My name is jeff. I'm a rank B adventurer and a scout. I came to this section of the frontier with my partner Tanya to try and find the damsel in distress Chianne. Well potential damsel in distress anyway, I hope at least. She is 2 days late from when she said she would be back at the latest. And as punctual as she is that is cause for concern. So, we packed our supplies and headed after her. Tanya is confident that she is only 2 days travel in this direction, and with how much those two chat I wouldn’t be surprised if she knew every landmark that she was going to follow. Still being that late seems grim though I could never mention that to Tanya. She’d have my head if she knew I even thought it. Ordinarily people can be delayed regularly by this or that. Out here though the main thing to delay a person on foot is a strong monster. And on the frontier strong monsters could be anything from B class dual element monsters to S class high ranking magic monsters. Of course, there are all sorts of other variables to a monster’s class but those are the fastest ways to rank an unknown monster. And here there are plenty of unknown monsters and no one knows where the high-level monsters have their territory here. Chianne is good for a C rank but not so good she could take a B or higher alone. Heck even I would shy away from B ranks if I was alone. Here’s to hoping I get to save her at just the right time and look like a hero!

It’s bad enough going in the usual direction on the frontier to map for cash but what really is driving me nuts is something has the animals around here spooked. Not the monsters or the predators but the low on the food chain creatures like rabbits and birds. I barely hear any bird calls and the rabbits are no where to be seen. Tanya may make some noise, not that I’d tell her that, but not enough to make me not see a single squirrel. Its unnatural and eerie as all get out! And I don’t even know if this is normal for here since this is Chianne’s area. Tanya thinks I'm just being a scaredy cat, but I feel something is wrong here.

At the end of todays travel and my concerns have increased rather than improved. The bird life is completely gone and even the monsters have become sparse. I decided to look around and try to snag something better than rations for dinner while Tanya makes camp. I expected more creatures to come out without her with me and in a way I was right. It had seemed like a good idea to go out on my own at the time but with the already creepy woods and me already freaked out I wanted to just run back to Tanya. It felt like there was a dragon around every tree even though no tiny tree could hide a dragon. As I did my absolute best to stay hidden and stalk from hiding spot to hiding spot, I managed to spot a rabbit coming through the woods. I must have been jumping at shadows because that rabbit was hopping through the woods like it owned the place making far more noise than any rabbit without a death wish would make. Just to be safe in case it was some kind of monster rabbit, you never know around here, I pulled my bow to full draw before releasing the arrow aiming at just under the front shoulder. The arrow flew true and should be a perfect shot to the heart, I will get to taste Tanya’s cooking tonight!

The arrow struck the rabbit knocking it tumbling over. Then the rabbit got back up and looked at the arrow that somehow bounced off its skin like a leaf in the wind, then fallowed it to me! I stood in terror at this creature that looks like a rabbit but has a hide stronger than iron! Somewhere in the back of my mind I was thinking ‘if it comes toward me, I will try the eyes while screaming for Tanya. If that still fails, we will have to run for our lives from this monster bunny! Its little buck teeth are looking super menacing right now.’

We looked at each other for what seemed like forever before it made its move. Suddenly it toppled to the side while making a dying squeal before laying motionless with its tongue out and eyes mostly closed. Yes, MOSTLY closed! I could see its beady eyes watching me! Begging me to come closer while it pretends to be dead the sly devil! Well I ain’t moving! If I try and run it will just kill me from behind. I'm sure of it, the reason the bunnies, squirrels, birds, and even the predators have gotten sparse is because of this monster right here! No, I bet it has all the rabbits in its lair training little bunny monsters for a bunny army! Yes, this must be the never heard of Bunny King! Just like goblins and orcs they are weak and prolific until a King is born then they become incomparably stronger with the king even able to reach S class! I'm onto you! I’ll tell everyone about your evil plans when I get out of here!

Then it started to speak even while playing dead. I couldn’t understand what exactly was said but I'm sure it was cursing me for 9 generations for not falling for its trap. It may be even more intelligent than I thought! Suddenly the rabbit jumped up, snatched my arrow, and disappeared far faster than any bunny has business moving! I stood there casting every senses enhancement magic I could think of, but I still couldn’t find any sign of the rabbit. I carefully stalked back to camp, but I could feel more and more eyes gather on me, yet I couldn’t find any source. The whole way back I never saw a single living creature as if they fled from the King’s presence.

When I got back to camp the first thing, I was greeted with was a look of disdain from Tanya. It took me a moment to realize not long had passed since I left, and I had come back with nothing. She clearly thinks I ran back with my tail between my legs because I was too scared to be alone here. Well after she hears about the Bunny King, she will sing a different tune!

The result? A humiliating failure. She thinks I'm completely spook crazy! The conversation went something like this:

“Babe we gotta get out of here and warn the town! There is a Bunny King in these woods!”

“A what?”

“A Bunny King! You know like a Goblin King, that but with rabbits!”

“Uhuh… is that so… so how do you know it was a ‘Bunny King’?”

“Because its hide was so hard that my arrow bounced off it! Then get this it set a trap for me by playing dead! Then when I didn’t fall for it the monster cursed me and said it will kill all the races before snatching my arrow and disappearing!”

“It said all that huh? And you understood it?”

“Well no not word for word but the feeling was there! It fully conveyed the feeling of it!”

“And then it disappeared?”

“Yes, into thin air! It even took my arrow.”

“Ok if you missed your shot due to jumping at shadows fine but enough of the outlandish stories. I get it, you, MR hero want to go home. Well not till we find her. Once I know she is safe only THEN will I follow you back. Otherwise you walk back through these woods alone.”

“Babe I'm not lying it really happened! I'm sure she is fine! She probably had to hide somewhere for a few days and is already back in town. But we have to get out of here! I can feel little eyes watching me! They are everywhere!”

“You’ve gone completely crazy haven’t you. Just shut up and eat so we can get some sleep. You’re tiring enough as it is.”

“Look over there! There’s one of the Kings spies!” I said pointing to where I felt one of the gazes.

“It’s a beetle you dingbat. I might not be a scout but I'm still an elf in the woods. I would notice if we were surrounded as you say. Even by bunnies. If it makes you feel any better do a once around the camp, then go to bed!”

Chianne I hope we find you soon. And that you haven’t become the Bunny King’s food!

yakatin

This was meant as a short side story... became a full chapter length... well whatever.