A meeting of friends and shape shifters. (Insaney)

A cat scampered through the town centre. It ran faster than a normal cat and not many that it past could see it. It they had they would have seen a large purple eye tattooed on its fore head and a small necklace dangling from its neck. Behind it three men wearing black cloaks and similar necklaces ran with fury and annoyance as they tried to catch the creature. Damn, they found me again! Thought the cat to himself as he passed the local bakery. The smell of warm bread distracted the beast for a brief second before h remembered the men hot on his tail. As he ran he could hear their footsteps becoming louder and more frequent meaning they were gaining on him. He put on a last burst of energy and shot through two narrow houses so that the men could chase him no further.

He let out a deep sigh of relief as he escape their capture before immediately taking it back as a large black dog crossed his path as he left the gap. The cat could see this was no ordinary dog from its eyes and necklace it wore. It let out a low growl and the cat leapt onto its head and began a quick pace behind the confused creature. He carried on running until he reached a market stall. Here he leapt off of it and landed on a low house roof. He continued to run among the roofs and muttered to himself, “Rask, what have you got yourself into?”


On the other side of town a domensian behind Gibdo mask stroked the wolf sitting next to his leg’s head. It let out a growl of delight and together they scanned the town for any sign of the man who had betrayed the masked man and set him out on this journey, Eid Elgnit. As they looked the domensian stared to doubt that Eid was actually in this city and the old man who had threatened had lied.

Can you smell him? He thought to the beast next to him. The wolf sniffed the air and replied in thought.

No Kinos, you are the only domensian within his city.

It’s Link XI. He thought back sternly. So where do you suggest we go now?

Well be could... He cut off in mid-sentence with a great sniff to the air. He’s here! Eid, he just came into my smell range!

Link XI swung his head around the area frantically searching for the man until he eventually laid rest on him. He let out a small laugh as he saw Eid still wearing his old All-Night mask and the domensian could see his greasy black hair from a mile away. Slowly taking his Bloodsaber out of the scabbard on his side, where he had decided to keep it to make his bow more accessible and slowly walked over to Eid, the wolf by his side. He silently crept behind the fellow domensian and was about to strike when something fell onto his head.

The thing started to claw Link XI severely with its sharp nails and the domensian let out a cry of pain. He clutched the things sides and yanked it off with great difficulty. In his hands slumped a shimmering black cat with a purple eye tattooed to its forehead. Around it’s neck lay a small necklace with a gem in the centre and at any time but this he would have been looking into its profitable values yet now he looked round to see that Eid had scampered. Letting out a cry of frustration he tried to throw the cat but it kept its paws firmly on the domensian’s crimson glove. A deep bark as heard behind Link XI and he turned to find a dog standing in front of him with a similar necklace on. Suddenly the creature jumped out and would have bitten off the crimson glove if its wearer hadn’t pulled it and the cat to safety. The beast doubled back and would have pounced again had the wolf not intervened and knocked it to the floor.

“I suggest you run” A voice came from somewhere. Link XI looked around until he realised that it was the cat that had spoken. He stared at it for a second before exclaiming, “What?”

As it did the dog was suddenly replaced by a cloak wearing man who was struggling to his feet. As he rose a blade produced from his sword and he charged at the wolf the beast leapt over the man’s head with un-natural thrust and ran next to Link XI. The two readied for battle as the cat crawled up his arm and rested on his long hood. He yawned and said, “I still think running would be the best option.”

“What from this guy?” The domensian was still a little shocked about a talking cat but felt like he could reply to it. He swung his Bloodsaber slightly and the wolf growled threateningly at the man who had spun around and was facing the three.

“Not just from this guy, the other five coming too.” As he said it five more cloak wearing men produced from behind buildings and houses, each carrying a blade in their fist. Link XI edged back and questioned the wolf on what to do. When the answer came he didn’t fully agree with it but he had no other option, Run.

With a quick smile under the mask he spun around and sprang down an alleyway at full speed while the cat clutched his hood and the wolf ran by his feet. They ran for several seconds before the sound of the men’s footsteps was heard behind them, they had obviously been delayed with the shock of their pray not even putting up a fight.

The three ran for several minutes through the city until at last the wolf pointed out a house with his nose and thought, There, an empty house, save for a couple of humanoid life forms.

The domensian didn’t like how the wolf used the words ‘Humanoid life forms’. It made the domensian think of large human like creature that could kill a man with a glance. But still, it was their only hope of losing these guys so the warrior burst through the door, allowed the wolf to enter too, slammed it shut and lent on it breathing heavily.

“You again?” A voice came from in front of Link XI and he looked up to see a familiar face.

“Raven? Again?” He looked past the man to someone else by his side. “So who’s your lady friend?” And with that the cat snuggled into the domensians hood and began to sleep.

"So who's your lady friend?" Asked the domensian.

Arina, instilled with fright from the sudden outburst, quickly hid by Raven's side. Raven was dumbstruck at the sudden meeting of his friend again. The human finally closed his gaping mouth and answered the question.

"Her... her name's Arina. She's a Saurian girl."

"What the hell is a 'Saurian girl'?" The domensian responded harshly.

Arina looked pleadingly into Raven's eyes, he understood her plight immediately.

"I'll explain that later," He answered, "What are you doing here? And what's the rush?"

Seemingly, out of nowhere, a cat jumped out of the domensian's hood, and stretched like a cat would, it arched it's back and put a paw out and stretched it while yawning.

"Wha...?" Arina whispered, noticing the cat's necklace and purple eye.

Suddenly, putting it's paw down and slowly waving it's tail, the cat spoke;

"We were being chased, good, looks like we lost them... oh a saurian? What is that?"

The two companions were dumbstruck, obviously because of the talking cat. The light from the sun shone through the window, perking the room up a little. The sunlight shared a beam in a way such that there was a square of sunlight shining on some plush, but old carpet. The eerie cat, eying this, he lurked over to the bed of comfort, and sat down in the square of sunlight.

"Ahhh... " He moaned, and stretched again. But, when he was about to put his head down, the sunlight disappeared. Raven turned towards the saurian girl, his eyes widened.

"No.." She whispered, under her breath.

"Wha?!? Oh... my.... " muttered the domensian, breathing heavily.

It was too late for Raven or Arina to do anything. The room was in utter darkness, the light from the sun was no more. But, there was one source of light, a light that did not burn as furiously as the sun, nor did it shine, it was a soft glow, emitted by the girl in the darkness.
The cat was speechless, all tension increased between the travellers. The silence of the room mocked the tension, taunting it.

BANG!

The deafening silence ceased as the the door was broken down. In it's place, stood a cloaked man, wearing a similar necklace to the cat in the corner.

"Where is he?" the figure asked, with a devious tone on the tip of his tongue.

"Where is he!?"

OoC: Sorry Shimsil but this RPG is just between Insaney and me so you kind of can't join it. Anyway, Insaney I hope I portrayed the transformation and your characters right.

Link XI was torn between who to look at, the cloaked man or the glowing girl. He decided in an instant. He walked back into the corner where the cat stood transfixed by the girl and slumped into the meeting of the walls. The cloak wearing man was staring at the girl too and all of his anger from a moment before had made way for wonder and astonishment.

As the glowing girl slowly lifted from the ground he caught sight of Raven’s face. He too seemed to be staring at the girl but with a look of study rather than surprise. The domensian quickly analysed that this was what separated a saurian from a normal human.

Below him Rask made the same judgement and continued to stare as she slowly rose a foot in the air before stopping. Everyone was taken completely by surprise by what happened next. Tens of thousands of white feathers produced from her back, each a couple of feet long and glowing as furiously as she was. Another brief second passed before she glowed even more brightly making all around her shield their eyes from the light.

Link XI felt venerable at stopping his vision with and enemy mere steps away but all the same couldn’t risk being blinded by the light. He felt the cat curl into a ball at his feet and the wolf’s warm breath on the floor. Another four minute passed before the three in the corner felt the un-natural light no longer upon them. Rask was the first to open his eyes and looked around for the girl who seemed to have just disappeared. Next the domensian opened his eyes too, just in time to see a white falcon flock from the house through a window. The next reaction stunned the were-cat and domensian as Raven ploughed through the man at the entrance and chased after the bird through the streets.

The man on the floor gave a groan before standing and yelling to his comrades; “There! Did you see that! Another shifter! But they weren’t wearing a necklace, how can that be?”

“Well we’ll never find out if we don’t catch it idiot!” Came the voice of another cloak wearing man. “You and two others go after her and I and the rest will get those two inside.”

The sound of feet running in two directions was heard before the house’s door crashed open to reveal an empty room. The man snarled under his hood and raced back through the streets, not noticing another open window next to the corner of the house.

On the rooftop the wolf, were-cat and domensian looked over the scene at the men rushing around in a confused state. Behind his mask Link XI gave a chuckle before turning to the wolf. “So, any idea where Eid ran off to?”

“What?!” Exclaimed the cat from his right hand side; “We have to go and help them!”

“Why is that exactly?” The domensian asked looking down. “Raven can look after himself and it’s none of mine or the wolf’s business.”

“It’s not mine either.” Explained the cat; “But it’s the right thing to do.”
Link XI let out a laugh before continuing; “So? I don’t get anything out of it so what’s the point?”

“You may not get anything from it but I may learn something about how I can do this.” And with that the cat was replaced by a man slightly shorter than the domensian. The warrior took a few steps back and studied the warrior.

“Who or what are you?”

“I am Rask, last of the were-cats.” He said with a grin. “So are you going to help me or not?”

Help him. Came the wolf’s voice to his mind. It may reward us in the end.

“Thank you.” Said Rask looking down from the roof top.

Slightly surprised that Rask could here their silent conversations the domensian replied; “I suppose we can then. But any funny business and we’re out of here.” He directed this statement to both Rask and the wolf. Together the three ran above the roof tops, following the trail of white feather left behind by the girl. “I’m Link XI by the way. The last decent domensian.”

OoC: If you want, you can edit, cuz it won't affect anything that happens in my post.

BiC:

Raven ploughed through the streets of the town, leaping over fruit carts, and knocking over pedestrians. His eyes fixed on the giant, brilliant white falcon casting it's shadow over the town. Trailing closely behind him, were the cloaked men, running for all they were worth. The young knight and the saurian were too much for them to keep up with. Raven kept running, Arina was flying away from the men, she was afraid of them. Suddenly, a shout crossed her thoughts, sliced them through, and bled reality into her mind.

"Arina!!" Raven cried.

Upon hearing his voice, she descended. She landed, but remained in her falcon form. Raven reached, her, panting, he put his hands on his knees and bent over, trying to catch his breath.

Raven, she began sending him messages telepathically, Raven, I'm sorry...

"There they are!" The men in cloaks shouted upon seeing the falcon and the knight. Raven drew his blade. Arina let out a wail as her wings were pulled into her back, her tail became her feet, and her talons returned to being her hands. She stood up, frightened.

"Get behind me." Raven whispered.

"Did you see that!?" A cloaked man shouted, "She really is a shapeshifter!"

No one had noticed a crowd had gathered, their mumbling were blocked out of the minds of those envolved. Raven was still breathing heavily, his eyes shifted from figure to figure, knowing what will happen next.

"You!" the leader of the group shouted, "get out of the way! We only want the shapeshifting girl."

It was just as Raven had thought.

"Stand your ground," Raven said calmly, "if you do not wish to die."

The cloaked group felt the threat empty, they advanced. Raven and the girl kept backing away, they knew not what the group they were facing were capable of, and they did not want to find out.
One by one they started transforming, into animals, they were shapeshifters. Oly one word came from Raven's lips, a word that may ensure their survival, or it could ensure their running for the rest of Arina's life.

"Run."

Raven grabbed her hand, and turned around. But, the men were ploughed over by a speeding fruit cart. A voice came from, somewhere, yet it seemed as if it came from nowhere.

"Psst!! Raven, Arina! Come on!"

Raven and Arina looked around. They saw the domensian beckoning them into a nearby alley. They ran into it, and followed an unknown person who seemed to know their names, but his voice sounded familiar.

"Come, there's a place where we can hide, here."

He led the three through the back alley, and opened an old door. They went inside, and sat down, uneasy, fearing the men were still behind them. The unknown person yawned and said;

"Ahh.... I'm tired..."

With that, he transformed into a cat, the same cat that they had been acquainted with before. Raven's eyes widened, angrily he drew his sword, and rushed up to the cat. Seeing as how the cat can transform like their pursuers, he flashed the blade at the scared creature's neck.

"Explain."

“Explain what?” Rask asked giving Raven a stern look. His eyes started to droop with drowsiness and his vision blurred slightly.

“You know full well what,” The warrior stated to the cat in front of him. “Why were those men chasing Arina? And why can you transform as they can?” He could hear the sauria shuffling around behind him but kept the blade near to the feline’s throat.

“Well I may be able to answer if you stop pressing steel into my fur.” Raven held the sword still for a moment and then withdrew it. He gave the cat a dark look but got a mischievous smile in return.

“Well?” He asked it after a few seconds of silence.

“What?” Raven’s eyes filled with fiery anger and annoyance and he thrust the blade as Rask’s throat again that made the cat leap back in surprise. “Wow, who yanked your tail? I was only having a bit of fun, can’t you take a joke?”

The sick expression Raven wore bore the answer and Rask began to reluctantly tell him the events that had happened little over a year ago. The human, domensian and sauria listened intently and with interest while the wolf sat in a dark corner as if he had heard the story many times before.

When the were-cat had finished he looked up at Raven, who asked, “So you have no idea who or what these men are?”

“Nope, but whoever they may be they see your girlfriend over there as a potential threat of some kind.” He smiled as the warrior gave him a sharp look at calling Arina his ‘girlfriend’. “So what now?”

“What do you mean what now?” Asked Raven with astonishment. “We get out of the city and it’s all over.”

“Have you even listened to what I’ve said?” Rask questioned with annoyance, “They’ve managed to find me twice, what makes you think that your little friend there is safe from them?”

“What do you suggest we do then?”

“Run.”

“What?”

“Run. That’s all you can do. Just keep running from them until you can no more. Or else, you can fight. I’d like to see you take on twelve unnaturally powerful animals including a dragon. Your death would be most enjoyable to watch.”

The cat turned its back and walked towards Link XI whom had remained silent throughout the conversation. He gave a small grunt and the cat leapt to his arm and then rested on his head. “Well I’m not sure why I bothered saving you in the first place, that stupid girl has told me nothing. She has hardly uttered a word while we’ve been here, can she actually speak properly?”

Raven turned to Arina and upon seeing that she was not willing to speak freely he replied for her. “She is just shy around new people-“

“So?” Rask butted in, “She may have information that I might need! Make her speak!”

“She doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to!” Raven replied fiercely.

“Fine then if she wont speak freely,” The cat pounced from the domensians hear and transformed human again in mid air, landing swiftly on his feet, “I shall have to force it out of her.”

He drew Lef and Eni as Raven’s sword came from its scabbard. Behind them the sound of the Bloodsaber being drawn could be heard too and that of the wolf rising to his feet. Rask leapt and swung his blades at Raven who blocked the attack and parried in which the were-cat narrowly missed being struck. The domensian and wolf watched the proceedings as did Arina. She shivered as Raven was nearly cut by Eni and yelled out; “Stop!”

The room fell into silence as four pairs of eyes rested on her.

"Stop!" Arina screamed, "Please, stop."

The room became silent, everyone watched her. Rask still had his weapons drawn, he was standing next to Raven, who also had his tinted blade out.

"Ra-Ra..ven," She broke down, "Stop, don't... please don't fight..."

She lifted her head, and at the same time, her wings burst from her back, sending feathers flying. The glowing white made Rask put up his hands to shade his eyes. Then, suddenly, he felt something soft and feathery against him. He put down his hands, and saw Arina using one of her large wings to push him away from Raven.She had stopped the transformation halfway, her eyes were closed, her fists were against her chin, and her cheeks had a track that were made from her tears. She kept pushing him back until Rask gave away, and stepped back. He was amazed at how the girl stopped her transformation.

"I... I'll talk...." She stuttered.

She began her story, while gently folding her wings behind her back. The glow complete with the wings made her appearance become angelic.

"I... was born into a race called the Aeoleansauria... I coudn't change at first, only the night of my seventeenth birthday was the first time I changed. So... I was born with... this."

With that last word she slightly opened her wings, showing Rask, the domensian and the wolf.

"I don't have any information on anything... I was banished from my home becasue I took too long to change... and then... I met Raven... and we've been together ever since... I never met anyone who could transform into anything besides myself... until today..."

The wolf lifted it's head to look at the domensian.

Kinos.... it sent a message to Link XI's mind.

"Link XI!" The domensian snapped, without knowing it, the domensian shouted it out loud.
He looked up to see Raven staring at him eerily. Arina was halfway into her falcon form, she heard the thought that was sent to Link XI. But, she was only halfway in... she couldn't make anything of what she had heard; a 'K' and then a 'y' sound. She couldn't make out the rest.

She closed her eyes, and decided to drop the thought. Her wings slowly began retreating into her back, sparing the room of its size and glow.

"That's my story." She ended.

No sooned had it ended when the domensian heard a raucus outside. He ran to the wooden door and spied through a crease. He turned his head towards the group.

"They're here..."




OoC:

Originally Posted by Link_XI

“Nope, but whoever they may be they see your girlfriend over there as a potential threat of some kind.” He smiled as the warrior gave him a sharp look at calling Arina his ‘girlfriend’. “So what now?”

....dammit.... people read my mind too much.

As soon as the words had left the domensian’s mouth the door broke and a cloaked man stumbled inside. He clutched his head and unsheathed his blade, pointing it at Arina. “Give us the girl,” He thrust his head in Rask’s direction, “and him, and we’ll leave you two gentlemen alone.”

Raven went to say something but Link XI beat him too it. “Fine.” He said and gestured towards the were-cat and Sauria. The three others in the house stared at him in disbelief before he replied, “Well, your not my problem.”

“And you?” The cloaked man turned to Raven who still had his sword drawn. Still in shock at the domensian’s lack of care towards Rask and Arina’s fate replied through gritted teeth;

“No. I shall defend her with my life.”

“Fine then!” The man bent low and in a second became a ravenous dog and snarled at the warrior. Behind him the other four men appeared and transformed into a boar, a horse, an ox, and a ram. With a great leap the dog flew at Raven but was ploughed to the side by a great grey shape. A few seconds later the dog and the wolf were fighting one another with great fury on the floor.

“You!” Cried the dog in a gruff voice. This outburst from the creature only raised more questions in Link XI’s mind into the exact origin of the wolf and if he were even a wolf at all. As a mountain of questions ran through the domensians mind the ox shot its way forwards at Arina. She was saved by a brisk yank by Raven just before the huge bull would have flattened her. Instead the animal carried on running and destroyed a large sector of the opposing wall. It shook the broken brick from its head and turned back again, a feat which no normal ox could accomplish.

Rask was cornered by the ram, the boar and the horse. The sound of the breaking wall was a perfect distraction for the were-cat to transform and escape threw the horse’s legs. Before the three animals had realised what had happened Rask was neatly tucked inside Link XI’s hood. The domensian casually walked through the hole that had now appeared in the wall and was quickly followed by Raven and Arina shooting past him, Arina still with her glowing wings. Following a howl of pain the wolf existed through the hole too and was soon running after the warrior and transformer who had just run past Rask and Link XI. The two gave each other a swift glance and chased after the beast through many dark alleys until finally resting at the city gates.

Seeing Raven and Arina in her bird form far from the walls of the city and the wolf not far behind Rask and Link XI passed the guards and began their chase again. After a few moments of running through the lush, open field the domensian started to tire and raised his arm in the air. A puzzled were-cat watched from the hood as he clicked his fingers and pounced into the air. Within a second a silvery horse appeared under them and soon the three were catching up with the wolf.

After another few moments of riding they came to a pint where Raven and Arina, who was still a falcon, were resting and dismounted the steed. Link XI muttered some words of praise to her as Rask pranced from the warm hood and landed at Raven feet. The warrior rose and walked up to the domensian. His eyes flared with anger and gave him a swift fist to the gut. The shocked warrior doubled back, clutching his stomach and shouted; “What was that for?!”

“You know what that was for!” Raven advanced further forward but the domensian kept scurrying away gasping in pain. “Fine, you said. Not my problem, you said! Oh it doesn’t matter what happens to us as long as your okay does it?”

“I live to protect myself. Those beasts would have attacked me too if I hadn’t said that! You would have only caused me trouble!”

“Then why are you here?! Why are you and your wolf following us?!”

“The wolf has some kind of interest in the cat and the girl. I merely follow him.”

Raven clutched his fists and walked towards the domensian again, whom had since recovered from the first hit and had removed his mask. “Raven! Please…don’t fight.” Arina, who had become human again, cried out to him as Rask yawned next to her. Both of their eyes suddenly fixed upon the domensian’s but soon their gaze turned to Raven who was retreating back towards them.

“Got him wrapped around her finger.” Link XI muttered to himself. He went over to where the wolf lay and sat besides him. Silence reined for another few minutes before Rask cut through it. “So what are we going to do?”

Four pairs of eyes rested upon him before Raven answered.

OoC:Well, decide what he says.

"Well?" Raven answered, "There are only two options, run or fight."

Rask made it clear that fighting was out of the question, they would be killed before they made their first move.
Raven fought Rask back, if they ran, most likely they will be running for the rest of their life.

"Who says that we'll die if we face them?!" Link XI blurted out suddenly, "With the blood saber I can handle them!"

Raven started to speak, but he was cut across by Rask.

"I did, you will die, I've seen their power, I know what they can do."

"Well..." Arina started, all eyes were on her when she spoke, "we could show them, that I'm not one of them."

"Then they would kidnap you and study you. They'll want to know how you transform without the power of the necklaces."

Rask held up his necklace as he spoke. Arina whispered under her breath.

"Such power in such a small trinket..."

Raven was next to her, he heard her whisper. He made it clear that even though they showed that Arina wasn't one of them, Rask would still be on the run. They needed a way to help both of them.

"Wait," the domensian cut in, "are you putting me in this also? Well, I'm not in this mess, you got yourselves into it, you get yourselves out."

With those words, the domensian mounted the horse. The wolf beside him on the ground.

Kinos... the wolf tried to talk to him.

Link XI ignored him and after a brief slap to the horses rear he took of, the wolf shooting away behind him.

Kinos! the wolf tried again.

SHUT UP! was the only response that he got.

KINOS! Are you just going to leave Raven behind! After all that you two went through!?

The horse stopped suddenly, the domensian looked down, and then raised his head to face the panting wolf.

Are you coming with me or not?

The wolf looked at him, and then he turned his head towards the three figures in the distance. Lowering his head, he slinked on behind the silver horse which was now moving slowly and steadily across the plains.

Raven looked at the two on the horizon. He turned towards Rask, the were-cat looked at him. They both spoke at the same time.

"Now what?"




OoC: Yes, I am damn good with the plot twists, aren't I?

OoC: Sorry its so late.

Another ten minutes passed until Link XI once again reached the town. Casting the other three to the back of his mind he trudged with Anope and the scowling wolf to the town gates. As they drew near the domensian thought it strange that where there had been much commotion in the town before, now it stood still. Not a sound reached the three pairs of ears. No merchants shouting for people to buy their goods, no children playing harmless games of knights and warriors, no drunken elders lying of their past and what dangers they has faced.

As the three reached the gates Link XI was puzzled by the lack of guards and tolls men. He and the wolf struggled but eventually pulled open the wide oak doors to discover….nothing. The streets were empty, not a soul passed through the walk ways. Instinctively the domensian took a few paces back but, taking control of his fears, ran into the ghost town. How long he ran he could not recall but he came to every part of the town to find the same devastation. Just as he was about to give up he heard a deep coughing and whipped round, Bloodsaber in hand. His arming needn’t have been, for all there was behind him was a tired looking old timer. He walked with a cane of fine polished mahogany and a twinkle of fear in his eye.

“Are…are you one of them?” His voice was weak and he had a coughing fit before muttering so that Link XI could hardly hear what he was saying, “No you cannot be….you have no necklace.”

The domensian understood this at once. He replied, “Did those men in cloaks do this? The shape shifters?”

“Indeed.”, was all that the old man could reply before another fit of coughs. When he had recovered his eyes filled with tears and they stared at the floor. “The men came with swords and anger; they had lost something that they needed. So, they started to violently shout and yell at people where this thing had gone and when they could give no answers….well, you have seen what happened.”

“But what of the bodies? There is no way that they could have killed the townspeople and dragged their bodies to an unknown place in the time that I was gone.”

“Yes, they did not take the bodies anywhere. Once a person was slain they kind of just…evaporated. There must have been some strange and dark magic on those blades to do that but I have little understanding of that subject, I always found magic to be a cheat token for those not able to wield a weapon.”

Link XI had always agreed that in his mind yet had never encountered anyone with the same view. From this he felt closed to the man, he wanted to help him.

“So…why do you continue to live, unlike the others?” He questioned the old timer who had just finished another volley of coughs.

“I…hid.” Deep sorrow spread across his face as he looked out over the empty streets and houses. “I am ashamed to admit it but I hid. I hid while all my friends and family perished at the hands of those beings. I am a coward.”

“No your not…” But the domensian stopped in mid-sentence as he didn’t believe his own words, and judging by the look on the man’s face, neither did he.

“Although, there is a way that I can atone for my cowardess. But this would involve something from you. Will you listen to an old mans request?”

Link XI though for a moment, So far I’ve played along but suppose that he is trying to trick me into something.

He is honest. Came the response from the wolf.

“I’m all ears” He replied and for the first time noticed that the man didn’t seem to fear domensian eyes, how odd.

“Well then thank you good sir,” He said hastily and looked around, as if to see if anyone was watching, “Well do you see that great mountain over yonder?” He stretched out his arm and Link XI followed its direction to see a huge mountain that seemed to be made of Jade rock.

He gave a small nod and the man continued, “Well there is a legend most ancient telling of a hole in the very tip of that mountain. Many have ventured inside but few have returned. The ones that have told people of a wondrous being that is said to have the ability to grant wishes! Yes yes, I know that it sounds like an old children’s tale yet I have seen a man enter the hole and return with wings on his back and the instant ability to fly.”

Link XI was gob smacked and sceptical by this story and looked at the wolf for any truth in it. He informed the domensian that the man’s tale was genuine believed by himself but to be wary of misinterpretations, namely he may have been tricked into thinking this. Looking at the old being and the hope in his eyes he replied, “I shall do it…for a fee.”

“The man seemed taken aback by this lack of generosity but soon said, “Yes, it is understandable that a man such as yourself would require payment for his services. Well I shall give you all that I own if you somehow make this village back to how it once was.”

He stretched out his hand and the domensian took it and the two shook. As he turned he felt the man’s happiness and glee. The wolf and domensian looked at each other as they walked and the eventually the wolf said into his mind, Well Kinos, it seems now that all you need is some homicidal idiots who would gladly venture into unknown danger to save people whom they had never met.

As he mounted Anope a smile spread across his lower face and looking off into the direction he had escaped to last time replied; “I know just the three idiots.”

Dusk was falling upon the plains. The three travellers walked towards the town, deathly tired. Raven panting, sword in hand, Arina, scared ready to transform at any moment. Rask, only Rask, the werecat, leisurely strolled alongside the two. The wind blew, and picked up some dust in its arms and carried them off, only to be let down somewhere else beyond human sight.

Raven looked up, hooves thundered across the plains towards them.

"He's coming back..." Raven muttered.

Sure enough, Link XI was heading straight towards them, getting closer and closer. He wasn't slowing down, he wasn't stopping.

Closer and closer.

His horse slid to a halt, it neighed and lifted it's forelegs up. It's rider unmounted, and the wolf, as if from nowhere, ran up beside him, panting.

"Raven," He began,"I...I need your help."

The knight glared at him.

"You need my help? After you left us stranded?"

Link XI looked down, and gulped, he seemed to swallow his pride then.

"Yes, you have to help me. The cloaked men, they killed off the population of a whole town, and we have to go to a cave where wishes are granted... so that we can restore what has been lost."

"Alright then," Raven replied, "We will go with you, but if you plan to use that 'wishing' thing for yourself, I'll make sure you and me fight, understand?"

Raven couldn't bring himself to say anything other than 'fight'.

Link XI looked at Raven nodded, and mounted Anope.

"I'll lead the way."

He nipped the horse in the rear, sending it into a slow trot, with the other four walking behind.

OoC: Sorry I took so long this time.

OoC: Sorry for the wait (Again) but I was sick for all of lat week and most of this has been taken up studying for the SAT tests, but luckily they'll be over on Friday. Also your avatar is awesome.


As an hour went by the great rocky mountain came into view. Link XI walked silently behind Raven while Rask was snug between Anope’s ears. Arina rode on the horse’s back, almost clasping before from exhaustion, much to Raven’s worry. Even from behind the domensian could see the human traveller’s head glance over at her every few seconds to check that she was still with them. The wolf had since left, as par usual not giving any explanation just running off wit new found energy off into the tapestry background. Yet with all this scenery and strange people around him all Link XI could think about was the tale the old man had told.

A mountain with a wish-granting creature in its depths. The words flowed through his mind as if they were rivers of icy water ploughing through a rock side. Anything he wanted, anything in the world. Raven, the cat or the girl will most likely wish for the return of the peoples lives, leaving me open to what ever I want and then can collect my fee from the old man. He had yet to tell the others of the mans payment and hoped that they wouldn’t tell of what they did before he had a chance to find the elderly townsman. He loved the plan so far.

“So did the man tell you anything about what lies on and under this mountain?” Raven’s voice broke the silence and made the domensian’s river of ideas halt in its place.

“Not really, only that some wish granting being lives inside.” He replied.

“Did he mention anything about it? Or if is good or evil?”

“No, just that it was there.”

“So what your saying is,” He turned and stopped while Anope and the two shape shifters carried on their brief trot, “that you just found a man that happened to live through a massacre that killed the rest of his town, listened to his crazy ramblings of magical beasts inside mountains and just left to help the townspeople regain their lives because a guy that you knew for five minutes asked you to?”

“Basically” The domensian replied coolly, seeing the anger rise up in the human.

“And now you’ve got us to follow you on some crusade into unknown dangers for reasons that you haven’t stated yet?!” His voice gradually began to rise.

“Hey, I didn’t say that you had to come with me! You came of your own free will!”



“Are they arguing again?” Arina whispered to the cat in front of her face. She was tired from almost constant walking and running and was on the verge of falling unconscious. The cat had said little to her and slept a few times but now his eyes were firmly fixed on the path ahead.

“Unfortunately.” His ears twitched and he turned to the droopy eyed girl and the two men a far bit behind her. “How are we ever supposed