James didn't quite know what to think of the beings coming out of the woods across the road from them. There were seven in all, and they were all generally humanoid in shape, and strangely dressed rather uniformly, breast plates that covered only their left pectoral with a pauldron on the same side, a skirt of studded leather strips around their waist and metal greaves and bracers. Three of them had out bows, with arrows nocked and drawn, James was sure one aimed at each of them, three more carried ropes, and the last seemed to be in charge. They looked like they had peeled off of some fantasy army.
They were all a mix of human and some animal to various degrees. The one in charge was out front, and he was the easiest for James to see in the fading light. His head was that of a stag with an impressive rack of antlers, and from the waist down his legs were also deer like, furred and ending in cloven hooves, but his torso and arms were that of a muscular human, sure he had a hairy chest, but that was hair, not fur. He also was the only one wearing a cloak, pinned to his singular pauldron which helped give the impression he lead this bunch.
"Do not resist. Come peacefully and you will not be harmed." The deerman had a strange accent he couldn't place, but that was definitely English being spoken. James scanned the three archers, and met eyes with the one aiming at him, a wolfman, though unlike his leader he was completely furred, his hands and feet claw tipped. He was smiling a little too eagerly for James' liking. James put up his hands and in the corner of his vision he could see Mark doing the same. But James heard the latch of a car door being opened and the sound of someone running into the woods. Chris..
One arrow went flying, this one from a foxwoman who was almost completely human except for ears and a tail and the only female in the group, she wore a scanty top under her chest armor to cover her other breast, if just barely. A cry of pain came from the woods followed by the sound of someone crashing into the underbrush. A big burly bearman with a rope went trotting off into the woods, seemingly unconcerned to fetch a hopefully still living Chris.
"I said not to resist." Their leader grumbled under his breath, sounding annoyed, but also as if he expected as much. He lifted a hand and motioned towards where James and Mark stood. "Tie them up." The other two rope carrying beastmen moved forward, and James found himself being turned around and pressed up against the car by a musky smelling, hirsute boar-headed man who despite a slight gut still made James feel like he was being manhandled by Mark. Mark on the other hand was receiving the attention of a minotaur-like bullman who might as well have been sculpted from stone with all the resistance Mark seemed to be able to exert against him. Arms pulled behind his back, James felt rope being wrapped around his wrists, but this position also let him see the bearman come out of the woods with a trussed up Chris tossed over his shoulder, an arrow sticking out of his shoulder, but his eyes were open and panicked. He was also trying to make noises, but only muffled grunts came out. Bearman had decided to gag the troublemaker it seemed.
James and Mark were yanked off the car and pushed roughly around to face the deerman, and soon Chris joined them, though remained perched on the bear's shoulder. He eyes them critically and finally nodded. "Young but fully mature, in seemingly good health. They'll make excellent candidates. The king will be pleased."
"Candidates?" Mark of course was the one to speak up and find his bravery. James almost expected him to get hit, but the leader just smiled and nodded.
"Yes, candidates for conversion. The king wants more royal guard, so he sent us out to fetch a few humans." He gestured at the group of beastmen around him. "Find more for our ranks."
Chris started thrashing but the bearman quieted him with a slap on the ass. James could only feel his jaw drop. Mark though, "What?! You can't.. that's.. if you think we'll go willingly.."
"Oh, don't worry. You'll come to enjoy it. I was human myself before I was changed. So was Orson over there, and Malcom." Deerman motioned to the bear and the wolf. "Brothers we found wandering the woods, lost. Mal especially fought at first, now what do you think Mal?"
The wolf grinned brightly. "Wouldn't trade it for the world, captain."
The captain nodded his head and turned to walk off into the woods, and James and Mark were quickly being ushered after him. About a quarter of a mile in and they came to what looked like a gateway stretched between two trees, their branched twisted together to finish the arch. A purple and blue glow spread between them. The group didn't even slow as they stepped through and right into a large room. James was trying to take everything in as they were marched along. The room itself was made of stone, and had several arches all along it, each only showing a wall behind it, except the one they came through and one leading into a hallway. They were marched through one broad corridor with windows looking out onto a fountained garden, where James could make out more human-beast hybrid people, up a wide stairway, to another corridor with windows that looked out on a castle wall with a forest beyond.
The came to a set of wooden double doors and the captain knocked. It took a while but eventually one door swung open. The man on the other side was like all the others, a mix, though he had the features of a particularly irritated looking rabbit. He was tall, well over six foot, especially with the ears, and had a lean athletic build, which James could make out because the robe he wore was open fronted and hung from his shoulders. The only other thing he wore was a loin cloth belted around his waist to maintain modesty. He was one of the ones that looked more like a two legged version of the animal than a mix of human and animal bits, and James found himself wondering if there was some sort of hierarchy there or if it even mattered. "Captain Eric.. what did you bring me today?"
"Archmage." No name, the captain simply seemed to think that was enough. "Three humans for you to work your magic on. The King..."
The archmage cut off the captain. "Yes, yes, more guards." He stepped away from the door so the group could come in. The room was what James would have expected from a mage's workshop. Tons of books, all sorts of strange items and equipment, and with a sinking feeling, James noticed the cage off to one side they were being ushered towards.
"Did his majesty convey any preferences for these three?" The archmage's voice was surprisingly deep for a rabbit.
As James found himself being pushed into the cage last, worriedly meeting the gaze of his friends he could just make out the captain's words. "No. He said let the artist do as he wishes." And with that the latch on the cage closed and the guards were headed towards the door, leaving the trio alone with the archmage who would seemingly decide their fates. He strode forward to their cage and Mark opened his mouth to say something. The mage's hand went up with a glimmer of light and no sound came from Mark, though he now looked very confused.
"When I want to hear you speak, I will ask a question. Now, let's see what I have to work with.." He glanced at all three of them. "Well, I can definitely see some potential here. I think I have the perfect idea in how to use you three.."