Prince and Protege

There are many names for the People of Ictis. Burrowers. Muskers. Vermin, to the less polite. But on most tongues they are called Lithe Folk, who dwell beneath the earth in forests and meadows. They are skilled hunters and fierce warriors, swift and cunning to balance with their small size. Ictesian skill with small livestock is unmatched. Rabbit herding is a common trade, as is poultry farming and beekeeping. Ictesian apiarists are renowned for their quality of honey and wax.

Ictesians come in two kinds. The Torin are identical to their wilder ancestors of old, naturally solitary creatures who make their own living and spare trust for precious few. They are the common folk – hunters, herders, and tradesmens with dark sable coats and masked faces. The Furin are the elite of Ictis. They are the rulers and leaders, the most skilled of warriors and wily of hunters. They gather freely and easily, hunt and travel in groups, and their coats come in many colors. A Furin king rules the Lithe Folk, loved and trusted by his people.

They may seem poor allies to the humans who threaten to encroach upon their wilderness country, but like many small things, the Lithe Folk can surprise you.

These are two years-old characters of mine, from a story that I haven't thought about in a long time. They were created partially because of my attachment to a Redwall OC, Kestrel the ferret. That's her on the left, with her new design. The other character was inspired by Gwydion from the Prydain Chronicles.

The basic rundown is that Prince Frostfire is second in line to the throne of Ictis, but his father's a long way away from dying yet and his elder sister Belladonna is Crown Princess, which leaves him free to roam the land of his own accord. It is fairly commonplace for Ictesian royalty to take on personal proteges and vassals. However, Frostfire chose a Torin as his, which is utterly unheard of. Kestrel was raised in a band of cutthroats that her mother was in, and they waylaid him on the road one evening. He badly injured her in his escape, and her band threatened to leave her for dead unless she came back with his gold tail bracelet. He caught her in the act and ended up feeding her, treating her injuries, and offering her an alternative. She was barely an adolescent at the time and fully intended to take advantage of his kindness, but Frostfire's patience won her over. To this day she is fiercely loyal to her prince, though he still often needs to rein in her rougher tendencies.