Arc 716th, Ymiden 1st.
Danse des Morts
Tai’klein had been in the city once before. The great solid tree wall that separated the wild was traveled only once before, though. Born as a red head Sev’ryn, and growing up in Desnind brought back some memories that were far too rough to bare at times. Though, little did Tai’klein know that today he would travel the dark tunnels once again.
Tai’klein was out hunting once again embodying form of his familiar Rei’sch, who was a white wolf. The fur sheened through the moonlight of the dense forest, and what once came in the light, only disturbed that which was in the horrors of night. Sitting atop the trunk of a fallen tree, the wolf scanned the area around him. Senses were different in this form and the smell around him was one of death and blood. Wind blew through the trees as they whistled. Every stir of the nature around him warranted a keen eye and observant ears. The coarse hairs on his mane and between his upper shoulder blades began to erect with warning. His snout snarled at something in the shadows that moved not with the wind. His yellow eyes peered and widened as it moved his way. Strange glowing eyes pierced through the darkness as it swiftly moved towards the wolf. His first reaction was to defend himself and he growled at the strange beast that didn’t seem to react in any mean.
When the glowing sinister red light got closer, Tai’klein and Rei’sch saw something unknown to them. Whispers from the wolf familiar echoed in Tai’klein’s mind. “Run!” The wolf darted forward towards the beast with great velocity. As his paws struck the ground he slid right by the beast from the bramble of the forest floor and took a nip from its arm, which responded with a swing of rusty steel that was concealed. It just barely cut off a bit of his stray fur, and alarmed the wolf. Tai’klein underestimated his opponent, and another set of glowing red eyes appeared from the shadows. Turning his body around from sliding on the bramble the wolf growled towards the two beings of darkness. The one in the back and most recently seemed to run off somewhere.
Smelling the air, he knew there might be more, and the one that just seemed to run off seemed to head… towards the den! The wolf let out a snarl and ran around his prey who tried to attack once more, but the wolf knew these parts of the forest and evaded the attack by pouncing off another tree trunk. It was very close. The attacking red eyed monster ran into the tree. Now was his time to escape and go protect his real life body in his den.
He ran through the forests with great speed, and knew that at this speed he might beat them to his den, if they could find it. He wondered what sort of monsters these were – and what their purpose were. Panting slightly when stopping near his den, the wolf sniffed the air. It was fresher smelling at first, and then the recognizable scent once more made itself out. These beasts somehow found his den. The wolf darted into the den and saw one hovering over his vulnerable body, about ready to strike. The wolf with no hesitation charged towards it and tackled it with his gaping maws and teeth. “How could this thing find our den! I took such precaution.” Tai’klein snarled as ripping his teeth through it’s flesh. Red blood scattered throughout in the process. Through the struggle; the body of the monster fell onto his waterskin and Tai’klein’s body. The monster reacted in a strange way and almost shreaked then ran out of the den in response.
The wolf lowered it’s head toward the entrance of den and growled once more. It sounded like two, no three more of these monsters were out there waiting to ambush them. “What will we do?” Tai’klein asked his familiar who seemed to snarl back to him in response. “Your body is vulnerable, and I doubt your bow will be of any use in this situation. You won’t like it, but we might be able drag you to the city.” Rei’sch responded in term. “Won’t I wake in that situation?” he asked but his familiar remained quiet.
Tai’klein in response went over to his body in the form of his familiar and nuzzled underneath his waist. Pawing his way under the body and lifting his head he managed to maneuver his body underneath the body and stood up. Tai’klein’s body was lifeless and weighed enough, but the wolf body was strong and nearly just as big. With a few wolf grunts the jaws of the wolf clamped onto some of Tai’kleins red hair and maneuvered down to grab onto a sleeve of his fur clothing. Attempting to stand up the wolf struggled a bit and finally got his paws to grip the ground below.
Turning to the entrance of the den, the wolf with Tai’kleins body upon it had started walking slowly towards it, until finally running into a sprint. Escaping the den he was met by three of the glowing red eyed beasts who attempted to charge near him and his sev’ryn body. The wolf dodged with a turn towards the city walls. Running as fast as he could the wolf darted through the woods with the lifeless body weighing down his usual graceful run through the forest.
This time the wolf was one being hunted, and the three red eyes were carefully and expediently following them. Chase gave way, and every second was filled with a pounding heart full of adrenaline. Eventually the two made their way to the entrance, Itoju, and went into the tunnel. Quarter of a mile in, the wolf was still being chased when finally, the monsters seemed to disappear. After escaping the tunnel and going into the entrance of the city of Desnind, the wolf dropped the body of Tai’klein and nuzzled the body to inspect if it was hurt during the chase. Everything seemed fine when finally the wolf laid down beside the body, panting, and disappeared. Tai’klein woke in the city and was met by an oludibo cikakken.
“What was that?” the oludibo cikakken asked with curiosity. Tai’klein was still out of breath, despite not had sharing any the physical labor that his familiar did. They shared everything. Pain, hardship, and injury. “I am not sure.”
The monsters
They were Ratherion, and though they just barely escaped their death - this is sure to create an interesting plot following it!
