The Forest (Anyone)

"Don't you try anything either, rabbit," I snarled.

I invaded his mind. I was able to see his name. I then made him not able to move his jaw. I said,"I could leave you like that you know, Roon. All you have to do is stop trying to take over my mind. and you can't get snagged on my cloak. You won't have any grip because you can't break through my cloak. Now, do you want food or not?

"I'm not trying to invade you mind, whelp," I replied, "This is how I communicate with non-animals."

" Well, believe it or not, I can understand you just perfectly when you talk. It's one of the things that seperate nightlings from humans. And I only invaded your mind to get my point across. Do you want food or not. And speak it this time." I then made it possible for him to move his jaw.

"And how many more beads do you have left before I rip you liver out?" I snarled.

" It does not matter how many beads I have left, for I would never let anyone close enough to my stomach to rip my liver out. And while you are in my camp I shall not take my cloak off. Even if you tried to rip it out, you would be dead before you open your jaw. Now, do you want food or not?"

Padme gazed curiously from the nightling to the fox, glad that Tarok was finally seeing just how bad foxes really were. The two looked like they were ripe for a fight, which made the brave rabbit even happier, seeing as the fox would be completely overwhelmed by her physical fury and Tarok's great magic. Still, of course, no haschen warrior should press the offensive knowing they had the greater hand, particularly when they weren't really protecting anything.

"No food for fox, then. He no want it." Padme took the pie from in front of the fox and handed it back to Tarok. He should have known better--foxes in this forest preferred meat to plants any day. They were especially bad during winter seasons, where there weren't plants to eat anyways, sometimes even desperate enough to attack the haschen creatures themselves. While Padme wasn't entirely sure what this fox's preferances were, she knew he had no interest in Ginko leaves. If Tarok had some mice, though, the fox just might change his mind.

In fact, now that Padme thought about it, that probably was why the fox was so grumpy. All animals became grumpy if they went hungry long enough, and predators were especially bad. Unfortunantly, Padme didn't know what kind of fox this one was, so she couldn't guess what food he would eat. She knew that foxes weren't always terrible hunters, sometimes satisfied with strawberries, roots, or even crickets. Some of the creatures had even allied themselves with the haschen, promising to protect the forest with their lives. Of course, these were rare, and quite obviously, this fox wasn't one of them.

Padme sighed deeply, wondering whether or not it was a good idea to befriend the fox. Such creatures were always so tricksy, always looking for a way to exploit weaker creatures. Still, despite this fox's ferociousness, he seemed different that your average predator. He could use magic, after all. Maybe he could even help them defeat this EVIL enemy Padme had heard about from Tarok.

"Alright, listen Green Eyes! Padme give you peace offering. You accept, you help us defeat EVIL enemy. Otherwise, Padme crush you." Certainly, peace offerings were rare between warriors, but there was no dishonor in it. A bloodless victory with more troops gained was always a good thing.

With the great dexterity that all haschen shared, Padme quickly untied a small woven pouch from her staff. She opened it and smiled at the bag wistfully, knowing she would have to part with the precious contents inside. With great gusto, Padme approached the fox again, dumping out a small pile of strawberries from the pouch. "You accept? Yes, no?"

When I saw what Padme was doing, I was pleased and surprised. I knew that foxes and Haschan did not get along very well, But I think I knew what she was doing. I also think I know what is going on in her head. She thought that Roon could help us defeat the enemy.

"Fine" I spat, not that I doubted my abilities to get away, but I didn't think I could get away without a fight.

"Good." Padme struggled to keep her temper in check--there were few things more dishonorable than attacking your own ally. Still, it pained her to see the fox accept her offer so disdainfully, especially when it was perfectly good strawberries that she so kindly gave up.

So, in order to distract herself, Padme ran over to Torak, setting herself on the table beside him. "Now, you tell Padme more about EVIL enemy. Maybe you even scare sense into fox?"

"Well, I know that they have greater magic than I. They have mages who can cast fire and ice out of their hands. They can read minds, so I have to put up mental barriers to defend myself.I don't know who they are or what race they are. I have to hide out until I can find who they are and where they live."

Padme gazed curiously at the boy, amazed at the sound of fire and ice magic. This talk of 'mental barriers' was strange to her, however. Who ever heard of mind magic? "What be these mind creatures? How they read minds?"

And come to think of it, why would this boy have that kind of magic anyways? Padme couldn't think of a use for it, unless you wanted to know if someone was lying. But that was useless. Predators always lied.

"Let Padme be a distraction," I stated suddenly, "and you rush in and destroy things, and we can watch them as they fix the place and find out more about them."

"That's not a bad idea, Roon. But we have to find out where they are. But the key factor is Padme." I turned my head to look at Padme. "What do you say? You up for it?"

Padme chewed lightly on her lip, thinking such a plan over carefully. Normally, she was quite eager to join in a fight, but with a fox at her back, she would need to do things cautiously. There were still many things she did not know about this EVIL enemy, and from the sound of them, they were quite serious.

"Hmm...Padme be able to distract, but not for long. That all depend on where camp is, how many humans there be. If we go, it not be Padme she worried about, it be Tarok. Isn't enemy after Tarok?"

" Yes they are. But they do not know i have magic. they think that i am just very stealthy. I will go in invisible and do as much damage as possible. And Padme, all you have to do is cast out your thaoughts to me and I will hear them. Ok guys?"

"That be fine...just..." Padme's voice trailed off as she thought about how they were going to find this EVIL enemy. She hadn't heard of any other humans camped in the forest, so they must be either on the outskirts or in an entirely different area.

The small warrior scratched the back of her ears, wondering for a moment just how serious this buisness was. Humans in the forest was bad news for everyone, especially if they could move undetected. "So...where be EVIL enemies anyways?"

"I have no idea. We are going to have to find the camp before we can put this plan into action."

"Good, good! We look in morning, then!" The young haschen knew it was late, and tired warriors were no good in battle. They would have to wait for morning before they could start their search, once everyone was rested. She wasn't at all concerned about looking for the EVIL enemy in daylight, for the forest had plentiful cover, and humans tended to be less careful when it wasn't dark.

Of course, Padme could never trust a fox, so there was no way she was sleeping anywhere near him. Hopefully, Tarok would keep the creature in check, seeing as the fox had seemed less irritable towards him. She hopped out of the tent/house to search for her priceless banglestaff, anxious that she had left it with no one to watch over it. To her relief, it was laying in a patch of tall grass just a few feet from the tent.

"Aha! Staff miss Padme, eh?" The yellow furred creature ran to the long stick, picking it up proudly. It made a soft jingle as she raised it, the many bangles clinking together in perfect harmony. Padme stroked the wooden staff fondly, its many braclets reminding her of the many battles she had fought to claim them. Her favorite had been the most difficult, a battle against an elder to prove that she was worthy to be deemed a warrior. He had been a tricksy opponent, fast and strong with his feet. She had barely managed to defeat him by using her spinning slash, one of the more difficult battle techniqes that required great strength and balance. It knocked him out cold...

Padme giggled at the memory, stroking the small gold tinged bangle she had won from the fight. Rumor had it that the elder had managed to steal it from a mighty human princess, one of the richest humans out there. There was no doubt that it was an honorable bangle to carry.

"Hmm...can't let fox get to staff." Padme stuck her staff in her mouth, using her free paws to climb up the oak tree that stood by the tent. She made it up to a branch about seven feet from the ground, where she stashed her staff and laid down to sleep.

"Padme are you sure you don't want to sleep in the tent?" I then used my mind and said, "Don't worry. I have a force feild around the fox so he cannot escape."