darkSpyro

Despite being a very faint sound, Angora heard the howl, enough to wake her up, although she believed the sound was just her subconscious. She woke up to see Veris,mseemingly dozing off, as patient as ever. She still found it amazing how a creature like him, who could see her as easy prey, would rather befriend her that hurt her. It was disgusting how the being from the orb even dared to suggest such a thing. Sure, she took great care of him, but he cared for her long before she had this job. She couldn't talk to Shade, and Maverick had a girlfriend, so Veris was all she had left. There was also Mischief of course, but things were in hot water with her, and she didn't know her enough to believe there was a bond between them.

As she reminenced on everything, her stomach grumbled quite violently, and reminded herself that she has barely eaten today. Sleeping too much didn't help either. Not eating added quite a lot to her exhaustion.
"I'll be leaving for a while big guy. This little troll has to eat too. I'll get you something, just not a full meal, alright. You ate plenty today." she said in a low voice, getting up with some difficulty and giving him a kiss on the tip of his wing and leaving silently in case he was asleep, but also to avoid a licking attack if he was awake. As she left, she was very unaware of the scandal the frantic Mischief was causing because of her...

Mischief grew more panicked at a rapid pace. Since she wasn't speaking to anyone, all the others could identify was that something had caused her to absolutely freak out. She finally ended up in the kitchen, which for her was something of a sanctuary. She dropped into a sitting position, panting to recover from rushing so much. Where could Angora be?!

Stomach still grumbling, Angora opened the kitchen door, having noticed something odd about the corridor when she was walking, but was too tired to be concerned about it. She entered the kitchen, and heard a breathing behind one of the counters.
"Mischief!? What are you doing here? Looking for more fruits?" she asked, finding no other reason for her to be there. She couldn't explain why she looked so fatigued herself, but perhaps she was simply getting used to her new body? Or maybe she just couldn't open the refrigerator? It didn't matter. Angora was hungry, so she was going to help herself with some food, nowhere near as suspicious as to the reason why Mischief was that way...

Mischief nearly jumped out of her skin when Angora spoke. Turning to the troll she demanded "Where have you been? When did you slip past me?!" A moment later she rubbed her eyes. "I was afraid you got hurt!" Shaking herself off, her blue eyes show her relief at Angora being unharmed. And... Tears? Sure enough, her eyes had started watering from stress.

Angora couldn't understand why Mischief felt that way. What was she so concerned about?
"What is it with you? I left the cabin to change Veris' water and to get some food. Why would you think something happened to me?" Angora asked, although maybe she was gone too far? She did sleep at Veris' pen for a while after all. She then realized she sounded insensible. She was cranky with hunger and exhaustion, so she tried to fix things.
"Listen, just because I'm not in the cabin doesn't mean something bad happened. I'm stronger than that. I wasn't going to be in bed all this time. I do have some things to do after all." she said more calmly, though still feeling bitter. Maybe the transformation, combined with the deadly bug attack from earlier made Mischief a little too sensible to everything?

Mischief's protective instincts finally soothed, the vixen crawls over to Angora and affectionately noses at the troll. "I promised myself... I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. I can't deal with the thought of you getting hurt... Or worse... And I noticed how they usually treat you... And how they view Shade... And I feel a kinship of sorts with Shade... We're both considered monsters, and we both bear a tremendous burden... And I feel one with you, for reasons I've yet to identify... Maybe it's because you accepted me as I was, like Shade did. Maverick too." She rubbed her still watery eyes, wanting to hug Angora, craving physical contact with someone, anyone. "And now Latnok apparently thinks I'm a monster who'd turn against him anytime and it frustrates me to keep fighting public perception of what I am." Finally she stopped and considered what she'd said. "I guess... All my frustrations just finally hit full capacity. I'm not sure I could withstand more stress... Oh, also... I don't intend to lose track of you again. I looked everywhere that wasn't a private room... Or the... Stables..." She briefly facepawed as she realized how she missed Angora. "The one place you were was the one I failed to check. I need to work on that." She watched Angora, calmly just keeping an eye on the troll. Every part of her told her to protect Angora, with her life if need be. She couldn't figure out why. But she also wanted to say they were part of a "pack", so maybe instinct. She would have to take another nap soon... After something to eat. She grabbed some more fruits and expertly peeled an orange. Stressing so bad made her hungry, although, to be fair, EVERYTHING made her hungry.

Angora shook her head, feeling sorry for Mischief but understanding her completely.
"Shady made a serious mistake that cost the lives of many... all because he couldn't control his powers. However, he is redeeming himself, and he's not a bad dragon. It was just an unfortunate accident, and he was at the wrong place at the wrong time." Angora explained, wanting Mischief to understand why Shade was so hated.

She raised her ears to make sure nobody was nearby eavesdropping them before saying the next words.
"As for Latnok, I wouldn't worry about him. Just avoid him as much as you can. He's just a sad, prejudiced, racist man with an exaggerated idea of respect who thinks everyone owes him something. There is just no pleasing him no matter how much you try. You can save the world itself and he still will hate you." Angora hinted, still remembering how she saved the world from Darkmatter's influence yet that wasn't even enough for him. Not even being wrongfully imprisoned was enough for him to give her a break. But whatever. She was done trying to appeal to him. At least Sere, the real leader, was finally valuing her, or at least showed her enough praise for her to start to believe he was being genuine, and not just a ploy to get her to lower her guard like she believed Latnok did.

Mischief whines a little. "I've always been seen as a monster. Between my resistance to mind reading, my somewhat animalistic appearance, and my aptitude for destructive magick, even my classmates viewed me as a dangerous beast... Especially after the 'incident' that first alerted me to my other self. As for Latnok... I trusted him, and his first reaction on seeing me after I... Evolved... Was to ready his weapon against me. I put my trust in him, and he proved disloyal... But he'll have his own. What goes around comes around. I hope to have a chance to exact... Justice... On him. Though I suppose revenge is more accurate... Shade will be rewarded as he deserves... Latnok will receive his punishment, as he deserves... I can't believe I'm talking like this. Justice, revenge? I've never spoken like THAT before." She checked her staff, which remained blue. A voice told her You crave it too, don't you? Vengeance on those who've wronged you. Protection of the few you trust. Now you understand my own hate, don't you? We're two pieces of a whole, aren't we? Mercy, and vengeance. Shut up! We're not GOD! She shook herself. Hate for Latnok and even perhaps Sere... Love for the few she trusted... And a fear of all others. "Angora? Are ALL the Ardent Guardians like Latnok?" She had to know, but her pulled back ears made her fear of the answer apparent.

Angora lowered her ears, knowing she had to be sincere about that.
"I don't know. The Ardent Guardians supposedly help people, but they're still human. And humanity has some... opinions about other creatures they consider monsters or simply beneath himself. Maverick... isn't entirely human, and his other heritage is likely what has helped him being how he is." Angora said, Maverick already telling her about the history of fauns, and how their overwhelming gentleness and prone to trusting practically everyone lead to the likely extinction of the pure ones.

The little troll didn't like this line of questioning, but she was saved from it when her stomach grumbled again.
"Listen, never mind about anything. And please don't try anything as stupid as revenge. Those who do bad will eventually have what they deserve without anybody lifting a finger about it." Angora assured, wanting to believe Latnok's cruelty will come to bite him hard one day. She was a firm believer of karma, and trusted that, someday, all that Latnok did to her would happen to him in a worst way. For now, all that mattered to her was to eat, and as always, hope that the future will be better.

Mischief bit into a piece of fruit and made an odd little noise, only identifiable as possibly frustration. "I don't like him, he's so needlessly cruel. I don't like cruelty. Especially with the flimsy reasoning he uses. Who even is this Star fellow? And why is Digi so nice if Star hurt so many? Didn't he build Digi?" She struggled to wrap her mind around what had happened with so little information. "What exactly did Star do to cause the death of so many, anyway? Attack them? Make a really big boom?" She of course had no knowledge of it, having only gotten tidbits of info.

Angora, who had grabbed some chicken drumsticks, had wanted to avoid the subject and eat in peace, but Mischief kept bringing up these unpleasant subjects into light.
"I already told you who Star was. He was reckless, but with good intentions, that was the victim of horrible cruelty in the hands of someone believes discipline and control are the same thing. Now just, please, let's eat. It's all in the past now." Angora insisted, not making it as subtle as before that she didn't want to talk about anything. She wasn't certain Star survived the conditions in which he was banished, although she wished to believe he survived by some miracle and that he was in one of the islands of the archipelago living a very happy life, far away from Latnok's poisonous presence.

Mischief bit into another piece of fruit. "I just don't get why everyone keeps comparing us... On the bright side, on the ship the fruit has some really nice variants. Oranges are good. And the berries..." She wiggles a bit in delight. She always loved berries.

After the comment, Angora remained silent for a while, not really in the mood for anything. She was in such a bitter mood that she left like if she forced a smile, her skin would crack.
"Listen, after this meal, I'm going to take a snack to Veris. I don't think I can teach you magic today, but tomorrow after a good rest and heavy breakfast, we can start training." Angora suggested, knowing that was the reason Latnok brought Mischief under her responsibility in the first place, though she believed it was mostly just to play babysitter and not have the responsibility himself.

After finishing up the chicken, Angora inspected what meats she could give to Veris, until settling with some beef. She hated feeling this bitter, and having eaten didn't change much. Perhaps after a good night's sleep, she would feel so much better, although to do that, she sadly had to leave Veris alone in the pen and sleep in the cabin where it was much more comfortable.

Mischief nodded, apparently not upset. "It's fine... Stressing out was exhausting. I need a nap too." She rubbed her eyes and yawned wide. Who knew stress could be so exhausting by itself? Something occurred to her. Latnok didn't like Angora. He also apparently disliked Mischief. Did he pair the two up in an effort to be spiteful? The thought got the vixen's fur to stand on end as she felt newfound fury towards the Guardian. Some Guardian indeed. She resolved to confront him when he returned from whatever mission he was on. Having noted that for later, she started to turn and found herself wanting to just curl up. She couldn't fight exhaustion much longer. She yawned wide and started to the cabin, telling Angora "I'll see you at the cabin soon, right? If not I'll try the stables..." She yawned a third time and went to the cabin, curling up on the floor near the bed, carefully located out of the way. Briefly pondering collecting some pillows for a bed of her own, she fell asleep before actually deciding. She found herself in the forest that recurred in her dreams, but to her relief the only odd thing happening was the dark cloudy weather. She curled up in her dream nest and watched the storm with a strange giddy delight. The storm quickly became a thunderstorm, but she was kept dry by a giant leaf pulled into position to keep her warm. Oddly, this thunder was somehow... Cathartic. That was the word she wanted.

Angora bid goodbye, though not before saying something.
"Just be careful. Don't enter Veris' pen without announcing yourself again. Although I'm sure he'll be delighted to know his little snack has grown into a full course meal." Angora joked, figuring a little bantering could improve both of their moods. Although the wyvern would certainly think that way about someone who was still a stranger to him. But speaking of meals, it was time to give Veris' his. She took the need away, looking at a window to see it was almost night. She was a little worried about Raclaw, but she could care less to what happened to the Guardians, especially Latnok. Sere was nicer to her, but she still wasn't certain that if he was being genuine, how much will it last? At night at that island sounded like a dangerous ordeal, but she was certain they have been through worse. For now, it was time to feed Veris. She gave a small tap at the door to announce her presence, just in case he was asleep. She left the beef at one side of him, whispering a goodnight before leaving. Veris still looked full, but knowing him, he wouldn't mind a little late snack.

Maverick took small rests between works, ocasionally looking at the island to see if the companions would return. He would watch over Chester, once again left behind to make sure he wasn't exposed to whatever dangers his master and friend confronted.

As the root continued its movement, those inside it prepared themselves for whatever may come. "Be aware that our time to act once we arrive will be limited," Banewood warned. "We will be overwhelmed if we stay too long - so I will have our retreat ready when I feel we have overstayed."
Latnok and Sere were prepared, their foresight active in preparation for any potential ambush. The root gradually began slowing down, before coming to a crawl as the sound of stone cracking ahead could be heard. The root finally stopped - opening up to a hallway like any other in the Ishulgite underground complex, the walls illuminated by torches.
There were no immediate enemies around. "I've tried to keep us out of the way of any potential patrols as much as possible," Banewood said. "The masterminds aren't going to be looking here right now, but they will pick up on you a lot more easily than they will me - so we have to hurry."

Mischief rolled over in her sleep, drooling a little as she started dreaming about sweets.
Darkheart allowed her dark elemental energy to hit its maximum. "Even if they can sense me... They'll never see me without a good light..." she whispered. Her voice, often feeling out of place, seemed to suit this somewhat dim area nicely. "I rule the shadows, they bend to my will. May my enemies feel the night's chill." she calmly whispered, a rhyme that almost sounded like poetry. Indeed, it was clearly a boast. But it wasn't exactly exaggeration. She nuzzled Raclaw. Her body somehow seemed less solid, as if she wasn't quite as real anymore. Finally she turned to the others, softly saying "I'm ready when you are."

With Veris having a snack prepared and Mischief safe in the cabin, Angora was ready for a good night's sleep, even if it wasn't entirely dark yet. She wanted to bid goodnight to Maverick, but whether he was on the main deck or in Ilasi's cabin, it was a long walk. She didn't know about the cake he prepared for her, and since it was hidden, she didn't see it in the kitchen either. But she ate well and food was the least of her worries now. When she entered the cabin, she looked at Mischief, a bit of movement but she seemed sound asleep. She wondered where she was keeping Digi, but now it was not the time to think about anything. She wanted to sleep so that she'd be full of energy to do all of her chores, but also to help with the healing (making sure she didn't overdid it again), and also to be prepared for battle if those bugs attacked again.

As she slept, Banewood's words still kept echoing, as well as the one from the orb. Who was telling the truth? The attack, combined with the way the messenger expressed himself about Veris, just made Banewood's words ring true. Somewhere in between, the childish voice from before was still whispering how it was all her fault...

Mischief rolled over again, onto her stomach. Settling, she continued drooling over her delicious dreams. Cakes, fruits, the occasional steak or fish... In her dreams her appetite was even more bottomless, and she didn't noticed the sky darkening again until the thunder in her dream nearly woke her up. Looking up, she saw a black sky and constant thunder. She didn't know or care what it meant. She just pushed under an oversized leaf and watched.

Banewood began leading the way, shifting into a shadow form of his own, making him hard to discern among all of the other smaller obstacles in the way. "This is the path we'll take for now," he directed. The others followed along as quietly as they realistically could.
The hallway went on for what seemed like miles; Banewood certainly knew where he was dropping the others off, for it wasn't a place frequented, and minimized their chances of discovery. Suddenly, Banewood stopped; there was a doorway up ahead, and faint sounds could be heard.
Taking advantage of the increased stealth he had in his form, Banewood signaled for the others to halt, as he drew somewhat closer to investigate. As he did so, he would use telepathy to communicate exactly what he was hearing.
"...heretic to be offered to the pool tonight. Looking forward to it." One voice relayed by Banewood.
"I never did feel the same sense of unity from that dragon as I did all the others," a second voice responded. "I don't trust those things. We'll all be better off when we finally get rid of them."
"Don't be so hasty, brother." a third voice said. "Those fur dragons - really good design, if you ask me. They're what dragons should've been to start with. Something you can actually live with, something that won't try to subjugate or kill all those who are weaker."If we could replace all dragons with those? Maybe that'd be acceptable."
The last comment sat rather unwell with Latnok - just who did these people thing fur dragons were? Things to be controlled? Despite this, there was some burning sensation in the back of his mind - what if they had a point?

Angora wasn't having any dreams for now, but she still kept hearing voices. She had to force herself to listen to Maverick's encouraging voice in order for her subconscious to be at peace...

Maverick kept looking at the island, not liking how the captain and his chosen group were out there, where those things that attacked them could still be at large. It was a terrifying thought, but he wanted to trust that they knew what they were doing, and that this Banewood fellow was worth trusting. He called Chester to him, ready to sleep. He had to sleep with Ilasi from now on, since he knew Mischief would have to sleep in his bed now in her new form, and with Angora taking care of her, she didn't have her own cabin.

Darkheart shuddered, nearly losing control of her temper at such words. She barely kept herself from bursting in to attack, but managed to restrain her temper.
Mischief shifted as the conditions of her dream changed for the worse. She began whimpering and yipping from what had become a nightmare.

Angora soon stopped hearing the voices, which were instead replaced by the sounds of waves. But she wasn't in a ship. She was in a beach. A beautiful beach... but she was alone. No Maverick. No Shade. Not even the Guardians were around. All that was heard were the sound of the waves and the seagulls above. Peace... too much of it. At her left, there was a mountain... but a mountain too big to be normal. This mountain, had eyes? Eyes that turned towards her, and that looked like they were staring straight into her soul. It was the last creature Angora expected to see again; Gregor.

Yes, the behemoth she once faced in that accursed arena. The beast that would've killed her without hesitation if the king hadn't stopped the battle.
"Well little clay, did you get a form yet?" he asked, reminding Angora of the conversation they once had. His voice sounded like he was talking to an old friend, not an opponent that once escaped his jaws.
"I... I don't think this clay can ever be molded." Angora answered gloomily, still looking for her friend.
"Is that so? Hmm, well it's back to square one for you, isn't it tiny meat? Your faun friend has found himself a girl, and the Scourge of Redwater will return to his family once he has worked to amend all of the damage he has done to our poor city. And where does that leave you, hmm? All alone, just like in the past, where you had to steal to survive or satisfy some silly whim. Wanting to prove yourself that you were not only a microscopic burden. That you had value and strength. Something that your parents never saw, did they?" the behemoth commented, talking as if he knew everything about Angora's past and inner feelings, but it was impossible. She never told him anything. Before she could question him, he continued.
"What are you going to do? In the ship, you were only useful for two thing; spoiling that wyverns did taking care of that bipedal thing whose name isn't ideal. The wyvern... he was quite angry at you when you rejected the old Guardian's proposition to be his caretaker permanently, and only because that would mean seeing that Latnok fellow every day. Good thing he loves you too much or he could've hurt you in retialation." the behemoth said, leaving Angora to think she should've taken his offer, even if it meant tolerating Latnok's hatred. But she had one question.
"But wait, what about Mischief?" she asked, but Gregor didn't answer. Nobody seemed to know what happened to her.
There is no such thing as a written destiny. You make one... or someone else makes the decision for you. Yours could've ended very soon, on various ocassions, but many circumstances helped you survive. You made history in Redwater when the king forgave you and managed to find the truth behind your false crime. But alas, human minds tend to easily forget. You are still very young for a troll. You could live for several hundred years if you take care... but what about the purpose? You've had many, but your friends are gone now, have their own life, their own family..." the behemoth stated, offending Angora in a nasty way. Her own parents almost dined on her, and she doubted she would ever find true love like Maverick did. Who could fall in love a troll with such a ridiculous condition, who always tried to do good yet it was more people who hated her than liked her? The behemoth remained silent for a while, before looking at her again with a much more sinister glance.
"If you can't find a new purpose, or a new destiny... well, I guess we can fulfill what was suppose to happen in that arena. It may be insignificant to others and unimportant, but any meat is always welcomed no matter the size." the behemoth expressed with a small grin, munching on a seagull that flew too close to it's maw. The beast then left, leaving Angora truly alone on that beach...

The uneasiness was enough to make Angora open her eyes, disturbed, yet also angry cause the dream was going so well until that last bit. What was wrong with her? This time, the nightmare had nothing to do with the Ishulgites, her parents, not even the manticore, yet once again, it managed to scare her. In the darkness of that cabin, she could see she was likely not the only one having nightmares. Mischief was moving too much, and frowning. Perhaps her dreams wasn't a very pleasant one either? Angora knew from experience that sleeping close to a friend always helped conceal a better sleep, and felt sadly nostalgic about the time it was only her, Shade and Maverick. The big dragolet would curl around them and give them the most pleasant of sleep. Maybe that's what Mischief needed right now. Getting off her bed, Angora slept close to Mischief, hoping her presence was enough to calm her from whatever nightmare she was having. This would've been so much easier if she was still a small, cutesy Zorua, but she trusted that if Mischief accidentally clawed her, her skin would be strong enough to tolerate it.

Mischief was also being taunted in her dreams. You fight at their side. You protect them. And for what purpose? Allowing them to continue their petty and baseless hatred of you? Humans need no reason to hate. Strange, isn't it? The truth is, you can't defy fate, and fate decided you'd be an unloved monster with one purpose: purging humanity from this world. This world is too good for them to deserve. Observe how they treat you! N... No... But... There are others who care. They might get hurt in the crossfire during this pointless feud... She settled as she felt Angora's presence. Glaring at the mirror of herself, she told them Fate can be changed! I am loved, even if humans hate and fear me I cannot allow those I love to be hurt! I will be their protector! Now, begone! The reflection shattered, startling her awake. "Mmph... Huh? Angora? ... Th... Thank you..." Shifting around she hugged Angora, nosing the troll affectionately before gently pulling away and sitting up with an odd look in her eyes. Odd for her, anyway. She was utterly calm, and clearly contemplating things. So she WAS in charge. Her other self had no real power... That was good, but what to do with her life? "I need... To find my path..." she whispered.

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Banewood began leading the way, shifting into a shadow form of his own, making him hard to discern among all of the other smaller obstacles in the way. "This is the path we'll take for now," he directed. The others followed along as quietly as they realistically could.
The hallway went on for what seemed like miles; Banewood certainly knew where he was dropping the others off, for it wasn't a place frequented, and minimized their chances of discovery. Suddenly, Banewood stopped; there was a doorway up ahead, and faint sounds could be heard.
Taking advantage of the increased stealth he had in his form, Banewood signaled for the others to halt, as he drew somewhat closer to investigate. As he did so, he would use telepathy to communicate exactly what he was hearing.
"...heretic to be offered to the pool tonight. Looking forward to it." One voice relayed by Banewood.
"I never did feel the same sense of unity from that dragon as I did all the others," a second voice responded. "I don't trust those things. We'll all be better off when we finally get rid of them."
"Don't be so hasty, brother." a third voice said. "Those fur dragons - really good design, if you ask me. They're what dragons should've been to start with. Something you can actually live with, something that won't try to subjugate or kill all those who are weaker."If we could replace all dragons with those? Maybe that'd be acceptable."
The last comment sat rather unwell with Latnok - just who did these people thing fur dragons were? Things to be controlled? Despite this, there was some burning sensation in the back of his mind - what if they had a point?

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Darkheart shuddered, nearly losing control of her temper at such words. She barely kept herself from bursting in to attack, but managed to restrain her temper.

Just as the comment didn't sit well with ether of his two now constant companions-- Raclaw himself shuddered at the words and what exactly they implied. The way they were talking about his species, the Fur Dragon species, heavily implied that they wanted more like him -- and that they would even be willing to replace (and thus exterminate) other dragon breeds such at Darkheart herself in order achieve that goal. And then there was the way they spoke about 'him' (in a more broad sense), which further implied that they wanted to control and distribute his species on their own terms. It was almost as if they were speaking about the common canine and similar 'pets' on a lower scale. Of course-- he was a pet himself, but that was currently besides the point.

As both Banewood and Darkheart turned into their 'shadow' form, Raclaw had an idea of his own and triggered the next best thing he had-- the 'Hide' command. He would still be very much visible to his nearby allies and those to whom he wasn't actively tricking into not seeing him, but detecting him via other senses (magic, smell, etc) would be much harder. He would also keep his senses fully active and thus enable the sight in combination with Latnok's own senses. Anything he had to say could be said via telepathy, just as Banewood had done just prior. 'Collar hide.,' he silently issued the command.

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Maverick kept looking at the island, not liking how the captain and his chosen group were out there, where those things that attacked them could still be at large. It was a terrifying thought, but he wanted to trust that they knew what they were doing, and that this Banewood fellow was worth trusting. He called Chester to him, ready to sleep. He had to sleep with Ilasi from now on, since he knew Mischief would have to sleep in his bed now in her new form, and with Angora taking care of her, she didn't have her own cabin.

Chester would quickly come-- having no problem with Maverick and almost seeing the constant dog sitter as an extended part of his own family or pack. He had once heard Mischief use that word to describe family and friends; it seemed fitting to include Maverick under the broader spectrum of such a term. He often wished he could on more adventures or missions with his friend and master, but knew that such adventures were often dangerous and too much so for a small hunting dog such as himself. No.. it was better this way. It wouldn't take long for the little Beagle to settle in Maverick and Illasi's now shared cabin. He was a lucky dog-- lots of friends, enough toys/activity, a home under that of Latnok, and plenty of adventures to keep him happy.

After some more talk about various irrelevant topics, the three Ishulgites eventually went about their separate ways - at which point Banewood reappeared and gave the signal to move on.
As he did so, he would inform the group of what was to come. "'That dragon...' 'Sense of unity...' I think I might know who the sacrifice is," he proposed. "I know a smaller dragon fellow - someone I informed of the truth of the matter here. Perhaps such a thing caused a shift in his manifestation in the hive mind... or perhaps it caused him to act out. Either way, it is likely that he is to be sacrificed. I would be somewhat responsible for that - so I feel obliged to help him."
Sere quickly weighed his options - but realized that they had very little time to act on saving the sacrifice if they wanted to. "We'll go after him," Sere confirmed, as he readied himself to use a weapon should he need to. "Do you have any proposal as to how?"
"Knowing them, such an offering would be made within the next hour or two. I have a rough idea of where such prisoners would be kept - and the route from there to the Creation Chamber. That is where biomass of various types is broken down and reforged into the creatures known as ishiuds - warriors that can be created as long as there is the magic and biomass to support them. We are best off finding a spot in the route to form an ambush - intercept the delivery of the sacrifice, and escape as quickly as we can in the confusion."
Leoquin shivered with anticipation. "So an ambush? I have a few things that might help. Find us the spot - I can see what I can set up."

Maverick went to the cabin with Chester in tow, followed shortly by Ilasi. He was getting himself comfortable, changing his clothes, and giving food and water to the beagle so that he would have something in his stomach for the night. As he prepared to sleep, he knew he wasn't going to be able to catch if if he didn't do something first.
"Hey Ilasi, stay with Chester for a little while. Going to check on Angorita really quick. And I have to give Dahlia her food and water too, and play with her for a while. Poor girl spends so much time in that pen alone." Maverick told, sometimes feeling like he was neglecting his dear mount, though he was aware that Angora would sometimes check on her if Veris wasn't keeping her too busy. But then he remembered something important.
"Unless you want to see her boy?" he asked to Chester, reminding himself of the adorable friendship the dirt buffalo and dog had. He knew it did wonders to Dahlia. She was usually very wary of predatory animals regarding size, but she seemed to get along really well with Chester.

If the beagle decided to come, Maverick was going to welcome his presence, but first, he wanted to check on Angora. He still didn't like Mischief's new form, and was even starting to wonder if sleeping in Veris' pen was safer. Nah, it was an over concern of his part as usual. Mischief liked Angora, so there was no way she would hurt her... at least on purpose. Even so, perhaps a little conversation with the evolved creature was all he needed to ease up his worry.
"I'll try to be back in less than an hour." he assured, as he proceeded to leave Ilasi's cabin, giving Chester a chance to catch up if he decided to come...

"A smaller dragon fellow-- Icestorm?," Raclaw spoke via group telepathy thinking of the possibilities. He didn't know what had come of Icestorm upon his having been kicked off the ship, but they had left him in an ideal position for a future/ex-future convert...

Chester offered a happy bark and quickly followed, very much interested in seeing the curiously friendly dirt buffalo.

Ilasi had also been getting ready for sleep by putting on her nightclothes, being rather exhausted from all the work she did that day. She didn't know how long Maverick intended to be gone, but she did hope that he would show up before she fell asleep. "Take care, dear," Ilasi said, hiding her reluctance. "And do make sure Chester doesn't get in too much trouble."
Ilasi did wonder where Angora had been the entire day - the troll seemed to disappear after all of the work she put in healing. Was she still tired? If so, it was no surprise - healing magic was never easy to use, especially in such mass quantities as Angora had used it in. Where did all that power come from?
Ilasi's mind started drifting back to her work, but she reminded herself that she wouldn't be much use to anyone if she didn't get her rest. So she sat in her bed for a while, waiting for Maverick to return.

"Icestorm? Wouldn't be surprised in the least," Latnok replied dryly in telepathy. "He never was good on following rules and fitting in with the group. I suppose saving him would be for the best here, though... maybe he'd have learned his lesson, even. I doubt it, though."
Sere was somewhat more keen on the idea. "At the very least, we may get better knowledge of their inner workings," he suggested, as the group continued along their path.

Maverick nodded before leaving, wanting to make sure he didn't take too long. He let Chester follow him, but making sure he knew they were going to see Angora first before heading to Dahlia's place. The door seemed to be a little open, so he helped himself to opening it, but not before giving a little knock first.
"Oh, hola Mischief. Just checking to see how Angorita is doing..." he said sincerely, looking at Angora in his bed, sound asleep. She didn't look hurt, just like before, very tired. He felt bad for having been unable to bring her the cake. But maybe tomorrow during lunch, he could surprise her with it. He looked at Mischief, and she looked a little calm, but also almost like a guard. Maybe she took on a protective role? He only hoped she didn't overdo it, like Shade has done many times with them in the past.

Angora was still sound asleep, and it finally looked like she was going to keep it that way until morning. She was so tired she didn't even feel Mischief's hug earlier.

Darkheart gave Latnok a look. She was tempted to remind him that doing good was more than following rules. But now wasn't the time. They had a rescue to perform, among other things. She followed the others, almost invisible in darker spots.
Mischief glanced up at Maverick, visibly settling when she saw it was just him. "Konichiwa Maverick. Angora just needs rest... I hope. I don't know what happened... Anyway, she should be fine..." She glanced at the smaller troll. "I'm not used to being the bigger one. But I'll protect her with my life." She suddenly went silent, wondering where THAT noble statement came from.

The declaration of protection made Maverick smiled a bit. It was nice to know that his dear Angorita had others who liked her despite all the cruelty she had to whitstand from many others, especially Latnok. Why he still didn't like her was beyond him.
"Muy bien. I was just checking on her. She used a lot of healing magic after the battle and it left her all worn out. A long rest is all she needs." Maverick assured, seeing Angora breathing calmly. It looked like she was having a pleasant sleep, which made him very glad.

Satisfied and certain that he didn't need to worry about anything, Maverick left them alone, proceeding to head to Dahlia's enclosure with Chester in tow.
"What do you think boy? Ready to see your dear amiga?" Maverick asked the beagle, with the eager buffalo already sensing them and waiting on the other side...

Mischief relaxed further when Maverick explained, and she nosed Angora with a croon. "So you can heal... More versatile than my magick. I have difficulty with non destructive arts, but healing is by far my weakest subject." She curled back up, eyes to the door as she continued her vigilance.

Angora could only hear a faint voice as she continued sleeping. At last, she was finally having a better sleep, without perturbing dreams or gloomy voices. She didn't know if it was Mischief's protective presence or the fact that she was in Maverick's bed this time, where his warmth and scent was still intact and comforting. In her subconscious, she was wondering why in her last dream, there wasn't any mention of the Ishugites. All Gregor talked about was how everyone lived their own lives without her, but what about the attackers? Or even Banewood? The orb in her pocket pressed against her again, but instead of throwing it away, she simply changed positions. There was so much in her subconscious, but before doing anything, she urgently needed this sleep, without any more interruptions or responsabilities to think about.

Maverick opened the door, greeted by Dahlia's gentle head bunting, something she was very careful about since she knew how much harm her horns could cause. She looked at Chester with a curious look, knowing he was a little predator, but one she sort of liked nonetheless, and one that wouldn't be able to hurt her too much if deciding to attack. It was nice to have company. She liked Angora, but the troll never seemed to want to find the time to bond with her, plus she smelled a lot like that wyvern, so the less she was there with her, the better for Dahlia.

Veris continued his napping, dreaming of pleasant times - which, in his case, involved food. The images of people bringing him food again and again, of previous successful hunts - it all made his mouth water.
He temporarily woke up from his pleasant dreams - though he was unsure of what in particular caused him to wake up, the food left by him did not escape his notice. He quickly wolfed it down before it could escape his jaws, satisfying himself with some water to follow.

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"Icestorm? Wouldn't be surprised in the least," Latnok replied dryly in telepathy. "He never was good on following rules and fitting in with the group. I suppose saving him would be for the best here, though... maybe he'd have learned his lesson, even. I doubt it, though."
Sere was somewhat more keen on the idea. "At the very least, we may get better knowledge of their inner workings," he suggested, as the group continued along their path.

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Darkheart gave Latnok a look. She was tempted to remind him that doing good was more than following rules. But now wasn't the time. They had a rescue to perform, among other things. She followed the others, almost invisible in darker spots.

Raclaw offered a nod, although he also somewhat sensed Darkheart's disapproval of the response. He wondered what what would become of Icestorm once they found him and assuming they were able to get him out alive-- he doubted that Sere would be quick to approve his place again on the ship, but he would also presumably have nowhere else to go. Would he be given a second chance or would his fate be left to chance again? Afterall, there was a reason why he had been booted off the ship in the first place. Lives had been lost and the small mini-Kaiju had proved wreckless in the final days to come. Another part of Raclaw's mind also dwelled back to the fact that he and Latnok would eventually have to inform Darkheart of his legal 'pet' status, technically an controlled and domesticated dragon; that last part at least being already known (and obvious) to the black dragoness.

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Maverick opened the door, greeted by Dahlia's gentle head bunting, something she was very careful about since she knew how much harm her horns could cause. She looked at Chester with a curious look, knowing he was a little predator, but one she sort of liked nonetheless, and one that wouldn't be able to hurt her too much if deciding to attack. It was nice to have company. She liked Angora, but the troll never seemed to want to find the time to bond with her, plus she smelled a lot like that wyvern, so the less she was there with her, the better for Dahlia.

Chester offered an happy bark in response to the hybrid's previous question and happily ran towards the friendly dirt buffalo...

Maverick watched as the two of them played together, wondering if he should bring Dahlia to Ilasi's cabin. The poor girl was so lonely in there. He could have Chester stay with her so she wouldn't be alone, but he was afraid the buffalo could accidentally hurt him in her sleep. Plus Chester was probably used to sleeping on a soft bed, or at least a soft surface if it turned out he slept with the fluffy Raclaw. As he watched the two unlikely companions play, Maverick pressed his body against the wall, and for a moment, he dozed off. Despite the happy moment with those two, he started thinking about those horrendous bugs from earlier, and how some of them surrounded some of the sailors, with the full intent of eating them. All of the sudden, he watched himself getting surrounded by those bugs, but instead of devouring him, they carried him off, far away from the ship, while the horrified Ilasi screamed his name...

The thought made Maverick almost jump, hitting his head against the wall from the sudden shock. What a horrible thought! It almost looked more like a memory than a simple thought. Dahlia was in front of him watching him, having stopped playing for a little while to check on him.
"I'm fine Dahlia. Todo bien. Are you done playing? How about you come to the cabin tonight? I know how lonely you get." Maverick asked, with Dahlia raising her ears in anticipation. She was sick and tired of being in this forsaken pen, so even if she went to a small, crowded place, anything was better than staying here all the time. She knew Maverick didn't give her rides after what happened in the last island, and since the deck was full of hungry dragons, that place was out of the question.

Darkheart's claws twitched, an old urge falling on her. It weighed heavily on her mind. An urge to kill. These Ishulgites were the real monsters. And she craved the opportunity to tear them to pieces. A sudden realization distracted her from the bloodlust. The Ishulgites were like a warped mirror image of the Ardent Guardians. She decided again that this wasn't the time, she'd mention this later. She wasn't sure if the realization was amusing for the irony, or terrifying for similar reasons. She shivered, settling on the latter.
Mischief turned her head to look at Angora. Thoughts were flying through her mind. As Maverick suffered his vision, Mischief had a vision herself. She was struggling with her other half again, until she looks away to an army, mostly composed of the bug monsters from before. Her other self gestured towards them and the two both turn to face their mutual enemy. As quickly as it appeared the vision vanished, leaving her confused. Was her more vicious side trying to offer an alliance against the Ishulgites, their common enemy? If so, I accept it... So long as nobody I care about gets hurt. Oh, please! her other side responded. We're two sides of the same coin. Angora accepted you, as did Maverick, Shade, and even Ilasi. I've got no quarrel with them. Latnok however has made things personal. Give him one last chance... For someone tired of forgiving, you're adorably insistent on it. Fine, one last chance. I'll reserve his judgement for after he gives an explanation. We need to cooperate if we're going to bring down the Ishulgites though. Finally, something we agree wholeheartedly on... Mischief flopped onto her back, mane making for a nice soft cushion. "Oh, wow I've gotten fluffy." She noted with amusement that some people spent hours in their day trying to make their own "manes" so luxuriously soft, and here she was with it naturally so, all it took was combing to avoid tangles. She stared at the ceiling, somewhat... Bored... She didn't have much to do. Maybe when Angora got up again after recovering from her exhaustion there'd be something to do. If nothing else Mischief knew she'd be hungry again by then.

"We have no time to waste," Banewood said, as he continued to lead the way. "Come, I know a perfect spot to set the trap..."

The group would come to a spot in the path by an alcove. Banewood scouted ahead briefly before returning, giving the others the clearance to set up. Leoquin pulled a special mixture of a viscous, clear liquid out of his bag, pouring it along the path. The mixture soaked into the pores in the ground, making it indiscernible. There was little else that could be done on the path - anything else would be too obvious. However, in the alcove, there were still preparations that could be made...

Maverick gave Dahlia some oats and told her to drink some water before heading out. With dog and buffalo tagging along, Maverick soon found himself in Ilasi's cabin again.
"Hola darling. I'm back. I hope you don't mind..." he started to say before Dahlia showed her huge head by the door, giving herself away.
"Yeah, that. Pobre Dahlia is always so alone in there, and I thought she could sleep here with us tonight. Just for tonight of course." Maverick stated, knowing it was too much to ask since they already had one animal to take care of. Dahlia wasn't much of a burden herself, but her size could be quite troublesome.

Ilasi, who was becoming concerned that Maverick had forgotten about her, was about to lay down when Maverick came in - with Dahlia following shortly after. The mermaid was quite pleased with the unexpected guest.
"Oh, hello, Dahlia!" Ilasi said, a warm, welcoming smile on her face as she got up to hug the dirt buffalo. Despite Dahlia's thicker fur, she was still a very pleasant animal to the touch.

Dahlia was very happy to see her, and was more gentle to Ilasi than he was to Maverick. She knew the mermaid didn't like tough games very much, so she contained her strength.
"Well, we have both Chester and Dahlia here. Now then, you two behave yourself. You can play for a while, but then it's nothing but sleep." Maverick instructed, though knew they couldn't play too roughly there. Ilasi's cabin was quite spacious, but not enough to run around. Maverick didn't like the idea of leaving them to sleep in a rough floor, so Maverick used his blanket and pillows to make a bed for Dahlia. She covered all of it, so there was no room for Chester, although Maverick believed he wasn't used to the floor anyway. The couch was big enough for both him and Chester, but they would be cramped, and that's when he decided Chester should sleep on it alone. But where would he sleep?

There was a chair there, but it was very uncomfortable, but there was another other solution.
"Um... well, I... I can sleep on the chair, but this bed is big enough for both of us... so... maybe just this once?" he asked Ilasi very awkwardly, feeling extremely embarrased. He knew that wasn't a simple friendship anymore, but he wanted to be so respectful, so he wasn't certain about the decision. He didn't snore, but had the tendency to move a lot, so he didn't want to do anything that would make Ilasi uncomfortable or accidentally kick or hit her while asleep.

Darkheart ran her claws together, craving a chance to bring down the Ishulgites properly. It would probably have to wait for the inevitable big, climactic battle. There was always a big climactic battle. She decided not to question the presence of such tropes in reality and focused on the trap.
Mischief groaned and rolled over onto her belly, already craving sweets. A sweetroll would be nice, and she absently wondered if any were on board. Possibly, sweetrolls were popular enough. She contemplated the past few minutes, having very little else to do. She was bored, but she'd at least uncovered the source of her other personality's issues, at least she hoped. For whatever reason, her other side had a massive grudge against humans in particular. The vixen stretched out, admiring her long sharp claws. Finally she yawned and stared at the door some more.

At Maverick's suggestion, Ilasi tried her best to suppress childlike giddiness, instead responding with a more tempered attitude. "Please - I mean, of course you can," she offered, patting a spot on the bed near her as she sat down. "Please... you can consider this our space." Finally, Maverick was starting to become more comfortable with her - proof that there was actually someone who really wanted her, more than she ever thought she'd have. Perhaps all of her fears were unfounded, after all.

Maverick obliged,misting besides her with some hesitation. He started to wonder though, if he was just being pathetic with so much caution. She wasn't just her friend anymore. Maverick has had many women in the past, but he never got the chance to get this far. He watched as the two adorable animals play, but also looked at the window and the near night, wondering how the captain and company were doing. Banewood didn't look evil despite his appearance, but he was still someone they knew nothing about, so the trust placed upon him was still questionable. Even so, Maverick tried not to dwell on the negative (which was unlike him), and instead concentrated on the good things on his life. Angora did something good and was getting the respect from the captain and making a new friend, Shade wasn't being as treated as badly as before even though he still had ways to go, and most of all right now, he had a girlfriend that loved and understood him. He regretted never having a serious relationship before due to his father, but in the end, it turned out for the better, since if things had gone another way, he never would've met Ilasi.

While Maverick wanted something to talk about and continue watching dog and buffalo play, he yawned, being very sleepy. The battle earlier was exhausting, plus he did plenty of chores, so his body was ready for a long rest.
"Buenas noches Ilasi. It will probably be a long day mañana, so I think it's best if we call it a day." Maverick suggested, doubting Dahlia and Chester would disturb them. They have already eaten well, and they had each other to p,at with, so there was no need to request them. But while Maverick was ready to sleep, being this close to Ilasi made him feel quite weird. He didn't know what was going on with him, but he felt as happy as he felt awkward. Despite knowing it was ridiculous to feel this way, the truth was he still wanted to be respectful, but he didn't know how. He was even rather surprised Ilasi wanted to get this close...

"Yes, ah... good night, Maverick dear," Ilasi replied, trying not to betray her own nervousness. "Please let me know if you need me to do anything." Was everything in the room set up reasonably? Was the room clean enough? Was her bed set up comfortably enough? All of these details, which didn't preoccupy her before, were now coming into her mind, for fear that Maverick would decide that this was an unpleasant experience.
"Whatever comes tomorrow, I know we'll be prepared for it," she continued, in part to distract her from her own thoughts. They're completely irrational, she tried to tel herself. Maverick has stayed here before. He's just a little closer now, that's all... And yet, despite her nervousness, she was still immensely satisfied that things got this far.

When everything was in place, Banewood ripped off his own wooden arm, and the magic he channeled into it caused it to expand into a thin wall of wood covering up the alcove. Though visibly obvious, it would hide the group from the mastermind's senses. His arm would regrow soon enough to be useful in the fight. As he did so, he prepared another root-calling spell for the getaway.
Now it was just a matter of waiting...

As the time for the sacrifice drew near, Icestorm was moved along the pathway, bound by weaver webbing and being carried on the backs of the ishiud soldiers. The mastermind moved above the group of about a dozen soldiers and a handful of whistlers, carefully watching out for the demon, as Banewood was known.

While Maverick felt nervous himself, the more time he spent with Ilasi, the more natural everything seemed. After all, she was his girlfriend. There was nothing wrong with being this close to her, was there? While was deep inside still worried about the captain and his companions, this moment was sacred. There was no point in worrying about a scenario that was beyond his control, especially since the Guardians likely had tons of experience doing missions like those. Whatever came next, Maverick was going to let things happen naturally, without feeling ashamed or embarrased. He's never had a serious relationship before, so everything was new to him.

After playing with Chester for a while, Dahlia watched her master and girlfriend finally getting as close as they were suppose to. Took them long enough. She couldn't understand why humans and humanoids in general had to make relationships so complicated. Everything was easy, so why take so much time? Why the hesitation? She figured humanoids just had to make everything complicated for the sake of entertainment, or maybe just prolong the inevitable. Or perhaps they were too slow? Maybe even cowards? She didn't think of Maverick as a coward, especially since he managed to dominate her, but she still considered him quite a wimp, someone that needed constant protection.

Darkheart flexed the long, sharp scythes of darkness now tipping her digits. Dark emotions threatened to overwhelm her, which would render the trap pointless. Almost time... she told herself, almost giddy in a way that made her feel a little guilty how much delight the possibility of violence here gave her. Stop thinking like some sort of monster. We're on a rescue mission now too. Priority is on stopping the Ishulgites and rescuing Icestorm. Not on necessarily killing the Ishulgites. I should be hoping some of them can be swayed to stop their outright genocidal plans. Not hoping I can slaughter them. Ugh, FOCUS! She shook herself, focusing again on the goal and flexing her claws some more. Her overwhelming dark emotions strengthened her, but they were occasionally a detriment to her. Her expression was still a vicious glower, through the wooden barrier. She looked at it and made a mental note to remember such a unique trick.
Mischief finally stood and drew her staff, staring into the blue gemstone with a strange focus. I wonder when that group will return. She remembered Darkheart, such a unique one. Such powerful control of darkness. Then there was that fluffy dragon fellow, Raclaw. And then there were the Guardians on the mission. Remembering them started her rage up again. She struggled not to hate them, even Latnok. But all the years of being hated and feared for no real reason strained at her, and she wanted to hate right back. But she always, always tried to forgive. It's just that she was so sick of just forgiving again and again, when she'd done nothing to hurt them and they viewed her as a psychotic monster. She shook herself and reached into her bag to consult her notebook, pulling out Ilasi's special spellbook as well... "I should return this sometime... Maybe I can do so right now? But Angora's sleeping... So vulnerable... She seems so small... So easy to harm... I MUST protect her... I can't let her be hurt..." Her grip on her staff tightened, claws digging into the wooden handle. Protective instinct trumped the desire for retribution, and she settled into a calm but alert state again.