Fearfully the people cried out at the approach of the badger. Though beset by bandits who would happily rob them of their lives along with their meagre possessions, so damaging was the spiteful gossip of the Count Nyctos that the victims of rogues watched him knock their captors out cold in terror. For his reputation had been sullied to the point that the badger was believed to be a cruel and violent monster, far worse than any common bandit. Begging their rescuer to spare them from his fiery wrath when his attention at last turned to them, always slower to pick up on the context of social situations, the badger took them to be confused and cheerfully bade them safe travels before bounding away in search of more people to help. Leaving the rescued survivors utterly bewildered by the kindness they had been shown.

Having made himself an enemy of the local bandit groups, they did their best in turn to turn the unpleasant rumours about Wigbrant to their advantage. Whispering poisoned words in taverns across the countryside and fanning the flames of suspicion and resentment. For many years, the people Wigbrant rushed to aid resented his help. Sometimes reacting in fear, other times hurling insults at the badger and professing that they would sooner die than receive his aid.

In time though, with the badger holding true to his convictions and continuing to do what he believed was the right thing, the people of the region began to trust the evidence of their own experiences more than they did the gossip of the charlatans. Though all had heard countless tales of the mustelid's bloodthirsty and vile nature, not a single individual who had met him had known him to be that way in person. Though lacking in social grace and far from perfect, nevertheless the badger's honesty and unwillingness to allow himself to become cynical even in the face of outright rejection eventually enabled him to reforge his damaged reputation in the eyes of a few.

When word of this reached the Count Nyctos however, his fury was immediate and severe. Although Wigbrant had only managed to restore his good name with the inhabitants of a few isolated villages and smaller towns off in the middle of nowhere- it did not matter to the Count how small the number of people who now believed Wigbrant had been wrongly accused was. No, the mere fact that ANYONE would look upon the badger and not see him as the worst kind of scum was deemed unacceptable. So great was his pride and pettiness that his ruination of the mustelid's reputation needed to be absolute and with no room for error in his eyes. Though temporarily frustrated, the Count would not allow himself to be thwarted and began conspiring a new plan to punish the badger for his perceived transgression.

For if he could not have the badger for his own, then nobody would, and neither would he allow the badger to be happy with anyone else. Such was the Count's own twisted resolve.

*****

"Be not afraid!" yells the badger who charges out of the bushes and knocks over the highwaymen trying to rob you like they were bowling pins.

cbh once again outdid themselves with this image. ^^ Something with plenty of warmth and vigour to it to perfectly contrast the coldness of the badger's brother who exists as his elemental opposite.