darkSpyro

Mischief was quite fine with having Choco stay with Dahlia, partly because it would help ensure the bird wouldn't go hungry due to Mischief's current forgetfulness.
Choco found he liked Dahlia. The dirt buffalo was calm enough, not to mention familiar with acting as a mount and all that duty entailed. Mischief offered one of the last few Gysahl Greens on her person, and he devoured the pungent vegetable nobody else seemed to like. Well, since he was the only one, it'd be a shame for him NOT to eat it. He let out a happy "Kweh!" and fluttered his wings. I so love those greens! Why doesn't anyone else? They're delicious! He didn't realize only chocobo were known to be fond of the smelly veggie with its unpleasant taste.
Mischief watched the two mounts for a bit before getting out her notebook and flipping to the section with her drawings. She briefly tried the quill again. No dice, her paws were too large to hold it easily. Getting out her ink vial, she decided to dip a claw in and start drawing with that. Soon she had a pretty accurate picture of the two, drawn to scale, then she added supplies into the picture. Gear like saddles and armor, among other things. Finally she showed it to Maverick.

Quote:

Darkheart snuggles into Raclaw. "I... I think I'm fine now..." She gently pets Chester. "Th... Thank you..."

Chester offered a gentle bark and leaned into the petting, while Raclaw offered a smile at the adorable interaction.

Meanwhile-- Risar approached the dragolet Shade just as the Enduring Legacy was beginning to dock. He would proceed to relay the Sere's response as promised, although he knew that Shade wouldn't like what he would hear. "The Captain has refused your request and has no further comment on the matter. Neither you nor Tyraika are currently authorized to leave this Ship.," the minotaur said not going into detail as why, but prepared to answer any questions that ether Shade or Tyraika might have. He didn't want to cause them to start anything...

Veris gave a short growl. "Those things! They are bad! I fought them with my human. There were so many! They cut and bite and stab. Some hurt. Their meat is good though. I will eat them if they come again!" The idea of further combat and eating of the creatures gave Veris a slight rush of blood, though he soon calmed down afterwards.

Angora wasn't surprised Veris would choose to eat the enemy rather than just attacking. That was his favorite form of disposal, though she remembered how he tried to eat Darkmatter's remains... and his disgusting reaction afterwards. Probably the only meat he could never consume... if that was meat to begin with.
"I don't doubt it. If they ever come again, I'll save some for you, alright?" Angora promised, finding it a good idea to take advantage of the corpses. Although Sere made sure the fridge and cellar was filled with food for plenty of months, changing meats could be good for Veris. Plus after the deaths of so many sailors in the last two attacks, the food was lasting much longer.

After the comment, Angora realized such promise was likely going to make Veris happier, and the happier he was, the more he was going to want to keep her around.
"Um, anyway, try to rest as much as you can Veris. Those people are not done with us, and we have to be ready." Angora suggested, getting ready to leave and hoping Veris wouldn't pull her inside for more bonding. Somehow, she had to try to distance himself little by little of him, so that he would stop being used to her presence, although she feared it might be too late now. First things first though. The society had to be stopped, so she had to stay focused.

Quote: darknessdawn

Mischief was quite fine with having Choco stay with Dahlia, partly because it would help ensure the bird wouldn't go hungry due to Mischief's current forgetfulness.
Choco found he liked Dahlia. The dirt buffalo was calm enough, not to mention familiar with acting as a mount and all that duty entailed. Mischief offered one of the last few Gysahl Greens on her person, and he devoured the pungent vegetable nobody else seemed to like. Well, since he was the only one, it'd be a shame for him NOT to eat it. He let out a happy "Kweh!" and fluttered his wings. I so love those greens! Why doesn't anyone else? They're delicious! He didn't realize only chocobo were known to be fond of the smelly veggie with its unpleasant taste.
Mischief watched the two mounts for a bit before getting out her notebook and flipping to the section with her drawings. She briefly tried the quill again. No dice, her paws were too large to hold it easily. Getting out her ink vial, she decided to dip a claw in and start drawing with that. Soon she had a pretty accurate picture of the two, drawn to scale, then she added supplies into the picture. Gear like saddles and armor, among other things. Finally she showed it to Maverick.

Dahlia took one smell of the vegetable, and she felt like throwing up. She had thought only worms and flies could eat something so pungent.
"That no good to stomach. That stinky to tummy. Tragic tummy! How long human visits me? That fluffy thing... me no like. Vegetable dead yet?" Dahlia mumbled, showing her very peculiar speech pattern. It was in dirt buffalo nature not having one thought at a time, and that sometimes made them easy prey for cunning predators. They're mostly fight of flee response, since they didn't have enough smarts to think of complex solutions.

Maverick couldn't understand Choco or his beloved mount, so he didn't pay attention to what looked like a conversation between them. He then looked at the sketch Mischief made.
"Oh wow. Fantástico! I didn't know you could draw. I tried once, but not my talent. Been trying to make some music, but still need a lot of practice." Maverick commented, suddenly remembering it has been a while since he touched his mandolin. The last time he played it was when Laszur kidnapped him, but he wasn't willing to let such experience tarnish his chance of doing something he liked. Drawing looked like a marvelous hobby as well, but he could never get it right.

Darkheart "smiled", and as was typical of her it seemed more predatory than reassuring. She'd have to learn to smile without it seeming more threatening than friendly.

Choco was stunned at Dahlia's reaction. "Stinky? What do you even mean?! ... Maybe that would make more sense if I had a sensitive nose..." Her comment about Mischief finally registered, and he looked even more stunned. "Wait, 'fluffy thing'? You mean my friend? Why, whaddaya have against her???"
Meanwhile, Mischief started wiggling excitedly at Maverick's praise. "You like it? I draw a lot of things! I've got a sketch of Mister Shade, too! And a map of the bo- er, ship! And schematics for a saddle and armor for Choco!"
Choco looked at her, visibly surprised... Maybe, it could be tricky to read the bird's expressions. "Saddle? Armor? I don't need those! I'm more than tough enough!"
While Mischief couldn't understand exact words, she recognized the tone of the squawking. "Oh, don't you start mouthing off at me!" She returned her attention to her conversation with Maverick, turning the notebook to the aforementioned sketches for Maverick to see. "I tend to draw new things I encounter, and designs for equipment if I can. It's tricky to find gear that fits without customization anyway, so I might as well adjust the design to my preference, right?"

Dahlia wasn't fazed by Choco's reaction, but seemed nevertheless annoyed.
"Fluffy. Teeth, pointy. Maverick... he alright? Teeth? No! Fangs! Pointy teeth are fangs! What does that mean? They meat you! You meat! Buffalos, too many menu..." Dahlia commented before falling silent again, Choco's apparent uneasiness making her tense.

Maverick heard the explanation, and while he had a saddle for Dahlia, the one in the sketch seemed like too much.
"Well that's just the thing. I don't equip Dahlia very much. I don't want to add too much unecessary weight. Dirt buffalos aren't domestic animals. If I managed to tame her was because she was already injured when I found her. I needed to go somewhere very fast and she was my best chance. Tried to release her many times, but she never wanted to leave." Maverick explained, knowing Dahlia would give up on freedom again if he tried to release her once more. He thought it was because she loved him too much, but little did he know there was a deeper, and slightly more humiliating explanation for her to want to stay with him.

Raclaw held back an internal laugh as Darkheart attempted to "smile"-- although it looked more like a snarl. "Here my love...," he attempted to offer his help."Try a little less teeth, like this.," he then said in a gentle-but-confidant tone as he tried to show Darkheart how.

Choco had chills go down his back at Dahlia's explanation. Maybe she had a point..? "... Maybe you have a point... She's definitely built with predatory features... But we've been together since we hatched, so it's hard for me to notice how much of a threat she could be... It doesn't help I'm really not that bright..." he confessed. He knew full well he was dimwitted. But now he questioned his lifelong loyalty to his ever present companion. Would the vixen someday decide he'd make a good dinner?
Mischief nods, understanding. "I can understand that. Choco and I have been together since we hatched. Since then we've never really been apart for long. I trust him, he trusts me... And yes, I hatched from an egg despite being mammalian."
Digi attempted to pipe up from inside her bag. "ALL Pokemon hatch from eggs! Among Pokemon, it's completely normal!"
Mischief retrieved him. "I keep forgetting I have you stuffed in there... Hey, any info on 'dirt buffalos'?"
Digi immediately became flustered. "Well, er, no, but only because I've never encountered one to scan."

Darkheart tried to mimic the expression with... Limited success. She managed to look slightly less aggressive, although she was approaching the uncanny valley. Finally she sighed. "I've never been good at this whole 'smiling' business."

"It's alright-- it's alright. You'll get there; it just takes practice.," Raclaw tried to reassure the inexperienced dragoness. "Don't worry-- I knew what you met.," Chester tried to communicate in a friendly sympathetic time.

Veris laid back down on command. "Okay. I will sleep. Will you stay here?" Veris didn't know much of what Angora did when she wasn't with him, and figured that she might stay over more now that she could understand him. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite capable of understanding the significance behind such a request.

With the ship pulled in to the dock, Banewood left the ship to begin coordinating with the island's council about the plan of action. He wouldn't be able to stay for long, however; he had to leave to get intel on the enemy.

Angora looked at him and felt hypnotized by those pleading eyes, but she wasn't going to let it get to her this time. She couldn't say no either though.
"I'm... I need to go to the main deck a moment. Perhaps later? It's late now, but I'll bring you a snack soon... if I don't fall asleep first of course, so no promises. And if your're not too sleepy yourself. Angora assured as she prepared to close the door. She may fall asleep soon, but with the promise of more food, she didn't doubt Veris would wait, or wake up if he naps.
"Sleep well, alright?" I'll... be back later if I can." she said, closing the door and waving a hand in goodbye.

As she walked down that dark hallway, she felt very lousy. Understanding Veris' language would've been a happy moment for her, if it had come in another occassion. Once she was further away, she talked to the only person she could.
"Now what Neo? That was horrible, wasn't it? Leaving him like that. I know Veris feels alone in there many times, but I can't get him outside this late. And I can't keep getting him used to my presence. I guess I did too much of a good job taking care of him. I thought he knew that this caring was going to last only during the voyage, but now he expects me to come with him when it's over. How will that even work out? Me, working for people that hate me with a wyvern that has to constantly eat? I don't want him to feel bad, and I don't want him to end the friendship for this. I just don't know what to do. I know I should concentrate on stopping the society, but I just can't stop thinking about this." Angora communicated telepathically, the situation having her very stressed. She was afraid that this predicament would alter her focus by the time the plan is in motion.

Quote: darknessdawn

Choco had chills go down his back at Dahlia's explanation. Maybe she had a point..? "... Maybe you have a point... She's definitely built with predatory features... But we've been together since we hatched, so it's hard for me to notice how much of a threat she could be... It doesn't help I'm really not that bright..." he confessed. He knew full well he was dimwitted. But now he questioned his lifelong loyalty to his ever present companion. Would the vixen someday decide he'd make a good dinner?
Mischief nods, understanding. "I can understand that. Choco and I have been together since we hatched. Since then we've never really been apart for long. I trust him, he trusts me... And yes, I hatched from an egg despite being mammalian."
Digi attempted to pipe up from inside her bag. "ALL Pokemon hatch from eggs! Among Pokemon, it's completely normal!"
Mischief retrieved him. "I keep forgetting I have you stuffed in there... Hey, any info on 'dirt buffalos'?"
Digi immediately became flustered. "Well, er, no, but only because I've never encountered one to scan."

Dahlia said nothing else, instead watching Maverick and Mischief talk. The latter didn't seem very threatening right now, and Maverick seemed to be getting along with her just fine, but she guessed it was just in her master's nature to befriend even the scariest creatures. He was friends with that horrible looking black dragon up there, and if he could befriend someone like him, who could likely swallow the four of them in one go, Maverick could befriend anyone. But of course, he was special that way.

Maverick remembered he didn't touch the subject.
"Oh yeah. Been meaning to ask you that. You came from an egg? That's very peculiar. I only know that platypus and echidnas can do that, but not others." he commented, but then remembered that Mischief was from another world, or so he heard. Perhaps another dimension? That would certainly explain things. He then saw Mischief took out Digi. He almost forgot she had him. Perhaps Angora would consider gifting it to her? She seemed to be giving him far more use than Angora ever did.

Angora shook her head, Neo not giving her the answer she wanted. As usual, he wasn't that much helpful. The issue wasn't whether Sere accepted her or not. She was almost certain he would, especially after such success with his beloved and carefully bred mount.
"It's not that Neo! I just can't picture myself working in Guardian headquarters. You know how much Latnok hates me! And Sere just threatened me with death today! If it wasn't for Banewood, I... we wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for him." Angora reminded as she reached the main deck, Neo seemingly not understanding the real issue. She wasn't even being paid for this job, and while she took care of Veris to do him a favor specifically, it didn't stop from being annoying.

Before giving Neo a chance to reply, Angora asked something to the nearest sailor.
"Excuse me. Where is Mr. Banewood?" she asked, with the sailor receiving her quite well.
"Mr. Bane... oh, you mean the wood man? You just missed him. He went to the island." he replied, with Angora shocked she didn't noticed the ship docking. When did they reached the place? Possibly while she was talking to Veris or Neo? Didn't matter. It seems that whatever the plan was, it wasn't going to be today, unless of course it was going to be very late at night? It helped that she had some nocturnal vision, but if that was the case, she was going to try to get some sleep while the plan waited. She gave Neo a chance to reply as she left the main deck again, heading to her cabin. She didn't promise a meal to Veris, and she did warn him she may not be able to come, so that didn't bother her. However, with so much in her mind, she doubted she would be able to sleep...

Veris accepted Angora's answer, laying back down. Though he waited awhile for his troll to return, he grew tired, and eventually succumbed to sleep. He would have dreams of hunting and devouring prey... returning back to the Guardian base, with Angora waiting for him.

Darkheart nodded. "Thank you... For everything..." She shifted and rested her head on Raclaw's neck.

Choco was now watching Mischief's every move. Mischief, meanwhile, payed little mind to the duo. "I've always been a bit of an anomaly. First of all, I'm abysmal at healing spells... No, worse than abysmal... Second, I've got a bit of a duality to me... No doubt you've noticed that... Third, there's... THIS." She generically gestures to her body in general. "I'm constantly getting comparisons to some fellow named Star..."
Digi became mildly indignant. "You do realize he built and programmed me, right? And I'm pretty sure the comparisons are only because Zoroark aren't native to this world!"
Mischief looked back down at him. "Which means my existence here is itself anomalous. I technically shouldn't even be here." She shifted, outright uncomfortable with such thoughts. Why am I here? It matters not. We're here. Let's make the best of it. It matters a LOT! Am I even supposed to be here? Or is my presence against nature? I'll stop you right there. Save the existential crisis for later. We've got better things to worry about. ... Fair enough. She looked back up at Maverick.

"Anything for you, my love..," Raclaw said allowing the black dragoness to rest her head in the comfortable-but-cozy space available between backwards-inward-facing horns and the sturdy-but-comfortable collar that sat at the base of his very much fluffy neck.

Quote: darknessdawn

Choco was now watching Mischief's every move. Mischief, meanwhile, payed little mind to the duo. "I've always been a bit of an anomaly. First of all, I'm abysmal at healing spells... No, worse than abysmal... Second, I've got a bit of a duality to me... No doubt you've noticed that... Third, there's... THIS." She generically gestures to her body in general. "I'm constantly getting comparisons to some fellow named Star..."
Digi became mildly indignant. "You do realize he built and programmed me, right? And I'm pretty sure the comparisons are only because Zoroark aren't native to this world!"
Mischief looked back down at him. "Which means my existence here is itself anomalous. I technically shouldn't even be here." She shifted, outright uncomfortable with such thoughts. Why am I here? It matters not. We're here. Let's make the best of it. It matters a LOT! Am I even supposed to be here? Or is my presence against nature? I'll stop you right there. Save the existential crisis for later. We've got better things to worry about. ... Fair enough. She looked back up at Maverick.

Maverick found it curious and interesting how Mischief thought, and the conversations she had with Digi.
"Well, should it matter where one come from? I'm a hybrid, Angorita is a troll with a noticeable size difference, and believe it or not, Oscurito is a space dragon. We all have a little something that makes us special. Doesn't matter how we look, our heritage, or even where we come from. We just make the most of life and find a home. Doesn't have to be anything material. Just being around amigos can be home enough." Maverick expressed, wanting to share some of his views with his new friend. Hard things have come their way many times and they still do, especially to poor Angora, but he still wanted to remain optimistic, for everyone's sakes.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

“Look it’s just two guardians that may not like you it doesn’t mean all of them don’t. You can even ask for pay and visiting rights to Shade. You know he still loves you and Maverick very much. He still wants to be with you all.” Neo said.

Angora still wasn't convinced. It's like Neo was agreeing with her working for the Guardians and staying with Veris. As much as she loved that wyvern, she didn't think she could find true happiness taking care of him all the time.
"Well, if they talk badly about me like they did with the sailors, it may be too hard. You know how hard it was to earn the sailor's trust? I was all alone in the ship those first weeks. I was forbidden from talking to Shade, and Maverick had Ilasi, so I only had..." Angora stopped, realizing she would've likely gone mad with isolation if it wasn't for Veris' company. She could've tried the same with Dahlia, but they didn't have a very strong bond, and the buffalo was still slightly wary of her.

Once she reached the cabin, she saw the blurry message of the door. She had completely forgotten about it. Veris and the plan weren't her only predicaments. For what she knew, someone likely overheard her conversation with Sere and could ruin all the positive progress she made with the sailors. She wanted to rio that door apart, but it wouldn't do much except eliminating her privacy and peace. It didn't matter anyway. She was too tired to think about anything else.
"Doesn't matter now. So many things can happen these next days. I must focus on the plan, whatever it is. If Banewood wants to find me, let Sere tell him where I am. I'm too tired. Hope Veris forgive me for not giving him a snack now, but I need the rest. Life was so simple back then. It was just me, Shady and Maverick. Why did life had to be so cruel again? Maverick now has a girl that doesn't like Shady or me that much, and him... if it wasn't for that stupid accident..." Angora started to say, still irked about that event. Part of her was still resentful of Shade for not being able to control his powers that fateful day, not even for his friend's sake. Just thinking about it however made her even more tired, and it was only a matter of minutes, maybe even seconds before she fell asleep...

Tyraika sighed and blew a puff of smoke. "Tch. Figures. At this rate, I'll be stuck on this ship forever." She wandered off to one of the corners of the main deck. She plopped down and laid her head down with a heavy sigh. While Tyraika felt less like the crew meant her any physical harm, it seemed they were still intent on killing any hope for freedom. She wasn't sure why she got her hopes up even a little bit.

Angora still didn't believe Neo, and if the other Guardians were anything like those two, she was in trouble. Veris probably won't like it, but he would be unable to stop it for his master's sake. There would be time to think about that. For now, all Angora wanted to do was sleep, hoping she wouldn't have any nightmares about everything going on.

Fortunately, the only dream she was having was her, surrounded by her two best friends, Maverick and Shade. It was night. They were sitting around a campfire cooking some meat while Maverick was having some wild greens. Nobody else was around, no Guardians, no sailors, no Aelinonians, not even Ilasi. It was back when life was simple and happy. Just them, without a care in the world, having some quality time like this, eating, talking, resting. After many years of being lonely, pursued, judged and humiliated, needing to steal and hunt to survive, Angora had encountered happiness with these two unlikely klutz. But in the back of her mind, she feared moments like these were never going to return...

Darkheart snuggled in, comforted by her beloved. His neck was comparable in softness to a feathery pillow. She'd always favored feathers in her nest due to softness, it was one of the few nice things she managed to have. She suddenly adjusted her position, trying - and failing - to hide tears.

At the word "space" Mischief looked up. "Mister Shade is from beyond the sky itself? He really is a long way from home..." Turning the pages to her sketch of Shade, she stuffed a resigned Digi back into her bag and scribbled down the new info in her slightly messy scrawl.
Digi, in a resigned tone, noted "Data saved. I didn't realize the dragolets were an alien species."
Mischief looked back up at Maverick, then put her notebook away and affectionately nosed at him. She also noted his scent, by now memorized, for later use.

Leoquin, meanwhile, was out and about on the deck, patrolling rather absentmindedly. Whatever the Ishulgites were looking to do, he prayed his brother had no part in it. If his brother was indeed with these people...
Looking out to the horizon, Leoquin thought back to that day - how devastated they were when he had to tell them what happened... how hopeless they became when they realized just how far away Audax was swept, his survival seeming like nothing more than a pipe dream. Ever since that day, they had never been the same lively people they were before - the shadow of the incident reflected in their everyday living.
Leoquin wanted nothing more than to finally have his brother back - to be able to bring him back to their parents, and have them regain the happiness they once held. Audax had to be here - Leoquin had trained far too hard and learned far too much to make this journey for a fruitless search.

Angora continued with the pleasant dream for what seemed like hours to her... until reality caught up with her. Ilasi appeared, taking Maverick away to live with her, and while he wanted to stay with her, this was his new future. She only had Shade with her... until his family came to pick him up.
"I still need to make up for Aelinon, so my family is going to help me control my powers so that I won't have to cause destruction ever again." the dragolet told her as he left too, leaving him completely alone with that campfire at night, when two glowing eyes were approaching her. She got ready to battle when she realized... it was just Veris, ready to claim her. He grabbed her with his talons, intending to fly away with her, but something grabbed her legs. It was... it was..

Mischief. She was trying to prevent Veris from taking her. Alongside her, Sand Dune, Random and Opium, although they couldn't catch her.
"No Angora! You won't be happy there. Stay with me! Stay with us!" Angora said, having forgotten that besides Maverick and Shade, she still had Mischief and that crazy trio. But Veris wasn't happy. He grabbed Angora with one talon and Mischief with the other. He prepared to eat the latter when Angora begged him to stop. Fortunately, he obeyed, though he dropped Mischief hardly to the ground before continuing to fly. Was that really it? Was that going to be her new life? And how far was Veris going to go to keep her? Somewhere among the mountains, Shepherd was laughing at her...

Quote: darknessdawn

At the word "space" Mischief looked up. "Mister Shade is from beyond the sky itself? He really is a long way from home..." Turning the pages to her sketch of Shade, she stuffed a resigned Digi back into her bag and scribbled down the new info in her slightly messy scrawl.
Digi, in a resigned tone, noted "Data saved. I didn't realize the dragolets were an alien species."
Mischief looked back up at Maverick, then put her notebook away and affectionately nosed at him. She also noted his scent, by now memorized, for later use.

"Yeah. Muy impresionante, eh? He doesn't remember much about about his past life, but he does remember that." Maverick commented, before letting out a yawn. He found it adorable how Mischief would treat him, but treated it as something completely normal.

Realizing how late it was and judging by his yawn, it was time to sleep.
"Well, off to bed now. But first, I have to find Ilasi and tell her I won't sleep with her tonight. Angorita has been through a lot these past days and I haven't been with her in a while. I know she has you now, but you won't mind in the same cabin tonight, would you?" Maverick asked, knowing the cabin was still technically his too and that he didn't need to ask permission, but given the circumstances, it made sense to consider that cabin Angora and Mischief's, while Ilasi's cabin could also be his.

Within the next hour, Banewood would make his return to the ship. After meeting with Ilasi to verify the details of the reworked spell, he would find Latnok - and communicate the plan for the next morning. It sounded dangerous - but this Banewood fellow hadn't let them down yet, and Latnok had faith, though somewhere, in the back of his mind, was a strong lingering doubt about the man's trustworthiness. Latnok strongly preferred not having Raclaw get involved - recalling their trip to kill the cattlejack - but realized he wasn't going to be able to stop the fur dragon if he truly insisted.

Latnok made sure to get a good amount of rest - he would need it. Banewood's intel led them to deduce that the best time to leave would be early morning - his usual waking time. Upon waking up this morning, however, after putting his armor on, he would head to Angora's cabin and give a hard knock on the door.

Maverick had slept in the cabin after telling Ilasi about staying there for tonight, in his own bed while Mischief slept alongside Angora, letting her use her as an extra pillow. She only had that single dream, then the rest of the night was peaceful. She was feeling very well rested, but would've slept a little more if it wasn't for that violent knock on the door. Angora woke up first, with Maverick flinching but not waking. She opened the door, to find to her displeasure it was Latnok. But of course, who else would knock like that? What an awful way to start the day.
"Yes? Oh. Morning... Mr. Latnok?" Angora said politely and tired, disguising her disgust behind a sleep face. She knew it was a waste of time being polite to him knowing he could never show her the same courtesy, but she still did it out of pure routine and necessity.

Maverick, being the heavy sleeper, didn't hear the conversation. Despite not sleeping with Ilasi, or in the comfortable bed, he still slept pleasantly in his old crib, having no dreams whatsoever. Like Angora, he was reminded of the horrible state of the door when he got there, but he didn't let it stop it from getting some sleep, knowing Sere would find a way to figure out who done it.

Raclaw-- despite Latnok's attempts at persuading him otherwise --insisted on accompanying the Guardian, trusting their abilities and the collar's own abilities to help get them through any trouble. And if Darkheart wanted to accompany them as well, there wasn't much either he or Latnok could do about it. As Latnok knocked on Angora's door, Raclaw and the ever faithful Chester were nearby.. although not immediately obvious upon first glance. They wouldn't let anything happen to Latnok no matter what happened (although Chester would surely be left behind again) and they trusted the same from 'their human' as animals often referred to their masters as. Although 'master' was a subjective term and there were much more preferable terms such as friend or simply Latnok.

Elsewhere, Risar was up and would help manage the morning crew; the Minotaur knew he and his strength would no doubt have another part to play in the day to come. A part of him thought back to his long lost brothers-- still out there somewhere. Perhaps one day..

"Mr. Latnok? Have you forgotten my name?" Latnok asked sarcastically in response to Angora's questioning tone, still being under the impression that Angora was trying her best to be passive-aggressive. "Banewood will be bringing us to our destination. Grab some food and get ready to move out. He'll be near the gangplank. We have a fun day ahead of us..."
Latnok gave a small smile near the end, as he tried not to think too much about Raclaw coming along. Undoubtedly a dangerous operation -but their bonds were incredibly strong, and life-or-death scenarios weren't going to change that.

It was to no surprise that Latnok confused her questioning tone. There was no way she would forget the name of someone who has brought her much torment. The tone was more out of surprise that he of all people was there. Sere just couldn't send someone else, could he? Maybe Raclaw alone? Those two always together was even getting slightly annoying, although Darkheart brought a rather welcoming change. Maybe she could help Raclaw separate a little from such an unhealthy, controlling bond.
"Alright sir." Angora answered neutrally as she prepared to leave as soon as Latnok got out of the way, wanting to sleep more, but she needed to be ready to face those manipulating thugs. She would need something strong, sugar or caffeine perhaps. She didn't have the orb anymore, but she recalled the time they sent someone to communicate with her through telepathy when she hid the orb under the bed. She had to be ready in case they tried to manipulate or torture her mind again...

Maverick was still pleasantly asleep, none the wiser of the conversation taking place just a couple of meters away. If he had been covered by the sheets, nobody would've known he was there, since he barely moved, and he didn't snore at all.

Latnok seemed to be satisfied with Angora's answer. "Good. I know you don't give a damn about the lives of others if they're not your friend here or the 'Scourge of Redwater', so just think of this as a way to help yourself if that gives you a shred of enthusiasm. We'll be waiting for you."
With that, Latnok left. He had to make sure to get some food for Chester before he left - he would have food for Raclaw in his pack.

Angora wasn't offended at all by Latnok's comment, having already expecting it. One thing she found curious however is how he still believed she didn't care about others other than her friends, after she had done all that healing. He has even congratulated her. How little did that last. Why the sudden change? Was it because of the door? Unless... he was... perhaps? Angora wouldn't be surprised if he was the culprit, nor if he was the sound she heard behind Sere's door yesterday. Whatever the reason, the briefness of his kindness was to be expected. He has become so predictable.

The little troll didn't let that bother her though. If she decided to go with Sere to keep being Veris' caretaker, she was going to request not seeing his rude, irritable face ever. He has made her too miserable already. But she was willing to bury the past. All the sad feelings she felt because of him. No more. For now, she concentrated on her breakfast. Smoked salmon with lettuce and lemon. And a little bit of wine, even though she wasn't usually a heavy drinker. She almost left the kitchen when she remembered Veris. Couldn't forget about him, especially since he probably waited for a while for that extra snack last night.

Angora got some sirloin beef and some lamb chops for him today, wanting him to eat well too in case Sere needed him for a battle. She went quickly to his enclosure, but she didn't have the time to spend some quality time with him. She doubted she could change his water quickly, so she left it for later. She opened the door to his enclosure, sliding the tray slightly and then closing it, not taking a look to see if he was awake. She didn't want to keep the others waiting, so as soon as that task was done, she headed to the main deck to meet with Banewood and the others, her palms sweating with nervous anticipation...

When Angora had arrived, Latnok and Banewood were ready to move, with Raclaw and Chester having already been given some food (while Latnok had more in his pack for Raclaw on the trip.) Latnok did not look very happy with Angora's arrival.
"I'll explain details of the operation during our travel," Banewood said. "Let's get a move-on. I will remain posted on the outskirts of he island to maintain a safe rendezvous point. Best of luck to you all." Banewood stepped out onto the gangplank, with the others following shortly behind.
Latnok gave Angora a suspicious look. "So we head in, delay the signal from the orb, and blow the place up before the enemy realizes what's happening, hopefully making it out in one piece. Sounds simple enough. Try not to trip and accidentally stab us in the back during the whole thing." Part of being involved in the operation was learning of the circumstances behind it - and Latnok saw Angora's actions as a clear sign of her carelessness and disregard for others; a shining example of her failing to think of the consequences of her actions, being only focused on how she personally felt at any given moment.

Darkheart was with the group the entire time, but her mind was visibly elsewhere. She was clearly distracted, although it wasn't readily apparent why. The truth was that she was worried about this mission.
Mischief had something hit her. Most of the people here treated Angora with at least token respect. Sere seemed more detached out of necessity and was able to recognize his harshness. Did Latnok..? Her eyes flashed golden for a moment before moving to the mixed version once again. She rushed to try and find them, a simple enough task given that they were on the main deck. She paused and gave Raclaw and Darkheart a nod. Then her gaze fell on Latnok and Banewood. "What's going on? More importantly, I'm not letting you take her and not me." She couldn't abandon Angora to Latnok's hate. Resting her paw on the gemstone tipping her staff, her eyes once again flashed golden, and as usual the gem briefly darkened visibly.
Darkheart shivered, recognizing the golden eyes. "Are you sure you want to? This is a bit dangerous."
Mischief's eyes locked with Darkheart's. "Before I met Angora, I was alone except for Choco. She was the first one to accept me as I truly am. To be willing to treat me as a friend, not a tool or monster. I cannot abide the thought of losing her. Take. Me. With. You. I can survive anything that'll be thrown at me."
Darkheart shook her head. "You've never faced a foe like the Ishulgites."
Mischief displayed a far more predatory grin than normal. "So that's what it's about... We've got a bone to pick with them anyway. They've yet to face a foe like us." She returned to her deathly serious expression, the golden tone fading from her eyes. "Take me with you. I need to help here. I want to prove I'm more than a monster or tool. I'm a protector."

Latnok's cold gaze didn't go unnoticed by Angora. There was only one explanation for that; he knew about the orb. But whether Sere told him or was the one listening at the door remained to be seen. However, she was an important part of the plan judging by her needed presence. One would think he would at least dissimulate his dislike, but he was so predictable. So childish. So pathetic. She wanted to say a thing or two to him, but she didn't want to break any of their concentrations. She was about to move with the others when Mischief arrived and talked to Darkheart. She seemed adamant in following them.
"Mischief! You stay! You look too upset to concentrate. If you want to protect someone, protect Maverick! But stay here!" Angora suggested, almost in a scolding matter. She then saw Shade waking up and asking questions, but since she was still forbidden from talking to him, she was going to let someone else answer him.

At the cabin, Maverick yawned, almost ready to wake up. He opened his eyes to see both Angora and Mischief missing. Well they woke up early. Despite this bed not being as comfortable as Ilasi's, not even as comfortable as her couch, he could use some more sleep. But he couldn't continue to doze off. Something told him this was going to be an awfully long day, so after stretching, he headed to the kitchen to make breakfast like he usually do, although he was thinking of skipping the decoration to win some time...

Mischief shook her head, mane swaying. "Miss Angora... Please... Maverick is beloved by the entire crew. He's safer here than either of us. You and I... We're outcasts, the rejects of society. Neither of us has a family, only something vaguely resembling such... And I count you in my pack. You're the closest thing I've ever had to a mother." she explained. Her eyes were in danger of watering again. "I can't bear being alone again... Even with Choco it's too much... And Maverick has his own family to worry about..."

Angora blushed with embarrassment, never imagining Mischief could say so many cheesy things. A mother? How ridiculous.
"Don't say things like that! Listen, I've been through worse! I had to take care of myself nearly all my life, and look at me now! Still alive despite all the obstacles! Now will you just please stay here! The sooner we do this the better! You're delaying us!" Angora said, scolding for real this time. She wanted Mischief to listen to her for once so that she could be spared from Latnok's cruelty, though that was probably impossible by now. She did have a point though. They were like outcasts in that ship, and if the crew knew about what happened with the orb, she would be back to square one in terms of respect. All the healing she did, it wouldn't count. If the Ishulgites didn't plan on mass genocide, she would've even considered coming with them after all. But she wasn't going to allow any more loss of life, friends or otherwise.

Maverick was cooking in the kitchen, having a very hard feeling in his gut. It was as if it was grasping him. What was this feeling? Was he worried about another attack? He didn't find any other reason to feel this way. It was an awful feeling. Some of the food even almost burned up with the distraction. It felt like... a bad feeling...

Angora hoped Mischief would listen to Shade. At the same time, she was feeling quite proud of him. Shade has finally learned not to be so overprotective over her. In the past, he was just like Mischief.

Back at the kitchen, Maverick went to the fridge again to get some ingredients for his special sauce... when he saw Angora's cake. He has forgotten to give it to her. Maybe he could give it to her with the breakfast. It may be too heavy on her, but she was a troll, and they had stronger stomachs. If she got up earlier, she probably had her breakfast, but he was still going to make her something. He still had this gut feeling, but he tried to ignore it to avoid the food from getting ruined...

Raclaw offered a reassuring nod-- not expecting Mischief to be so.. attached. He and Latnok were attached, but they had earned such a bond through a great deal of time and respect. Angora and Shade were attached, perhaps overly so in the past, but they had also earned that attachment through a long series of (admitting) tragic events. And yet, Mischief here was acting almost like he was owned even after so little time.

Latnok shook his head at Mischief's request. "We're going to be working with explosives, and will be in a very precarious spot. Until you have a more solid grip on your magic, I wouldn't want to risk an accident. There will likely be future missions for you; this one wouldn't be it, however." Latnok was also a bit uneasy having Mischief with Raclaw, especially when he and Raclaw might have to separate during the mission, though he avoided mentioning that.
Banewood declined to make any comment on the matter; Latnok knew the personnel better than he did, so he wasn't one to judge whether the call was good or not. "If the matter is settled, let's move out." Latnok gave a confirming look to Raclaw, then back at the others, waiting for any last-minute statements.

Angora was surprised Latnok wasn't hostile replying to Mischief. Maybe a little strict, but not hostile. Perhaps he was touched with the way she expressed herself? Nah. Latnok was too insensitive for that. With a warning glare, Angora reaffirmed her position to Mischief, and was ready to follow the group, getting close to Banewood. He was the most likable from that group, besides Raclaw, but she couldn't be near him with Latnok around, and after literally saving her life yesterday, he was the only one she felt comfortable with. She wanted to thank him for yesterday, but she didn't want to do it under the poisonous glances of the Guardians, especially Latnok, so she settled with a small smile. It was a small, hardly noticeable one, but it was one of the most genuine smiles she has ever given.

The smell of Maverick's delicious food invaded the hallways nearby. Food was almost done. All that was left was his special sauce, and it was all done. He had everything, from Chester and Raclaw's unique bowls, to adding Mischief's fruits. He even served a little more meat than usual to Shade, for even if the Guardian's didn't want to admit it, he haven't had an accident in a very long time, and it seemed that finally, he was in control of his powers. Collar or not, it was great progress.

Mischief closed her eyes, frustrated. "My control has improved significantly... But then, I suppose you wouldn't know that. And explosions are one of the things I'm good at... Very good at... But it seems there's a time limit... And it doesn't include the time necessary to convince you... Fine." She opened her eyes, which had shifted to gold again. "Just... Don't let her die..." She glanced to Raclaw, eyes back to blue. "You all need to return alive. I've got personal reasons for wanting all of you to survive, but they can wait. Good luck." Her eyes locked onto Raclaw's collar and she tilted her head briefly before turning away. She was dying to know the secrets of that collar.
Darkheart sighed, visibly relieved. "Mischief?" The vixen glanced back. "You're not the only one who wants to protect... I promise we'll return alive."
Mischief visibly settled. "Th... Thank you." She could feel the sincerity in Darkheart's words. She turned away and quietly made her way towards the kitchen, stomach growling.
Darkheart nodded. "Well... We'd best hurry. That delayed us, so we can't afford to delay much further."

The food was done. One sniff and Maverick could see that being almost burnt up didn't alter much of the taste. He didn't know if the Ishulgites were going to attack again as soon as today, so he wanted everyone to have full stomachs before anything could happen. He then heard steps in the hallway outside, but figured it was just someone out to get something or see what that smell was. Whatever the case, he wasn't worried, so he made sure to turn off the fires...

"Time is of the essence. We must get the trap ready as soon as possible," Banewood said, as he began to lead the way out. "Intel I've collected suggests that the enemy will be moving in before noon. We will want to draw them off before then."
As the group walked down the dock, the telltale signs of battle preparations could be seen. Troops and weapons were being readied by the walls. The experience of the mercenaries and the weaponry available to them would certainly help - but without intervention, the numbers would be overwhelming.
Banewood would lead the group down to the far end of the docks, to the shore. Here, he began preparing the root-calling spell.

Ilasi got up, going about her usual morning preparations - when she smelled the distinct smell of Maverick's cooking, and began to salivate at the thought. She hastened her routine, looking forward to a decent meal from her beloved to start the day.

Angora followed loyally, unable to help gaze in wonder how equipped were the people of the island. It almost looked like Redwater itself. This island had to have a lot of provisions and materials if they managed to build all of this, unless they were weapons they had with them when their ships docked? Whatever the case, she was glad they didn't have to do this alone, although she feared the loss of life. With everything she was seeing, it looked as if they were preparing for a severe war. If the Ishulgites really wanted a better world, why the need to kill? They crossed the line when they wanted to kill Maverick of all people, one of the most decent, noble hearted person that probably ever existed. They had to be stopped. She watched carefully as Banewood prepared the spells, awaiting her own instructions. She wasn't very good with magic, but she trusted in her shield, the only magic she could do flawlessly. If there was going to be an explosion, the shield could do greatly if something goes wrong...

Maverick turned off the fires, and then discovered who was approaching.
"Buenos dias Mischief. Great timing. Food is done. Here is your platter. Unless of course you want something different this time?" Maverick invited, as he started to serve the different foods. He was very glad to have Mischief in their lives, although he wished she could've come much earlier so that Angora didn't have to be so alone in the moments he was with Ilasi.

Mischief accepted the platter, her mind clearly elsewhere. Explosives. They're kidding right? Oh, who am I kidding, of course they're serious. They seemed busy... At least Darkheart is willing to protect Angora and the others in my place... What an odd name, but then who am I to talk... Speaking of talking... Maybe we can capture an Ishulgite and, ah, "convince" them to help us defeat their leader. That sounds like you mean "torture". ... No? What a load of... Maybe we should tell Maverick about what's happening? Wait until he asks, child, and have him sit down first. Chances remain unhappily high Angora will be hurt. Perhaps you should practice while they're gone. That's a good idea. Hone my skills to a science. Then show Latnok, somehow... She finished before realizing it, and looked down in confusion at an empty platter.

Raclaw gave Mischief a reassuring nod before departing-- walking with a brisk pace so as to not waste any more valuable time. He had gone a long way-- from being a mere pet who didn't know who he truly was to, ironically, being a pet who know had a much greater sense of purpose. Of direction. He had Latnok, he had Chester, and he was now a part of something much greater then himself. And now they were (presumily) about to stop or delay a great enemy force. The Ishulgite... strange bug-like individuals who seems content on bending the will of everyone around them to their own. They had seen it with Angora (having been told of the orb), they have seen it with Icestorm, and they have even briefly seen it with his own Latnok. He didn't know if they would succeed or not, but he had hope -- and he had determination. And he even had Darkheart now, faithfully standing by his side now and forever.
"Whatever happens... we'll make it through this. All of us-- together.," the fur dragon then said thinking out loud and offering up words of encouragement.

Elsewhere-- Chester looked outwards onto the island-- the little Beagle knew his beloved friends would come back, but he still worried nonetheless.

The wait was brief. Banewood soon had the root summoned, with sand shifting as it came up out of the ground. He motioned everyone inside, closing the root up once everyone was in place. The root pushed everyone along with its typical peristaltic motions.
Once everyone was reasonably settled, Banewood continued with his speaking. "Well, first things first. I've already revealed this to a few yesterday - but I may as well reveal it to the rest of you here as well. I am Julian... Adjudicator Julian, technically." With that, Julian broke the mask off, leaving his face visible in the glow of the inner root.
Latnok's eyes opened wide - which would be easier to see if his helmet weren't on. "So... the Adjudicator-"
"Please, just call me Julian for now," Julian insisted, cutting Latnok off with a hand gesture. "There is much I will have to do before I am ready to be acknowledged like that again.I have worked with these folk, for a time - before realizing their true intention. I have sought to do what I can to put an end to this new world of theirs."
Latnok didn't immediately have any follow-up comments, allowing Julian to continue. "The root we are using - this whole network is adapted from the Tree of Vitality back at Guardian headquarters. By tapping into my knowledge, Apothis - the one I worked with - was able to call a portion of the roots to Falcon's Beak, and has been able to use it since then to facilitate his operations on this island - and abroad. I have been able to hijack the network to some degree for my own use, though it always presents a danger should something more powerful wrest control of it from me." Julian stopped to allow for others to ask questions.

Ilasi didn't need to try hard to find Maverick, the smell of food doing quite a bit to guide her. With a bit of walking, she eventually came to find the food - and with it, her beloved, seemingly already engaging with Mischief.
"Good morning, Maverick. Good morning, Mischief. How are you doing today?" she asked politely, as she approached. She didn't know if Maverick had prepared anything for her in particular today, so she would wait a bit before grabbing a platter.