The young rogue smiled confidently as he held the last piece to the legendary puzzle in his grasp. As many in the kingdom already knew, the ruling queen sought to acquire a mystical nectar. It was well known that the nectar would grant those that consumed it eternal life and youth, and now he knew exactly where to acquire it. The mere thought of the reward he would receive caused him to salivate; soon, he would be wealthy beyond his wildest imagination and immortal.
The next morning, he set out

Forest Voices--By Requiem
Author's Note: The "animals" in this story are actually anthro, but are much smaller than normal humans. Seda and Gilbert are both about three and a half feet tall, the rabbits are about a foot tall, and the wolves are around four feet tall, with the alpha being five feet tall. They are built like anthros are, but are naked: only Seda has hair on her head.
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It's a crisp day, unusual for early September. Sitting on the porch of his parents' home is Gilbert, a nine-year