The kingdom of Stretos had been around longer than the others, but it wasn't considered a kingdom during those days. It was more of a "safe haven' for the unusual and the different.
The "unusual and the different" were what the people called shapesh...
In the depths of the forest laid the unknown and the forgotten. The humans, too scared to venture much farther into the woods, stayed at the areas where the light reached. No one dared to go further. Those who did never seemed to come back, and if they did they were never the same.
Yet, this is where the shapeshifters made their homes. To them it was nothing. They knew and understood the supposed "horrors" of the forest. All the animals and others were happy they were not bothered.
The tales of the forest realm were wrong, however. No one was ever killed there without proper reason. Those who entered the forest either chose to stay or were let free after having their memory erased. A simple feat.
All humans to them were the same: traitors. They were forced here by them. The humans were too power-hungry and obsessive to let something bigger and better than them live. So they slaughtered them. Took them out in large numbers and hoped they'd all die at some point.
As they turned their priorities to their kingdom, the shapeshifters -what was left of them- escaped to the forests of Montrineh. To this day the humans still don't know they live within the wooden compounds.
Thus the "kingdom" of Stretos was born. The name itself even held meaning. The leader of the first revolution, the man who brought them to safety, was named Stretos. They decided since he brought them to freedom, to name the safe haven after him.
Now the lineage from Stretos was to be continued as the leaders of the clan. It wasn't a hierarchy to any of them, and they held things similar to elections but they still decided to keep his lineage in the running.
Mortious was Stretos's only son, who would also become the leader years after the revolution. He continued what his father could not and built the kingdom to what it was today. Without him, they'd still be living on the ground. It wasn't an easy feat, but he managed.
So, to no one's surprise, Mortious also ended up having his own children: Gozaydg his eldest son, and Kabatia his youngest daughter.
Those two ended up following their father's footsteps, also being able to shift into a form of a bear. Kabatia took her mother's fur color and was a light brown, unlike Gozaydg who took his father's black fur instead.
Shapeshifters were of larger stature. Even women were averaging at about six foot five, which made the male average closer to seven and a half.
Kabatia was around that, at a little over six feet, which was technically on the shorter side, but she still held the "royal" blood in her regardless.
Her brother was ready to take his father's place from a young age. He wasn't one for women or enjoying much of anything else unless it involved fighting or training. It was a problem in his youth but he shaped up to be an almost lawful (and tall) young man.
His father was considered tall but when he came around, he put the man's height to shame. He was the tallest, at least recorded, shapeshifter at ten inches over eight-foot. Even though he was a part of them it didn't stop some of them from fearing him. I mean, his father was only eight feet tall.
Gozaydg was a gruff and almost mean man, but it wasn't on purpose. Anger and revenge seemed to keep him going. His father sacrificed his life to help them. The second the humans got him, they killed him and he was never the same afterward.
Becoming the leader of the clan was a fast thing for him, but he didn't train his whole life for nothing. He was barely twenty when it happened, but his sister was not even seventeen yet. Luckily his mother was around for some time before she too left them. That wasn't for another ten years, of course.
The two siblings, although extremely close, followed completely different paths. Kabatia, although a strong fighter as well, ended up marrying young and had her son two years later. The older brother couldn't be mad considering her husband was someone he deemed worthy enough. And he stepped up when he found she was pregnant.
Children among the shapeshifters weren't as uncommon as some species, but it was still a rare occurrence. So Marcello came into the world. He was a bright and speedy little boy. The small child brought a soft side out in his uncle, but it wasn't as noticeable unless they were right next to each other.
As the boy grew, so did the clan. They became more and more powerful each day. But that wasn't the only thing that was growing. The hatred for the humans was getting higher and higher each day, and everyone knew one of these days they were waiting for the cord to snap inside Gozaydg's head.
While he did care for his people and tended to them, he waited for the day he would be able to bring them into battle. He knew he couldn't. Even as the leader, and their willingness to follow him, he still couldn't bring himself to do it. They've come so far and there was no point in bringing some of them to their deaths.
So he kept quiet. Kept to himself unless needed and put his time and effort, when it wasn't needed, into fighting. Usually, he was by himself, but little Marcello tended to join him. All the boy wanted was to become as strong as his uncle.
He should feel proud, but at the same time, he wanted the boy to have a childhood unlike he did. Gozaydg trained him slightly and made him able to protect himself should the occasion ever arise. Yet, he refused to do any more than that.
"Uncle?"
The bigger man knelt down to his face, "Yes, my boy?"
His voice echoed against the walls, it was as deep as his bear's growl, "Why can't you train me like how you fight?"
The smaller boy's speaking wasn't the best when he was young, "You're still a child, Marcello."
He pouted, "I am not! I'll be a big boy one day! I'm not going to be young forever!"
His uncle rolls his eyes, "Then we can talk about training you then. For now, be happy and enjoy your time with your friends, okay?"
He hears his sister call for the young one, "Okay. I'll see you for dinner?"
Gozaydg smiled lightly, "You will. Now go along."
The boy ran out of the training yard and followed his mother's voice the whole way back to the house. The bear stood up and sighed, there was no way he could keep up the excuses.
"Leader?"
He turns his attention to the door, "Ah, Peskol. I'm coming, I was talking with Marcello."
The shifter smiles, "I figured. Come along. We have plans to talk about."
The bigger man walks towards him, "What of this time? I didn't think our meeting was until later."
He sighs, "Humans were spotted closer to the border, sir."
Gozaydg looks at him, "Knights? Or just men?"
"Well, I wouldn't say they were just common folk but they weren't dressed up as knights."
Nodding, he grabs his ax off the wall, "See you at dinner?"
Peskol nods and gives a small wink, "Have fun, Goz."
The leader gives a sadistic smirk, "Oh, you know I will."
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