THE RED MOON
Is a story after most humans have died off and the survivors are  evil and cruel.The world is mostly ruled by wolves, But some broke off and made a whole new breed of nasty,blood thirsty wolves. They call themselves Nighthowlers,and the good purewolves are Lighthowlers. Now Good and Evil wolves fight for control over this new world.Koji is a Nighthowler,But left his pack because he hated the way they did things.Then he met Rika a Lighthowler who was not afraid of him and befriended him along with a few other wolves.Now they try to go against their blood and go to a place were the evil and corruption of the world has not reach. A place were they can find peace.They go against all the other wolves who took place in this harsh,unforgiving world...with a red moon watching it.  

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The Red Moon's cold gaze swept the ground as a wolf stood it's ground.It's white fur glowed like white fire,it's blue eyes sparkled like a sapphire,his name was koji."Soon the world will be ruled by us"koji growled.He turned around and began to walk down the path."...I must find more of my kind"He growled.He sniffed the air and picked up another wolf's scent."hmmm...I wonder who this may be"He mumbled as he followed the scent.Koji's breath burned in his chest as he ran like the wind.He ran with his eyes closed and followed his nose."The scent is getting stronger"He mumbled,as he raced a cross the moorland.

As he stops he meets a lighthowler named Rika and attempts to
talk to her.

"Hello..."He said softly. Trying not to scare her off because he was a Nighthowler. He walked up slowly and sat down a bit far from her.

"Hello"... she replied. "You don't have to sit so far away." "It's not as if i'll bite". "The night is so peaceful don't you think?"

"Yes..."Koji said quietly. "Why aren't you scared of me?"He added."I'm a Nighthowler...and your a Lighthowler...why do you trust me?" He said looking at her.

I trust you because you don't look like the others. From the way I see it, you don't even want to be a nighthowler. Do you?

What are you talking to a nighthowler for? asked Kenji a fellow lighthowler. Turning to him he askes who are you anyway?

"No I never wanted to be a Nighthowler"Koji replied looking down.Then he noticed Kenji,"I'm Koji....I'm a loner"

"You look more like a stray mutt"Said Saya, another Lighthowler. "Rika you know better then to talk to a Nighthowler....you can never trust them."She said looking at Koji and Rika."

Look Saya says Rika I can talk to whoever i want so just leave me and my friend alone. Come on Koji lets go somewhere else. Says Rika as she begins to walk away. As she leaves another nighthowler shows up and blocks her way.

"Rika!"Koji yelled as he ran up to her, but before he got to her another Nighthowler came and rammed him in the side."Where do you think your going hun."Said the Nighthowler.

"Stop calling me that Flower"Koji growled."I'm happy you remembered my name...we came to get you back"Flower said as she grinned."I told you I was never coming back"He growled showing his teeth."you look so cute when your mad at me."She laughed as she pinned him down on the ground.Koji growled and tried to get away. "I told you he was Evil!A nighthowler is a Nighthowler they will never change!"Saya growled!

Ignoring Saya, Rika goes after Flower and knocks her over.
Run Koji! Yelled Rika as yet another Nighthowler shows up.

"No" Koji growled as he jumped at flower. She rolled out of the way and slammed her paw on the side of his head knocking him out. Saya jumped on a Nighthowlers back and bit its shoulder making it bleed. Then Saya saw a large Alfa male nighthowler come over the hill. Its fur was as white as Koji's "That must be Koji's father" She thought. He looked just like him,The big Male grabbed koji by the scruff of the neck and ran off with him in his mouth. Then the other wolves began to follow him. Soon only the Lighthowlers were left.

---

 

No! Koji! Yelled Rika as she tried to run after him but got a warning growl from the leader of the lighthowlers.

"Just leave them be" Saya growled. "They are Nighthowlers and they are just plain evil...you should have nothing to do with them." She smirked as she walked back towards the Lighthowlers camp.

koji woke up to find he was in the Nighthowler's leader's camp den. "Koji why did you run off like that..."Growled his father. "I told you I want nothing to do with being a nighthowler!" Koji said in his defense. Koji saw outside the den the wolves were lining up. "Whats going on?"Koji asked puzzled. "Koji it's time you took over the pack...you are my son and the only way they will accept you is if you get a mate from the pack!" Koji's father Smirked. No!Koji thought in horror. Koji could not believe what his father was telling him.

Back in the Lighthowlers camp Rika is getting very agrivated.
Their leader won't allow her to leave without permission.
But stubborn Rika decideds to take matters into her own hands and sneaks out to follow her heart which was leading her to Koji.

Koji hated the fact they brought him back to the camp to tell him he was the new leader. "No I don't want to be leader!"Koji growled.

"Scar?" Said a fair wolf with beautiful reddish Grey fur and Sapphire blue eyes like Koji's.

"Kira...what is it." Said koji's father.

"Is it true Kojis back?" She called from outside the den.

"Yes...come and see him." Scar called back to her.

Kira walked in slowly and saw Koji and ran up to him."KOJI!" She yelled with delight. She placed her muzzle on Koji's shoulder in a hugging fashion. "Hello...mother."Koji said softly placing his muzzle on top of her head.

Is it true that Koji is back? asked Kara a good friend who also wants to be rid of the pack and join the lighthowlers.

"Yes he's back" Kira said almost in tears.

Koji looked up at Kara. "Ummm...Hey Kara how have you been?" Koji asked calmly. Kara was Koji's oldest friend in the camp, he knew he could trust her. They shared the same dream of leaving the Nighthowlers a becoming Lighthowlers.

i'm doing better now that you are back Kara said happily, and quietly she said i hope you made a friend with a Lighthowler  because we are going to need one if we are going to get out of here at all. You did meet one didn't you?! 

Koji looked from Kira to Kara. "Yes I meet a Lighthowler. She was very kind. He said half to himself.Koji was lost in thought when he thought about Rika."I hope shes ok" Koji thought looking up at the moon.

At this time Rika was searching everywhere for Koji. But everywhere she went she couldn't find him. Where is his camp Rika wondered aloud. But before she stopped she caught Koji's scent and started to slowly follow it to a camp full of wolves that looked very mean.

Koji walked out side the camp and looked around most of the wolves were grooming each other and a few would break into a fight over scraps of meat. Some of the pups would be play fighting or sleeping. Then Koji picked up a familiar scent,it was Rika's but it was gone in a instant. He thought he had imagined it and continued to walk about the camp.

Rika decided to do something to mask her scent and to make        herself look like a nighthowler so she wouldn't be noticed.
In her disguise, she locates Koji as walks up to him.
Hey Koji are you busy? asks Rika as soon as she could.
If not we should leave as soon as possible before i'm noticed.  

Koji was shocked to see Rika standing in front of him. "Rika what are you doing here are you crazy?"Koji said softly. He looked around and said"Follow me." He led her into his mothers den."Mother...I need your help."Koji called as he walked in.

"What is it Koji...."She said as she noticed Rika. "Who's your lighthowler friend?"she looks nice she said keeping her voice low. "This is my friend Rika." Koji said as he noticed Kara in the back of the den.

Hello said Rika also keeping her voice down so as not to be over heard. *looking towards the back of the den* who's that? Is it a possible friend Koji?

" This is my mother Kira, and mt Nighthowler friend Kara." Koji said as he bowed to them both.

Kira sighed,"we better get you two out of here before the others find out." She whispered. 

Thankyou. whispered Rika as she looked at Koji. But where will we go? I'm sure that my camp is out looking for me if they even noticed that I was gone. Do you have any ideas?
Would either of you want to go with us? That is if it's alright with Koji and all.

Kira grind softly."I can't leave this is my home and the wolf I love is its leader,but take Kara with you, you young wolves have a better chance of surviving." She licked Koji on top of the head. "I will always love you my son." She said to him as she rested her head on his for a moment.

"Mother...will you be ok here?" Koji asked as she began to lift her head. Koji felt torn to leave her here, But a great force seemed to call him and tell him to make his own pack.

"I will be fine my son, Now come with me I know were you guys can hide." Kira said as she began to sneak Rika,Koji,and Kara out of the back of the cave. She led them out of the camp and a few miles away. Soon they arrived at large waterfall with cascading water. "Over this waterfall is a land were evil humans live...and if you pass that land alive you will enter a land with lush valleys and a lovely river called The wolves moon river." She said as she stared at the waterfall.

Ok then said Rika, i know about that place and I like your idea. I'm sure that we will be quite safe there. So if you two are ready to go then I guess i'm ready too.

Koji smiled,"well then be better get going." He started up the waterfall as Rika and Kara followed. The rocks were wet and slippery as he balance carefully on them. Soon they reached the top and he looked down to see him mother look at him and waved her tail and vanished into the trees.

So Koji I know that you are sad and everything but I think that you should be the leader for now while we follow, unless Kara wants to lead.

"No,I think I should lead. I picked up a few things from my father."He said as he began to follow the river the flowed to the waterfall. They walked some time when Koji picked up a strange scent. "Hide" He growled as he pushed Kira and Kara under a large bush with low branches. A strange massive bear was walking their way. It had a large cut on its muzzle. It looked at the bush and grined. "Hello wolves from below the falls...I mean you no harm,My name is FallenStar."She called as she looked at them Koji slowly crawled out and looked up at her.

Do you think that its ok for us to come out too or should we wait for Koji whispered Rika to Kara.

Hello FallenStar, said a Raven. Who's your little friend? Where are his friends? I know I saw three wolves.
And over yonder I see a pack that is following their scent.

"Well hello BlackFeather, This is a wolf from below the falls." FallenStar said as she sniffed for the pack coming up the falls. 

"My name is Koji and this is Rika and Kara." He said as Kara walked out with Rika following.

"Rika is that your LightHowler pack?" Kara said as she glanced at them. Koji sighed,"We got to get out of here." He said as he got up.

"Follow me"FallenStar said as she lead them to a large valley with a small Fox sat in the middle."Well hello LostFang." FallenStar said to the fox.

"Welcome my friends please come in my den no wolves will find you there." The fox said slyly.Koji was shocked that the fox knew why they were here. FallenStar smiled and said"LostFang knows everything that happens in these valleys,the wind tells him all."  

well thankyou for all of your help. Rika replied.
Wait what is that? Oh no I think that is Kenji. He won't give up until he finds me. My pack wants me to take over but I don't want to.
So Mr. LostFang, how long can we stay here? How long should we? Asked Rika.

"Please call me Lostfang ,Mr is to formal,you may stay as long as you like but the wind has told me that if you say forever you will never find the valley you seek."LostFang said as he licked his paw.

again Koji was shocked the fox knew so much."Well then LostFang what should we do?"Kara asked as she looked around calmly.

LostFang smiled,"The wind as told me a day ago three wolves will cross my path one is a Lighthowler who will become the wolf with great strength and courage,another is a female Nighthowler who will be of great love and care for all the creatures who need her love and help,and a male NightHowler who has great power unknown to him and he will have great knowledge and wisdom and could hear the wind as good as I can."The fox said as he grinned to reveal one of his front fangs was gone.

Rika who was deep in thought decided to enter the cave and lie down. As she lay there tears began to flow down her cheeks, and she did nothing to hide them.
In the distance they heared the howls of Rika's tribe. 

FallenStar walked up to Rika and laid down beside her."Young wolf sometimes life is harder than it looks but you must never give up for you must stay true to your heart."She said as she smiled."Pick what you think and feel is best for you everyone will understand your decision."She said as she looked outside the cave.

Yes I know what you mean. I love Koji and I'm not sure what I should do about it said Rika quietly. How do I know if he loves me at all? How would Kara feel? FallenStar I'm so confused! What do I do?

FallenStar smiled,"You think to hard young wolf let the stars lead you path and soon you will find all your answers...but if your that keen to find out go ask LostFang he knows all that the wind knows." She licked Rika on the head and stood up,"Don't worry good things happen in time." She said as she slowly started for the den entrance.

i hope you are right thought Rika as she continued to lay there with her head on her paws.
As night decended Rika decided to venture out of the cave and see what was happening below the falls but as she did she got cornered by a few nighthowlers and lighthowlers who were keen on getting information on where the three were going to go.

One of the NightHowlers was Flower and one of the LightHowlers was Saya. Flower came up to Rika and placed her paw on Rika's muzzle. "OK little wolf were is Koji, and were do you think you are taking him." She growled.

Saya came over and butted Flower aside lightly and turned on Rika,"You have both the tribes worried and now they are working together to find the bunch of you," She growled "What do you think you are doing hanging around that mutt."She added.

Flower Growled at Saya, "Koji is not a mutt, He is soon to be leader of the pack once I make Him be my mate." She smirked. Then looked at Rika and almost snapped at her when Koji appeared on top of the hill."Koji!" She yelled as she looked at him.

Rika ignoring the two ran to Koji and stood by his side.
We will go where we want to and nothing either of you say can change our mind she said loud and clear.

Koji had a light growl growing in his chest. "If you want me back you will have to come make me." He growled. He turned around and ran down the hill to LostFang's den.

FallenStar saw Koji and Rika pass and she grinned she went up to the other wolves and blocked there path. But Saya and Flower got passed her.

Saya found Rika and Koji,"Rika this is your last chance come back to the pack or be a trader." She growled.

I would rather be a traitor since I don't want to come back.
I agree with Koji, if you want me back then you will have to make me she answered with a half growl.

Just then Koji heard something behind them. He turned to see his father standing behind him with his mother in his jaws.

Koji stared in horror as his father grinned, "This is what happens to traders when I'm leader."He said softly with his mouth full of fur. "No!"Koji yelled but it was to late. He heard the sick crunching of bones as his father snapped his jaws closed.

Koji saw his father drop the bloody motionless body and his ears ran hot with fury and grief.He lunged at his father and knocked him off balance. They rolled down the hill with flailing claws and teeth all Koji could hear was the snarl of his father and the scent of blood filled his noes. 

Rika seeing her chance attacked Saya and Flower and tried to gain on them then went after Koji to help him but before she got to him she was blocked by wolves from his tribe and hers.

The only thing on Kojis mind now was to get revenge on his father for killing his mother. Finally they stopped rolling down the hill and were ripping at each other viciously. Koji heard other wolves and he pulled his mind together he notice he was losing. His sides were covered with his own blood and his head became light. Koji could barely move as his father jumped back and forth striking his fangs in Koji with every leap. 

Rika seeing what was happening found a way through the pack and attacked Koji's father in an attempt to save Koji from being killed and risking her life in the process. As soon as his father was nocked off she attacked him with everything she had in her for her revenge as well as Koji's.

Kojis father swung his paw and knocked Rika in the side with his massive paw."Stay out of this Lighthowler." He spat every word out. He turned and looked at koji.

Koji lost so much blood that he could not stand he clasped on the spot. Everything began to blur and Koji saw his father standing over him and leaned down to whisper in his ear,"Koji I will let you live for now...get stronger and then  I will come back to finish you off." He snarled. He lifted his head and howled. He began to dash off with the other wolves following.

As Rika got up she ran to Koji, grabbed him, and took off to LostFang's cave to see if he could help Koji. After that she took off through the woods to see how far they still have to go before they are safe.
As morning came she came back to the cave to check on Koji but instead she was stopped by FallenStar who would not let her past.

"I am sorry young one, but by Lostfangs orders you are not to pass." FallenStar sighed. "He is with Koji now and is trying to stop his bleeding." She added. "Why don't you go hunt for now, thats what Kara is doing." She yawned as she laid in front of the den.

Koji rolled and moaned with pain every movement seemed to hurt ten times worse then when he received them. LostFang was smoothing his fur a placing berry juice on it." This should help the pain but you need to rest some more." LostFang said quietly as he got up and headed for the entrance. 

Rika not wanting to leave Koji's side decided to sit by the cave entrance and wait to see him. She was worried about him and wanted to make sure that he was ok before she left to do anything. As she saw LostFang she ran up to him and asked him how koji was and if she could help in his healing in any way.

LostFang shook his head and sighed,"All we can do now is wait and hope he heals fast,his father left some nasty wounds."LostFang nodded to FallenStar and began to walk in the woods."If you want to help, find some watermint,It might help." he called over his shoulder.

Rika liking the fact that she can help left that minute to find some watermint to help Koji. Before she left she asked FallenStar to tell Koji when he woke that she will be back soon and that he shouldn't worry about a thing. As she left she began to regret her decision because she was starting to pick up the familiar scent of her pack and began to walk the other way to find what she was looking for. About an hour later she found it and took off to the cave to give it to Lost
Fang but before she made it back she was attacked.

Saya raced through the woods and leaped out in front of Rika. "Well, look who I found. A traitorous wolf, so Rika, going to come back to us or what?" Saya growled as she stepped closer. "There is no way you will escape the pack." She added with a toothy smirk. She lifted her head and howled in the air, calling the two packs. Moments later Flower emerged from the forest and ran up to Rika and Saya. "If shes here then were is Koji?" Flower asked as she circled Rika. "Don't know." Saya replied. Flower nodded and jogged close to Rika and sniffed her. Then Flower suddenly grinned," Oh,I got a scent.Hm and its not far from here. Must be there hiding place. Watch her I am going to find out where it leads." Flower said as she jogged of with a few other wolves. Saya then turned to Rika and grinned. "What are you going to do now Rika?" She said as a few other wolves gathered behind her.

well saya if u must know then u shall find out said rika as she rammed into saya and took off after flower to make sure that she didnt find koji
but as she left she got tackled by kenji and another wolf who she didnt recognize at all
but with a growl rika escaped them and ran to the cave just in time to see flower trying to enter
flower! yelled rika dont go near that cave!
the bear in there is really mean to who it doesnt like and it dont like you.

Flower growled, "There is no bear Lighthowler!" Flower yelled as she jogged up to the cave and peered inside. Suddenly a older looking fox leaped out and attacked Flowers face growling and ripping at her muzzle. Flower howled in pain and tried to shake the fox off. Flower barely noticed Saya comeing there way.

Saya ran up to the cave with a few other wolves following her. "Attack" Saya yelled as the wolves behind her swarmed forward. Saya smirked and ran up to the cave passing Flower without a second glance. She almost entered when a howl reached her ears. She turned and say another wolf racing toward her folowed by a large bear and a black crow.

Kara raced in with Fallenstar and BlackFeather right behind her. Kara jumped on Saya and started attacking her as FallenStar attacked the other wolves. A small grunt was heard and FallenStar turned and say Koji slowly coming out of the cave, growling. His white fur was matted in dryed blood and he looked like a bloody ghost wolf. Koji growled again and jumped into battle.

seeing koji rika runs to his side and jumps into battle while keeping an eye on him
while fighting they heard a bone chilling cry that was answered by another.

Koji turned towards the sound and say a large creature standing on a hill. It was easily over 6 feet tall, standing just on all fours. It look almost like an over sized wolf, but around its head was a mane like of fur that was the deepest of black. The creatures eyes were deep blood red and its teeth were long and deadly looking. Koji shivered as he stared at the creature. In its powerful jaws it held a golden colored wolf. The thing was slowly crushing the wolfs back, Koji flinched as the the wolf let out another chilling cry, but was cut off as the large creature snapped the wolfs back killing it instantly. "That is Black Moon, he is a failed experiment of the humans. He is pure evil, but he was once a wolf just like you little ones." Koji turned around to see who had spoken and saw FallenStar, she had a look of fear in her eyes as she watched Black Moon. Black Moon smirked and slowly began to approach the other wolves, growling and snarling. 

seeing the creature rika ran to koji and suggested that the three of them should leave before that thing got any closer.

Koji nodded and turned and started to limp away, they passed FallenStar and told her they wanted to leave. "I will hold them off, so go now and good luck my friends." FallenStar said as she took Kara's place, battling Saya.Kara ran up to them see turned to see the creature was fighting with three wolves and was winning."What is that thing?" Kara asked. "Black Moon, lets go before it comes after us." Koji said as he started running off. "Are you alright Rika?" Koji asked as he looked at her hoping she was not injured.

seeing koji's concern for her she tried to look past her pain and noticed his instead
don't worry i'm fine but what about you koji? rika asked seeing his limp and kara how are you?

Koji grinned, "Iam fine just a little sore is all." He replied trying not to limp as much. "I am ok, a few scratches. So what do we do now guys?" Kara said quietly as she looked around.

i think that we should keep going to the valley so that maybe we will be safe said rika, what do you think koji?

as rika waited for an answer she suddenly collapsed where she was too tired to go on but trying not to show it.

well well if it isn't rika and her friends off to their secret destination that i happen to know about said a shadow wolf who appeared in front of koji blocking his path let ms see you are koji and you must be kara nice to meet you. if you like you three can stay in my cave for a while or at least until all three of you can walk on your own.

Kara rushed beside Rika and tried to help her up. "Who are you?" Koji asked as he walked over and stood by Rika and Kara. He saw at how tired Rika and Kara looked and nodded,"Fine we will go with you." Koji said.

well good then follow me this way... oh and my names Shadow
as they walked they noticed that they were being followed by someone but didn't see anyone.

Both Kara and Koji walked beside Rika and to help her walk. "So Shadow, why are you helping us?" Kara asked slowly, while Koji kept an eye on Rika and looked around slowly. "Guys I think someone is following us." Koji said softly and Kara huffed. "Dang, we got a stalker. Just great." Kara mumbled as she looked behind them.

oh don't worry thats a friend of mine shadow replied
i'm helping you three because I happen to be a friend of Rika's that was kicked out of the pack

Koji turned and looked at Shadow. "You were a Lighthowler?" He asked. Kara looked at Rika and frowned when she saw the wounds. "How are you holding up Rika?" Kara asked softly.

yes i use to be a lighthowler but now i'm an outcast shadow replied
don't worry kara i'm ok said rika as she fell yet again

Kara and Koji rushed beside Rika and helped her up. "Hey I have an Idea." Kara said as she helped lift Rika up. "What is it." Koji asked, "Let Rika ride on your back Koji, you are bigger after all." Kara purposed. "Ok" Koji said softly and bent down and let Kara pull Rika on his White furred back. Koji then lifted himself up and carried Rika as he followed Shadow as Kara walked beside him to make sure Rika did not fall.  

thanks you guys rika said as she sighed.
while they were walking they heard walking all around them and were stopped by the two packs at least a few of them.

look saya i'm not going back and you can't make me rika said as she saw who was leading them. why don't you take my place as leader and leave us alone?

hello saya its been a while said shadow with a growl why don't you leave my friends alone? what did they do to you?

"Its nothing personal Shadow, our leader wants Rika back and the Nighthowlers leader wants the mutt back." Saya replied with a grin. Saya let loose a howl and the wolves behind her rushed forward and surrounded the small group of wolves. "Your time is up! You coming back if you like it or not!" Saya barked.

oh yeah rika challenged getting down from koji's back and facing saya. why don't you make us oh wait you can't rika said with a growl just then a wolf attacked saya from out of nowhere pinning her to the ground and growling at the other wolves till they took off.

Saya gasped and began to struggle. "Let me go!" Saya growled and tried to throw off the other wolf.

Koji blinked and then smiled. "Now look who's trapped. Your not going anywhere." Koji said as he walked over to Shadow."Is she one of your friends?"He asked

she is my friend shadow replied
ok saya get out of here and leave them alone the mystery wolf growled before letting her up and watching her run off
hello koji its been a while how have you been? moon asked and kara how are you?
i see i arrived just in time.

Koji grinned and nodded at Moon. "It's good to see you again my friend. I have been better. How are you doing though?" Koji asked as he sat down by Rika. Kara smiled brightly at Moon. "Moon its been so long, I am well, thank you for asking. How are you?" Kara asked as she look at Moon.

i'm doing quite well actually since i met shadow here and learned from lostfang what you guys are trying to do and thought that I might be able to offer my help since saya and the other wolves are after you guys.
so when are you guys going to leave this area and continue to the place that you are going?

"You saw LostFang? How is he and FallenStar? Are they Ok, did the other packs hurt them?" Kara asked as she followed her friends. Koji sighed and looked over at Shadow. "I not really sure, We need to avoid the packs and avoid Black Moon most of all, FallenStar told us he was nothing but pure evil. But yes we are still heading to the valley it's the only safe place left." Koji said as he looked around to make sure no one was following them. "You are welcomed to join us." Koji added.

Lostfang and Fallenstar are doing great. they had minor injuries but they recovered and are now looking for other wolves that could possibly offer their help to you guys.
well fallenstar was right replied shadow, black moon is the worst of them as far as i have seen but there are others....we would be happy to join you three...right moon?  
right shadow, moon replies.
so lets get going shall we moon adds as she and shadow lead the way to a hidden cave for the night

"It's nice to know that LostFang and Fallenstar are o.k," Kara said as she walked beside Rika and smiled. Koji nodded and walked on Rika's other side. "Lets hope we don't run into trouble." Koji adds as he sniffs the air and looked around. "The others are building an army?" Koji asked Shadow and Moon.
Suddenly a flash of fur went by and a standing on a boulder in front of the group stood a wolf. He had bright green eyes and a light scar went through his right eye. His under fur and leg fur was white, and contrasted with his fiery red fur. The wolf grinned and his bright, green eyes glowed. "Yo" said the flame colored wolf with a grin on his face.

yes they are shadow replied, and as far as iv'e heard they have at least 20 or so, maybe we might have a chance after all.
who is that Rika asks as she see's the flame colored wolf. is he friend or foe?

Koji looked up at the fire red wolf and braced his self. "Who are you?" He asked as he eyed the wolf suspiciously. The red wolf sat downed on the boulder and watched the group of wolves with a amused grin. "Well, names Talon. I'm a Guardian Wolf, I guard my pack from lone wolves or hunters." Talon explained as he smiled again. "So my question is Who are you?" He added. Koji's eyes grew and he sat down. "You mean there are more wolf packs?!" He asked disbelievingly. Talon huffed and scratched his ear."Ya course there are more. Well not that many, not since Black Moon showed his ugly mug up. Packs seem to disappear often, So us Guardian Wolves were established to go out and kill Black Moon. So I can't stop searching till Black Moon is killed. But enough about me, what are you doing out here?" Talon asked as he stood up on the boulder. 

Koji rika asks can we trust him?
Hey Talon how have you been? asks moon looking at him. 

Talon's muzzle broke out into a large grin and he pushed one leg out and playfully bowed on top of the boulder. "Yo Moon, I'm doing well. Thanks for asking. So how are you and whats with the little group?" Talon asked as he glanced at the other wolves and slowly stood back up on his boulder.

Koji sighed and looked over at Rika. "I guess we can trust him, Moon knows him." Koji replied and Kara gave a silent nod.

I'm doing well thankyou moon replied, these are my friends, i am helping them out on their quest.

ok then i guess ur right.

Talon nodded,"Interesting, So you guys are a pack right? What quest are you all going on?" Talon asked as he jumped of the boulder and walked over to the group.

Yes we are Moon replies. I can't tell you about that but ask Koji he can tell you.

Koji nodded and walked over to Talon and sat down in front of him. "We are traveling to the vally and escape the packs following us." Koji said as he looked around the group. "You may follow if you like, We could use more wolf power." Koji added. Talon grinned and winked at the group. "Sounds like fun, might be a easier way to find Black Moon." Talon said as he stood up and turned to everyone else."That's if everyone else agrees." He added. Kara nodded and smiled lightly,"It's fine by me." She said. 


Ok i guess i'm in too Rika adds as she looks around for the source of the sound that she heard. So where are we going at the moment? Koji, do you have any ideas?

"I think we should all go and find a place to rest for now." Koji said as he walked over to Rika and smiled lightly at her. "Are you feeling any better?" He asked her softly. Talon nodded and stood by Kara. " I agree, you guys look like you've been threw a lot." Talon said as he looked everyone over.

I'm ok Rika replies as she begins to walk with a limp then stops to wait.
So Koji where do u want to go? asks shadow. My cave is this way if you want or we can keep going and find another one but that might take awile.

Koji started walking beside Rika and shook his head slowly, "No its fine, we can head to your cave. We need to rest and get to safety. Before something finds us." He said and smiled lightly at Rika. "I'm glad your alright." he added softly. "Alright! Lets go!" Talon yelled as he gave a large grin and barked a laugh. "This group looks like a lot of fun! Big old Black Moon won't know what hit him, when I get to him!" he declared loudly as he lifted his head up high and started walking. Suddenly he bit back a yelp as he tripped on a rock and fell down on his back. Kara started to giggle and Koji shook his head. "Cocky Idiot," Koji muttered as Talon rolled over and got up laughing.

Rika just stood there watching them while listening to the noise that was bothering her when a giant wolf that looked like Black Moon but lighter in color appeared and threw her and Moon against a tree then went after the others with the help of its mate who appeared a minute later behind the group.

"Rika!" Koji yelled as he started to run over to were she was when Black Moon came and smashed into his side. He was sent flying and collided into a tree trunk. He let out a yelp of pain and looked up. The lighter colored gigantic wolf was fighting the other, but Talon was no were to be seen. Koji yelped again as Black Moon stomped one of his large paws on his tail. Koji reached up and bit Black Moon's muzzle. The beast roared and pulled his head back and growled at Koji. Koji braced his self when Black Moon lunged at him, but the pain never came. Koji opened his eyes and looked up and saw that Talon was on Black Moon's back and he had his jaws clamped on Black Moon's left eye. Which was welling up large amounts of blood as Black Moon howled in agony.

Rika got up and ran to help Koji while dodging an attack from Black Moons mate(Silvermist).  Moon and Shadow attacked Silvermist then went to Koji's aid as the wolfpacks appeared.

Black Moon roared again as he reared back on his hind legs and shook his head, trying to shake off the red wolf.But Talon held on and tightened his hold. ignoring the stench of Black Moon's blood. Koji jumped up and ran over to the others. "I hope those wolves are on our side." He whispered to Rika as he watched the wolfpacks got closer. Kara looked over at Silvermist and growled as she run over to join the others. "Guys what do we do? We have two monster wolves attacking and a whole other pack of wolves we don't know coming. Plus Talon is still on top of Black Moon.." Kara said as she watched Talon with fearful and concerned eyes.

Rika decides to confront the wolfpack when another shows up with Saya leading them. Rika yells a warning to Koji before they attack.
A wolf from the first pack walks over to Kara with another to see if she is one of the wolves that LostFang told her about.
Hello says the gold tinted wolf to Kara, are you a friend of LostFangs? My name is Aria and this is Angel we were sent to help you and your friends.

"Thank Heavens your here. Yes we are the group LostFang informed you about but the other pack is anything but friendly."Kara said in a rushed tone as she saw that Saya has once again shown her self.

Koji growled and jumped back as he missed a wolf's attack. "Ok guys, this is not the time to attack us. We got to demon wolves attacking and we don't need your sorry pelts of fur in the way." He growled at Saya's followers. "Shut up mutt, we planned to attack you guys when you were weak." She hissed back as she lunged at Koji once again.

Talon huffed out a breath between his clenched jaws. Black Moon's blood was bitter and disgusting,He gagged at the tasted but never removed his fangs. All the sound around him faded as he focused only on his heartbeat and the one he felt pulsing through his fangs. It was only a matter of time before the demon wolf would die of blood loss, as he himself would live. Or Black Moon would succeed in throwing him off and killing him,only to die later from the wound Talon had torn around his eye. A grim smile slid on Talon's face as Black Moon's swung and smashed the red wolf into a tree in an attempt to remove him, but to no luck as the wolf still remained on his back. 'Either way one of us is going down.'Talon thought as he held on even though Black Moon continued to slam him against the tree.  

Good then I'm glad we found you replied Angel as she took off to attack Saya and the others. Why don't we attack them as well Kara? Aria asks as she takes off after her sister.

Rika decides to go and help Koji fend off the pack when the rest of her pack shows up with Koji's father in the lead.

Moon and Shadow defeat Silvermist then run to help Talon as they see him still on his prey and winning.

Kara nodded and ran after the sisters and joined the battle.

Koji fought beside Rika and growled as his father got near. "I told you to leave me a lone. I want nothing to do with you." He snarled as he bared his fangs to his father."Be care full Rika, We need a way to get our friends out of here without anyone dieing." He whispered to her.

Talon held on as the demon wolf thrashed about. Suddenly Black Moon fell to the ground and rolled over. Talon gasped for breath as the demon wolf almost smashed him and let go of Black Moon. The black demon wolf got up and ran off into the trees. Talon stood up and looked around, shocked at all the commotion. "Dang, I zone out for ten minutes and a war of the wolves brake out." He said with a small grin as he charged into the fight.

I know Rika whispers back let me think....I have an idea. I'll tackle your father while you get the others together then we'll make a break for it. What do you think? With that Rika takes off before she receives an answer.

Yo Koji what does Rika think shes doing? asks Shadow as he runs over with Moon. She must Really like you or something.

Starfire, another Nighthowler decides to change sides since she doesn't like whats going on and wants to be on the winning side. She dashs over to Koji but keeps her distance since she's not sure if he will accept her help.

Aria looks at Kara and wonders what she thinks about what is going on.
But before she can ask they are attacked by another giant demonwolf.

Koji smiled lightly at Shadow. "She is amazing." he mumbled to him before he howled and looked around. "Wolves that decided to follow me gather together and protect eachother. We need to be strong, and fight a way out." Koji yelled as he nodded to Moon and Shadow. "Let's help Rika, we will leave no wolf of ours behind.

Kara jumped away as a lighthowler snapped at her and she growled. "Get back! you stupid wolf!" She snapped at him. Suddenly a flash of red landed on the lighthowler and Kara gasped. "Talon here to save the little wolf,Kara." The red wolf laughed and Kara huffed. "I'm not little Talon, and I don't need saved!" She growled and Talon laughed. "Come one we need to gather with the others. The great white wolf calls us." Talon said as he ran over to Kara as they battled though the crowd of wolves. "His name is Koji, Talon he is the leader."Kara replied as she bit a nighthowler who was in her way.

Rika continues to attack until she is thrown into a tree by Koji's father and blacks out.

Moon and Shadow attack the packs not knowing the danger that was on its way.
Starfire stays near Koji to keep an eye on him as ordered by his father.

"Rika!" Koji yelled as he rushed over to her. "Not so fast!" Koji's father yelled as he rammed into Koji's side. Koji gasped and tumbled on the ground. He was panting heavily as he slowly got up. He growled viciously and lunged at his father.

Talon and Kara continued to fight slowly but surely getting closer to their friends. "We can't keep doing this forever." Kara mumbled as she lunged at another wolf ripping it's left ear into shreds. "We can try." Talon replied as he clawed at a wolf's eye.

Seeing Koji hurt Shadow rushes over to give him a hand with his father.
Before he can launch an attack of his own it begins to rain which wakes Rika up.
Rika attacks Koji's father again not worrying about her own safety and resulting in getting tossed into a pack of angry Nighthowlers.

Moon dashes over to Kara and Talon to help them fight their way to Koji and the others.

Angel and Aria with their back up begin to attack the Nighthowlers to help Koji not worry about Rika.

In the distance they hear what sounds like a pack of angry mountain lions but worse.

Koji dodged his father and turned toward the pack of Nighthowlers. "Get away from her!" Koji yelled as he jumped into the fray.

"What was that?!" Talon yelled when he heard the roaring. "Good heavens, we never get a break." Kara mumbled as she clawed at a Lighthowler.  

A lone mountain walks into the clearing to watch the wolves and see who is good and who isn't. It begins to attack the nighthowlers not long after.
Thunder then growls at Koji telling him to go as far as he can with his friends so that he and his pack can finish the fight. As he says this the rest of his pack shows up to attack.

Moon Shadow and Rika dash over to Koji and await his orders while watching the mountain lions warily.

Koji are we going to go? asks Aria as she and her pack join them for now.

Talon and kara reach the others as the mountain lions entered the fight. "Those are some pretty big kitties." Talon mumbled and kara gave a grim smile. "No time for your humor Talon, We are in the middle of battle." She whispered to him.

Koji looked around counted wolves. "We'll retreat while we can, I won't have any of my pack members killed in this useless battle." He growled his voice loud enough to carry over the noise of the battle around them. He gave a loud, booming howl and race off into the forest, his pack not far behind him.

Rika runs be Koji's side wondering where they are going for the moment but not wanting to ask. Starfire stays near as well waiting to see where they are heading so that she can go and report. Moon and Shadow watch Koji as they run wondering what he is thinking.

Koji lead his group to an open field and checked on his pack. "Talon what were those, they sure aren't wolves. I've never seen anything like them." Koji asked as he sat next to Rika and watching the red wolf carefully.

Talon floped down on his stomach and frowned. "Not sure, my father use to speak stories about huge cats that ruled over the mountains. But I never beleived in the old man." Talon replied. Kara glanced around and sniffed the air. " I have a bad feeling, something feels off." She mumbled lightly as she gazed off into the forest.

Rika listens to the talking as she tenses feeling the badness that Kara felt. Umm Koji? maybe we shouldn't be here, i don't think its safe here. Rika walks to the edge of the field as she cries out when her foot gets caught in a human trap.

Koji jumped up and ran to Rika. "Rika! Talon help me free Rika's leg." He yelled. Talon stood up and jogged over to the other side of Rika and sniffed the trap. "Humans left this, I've seen one like this before. We need to pull it apart. That or gnaw her leg off." Talon said a hint of a smile on his face as he said the last part, Showing he was only kidding. Koji sent him a nasty glare and said, "If you gnaw her leg off I'm going to gnaw your face off." Talon gave a weak smile and grabbed part of the trap in his mouth. Koji doing the same on the other side, and together they began to pull.

As soon as the trap was pulled enough Rika pulled her leg out and moved back.
Thanks Koji, Talon she says as she licks her leg clean. Now what do we do? Rika asks Koji.

Koji sat down and looked up toward the sky in thought."We need to talk to someone who knows the land and dangers. Talon you said something about your father talking about the large cats we saw, could he help us?" Koji asked as he turned to look at Talon.

Talon grinned, "My father only knows so much, but his Father is the old Elder. He'd know everything about the lands around here." Talon said his tail wagging slightly.

So are we going to see this Elder Rika askes feeling nervous.
I don't think we should stay here for much longer.

"I agree, Ok Talon lead the way." Koji said as he took a step back and let Talon infront of the pack.
"Sure thing boss." Talon said with a grin. Talon sniffed the air and with an excited bark he rushed off into the forest, the other wolves close on his heels. Talon led them deep into the forest were the trees grew thicker and thicker. Koji notice the tree's branches seemed thicker and closer togther."Look! Up in the branches!" Kara yelled as they ran. Koji looked up and gasped in suprise. There running on the branches were wolves! They ran along the branches with ease. "Those of my tribe are tree wolves. We live among the branches thats why my tribe has lived for so long." Talon yelled from the front of the pack. Soon after they arrived in a small clearing, surrounded by tree's. And in the center of the clearing was a huge tree. Almost ten times the size of the other surrounding tree's. "Welcome to my tribe." Talon said as he stopped and sat under the huge tree as other wolves watched the new comers from the tree tops.

Rika looks around at the tree wolves amazed at how strong they look.
She feels nervous and scoots closer to Koji.

Koji scooted closer to Rika and laid his tail on top of her's in a form of comfort. "So where is your Elder, Talon?" Koji asked he looked up at the wolves slightly nervous about the fact they were above and watching them like hawks watching a rabbit. Talon looked up and shrugged, "Not really sure where that old man is. Hey 'Old Man' where are you?" Talon yelled. "Why are you so disrespectful to him?" A wolf called from above and Talon huffed. "He's my Grandfather, plus he's old." Talon yelled up making the wolf huff back.

Rika tries not to laugh as she listens to the exchange going on.
She looks to koji think they can or will help us? or will they turn on us and attack? She watches them as she waits to see what will happen to her friends. Sounds of howling can be heard in the backround.

A few of the wolves up in the tree's turned and rushed off toward the sounds.
Talon looked over at the others and smiled. "Don't worry, unless you know the area it's almost impossable to get here. The wolves that just left will make sure the outsiders will never get here." Talon said. Koji turned to look at Rika and grinned. "Looks like their helping." He said.

good Rika smile. she looks to Talon is there a place where we can lay down and rest she asks as she finally collapses on the spot.

Talon looked back towards Rika in a respectful manner and asks her to accompany him outside, in a private place, so she could rejuvenate and maybe discuss pertaining matters... "I have heard that this outside clan will remain in our everlasting debt, although...I do not absolutely agree with what they are offering..." Talon tells Rika of concerns upon his troubled mind and matters pertaining to the outsiders that were apprehended that evening. Rika looks at Talon with a discerned face, wondering what could possibly be wrong with the Elders accordance with their travels.. "You haven't exactly been getting your beauty sleep either, Talon...I hope that, in due come, you will see that the Elder and his forest, Royotia, will be a positive influence in our struggle with the Nighthowlers' clans and others." She explained to Talon throughout the course of the evening of the Elders righteousness...

The next morning, Talon was interrupted by Rika, awoken by an outrageous howl that she had been working on since they first met. Scurrying to the front gate of the capitol, they were confronted by a violent look on Koji's personage. Koji began to utter words of resentment within himself "I knew they were going to come... Those pitiful, ignoramus-" while he was worried of what was happening outside of the gate, Talon pulls at Koji's shoulder and asks him what is going on. "You've been away from us for some time now Koji, at least since last night.... What seems to be the problem and what in Sparscius' names is going on here?!" Rika pressed her face to the cast iron gate that held the grand tree within its safety as Koji turned towards Talon to report the bad news upon last night.

"As soon as both of you wondered off into abyss, the Royal Guard and I were perusing the perimeter outside of these well-fortified walls..." he continued with a sullen attitude "The guard had no experience worth mentioning, so I encountered this when I had leaped into a pile of Elfroot near the Mohagan bay around the tree..." 

Rika yelped in an excruciatingly loud screech that boiled at the buds of Koji and Talon. "I think I found the source of our problem!" Koji turned to look at what Rika was so disconcertingly looking at "Yes! That is what I encountered last night, a beast-spy! Probably working with the Elder" He pointed at the abomination being held about thirty meters out by two guards and chains bolted to the hard-rooted ground. "I told you Rika! There was something strange about this place..." Rika took the stand again to explain...

"Wrong! Whatever that thing is--it is not allied with the Elder... It must be some lost traveler, probably slipped past an ambush of hungry prowlers..."

An even larger force of guards marched outside of the gate, shoving the three aside, to subdue the beast with an array of harmful torture devices.  

Rika charges past them and blocks their way. Leave him alone! I don't think he means any harm why don't you guys try to talk to him first before you torture him?! she growls getting angry.

"I am terribly sorry, but this is are only option of gaining and retaining outside information.... If you would like, you may scurry away to your tent if need be." The guards had 'duty' written all over their faces, they paid no attention to anymore of Rika's conscious remarks.

Rika grabs him and takes off trying to save him from their awful torchering and hoping that he will talk to her willingly.

"Ha! There is no possible way that you could free that mongrel, he is firmly chained to the ground with steel bindings clashed about his thighs!... If you plan on doing anything more than talking to him, your efforts will be denied. You may speak to him...but you only have but a mere five minutes to do so, make it quick!" The guards put away their selected torture devices and impatiently wait for Rika to stop talking to the outsider.

Talon stood tall and went over to the guards. "Who gave you the orders to torture this creature?! I have never seen my Grandfather to be so cruel! What has happended during my absents." He demanded with a snarl in his voice.

Koji ran over and stood before Talon and frowned. "Calm down both of you. They said this creature my have an evil force within it. We can't trust it, heck we don't even know what it is! For all we know it could be here to kill the Elder! We came here to speak to your Grandfather Talon, not watch him get killed because we felt sorry for something we found chained to the ground that could very well kill us all!" Koji reasoned and he glanced back. "I don't agree with the idea of torture, but how else will we know this creature's true intentions?" He asked Talon with a grave face.

Talon sat still a momment before sighing. "Your right Koji, seems my long absent has fogged my judgement." He mumbled and he turned to the Guards. "Put the creature into isolation inside of a white-wood barred cage near the Grand Tree. Have it interrogated by translators, linguists, and a small accompaniment of troops. I don't want to take any chances." Talon said as he gave a nodded to the guards. "I have seem to forgotten to explain my home to you guys." Talon said a normal smile replaceing his once stern face. "Here in Royotia we wolves live up in the Trees so most things around here are made of wood.And the Grand Tree you all saw when we arrived serves as the center of our territory." Talon rambled and Koji frowned. "Talon I get the feeling your attempting to distract us from the Creature with random facts of your homelands." Koji said and Talon smiled slyly. "You know me so well." He replied.

Rika watches and listens to the things around her as she tries unsuccessfully to talk to the creature.
she soon gives up and begins to walk away.

"Wait!" The imprisoned outsider begins to beg at the will of Rika. "You have some sort of an aura about you....perhaps you might understand this..." He began to speak in a language that perplexed the minds of both Koji and Talon, but perhaps Rika had understood the boggled translation of such a language?"

Rika listens then begins to talk back to him in the same language. wanting to know as much as possible.

He continues to speak in the foreign dialogue. "Very good, so you do understand the native tongue of Ghor... This will prove to play an enormous part in our further conversations." The outsider feels as if he knew Rika for ages. He returns his stare at Koji and Talon, and then back to Rika to tell her his name. "My name is Cilia Scarlet, or the 'Sage in Red'."

Nice to meet you Rika replies so what happened to you? It seems that i know you from some time or place is it possible?

Cilia replies with a humble abode. "Why yes, my dear, you were sent to me as an assassin to rid of the Nighthowlers leader, Zakareth... Although, the assassination attempt failed miserably, you were squandered away far off to the southeastern plains of 'Sparscius the Blue'...along with your partner, Saya, who had fortunately escaped and returned to the Lighthowlers campsite."

"'Sparscius the Blue' was a nimble man, fragile of the mind, and fortuitous within the circle of the Magi... He was the only mage to ever set foot within a Nighthowler fortress. Doomed to an eternal debt owed to Zakareth, he escaped only knowing that Zakareth would kill him if he were not to obey his exact orders when given..." Cilia reaches into his pocket and pulls out a letter, he extends his arm through the bars of the cage to try and give it to Rika.

Cilia gives Rika, Koji, and Talon a stern look upon releasing the parchment. "I beg of you, do not infringe any of this information to the Elder... If you have to, read the letter carefully, tell me what it says, and we might be able to explain to him otherwise..." 

Rika takes the document and nods to Cilia do not worry we won't tell unless we have to. so what should we do in the mean time?

He gives Rika an obvious stare, as if to ask her to do something not as grave as fending off his magic. "If you would..." He shakes the bars that were so hideously encompassing him.

"After you have freed me of my imprisonment, you will take me to your Grandfather, the Elder as I refer to him....as I will be a lead by speaking to him alone..." Cilia continues to scramble the bars with his hands, moving them up and down gathering friction between his palms. 

"Also, please insure that your furry friends will be able to resent their physical remarks, they might be more useful in terms of a pack, than that of being dispersed around the woodlands...."

Rika nods then turns to the others waiting for them.

Gleaming upon the horizon ahead, Cilia deepens his thoughts about Koji and Talon, as well as Rika... "As far as I am concerned, none of this seems to me to be in my favor... I can clearly see that your friends are in tense behavior.." Cilia forwards his speech towards Rika, fingering in the direction of Koji and Talon. "In consequence, if your friends think that I might cause some sort of nuisance, then I might as well ponder myself into my own travels... Otherwise, we may proceed to your Grandfathers encampment to further matters."

He turns and walks to Koji and Talon. "Forgive me, for I might as well talk to you myself... Rika and I share a commensurate relationship, our ancient language is rarely understood through practice and tutoring. My mind is lingered with what you might think of me, but if we see this through, in the end you will reeve benefits unimaginable. Do not be alarmed, I will stay my distance..." He gave Koji an uneasy stare, as if to explain to him his evil origins of being a Nighthowler. "I myself have been granted a great amount of power containing the thorough knowledge of the Nighthowlers and their intent, as well as the Lighthowlers... In past years, you will learn that I have been a much honorable pack-member, ultimately seeking through the tactics and stratagem of the Nighthowlers."

"I can smell the terror radiating from your pelt. I know that you have righted yourself alongside the Nighthowlers in the past, but do not let that come between the pack. I can see now that you have solely committed yourself to the Lighthowlers' ways, and that is an achievement that would take many Nighthowlers years to tremble upon."

Even though he had only leased a minimal amount of his past and being to the pack, he pressed on. "If we may..." He gestured in an unearthly manner to gain the attention of Rika and the others. Overseeing the situation with an omniscient view, he pursues their common goal. "Koji, Talon, are you both prepared? If so, walk with us to deem freedom from Royotia and to free the Lighthowlers of their enslavement, defending themselves of the blight!"

Cilia Scarlet, the 'Sage in Red', awaits procession. He calms himself, seated on the hard-rooted woodland floor of Royotia to breach realism, instead preferring the surrealism of the knowledge contained within the libraries of 'Sparscius the Blue'.

The wolves up above the tree's watched the scene below with steady eyes, like those of a hawk. Talon stood tall and watched with a steady gaze as Cilia spoke. Once Cilia had finished and all eyes turned towards him, did he speak. "I Talon, Wolf Who Runs On The Wind, Kin of the great Elder. Shall Speak for all of Royotia. Cilia Scarlet I will grant you a meeting with my grandfather and myself. To speak of the NightHowlers and the fate of our grand forest. But If I find you lying and only seeking the end of Royotia. Then I shall see to it that you die a death even a Nighhowler would find cruel." Talon said and the wolves above howled in agreement.

Koji watched Talon speak and was slightly awed. The red wolf seemed so grand just now. As if he were a great warrior leading his wolves into a huge war. Slowly he looked over at Cilia and wonder what the wolf knew about his breed. " I belive one is evil by their doings not their blood, But I shall agree with Talon." He stated as he stood up.

Ok then if this is all settled shall we go to the elder then Rika askes

"Yes, may you lead us to him?" Cilia exasperated from his anxiety.

Talon gave them a nod and turned to a guard. "You may release him, I shall keep him under my watch untill my grandfather gives us his thoughts on this ordeal." He said and the guard nodded turning around and releasing Cilia. "Follow me and please don't wonder off. The forest off Royotia is quite like a maze, one can get lost easily." Talon said with a slight smile and began to walk along a worn dirt path,That led deeper into the wolf city.

Cilia turns to Talon with resentment. "Why would you ever think that I could possibly get away, those prowlers were enough trouble.... There were only three of them...." He stalks his face into the ground as he had forgotten the use of his power. "When I had been attacked, I was dominating their ranks, but then my sterile aura and the gift of the Magi had released itself from my soul. Thereafter, nothing had seemed the same anymore... Nothing... My vision has been impaired since, my thorough skills depleted, my memory nearly swiped of... I only hold onto a small few of my past..."

Cilia studies the lengthy gratitude of Talon. "Please, try not to bothered by my fullness...it has been a long time since I had last seen any thing close to resembling a Lighthowler." Cilia had followed Talon down the many stifles of the worn dirt path, reciting an ancient soliloquy that he had heard from an opera. "I need to remind you, thank you for your efforts in releasing me and letting me come with you, you will not regret it."

So where are we going to go after we talk to the elder? asks Rika who just wants to leave.

Cilia looks at Rika with an abolished stare. "That is the exact reason we are going to see the elder, he will give us proper information upon our priorities." He turns his head back, looking in the direction he was walking. "Just continue to follow Talon."

ok fine Rika growls getting irretated. lets just get this over with.

Talon glanced over at Cilia and gave a light grin. "They would have never freed you unless I told them I'd watched you." He replied and continued to led them down the dirt path. "So Talon, if Royotia is such a grand city. Why haven't we seen that many wolves around? And were do you guys sleep?" Koji asked not really seeing why Talon called this grand. Talon began to chuckle and shake his head. "You'll see, Ah we're here." Talon said before Koji could question him. There before them was a tall, thick tree. It's branches low and close togther. " The city is above us, this is just the lower part of Royotia." Talon said before he jumped at the tree. His claws, which were more hook like then a normal wolves, caught into the tree and allowed Talon to race up it.

As the red wolf disapeared in the leaves Koji huffed. " I guess we follow," He mummbled as he jumped up on the lowest branch and continued his way up. When he finally reached the top he noticed Talon, about to yell at the smiling wolf for leaving them behind. He froze as he looked around. Up here the branches seemed closer togther, creating a floor of sorts. Thou there were a few gaps here and there. The tree's that passed through the wooden floor had holes carved into their trunks, were Koji noticed wolves sleeping in them. There were hundreds of wolves walking around doing day to day things. And off in the distance Koji could see the huge grand tree they all first saw when they arrived to Royotia. It's leaves shading the center of the city. " That's the center of Royotia, and it also serves as the Elder's den. Oh and Welcome to Royotia's wolf city." Talon said smiling and Koji could only sit in awe.

Rika looks around not really seeing the sights or the other wolves, the only thing on her mind is the up coming meeting with the elder of the place. Rika begins to walk forward not noticing that the others aren't moving and bumps into a few of the wolves angering them when she doesn't excuse herself. she ignores them and keep walking towards the big tree and the elders lair.

Cilia turns a hard glance over his shoulder, fending off his petulant nature... "Rika if you must, minimize your steps to a small few... It will slowly calm your stress, relieving you of any mental burden." While Koji and Talon were both eager to make an acquaintance with the Elder, but willfully tracing their footprints to dust, Cilia saw the magnificence of Royotia's landscape, the view from which he sought, and the pure fragrance of the sullen air which was being overseen through the Corruption of the Nighthowlers. "I enjoy every minute we can get to stature these small moments.... You never know if they'll be your last..."

He returns to his extant self. "Don't mind me, we may continue this exploratory venture elsewhere, such as that of the Elders Tent..."

Something troubles Cilia...

Cilia are you ok? Rika askes in their private language. you seem troubled by something.

Koji walked up to Rika and glanced at her. "You seem angry, Is something on your mind?" He asked her.

Talon sighed lightly and smiled at the other wolves they passed. They walked along the path and arrived at grand tree. The huge tree had a large hole carved in the trunk and two wolves sitting guard at the entrance. Talon walked up to them and nodded his head. "The others are with me, I want to speak to my grandfather." Talon said. The guards nodded and moved to allow the group to enter.

No not really Rika replied i just want to get out of here and go somewhere else is all.

Cilia did look at Rika to reply, but attempted to sway himself away from an elaborate explanation. "I'm fine... Just continue, it's probably just my snarring home sickness getting to my head." He continued once he heard Talon speaking to the guards neighboring the entrance to the Elder. "Leave her be, Rika has requested nothing to infiltrate her conscious at such a dire hour... We must look forward to our engagement with Talons grandfather, nothing more..." Cilia withdrew himself from Rika and Koji and stood beside Talon.

He spoke to Talon with some hopefully reassuring words. "I had known your grandfather to be an assertive Lighthowler on the battlefield, I hope that does not persuade his decisiveness..." Cilia thwarted Talon, holding his shoulder before they all entered. "Although, he is a great man, and I believe that is enough to rank his decision... He even has an example to prove of his loyalty, a grandson that has grown to be a considerably worthy adversary." He released Talon of his gentle grasp and welcomed the others behind him to follow through the hollow entrance.

Rika knowing that Cilia is hiding something wants to say more to him but decides to wait for a later time. She then falls the others into the entrance and prepares for a long talk that is sure to follow.

Talon gave Cilia a nodded and followed him into the cavern. The wood of the floor groaned under their paws and creaked every now and then. The musty smell of old wood filled the air. Talon listened to the clicking of their claws against the wood. " I hope the old man's awake, he has a habit of napping on the job."Talon said in hope to lighten the mood.

Also sloughed by the pitiful conditions of the Elders homestead, Cilia gave a grave stare at the floor as one of the rotted white-wood boards that had held for so long cracked beneath his treading feet. "As long as all of you keep moving at the pace you are now, I'm not moving a parsec further..." Cilia heard the aged sound as the boards creaked while he walked toward the quarters of the Elder. Talons grandfather had not looked well content, his features showing that of an ill old man.

Cilia moved closer to the bedding of which the Elder were rejuvinating, levitating his palm over his body. His hand had emitted an illuminescent red gleam that had quickly, and temporarily, given Talons grandfather the proper strength to lift himself and speak formally amongst the rest of the group

The Elder had looked at Cilia with a strange sense of familiarity, a friendly one.

Rika stands at the back of the group not wanting to be in the way. she watches the exchange between the two with interest wondering if the meeting will be a good one.

Talon smiled and approched the Elder with slow, relaxed steps. " You've seen better days old man." He said with a soft look in his eyes. He sat next to his Grandfather and sighed. " This is Cilia, we wish to have a meeting with you." Talon said gesturing towards the others.

Koji sat down next to Rika and watched the others. He could still here the faint sounds of the wolves outside. He wondered how the city was first founded and how these wolves lived so long up in the tree's.

Talons grandfather had uttered a few mumbled words before recognizing who was before him. "It is but an Everlong sickness, nothing of crucial concern."

"Ah! Alas, the Sage in Red has returned!" The Elder had unrestrained himself from the confines of his warm bed, slithering into an abrupt stance, welcoming Cilia, Talon, and the others with remarkable intuitiveness. "This signals yet another fine venture among my quarters, what say you?" He referred to his Battlement name given to him by his renown Lighthowler clan, the Paleo Pelts. "I see my grandson among you, looking undeniably upright... Is there a matter of significance you wish to discuss?" He continues. "Mind me, if Talon has not told you already, my name is Rein."

Cilia sat down with the others, signaling Talon to do so as well. "Indeed. There has been an uprising in these harsh lands, those that speak of Evil."

Rein had thought about it and saturated his mind with conducive amounts of his past. "Yes... What a horrid tragedy these lands are experiencing... The blasphemy driven Zaraketh and his monstrous Nighthowlers shall soon come to a halting end. Those but what I've seen are truly a massacre... Do you wish to know more my friend?" He folded his arms left over right and then gestured a notion of caution to Talon. "If you wish to know more, be prepared for what might be a gruesome tale.. You and your friends have a long road ahead of you, I do not wish it to be greater burdened."

Rein waited patiently, thinking... He had dismissed the guards outside.

Rika listens intently to all that is said wanting to know more but not wanting to ask. she stays silent and waits for the others to do the talking.

Talon moved to sit with the group and listened to Rein. He glanced over at Koji,who nodded at him, and Talon in turn nodded. " Yes Grandfather, we'd like to hear all you can tell us." Talon said in reply as he watched Rein with a steady gaze.

"And so it is..." Rein made himself comfortable as he continued upon the subject the others were so eagerly awaiting. He breathes a sigh of grief as he thinks about what Talon might think of him as he prepares to explain what has happened to him in the past.

"My great grandfather, Erluck Thurmial, was among one of the most acclaimed Nighthowlers in the entire countryside. His former pack member, Zakareth Leid... Zakareth was a very powerful ally, compared to the stature of another Nighthowler emissary by the name of Zolk. Erluck and Zakareth had almost always traveled in the same pack when excavating the enormous area of 'Sparscius the Blue' estate. Scavenging the estate of silver bullion's and tremendous amounts of pleasures was a must."

He smirks a bit and begins to chuckle as he starts to talk again. "Throughout the history of my great grandfathers legacy, there was but one problem that had bothered me to this present day. My great grandfather, Erluck Thurmial, was among one of the few offenders who had reduced my families homestead to ashes, not to mention the many amounts of lives he had succumbed to while raiding the small villages of this grand capital."

Rein had took the time to let Talon comprehend what he has just heard. He thought to himself, Talon must have said something in response, the prospect of knowing that your ancestors had affiliations with the Nighthowlers is something that would make most Lighthowlers vomit.

"After my great grandfathers legacy, it came time for my father to prove himself... And not in the most subtle way... Soon after my fathers father had consciously joined the ranks of the Lighthowlers during the War of The Black Plains, he had discussed battle plans alongside the encampment of Zakareth and his horde. What they had discussed was that of horrid disposition. My father, commonly known as the infamous caged fighter Zolk, had written this letter sent to the stratagem of Nighthowler tactics." He read the letter with a mournful visage.

"As most of you might think, I had written this letter not to warn you of the lighthowlers close proximity and dangerous threat to us, but rather the downfall they will seek as soon as they witness the O' Mighty force of our most secret and dormant weapon. The main offense is to gather the Collective and reek havoc throughout the local Prowler nations. Our weapon shall be called 'Inexercistatus', meaning "only the experienced shall prevail". Once we have infiltrated their defenses, we will crush their weaknesses with one swift blow. Fatally wounding the sole strength of their power, we will then continue to the inner fortress of the Lighthowlers themselves. All of you might think that going this far is dangerous, I have thought things otherwise. They might have the trenches to which we might sink our feet, but we have the brute force and primal fury that will streak blood upon their faces! I plea of you! Let me seek your aid, for the sake of all our Wolfen ancestors who might be watching!... If none of these words bleed through your canine skulls, then remember one thing that might bring hope to our cause... Remember Erluck Thurmial!"

He had finished reading the letter his father had given Zakareth. He yet again gave Talon the time to relinquish the thoughts he might have rummaging about his dirtied mind.

Cilia had interrupted the speech Rein has recently halted. "Due to your fathers ongoing alliance with the Nighthowlers, it is assumed that his father had different plans on accounting for the counter action that were going to take place against their strategy?"

Rein answered Cilia's questions with a worthy response. "Indeed, my grandfather was the sole proprietor, the one who had sought out the destruction of my father and the first plot to seek the perfection of Nighthowler culture over that of the Lighthowlers."

He continued. "After my father was led into his grand battle alongside Zakareth and his supreme command over his Prowlers, there was nothing stopping the constant raids and waves of Nighthowler packs. Although, my grandfather had something else in mind... As my father went through the Hot Gates, Zakareth had decided to retreat, his petty truculence was wanted elsewhere. My grandfather had flanked the puny forces of my father and surrounded him with an enormous amount of Prowlers, giving him no where else to escape. My grandfather thought my father was an exceptional foe, that of which should have never been born... His mothers innocence was one of many things not flowing through his veins... Zolk had then decided to give up, the fight he had so desperately planned upon was accordingly stepping through the victory of my grandfather. He was later put into solitary confinement within the depths of Mt. Reath. A mountain of that size would serve as the perfect dungeon to which my father would pry his ultimate death. Year, after year, after year. My father had starved for days, but still could see the light of day. His body was being reduced to that of a pulp, spongy and decrepit, he would soon feel hunger pouring out of his greased fur. Nothing was heard later of his travels, that was the last recorded subjection of his last appearance."

Rein began to shed a small amount of tears as he tried to hold in his emotions, speaking about his grandfather in his next long excerpt.

"My grandfather had died shortly thereafter. He was on an expedition in the Royotian forests of which you now inhabit, visited by the most unpleasant clan of Prowlers you could ever meet."

Rein was now preparing to tell them of his encounter with Zakareth. He placed himself beside the others to claim a personal outlook of what they might think.

"Now that you have heard of my past, I will now explain to you what has happened to me not to long ago.... A minor cause of my sickness of which my friend Cilia had healed me of."

Cilia gave Rein a look of kindness. "It has been my utmost pleasure serving with you in battle, you are one of so few that can withstand Zakareth's grasp. It was only something I should have done a long time ago, when I saw you in those ruins near the estate..." Cilia was concerned with what else Rein had to say, but obviously knew what he were going to relay.

Rein overlooked everyone congregated and waited for a signal so he could continue with his story. "I will await your next movement..." He ruffled his silver fur gently...  

Rika after listening to all that was said wants to hear more but won't speak up...she stays quiet and watches the others waiting to see what happends next. She begins to pace nervously as she waits.

Talon for one was completely shocked. He felt his body go numb. Though his body was numb, his mind swarmed with emotion. It felt as if his emotions were seeping through his body, wrapping around his heart and keeping it in a vice like grip. The pressure in his chest built making the task of breathing harder. The thought of having such an ancestor do such a thing was terrible. He always thought his ancestors were brave, loyal, and righteous wolves. Slowly he tried to calm his self, taking slow and deep breaths. He may be related to a monster of a wolf, but his father and grandfather were still grand brave wolves. They fought with valor that Talon has always admired. Even though his father was missing, most likely dead, and his grandfather aging poorly. They still are the most brilliant wolves he knew. Talon sat tall and held his head high the resolve burning in his eyes. He would never end up like 'that' wolf, he would follow his grandfather and father's paw steps.

Talon looked over to Rein and gave a nod showing him he was ok. Koji watched Talon and gave a grim grin. The red wolf was strong, Koji could see the resolve in his eyes. The wolves here truly are amazing. "Please continue, Rein." Koji asked, wondering how he'll ever get away from the fact he was a nighthowler. That the foul blood ran threw his veins, a darker side that he hid behind locked doors in his mind might one day escape. If only he was stronger.

Cilia traveled the deep halls of his soul, clinging to fragments of his 'darker' side... The essence of his life long ago. He attempted to seduce these putrid thoughts, but could never relinquish the fact that, he too, was that of Nighthowler origin. He simply replies with utterance. "....Continue Rein, please...."

He sank his bottom into an old chair nearest the corner of the tree-built home. His intentions unknown...

Rein sees that Cilia had moved to the far corner of the room, but disregarded it professionally. He had saw all of the mental abuse that Talon currently experienced, that was of his main focus... He quickly scans the room of questions. Rein saw Koji, he had a blank face about him... Through both Rein and Cilia's eyes, there was nothing of which could escape their knowledgeable bliss. But, seeing that there were none, he continued to recite his tale with a heroic-like voice.

"Indeed... The Lighthowlers congregated inside the Hot Gates, after the fall of my father. There, they rebuilt the fortress, piece by piece. Once the task had been completed in full, a slightly shadowed figure appeared atop a ledge of debris that over hanged the entire gateway. I was but one of the lonely builders that accepted the duty of restoring Royotia's main defense. As I stand near the Towers of Mythrial, clamping in the silver-lined buckles that held the Towers firmly in their position, I saw that the mysterious figure began to move faster, almost as if it were provoked or harmed by us. As the figure continued to jolt across the map of the gateway, two brothers of mine, Surly and Dresden, were both given order to stop the shady assailant and bring him or her to the commanding pack."

Rein again chuckled, giving way to his 'lighter' side. He issued a game of charades as he reenacted what it was like when his two brothers were chasing down the shadowed personage.

"Ha! They ran around those pearly gates with amazing speed, but nothing compared to the assailants ongoing fatigue. They soon exhausted themselves, pounding their fists to the ground in fiery revolt. ....suddenly... The assailant stopped where it stood, fluently daunting down through the vines that were covering the entryway. It appeared to be a silhouette of a female. It pranced forward quickly on its two thinly traced legs, thwarting danger, at least that is what it seemed to be to all of the other constructionists. However, I held my position by the Towers that it had so gracefully petaled down, those unknown footsteps drawing closer to my destiny. It stopped, the clearance between its body and mine was but a mere distance away, close enough to where I could classify the distinct features of its physique. As all of the others had backed away, climbing the silver-bolted ladders that fluttered to the top of the gateway, I took my steps towards the assailant, studying its features with astonishment."

Rein stopped, halted by a thought so flamboyant, so compassionate.... He stated that he could not tell the others of his first true Wolfen mate.

"She was truly magnificent. Her wind fallen pelt had fluttered through the air like that of the most soothing orchestrated Howlers in the countryside. Her hair seamed along with her fur with perfect congruency. All the while it had lasted... Nothing seemed more perfect than soaring the plains alongside her..."

He paused, over thinking his egotistical ways. He looked in the corner of the room where Cilia was sitting so calmly. "Hey, Cilia. Weren't you there when I met her?"

"Yea... Remember, I was one of the many that whimpered upside the gateway walls... Try not to remind me of your foolish cunning." Cilia continued. "Face the facts, she didn't even like you."

"True. But we did come to a reasonable resolve... I think..." Rein thought to himself all of the reasons why she might have left him later on.

"Everyone that had surrounded me, including my reluctant friend Cilia, moved towards her in a curious and cautious manner. The reason of her report was unknown, but yet to be uncovered. I asked her why she came in such an upbeat way, she could have been more subtle and mannered when she made her grand appearance. She simply replied with slimy words. She said that she had been sent here with a message of significance... Something important, pertaining the windfall of Lighthowler culture to come. Her commanding pack, the Paleo Pelts, strategically placed a way of infiltrating the core of the Nighthowler defense, the dreaded Mt. Reath. I opened my senses to survey exactly what she was saying, the truth can be a dangerous thing."

Rein told the intensely listening congragation to pay attention closely, if not closer than they were already. Something Rein were about to say would contain information to this present day...information that could stop the Nighthowlers in their everso creeping tracks.

"Her name was shouted across the far lands that encompassed Royotia. Although, it is but a name that screamed pain, for she was the personal torturer of the Lighthowler general, Curzon Dax. The moral thought of Lighthowler culture taking in even a few of these warriors was menacing, the thought that of Evil... Besides, she disregarded her entanglements with her previous clients' one time appointments. Everyone else around me looked at her with a crude look, phasing their thoughts towards what her physical being was... She took a deep breathe, releasing a howl that shook the Hot Gates from within, even collapsing the Towers of Mythrial that I had so painstakingly rebuilt. All of the others cower in fear, as I stand my ground, awaiting the message she had apparently been avoiding. Her golden pipes were tamed by the seemingly endless amounts of war chanting she had undergone through Lighthowler Wolfen training. I repeated with what I could, a howl that I had been practicing since the first moon of Royotia. Again, but the walls had not shaken like the howl that came from her. I just hoped it had deposited enough unsteadiness to lessen her ignorance. So I thought, she was freightened by the enormity, the aggressiveness coming before the feet of Curzon's Right Hand maiden. She felt enough fear then to tell me that I needed to travel with her to an unknown structure south of the Wolfen city estate. To think I was so comfortable crept between the defenses of Royotia and the estate of 'Sparscius the Blue'. We held firm, deciding among the issue as a council of advisors. Coming to an ursurped ordeal, that had agreed to safely let me travel along with this wicked woman to the edge of darkness, a mental bliss crossed my mind as I thought about everything that could possibly go wrong..."

He looked and pointed toyingly at Cilia once, reminding him of the quickened process that issued his deployment with the assailant. "You thought you could get rid of me, you slimy dog... Or so you thought, I came back..." Rein continued his story while periodically glaring into the depths of Cilia's War drawn eyes.

"I went with her, across the stormy plains of Royotia. Her speed was more closely examined than before, I could hardly keep up with her as she swept from foot to foot towards our targeted destination. I dare not ask any questions of her, she might reply with something absent, something that might reap me of my time. As I tried my most to keep up the pace of constant right, left footing, I began to see an extrusion in the mountain face ahead. I've recently noticed that we were sprinting through the Black Plains, a place I have never been, but where my grandfather had so victoriously claimed territory.... Though, since then, the Plains were an abundant source of life for Nighthowler society, my grandfathers morale had dwindled not to soon after he died, his people cowering away in fear. The extrusion that the assailant was leading me to was no mere matter of erosion, but a more than real hideout that was attempting to collude itself from my forces. She knew exactly what I was thinking when we turned aside the entrance into the ornate mosoleum that had been resting beside it, accompanying the Nighthowler dead as they arise into their new, anxiety filled lives their gods had so mercifulely granted them. I entered upon her requisition. The vines that had grown around the art workings of the hall were so exhuberant with representations of transformation, what us Lighthowlers consider to be a great gift, but what the Nighthowlers rather consider it a rite of passage and a power that should be used for the manifestation of Wolfen kind."

Rein flicked an instant notice towards Koji. "Seeing that you have been upset with your past and your affiliations with Nighthowler culture, what would be your specific taste on this?" Rein stuartely started at Koji, clammering to seek an answer, a question that has been at the epicenter of Lighthowler interest for decades. To hear about any such psychological indifferences between anyone who has transfered themselves from Evil to Good would be collateral.

"If you do not feel the need to answer, then don't... I am only asking out of general interest. But, if you were to answer, you might have just given us the antidote to what may cripple the Nighthowlers later..."  

Koji shuffled his paws lightly and frowned as he thought. "NightHowlers are very cruel, Even to their own kind. To our kind nothing more means power then the lives you have taken. Bloodshed is something every Nighthowler craves like a drug. My father use to tell me about how it's considered an honor to kill your den mates. This is the reason why it's rare for wolves of our race to have living siblings, And those who do are looked down upon. The redder one's fangs are the more power he holds, some wolves have even killed enough that the fur around their muzzle was dyed forever red." Koji mumbled as he stared at the others with unblinking eye.

"We feel pleasure in death, even I can't ignore the thrill of life I feel when I kill those who oppose me. But this feeling make me sick, I hate the rush of pleasure I feel when I kill. My Mother was a Nighthowler but yet she was unusably kind. Thanks to her I was able to seal my blood thirst and leave the pack." Koji drifted off and stayed silent as he watched the others. Talon was watching him with a blank face, no emotion showing through his bright green eyes. Turning away from Talon, He sat up a bit taller and held his head high. He would never regret what he has done. He had no control over the blood that ran through his veins but he will continue the path he chose and go against his very own breed.

Rika silently watches Koji as he speaks then looks back to rein anxious to hear more as she sits by Koji wanting to comfort him if possible.

Koji gave a small grin, his lips just slightly curling. He skimmed his thoughts for anything usefull. "I can't think of anything that you would all find usefull, besides what you might deem important might be just common facts to me. Something all nighthowlers know that others might not." Koji added his light smile falling to a frown.

"Thats true, what we see as important you may see as useless information." Talon said speaking for the first time since the shocking news.

That may be true but then it might not help at all rika reasons. but then it might who knows. She lays down kinda tired as she waits for more.

Rein stood in an abrupt stance, "More than you might think, my young pup..." He explains, while beginning to chuckle a bit after toying with Rika. "I have seen in many of my recent years fighting alongside the grand forces of the Lighthowlers, that turning the tide of battle is but a rare thing that should be mastered when acheived first hand. But, nevermind the petty services of Nighthowler anthology..." Rein sat back down and noticed Rika laying flat-backed on the floor looking quite tired, he decided to cut the silence and elaborate further into his seemingly interesting story..."

"She had led me even further into the illuminous caverns, only seeing the ever-fluorescent gleem that stood in unoticingly small corners. As I could barely see... There was a door, double-hinged, made of Gran White-wood (Otherwise, known as the "Devil's paintbrush"). From there on my guide threw herself against the rocky workings of the corridor, a look of exhaustion crowned her fragile skull... Perhaps it was a trap? I could'nt have made such drastic judgments in a small amount of time.. Besides, the side of me that said "good samaritan" was beckoning to rejuvinate her weariness. I calmingly waltzed nearer her side, reteriving an average sized canister of water I had brought along with me. She clenched my hands with furiousity that signaled her thirst that must be quenched. As she drank the canister dry of its properties, I issued the next movement. I asked her where we should proceed to next, guessing that the conspicuous door ahead of us claimed the answer. She simply replied with benign words, saying that we should establish camp, fortifying our efforts even more once we have rested completely. I agreed... And so we slept..."

Cilia drew himself closer, lifting himself and his wooden chair to sit near Talon and Koji. "Hmmmmm... I am guessing that this is when you were overdosed with that drug that that witch you were travelling with had brought you?" Cilia repeatedly took his place in the anonymous line of questioning. Rein, shivered with doubt, said, "Quite... She threw me into that slimy office of hers, no telling what she did to me when I was'nt completely conscious!" He sternly sat up straight and righted himself by reciting a faint sililoquy to himself. "Shall we continue?.." He dived even deeper...

"The next morning, or so you could only tell by actually taking the time to look outside of the caverns, I awoke very stiff. It seemed like my muscles were wearing away. Maybe it was my fatigue the previous evening, or perhaps the way I might have of slept that night? However, the assailant had also risen from slumber at that very same moment. At times I would think that she were keeping an eye on me the whole night, my superstitions of her cunningness magnifying. Although, thinking that she were only up at that particular time was a mistake. She has been making some type of concoction while I was unable to get up, perhaps even earlier than I might have imagined? She offered me a small earthen jug full of the steaming alchemic brew, I had not seemed to care at that moment, so I took the jug and quenched my morning thirst."

"After those events, nothing seemed to be clear to me anymore... Everything proceeding my refreshing drink was all a blur.." He pressed on through the faint memories of this nightmare.

"My eyes slowly crept, viscously seizing my vision into yet another proposed transe. I dropped the earthen jug, filled with what I thought to be a poison of some sort, its contents sprayed a dark mist throughout the confines of the corridor. And there I was, lying in a never-ending halt, a temporary death that had dragged me somewhere even worse than the fiery depths of the Plutonium Shore... As soon as my dreary eyes would allow, I reopened my slight gaze, only to see a dully lit room with one Gran White-wood double-hinged door ahead. It must have been the entrance we had so precariously settled camp by...."

"You've developed several scars since that horrid hiatus long ago." Cilia confined himself to the egotistical dislike that lay upon Rein's face. "Aye! However, that was but a scar that signified my reluctance to torture and my uprise in killing every single one of those filthy, disease infested mongrols." Rein enthralled Cilia in an aura of disgust. Cilia still cramps himself in the arms of his white-wood chair, clearly he thought to himself that Rein was senseless, and not able to succumb to his own pride he carelessly holstered.

Cilia: "Every thought within him seeps deeper and deeper into the avengful nature he thinks is reality and the efforts and affecting experiences he redeems as his life-savings... Once this cruel anti-body reaches his heart, it will then grow larger in size, engulfing all aspects of his anatomy within a matter of a couple of seasons... Do I regret such a course of action... Fortunately, I do not. Such an occurence would grant me the absolute power needed for me to bravely conquer the capital and all of its inhabitants. However, I would first need to rid of these travelers I had grown so fond of... There escalating nuisance will become quite an obstacle in the near future if I continue to falter. But, as for now, I will simply need to lay low and let my dear friend Rein finish his tall tale heart out to its fullist. The ailment will work, and my revenge shall be an epic nimbus blighting the sky of Royotia!"

He withdrew himself from his gestured silence and regained full conciousness of the interests' surrounding Koji, Talon, and Rika. Anticipatingly... Hopefully, they would not oversee his master plot...

Rein gave a one-eyed wink towards Cilia and the others, giving them the clue that he overcame torturous, drastic measures. "And, as my father before me, we of the free singing tree of the North, shall remove ourselves of the evils surrounding this beautiful blossom we call Royotia!" ....He understood very little.... He had no clue once so ever...

"I saw a couple of, what I thought, were Nighthowler prowlers. Their fur was lined with blunt streaks of blood, but their faces remain clean... Perhaps they wanted to acheive a clean feat, nothing that would create a mockery of whatever reputation they owned? None the less, my presence in that small chamber was relatively private and with purpose... They approached me precariously, knowing all of what I have done contributing to the current control that Lighthowlers held within the country. They, pleasingly enough, decided to give me a polite smirk, probably telling me that my doom was soon to come... Both of the wolves were absent while I tried to plea a con out of that hell hole, but the tightly looped straps that circumferenced my helpless body told me otherwise... They both gloomed over the charred wooden table that stood in the far corner behind me, somewhere where I could not possibly see them, somewhere...where their menacing tactics would possibly concern me with an overly seductive abundance of fear... Through my peripheral vision, I could just barely make out the shape of their hands and what they were picking up. Sharp sounds of finessing grotesque tools invaded my ears, spark after spark... Degradingly, I squirmed all about the slab a layed upon, footsteps behind me moved closer... And the door ahead of me creaked open slightly, just enough to where I could make out a familiar face, a face that I saw just moments before I was dragged into this befriended infirmary. And thus it was, the dreaded, foul thing that had sought to bring me here, the assailant urging to gut me of my worth. But, what is this? She held a key in her palm, a key that could very well unlock the door hidden behind me... As she pointed to the two wolfen men with resentment, I stood my ground, as that was the only thing I could do, awaiting orders from the only survivor willing to release me of this frightening evening. The two wolves returned to the frontline of my vision, one holding a pair of two-tier prongs, whilst the other confirms a solid kill with his fur infested piercers sinking into the vital parts of my body. They introduced themselves as Zakareth' Sentinels, conforming with modern torture & hunting practices, they looked experienced enough... However, my mind raced with violent ideas, something a Lighthowler should not even ponder...but, it was an extant decision that changed the course of my survival for a great many years to this day. And so it was, I was troubled... I grabbed a spare bone-throbbed knife from the waist line of my tunic. It was holstered beneath me so that I could easily unravell its stringings, but no where where the two of them could possibly anticipate resistance. He opened the prongs and clamped within it a smoldering hot cast of iron, branded with the initials of High Commander Zolk, the evil bastard that had so menacingly desecrated my ancestors' sole purpose, stealing the very heart of their existence... The sacred Vial of the Haze, a great substance of power that surrounds the user in an aura of invisibility and agelessness when basked with the midnight gleam of the moon. Proceedingly, I took my knife from the loop of my belt behind me, and before the wolfen man could come any closer with the steaming brand, I snapped the tight leash around my neck, waist, and thighs, stunningly leaping onto the ceiling and swiping the blazed prongs from the Nighthowler. I held the prongs in a position of readiness, telling the hunters to mind their distnace and start talking."

Interrogation of the Nighthowler prowlers: Rein took the prongs and placed them on the shoulder of the wolf's neck, producing an excruciating amount of pain, created by the heat of the brand. He screamed agonizingly, but withheld his physical stronghold and continued to remain silent. "Where can I find Zolk and his army?!" Rein pressed the brand further, putting an impression on his shoulder, pressured with the symbol of his superior. "Ha! Now you have two. It seems your loyalty is going to be even more intimate with High Commander Zolk! Now, I will not ask you again, where is Zolk and his army?! If you do not answer this time, I will surely kill your friend here beside you!" Rein gave an earnest look of dark sarcasm over to the accompanying hunter. The wolf he had been holding against the wall was intimidated by Rein and gave him an answer. Although, it was not neccessarily an honest one at that... As he plied the answer from within the wolfs' beating heart, she clammered through the double-hinged door. Although, her amazingly fluent balance was overthrown by a clumsiness, brought on by the wavering temperature of the situation. "Well! Since your humbled escort has arrived, perhaps we could excel a few aspects of this interrogation!" Rein saw the keys as they dangled from a leather strap connected to the belt encompassing her waist. The door behind the both of them was a common target... "It's about time the one-wielded cavalry decided to unveil itself during such an akward, controversial, Lighthowler interrogation!..." However, Rein did not thwart his original stance of torture. "Now!, that the assistance I have randomly currently am accounted for has arrived, perhaps the answer you were so loyal to tell me has boiled to the top of your mental integrity..." The wolf's face began to itch with hives, his unwavering gradual trust in the modern torturer either declining or inclining. "Ah, yes! Last known whereabouts of Zolk were reported abundantly around the area of Mt. Reath and Froth's Pallet... His army, however, has been destroyed completely, long ago... By your grandfather perhaps?" The wolfen prowler granted Rein one single question, yet one that wasn't addressed by either himself or the assailant. Rein released the wolf and pounded him to the floor that lay beneath him, temporarily knocking him out cold. A few moments of their unconciousness would buy them but a few more seconds to gather themselves and escape the confines of the darken cavern. The assailant crept beside Rein when he had delivered the mighty blow to the prowlers' heads. "It seems you handled that quite well, about time to get out of here and tell Royotia of the great news we have uncovered!?" Rein questioned her when she said 'news'. "What is this news you speak of, girl?..." "It seems that when you were busy with the two torturers that grew ever so fond of you, I have recovered several stone tablets that required the fluent speech of an unknown language, perhaps related to wolfen kind?... It was hidden underneath the jailor's nightstand in a nearby office." He looked at her with astonished interest, wanting to further his scientific knowledge of whatever cryptic message was engraved in those tablets. "Very well! That would, indeed, prove to be valuable to either the capital's exploratory museum or the State as a whole. Such wisdom of ancient relics could be our means of sheathing this horrid nightmare..." The assailant feels an odd sense of comfort beside Rein, very unusual in a situation like this... Although, she disregards her emotional fluctuations of behavior and continous to carry on with the operation. Rein points to the ring of keys looped around her leather belt. "You should use one of those to unlock the door behind us, don't you think?" He gave her an obvious looking impression, indicating that he was collapsing from anxiety and was eager to progress back towards the capital. "Right!" She detached the ring of keys from her leather belt and began cycling through them, figuring out which key would ultimately grant access outside. "Forgive me, but a jailor can only have so many keys!" She reputed the fact that finding the correct key was near impossible. Rein recalled specific spells meant for this task of dexterity, tought to him by means of a blue alchemist he could never mention the name of. "Hold on.." He took the ring away from her unsteady hands and a bright flash banged from the tips of his fingers as he grabbed the ring as tightly as he could. The ring vanished from his hand, releasing every single key that was connected about it, falling to the ground with a sharp shriek of shanked copper. However, one key remained in his hand. Although the method of his sorcery was silly and performed quite unorthodoxly, he did locate the correct way to gain access outside.

Journey back to the Capital, Royotia: "It seems about time we've gotten out of that place, I swore I could even feel my limbs experiencing predeath alterations!.." Rein took a deep breathe of the fresh air that filled his hypersensative snout with oxygen-filled life. The assailant quickly followed suit as he had fallen out of the door's entrance. "Indeed, quite an escape as well... Seeing that you were dire to proceed, we could've been at least a little more attentive and cautious when we were rushing out!..." Rein did take notice of what she was clammering about, the door was placed high atop the cliff that the cavern was underneath, fellswooping them from their feet into the septic sludge below. "I see your point, why don't we cleanse oursleves of this escapade and continue back to the capital, sound like a plan?..." "Yes! Most definitely!" She took point and lead Rein to a solid spring not too far away. "Here, warm water just waiting to be used, help yourself!" She shook the loose dirt and mud from her refined pelt and flamboyantly dove into the water. He stood in conformity and repeated her actions, supposively sensing some kind of unwavering compulsion to do so... "Splendid! This is'nt bad at all... The water tastes a bit murcky, but I anticipate that drinking it is'nt exactly the best idea, considering all of the wildlife around..." "But of course, not mentioning that we are of same descent." She gave him an honest look, they both kept their distnace as they swam with ease. After about an hour's worth of the therapeutic bathe, they exited the spring. The assailant's fur was shining with a bright blow of the sun's yellow ray, he couldn't help but stare... "Yes? Can I help you?.." She chuckled a bit as he surreptitiously wandered his eyes across the woodland floor. "Sorry, it's just that-- I was...--" She interrupted him for a sudden moment. "It's alright I know that you havn't yet experienced the thrill of true wolfen romance, but I am sure there is someone out there eager to be of your acquaintance." She took a few steps back as she threw her leather belt over her shoulder and vigorously shook her pelt. "There are some people that just don't understand you, Rein. Please, feel obliged to inspect these mysteries, they might even prove to be of your liking someday!..." "Perhaps you are right... It might seem that my negatively fluent skills of that trade are dwindling as the years go by.." He shook his fur dry as well, the assailant buckled her belt back around her waist. "Shall we be going then?" "Yes, quite so, the capital should only be within running distance from here, if we hurry we might be able to catch an evening brawl... Of course, if you are into that sort of competition." They continued to falter no longer, they needed to reach Royotia and explain to the High Command the reasoning of Nighthowler conspiracy. The assailant stood beside Rein with a friendly gesture. "The least I can do is tell you my name... Rosenthal.. Or you can just call me Rose, the whisper of the North..." "That is a pleasant name... As mine is apparently known throughout the entire country, due to my astonishing acheivements on the battlefield. No means to bloat, but you can carry forward after we reach the capital if you must..." Rein strolled past the woods with her, discussing their future friendship and her alliance with his people. "That could be something I would need to ponder upon. I have never encountered such furiousity of men in ages, and your's would be the first in a long time, not to mention the grand benefits that await my presence in such a fine-retailed estate as Sparscius the Blue's! Yet, such a decision is not beared on my shoulders, I will have to consult my company's Oracle and Theives Guild Fence to further my acquaintance with your people." "Very well.." Rein carried on running, with Rose not too far behind. Their speed was amazing, Rein fully recognized, that now, he was as fast and fluent with swiftness as the cunning and agile assailant. He passed her with speed, every single time he would do so, she would give him a smirk that signaled her jealousness of him. "There! I can see the brim shadow of the capital's cast on the trees!" Rein pointed out the observation that was no more than 609 feet aheand. The behemoth fortress could be seen for miles, if it were not so hidden by the trees of the Darken Forests. Rose continued to run, but could not help herself as she slowed down a few paces to examine the beauty of the capital. "Wow! What a marvelous place you inhabit! I wish I could live in such a wealthy safehouse of furnishings as yours... My home in the North does not suit my needs of training, I am required to proceed in my sacred art of Mui'mitsu Ohoroigami, an ancient style of transformation that was tought to me by my ancestors long ago. The style was fortold to grant the power of immortality, that is to animalistically enhance one's natural tendency to age, but ultimately the style is indifferent to the actual life expectancy of the user. Therefore, I must futher my training if I am to be lucky enough to even be considered a true Mui'mitsu Ohoroigami assassin. Do you understand?.." She stimulated the conversation with an obvious contemplation of skill, skill that Rein also studied. "Yes, in fact I do.. I have also indulged myself into believing the ancestral art. If were to concern you and your clan, I would not mind teaching you what I have already learned." She replaced her facial expression with one of solitude. "...." Pausing for a moment of brief silence.. "...I will look into it, the books do not tell of others accompanying the opposite attractor, but you are right, you would help me considerably so with the knowledge and skill you have gathered through your years of wisdom." As the both of them were soon to reach the outer-workings of the fortress, Rose clumsily dropped the three stone tablets onto the ground, they must have slipped from the grasp of her leather-pouched belt. Rein stopped abruptly to help her retrieve them. "I apologize for the inconvenience, my pouch seems to have torn at the seam." "It is fine..." He picked up one of the tablets and saw some strange markings on it that caught the glimpse of his eye. "Are you alright?!" Rose was concerned, he seemed in a distant trance. "Yea...yes...sorry, I don't know what came over me... Here, take it!..." "Alright then..." She took the tablet from him and gathered them into her arms so they were sure not to escape again. As they were clammering back up to themselves, there was a ruffle in the trees overhead them... "Okay, were here, now just let me announce my arrival and--" Thwarted by the crashing sounds of the forest, a group of mind-hungry wolfen psychics appear from the overhang. A scream rang through the ears of both Rein and Rose, a high pitched squeal that muted their sense of hearing. However, they were being communicated through like some sort of puppet. They could not hear or speak to eachother, only the voices of the third eye speaking by means of the psychic charm were contemporary and vague... Perhaps it was the power invested within Rein, sparked from the tablet, that had attracted them to their presence...

Temporary battle with Greylan wolfen psychs: Both Rein and Rose stammered to the ground, their efforts withdrawn and enthralled by the psychics third eye. "How do you suggest we get out of this one?.." Rose look up as she saw a forward marching, consecutive line of archers advancing up the ranks of the fortress walls above them. Rein took notice as well, he stood to his feet. "You're right.. I see my forces have already taken note of the interruption in this sector. Perhaps we could, or rather can, ugh!--" "Rein, are you alright?! What's wrong?!" The archers began to draw arrows from their quivers, stocking them and waiting, seeing that the king and Elder of Royotia has fallen immobile. Rein's heart paced at an astonishingly fast rate, his entire body running ramped with heat. His voice was squelched by the uneasy breathing that dominated his stream of subconscious thought, he was helpless... "...Rein! Rein! Please, get up! I need you! We need each other!" Rose cried out the shocking words that she even regretted but a few moments ago. A slight tear swimming down the slant of her snout fell upon his face, but there was still no fright or sensitive reaction that sprouted life from his bones. She stood, empowered by reasons unknown, determined to slay the psychs. "Very well... It happens that this is my time to shine, to bad you won't be able to stop me, Rein..." An enormous amount of energy flew from her fur, causing the moon to shoot out from the Celestine. The psychs grew a temper that would powder a bear to dust, but they were also wary of the archers atop the fortress wall... They took small, deliberate steps towards Rose. Rose swept another tear from her face as she stepped back to protect Rein's limp body. She thrusts one foot in front of the other and unsheathes two small dirks. The psychs analyze her clever act of dexterity, they proceed to move closer, one of them near the center channeling some sort of heavy ray between the two beside it. The archers pinpointed their aiming coordinates and took their shots. The psychs attempted to dodge the volley, but some were faulted by their unease against Rose. However, others raised temporary ethereal shields to defend themselves. Rose, still standing in a stationary pose, gleaming her eyes up at the moon she had summoned, her fur changing from a black to a white-velvet like appearance. The archers unloaded their first volley onto the psychs, but there was still much more to come. Their quivers stocked to the brim with a variety of assorted arrows, they uniformly reload. The psychs take there move, the archers, along with the mysterious incentive of Rose, was unsettling. They begin to fly through the air with shocking acrobatic skill. "Sorry Rein, but I guess you will miss my ultimate Mui'mitsu Ohoroigami style... The Surefire Stake..." She swept her feet forward and circled her hands twice, snapping them open in a lateral position. As a faint aura began to grow from within her, the psychs found it amazingly difficult to harvest the tablets with the fortresses archers constantly barraging them with a dark blot of arrows. "Ugh!.." Rose's body felt numb, the increasing pain from such an ancient technique, consuming her like a wildfire. Rein's eyes began to peel open, he could see an enormous trademark of energy, the size of a black-scaled drake, consume the white fur that had grown about her body. The ray that the psychs so conceptionally generated was continually enhancing into more of a light show. They sketched the woodland floor with their pointed boots, creating a swirl of dry dust that climbed into the air. Rein tried to gather himself, but his mind was simply to jolted by the furiousity of the third eye, not to mention his unsteady wavering due to fatigue... "Ro--" He tried calling out her name, but his voice seemed as if it were sowed shut, the muscles within his jaws tightening with anguish. Rose had finally gathered enough feral energy from the moon to unleash a technique of unseen proportion. She used the two dirks she unsheathed earlier to cut slits within both of her wrists, draining blood into the earthen soil, as if to produce some sort of seed meant for an ultimate transformation... Her skin grew thick. Her fur stimulated from off of her pelt. Her claws increasingly grew sheen, a shine of brilliance radiated from their very tips. Then... There it was... The masterful technique of Mui'mitsu Ohoroigami had been completely performed, Rose's body was as plained with the abyss even Nighthowlers fear. The psychs would not budge, although their fear would soon be clearly evident... Rein attempted to nudge Rose's leg... He was awarded her attention, but a few morbid words were spoken before she forced his hand off of her calf. Due to her transformation, Rose spoke with a deeply toned accent, fluent speech of a different dialogue, a country remote to Royotia's population. "Shrylancu' 'Kien'Manifestu..." Rose's transformation had consumed her to the point where she could no longer control simple bilangual translation, leaving Rein out cold of the last words she had spoken that night... The archers bent lower, aiming their arrows towards the psychs with increasing anger. Rein had not stood yet, and they were growing impatient, they would not take any of them as hostages... They released a third volley of arrows, this time they were set with a flame to scorch their flesh. Two of the psychs were hit gruesomely by several arrows,killing one instantly and severely injuring another... But, one still remained... The center psychic focused his heavy ray upon Rose and released a powerful wave of synergetic manifest. The powerful beam rose, but pity it of Rose's next move.. Rose lifted her palm and flicked it upwards to strike one single bolt of lightning within the psychics center of balance, putting him in a permanent state of paralysis. The psych was deemed helpless as Rose stalked nearer it to deliver the finishing blow. She stood next to the psych and pryed his fingers from his blackened hand. Rein felt the urge to clammer to his feet, although it would seem a finite feat... He did so and saw Rose against the psychic, altering his appearance inhumanely. "Rose! Stop!" He saw the power growing within her, the skin from the psych melting away like some sort of coagulated fungus... He has seen fluctuations like this before, in Cilia before this matter... He had grown weak with the influence of Nighthowler being and ultimately sought the redemption of Lighthowler culture. But, that wasn't what he were thinking, he needed Rose... He yelled atop his lungs once more, his feral voice shouting high above the Celestine. "Rose! Please, I beg of you! I'll give you a second chance! Just, don't do it!" "Forgive me..." She held a vibrant glow within her stomach, spontaneously combusting to produce a highly volatile explosion... Rosenthal had died... "No!... No, no, no, no, no, no, no..." Rein thought, "Why could I not stop her?! Come on Rein, she can't be dead-- She can't--" Seemingly so, she had withered off into the wilds, leaving behind the three tablets that thay had recoverd from the caverns. A voice was overheard atop the fortress wall, the archers took their place behind the lit figure, bowing at the knee, humbling Rein of his mighty courage and bravery... "Ah! Rein... You look unfit to continue walking to your chambers, may a company of soldiers assist you?" Rein saw that it was Cilia that was speaking down to him. "Please!... I also have several tablets that are in dire need of your bilangual skills!" Cilia hopped down from the wall and opened the gates. Rein mourned the loss of a great friend, perhaps if it were more than that..

Rein stretched every ounce of himself as he had completely finished his history lesson. "Ah, now that that is over with, are there any questions that might pertain to your journey?"

Talon stood up and streched his legs and looked over at his Grandfather. " So much has happened, So much we must learn and do." He muttered. He then frowned and looked over at Rein. "W-what should we do next?" Talon asked his green eyes glowing in the dim light.

"Rein, I have come to report that a group of night howlers were spotted Ten miles from here, to the east." A voice said. Entering the room was a Female black wolf. Her fur was a deep dark black that seemed even darker then the shadows around them. Her eyes glowed a bright silver, repeling any light near them. A blood red cloth was tied around her neck, and seemed to boldly challenge anyone who saw it. She shifted slightly, and her fur rippled. Showing that the under coat was a silver color, like her eyes. Talon looked up at her with admiration. "Moon, It's been awhile." He said while he watched her.

Rein stood attentively, perpetually seeing one of his most loyal wolfen guards reporting a disturbance in the east. "Moon! You appear unannounced, bearing bad news. Have you issued further command to the capital's defenses?.." He moved outside to see that the torches of night were lit about the property of Royotia. "If not, seek to it immediately! If what you say is true, then perhaps this struggle has made a turn for the worse.."

Cilia, sitting in the corner and awakened by the foul utterance, sets a different tone.. "My Elder, for as many years as I have been sworn allegiance beside you, I would strategically suggest you create a diversion. However, a unanimous decision would have to ultimately affirm such a course of action. The Nighthowlers are known for their sly movements throughout the Darken Forests. If you were to allow advancement to the east, I might be able to gather a fair amount of Lighthowlers. Then Moon would circle their path and create a decoy that would grant a small quorum of our most intelligent scouts to survey the region behind them, tracking their steps and infiltrating the hub from whence they came." He reinforced his plan with a bitter etude of silent thinking: Once in the woods, my faux Lighthowler guards will pounce upon Moon and her contemporary squad of rogues. In conclusion to Moon's defeat, I will return to the capital unscaved and report that there had been a mishap involving Moon. Theorizing that such events had occured would prevent Rein's most highly skilled allies from ceasing my threat to gradually kill him from the inside out."

Cilia muted his thoughts and proceeded to hear out what else Rein and Moon had to say. "Please, continue!"

"Perhaps you are right, Cilia. You have been quite integratial with me during these long harsh summers..." Rein looks back at Moon and the others. Talon, Moon, I want the two of you to see that Cilia's plan is acknowledged and recognized. Report to the wolves' barracks near the outpost located west of this area. Koji, I would like you to join the forces of the rogue squadron advancing the Nighthowler offense. Rika, I would commend that you reposition yourself within the studies chamber located 35 feet below this area, I believe that the philosophers and young arbiters there could be in temporary need of your fluent speaking language of Ghor... If that were to be the language inscribed on any of the three tablets..." He gave Cilia a strong wrap around his shoulders and relieved Moon and the others to commence their given tasks. "Now, if there are no objections..." 

     
Rika stands stretches then runs off getting directions to where she's suppose to go after telling her friends to be careful.
  
Moon shot an uneasy glance at Cilia before she nodded at Rein and turned to Talon. "It has been a long time, I glad to see you have returned unharmed." She replied as her eyes shifted to look at Cilia with a wary glow. Talon seemed to pick up on Moon's unease and gave her a bright grin. " It's ok, Grandfather knows him." Talon said and Moon gave a slow nod. "Well lets go and round us up a patrol." He said cheerfully as he walked up to Moon. The she wolf gave another slow nod then turned and bowed to Rein before she followed Talon out.

Koji gave a slight grin through the whole exchange and spoke up once they left. "It seems as though Talon has a liking towards Moon." He said with amusement. Then he turned to glance at Rein and tilted his head. "Who is Moon exactly? Is she a fighter or something, Like Talon. How does your ranks work here?" Koji asked, curious about the strange way wolves seemed to act here. It was so different from the social workings of the NightHowlers.

Rein dismisses Cilia out the back of the wooden hut and obliges a farewell as both Talon and Moon exit the chamber. "Please, ignore his insolent behavior, at times he can usurp to some pretty wicked things... However, if I know him as the Cilia I had met during that first cold war against the Nighhowlers, then he is an ally I am affiliated in trust with..." As they both were following the staircase out of the loft, he had stopped them with a friendly visage similar to Koji's. "No means to interrupt, but it seems--" Rein pauses for a moment and decides to keep what he were going to say confidential, at least until it were true. "Forget it, you two pups have a great time slaughtering Nighthowlers, then!" He pushes them further down the staircase and later returns to his hut.

Rein looked at Koji apologetically. "I am very sorry for ignoring your question earlier, it looked as if Moon and Talon, and even Rika were eager and excited to get to work. Disregarding those matters however, I will answer your query." 

Koji gave a nod and smiled. "Its ok, So how does your ranks work here. And where does Talon and Moon fit into it?" Koji asked with a slight tilt of his head.

after getting directions to where she was suppose to go Rika walks in not really knowing what to do at that moment.

Talon followed Moon as they walked along the branches. He seemed to have a goofy smile stuck on his face as he watched the wolf next to him. He admired her sleek fur and strong limbs, the way her dark fur seemed to swallow any light that touched it. He felt a thrill run up his spine at the thought of fighting next to her once again. Talon sniffed the air as he turned to look around the city, enjoying the sight of the other wolves going about their daily lives in peace.  

Rein took a moment to reconcile a decent thought of Royotia's military formalities and ranking procedures. "Considering the centuries that have passed since the last cold war struck this capital, the sophisticated and refined promotioning system has been far changed from its previous counterpart. My grandson, Talon, is well above most of the others accompanied in the barracks, ranking third to last... "Feral Purichen." The root-word "purichen," has been derived from our family's past generations of wealth, prosperity, freedom, and warfare... Opposition of the brutal line of Nighthowler kin morphed many epochs ago... We observe inclination through rank by means of physical and/or mental aptitude. Each and every Lighthowler inhabitant of the capital is granted with the common title of "citizen," but increasingly gathers knowledge of other titles and nom du guerre. Each citizen is awarded a medal for every year they survive a Nighthowler wave, no matter the finite number. If still thriving, through our superior ranking system, we analyze the citizens formal aptitude in battle, war, politics, diplomacy, trade, faring, conversing, and barbarism (that is, the physical ferocity that that citizen is specificly capable of). Once the census of the citizen is realized, they are then promoted according to their fine art of Lighthowler power... Increasing upwards of ranks such as: Novice, Filibust (entitling particular action of setting traps and performing martial arts.), Ser Ex Martuse (performs acts of proper vandalism and theivery.), Apprentice, High Druid, Primal Witcher, Feral Purichen (able to sense danger and subdue evil energies via "Feral Might" special ability.), Avalonian (Lighthowler commander and warhorseman.), and finally... My personal rank... Surrogate Reaper (a tool to primally summon the ancestral forces of the True Howler, consuming the soul of the user for the use of Greater Good)."

He walked nearest the door and took a look outside, his mind wondering of dispute between Talon and Moon, but figures their long absence of eachother would succumb to the better of their fighting abilities. He turns his head and says to Koji, "If that is all...?"

The sky formed morbid shades of green and gray that filled Cilia with a feeling of horrendous pressure. As he walked back to his hut, he was calmly thinking about what he could do to progress his master plan. Rampaging thoughts of regret crossed his mind from time to time, but none-the-less, his greatness of sin had proven to be overpowering. Shots of lightning cracked throughout the gloomy heavens, frightening Cilia... He retreated to his chamber as quickly as possible..

Bolts of thunder continued to strive!... As for our two cooperates, Talon and Moon?... Did Rika make it to the library safely and without struggle?..

Koji nodded and headed out. Once outside he glanced up at the raging sky and watched the flashes of lightning. Such blood thirsty wolves, To think they have reached this far... He thought. With a small sigh, Koji turned around and headed off towards the rouge squadron.

Both Moon and Talon entered the western part of the city and rushed for the twisted tree that held the barracks. Talon frowned as he glanced up at the black clouds. "I have a bad feeling about this" He mumbled as they headed down to the waiting patrol.

Rika walks into the library and looks around super lost and not knowing what to look for or who to ask.

An ongoing onslaught of thunderbolts began to strike even closer to the surface of the behemoth roots strapping the grand tree to its platform. It began to lift from its intanglements, swaying from side to side... As the cracks streamed the sky in legions of mighty force, a massive battalion of Lighthowler engineers piloted out of the barracks, seeing the intensified faces of both Talon and Moon...

They quickly rushed to the two of them, asking for assistance. The leading engineer gasped for air as the rest of the accompanying battalion sprinted to the leaning tree. "Please, feral Talon, aid us if you desire! Moon, we could put your great agileness to test!" He looked over, "So, what do you say?.. Meet me by the tree if you---" His galnce was tractored by the agonizing cries of his fellow wolfen kind, he ran to save them...

Marbel, the female ambassador, head archivist, saw Rika tranced with forebodement. She was atop the fifth tier of the library when she first saw Rika enter the flooded gates of the main floor. She yelled with a heaping breath of her lungs, "Rika! You must reach my level, a few of my apprentices will help you reach me. There has been a terrible accident just below us and the only way we can possibly get out is through the exterior tunnel that leads outside of the capital. As quickly as you are able, reach the fifth tier and I will lead you to the summit from there!" Her voice shrivelled, crackling from all those years of intense silence.

Rein, stepping back within his chamber, felt the unsteady wavering the tree was creating. He was knocked back by an enormous velocity of wind, emptying his cabin of loose material and sending him shooting towards the back wall. The crushing pressure of the wind generated a vortex that began to strip the tree of its sturdy branches, its size increasingly growing too fast for the young engineers to keep up.

The engineers strapped several long-hooked suspenders to the edges of the tree, where the roots bulge out of the surface. Firmly bolted to the ground, the straps provide excellent, but temporary, protection from the newly formed vortex above them.

Seeing that Rein's hut was soon to be nothing more than a bundle of debris, Cilia rushed to the aid of Rein just before he could enter the safe haven of his own home. Echoing in his mind, were voices very faint and ethereal... Perhaps they are sounding from above? He thought. Cilia began to think that this storm was not caused by the natural forces of the elements, but by an even higher intelligence, linked to either the Lighthowlers or Nighthowlers, but greater than they could ever imagine...

Rein saw Cilia appear outside of his chamber and quickly decided to let him in through the shredded entrance ahead. He stammered to his feet, Cilia grasping his forearm and pulling him up easily... "Quickly, we must retreat to my quaters immediately, I have an amber-steel box underneath it that can surely succumb to both our weight! I also have my personal guard there to help us safely reach it." Rein looked confused, "but, what about my grandson?..." "Don't worry, he is a strong howler. He will take good care of Moon and Rika..." 

They both hurridely left...

The encampment of the rogue squadrons were imbued with flame, erupting with terrible fumes that stretched to the snout of Koji... Horrid cries were heard from within the encampment... Piles upon piles of Lighthowler rogues spill out of the fiery place, vitalically innjured among death...

Being far into the woods, a vibrant spectrum of light appears from the direction the Nightholwer disturbance was reported to be, kindly flashing in front of Koji's eyes...


As fast as she is able rika makes her way up to the fifth tier and stands before the one who called out to her she looks around what has happened? everything was fine before.

Talon gasped as the thick tree swayed violently, quickly he buried his hook like claws into the wood under his paws and braced himself. "This is insane! We have never face a storm this fierce since the times of the Elders!" Talon yelled as Moon slid into his side. "You don't think the nighthowlers are to blame for this." Moon whispered under her breath so the others would not hear. Talon frowned at the thought, "I hope not Moon, to think that those blood thirsty hounds could do such a thing is unthinkable and would mean trouble for us." He replied. Moon's reply was interrupted by the arrival of the leading engineer. After he took off Moon shot a glance at Talon before she rushed over to the engineers.

Moving at unreal speeds she grabbed one of the suspenders in her jaws and jumped up onto a large branch. Losing no speed, she swung the hook around the thick limb and hopped down to get another suspender. Talon grinned and tipped his head to the side. "Looks like those NightHowlers are going to have to wait till we get our home stable." He called over the wind as he headed over to help the engineers.

Koji coughed as the harsh fumes filled his lungs as he drew closer to the flickering flames. His white coat was turned a dusty gray as ash floated in the air. He felt the heat scorch at his pelt as he searched for the lighthowlers and avoided the burning foliage around him. A flash of fur was his only warning as a nighthowler burst from the bracken and slammed into his side. Rolling with the impact, Koji swung his head over his shoulder and latched his fangs into the thick pelt of the other wolf. He suddenly stopped their rolling, and using the momentum, threw the wolf into a near by tree.

The nighthowler hit with a sickening crack before it fell limp on the ground. Koji sat panting for a minute as he watched the still wolf. Suddenly the dark wolf stirred, but before it could get up a burning tree limp fell from the tree and engulfed the nighthowler in flames. Koji sat transfixed as the flames ate at fur and skin, and took a sick glee as he heard the wolf howl in agony. Even I can't resist the joy of the kill and agony that all Nighthowlers take pleasure in He thought as he watched the other wolf burn. Slowly, he pushed himself up onto his paws and went to find the rouge squadron. 

Marbel saw Rika pouring with exhaustion, the great olden staircase proving to be a challenge for her evenly trained hind legs. The ambassador was bleeding steadily from the thigh, she had been wounded by a small shatter of wooden debris that must have hitten her when she was instructing Rika... "Good thing you made it here as quick as you did, I didn't know how long I might could've lasted knowing that you weren't going to show up, aha.." She felt a numb sensation within her leg, but told Rika otherwise and crept up beside her, limping as they head off toward the exit... "Come on, it should only be about 73 kilometers or so before we reach the highest outpost the Capitol posesses." Blood slitherd down her leg, but she tried her damnest to stay alive and reach a safe haven for Rika... And maybe herself, if she were only granted such luck...

The engineers were struggling with the centre, however, the aid that Talon and Moon had brought with them served their own individual purpose. The storm was seeming to drift away, north-bound towards a different area.. But, the vortex that had funneled up above them began to startle a quake a fear within Royotia's people... It's shape took on a form of nearly thousands of leagues higher than that of the Great Ocean's watery surface. Circles of black and gray thread streamed away from it's oval center, morphing it into some-like gateway... It grew larger in width, supposively to expand the entrance for an unusual figure that was prepared to make it's way through its confines... ...a solid, dark funnel began to gorge from within the vortex's eye... The engineers backed away from their positions, as if they were enthralled by their conciousness to do so...

Once Cilia was able to withdraw Rein from his now, annihilated quaters, they also began to make their escape as Rika and Marbel had done. "I'm guessing we could create a hatch, exiting down through the catacombs below my dorm and withdraw from the fierceness of the storm and any enemy sight from there." Cilia thought calmly, but Rein struggled to keep his composure. His elden, aging fur thinning up against the wooden ceiling. "Thank you Cilia, for saving me, I've known you for worse, aha!.." He chuckled as he steadily walked to where Cilia was working on the hatch. Cilia looked at him with a face unordinary to him. "And what have I been known for?... Old friend?..." Opposingly, his face was striked with realism, he seemed distant from Rein's comical gesture, but Rein continued to subside from the conversement. "Would you happen to need any help?" "Yea... Toss me the hatchet over there, next to you, on the far table." Rein had enough focus to concentrate on his greed and sulleness of survival. Cilia immediately started to work on the hatch as soon as Rein handed him the hatchet. Cilia's guards and himself stood watch at the nearby entrance.

A shuffling of feet swarmed closer and closer to Koji's presence... The light before his eyes shining even brighter as the interrupting and disturbing sounds draw nearer his position... A cry was heard by Koji's assumed rogue squadron, but it was a cry out of battle. "Take them!" That was an uncalmingly, unfamiliar, female voice that was echoed to the ears of Rein. "Do not let them pass, we must keep them from the defenses of Royotia!" For certain, a rogue squadron nearby was engaging in battle with the Nighthowler Prowler disturbance...

As they hurry along Rika happens to notice Marbles hurt and bleeding leg so she pulls her up on her back after she banages the hurt leg once marble is on Rika's back she takes off towards the exit. 

Talon and Moon froze in a mixture of awe and horror. "I've never seen anything like it..." Talon whispered as his voice drifted off. Moon could only nod in a stricken way. Slowly she took a few steps back and glanced over at Talon as a battle cry was heard over the howling winds. Sharing a look both wolves headed off toward the sound.

Koji growled lowly in his throat as he rushed off to help the rogue squadron. He slowed downed as his bright eyes caught sight of what looked like a small wolf war. Growling like a vicious monster he rushed into battle.  

"Thank you, Rika..." Marbel said as she saw her faultering around her leg with a linen cloth bandage, wrapping it so that the pressure would exert enough force, at least to where she could steadily walk again. She clambered to her feet once more, Rika grasping her hand and helping her up. "Alright, there, it's only about another 15 meters or so before we reach the interior hatch that exits the outpost." Both of them stomped their feet like raging elephants in a stampede, the thin, prolongued bridge to the outpost was seemingly longer than they had expected...

Over, in the distance, Marbel looked behind her shoulder as Rika still helped her walk to their destination, she had seen a faintly dark anomoly appearing far to the South of their location, back towards where the Grand Tree was... And, where Rein had lived... She tried her damnest to surpress the thoughts of his death, but that image supported it thoroughly enough to the point... They carried on...

As Rein kept watch over the Grand Tree as it slowly fell to its fiery abyss, Cilia continued to pry the opening to their allied escape, the guards humbley placing themselves beside his position. "Hey, Cilia!" Rein yelled back behind his shoulder, turning around and showing his uncalmness. "Have you finished reopening that alledged escape route of yours? It seems we have company, and it's only getting bigger eacj and every moment you take to pry that thing apart." Cilia looked back at him with ease and replied. "Please, my friend, calm down, we've got plenty of time, besides, I've just got the hatch open right now, you better hurry." The two guards beside Rein grabbed both of his arms firmly and scurried off away with him into the make-shift escape tunnel. "See you on the other side!" Rein hollared as he dropped down along with the two guards. Cilia, crouched down beside the hatch took a moment or two to look outside, seeing the devastation that reeked havock amongst his beloved capitol. He quietly whispered to himself, reassuring words of a more diabolical nature.. "This is most excellent, most excellent, indeed. Once the fodder emerges from the vortex, it shouldn't take long for it to consume Royotia wholely. Now, I must tend to my old friend and hurriedly vanish to the Estate of Sparscius the Blue. There, I might be able to find a long lost ingredient to aid me in my efforts.. The anti-toxin of Mt. Manuvia..

As both Talon and Moon swiftly took their leave towards the scene of battle, the engineers stood in horror and awe of the amazingly gargantuan anomoly, erupting from within the vortex. They scattered across the plains in hopes of hiding away from its gaze, but they lost hope when their two higher officers ran away. It slowly crept out, the muzzle was pointing downwards as it impacted the dusty floor beneath it, crushing into the wasteland with a tremendous force. The squad of engineers fell silent, their ears muted to the anxiety of what they might alarmingly say. They stood completely still, watching the fodder lay in its own crater, as they froze in place.

As Cilia and Rein rushed through further, reaching the old, uninhabited sewers, he heard a faint sound, but he recognized it just as much as any other.. "Rose, Rose, is that you?..." He thought to himself who the overheard voice might belong to... He was interrupted when he and Cilia both looked back through the sewers, hearing an explosion above them and the structure they were running through began to collapse from the start. "We must go, hurry, hurry!" Cilia, Rein, and the others rushed as fast as they could to the end of the hall.

"Take them, kill them all!" A valiant, female voice was heard, as Moon and Talon were now close enough to hear it. Koji, rushing to the aid of what he assumed was his assigned Rogue Squadron, was still being blinded by a frustrating and annoying, bright light that fluttered beneath his eyes, even if he were to close them.. However, his pace never slowed, he continued to push himself through the blindness. Recovering slowly, he began to hear the clash of swords and arrows being drawn and volleyed... The tattering of flesh as fangs and claws were drug into them... 

An astonishingly flashed arrow swiveled past him, nearly missing his wet nose, as the backdraft of wind gusted outward from his pelt and slightly buzzed a partial amount of fur from his mane. The arrow continued to fly even further, but it soon met a tree before it were able to catch anyone elses attention.

Koji's eyes widdened as his head snapped to the side to watch the arrow fly past. His blue eyes narrowed and a snarl ripped its way out of his throat as he faced back towards the battle and he blinked a few more times in a attempt to rid himself of the bright light. But his attempt ended in vain and he chose to ignore it. Using only his perked ears and strong nose,he attacked the nearest wolf. Koji picked up the strong stench of blood and rotten flesh that usually wrapped around NightHowlers. He tore his fangs into flesh, hoping he was attacking a vital area.

Moon and Talon raced forward, following the sounds of battle. They reached the battle field with wide eyes and loud gasps. "This is madness, how did this happen? I thought the thick trees and maze like forest would keep them out!" Moon hissed as she glanced the battle field with disdain. Talon shook his head slowly and frowned. "Someone might of shown them the way b-" His sentence broke off as they looked up at the sky with something akin to horror. "What is that?!" Moon gasped as she watched, her pelt bristling. "I have no idea..."Talon said softly. Moon snorted and shook her head a bitter smile working its way on her face. "Well lets tackle one thing at a time. Battle first that then second." She replied. Talon nodded and turned towards the battle field. "Shall we dance?" he asked with a sarcastic smile and Moon gave a humorless laugh. "Lets" She answered as they both took off into the mass of fighting bodies.  

Rika keeps going quickly she looks at marble how much ferther?
i have a feeling that i might be needed real soon. something isn't right and i want to find out what it is.

She could see the hazy image of the outpost as it was making itself noticeable through the dark mist of the evening. "Rika, quickly, it must be just up that escalade further ahead, only a few more steps to go!" As she let out an arupt yell to warn anyone within the outpost of their presence, she felt an even greater pain beginning to arise in spite of the other in her leg. She gestured to Rika to keep motioning towards the outpost to try and gather their attention for help. "Go on.. I'm sure I'll be alright.. I mean, I can take good care of myself after all.." She was sure that Rika would favor an opposition of that request, but she coudn't do anything about it as Marbel lifted her arm up into the air and swayed it to the side as a purple glow emitted from the palms of her hand. "Now, hurry!.." As she attempted to let out that last furious shout for help, she fell limp as the purple glow surrounded Rika in a flourescent aura. Although paralyzed, she responded. "Rika.. Here, take this.." She gripped a pendant that was linked about her neck, breaking the chained links as it snapped off of her neck. She lifted her arm and opened her hand as it trembled, trying to give it to Rika. "Here, this will aid you.. You'll know when the time is right.. Now, go!"

I can almost see it.. Yes, that light, it must be heading off towards the mountain..

"Hey, Cilia, how much further is it?.." Rein looked back as he still saw Cilia fiddling with his fingers, knocking them over one another as he was chuckling to himself, not even concerned or aware of the fact that their very own home had been burned down to a crisp. He shuddered his arms a bit as he broke loose of the two guards' grip. He stared back at his friend. "Cilia?.." Cilia took a moment to look up as he saw the alerted and fear drawn visage of his old friend. "Yes, Rein, we're almost there.. Any time now.." He managed a small grin as he returned his face to the floor and continued stepping further through the tunnels. "Hmmm.. Alright, then.." The two guards stationed at each side of him returned their grip onto both of his arms as they quickly turned him facing forward again.

Rein took to himself, a moment of silence.. "Rose, was that you?.." His emotions began to grow fierce with embedment as he froze in place, his affections for his former partner enthralling him as the guards continue to drag him down the gloomy corridor.

"We have them just within our grasp, slay 'em all!" As the valed voice was being drawn closer to both Talon and Moon, a female on horseback pranced atop the many bodies of the Lighthowler fallen, making her way towards them as her silver strucken steed swayed its head from side to side as the blood of battle splashed from off of its mane. She had her blade drawn, but she had no intentions of attacking such a vulnerable couple of Lighthowlers. She managed a playful smirk as she positioned her foot firmly at her steeds armored hooves and stepped down with one single swoop. She looked down at the earthen floor below as she wiped away at the blood dripping down at the temple of her head. She tilted her head back up as she returned her reminiscent glare back to the two Lighthowlers. "Yes?.." She laughed as she stood there, awaiting a response. "Boo!"

The gargantuan anomoly was a seemingly horrendous sight to the rest of the Lighthowler engineers that had bravely stood their ground to behold its might. One of the engineers to the left of the grand tree yelped as he released his grip upon the chain that was holding it down, dragging all of the rest with him as they began to follow suit. "Uh, oh.. That's not good.." A Lighthowler from the outpost that both Rika and Marbel had attempted to reach had clearly seen that the grand tree at the center of the capitol was beginning to lean fro side to side as its behemoth branches and dark spotted leaves began to crumble from off of it.

As the ground shook abruptly, the muzzle mounted anomoly stood up as several mechanically steam hinged legs made themselves noticeable out of the sides of it. It froze into place as the holes located atop it began to ooze with a secretion of a dark liquid and a brightly illuminated amount of a silvery steamy mist. Still paralyzed of its movements, the dark liquid ooze slowly crept down to the earth as it began to eat away at its contents, simply disolving its structure as it dissipated away. The anomoly gathered itself as it stood back to its mechanized feet and redeemed a red glow towards a small garrison of engineers. While its red glowing gaze was fixed upon them, it muttered a few words. "Initializing auto-feed. Engaging!" The anomoly spat out its muzzle as an elongated cannon erupted from the front of it, aiming directly at the small garrison of engineers. "Target locked-on. Firing!" The cannon attached to it began to spew out more of the dark liquid as it was highly projected onto them, starting to singe their white fur as it recollected and melted away. The rest of the engineers, still scurrying away from the situation, took a moment to look back as they saw their fellow Brothers and Sisters being torn apart, shred by shred

Rika takes the pendant then runs off to where they were heading she looks back at marble once then runs out as she gets out she sees the destruction that is going on and howls.

Koji ripped his fangs through what felt like the soft tissue of a throat. He blinked rapidly a few more times as the bright light slowly diminished. His bright blue eyes scanned the battle field with something akin to horror. Bodies of both breeds litter the ground, their blood staining the earth a dark red. The once grand tree was tittering dangerously and its large limbs braking off its body. His blood began to boil even more as he saw the faces of the wolves he only just met dying around him. A sudden fear washed over him. Was Rika ok? Was the rest of his make-shift pack in one piece? His thoughts were interrupted when high pitched screams met his ears. The white wolf dared a glance and froze at what he saw. There was some kind of metal creature descending from the sky. His heart thrumming in his chest he felt a strong pull toward the thicker tree's and the metal monster. He rushed passed the fighting mass of wolves and toward where his instincts lead him hoping they were leading to Rika instead of certain doom.

Talon narrowed green eyes at the new comer and snarled not to kindly. Moon stepped in-front of him, pushing him back lightly. "Who are you? Are you leading this attack?" She asked with a harsh glare making its way on her beautiful face.

Rika makes her way down to the fighting so she can find Koji she calls for him.

Marbel's breathing began to worsen as the steady flow of air that was traveling through her pipes were beginning to collapse and strangle, making her struggle for each and every single breath she attempted to take in. Her arm still extended and pointed forward, she released her last words with resentment. "Royotia... What a grand time we had together..." Her arm collapsed to the floor of the rickety wooden bridge, her mouth slowly closing as her eyes followed suit, the light of dawn steadily crawling away from her lids. "So peaceful..." The magenta complexity of her pelt valued into a dim grey as the rest of her body withered away in the wind, one last lacrimation being overheard across the entire area.

The behemoth of gears and grinds stalked nearer the great tree, gripping onto it with its mighty claws as the few remaining bodies of Rein's kin strew across the layers of Royotia's plains. "Carousel process engaging and initializing... In..." Rein's Brother's and Sister's frantically ran across the surface of the Capitol, running about the grand tree as their hooks and straddles clung onto it, attempting to regain its balance back to a steady beat. They knew honorably, the duty they had instilled within the hearts of Royotia's people. They must not give in. "16... 15... 14... 13..." Its loudly shouted sequences were such a drag on the rest of the engineers performances, gathering their attention elsewhere.

The lit path hit them as the tunnel finally came to an end. "Excellent. Vlad, Assist Mister Talon's Grandfather outside, I shan't be far behind. Horrich, position yourself at the center of the sewers, make certain that nothing is to pass through its confines." The first time ever, that he has spoken of his two personal guard out of context and by their respective titles. Rein thought to himself. "He seems strange..." His body tumbled and shifted as Vlad walked him towards the lit path that supposedly lead outside.

Rika gets down to the fight and looks for anyone she knows not really sure what to do. She walks then sees Koji and runs to him quickly.

The elegant gnaw of her voice suckled at the temptation of her foes to attack her directly. "So, you'd like to know my name, and why my beloved machine continues to repeat its blows at your sacred tree?" She snickered to herself as her clansmen looked to her, weary of both Talon and Moon, their intentions unknown. She lifted her blade at the center of her waist and leaned over her steed, glaring at them both intensely. "Go on, tell me yours first." 

The dust about the system of battle twirled and swirled within the many paths of the wind, not even an echo being heard as her clansmen prepared themselves for anything, any smart moves.

Talon's green eyes narrowed at the unknown female and his lips lifted in a slight snarl. "I am Talon, grandson of Rein who leads this land."

Moon's eyes flickered around as she looked for any possible escape routes should things get out of hand. She took note of the best ones before she lifted her head up and looked at the female. "I am Moon, daughter of Yasha who led the great battle in the north." She answered her eyes wary of everyone around her.

Koji skidded to a halt as he glanced around. "Rika!" He yelled as he whipped his head around to find her. His heart felt like it was going to burst from his chest in fear. The city like forest around him was falling apart and a sense of depression was welling up inside him.

Rika runs up and licks his cheek Koji i'm here what is going on? where are the otheres?

Her sharp, piercing pair of eyes dedicated to searching any truth of their words, she believed them. Her steed began to subtle itself as she clambered down from atop of it, holstering her feet within the grooves at the sides of the beautiful beast. She leaped down and responded with a glance to either side, glaring at the few that were in front of her. "Mh'm..." The serrated edges of her blade stood straight as she planted the weapon beneath the roots of the forest floor, jumping into midair as she firmly balanced her weight upon its hilt, bending her knees and scratching her chin as she showily mocked them. "All of those great people, huh? I see, I see, I see... Well, I do understand that your Grandfather.." She pointed a finger towards Talon. "Well, he's under suppression at the moment. I believe it's from one of my more earlier colleagues, Cilia." She snarled at the past thought of him escaping from the Estate to fulfill something more meaningful. Besides, she never had any intentions on letting him go anyways. She continued under her breath, "I've yet to deal with him and his petulant behavior.. Now!" She bowed, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am, Rosenthal." She raised her head. "Now, if you'd prefer to know the explanation behind raiding your beloved fortress, then please, do ask me." Her face showing a mischievous grin. "OUR.." She emphasized the word with quoting fingers, "Pet's been programmed to utterly annihilate Royotia, but we could also bring an end to this.." Using quoting fingers again, "Grunt of a job to rest if you'd like. However, I'm not saying that Boss'll enjoy your opinions, but I'm certain that'll take every ounce of equal opportunity into great consideration." She responded, tilting her head with a delighted smile. "What say you, mighty excursionists?" She queried, awaiting their responsiveness. She conducted an about-face, looking to her warring soldiers. She returned, scratching at the crown of her hair, "And, I suppose that I could halt my warriors as well, but only if you oblige yourselves to an agreement. Remember, this is on MY terms and none other's. This is a neutral pact that'll only be presented to me and the greater good of my personal gain. Otherwise, your torturous deaths." She giggled crisply, her eyes temporarily shutting with contentment as she fondled her hair, placing its heavy locks into her mouth, gnawing at it playfully. "You'll have precisely fifteen to thirty minutes, depending on how I feel, to agree upon either rescuing your race, or an epic failure of mistrust between you and your Grandfather, Talon." Speaking to him idly. "By the way, before beginning your minuscule duration of time, I'd like to know of your Grandfather's name, Talon. Would you mind disclosing it?" 

Koji felt his chest ease as relief flooded through him. He licked Rika's face and he smiled at her. "I'm so glad that your ok." Koji sighed as he backed up a bit. Then his face settled into a frown and he glanced around. "I'm not sure about whats happening, nor do I know where the others are." He said. He grunted quietly and nudged Rika's shoulder. "We need to get out of here and find the others." He said as he started a brisk walk toward the worst of the fray.

Talon gritted his teeth and glared at the women before him. He was horrified at his choices, to betray his race or betray his family. His pride rebelled against both of those thoughts and his glare sharpened. But before he could say a thing Moon shoved passed him and stood in front of Rosenthal. "Our Elder's name is Rein. To those outside of our clan, he is known as the 'Wolf of the trees'. But before you force us to choose I have a proposition for you." Moon said as she stood tall and proud, her black fur glossy with blood. Her silver eyes seemed to glow with an unnatural light that Talon felt a slight chill race up his spine. Slowly, Moon lifted a paw and pulled the red bandana off her neck. Exposed was a bright ring of silver fur around her neck contrasting against her dark fur. "As I said I am Moon, adopted daughter of Yasha. And true daughter of Lana, leader of the Lunar Wolves tribe. I am the last of the Lunar tribe and I hold all of the hidden secrets that perished with my homeland." She stated with a straight face and pride filtered into her voice. Then Moon bowed her head, "So my proposition is to offer a trade of sorts. I offer the secrets of my dead clan mates for the freedom of the clan that took me in." She said quietly as she started at the ground. Stunned, Talon just stared at her.  

Rika licks his cheek back i'm glad your ok too. She looks around i'm not sure whats going on as well yeah lets find the others she walks with him stay by his side really worried.

Befalling of the tree, debris began to shuttle down towards the forest floor, overshooting just mere inches away from the engineers as gargantuan marks were left where they'd been plummeted. "All! retreat back to the barracks!" A figure signifying leadership took their role as they lead the few courageous Lighthowlers that remained. All of there beckoning lacrimations for help failed as they'd have yet to discover what defilement had been accrued further within the wood.

"Initializing foreground launching procedures.." The boiling racket of the machine could be heard from even Rosenthal's distance; it was beginning to implode itself. It's energy was depleted and exhaustive, there'd be no way in hell of reaching the rest of the engineers; besides, Rosenthal kept pondering to herself and that only linked the machine to do so as well, it's process of thinking dwindling down to uncommon orders and demands. "Foreground launching procedures are pending; awaiting further management.." The machine's entire lower-body collapsed, funneling in as it transformed into a triangular structure, a construct of diamond-like fortifications that skewed into the ground and halted itself before being commanded otherwise. "Awaiting further management.." It computed to itself before stalling again. "Instructions are pending.. Surface-to-air missiles have been converted to infernal torpedoes and are on standby.." It's entire body hinged in place as it rested there, as if it were contemplative of something.

"Mh'm.. I see, I see, I see.." Rosenthal thought to herself, but was oddly reserved as she never even noticed Rein's name ever being mentioned. However, she peered up with a grave face, a blank glare adhering to all of them as she scanned from side to side, her balance temporarily wavering as she composed herself again. "Rein!?" She gasped breathtakingly. "This Lighthowler you speak of of being your Grandfather and Elder to all of you! His name's Rein!?" Her cheeks blackened with frustration, anger, and confusion. All of the blood rushed to her head as she couldn't solve her past history. "I'll reach your Grandfather later, Talon.. As for the rest of your group, however.." She calmed herself by only thinking of, "living in the moment." She sifted her fingers down her leg fur, itching into her pelt as she rested her elbow on her knee and placed her cheek against her knuckles. She licked at the tip of her index finger and pointed it up towards the stormy shadows above them. "I understand how this situation might appear to you, Moon." Saying Moon's name with a raspy tone. "However, I've not the time to study of your clan or pack. Well.." She scratched at the bottom of her chin, shutting her eyes to think for a moment, but still being interrupted by the Elder, Rein. Her eyes began to twitch as she peered back to them, but she managed to regain her composure as she swiftly conjectured. "I've been thinking, and well, a lot has been rummaging through the halls of my mind these last few seconds we've been together." She giggled harmoniously with the wind. "Anyways, I'll stop my pet from furthering Royotia's current damage and I'll take my leave with the knowledge of Moon's clan and pack. They've no clue that Cilia's actually taking Talon's Grandfather hostage to The Blue' Estate. Her answer was fragile and delicate, responding to quickly to have planned anything out in advance, but both Talon and Moon couldn't read her, so Rosenthal's notions and ideas were unheard of.. for now.. She winked with a poke-dotted eye before she leaped from off of her weapon, lifting it from the knot it was dug into and hurriedly gathering her troop as she clambered back to her steed and galloped away. "Toodles!" She swayed two fingers. "Ah, and next time we meet.. please address me by Rose..."

Moon stood tall for a few more moments after Rosenthal and her troop left, then her legs failed her and she collapsed onto the ground. She felt drained from the stress. "This feels no different from when my first home was taken from me, I shall not let it happen again." She mumbled as she pushed herself up off the ground.

Talon moved to her side and helped her stand. "Are you sure it was wise to tell them that Moon? The Lunar tribes secrets have been hidden for years for a reason." He said softly as to avoid anyone from hearing. Moon just sent him a smile and shook her head. "There is only one of those secrets that can do any real long lasting harm. And that's the one I have no attention of ever letting them know." She answered. Talon nodded and together they made their way out of the fray. "We need to find the others." Talon growled as they pushed their way through.

Koji stared up in horror as the thing in the sky turned even more monstrous. "Be careful and stay near me, I don't want you to get hurt." He said as he buried his nose in Rika's fur. He had to protect her, she was his most precious person. He pulled away from her and gave her a soft smile."so where do you think the others are?" He asked.

Rika blushes as she feels his nose in her fur and thinks i don't want to lose him i love him she licks his cheek then looks around i have no idea but i think that they might be in the worst of the fighting we must find them. Where should we look first?