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Description
You're walking home from a hunt through the flat dusty plains, weary from travel and from the weight of your kill slung across your back. Already the sun is dipping lower and the day grows shorter, bringing a chilly wind across the plains. You shiver, thinking of the warm fire that will welcome you home. Something catches your eye in the distance, though with the dipping sun you can only make out a silhouette. Some kind of dark mass ahead of you like a swaying forest, in a place where there certainly wasn't a forest before. You continue on your journey home, wary of what stands in the distance. Whatever it is, it's coming towards you. Closer now, you can make out several distinct forms. They stand tall, taller than any man, and move at a slow lumbering pace. You press on, eager to get home with your meat but suspicious of what lies ahead. Suddenly you see that there are many of them, strange furred things that look like beasts but stand like a man. You fear they may be monsters but....
The creatures on the horizon lumber towards you in a silent procession. They must have seen you by now but they show no signs of noticing. Soon they are near enough that you can see them clearly, strange towering figures with shaggy coats and long necks nearly the length of the rest of their body. Strangest of all is that none of them seemed to have a face Perhaps they can't see you? You slowly walk to the side out of the path of the approaching beasts, trying to match their slow, lumbering gait. Your hand is firm on your sword, but somehow you feel it's unnecessary. They don't seem hostile, just unearthly. The first of the creatures' procession is less than ten swordlengths away now. Marveling at the beast, you think that it is very much like a bear. But where are it's paws and claws? It seems to be nothing but fur all over. The beast approaches you, it's towering neck swaying slightly with each step. With no acknowledgement of your presence it walks straight by towards the direction whence you came. Others approach and do the same, walking past you as if you where no more than a rock in the path. The beasts are silent as stone, the only sound being the soft crunch of dirt beneath their furred feet. Looking around you see many different colors and patterns of fur passing you by, focused only on whatever they headed towards. Taking a step back you accidentally brush against the tawny coat of one of the beasts. You gasp in fear and turn to face it. The beast doesn't even stop but you see that the swaying neck turns ever so slightly in your direction. Looking up at what you can only assume would be the head, you are struck with the distinct feeling that this faceless creature looked at you. Apparently no offense was taken. Like all the others it continued it's procession. You stand frozen in place, not knowing how many more of them are coming. Finally you force yourself to continue, dodging the huge hairy bodies as you duck your way in the opposite direction that they're traveling. After counting nearly forty of them you finally reach the end of their silent march. You can only stand in amazement watching them. Just as they appeared from the horizon they slowly disappear into the east, marching towards some unknown goal. You shiver again, though this time not from the cold. Tearing your eyes away you turn back towards your own destination, thinking of the warm fire that will welcome you home.

(Inspired by Charles Fréger's series of photography featuring traditional pagan costumery in Europe www.charlesfreger.com/portfoli… )

Description
You're walking home from a hunt through the flat dusty plains, weary from travel and from the weight of your kill slung across your back. Already the sun is dipping lower and the day grows shorter, bringing a chilly wind across the plains. You shiver, thinking of the warm fire that will welcome you home. Something catches your eye in the distance, though with the dipping sun you can only make out a silhouette. Some kind of dark mass ahead of you like a swaying forest, in a place where there certainly wasn't a forest before. You continue on your journey home, wary of what stands in the distance. Whatever it is, it's coming towards you. Closer now, you can make out several distinct forms. They stand tall, taller than any man, and move at a slow lumbering pace. You press on, eager to get home with your meat but suspicious of what lies ahead. Suddenly you see that there are many of them, strange furred things that look like beasts but stand like a man. You fear they may be monsters but....
The creatures on the horizon lumber towards you in a silent procession. They must have seen you by now but they show no signs of noticing. Soon they are near enough that you can see them clearly, strange towering figures with shaggy coats and long necks nearly the length of the rest of their body. Strangest of all is that none of them seemed to have a face Perhaps they can't see you? You slowly walk to the side out of the path of the approaching beasts, trying to match their slow, lumbering gait. Your hand is firm on your sword, but somehow you feel it's unnecessary. They don't seem hostile, just unearthly. The first of the creatures' procession is less than ten swordlengths away now. Marveling at the beast, you think that it is very much like a bear. But where are it's paws and claws? It seems to be nothing but fur all over. The beast approaches you, it's towering neck swaying slightly with each step. With no acknowledgement of your presence it walks straight by towards the direction whence you came. Others approach and do the same, walking past you as if you where no more than a rock in the path. The beasts are silent as stone, the only sound being the soft crunch of dirt beneath their furred feet. Looking around you see many different colors and patterns of fur passing you by, focused only on whatever they headed towards. Taking a step back you accidentally brush against the tawny coat of one of the beasts. You gasp in fear and turn to face it. The beast doesn't even stop but you see that the swaying neck turns ever so slightly in your direction. Looking up at what you can only assume would be the head, you are struck with the distinct feeling that this faceless creature looked at you. Apparently no offense was taken. Like all the others it continued it's procession. You stand frozen in place, not knowing how many more of them are coming. Finally you force yourself to continue, dodging the huge hairy bodies as you duck your way in the opposite direction that they're traveling. After counting nearly forty of them you finally reach the end of their silent march. You can only stand in amazement watching them. Just as they appeared from the horizon they slowly disappear into the east, marching towards some unknown goal. You shiver again, though this time not from the cold. Tearing your eyes away you turn back towards your own destination, thinking of the warm fire that will welcome you home.

(Inspired by Charles Fréger's series of photography featuring traditional pagan costumery in Europe www.charlesfreger.com/portfoli… )