Assassinating the Adversary(open for EVERYONE)

[thewriter]

The Hooligan's Grotto was never Narida's favorite place to conduct her business, but she supposed that conducting assassination arrangements or mercenary plans were not looked well upon when city guards were usually just across the room, at their farthest. Neoku, her wolf companion, padded close by her. He never was fond of big, loud crowds, let alone the drunken pirates that flooded this place. Either way, she had boot knives galore, some openly displayed to show drunks the risk of attempting this elven woman.

She stepped into the Tavern and seated herself at the counter. Then, she waited. Her client would come soon, she hoped. Neoku was starting to get interested with the contents of her bag, and she didn't know whether the head her client asked for should still be recognizable. most weren't after a bite from that wolf.

A man, slightly less drunk than those around Narida slid to the seat next to her and ordered a pint of ale. "Is it done?"

"Do you have my pay?"

"But of course."

From her pack, Narida drew a rough linen sack. the bottom of it had a bloodstain encompassing it. In return, the man put a small blue coin purse in front of it. "Anything else?"

"Well, I am in need of one more man's blood, but he may not be so easy to get to..."

"...In which case, I charge more. But, it is standard that I know what he has done to deserve death before agreeing to kill him, as you know. What has this man done?"

The man gulped some of his ale. "Do you think, my friend, you could make an exception just this once?" Neoku lifted his head at the word 'friend', keeping his eyes on the man.

Narida's eyes hardened. "First, you are my client but not my friend. Second, no exceptions, no deal."

The man grumbled. "Why is it your business what your job is in the first place? Assassins are meant to go off, kill, and get paid, no questions asked. What makes you so special?"

"Me?" She asked. "I have morals and rules to killing people. Is that so strange?"

The man scoffed. "I never thought I'd see the day when an assassin had morals."

The insults were starting to shorten Narida's already small fuse. "Until you tell me why he deserves death, you can take the blade to his throat yourself." She snatched up the coin purse, and bade Neoku to come with her.

When the man looked at the head in the bag later, he noticed a small patch of hair had been cut from the killed man's head.

--

Narida sat on the bed at the inn and looked at the growing amount of hair in a sack in her pack. "I'm worried, Neoku," She told the wolf as he sat next to her. "If we can't find more corrupt souls that deserve death in the next couple years, you may not be coming back." The wolf groaned, as if to wave off the last statement, or scolding her to rest instead.

"aye, aye...damn, with how many people wanting assassinations of the innocent, I might as well just assassinate my adversaries."

Neoku did not respond, so Narida took it as a hint to stop talking and sleep. Sleep came uneasily in the tavern and the restless grotto, but it came, with her stiletto in her hand under the covers.

[oren]

There was a scratching of a pen to paper in a room two doors down from Narida's. It seemed a little bit early in the morning to wake up and just start writing things down, but to Yin it wasn't too much of a problem. Doing her research while her brain was still fresh was almost ritualistic. She assumed that it was something that helped her think quick on her feet.

Yin continued to write a little bit longer, at least until the sun had risen up closer to noon. Stopping she looked over what she'd written and made her corrections. the obsessive perfection of detail in the books was something she couldn't help. Her former master would have been displeased if she took short-cuts. Though most people would tell her just make the short-cut, writing out everything in detail was much more satisfying. Eventually when she was done with this notebook she could start another, and eventually she would have her own archive of books, just like her former master, and all the apprentices before her. Right now though, she could settle with what she had for now, and decided it was time to get up and get out of the grotto.

Stretching and yawing, she slipped out of the rather uncomfortable bed packing up her research and books putting them back into her messenger bag, along with her pens. Just as she was about to put away the small jar's of ink Yin realized she needed more black ink. There should be some back in the city. At the moment she had to get out of Hooligans Grotto.

After strapping the bag closed tightly, she slipped her grey tunic back over the sleeveless turtle neck. Running her fingers through her hair, the messy black locks of hair flattened out on thier own. She continued dressing pulling on her forearm bands then attaching her modified katar, her belt with her five dagger holster, then her boots at the end. Slinging her bag over her shoulder then her cloak on top.

Making one final check of the room she looked around making sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Patting the area just under her collar bone she relaxed finding that the one most preacious belonging of hers was still there. Yin would not have known what to do if she had lost her pendant. Shaking her head she made the bed to ignore the thought.

Smiling at how neat the bead now was, she was pleased to know at least any one that looked after the room would have to do much in terms of cleaning.

Walking out the door the smile dropped and Yin headed down the hall having to turn around when she realizes she's going the wrong way and back down again. In her rush to leave she walked right into a lady and her familliar.

"Oh my!" Yin exclaimed jumping a bit seeing the size of the familliar. "I am so sorry!"

She was sincere and hoped that she didn't hurt the other woman. Maybe she'd be happy if she bought breakfast for her. Or rather lunch, considering the time.

[thewriter]

Neoku grumped when the woman had brushed across his hindquarters, but Narida kept a hold on the skin between his shoulders. "My apologies, miss," she said. "He's not keen to those touching him from behind when he does not know them." She looked over the girl carefully. She was either dirt poor and had nothing with her, which she doubted, or she was extremely organized. her pack was clean and filled to its capacity, but in an orderly manner. This was in contrast to the rough heap of things stuffed in her own sack, with something sticking out from somewhere or another. the only thing in order was her hair, for obvious reasons(as assassinations are hard when you can't see from the sides) and her quiver of crossbow bolts.

She looked in a hallway mirror and huffed - other than her hair, she looked like Hell, at least by elven standards. her long, pointed ears had an unhappy slump to them and her eyes had no sincerity or joy - but perhaps that was just their gray nature.

Narida broke out of this trance to realize she was still standing their. "I'm sorry, do you need something else?" she asked, trying to make her face not look so down - she supposed the stress of finding someone to body guard or assassinate was getting to her.

[Sublime]

It was a satisfactory day of looting for Galdrix. He had a small patched sack fully filled with the valuables of the not so fortunate who cast their shadows upon the lizardman. Yet these were mere trinkets of unluckier people in society, those living next to be bottom of the social hierarchy. As he walked the darkening streets with the sack jangling over his back he knew it was time to test his wit with something new...An inn. It caught his eye immediately as he contemplated how trivial his latest efforts have been.

It was always on the poorly kept alleys and streets that Galdrix had done his gruesome business, and it was starting to get too easy with the already small rewards quickly depleting. It was time to stop draining the poor and move on to new frontiers.

Everyone knew that in an inn there was always an adventurer or two. And adventurers always had weapons that could be sold for a pretty penny. Galdrix draws a wicked smile at the thought of ending some poor saps journey for righteousness this very day and taking their precious heirlooms. Even though chances were high that only people of little significance would bed in such a place at this very moment, he would have been content nonetheless with their coins.

And so, Galdrix tosses his jangling sack into a manhole and begins a crouched approach towards the darkened side of the inn wall facing an ally. The somewhat small figure does a short jump and grasps the jagged inn wall with clawed hands, feet getting a firm grasp as well. And so he slowly and very carefully climbs towards a window without a sound. His muddy black skin blends perfectly with the dirty inn wall and the gathering darkness, invisible to whatever patrols there would be out.

A long red tongue licks dark skin in anticipation of the possible wealth there could be within the structure.

[thewriter]

Narida felt uneasy looking over herself in the mirror that time. Her pendant's power was growing uneasy, she could feel it. The last time it did that was a few days before she broke into that...rage. The blood red stone almost glowed restlessly on its chain. moreso than before. She might swing into the next 'rage' much sooner. She looked over to the woman in front of her. By the looks of her, she didn't deserve death...it would make her feel guilty if Rage overtook her here - while most here are scoundrels and rapists that are ill-hearted people, they didn't necessarily need to die.

Neoku nudged her hand. He felt it too. "I'm sorry, I don't have long to stay here," she told the woman, feeling the urgency. "If you need something, I'll just be downstairs eating breakfast." She nodded her head to her, and went down the hall, Neoku padding closely, protectively, by her side.

[oren]

Yin watched her leave and quietly shuffled a long drifting downstairs for breakfast. She was small quiet and realized socializing was just going to land her in trouble this time around. But just to be sure that she was hacing the feeling

She sat a distance away from Narida, not sure whether she wanted to be near her or not. The woman was friendly but there was something about her that made her want to stay away from her.

The girl sat there eating her breakfast using her right hand leaving the left under her cloak. She kept to herself as most patrons did in the morning.

Every now and then she would look up and shook her head to the waitress when she asked whether she needed anything else. When the waitress left she'd taken some notice to the figure of the lizardman, taking her eyes off him, she was a little bit disturbed to see a sight like that. Shrugging it off she continued to finish her breakfast.

After an hour or so, Yin finally finished her food and drink. Paying her tab with a tip she stood up and drifted out of the inn into the dirty streets. It disgusted her a little but she was used to being around crowds of sweaty, dirty, perverted men. Of course she never wore anything that could really let them have a peek at what was under her clothing. If they were smart enough, they could just use thier imaginations. For now she had to look for a job to do.

[thewriter]

"Ready to make a scene, little brother?" she asked Neoku. He gave a solemn grunt as she stood on the table, putting on her mask. She never liked being public about things, but times were getting desperate and so was she.

"Gents and maids and patrons, I bid you lend an ear!" she called to them. Half listened. "These times are growing dangerous, and I have a feeling that some of you have a man over your shoulder that you need ended, or many men over your shoulder that you need protection from. Myself and my wolf Neoku can assure that. Since every bounty on the board seems to be taken up, I will take private bounties at my table. I bid you not be shy - thanks."

She sat back down, and went back to being introverted. They had to come to her. Her pendant was out in the open, the blood red stone ceasing its shine temporarily. Neoku sat next to her, his eyes watching those around him. He understood the deal with this.

[Sublime]

So time did indeed pass and by then Galdrix has successfully slithered through a window and without a sound released a few unfortunate souls bedded in one particular room. He had taken his time getting in, peering through many windows before choosing one whose conditions seemed the most favorable.

He now found himself standing triumphantly on one bed with iron claw hanging lazily by his side.
It three blades now shone a bright red hue.
The satisfaction the lizardman felt was immense since one of his victims had been a sun elf it seemed, one less of the troublesome race!

The group that had been quickly finished seemed to be a trio of travelers. They only thing of value they had was money, and Galdrix simply couldn't afford to have a sack of jangling coins in his belt when stealth was an important factor to be had.

Somewhere in the inn, there had to be someone asleep with something valuable to be had. With that in mind, the lizardman creeps back to the window sill and does a climb straight up to the rooftops. His tongue trembles angrily as he began to realize he had taken far too long and it was now morning! Had it not been for that, he would have done a strafing climb to the next sill.

He couldn't stop now however, one more room and he would be off to see what other opportunities there would be had this day. The only question left was how to conduct his next approach..

[thewriter]

When nobody came forward, Narida sighed and went outside to the balcony and...was that a lizardman she saw?

Neoku growled. He must have seen it too. "Shh," she told him. She donned her assassination mask and swung up on the roof silently, Neoku following, but seemingly more graceful on his paws. She saw the lizardman, and she seized up again, the blood red gem glowing brighter than ever on its lustrous silver chain. She grimaced and then was scared.

I'm almost positive that by now he's seen me, she thought to herself. Neoku seemed to understand, because despite the glowing pendant his muscles tensed and he stood by her, ready to attack if the lizardman came for them.

[Sublime]

(edited a few times, was really confusing to read earlier)

Galdrix didn't think he'd be discovered so quickly and having his shot at another looting be taken away at the same time. Surely he would be angered at one who would stand between his goals but the anger he felt escalated to hatred as he glanced upon the figures head. Though the face was hidden by a mask, he did see clearly long ears sticking out.
An elf.
His view shifted to that of her pet and knew that out in the open he wouldn't be the one with the advantage especially with a beast ally at this ones side.
After all, he specialized in combat with the element of surprise in play.

Despite being a sewer dwelling race, the lizards of the world below were quite cunning and would always take care not to create any problems for themselves by making an attack without serious speculation.
He knew that one seeing a vile race such as the sewer lizard standing at the top of an inn would mean bad news and there was no need to further draw suspicions upon him with an aggressive stance upon the being who now stood before him.
Despite all the factors in play and cautious ways of his race however, he most certainly would have attacked the elf out of hatred, possibly eliminating the only witness to his existence in the process. If it had not been for the fact that full daylight was closely approaching, he would have definitely attacked.
Without the night to protect him, he would be perfectly visible to the commoners and patrolmen who would without a doubt raise some level of alarm.

The lizardman ceases his contemplative pause. A sharp grin appears on Galdrix's half visible face and he draws a low hiss filled laugh. He decided the best thing to do would be to let this one figure out what a lizardman was doing at the roof of an inn.

With that, Galdrix leaps backwards into the air and quickly propels himself into a rapid somersault. His figure quickly darkens as he drops below into an alley.

If the elf chose to pursue, he knew very well where to lead her.

[Warklaw]

Out of the numerous drunkards at the tavern, there was one who seemed unaffected by the mead here. The man was tall, just under seven feet, long wolf-like hair hung down to the middle of his back. He wore nothing but wolf pelts, the pelts I'd Daemon Wolves that haunt the mountains in the twilight.

A little wolf pup sat at his iron clad feet, waiting patiently for a slab of meat. Ayerwulf had tracked the elf assassin here for a reason he knew not. The Wolf Spirit can cloud judgment, yes; but it felt almost as if he had known this woman from ages ago, he had childhood memories of suck like her, maybe-' no, no. It must be the ale talking. All three pints must be catching up with me.' he thought to himself. But, as most werewolves of the Warklaw pack know, when something smart can't be done, then do something that is the right thing to do...So with a heavy swag from his ale horn and a deep breath, he beganto approach the elf maiden.

[thewriter]

((just to let you know warklaw, Narida and her wolf are on the roof, tracking the lizardman))

Narida grinned. Oh, she knew this game. She knew that the lizardman was going to oh-so-cunningly lead her down to the depths and enact his great plan on her then. She'd had to kill so many corrupt lizardmen before it wasn't even worth her time to count. She merely clicked her tongue, a cue to Neoku. the great wolf nodded, and as she dashed after him, he stayed momentarily and howled.

Unlike most wolves, this howl was much longer and despite the low tone it was very loud and sounded very majestic - but that made sense. After almost ninety years of practice, one would be sure to get it right. When three howls sounded, he raced off to join Narida in hot pursuit of the lizardman. And if Narida's hunch that the man with the wolf pup was following her, the wolf pup would hear and either respond or try to follow the sound.

And then would come its master. which will make things much more interesting, thought Narida.

[Sublime]

The lizardman hears the sound of the elf landing some distance away and peers over his shoulder. No longer was he grinning, a scornful look of detestation now filled his dusky face. He was almost positive that she would let him be on his way while he was still on the rooftop.
But no.

Galdrix was a creature whose life was greatly shaped by spite.
Most humans and elves always killed the so called "lesser races" without giving them much of a chance. Was that not the very reason there was so much hate between the "ungoodly" races and those who think of themselves as righteous? Galdrix knew he would probably never figure out what started the cycle of hatred but what he did know was that he was living a life of vengeance and would live till the end.
All who regarded the lesser races of the world would have to be put to be blade, no distinction would be made between the guilty and the innocent. Never.

And so, now he had an elf hunting him down who probably didn't even care if he murdered or not. There was no logical way it could have known anyways. It probably wouldn't have even mattered if she knew he hadn't. They would always think a world with a sewer lizard less, would be a better world indeed.

Galdrix Miremaul's eyes harden with resolve. He draws his hook rope, holding the gaterskin loops of rope in one hand, and the segment with the hook attached in the other.
This was the lizards weapon of choice. He was very skilled in wielding it and was quickly able to make the hook spin at a blurring speed over his head without slowing down his run. He had only held the hook segment for two seconds before being able to release it into a twirling motion.


There were various of crude containers filled with trash on the walls of this section of the ally and he figured he could use just a bit more distance between the elf.
His twirling hand suddenly snaps over his shoulder and he lets loose the hook rope forward to the side.
The hook curves into a cluster of old trash containers with impressive velocity and it impales into one, thus sending the containers behind it flying. The sudden lashing of the hook created a strong, less than a second long gust of air into Galdrix's face that he was all too familiar. Quickly the role swings right, angling a lot of the airborne trash behind, to tumble into the elf.
Some containers still have not reached the ground as the small mass was forced behind him.
It was a pretty pointless move that wouldn't create much of an advantage but he would enjoy knowing that a few unpleasant things would soil the elfs clothes. He didn't care that much if the agile thing would avoid the tumbling containers, having its pride hurt mattered more to Galdrix.
A lash with the rope releases the grasp the hook had on the garbage and it is sent over the lizards head and with a few quick spins to steady it out, he places the hook back in hand.

The old dockside was now in view and the lizardman speeds out of the filthy alleyway, into the daylight. There would be little room for error here.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf spoke to Nalva in Woltongue, telling her to follow him from the streets below. After taking one last, large swig from his ale horn, he ran off. Unclasping the lock on one of his throwing axes, he pulled it from his belt, prepared for anything. His thick, muscular legs carried Ayerwulf quickly to a stack of storage crates and with one powerful jump, leapt to the top of the stack, then onto the roof of a building. The last Lycan of the Warklaw tribe turned his nose to the air, and sniffed at the wind, the wind current favored him and brought the scent's he wanted to his attention. The elf and her wolfen familiar where chasing a reptilian kin creature. Then he heard the howl of an elder wolf, it made his heart flutter, knowing that Nalva wasn't the only one left of her kind, the Skollrym mountain wolves. Ayersulf curiosity was bubbling like the ale in his stomach, 'who in the name of Fenrir are you...' he thought.

Ayerwulf ran and jumped across the tops of the tightly packed buildings towards the elf maiden in pursuit of the reptilian. Her nimble form moved gracefully opposed to his titanic form. He picked up his pace, he was familiar with this woman, but he didn't know why. 'I need to know who you are, woman."

[thewriter]

"I suggest you move," she told him as she rolled off the roof just before the brunt of the trash that was sent towards her hit - though some hit, it was no matter to her. "And introductions can wait - a thief is getting away. I have no intention of killing him, but I have a feeling that he has different intentions for his targeted victims - help me out, and then I will answer your questions."

She then discovered Neoku sniffing the wolf pup that was with this man - the poor thing looked scared of him, but with great reason she thought. Neoku was huge for a wolf - she could ride him like a horse if she needed to. "Little brother, make friends later, we have a job!" You could hear him grunt, but he nodded in friendship, not obedience and joined her.

"He's throwing himself in daylight - not the smartest move on his part, but it just means he's planning something," she told this man following her, walking at a brisk pace in his direction. "Whatever you do, don't make a big scene unless he does." With that she too stepped openly into daylight, her keen eyes searching for him.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf sees the flying trash but just curls himself up into a tackle formation and takes it head on, he stumbles a but, but his Wolf Spirit helps him regain his balance. He looks to the elf with surprise, then smiles, barring his wolf-like teeth,

"Oi, I was hoping to have some fun. But as you wish, M'lady." Ayerwulf slowed his pace to a brisk walk like the elf maiden had told him to. He was a berserker, not an assassin. She looked like the assassin type, and certainly acted like she knew what she was talking about, so he swallowed his pride and did as he was told. The last Lycan of his tribe put his throwing axe back and instead placed his right hand on the ancient two handed claymore broadsword, ready to strike like a wolf on a fleeing steer. His eyes narrowed, zeroing in on his prey. He noticed the lizardman's weapon and how proficient he was with it,

'If i can get close enough early and swiftly, this should be nothing more than a good laugh.' Ayerwulf thought to himself.

[thewriter]

"By the way, you are not to kill him," She told the man behind her softly. Suddenly, after the bustle of noise filled around them, she let out a small whistle. Neoku padded forward, to the right of the man. Silently Narida went to the left, signaling the big man to stay center. They were to steer this one back into the alley, and go down the path they wished. She could not kill him for Neoku, for he had no hair, so she would merely have to give this lizardman a good scolding - and maybe some information on where to find her next job.

She noted Neoku attempting to turn back to the wolf pup, but she let go a shortened whistle, and he was back. She honestly did not understand him. He's seen wolf pups before, why was this one so different? She eyed the wolf pup's master carefully through her bone white mask. He was not the only one who was curious....

[Sublime]

When Galdrix burst into the daylight he took his attention off his pursuers and darted his eyes about.
His view shifted to the ground and to the docks in the horizon.
He makes a decision and does not look look forward again, and focuses on the street.

...And there it was. A manhole. The sewer lizard knew the...well... sewers very well obviously and this manhole would lead to one of the many particularly dangerous parts of the sewers for those not accustomed to living there. For Galdrix of course even the most unwelcoming of tunnels were easy living and this was the way to a particularly useful spot for hiding in.

He does a quick long-jump to the lid and lifts it up easily with his claws. By now some fishermen and a patroller noticed him from the distance but that didn't matter now.
He takes one last look at where he came from and does a little wave to his pursuers before taking a hop into the dark and scampering off.
Galdrix slows himself, wanting to have the elf catch up so she can see him...and then lead her to an unpleasant fate. He kept enough distance between himself and the entrance to make it seem as his he was a mere silhouette from afar to anyone coming in.

This particular tunnel had a rushing stream of water running through the center with the slippery sidewalks being only wide enough for one person. There were candle lamps by the entrance ladder and the light they gave would surely diminish as one would travel further into the depths.
As the lizard steadily makes a crouched approach to the section he seeked a thought suddenly disturbed him.

A minute ago when he turned to wave before entering the sewer he could have sworn he saw a wickedly fast beast thing...much bigger than the elf's wolf companion.
He decided to shake off the thought however, the advantage he would gain in the room would let him take on more than one for sure. And, the bigger the enemy, the better. Tall individuals would find the eternally mud-green land particularly difficult to traverse as some passageways were quite tight.

And if they didn't follow him into foul smelling place, then it would be another successful escape. He figured they would be too claustrophobic to pursue even further perhaps..

[thewriter]

Narida cursed as he slid down the manhole. Neoku grunted, but did not persist. "Damned sewers...I was trying to keep him away from there. There are some rather nasty beasties down there, and he doesn't seem worth the risk if you get me." But still, the anger that she let one of her targets go was simmering.

He's not worth it - he isn't a target for an assassination, and he has no hair so what good would he be? She told herself. In plus - he saw that gem around your neck. If he is as greedy as it seems he is, he'll be back. It's almost a guarantee.

Still bitter she turned to this man and made sure the mask was still tight across her face. She did not trust this man, no matter how much he appeared a friend. He had to earn her trust. "Don't think I've forgotten you - you've been following me for two fortnights now. Did you think I wouldn't notice a seven foot tall man garbed in the skins of my companion's brothers following with a pup? Is that your plan, to take his skin too? Perhaps that's why that pup is still alive, doesn't have enough skin worth taking." Neoku, knowingly disregarding what she was saying, went forward and sniffed at the pup more.

She looked at the wolf angrily. "You annoy me sometimes little brother..." she told him. All she got was a short grunt that basically said And you don't?.

She sighed and pointed her face up to the man's again. "Either way, don't think that because you have a pup of your own means I trust you. If you want my name and ancestry, you need to prove to me your worthy of knowing."

[Warklaw]

Ayersulf smiled, his extraordinary canine teeth glinting in the sunlight. His smile truned to a scornful snarl as he saw the lizardman retreat into the sewers. He swore in his beastly native tongue, then looked to the elfen woman,

"I am sure there are some nasty beasties down there, but do you want your prey to escape? My senses are much more acute than yours, I can track him in the tunnels," He looked to his wolf-sister, Nalva and how she had the attention of the elder wolf, then he looked to the elf assassin, "Nalva knows were I am, always. Follow her and she will lead you to me, I'll have your little geko when you get there. That a solid enough plan for 'ye?"

[thewriter]

She sighed and shook her head. "Did you hear NOTHING of what I just said?! and how do you expect to fit down there? Even I have to hunch down some in those tunnels, and your a full two feet taller at least! He'll be back...his kind are greedy for gems and jewels - which I have." she put her fingers protectively to her amulet.

"I honestly don't know why I went after him - yes he's a thief, but the people I kill must deserve death, and have hair that I can chop off - I never heard of someone dying for stealing a few gemstones, and lizardfolk are hairless, being lizards. And like I said, I've got a pretty stone. I know he wants it. I know he'll come back. Personally, I prefer my ground to his - his is a greater challenge, and not worth it if i don't get anything out of it."

Narida whistled to Neoku. "So you can either tell me who you are right now, and why you've been following me, or I leave this town seeing to make sure you don't follow. I won't have someone on my tail that I know nothing about, you understand?"

when Neoku came trotting up, the little one was carefully placed in his mouth - like wolves do when they protect the babes of the pack. "No wonder you were the Beta of your pack - I always wondered till now," she thought aloud. "You act like a mother wolf with all the cubs you've seen of your kind." Neoku gave her an indignant grunt, but set about grooming the small one nonetheless.

"You know Neoku, your not exactly helping me out here," she pointed out. He shrugged it off, and kept at his work. Narida sighed. "Fine. As soon as I can persuade my wolf-brother to leave. You have that long to tell me who you are and why you have been following me."

[Sublime]

Galdrix taps his foot on the moist, squishy floor. Its tiles were long filled with algae-like growth.

Perhaps they were waiting for him to come out, with their weapons raised readily above the manhole.
Or perhaps they called it quits.

But Galdrix couldn't take that chance.
He figured that he would just take a route to a manhole that would lead to a secluded place on the overworld. There was still profit to be made..

With thoughts of treasure entering his mind once more as he strode towards a side tunnel, he suddenly stops.
There was something about that elf...
Something...nice...
Something...shiny!

Though he had only had a few seconds to glance at the elf during the confrontation, he almost didn't notice that red sparkle on her neck. He had quite the eye for gems, but was too caught up in the moment to completely notice it hanging down her vest..

The lizardmans already thin pupils widen within his now bulging eyes.

Galdrix couldn't even begin to imagine what a fine cut the jewel must be up close...within his scaly claws. With that in minds he runs off on all fours through the tunnel and leaps towards a run-off opening on top of a ledge.

As he splashes through the tunnel towards the light, little red stars dance throughout all corners of his mind.

[thewriter]

Under ground, she could feel he was rushing. He realized it now. Neoku felt it as well, and stopped grooming the pup, instead pulling it under his forelegs protectively, growling. Under her mask, Narida smirks.

"I told you he'd be back - this time he fights my ground," She said, drawing her stiletto. "So - are you still with me?"

[Warklaw]

"Judging by your scent, I would say you are a Beast Elf; the way you have Neoku under your thumb," Ayerwulf let out a hearty laugh when he saw his little wolf-sister getting tended to by the elf maiden's much larger lupine counterpart, "...a shame." Ayersulf finished, walking slowly and confidently towards her, until he had to look down at her.

"I remember, when I was but a lad, your kin and my tribe had a pact. Our people both served Terra, we both care for the wolfen kind. If you are indeed a Beast Elf, lassie, then you must know of the 30 Day Hunt, the systematic extinction of my people and most of Neoku and Nalva's kind." Ayerwulf reached into his right bracer and pulled out a necklace. Upon a simple sinew string was a large fang with runes engraved on the slick ivory surface.

"I usually don't even let those I tru- used to trust, hold this," he tossed the runes engraved necklace to the Elf, ", but I thought an artist would recognize her work...and her student. I hope your reprutation favors you; rember around forty some- odd years ago, before the hunt? The little lad that was no taller than your thighs that wanted to know everything about fighting? Well here he is again..." Ayerwulf's face went from joious to solemn as he eyed his necklace,

"That rune-fang, along with the eleven others your kind made for us, have vanished. By finding you, I thought I could help you, and in return, you help me. Those artifacts can be worth thousands to a trained eye, like our scaly friend scampering down in the sewers." Ayerwulf reaches out his massive clawed hand in a friendly invite for a handshake, "but I could be mistaken, I am running my theory off of scent alone, if I...if I could see your face, I would know, for the face of the beast elf that I know of can never be forgotten."

[thewriter]

Suddenly, Narida forgot the lizardman. She forgot her surroundings, all of it. She took the runes on the fangs and examined them closely, looking from him, to the runes, to the wolf, then back to the runes.

"Ayer?" She said in disbelief. Narida couldn't be more astonished if her people came marching down the streets hugging and welcoming every person that passed. "That little....you mean...little Ayer?!" The amulet at her throat pulsed when the runes neared it -signaling the pact made those years ago. And then the mask was off.

Her face was a pretty one, that was for sure. In fact, that never changed. She had been feral, unruly, wild, angry, loved and unloved, neutral, happy, sad, but through it all, through her ragged, unfitting armor and scared hands and body, her face remained untouched. Eyes as gray as ghosts were her trademark among her people's bright blues, greens and golds. She had dark skin that accented her platinum hair, held back in a tightly braided bun(though currently it was messy. Her long ears held no piercings, but with how they framed the face it didn't even seem necessary.

"What the hell happened to you?" She asked, still completely dumbfounded. "You had to have grown five feet at least! When did you...what did you..." At this point, Narida just shut up and paced a little, still in disbelief. Her normally cool and inward composure was gone. But her face was there for him to see.

[Warklaw]

When Ayerwulf saw her face, all his doubts hadbeen smashed. He could find that face among all the people in Althanas. He even recognized Neoku, the same wolf that would treat him like he was treating Nalva now. His old-but-still-young master's question caught him off guard, but he answered nonetheless,

"M'lady Narida...at around the time the noble Beast Elves started to vanish, I thought and feared that you where among them. I became angry, you know more than most that my family died soon after I was born. With you gone, without your guidance, I felt Destroyer Wolf within me, I could feel Fenrir within my soul. The Wolf Spirit did this to me. After my first Change, I stopped aging, I...I ... I have killed so many..." Ayerwulf fell to a knee, he felt as if a tremendous weight had been taken from his shoulders, leaving him weightless. Ayerwulf drew his tribe's most sacred and destructive artifact, his sword, Fenrir's Fang. The blue-grey-black of the blade was surrounded in a fog, the humid air around the blade was freezing. The Last Lycan placed the tip of the Fang onto the ground and knelt. The ground beneath the blade began to fog and turn white under a cobweb of etheral ice. Ayerwulf looked into her stunning eyes and cited the solem truth,

"M'lady..." the next words pained him totell her, "I am a Wulfen...a Forsaken. I am a werewolf, the worst there is..." Ayerwulf could do little more than bow his head, like a wolf, presenting its neck to an alpha.

[thewriter]

Narida's shock was subsiding, and her eyes were now as level and calm as they had been forty years ago, when as part of the pact between beast elves and lycans bid her take up one of their whelps. She was with this one a few years, she remembered, but never expected such a fate for such a wonderfully sweet boy.

"These times have grown rough on more than coin purses I see..." She said. Yet even though she was normally stone cold, hard, here little Ayer was kneeling in front her as if to ask for his head to be cut from it. Yet even so, she could no longer call him little. He was kneeling before her and his head was still very close to hers.

"I suppose you want me to condemn you for such," She said with a sigh. "Or perhaps feel guilty for leaving when I did? Or be ashamed for what you have become or what has clouded your mind?"

Neoku gave her a look that said Your being too harsh again.
She shot a look of her own back that said I know what I'm doing.

"But," She continued after the pause, "I am not to say any of that. All I have to say to you is..." Her hand gently found a place on the top of his head. "...Did you forget the thousands of times I spanked you as a boy for calling me 'M'lady'?"

[Sublime]

Galdrix emerges from the tunnel finding himself on the sea side with the sewer stream being dumped right into the water.

The sun light was a grim reminder of the need to stay out of view.

He reaches for a convieniently placed growth along the port wall and scrambles up.

He had not moved very far from the man hole it seemed, because as he poked his head up a little over the wall he was still able to see the elf in the distance beside the manhole.

..Along with a very large ally it seemed.

Galdrix's hope of obtaining the jewel plummeted. He figured he would he'd do them a little hurt to make up for the dissapointment.

He fully climbed up the wall, grabbed a sharp-edged rock off the ground and hurled it at the unnoticing elf's neck. Because of his skill with throwing a hook, his skill with throwing a mere rock would be even better of course. By the way she stood it seemed that the last thing on her mind was him.

Also one would not see a very fast travelling rock that was seconds away from meeting it mark below the head as it was a good distance down ones line of sight.

[thewriter]

By the time Neoku or Narida saw the rock it was too late to duck. The treasured moment of reuniting with her loved pupil, one of the last living people she trusted other than Neoku, was shattered. The most Narida could do was get the sharp point away from her jugular. Instead, it grazed the edge, just missing the main artery and sent her tumbling down coughing.

"To me, Neoku!" She said in a raspy voice. The rock had hit her voice box on its way to her throat. She grabbed at the pendant protectively, feeling it pulse.

You see that shine it gives? That pretty red one? That means you'll die soon. She thought bitterly.

She reached for her mask and put it on quickly. "We need to get in broad daylight - the center of town. Now," She told Ayerwulf. "Trust me - he gets his prey in the shadows."

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf savored her touch, it had been so long since he had felt peace, when she mention her 'disciplinary' he even laughed, he hadn't done that in decades; not without malicious roots, anyway. When he heard the sharp crack of rock on bone, he knew it wasn't his, when he heard the closest thing he had to family fall back and cry for her familiar, the Red Tide rose.

"Narida? Master...MASTER?!" The beautiful elf maiden lay there on the sandy ground, clutching her amulet. Ayerwulf had fought against Rage his whole life, he had to suppress the Destroyer Wolf within, for the sake of the innocent... but now, the innocent could burn in Hell with that scaly bastard and Ayerwulf after he is done here.

"You... you heartless BASTARD! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE? YOUR FATE IS NOW SEALED! YOU SIGNED YOUR DEATH WITH NARIDA'S BLOOD!" Ayerwulf felt his skin tingle, his teeth hurt, his bones seemed to shake... the Change. Lycan's where never supposed to Change in broad daylight, but it finally dawned on him... Narida and her Amulet. 'Come then, Fenrisulfur... fill me with Wrath and wretched Hate. Take me to Hell when I am done...but let me devour this being's soul and flesh!' His voice echoed within his head.

Ayerwulf fell to his knees, his vision became coated in red... the Red Tide... the feared Berserk Fury of his ancestors. Ayerwulf stabbed Fenrir's Fang into the earth, causing it to freeze. His eyes burned with a golden-yellow, feral, hate of the lizardman and all his kind.

"You killed... the closest thing... I ever had... to ... a ... FAMILY... FOR A GODDAMNED GEM!!!" Ayerwulf leapt up to the lizardman with a single bound, swinging his claws, and biting down with his still changing face, becoming a feral muzzle with teeth like daggers. The last Lycan slowly was becoming larger and larger. His hands had become talons, his legs wolfish. When he stared into the lizardman's eyes, he found only one shred of happiness in the tide of this battle... the only way he would be remotely content... is to have his blood on his tongue, his flesh in his gut, and his blood matting his fur.
Ayerwulf howled a long and hateful song of death to his opponent, letting him know only a fraction of the horrors that await him. He howled these last words before slashing his steel hard and razor sharp claws across the reptilian's torso,

"I PROMISE YOU THIS MUCH, I WILL DRINK THE BLOOD FROM YOUR HEART! I WILL CRUSH ALL YOU CHERISH, KILL ALL YOU LOVE, AND DESTROY ALL THAT IS DEAR TO YOU, AND YOU WILL WATCH!!! Those where the last words he spoke, then the Red Tide and the Wulfen Madness took over. He would not relent nor falter. This was not Ayerwulf, this was The Hunter... the essence of hatred and bloodshed... his curse...his gift.

[Sublime]

Galdrix smiled triumphantly when he saw his hated foe fall. He didn't think he'd score such a wonderful hit.
That smile faded substantially however when the large wolf-like thing began sputtering nonsense at him and appearing to be bulging with anger.

Before the throw he knew he would have to immediately retreat when it was done to not deal with this unforeseen enemy.

The beasts tantrum was all the time he needed to execute a quick back flip over the edge of the wall. Though the wolfmans leap was quite impressive in length, a distance like that simply gave Galdrix just enough time to react.

In the air, looking at the beast who was just a few inches away and shredding into empty space, Galdrix manages to stick his tongue above his lip mockingly before making a small splash into the sea. He just couldn't risk sticking the whole thing out directly.

The lizardman descended close to two meters and waded back a little while staring at the surface. He drew his iron claw. Galdrix's tail also moves towards his cutlass scabbard. He had a feeling the crazed creature would not stand for not collecting a single bit of blood on his claws and pursue him into the depths...where the lizardman had all the advantages.

Unlike most races who were unaccustomed to water, the sewer lizards attack mobility was barely hindered at all by liquid as it was an environment where they had fought for centuries within.

Galdrix crosses his iron claw close and tenses his tail, ready for something big to come crashing down through the glassy, and ever delicate ceiling.

[Warklaw]

The Hunter howled up to the sky, even though Luna was not there. This was not the Ode to Luna, this howl was the Song of Sorrows. Ayerwulf the Hunter had lived in darkness, been exposed to this one light, then to have that light smashed by a rock. The Red Tide rose further when the lizardman leapt out of the way and mocked him with his vile tongue. The Hunter was a different warrior all together, but it's intelligence was beyond that of any mortal's comprehension of wickedness.
The twelve foot tall Garou, fur black as the abyss, eyes like burning coals, looked to the rippling water angrily, but he was not an idiot; the town guard attacking him, was. The Hunter thrashed at the bystander until he was no longer recognizable, then, he threw the corpse into the water. The Hunter found anything with blood; cattle, sheep, dogs, guard, anything. He tore a major artery and then lobbed them into the now-crimson water. The lizardman could breath water, yes, but blood, no.

With another feral howl, he tore apart cargo containers and threw them into the sea. When he came across a ship's armory, with heavy cannonballs stacked, ready for use, the wicked intelligence of The Hunter rose again. The Lizardman was expecting him to swim towards him, he should learn, never try and over-predict and underestimate your enemy at the same time.

Ayerwulf's new, massive claws picked up the cassonball as it it where half it's initial weight. He climbed to the top of one of the cranes at the docks, he could see and hear the bubbles rising, from the oxygen escaping from pockets in the lizardman's clothing and skin.

He jumped.

The cannonball served as a massive weight, pulling the gargantuan werewolf down to his prey, Ayerwulf, or The Hunter, have never broken a promise.

[thewriter]

Narida stood, holding Nalva in one hand, while the other hand was protectively around the amulet. Nalva noticed the blood trickling down her neck from where the rock had grazed her, and licked the wound.

Narida sighed with a small smile. "You'll make a great battle-companion one day," She said in a quiet, raspy voice. She saw Neoku and Ayer go berserk on the thief as soon as she was struck down, so didn't quite feel like she was needed. But as she saw Ayer howl twice, and then...

..."Ya'hana Qin'tii..." She muttered in her home language. "I didn't teach you that..."

[Warklaw]

The Hunter sank and sank...the water was as wine. Then, as if the words of a spirit passed through him, he heard Narida's voice,

'I didn't teach you that..." The words calmed him, brought him back to his humanity... slowly. As he descended, he changed back to the Ayerwulf only one person knew as a friend. He was about to abandon his pursuit, but he saw the bastard, sitting there, seemingly gagging on the blood-filled water. Ayerwulf swam harder than he ever had, his massive muscles worked at optimum capacity to carry him to the coward,

A sharp blade crossed his chest, the lizardman's sword, again, again, and again. He was moving too fast for Ayerwulf to dodge, so Ayerwulf waited. On the sixth strike, he grabbed the reptile's wrist and stared into the lidless eyes. Ayerwulf looked like a daemon from hell, the sun shone behind him, making him a dark silhouette, the water shone red around him. But his eyes, his eyes where still that hateful hellstone amber color, that burned with the desire for revenge and the thrill of the hunt. Ayerwulf continued to apply pressure on the wrist. He barred his lupine teeth and lunged his right hand foreword towards the reptile's chest,

'I always keep a promise...' He thought

[Sublime]

Galdrix didn't expect the thing to actually go around and start going on a murder spree. He descended further into colder blue upon seeing the first corpse drop and descended even further upon seeing many bodies of different things alive just a moment ago fall through. The blood filled water was noticeably causing discomfort but it became more and more diluted at a further depth.

He quickly reached the sandy floor and looked up to see cannonballs and various items crashing through the now harder to see surface and eventually a very large dark shape quickly descended. To kill so much in such a short time..

Galdrix figured that the thing really did want to kill him no matter the cost. He didn't feel that trying to take this one on would be worth it with that in mind and rockets off further away from the port wall to the open sea. There was a reef gathering in the distance, a good place to think and even ambush if need be. But he didn't figure the wolf thing would go to that great of a length just to draw some blood.

If he escaped from the beast now then he would have to do a lot of thinking indeed on how to defeat a powerful enemy such as this in the future. But if the crazed thing pursued even further, to where the water was clean and not filled with falling objects then once again he'd be the one at a big advantage.

It annoyed Galdrix how these new enemies kept taking away his advantages, the only times he fought was when HE had the edge.

[thewriter]

"The thief had to have given up his hunt after that..." Narida said out loud. Neoku came by her side, licking her hand in the comfort that she was alright.

"Come back! That's enough, I'm safe, come back!" She tried to call, but her voice was still recovering. She looked to Nalva and Neoku. "Can you call him back for me?"

Neoku nodded And yipped something clear and loud in his language - which she was positive he knew.

"Gods be good, you've grown..." she whispered to herself, trying to replace the giant of a man she saw today with the little child she taught all those years ago. It didn't work. But she had to grin.

I still need to smack him for calling me 'M'lday'. Honestly, how many times did I have to do that in his training?

[Warklaw]

The Lizardman got away, again. He was about to pursue but a chilling howl gripped him and tugged him back as if it where a leash. It was Neoku, and Nalva. They sang not the song of sorrow, but the song of return. Narida was alive, then. He offered his thanks and praise up to Fenrir, then swam to the surface.

Ayerwulf stepped out of the bloody water, the deluded red fluid ran down the creases in his muscles. The wounds from the lizerdman's sword were already starting to heal. Without missing a beat he ran over to Narida, picked up his hefty cloak, and wrapped it around her. He could smell her blood, the sweet scent of her blood. Ayerwulf moved her silky soft, silver hair aside so he could survey the wound. For being a wound sustained from a rock, it was quite severe, if she hadn't moved when she did, her spine might have been cracked or her jugular burst.

"Master Narida, You are alright?" She seemed to nod, but Ayerwulf was not sure whether it was an affirmative or if she was slipping from him. Ayerwulf had never been so concerned for anyone other than Nalva, he felt strange. With a hot flush in his head, he asked,

"Master, can you walk? I can carry you to an inn." Ayerwulf bent down so he could look her in the eyes. Unbeknownst to Ayerwulf, his eyes were not the dashing blue they once where, but the hellstone amber. The Curse was spreading, but he didn't care. His care was to his kind, and now, his kind where Narida, Nalva, and Neoku. He would protect them like any Pack Hunter would.

[thewriter]

She looked up at his amber eyes and had to laugh. It was the first time in a long time that she has done so, but she did. "It was a graze on the neck, and your wondering if I can walk? She took from her pack some gauze and bandage and tied it around her neck. "There, all better. My voice will be a tad hoarse for a while, but I'm otherwise fine. I don't think your mighty teacher will be so easily ended."

She put down Nalva, who returned to Neoku. With that done, she smacked him across the arm. "And do you remember all those times I hit you for calling me things like 'Master' and 'M'lady'? its Narida, silly boy."

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf was relieved to see the wound was less severe than it sounded; he looked towards the red shore, still wondering where his prey was, then he felt a herd slap across his upper arm, which barely budges. He darted his head back to Narida, she wore her beautiful smile and shook a finger at him.

"Yes Ma- uh... Narida. I meant no disrespect, i meant the opposite." Ayerwulf pulled Fenrir's Fang from the frozen patch of earth and placed it into the scabbard on his back. He understood how Narida must have felt offended by Ayerwulf's concern, but he couldn't help it,

"Narida... I-I am sorry...if I offended you by overreacting. It's just- It's just that you, Narida, are the closest thing I have ever had to family," Nalva looked up at him and gave him a hurtful growl, "besides Nalva, of course." Nalva smiled and went back to whatever she was doing with Neoku. "If anything happened to you, Neoku would not be the only one devastated. My entire clan would be doomed. I could care less about my clan, for I am my clan; but if you went, I would be lost again. I never want to be lost," Ayerwulf leaned back against a wall and slowly slid down, curling up into a ball, placing his hands over his head, "I never want to be lost...with Hunter...inside my head." The last Lycan did something that he hadn't done in about forty years, he cried.

[Sublime]

Galdrix reaches the edges of the reef and takes a seat on a barnacled stone. He places his palm in his chin and thinks about what has happened on this day.

It had never happened before and it was confusing. He had never encountered these wolf-ish elves before.

It began with what he thought to be a fighter of justice pursuing him and soon to be joined by what was no doubt an ally. He understood perfectly well the ways of the goodly races in hunting the not so good ones...everything up to the point of when he retreated to the ocean seemed clear.

But what didn't make sense to him was the unexpected allies actions. If these were so called "fighters of justice" then why did that large beastly figure begin to hurl in the bleeding bodies of the dead and dying into the sea to draw him out? The murder of innocents just so that the beastly thing could enact revenge upon the lizard for hurting his friend with a rock..

Thats what didn't make sense. Were these really allies of justice? Was the large wolf mans actions justifiable for this beast elf race? He wondered..

If the crazy things actions were of no consequence from his ally then what was the point of them chasing him down for the reason of him ending life? Surely the wolf man was the greater murderer than Galdrix for exploding into such unspeakable violence. At least the lizardman had a reason to end life, for riches and for vengeance.

As he pondered his thoughts curved into a whole new realm. What was this he was thinking...why. He had never had thoughts of the ending of life to be suddenly seemed as unrighteous. The lizardman always killed without remorse but now that he saw the efforts of the wolfman come crashing through the surface of the water..

Galdrix shakes his head a tiny amount. Too much has happened in one day. It was now time to rest.

[thewriter]

Narida did not know what to do here. The last time he cried in front of her, she had to smack him and tell him the matter was nothing to cry over. Yet there was that time, she did comfort him. When hope of his clan was dwindling, and he needed hope.

She looked at the man in front of her, curled against a wall and weeping, and saw the innocent little boy again, crying over a hurt or a loss or a worry or a this or a that. It was a wonder why Narida never planned on bearing a child anytime soon.

Yet still, it pained her that she was all he had left. Cautiously, she came forward, knelt down beside him, and put her arms as far around his shoulders as she could manage and leaned her head on his back. "Shh, little lad," Narida said, the same way she did all those years ago. "Night is darkest just before the sun rises."

Neoku and Nalva laid down by them as well.

[Warklaw]

There Ayerwulf was, weeping; weeping like a stricken laddie. He would have been disgusted with himself, he would have felt ashamed showing any weakness, but there he was sobbing, the tears burning as they passed through the long unused tear ducts. He flinched at Narida's touch, but then relaxed, wrapping his arms, thicker than her legs, softly and gently around her, to return the caring embrace, 'Forty years,' he thought, forty years since I have been shown compassion. Forty years... since..., Ayerwulf moves one hand to his chest, feeling his heart, '... since I have felt this warmth in my chest.' The last Lycan couldn't help but feel hopeless and lost. He was so confused, by a chance his life had been scattered and turned many different ways.

"Narida... I-I... am sorr-" His words where cut from his tongue when he saw his hands, no longer did they represent a human's hands. The veins bulges to a painfully looking extent, the knuckles seemed like they where about to break through his skin. Then, at the end of his hands, not nails, but claws; midnight black claws, still dripping with blood.

This was the closest thing to love that Ayerwulf had ever experienced, it sparked light in him, only to have The Hunter's murderous shadow cast over it, he was seeing things, he was seeing Narida, Neoku, and Nalva... al of them dead. Slashed across the torso by black steel claws, pulled in half, but Narida was in the hands of The Hunter, limp, with the twelve foot tall Garou biting down on her neck, slurping at the blood.

Ayerwulf clasped his eyes shut, his mind burned and his soul ached. His heart was pained, like a dagger of ice had cut it to ribbons. He just held Narida close and tightened his hug lightly, his lips curling, dry blood cracked and flaked from his skin.

"... I am sorry, Narida. I have failed you... in so many ways."

[thewriter]

She shook her head. "Did I teach you nothing?" She scolded him. "You were cursed - so? I am cursed! everyone on this planet is cursed at some point in their life - some more noticeable than others. Boys did not become men by weeping over their mistakes and telling their masters how the failed them. You can only fail me if you do nothing about it! Every single curse has a counter to cure it. I don't give a damn WHAT the books of lore tell you, there is a way! What do you think my gray eyes are? Some Genetic Mutation? No. These eyes are a curse. I don't know what the cure to it is, or what its' effects are - but that's what I'm trying to find out! The only lead I have is that gray eyes symbolize dead spirits - hence why my village people named me Ryah Ya'kii, or 'Living Ghost'. The point is, is that every curse can be cured. Instead of fearing what will happen, act on your own. Whatever demon possesses you, you are stronger than it. If you are not, then I obviously did not do my job very well when teaching you."

She stood and offered a hand to his 'claw'. "Now are you going to start looking for the cure or not?" Neoku nodded in agreement, howling the Song of Challenge. Nalva tried to join, but this one was much more complicated and would take many years to perfect.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf couldn't help but smile at his mentor, no matter how many times she used that speech, it put him back on his feet, ready to run. He even chuckled when Nalva tried singing with Neoku. Ayerwulf took Narida's outstretched hand, his wrapping around it completely. Despite her wiry and graceful frame, Narida had strength in those lean limbs, she helped Ayerwulf to his feet, he rubbed his eyes, they burned from the tears and the Warrior's Eye; the burning amber and overall lupine demeanor of his eyes when he was overcome with extreme emotions. He clapped her on the shoulder lightly, to him it was light, anyway,

"Narida, I don't think myself or even my entire pack could repay you for all you have done for us." He smiled kindly, something not many people see.

[thewriter]

"Then don't repay me, if you can't - instead, just stop sitting and start doing - these runed fangs of yours, do they have a connection to the curse?" She asked him abruptly. And the mentor in her was back in action.

"Tell you what - I'll make you a deal then, my little pup," She told him. "I'll stay with you and try to help rid you of your curse if you do for mine, ay? It oughta work - and I haven't done anything exciting in a long, long time now."

She casually scratched behind Neoku's ear.

[Warklaw]

Ayerwulf smiled at his mentor's confidence and bravado, no wonder where he got if from. Ayerwulf hissed lightly and Nalva was at his side, wagging her tail softly. He looked from wolf, to wolf, to elf.

"Yes, Narida. These Rune Fangs have a very strange magikal potential. They are said to be made by Fenrir himself. If they can all be united and dealt with in the proper shamanistic ritual, it could not lift my curse, for it is part of my blood and soul. Although, it is said to raise my kin from the ashes of death and they will flourish. Personally, it all seems too fairy-tale-ish to me; there has to be a significant sacrifice involved. But that is a sacrifice I will gladly make."

[Taskmienster]

This thread has been sitting for a full year. Since no response has been made to create activity I am going to be moving this. If you would like it to be reopened please feel free to PM myself or another staff member and they will be able to move it for you back to Scara Brae.