Kingdom and Clans, King's Destiny (Book 1)
Ch 13 Trial and Honor part 1

The next morning came swiftly. With new guest from the Clan's kingdoms arriving in droves. The local Merchants had tiny booths set up ready for the visitors.

The evening before, had been such a wonderful night, that the clans couldn't wait to enjoy the rest of the festivities. Hog Hill made them feel so comfortably welcomed.

Purk barely remembered the night itself. With so much hog mead, his head spun above the stars. All he remembered was starting out enjoying the night, with his friends and gorgeous females dancing at his side. Other warthogs were mesmerized by the musical beats consuming their ears. Queen Torila had found wonderful musicians who played wooden instruments as they feasted. The cooks had prepared a delicious buffet of assorted bugs. While, visually they were surrounded by exotic warthog dancers, that performed specifically the Kings entertainment. Male warthogs danced with the females. Purk the luckiest hog of all, had all four ladies dancing in step with him.

After hours of drinking and eating, he was loose and freely mingling. Flirting with all four princesses. He promised them so many things he wouldn't remember the next morning. Luckily for him, his friend Roz was sober enough to keep purk from trouble. He made sure to keep his friend from doing anything, inappropriate that night. Like a quick, ron-de-vu, with any of the females.

When Roz saw it going in that direction, he swiftly redirected his friend, the prince, back to his throne to sit for a few seconds. All night, he kept a watchful eye on purk.

Slowly the party was starting to die down, and Roz walked him back to his burrow, where he would stand guard over the prince all night. King Muck, earlier that day, had issued his best tributes to watch over all the other four guests for their safety. Peace found its way throughout the burrows of Hog hill, in the dead of night.

The orange horizon glowed against the dark silhouette, of the landscape. Golden weaver birds chatted and stirred nearby. Their pleasant singing soon overlapped, by a loud horn blasting through the air. It was time for the first event. Everyone, flocked to the arena awaiting the challenges to begin.

The first event up, the stone launch trial. All the princesses, had to show their strength. Their task would be to catapult a large stone across a dirt patch. The one who threw the furthest, won five points for their clan. Second place received three points, third would gather one point, and last place received none. The more points, at the end of the week, ensured a better chance for a royal matrimony.

The royal three sat comfortably on their thrones. Four more, were added during the night for the other Kings.

To the side of the stage, the females waited calmly to begin. Tribute Roz and his comrades led the warthogs out to the opening arena. The crowd grunted and stomped as the first princess approached the start line.

It was Izumi, she balanced her self, then shoveled the first stone up on her nose. She steadied the rock upon her snout, before running. Giving a deep thrust into the air. The stone flung high and came tumbling down, a good eight hooves out. The Kings tribute quickly ran to mark the first spot with a yellow dyed tree branch, which represented the Harvel Clan. Happy with her toss she stepped a side. Next up was Zeema. She, too, took the same steps as Izumi had. When she hurled the stone it seemed to lack the same drive as Izumi's. She had only been able to toss it six hooves out. The tribute marked the spot with a white branch, representing the Hollow-hoof Clan. So far, In third position in line was Hazel. Purk was boiling over in his seat with excitement. He wished her the best of luck. Stepping up to the starting line. She took a different approach apart from the other two. Hazel side stepped very quickly, thrusting her head to the left, she launched the rock out into a perfect arch. The rock came down past Izumi's. Hazel suprisingly, managed ten hooves outward . Now, the positions changed ranking and hazel was in the lead.

Purk couldn't be any happier, than he was at the results so far. He gave a smile in her direction. When she noticed him, she blushed and move to the side.

The tribute moved with haste, to mark her spot with a teal dyed branch symbolizing the Wimble Clan. The trial was a quick event and it seemed to move briskly. So it was no surprise the fourth female was already up and ready to compete. Princess Aruba stepped up slowly. Already Her soft red skin was kissed by the heat of the sun. She waited a bit before picking out her stone, then recounted her steps before deciding which was her best move. She took the longest out of all females. Aruba was working towards the win.

Purk hoped her method was worth the wait. With all the building up antincipation, it was causing him to become queasy. Aruba soon took into a spinning whirl and launched the rock into the air. She stopped her self swirling, before she spun herself deep into a dizzying hole.

The rock seemed to magically sprout wings and fly the furthest out. By thirteen hooves she had taken first place. All the time consumed perfection, won her the victory. The tribute marked the winning spot with a pink dyed branch. He double checked the mark, making sure the distances were accurate. A second tribute ran over to help tribute roz, they measured each flag with a newly twined vine. With the final report in. The win of the stone launch trial went to the Ruff Tusk Clan.

Princess Aruba was elated. Her clan had received five points and were already at the head of the games. The trials were over for the day. Lunch had been quietly prepared ready to serve, off to the side, near the watering hole. Everyone left the arena, including the royals, to go eat and enjoy the rest of the day with friends and Clans. Purk was happy for Aruba, but his heart was on Hazel to win. Still, none the less, He approached Aruba and gave her a friendly congratulations on her victory.

They walked side by side chatting with one another as they headed towards their lunch. The other princesses watched in envy as Aruba had stolen prince purk's attention. Hazel was disappointed it wasnt her walking with him for the win, but she was proud of her great efforts. Second place wasn't all that bad. She had earned her Clan three points, which at this point, it was anyones game for tomorrow. Who knows, perhaps she would take first place in the mud hollow race. At least she hoped so.

After departing from Aruba, purk kept to himself the rest of the night and he didn't drink any of the hog mead as he had the night before. of the night and he didn't drink any hog mead. He went back to his burrow and rested. He wasnt hungry anymore and his head was still pounding from the night before. He couldn't seem to shake it through the morning trials. It pained him to be there, but he went to support the females. Purk walked up to his burrow where his tribute waited for him. Roz stood outside his door for another nights watch.

" Goodnight friend" called out purk. Roz smiled and made a small grunting sound.

" Goodnight my Prince. Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite" he replied comically.

It was the third morning already and the second trial challenge. Just as Purk, predicted. It was the mud hollow race. He was excited to see the ladies run. This challenge would test their speed.

All the females, found their clan's color at the starting line and waited patiently. Pink was for Aruba, white was for Zeema, teal for Hazel, and for Izumi her color was yellow. They readied their stances and crouched into position. The King's, tribute, stepped up to a wooden platform. The stage was specifically built for him on the far side of the mud run. He faced the crowd and blew into a hollow horn. The horn was set up on a wooden stand previously the night before. As a low rumble echoed into the crowd.

Listening intently, the princesses were off and running. The first warthog to run the entire oval track, back to the starting line, would receive five points. Second would receive three, third would gain one point, while fourth, as always, nothing. Purk, sat up straighter as he watched the girls run and slosh in the thick, mucky mud. Their beautiful bodies soon coated with nasty cold slop. The warthog in front was sloshing brown goop back in her opponent's faces. Making it hard for them to see. Unfortunately, Hazel was not in first, she was dead last. It was Zeema this time who was on top. She was a fast warthog. She blurred like the wind as she ran the oval track. First in past the finish line was Zeema. Trailing close behind her was Izumi for second, third was Aruba, and last unfortunately was Hazel. She was disappointed in her performance and prayed her chances would fare better as the trial games continued.

"Oh well, better luck on the next challenge tomorrow." purk thought, for Hazel.

The tributes worked quickly to update the points. They scattered around, counting up new numbers for the score. Finally, finished, they were back up-to-date. Aruba so far, had six points total, while zeema in second place, with a grand total of five. Izumi with four, and in last place with three points was Hazel. That could all change before the week ended. They had several more challenges to go.

The trial games had ended for the day and the contestants needed a good clean bath. This time, purk decided to join them. He wasn't shy, he wanted to get to know them better. He spent the evening learning about their clans and cultures. Purk discovered, Aruba's breed originated from Argentina, and were brought overseas to Africa many years ago by boat trade. They were naturally Latin warthogs. That explain the dark reddish skin. Little by little he explored their minds and values. Before they knew it, time for dinner was upon them. Fireflies danced in the evening sky. The tiny bug lit up the night, beautifully. The cosmos themselves seemed to have flown down to earth. The twinkling lights glittered in the princesses eyes. The evening music carried over Hog hill. The warthog princesses danced with their Fathers, then with the future King, purk. Tonight's menu was a warm larvae stew with hot cakes, the King's favorite. Everyone feasted and delighted in the entertainment. Sadly, the fun came, to an abrupt end. It was lights out at Hog hill and back to the burrows for sleep. Warthogs cuddled into their cozy holes underground. Some dreamt of themselves performing in previous trials, others loudly, sawed z's throughout the darkness. Purk found restful comfort in his straw bed down in the warmth of his burrow. While The cool breeze blanketed the ground above.

As quick as the sun went down, it had risen again for the fourth day and third trial challenge. Today's event would test the warthog's endurance. The princess would have to stay submerged underwater for the longest cou. The stakes were different, though. You didn't want to be the first up, this time. First place would receive zero points, second only one, third would get three points and last up would win the big five.