreground while a dark cloaked figure climbs the rock behind him. Janner: "Climb!" Panel 3. The bear-faced raider, hooded, grips a huge sword. The bear-faced raider: "So you're going to hold me off with a stick?" The bear-faced raider: "Such noble sacrifice..."
Panel 1. A hooded climber with a pack scales a rock wall; two more figures follow below. A climber: "This way!" A climber: "Almost there" Panel 2. A cloaked figure climbs a rock face against a pale sky while stones fall. Sound: "Rumble" A climber below: "What is that?" A climber below: "A cave-in?" Panel 3. Climbers reach a gap in the rock against a bright sky as stones fall. Sound: "Rumble" Sound: "Rumble" Caption: "It's getting louder"
Panel 1. The bear-faced raider swings a huge sword overhead at Janner, who braces a wooden staff above his head. The bear-faced raider: "Grrrr!" Panel 2. Inset close view of a snarling, shadowed face with the staff held across it as a blade streaks down. Sound: "Whooosh"
Panel 1. A bandaged, spiky-haired dog at the left stands beside a robed dog who tilts his head back to listen. Taff: "The sound stopped" Taff: "Hey..." Taff: "What is it?" Panel 2. An enormous blue whale rears up on its flippers above four small travelers walking along a ridge between standing stones.
Janner blocks the bear-faced raider's huge sword with his wooden staff held overhead; the raider stares. Sound: "Ching!" The bear-faced raider: "Wha?"
Panel 1. Janner, in his purple vest, raises both hands. Janner: "Mighty whaleman, how can we appease you?" Panel 2. The whale's head in close view, one flipper raised beside its mouth. The whale: "Hmmm?" Panel 3. The whale rears up high and crashes onto the rocks, where small dark figures raise their arms below. The whale: "Whooa" Sound: "Crack!"
Panel 1. Janner holds his wooden staff in both hands; a bright steel blade shows in the middle of it. Panel 2. The bear-faced raider, mouth open, holds up a short stub in one hand. The bear-faced raider: "Well, damn..."
Panel 1. The whale crashes down in a cloud of dust and flying debris. Sound: "Crash" Panel 2. The whale stands on its flippers, weeping, with red gore on its belly and blood pooled on the ground. Caption: "The end"
A long blade sweeps diagonally across the panel, trailing blood. A severed hand sprays blood through the air at the top. A snarling bear-faced raider recoils at the lower right.
Janner raises a bloody blade beside the fallen bear-faced raider, whose arm trails blood at the left. A small dark figure crouches on a rock above. A small figure on a rock above: "Come on, let's go before the rest come!" Sound: "Grrrr"
Panel 1. A bloodied cat in a cloak stands behind a hooded figure in a white plague mask who holds a sword. The cat: "This is bad" The plague-masked figure: "Slim too?" The plague-masked figure: "No way..." Panel 2. A wounded figure lies in a pool of blood. Panel 3. Hooded figures look down at a bloodied figure curled on the ground. The cat: "Well, he's still alive" Sound: "Grrr" Caption: "Getting my hand chopped off that day was a bit of a surprise, but that day was also the one when my luck started to turn"
Panel 1. The plague-masked figure kneels over the fallen bear-faced raider; a cloaked figure walks away behind them. The plague-masked figure: "Bring his hand over" The plague-masked figure: "I may be able to sew it back on" The cat: "I got it" The bear-faced raider: "Uuh what?" Panel 2. The raider's head and shoulders loom in the foreground; a cloaked figure stands back at the right. The bear-faced raider: "Yeah, great idea! Just let them get away..." The bear-faced raider: "Morons!" The cat: "'Let them get away'? Those guys are long gone, and not even the rat can track in this weather"
Panel 1. The cat crouches in its bloodied cloak, holding something in its hands. The cat: "Wait, you can sew this back on? I've never even heard of that..." Panel 2. A masked figure stands in blood at the left; at the right, cloaked figures stand together. A masked figure: "Hey, where is the boss?" Slim: "You're standing in him" Panel 3. The plague-masked figure, hooded, faces the bear-faced Slim, whose eye is red. The plague-masked figure: "Wait, that means you're in charge right Slim?" Slim: "Yeah... maybe"
Panel 1. The plague-masked figure, hooded, holds out something in an open hand toward a seated, hunched bear-faced fighter. The plague-masked figure: "Sit down here, I have something" Slim: "Your medicine?" Slim: "Getting generous now..." Panel 2. A hand holds up a small pill. The plague-masked figure: "For the pain" The plague-masked figure: "It will be more than enough" Slim: "What?" Slim: "You eat two of these every night" Panel 3. Slim raises a hand to his mouth. Slim: "Yeah, sure" Sound: "Chomp"
Panel 1. Close view of Slim's face in profile. Slim: "Feeling a bit..." Panel 2. A head slumps sideways into the frame. Sound: "Slump" Panel 3. Slim, mouth open, tilts his head. Slim: "Heh heh" Panel 4. A severed hand lies apart from the wrist it was cut from, with small surgical tools and a bowl of bloody tissue around them. Caption: "I don't remember anything from that next day" Caption: "Sally told me later how she did the work" Caption: "Her skills had kept her alive, unlike the other rat slaves" Caption: "Got to help on their "experiments" rather than be one" Caption: "The skin was peeled back, and each little bit cleaned up" Caption: "It sounded fun... Sorry I slept through it"
Panel 1. Two burning figures stand among bare trees; a small rat-faced figure in the foreground looks toward them. Caption: "I had fevered dreams filled by dead people" Slim: "Mom!" Slim: "Dad!?" Panel 2. Slim lies bandaged and screaming while a faint hooded figure stands behind him. Caption: "When I did finally wake up, I was a little disoriented..." A hooded figure: "Hold him down!" Slim: "Ahhhh! The pain!" A hooded figure: "He'll ruin it!" Panel 3. Close view of a stitched, bandaged hand held up. Caption: "And surprised by the results" Slim: "Ahhhh!"
Panel 1. At night in a forest clearing, several figures sit and stand around a small fire. Caption: "We ran all day and night" Caption: "We finally stopped hopelessly lost, where the sand gave way to trees" Panel 2. Taff, blindfolded and in a white robe, faces Chase, a thin gray dog. Taff: "Can someone at least tell me, did Brummie die well?" Chase: "He died like anyone, terrified and in pain!" Panel 3. Janner's dark face looks down, partly cut off at the bottom of the panel. Janner: "He died saving us" Panel 4. Taff, in his white robe, tilts his head back. Taff: "You think there's a chance his ancestors saw him?" Taff: "Maybe they saw him and will guide him..." Taff: "But.." Panel 5. Taff, blindfolded, looks down. Taff: "But what if they don't remember him?" Taff: "Or didn't see him?" Taff: "I don't know the words to help"
Panel 1. Janner stands in a dark forest with his staff across his back, looking down. Janner: "I know the words Taff" Janner: "I've said them many times" Janner: "Do we have anything of his?" Panel 2. Taff, no longer blindfolded, holds a white cloth at his neck. Taff: "Just this bandage..." Taff: "He wrapped my eyes with it when I was cast out" Taff: "He tore it from his clothes" Panel 3. Janner holds out a dark strip of cloth over a fire, arm outstretched. Janner: "Spirits and ancestors harken!" Janner: "A new member joins your clan" Janner: "He is called Brummie and he is brave"
Panel 1. Around a campfire at night, Janner crouches between a spiky-haired dog at the left and a long-muzzled dog at the right. Panel 2. A black-hooded figure with bandaged eyes points to the left. Sound: "Rff--" Panel 3. Janner, a staff across his back, looks down. Janner: "What is it Corpse?" Panel 4. Janner raises his arm, gripping the hilt of a blade at his shoulder. Janner: "Oh, my sword"
Janner holds out a large, gleaming sword with a broad angled blade, a staff across his back. Janner: "You may have heard that rabbits don't forge swords, but that is not entirely true... There is one" Janner: "And his craftsmanship is unequaled"
A muscular dog in a vest and flowing cloak, holding a staff, turns to look back at a huge dark cloaked figure at the left edge. Sign: "Overgrowth: Swordmaker"
A small boat with a mast and passengers is thrown about on enormous dark waves. Caption: "I have walked many paths in service to my clan" Caption: "Far to the north there is a burning mountain jutting out of the sea" Caption: "Only here in the constant fire, the black monoliths formed. We had come seeking their rare metallic ore"
Panel 1. Close view of the boat's mast and hooded passengers, with black spires on the distant shore. Caption: "It was there on that island that I crossed paths with the Swordmaker" Panel 2. The boat is hurled up a steep wave toward jagged rocks. A passenger in the boat: "Watch out!" A passenger in the boat: "The rocks!"
Panel 1. Broken planks and boat timbers churn in the surf around a hooded figure in a purple vest. Panel 2. Janner, in his purple vest, is flung into the churning sea with one arm raised, as a wave crashes against a rock face. Janner: "No!"
Panel 1. A huge wave curls over a tiny swimmer. Panel 2. Janner, in his purple vest, sinks headfirst through the water, bubbles rising. Panel 3. A large dark fish passes above a small figure sinking with arms raised.
Panel 1. Underwater, the wrecked boat sinks above a hooded figure seen from behind. Panel 2. A dark figure stands on the back of a huge fish. Panel 3. Close view of the huge fish's large round eye.
Panel 1. A small pointed-eared figure sits on floating wreckage at the top left; below, pale limbs and a dark shape thrash in the foam. Panel 2. A dark fin and a bloodied figure thrash in the spray above a limp figure in a purple vest lying in the water. Sound: "Chomp"
Panel 1. A dark fish with red-tinged water surfaces at the top above a small swimmer in stormy water. Panel 2. The figure in the purple vest clings to a plank in stormy water; a dark fin cuts through red-tinged water behind him. Panel 3. A bloodied figure falls through the water at the top, trailing red, above a figure in a purple vest seen from behind.
A small hooded figure stands on a rocky ice ledge above a dark, choppy sea with floating ice. Two tall black pillars rise faintly in the distant haze.
Panel 1. A lone hooded figure trudges across a snowy shore beneath ice cliffs. Panel 2. Seen from behind, a figure in a vest grips a cloak flapping in the wind; a blade and a dark shape hang in the air above. Panel 3. A cloaked figure with a tail stoops over a small box at the foot of an ice cliff. Panel 4. A bloodied body lies slumped against a slanted rock face; a hunched figure is seen from behind in the foreground.
Panel 1. A bloodied fist grips a post, blood dripping from the knuckles. Panel 2. A bloodied hand drives a knife into the post while the other hand grips it. Panel 3. A lone figure walks along a windy ridge; two black monoliths stand behind and a cluster of monoliths rises on a hill ahead. Caption: "The land was harsh and at great cost I pushed forward"
Panel 1. A hunched figure crosses a rocky ridge in a storm. Panel 2. A close view of a face blasted by wind. Panel 3. The figure kneels on a ridge in the gale; lightning crackles over a small hut beside a black monolith.
Panel 1. A figure in a vest tumbles through a streaming white blur. Panel 2. A dark shape looms over a wide frightened eye and a raised hand.
Panel 1. A small hooded figure climbs a snowy path toward a thatched hut. Panel 2. Inside the dim hut, a tall dark figure stands at left; a hooded figure sits near a glowing hearth at right.
A hooded rabbit crouches in a dark hut, forearms resting on its knees, looking out calmly.
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit sits on a stool, both hands gripping a long blade held upright. A second, dark figure at right tips a bowl to drink. Sound: "Slerp" Caption: "He had abandoned his homeland five years earlier after his weapons were turned to evil uses" Panel 2. A hand grips the hilt of a long blade, a cord wound around the wrist. Caption: "He had set out to find the island that was known only as a legend among his people" Caption: "Beyond the edges of the earth, bordering on the spirit realm" Caption: "He was drawn to the island as I had been, searching for the black monoliths..." Caption: "To forge blades of that rare steel"
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit sits on a rock, long ears drooping, facing the dog, who is seen from behind at lower left. Caption: "Half of the time I think he believed me to be a spirit or a figment of his imagination" The hooded rabbit: "You are clearly not a rabbit, but you are also not a wolf..." The hooded rabbit: "Are you some sort of offspring of the two?" The dog: "What? I'm a dog" The hooded rabbit: "Ah" Panel 2. On an icy shore, a cloaked figure stands at left beside a raft with a sail; a smaller figure sits by the sail. Caption: "At first I attempted to find a way off of the island" The hooded rabbit: "Oh this raft looks much better than the last one" Panel 3. The cloaked figure on the shore waves while the raft sinks, a figure in the water beside the mast. Caption: "With no success" Panel 4. Two wet figures walk away across the snow, one with a tail, one in a hooded robe.
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit stands in a cloak beside ice formations; the dog huddles against the rock at left, arms crossed. The hooded rabbit: "It is better the raft sink now than far from shore" The hooded rabbit: "Shagra would take you then for sure" Panel 2. Close view of the dog's face. The dog: "Shagra?" Panel 3. The hooded rabbit in profile, cloak blowing, one hand clenched at his side. The hooded rabbit: "One of the sea gods"
Panel 1. Close view of the hooded rabbit's face inside the hood. The hooded rabbit: "He is huge, with a warren warren of teeth and a fierce gaze" Panel 2. Close view of the dog's face, teeth showing. The dog: "The shark" The hooded rabbit: "Shark?" The hooded rabbit: "So you have seen him too" Panel 3. The hooded rabbit, seen from behind in his cloak, stands on the snow. The hooded rabbit: "Shark guided me here..." The hooded rabbit: "Maybe for some reason" The hooded rabbit: "Also, the season is changing and the seas will be impassable soon" The hooded rabbit: "One way or another you would die for sure" The hooded rabbit: "Come. We can warm up at the forge"
Panel 1. A dark hill glows orange and green from a fire on its slope; a small hut sits at its foot. Panel 2. The dog and the hooded rabbit stand on a windswept hill before a tall black monolith. Caption: "Why did he impart his knowledge to me?" The hooded rabbit: "Look closely at the color. The ore here is pure" Panel 3. The hooded rabbit stands at left; the dog crouches by a glowing vent at right. Caption: "Boredom? Loneliness?" The hooded rabbit: "Basics first: don't put your paw over the vent" The hooded rabbit: "It will immediately ignite your fur" The dog: "Why not?" The dog: "Good reason"
Panel 1. A metal bar on an anvil, a burst of lines where it is struck. Panel 2. A hand rests on the metal bar. Panel 3. The hooded rabbit crouches by the forge, holding a sword upright in both hands; the dog stands in the foreground. The hooded rabbit: "Heat causes it to grow and shift" The dog: "It grows?" The hooded rabbit: "Yes, but slowly" The hooded rabbit: "That is when you have to beat it back into shape" The hooded rabbit: "This sword will be ready by summer" The hooded rabbit: "Now let's take a break" Panel 4. The dog sits at left; the rabbit, standing at right, holds out a flask. The dog: "Thanks" Panel 5. Close views of the dog's face at left and the rabbit's face at right. The hooded rabbit: "Your ears are down like mine. Are all "dogs" like this?" The dog: "No, not all dogs" The hooded rabbit: "They call you deformed? Freak?" The dog: "For my ears? No, of course not" Panel 6. Two dark silhouettes sit by the fire. The hooded rabbit: "Dogs must be very kind people"
Panel 1. Close view of the dog's face, head lowered. The dog: "Um, yeah..." Panel 2. The dog, seen from behind at left, faces the hooded rabbit, who grips an upright pole in his fist. The dog: "So why do you keep making swords?" The hooded rabbit: "All my swords have been flawed. Maybe one day I will make something perfect" Panel 3. A large sword blade stands upright above a closed hand gripping its base. The hooded rabbit: "Maybe there is a perfect rabbit" The hooded rabbit: "Or dog" The hooded rabbit: "Who needs a sword like that" The hooded rabbit: "Maybe he can protect everyone" Panel 4. The hooded rabbit sits with a sword across his lap, head bowed, hands on the blade. The hooded rabbit: "So I will keep trying" The hooded rabbit: "Just in case"
Panel 1. The dog, seen from behind, thrusts a spear toward the water; a small fish darts below. Panel 2. The dog holds up a spear with a fish skewered on it. Caption: "Finding enough game was a challenge" Panel 3. A huge shark swims in the dark water overhead while the dog stands small on the ice, spear raised. The dog: "Why?!" The dog: "Why them and not me?"
Panel 1. Two cloaked figures walk through snow toward a thatched hut. Caption: "There was a good chance my cohort would send a rescue expedition in the summer. I just needed to wait..." Panel 2. The dog, cloaked and carrying a spear, strides off. Caption: "So I waited..." Panel 3. A hooded figure sits eating from a bowl. Sound: "Slurp." Panel 4. At the forge, one figure sits working on a blade at the anvil while the other stands over it. Caption: "And we worked on the sword" Panel 5. A snow-covered slope with dark ridge lines; no one is visible. Panel 6. The hooded rabbit grips a long wooden shaft in both fists. Caption: "And waited..." The hooded rabbit: "This will be for the scabbard" Panel 7. The dog sits, looking at his hands; the hooded rabbit stands over him. The hooded rabbit: "You don't like your kelp soup?" The dog: "It... it's fine" Panel 8. A figure lies asleep wrapped in a blanket.
Panel 1. The dog lies awake under a blanket, one hand on his stomach. Sound: "Grrrumble" Panel 2. The dog sits up with his head resting on his hand. Panel 3. Seen from below, the dog grips a spear upright in both hands. Panel 4. The hooded rabbit lies asleep at the top; the dog, cloaked and seen from behind, stands holding the spear. Sound: "Zzz"
Panel 1. Close view of bared teeth in shadow. Panel 2. The dog stands holding a spear behind the sleeping hooded rabbit in the foreground. The hooded rabbit: "Dog?" Panel 3. The dog, cloaked and in profile, carries a spear over his shoulder. The dog: "I'm going fishing" The dog: "I'm hungry"
Panel 1. Seen from above, the dog walks down a snowy slope with a spear over his shoulder. Panel 2. The dog stands on a ridge at the shore, looking out over the sea. Panel 3. Seen from above, the dog stands on an ice ledge at left; a shark swims among ice blocks and rocks below.
Panel 1. The dog raises his spear overhead. The dog: "You!" Panel 2. Close view of the dog's snarling face. The dog: "You're no god!" Panel 3. The dog, seen from behind, grips the spear; a shark rears up out of the water at right. The dog: "You're a fish!"
Panel 1. The dog crouches on top of a tall ice pillar, spear in hand. The dog: "And I..." Panel 2. The dog crouches on a second, lower ice pillar. The dog: "Eat..." Panel 3. The dog stands on an ice arch above the sea; a huge shark fin cuts the water below at right. The dog: "Fishes!"
The dog leaps through the air, cloak streaming, spear pointing down at the shark in the water below.
Panel 1. A shark seen from above, blood from a wound behind its head, splash rings spreading. Panel 2. The dog tumbles onto the shark's back, the spear driven in, blood spurting.
The shark dives with its jaws open, the dog on its back, blood trailing from the wound.
Panel 1. The shark twists in the water, a bleeding wound along its flank. Sound: "Wump" Panel 2. The dog tumbles underwater, bubbles rising; the wounded shark swims away at right.
Panel 1. Close view of the dog's eye and face underwater, a bubble drifting by. Panel 2. Closer view: two wide eyes and an open mouth, bubbles rising. Panel 3. The bloodied shark curls in the water, a red wound along its back. Panel 4. The dog sits, his hand wrapped in a rope that stretches away to the right.
Panel 1. A hand with rope wound around a spear shaft. Panel 2. The dog underwater, rope tangled around him and the spear, bubbles rising. Panel 3. A huge shark's open mouth full of teeth fills the panel.
Panel 1. The shark leaps out of the sea, blood on its flank, the dog caught in its jaws at top left. Panel 2. The dog braces the spear shaft across the shark's jaws as they snap shut. Sound: "Snap"
Panel 1. A white shark leaps from the snow-white sea as the dog, spear in hand, is flung through the air. Panel 2. The dog crashes down into the white waves, still gripping the spear. Panel 3. The wounded shark lies in the waves, bleeding from its back, while the dog bends over beside it. The dog: "Bring my friends back" The dog: "Gods can do that right?" The dog: "But you can't can you..."
Panel 1. The dog, in a hooded cloak, raises a ring-topped staff before the open jaws of the shark's head above him. The dog: "I guess vengeance will have to do" Panel 2. The staff drives into the shark's side and draws blood. Sound: "Stab" Panel 3. The staff stabs into the wound again and again. Sound: "Stab stab stab" Panel 4. The staff keeps stabbing and the wound grows wide and bloody. Sound: "Stab stab stab" Panel 5. The dog bends his head down into the bloody wound. Sound: "Grrr slurp"
Panel 1. Close on the dog's face and chest, streaked and soaked with blood. Panel 2. The shark lies beaten on the snow while the dog stands beside it. The dog: "Do you like it?" The dog: "Being eaten alive?" Panel 3. The dog raises his bloody staff.
Panel 1. The dog and the shark's flank are locked together in a spray of blood. Panel 2. Seen from far off, the shark lies still on the snow beside a tiny standing figure.
Panel 1. A small cloaked figure climbs a snowy path toward a stone hut. Panel 2. At the hut door the dog stands dark in the doorway while a large-eared rabbit, holding a bowl, greets him. The hooded rabbit: "Ah, good you're back" The hooded rabbit: "I made soup" The injured dog: "I already ate" Panel 3. The dog, huddled, clutches his arm. The injured dog: "I broke my arm..." Panel 4. The dog lies down on a bed while the rabbit stands at the left. The injured dog: "Going to sleep a while"
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit, head bowed, works at a long wooden handle gripped in his bare hands. Panel 2. A hand steadies long thin boards on a workbench. Panel 3. A hammer swings down onto a wrapped wooden piece that a hand holds steady. Panel 4. The rabbit raises a finished sword upright while the dog sleeps on the bed behind him.
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit sits beside the bed of the dog, whose arm is bound in a splint. The hooded rabbit: "Dog, the sword is done" The injured dog: "Mmmn?" Panel 2. The dog, propped up in bed beside the bound splint, wakes. The injured dog: "Oh, you splinted my arm..." The injured dog: "I'm thirsty" Panel 3. The rabbit sits hunched on a stool near the bed where the dog lies. The hooded rabbit: "Let me get some fresh snow"
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit, seen from behind with a bucket in one hand and a sword in the other, walks through deep snow toward the sea. Panel 2. Close on the rabbit's face as he looks out, a fist gripping a long pole beside him. Panel 3. A small sailboat with figures aboard sits far out on the water. Panel 4. The boat, closer, with sail full and figures aboard. Panel 5. The rabbit leaps downward through the air in a burst of snow, the bucket tumbling beside him.
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit stands on a rock at the left; dotted arcs trace his leaps across the cliffs toward the shore. Panel 2. Seen from above, dotted arcs follow the rabbit's jumps across rocky cliffs above the sea, a small boat on the water. Panel 3. The rabbit stands at a cliff edge calling to a sailboat crowded with figures. The hooded rabbit: "Hello dogs!" The hooded rabbit: "Over here!"
Panel 1. Seen from above, the hooded rabbit calls from the cliff top at upper left to a sailboat and armed dogs by the water. The hooded rabbit: "Hello dog friends!" One of the dogs: "A rabbit?" Panel 2. Two dogs confer: the dark-furred dog at left, the big pale dog leaning in at right. The dark-furred dog: "Is it crazy?" The big pale dog: "Maybe from isolation but probably safe to eat" The big pale dog: "Lets question him about Janner first" The big pale dog: "Shhh, here he comes" The big pale dog: "Just play along..." Panel 3. The big pale dog leans in close beside the dark-furred dog, jaws open. The big pale dog: "Thanks for the warm welcome, friend!" Panel 4. The rabbit, looking wary, speaks. The hooded rabbit: "Hmm..." The hooded rabbit: "You dogs are not like rabbits" The hooded rabbit: "You dogs are like..." Panel 5. Close on the pale dog's open jaws, long teeth dripping.
The hooded rabbit crouches in the snow, a sword at his back, as armed dogs close in from below with spears raised. The hooded rabbit: "Wolves" The spear-thrusting dog: "Now!" The spear-thrusting dog: "Get him!"
Panel 1. Armed dogs surge forward; one thrusts a spear that splinters the snow, another clenches a fist. Panel 2. A dog snarls, a fist raised. Panel 3. A curved tail flicks through slashing motion lines beside a dog's head.
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit leaps through the air, a sword in his hands and a bleeding wound at his side. Panel 2. The rabbit lies tumbled on the slope, a hand gripping a pole, while a small dog scrambles up at lower left. Panel 3. The rabbit crouches in the snow propped on one hand, a sword across his body, as a dog reaches toward him.
Panel 1. The rabbit crouches on the snow, a hand on the sword at his belt, as a small dog backs away at left; a dark shape rises at lower right. Panel 2. The dark-furred dog, bent forward, looms over a pale shape at right. Panel 3. A long pole strikes down across a pale fallen body. Sound: "Whak!" Panel 4. The dark-furred dog clamps the rabbit from behind.
Panel 1. The dark-furred dog holds the rabbit from behind, lifting him while the rabbit's legs kick. The dark-furred dog: "Stop squirming!" Panel 2. The rabbit twists free in a blur of motion lines.
Panel 1. The rabbit and the dark-furred dog tumble through the air locked together, the rabbit's sword shaft between them. Panel 2. From a tall cliff a dog looks down; far below, snow bursts where the pair land, small figures at the left.
Panel 1. The rabbit runs, cloak streaming, with the dark-furred dog right behind him. Panel 2. A dog on a rock aims a spear along the shore. The dog on the rock: "Get him!" The dog on the rock: "Keep after him!" Panel 3. Far off, a tiny figure leaps across the rocks while a dog runs across the foreground.
On a rocky beach dogs run after the rabbit, a tiny figure leaping across the cliffs at far right; a beached boat sits at left. The spear-carrying dog: "Hunt him down!" The spear-carrying dog: "We'll head him off" The spear-carrying dog: "He can't run forever!"
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit hides panting among snowy rocks as barking sounds in the distance. Sound: "Huff huff..." The hooded rabbit: "Just like wolves..." Sound: "Bark bark bark" Panel 2. Close on the rabbit, who reaches out an open hand. The hooded rabbit: "The sword" Panel 3. A stick stands upright and glowing in the snow beside a beached boat.
Panel 1. A figure walks up a snowy slope toward a snow-covered stone hut as barking sounds nearby. Sound: "Bark bark" Panel 2. A hooded, cloaked figure stands in the hut doorway; the injured dog lies in bed at the right. The hooded rabbit: "You..." The injured dog: "I thought I heard barking!" Panel 3. Close on the hooded rabbit's face. The hooded rabbit: "You should get up" The hooded rabbit: "Your dog friends are here"
Panel 1. In the dim hut the hooded rabbit, seen from behind, holds a drawn sword beside a small stool as barking starts outside. Sound: "Bark bark bark" Panel 2. The injured dog looks up, startled, from his bed. Sound: "Bark bark bark" The injured dog: "What's going on?" Panel 3. A dog bursts through the doorway. Sound: "Bark bark" Sound: "Bam!"
In the hut a snarling wolf-eared dog aims a spear across a table at the hooded rabbit, who holds two swords low; the injured dog sits up in bed between them. The injured dog: "Hey"
Panel 1. A dark-furred dog rushes in with his arm raised while a wolf-eared dog leans in with a spear; the injured dog, startled, sits in bed and the hooded rabbit looks on. The dark-furred dog: "Bro!" The pale wolf-eared dog: "Janner!" Panel 2. The dark-furred dog hugs and lifts the injured dog. The dark-furred dog: "I knew you would make it" The injured dog: "Ow ow ow" The injured dog: "Just leave the rabbit alone okay?"
Panel 1. The hooded rabbit, a sword at his hip, tells the dogs to leave and take the injured dog. The hooded rabbit: "You dogs leave here" The hooded rabbit: "Take this one with you!" Panel 2. A pale wolf-eared dog asks about the others; the dark-furred dog, holding the injured dog, answers, and the injured dog speaks up. The pale wolf-eared dog: "The others?" The dark-furred dog: "Dead" The dark-furred dog: "But the rabbit...." The injured dog: "He saved my life" The injured dog: "Let's just go" Panel 3. The injured dog stands with his arms crossed over a bandaged forearm. The injured dog: "I..." Panel 4. The hooded rabbit stands bowed in his cloak. The hooded rabbit: "Get out"
Panel 1. A line of dogs walks up a snowy path toward a village of thatched huts. Panel 2. Thatched huts stand on a snowy rise above the sea. Panel 3. A cloaked dog stands by a stick planted in the snow and speaks with another dog. The cloaked dog: "What's this?" The bulky dog: "Oh, a stick that rabbit was carrying" The cloaked dog: "Stick?"
Panel 1. A sailboat carries a group of dogs across rough water past a rock outcrop. Caption: "So I was eventually rescued" Panel 2. A cloaked dog with a shaggy head holds a sword-like stick in both hands. The cloaked dog: "This is..."
Panel 1. A small hooded figure in a long cloak, seen from the side, with flecks of snow around him. The hooded rabbit: "The sword..." The hooded rabbit: "Gone" Caption: "I wonder if the swordmaker kept making his swords" Panel 2. Close on the hooded face of a rabbit. Sound: "Sniff" Panel 3. The hooded figure walks alone along a snowy shoreline. Sound: "Sniff sniff"
The hooded rabbit stands on the snow beside the enormous bloodied shark carcass. Caption: "Maybe he is still there, crafting his perfect blade" The hooded rabbit: "Worse than wolves"