Planetfurry BBS

[Shirh Khan]

As they walked back to the camp, Khamilah faintly chided herself on her actions, as she recalled her brief battle with the ogre. It wasn't that she couldn't have dispatched him-- and she'd certainly beaten him enough, before he caught a lucky break and managed to trip her up and dash past her-- and it wasn't that she couldn't have done a fairly decent job of fighting him paw-to-paw, as her own strength, while not that of an ogre's, was definitely nothing to laugh at.

Unfortunately, it was the "call" of the weapon at her back, the kitana, as Toberaan had called it, that had distracted her. She'd watched the other three as they'd taken up their bladed weapons, and she'd almost reached for her own, before the compulsion against it had prevented her from doing so. That had been the beginning of her problems, as she'd had to try to stamp down her frustration at not being able to simply slice the disgusting creature into pieces. She had to admit, now, that her concentration hadn't been at its best, because of that. That, had been what had kept her from doing her best.

She made a vow, right then, that it wouldn't happen again.

After they made their way back to the camp, she decided that she needed to do some 'scouting' around, to make sure that there wasn't anything more that the group could encounter, at least for the night. She also readied her things, so that she could be moving at first light. The 'raid', such as it was, showed her that she'd allowed her complacency at still being in 'friendly' lands, to keep her from doing what she was supposed to be doing, and she was surprised-- and just a tad bit relieved, that Thad hadn't thought about it just yet. And she didn't intend to give him time to comment, either.

She didn't stay in the camp long- she let the others know of her intentions to set up watches, then took the first watch. After she was relieved, she took a brief nap, then awoke again, letting Derick and Merlena know of her plans, before she took off into the forest.

She circled the camp, looking out for trouble or danger for at least a kilometer all the way around. She found no further signs that there would be problems that night, and with what remained of the night, she found a small clearing just a hundred yards or so away from the camp, and unsheathed her sword.

It glowed faintly, almost so dim that she couldn't see the light muted blue glow. She pondered that for only a moment, before she realized that Toberaan must have given the blade a-- or maybe a few-- magical gifts. She didn't let the matter concern her overlong; she pulled together her concentration, and began going over all her training:

-with the staff as she learned her trade:
-with the staff as she learned from the monk she'd stayed with for a time:
-with the fighting sticks, as Toberaan defended against her, bare-pawed, and as he fought with what he called a bokken-- a wooden sword, he said-- as he fought her bare-pawed:
-with her fighting sticks, as she participated in the daily practice sessions with the others:
-as she watched as how the others handled their bladed weapons, in the daily practice sessions:

and began to construct her own ways of fighting. She resheathed the sword, without ever having swung it, and took out one of her fighting sticks. She would learn; she would not slice her own body parts, though, either. And so, she began to test her movements, at first hesitantly, then with a greater degree of determination, as she began her imaginary battle.

[Pat The Fox]

Pat was already up and about, a jar in paw as he crouched low by a small bush, picking carefully along its leaves for the small tresures hidden beneath "Ahh goodberrys..never know then they could be of use."

It was then that he noticed a small web on the lower brances, a very familiar creature keeping it's guard. With a gentle paw Pat cupped it up and gazed at it "One of these days I may have to sacrifice one of your kin, I hope I never have to kill a ceature of the wods but I did not write the way magic works, I only practice"

He carefully placed the spider back on it's web, knowing well that he had his way of summoning one upon request. He then stood up and placed his paw upon the trees, smiling "Anything new to report? It was very quite last night and I thank you for your protection, I never doubt the work of the forest to keep its company safe"

[Joshua Fox]

“Blasted Ogre,” Thad grumbled as he stood beside the stream, holding up his now-washed robe on a nearby tree limb. “I should have made his demise much more painful…”

The Necromancer had similar thoughts coursing through his mind ever since the incident at the cave, having been thoroughly repulsed by the Ogre mage and his vile kin even before the saliva-coated Merlena had crashed into him. Ultimately he had been successful in the attempt, though, and once his robes had been dried thoroughly he planned to return to the lair in the hopes of finding some loot, even if he would have to give it up if Rob asked.

Idly standing about in a pair of plain trousers and a shirt, Thad impatiently paced about as he waited for his robes to dry. The pockets and fabric were magically protected, so no damage had been done to his possessions, but still he disliked being without it even for short periods of time. Like his Greenstone amulet and many of his best possessions, the robe had previously belonged to his former master, the leader of a Southern cult of fanatical Necromancers that believed it was their duty to ‘cleanse’ the world of the living in preparation for the coming of their masters. He had been known as Calimar of the Ashen Hand, and the very mention of his name had inspired terror across the South-west beyond the mountains all the way to the borders of the Elven kingdoms to the West.

Thad, barely seventeen at the time and a wandering cleric of minor repute, held no love for the man or the fanatical fools that followed him, but justified his apprenticeship as the fastest method of gaining insight and mastery of the arcane arts of Necromancy. He had been even less thrilled when he found that Calimar openly consorted with beings of the nether realms, entertaining and summoning several devils and demons every day in order to gain greater favor and insight from the wicked denizens of the Hells. The badger felt the same way then as he had more than ten years before, almost shuddering as he recalled the portals his master had opened to the various planes. Thad had never been delusional; he knew well enough that he was no angel, but that didn’t stop him from recognizing that these creatures lived an existence of cruelty and evil that was far worse than anything he could ever do.

He had seen the likings of Hades, the Domain of Chaos, as well as Tarterus, the realm of the Demodads and Demon Lords where the very ground exuded an unmistakable mist as odious as condensed evil. He had felt nothing but revulsion towards them and their denizens along with those of the other nether planes, ever distrustful and wary of the outsiders that would impose themselves upon the material plane. This was not limited only to the vile creatures of the Hells, but those supposedly of the goodly planes as well. Thad was distrustful of creatures inherently more powerful than those of this plane and scorned the intervention of the gods and Hellspawn alike.

Still despite this Thad had served and studied at Calimar’s side for three long years, learning quickly due to his ability to wholeheartedly commit himself to the task and soon becoming recognized as the second most skilled Necromancer in the cult’s ranks. He had even learned the ways of the nether creatures his master summoned, fighting his revulsion for the sake of the knowledge that might one day prove useful to him in the right situation. He was even able to hide his dislike from the mighty Necromancer, quickly becoming the cult-leader’s favored follower and trusted advisor at barely the age of twenty. Thad used this to his advantage, and truly he wasted no time in deposing of the much-feared fellow when the opportunity arised. He had merely removed the cult’s defenses after striking a deal with a trio of reputable adventurers and allowing them to catch the lesser cultists unawares while he took care of Calimar.

His master hadn’t even had time to scream before Thad’s knife pierced his heart.

Afterwards, as per the agreement, he had made away with the majority of the cult’s material wealth, leaving only some minor trinkets and specie that were to be returned to the peoples who had suffered under the cult’s terror. With the majority held in his newly acquired bag of holding, which by his master’s description actually contained a small pocket plane and thus was almost impossible to fully fill, he had made his way up North through the many towns and trading posts that dotted the Western borders. Finally, after roughly a year on the road, he had arrived in Clu’mer at the suggestion of Jyl’nan D’Fale, Rob’s father.

Sighing over thoughts of the past, Thad turned and looked up towards the main camp just a short distance away, seeing most of the group clustered about the campfire as the young bard regaled them with some tale or another. He was not close enough to hear, but he knew it likely involved the very same trio that had helped him bring down the cult of the Ashen Hand and given him the opportunity to slay Calimar.

Uncharacteristically curious from nostalgia, he began to walk along the length of the stream, putting himself just close enough to the bard to hear which tale he was telling. His assumption had been correct, for indeed the names ‘Malfus’ and ‘Baen’ quickly popped up, but it was about some silly battle in which they had defeated a tribe of Flind and Gnolls.

A strange thought reached Thad’s mind then. He recalled when he had first met the bard that, when asked, he had cited a story his father had told him as being his source of knowledge about the Necromancer’s identity. Surely then Rob knew the circumstances concerning the destruction of the cult, but was he aware of the full circumstances behind it?

Thad mused a moment more, suddenly hoping that the bard would soon tell that tale, if only to find out exactly how much Rob knew about his own beginnings.

###

No more than a few miles away, deep within one of the many cave complexes dotting the western edge of the Steppinslope Hills, another creature was deep in his musings as well.

He was a powerful humanoid with the features of a canine, the skin and fur that covered his muscled body as black as the night and contrasting starkly with the bright red headfur that fell clear down over his shoulders and to the middle of his back. Like most of his kind, this Flind was tall and imposing, holding a smug and wicked grin that belied the cruelty of his character that had allowed him to claim leadership over the Gnoll tribe as well as several of his own kin. Unlike those Gnolls he commanded, though, and even unlike most others of his kind, he considered himself above the usual stigmas that went along with his race and made an effort to act as such. He bathed regularly, trained himself in arts of combat that went beyond simple power and relied more on finesse, and even tried to drill his troops in battle formations for their skirmishes with caravans and unsuspecting parties of travelers.

Alash, as he was called, only grinned all the more as he thought of the benefits his alliance with Grin’Talok the Ogre Mage had reaped upon him. In had been the shrewd chieftain who had made the offer several years before, not wanting to miss such a golden opportunity upon hearing that the Ogres had suffered terrible losses in an ill-conceived raid attempt on the city of Clu’mer. Though wary of the Flind’s motives for such a suggestion but not being able to ignore the potential benefits to his broken clan, Grin had begrudgingly accepted the proposal and their forces had worked in mutual benefit with one another ever since.

How Alash’s smile grew as he looked about the deep cave, seeing the riches he had accumulated in the form of food and gold, to say nothing of the harem of slavegirls he and his subchiefs enjoyed. With the aid of the Ogres they had raided caravans, villages and even ventured west into the Western planes to sack and pillage, every time taking captives to split up among the victors. The Ogre mage usually had pick of the males for his kin’s cooking pot, and Alash conceded that any magic-user that was subdued would of course go to him, but these were small concessions and he ultimately was always satisfied with the selection of females for his tent.

Like his Ogre counterpart, the chieftain sat on a throne of stone, though admittedly his was much better shaped and crafted, having brought captured stoneworkers to carve it for him before they were given to his troops for a fine meal. At his right, left and center stood three other Flind of lesser standing and stature, their armor and crossbows telling of their position as his trusted subchiefs. Alash’s weapons were the greatest of them all, the Halberd and Heavy Crossbow he had taken from a particularly wealthy caravan both possessing magical properties which complimented his already impressive array of skills. And it was from his throne that he now sat and awaited the arrival of an expected visitor, a representative of Grin’s Ogres so that they could plan their next move in the region.

But the messenger was late, much later than any of the Ogres had been before concerning the business of their cooperation. Alash was patient, however, a trait not often associated with his race, and shrugged it off even as the hours went by without an appearance by Grin’Talok’s emissary.

“Taking their times, these Ogres,” The Flind at the Chieftain’s right commented, absent-mindedly tapping his clawed digits around his spear.

“Maybe he got lost,” The center subchief suggested, always having looked down his nose at their unlikely allies.

“Or maybe saw his reflection in the river and died of fright,” The one of the left ventured, his grin showing his sharp yellow teeth.

“Either way,” Alash interrupted cooly, silencing the others around him as soon as he opened his mouth. “I fear that Grin has forgotten about our appointment.”

“We should punish da’ Ogre when he gets here?” The one on the right suggested eagerly, thinking up several ‘appropriate’ punishments for such tardiness.

“No. That certainly wouldn’t be good diplomacy,” Alash replied, ever curtailing his subchief’s more primal instincts. “But I see no reason to simply wait around while the Ogre mage takes his sweet time. Send one of the Gnolls to go get him.”

“Alright, Boss!” The center Flind grinned, satisfied that the Ogres would at least be embarrassed by the action. “You!” He yelled, pointing his blade towards the nearest of the nearly sixty Gnolls that made up Alash’s forces. “Run to the Ogres quickly! Bring back one so the Chief can talk business with them.”

The Gnoll, a full three feet shorter than the shortest of the Flinds, yelped and leaped to his padded feet, running out of the cave with all its haste as it knew the punishment for delay.

“Done, Boss!” The subchief stated proudly, puffing out his chest as if waiting for words of praise.

“So I see,” Alash replied amusedly, standing up from his stone seat as his heavy cloak trailed behind him, hanging from hooks in his shined steel armor. “Let me know when he gets back. In the meantime, do not disturb me from my… rest.”

The three subchiefs grinned at one another, knowing from the undertones of their Chieftain’s statement that he’d be busy with his slavegirls until the messenger came back.

“You gots it, Boss,” The three Flinds all replied at different moments, nodding as they watched their leader walk away and past the velvet curtain that seperated his chambers from the rest of the cave.

The subchiefs then returned to their positions, keeping watch over the ever-restless Gnolls that protected their great and mighty leader.

[BlackDragon]

Jeff was reading a map. At least, he was trying to. It would have been better to fly, of course, but Krystal was terrified of heights and refused to leave solid ground. So, they had been walking for hours, listenign to Krystal complain every thrity minutes until Jeff commanded her to stop it. The dragon suddenly just roared in frustration, the noise echoing for miles, threw the map down, and stomped on it. Kyle watched this show with amusement. "You know, it's been fun following you in circles for hours, but might I suggest that you use the fragment again? We really don't need the map since you have it." Jeff grunted in response, and took out the stone. It had been tied onto a string, and would swing in the direction of the nearest fragment. This time it swung southwest, deeper into the forest. Jef put it away in his cloak, and started walking in that direction without a word. His two servants exchanged glances, and followed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~=~~~~=~~~~=~~~~=~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Krystal stared into the cave in front of them, clearly spooked. "Do we have to go in there?" Jeff took out the fragment again, and nodded. "Mmmmmm...It's spooky, I don't like it!" Jeff looked at her, and then Kyle, thinking about the unspoken request.

"Krystal, stay out here and wait for me. Kyle, if there's any trouble out here, come get me. I'll be back." Jeff stepped into the cave, and followed the shaft down. It became dark very quickly, and Jeff breathed in deeply. He blew out the breath as fire, and it lit the area well. He picked out a torch he had carried with him, and lit it in the disipating fire. He waved it in front of him as he walked, exploring the walls, floor, and ceiling in the cave for any openings. Noticing a faint red glow down a diverging path, he walked through the opening, coming into a large, open chamber. There was a massive gap in the chamber's center, and Jeff peered over the edge. Obviously he wasn't able to see the bottom, and the dragon backed up and walked to a small, crudely made shrine on the other side of the room, and threw it open. Inside laid what he sought, the crimson stone glowing. He picked it up, and it responded immediately, blasting him into the pit with it's red lightning. Quickly dropping his diguise, the sage took wing and flew back up, at which point he noticed that his Pendulum Blade was glowing like the stone. He would have sworn that the blade shimmered, indistinct for a split second, but it immediately popped back into existence, it seemed. He shrugged, and prepared to walk out as he heard a scream. Jeff drew his scimitars and waited for a monster to show itself, but instead came Kyle and Krystal, each holding their weapons.

"Master, we have problems." As if on cue, about thirty trolls poured into the chamber...

"You steal!"

"Hey, this one is actually sentient!"

"We eat you!" Jeff smiled slightly, crossing his arms, clearly showing his sabers. Suddenly, he dashed forward and cut through the limbs of a few trolls, and flew above them before they could react. On this cue, Kyle dorned his claws and thrust them through the forehead of a troll, and sliding it down, effectively cutting the monster in half. Krystal merely backed away from the battle, knowing she wouldn't be much help here. Kyle and Jeff kept up their relentless attack, dodging a claw here and blocking a club there, not even realizing their efforts were futile, as the trolls began to regenerate. They only saw the obvious when Jeff pulled back from one particularly deadly attack, and saw that one troll he's decapitated earlier was growing a new head.

"DAMN! Kyle, pull back! They're regenerating! I'll take care of them with some magic, get Krystal out of harm's way!" Jeff flapped his wings, sending him flying back as he reached out a bloodied hand. "FIREBOLT!!!"
A massive column of flame erupted from the pit in the middle of the chamber, spreading fire everywhere. Trolls began burning, and ran into other trolls, setting them on fire. Many of the beasts, in their state of panic, ran right over the edge, falling into the pit and often bringing others with them. Jeff signaled to Kyle, and the three quickly exited the cave and flew into the sky, ignoring Krystal's screamed protests. Once Jeff thought they were at a safe distance, they touched down, Jeff collapsing, exhausted. "No way I can do THAT again today...We better get going before those uglies decide to follow us."

[Fluffybun]

Thad wasn't the only one plagued by pangs of nostalgia. While he was waiting for his robes to dry, and immersing himself in his past, another of the group was also reflecting upon her past, upon the time when she was a completely free fur among a completely free people.

Being unable to find her rest, she rose without disturbing the others and padded slowly towards the river bank, before seating herself there, peering over the flowing surface of the water.

The Necromancer snapped his head towards the light rustle caused by the vixen seating herself, and, contrary to his normal nature, he found himself drawn to the female, his introspective mood having replaced his usual 'I-don't-care-if-you-breathe-or-not'-attitude.

The vixen from her part was also much more passive than usual, and merely nodded her head, as if inviting him to sit next to her, which he did.

The two sat there, without speaking a single word, for more than half an hour, and yet, somehow, they understood each other to a certain degree. Only when she spoke did his arrogance return.

"No point changing what happened," she sighed softly, her frame looking much less imposing than it normally was, when she stood tall and proud, her Axe at hand.

"Why would I WANT to?" the badger snorted. "I'm satisfied with how my life has been, and with the choices I have made, so why in the Nine Hells would I want to change the past?"

Giving her no chance to reply, he rose again and walked away, to check on the condition of his robe.

In the meantime, Rob, who was extremely used to the vixen's close presence at night, had gotten restless in her absence as well. He looked up and about himself, for a trace of her, but saw only her axe, lying nearby the place where she slept.

'That's unusual...' he mused, before rising and walking over to Khamilah, who had, on her insistance, instated a watch and taken the first one.

"Khamilah," he started softly, as not to startle her, "have you seen Ellani?"

"Yes," she nodded in reply, "I believe I saw her head for the river."

"Thank you," the ferret said, and walked off, not really interested in chit-chat at the moment.

Arriving at the river bank, he almost stumbled over two articles of clothing, made out of leather, which he quickly identified as the vixen's armour.

'Now why would she...' was as far as the ferret's thoughts went, before his eyes fell upon a sight which he wouldn't forget anytime soon.

Right out of the water, less than 10 paces before him, rose a figure, dressed in nothing but the drops of water falling off her body, reflecting the pale moonlight upon her features and giving her a mystical, almost supernatural air.

Rob had gotten used to seeing Ellani naked, or in very stimulating clothing, but, he had to admit, what he was seeing now, was something ENTIRELY different. To him, this was beauty in its purest form, and, although one of his favourite sayings came to mind, all his blood was rushing upwards in an attempt to make him completely fathom what he was seeing.

Apparently, the vixen hadn't seen him and dove in the stream again, the coldness of the water feeling wonderful through her fur. She was ALIVE now, and she intended to enjoy every single minute of it. As such, she spent a long time in the water, swimming short distances and surfacing, almost leaping out of the water in a shower of pearly white drops, never aware that one pair of eyes was watching her in fascination, the other pair having turned away in disgust.

[Joshua Fox]

“Bah!” Thad grumbled as he replaced his now-dry robes upon his body, already beginning to feel even more like his old self as soon as the magically imbued fabric touched his flesh.

His nostalgia quickly faded as he closed his robes, in its place the reminder that he was Thadamaeus Necmerian, a great and powerful Necromancer who was to be feared and respected. The only scene in his head that remained was the look on Calimar’s face when his dagger had brought about the Mage’s abrupt end, the utter look of surprise on the man’s face in the split second of remaining consciousness when he realized what his trusted apprentice had done. Thad even found himself absent-mindedly fingering the handle of the small blade that Magrid had given him, thinking of how the killing blow had held under his hand.

And he grinned.

“Now to take care of some business…” Thad grumbled to himself once he had calmed down, slipping off through the trees to avoid the notice of the others in the direction of the lair of the Ogre Mage Grin’Talok.

Or, rather, what was now the tomb of Grin’Talok.

###

“Runs to the Ogres quickly! Brings one back so’s da’ Chief can talks! Phooey!” The single Gnoll spat as he trudged along at a casual pace, having since passed out of the range of his master’s senses and no longer fearing retribution for a leisurely pace. “Why always I has to do tha’ stupid stuffs?”

In truth the words of the Gnoll were hollow, for he had never made such a trek before to the lair of their Ogre allies and was no more put upon than any of his kin that served as the personal army of Alash. Dragging along a well-made spear and sporting a heavy cloak as well as a full stomach, he had benefited from the budding alliance as much as any besides the Flinds. There was lots of booty, plenty to eat, and all shared in it to an extent, once in a while their chieftain even allowing for the use of his large harem under the close supervision of his subchiefs.

Not that such things would stop this Gnoll’s grumbling. Even in the face of such good fortune, he couldn’t change the way that he was. So he continued his bitching all the way to the cave’s entrance, finding one thing or another to complain about with every step.

But when he stepped before the cave, he found a very surprising sight indeed. Just a short distance away were the sprawling burned and mangled bodies of three of the monstrous Ogres that had assisted them so well in the past months. In a panicked fit the Gnoll sprinted into the cave without so much as a thought to what might have caused such a thing, what senses he had overridden by a terrible sense of dread as he entered.

That within was no more pleasing to his wide, blinking eyes. He found another Ogre dead in the entranceway, looking to have been hit in the back with something that had seared his flesh right off the bone before landing face down with his blood spilling on the cave’s cold floor.

Venturing further in, the poor Gnoll’s knees began to tremble and knock together as it viewed what it could only describe as pure carnage. Ogres were strewn about the cavern’s main room in a great, bloody mess, each of the huge bodies bearing sears and burns similar to the one within the hallway. But most shaking of all to the unsuspecting visitor was the blackened mass of flesh that sat upon the stone throne in the room’s center, just barely recognizable as the remains of the mighty Ogre Mage Grin’Talok.

“Who could dun’ dis’?” The trembling canine-like creature asked in the language of his kind, more simply to hear his own voice in the deathly silent vestiges of the cave and certainly not seriously expecting an answer.

He got one, however, in the form of a few mumbled words and the waggling of a Necromancer’s fingers.

###

“BAH!” Came the nearly trademark call of the perpetually bothered Thad, the tips of his outstretched fingers smoking as he approached the immolated body of the scorched Gnoll who had slumped against the wall while in the midst of its death throes. “First Ogres; now Gnolls! Must I slaughter every last monster in this blasted world to be left in peace?”

Though in truth it had not been the beast’s intrusion that had so irked the mage. He had found nothing in the cave of real value to him, only a modest amount of gold and a heap of clothes in one corner that had certainly been the wrappings of the Ogre Mage’s meals.

“A waste of my time,” He snarled, having pocketed the gold and leaving the rest for whatever other scavenger’s might come along the place.

If he had known then whom the Gnoll served and what his purpose in coming to the cave was, however, he might well have thought MUCH differently.

[Fluffybun]

More than an hour had passed since Ellani had entered the water, all the while having an entranced Rob watching her. On several occasions, he had thought about getting out of his clothes and joining his companion, but, he reasoned, it would betray his presence, and worst of all, break the magic of the scene unfurling itself before his eyes. Oh... how wonderful it would be if this woman, this perfect merger of strength and beauty, would agree to settle down with him someday.

'Alas... she's born for this life, and won't lay it aside...' he concluded, before a swash of cold water hit him in the face.

"What in Hell's name?" he sputtered, shaking his head more or less dry.

The vixen was laughing softly, enjoying the little joke she had played on her lover. She had been well aware that he was watching, but didn't bother with it. In fact, she didn't care if ANYONE had seen her or not. The swim had done what she intended it to do, bring the vixen back in excellent spirits, for truth to be told, the last few days she had been withdrawn, and not even the fight with the Ogres, if one could call that a fight, had restored her mood.

"You sneaky vulpine," Rob chuckled, a grin on his muzzle. "I guess you're feeling much better."

"I am, Robert, I truly am," she laughed in reply as she crawled on the river bank. "Stand back unless you want to get wet."

The ferret quickly hasted himself a good distance away, and not a moment too soon, as the vixen wasted no time in shaking the water out of her fur, sending a shower of pearly drops flying away from her. When she was done, she took the jerkin and skirt of her armour and motioned for Rob to follow her back to the camp.

"Ellani... aren't you going to get dressed?" Rob asked, noticing that she was still in a state of total undress.

"Of course not, I have to dry myself by the campfire first, silly Robert."

"What about the others?"

"If they can't see it, then they should look at something else," came her not entirely unexpected reply.

"True..." he mumbled, recalling his first night with her.

'It seemed so unreal...' he mused, 'a complete stranger... joining up with me in the blink of an eye... then doing her part in fighting off a brigand... asking me to undress her... and then offering me to sleep with... no, ON her... all in one day...'

Ignoring the stares she got from Khamilah, Ellani sat herself down facing the fire, the ferret next to her, and draped a muscular arm over his shoulders. The ferret leaned towards her and looked upon his lover's face.

"Ellani, my love, will you stay by my side after you have fulfilled you quest?"

"Of course, Robert," she whispered before moving her lips to meet his in a tender kiss.

*** Two hours later ***

Ellani had dressed herself again and took up her axe, before walking to Khamilah and tapping her shoulder.

"Change of guard?" the weary ottress half-yawned.

"Yes," the vixen nodded, "you need your rest it seems. I'm used to skipping a night once in a while."

"Thanks..."

Ellani quickly took her place, facing into the blackness of the night, and felt Rob moving behind her.

"You should go to sleep as well, Robert."

"You know I can't sleep without you," he replied in his charming voice. "I'll share the watch."

'I knew you'd say that,' she thought, patting the ground next to her.

The ferret didn't need a second invitation and sat himself down in silence, prepared to share whatever would come Ellani's way, good or bad.

[Joshua Fox]

Hours later, Rob sat atop a nearby hill in the clearing, gazing up at the stars with his auburn eyes. He had been there for a good while already, observing the Heavens and seeming to be lost in thoughtful, almost dream-like contemplation. So deep was his musings that he didn’t even hear his traveling companion approach from behind him.

“What are you looking at, Robert?” Ellani asked as she stood abreast to his position, looking out the same direction as he in search of what had so grabbed the bard’s interest.

“Just a little star-gazing,” Rob replied with a smile, leaning back slightly to get a better angle, his elbows supporting him on the dewey grass.

“I didn’t realize you liked them so much,” She chuckled, sitting down next to him in a similar fashion. “Though they are beautiful.”

“Indeed,” Rob nodded in agreement, turning her way with a wink. “Especially with the right company.”

“Flatterer,” Ellani kiddingly accused, not minding the comment in the least. “Shame they won’t be in the sky much longer. The dawn will be coming soon.”

“Yes. That’s actually why I’m watching now, if you can believe it,” Rob replied, before he really thought about what he was saying.

“Oh? Why is that?” The vixen asked, thinking it more than somewhat curious.

“Well…” Rob hesitated a moment, wary of revealing the information for fear she might not take him seriously. “I’m trying to spot something.”

“Like what?” Ellani pressed, suddenly interested in her companion’s reasons.

“It’s an old legend I heard once from my Uncle,” Rob explained, his gaze shifting back to the night sky. “As the story goes, a long time ago two bards roamed about the realms performing their craft with the greatest possible skill imaginable. They sung beautifully and told epic tales in ways that made people want them to hear it time and time again, even sometimes putting on elaborate performances to greater dazzle and delight those who would lend their attention. They were renowned from the Trade cities of the North to the Plains and mountains of the South, from the Royal Kingdoms of the Eastern Coast to the very borders of the Western wildlands. There was no one who didn’t desire to see and to hear them, and those that did begged for encore after encore and eagerly sought about their next chance to witness the display of their magnificent abilities once more.”

“But even more famous than their talents was their love for one another, for they were never apart unless absolutely necessary and even then only desired the other’s sweet embrace all the more. Any who saw them could not help but feel the great affection they shared, and seethe with envy at the unheard of devotion they had to one another. It was whispered that they were the most fortunate among soul mates, for when they found each other, they had in turn found the missing parts of themselves. One complimented the other beautifully, for even though their hearts were the same they were just different enough that they were always able to find out something new between them. Every action they took exuded passion, even when they fought, and never once did they survive and triumph over a trial or ordeal that did not bring them only closer together. Even their skills with their blades and magic were unmatched, always supporting one another in their battles and fighting as a single dazzling force.”

“Not once in all their lives did they part in anger, and their years were spent mostly looking into each other’s eyes. Indeed the only way they could ever be parted was through the cruelty of fated death. Yet as the legend states, their love was capable of defying even that,” Rob paused a moment to chuckle, thinking of how he had so loved hearing the tale as a child. “It’s not clear exactly how it came about, but the two were somehow spared their normally unavoidable fate, and were taken into the stars where they could be with one another without anymore worry that they would one day be separated.”

“All told, it’s said that if you look into the starry sky in the very last moment before the dawn, you can catch sight of a shooting star with two distinct trails. They twist about one another, still in their loving embrace, only to disappear with the coming of the sun’s first rays,” Rob said thoughtfully as he continued to search the starry sky, not even having to think for the words to come to him. “Supposedly its so that they can be seen by the lovers of the world, reminding them that there is no point in looking beyond the dawn…”

Rob paused a moment to turn and regard Ellani, smirking as if he had just understood a long before told joke.

“…when all you need to see is what lies beside you,” The bard said, his smirk melting into a warm and happy smile as he gazed upon her.

And thus his gaze was turned from the horizon as the first hints of dawn began to show through the darkness, and had he not turned his head just then, he might have caught a great flash across the sky with two telltale tails, intertwined as they had been for many years past, and many years to come.

###

Elsewhere far to the South, two others were peering up into the sky as well, though sadly no stars nor sun could be seen peering through the great gray clouds that even then poured down the great rains upon them.

“Ghastly weather,” Miravin mumbled as he looked up beside Malfus, the two having hoped to see some sign that the rain would be short-lived and that the duo would not have to be separated that day.

No such sign was there.

Gregori knew this even before the bear’s words had reached his ears, for his finely attuned senses could taste the humidity flowing towards him from the cave’s small entrance, smell the pleasant odor that always came with the raindrops down over the trees and the rocks alike, and his ears told him by the millions of tiny impacts that the weather was indeed ‘ghastly’.

“Are’n ye sure that ya’ want ta’ be goin’ out today?” Miravin asked concernedly, holding his mighty spiked helmet under one arm as h scratched his head. “Ah canna see even those damned huntresses going about after ye in such poor skies.”

“Perhaps, but I’d rather not take that chance,” Malfus smiled as he checked the cowl of his cloak, wanting to make sure it was capable of keeping his head dry if needed. “When you took us in, you raised the ire of those already excited females. I doubt very much that they’ll be giving up their pursuit anytime soon, and until they do we’ll have to keep throwing them off track so they don’t find your location here.”

“Ha! Let em’ come!” Miravin snorted, plopping the many-dented helmet upon his head and holding up his shield. “Me boys’ll mop tha’ floor with em’.”

“Of that I have no doubt, my friend,” Malfus chuckled amusedly as he peered out across the dreary landscape. “But if those huntresses do not return, then they will only send more and more until we will not be able to misdirect then anymore. Better to wound their bodies enough to stop pursuit than to invoke their anger.”

“Bah,” The leader of the Ragerunner clan grumbled, obviously none-too-happy at the true ring of the rogue’s words. “Still would feel better if’n he were comin’ with ya’.”

“I’ve not a doubt that he would if possible,” The bounty hunter regarded his silent friend to the side with a pat on his shoulder. “But you know the situation. I’m well prepared for anything that could surprise me out there.”

Malfus winked as he held up a small pouch filled with several potions, little Eltan having given them to him before he had set off down the caves.

“As well prepared as can be,” Miravin shrugged defeatedly, having no further arguments for the fellow before turning about and walking back on down the tunnel. “Just make sure ta’ get yer arse back before’n night falls!”

“I certainly will,” Malfus assured him before giving his blinded friend another pat on the back. “Shan’t be too long, my friend. See you in a bit.”

But as he turned to leave, a strong hand clasped over his own shoulder, causing him to pause and turn about.

“Be careful,” Gregori said, holding as much concern in his voice as the elder ocelot had ever heard from him.

“Always, my friend,” Malfus grinned broadly as he lowered the cowel of his cloak. “Always.”

And with that he sped off into the wilds, unaware that a hundred and fifty huntresses had started out over an hour before in search of him and his companion.

[Fluffybun]

Ellani smiled appreciatively while the bard was telling his tale, her eyes scanning the horizon for a sign of the described phenomenon as well. Unlike he however, she wasn't distracted at the critical moment and just at the break of dawn, she saw the comet, and almost felt like reaching out to grab it and lock it in her heart.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"You are indeed," the ferret whispered back, not realising she had seen what he had been looking out for.

"Silly Robert," the vixen chuckled in reply, turning her head towards him and resting her muzzle on his. "I meant the shootng star."

"I guess I just missed it, distracted by something even more beautiful."

"You always say the kindest things, Robert," she said, nuzzling him tenderly. "Let me tell you what such a sighting means amongst my people."

"Please do, I'm all ear."

"It is said that a shooting star is a sign from Taruna, that something will happen soon to the one seeing it."

"Something? What could it be for you?"

"I wouldn't know. At times, the one seeing a shooting star finds a weapon thought lost lost, sometimes he finds his soulmate, and sometimes he find's a warrior's death. I really can't tell."

Rob smiled for a moment, but the smil quickly faded and a look of concern grew in his eyes.

"Please tell me that this is just superstition... I don't want to lose you."

"Robert, I understand your concern, your love for me," she sighed softly, "but if it happens to foretell my demise, please don't stop living when it happens. You must carry on with your life. Keep a fond memory of our time together, but don't let it stand in the way between you and the rest of your young life..."

"Ellani... I... I don't know if I can do that..." he stammered, the prospect of her death almost bringing tears to his eyes.

"Please, Robert, do it for me..." Ellani finished before kissing him gently.

Rob returned the kiss, surprised as he was by what he felt. Somehow, through their kiss, he could feel that his companion wasn't keen on dying either. He could almost taste the sorrow on her lips as she reflected her demise, and the incompleteness of her life if such happened now. It was then that he had absolutely made up his mind. IF she died... HE'd continue her work, so that he could die proudly as well, in the knowledge that his lover would be smiling to him from whatever Outer Plane she was on.

"So THAT's what you two call keeping watch," a not-quite-serious voice, belonging to Marlena, giggled. "Hey, don't worry, I'm not going to tell the others, but you'd better get back to the camp now, before they wake up."

"Agreed," the vixen nodded, slowly rising, and took Rob's paw in her own, before the three headed back to the campsite, ready for breakfast a long day of trekking through Steppinslope hills.

[Joshua Fox]

As the sun began to rise in the East, most of the inhabitants of Alash’s cave were still sleeping soundly, many of the Gnolls snoring and kicking in their slumber, their expressions varying depending upon the content of their dreams.

Alash himself, having never been one for trusting his subchiefs to take care of things in his absence, began to stir in his comfy quarters early. A pair of slavegirls huddled up against him on either side beneath the artfully-patterned blankets and fluffy feather pillows that could be found all about his bed, the remaining dozen or so members of his harem scattered and laying on the many fur hides that covered the cave floor.

He grinned to himself after opening his eyes, running his clawed digits along the side of the vulpine on his right. He had a particular taste for vixens, thinking them to be the softest and most easily-dominated of the captives. He demanded absolute obedience of these females as the price for the honor of sharing his bed and his room, for they learned quickly that it was the only way they were safe from the slobbering Gnolls that lay just beyond the velvet curtains.

If they disobeyed or resisted, he simply threw them out into the population of the cavern, usually to the mercies of his three Flind subchiefs while their underlings watched on in terrible envy. That was for the fortunate ones, though, and those that the Gnolls got their filthy paws on rarely survived the experience unscathed, if they survived at all. And any that didn’t learn their lesson, were too strong-willed or just too stubborn to accept their new place, simply ended up as dinner.

It was a favorable arrangement, and Alash’s harem had grown large indeed as a result, mostly made up of vixens along with a few skunks, wolves and otters. Over time they had learned well how to pleasure him, and so long as they did no harm was brought to them.

Having exhausted himself the previous night, Alash decided to simply get dressed and arise to handle the day’s business, leaving ‘his girls’ to slumber and regain their strength for further activities that evening.

“Morning, Boss!” The three subchiefs spoke almost in unison, still manning their positions around the unoccupied stone throne and grinning widely as they thought of what their chief’s activities had been the previous night.

“Teln, Tubar, Tlar,” Alash read off their names with a nod as he moved to his throne and sat down, looking out across the slumbering Gnolls and chuckling. “I see you did not rouse me as instructed.”

The three lesser Flinds looked to one another confusedly, obvious not understanding their leader’s meaning.

“No need to worry,” Alash assured them with a disarming grin. “I was occupied for most of the evening, and most pleasurably at that, so I rather appreciate that you did not wish to disturb me when the messenger returned.”

“Where is the Ogre Mage’s representative?” He continued, seeing no sign of any Ogre within the cavern and thinking his subchiefs might have made the creature sleep outside.

“Umm… he didn’t come, Boss,” Teln, the smallest Flind explained uncomfortably, shifting from one foot to the other.

“Oh?” Alash asked, raising one of his furry red eyebrows.

“Yeah…” Tlar said next, equally uncomfortable. “Gnoll didn’t come back, eithers…”

Alash paused a moment and thought. The Ogre Mage’s cave was not a terribly far distance away, and he knew of nothing along the way that could have impeded the messenger. Perhaps the Ogres had eaten him, he speculated, not having placed his allies in high standing by the ways of intelligence.

“Send a party to check out the cave,” Alash instructed, pointing over to the slumbering Gnolls. “If anything is wrong, have them find the source and immediately report back to me.”

“Yup yup, Boss!” Teln nodded furiously before rushing over to the nearest group of minions, kicking them awake and rousing them to follow the orders of their leader.

Alash scratched his chin with a single clawed digit as he thought about the possible implications of this, and felt a strange foreboding about the fate of his allies.

[Joshua Fox]

“OGRES IS DEAD!” The lead Gnoll of the pack shrieked as he burst into the main chamber of Alash’s lair, startling everyone within earshot. “ALL OF THEMS’ES!”

Alash looked up from entertaining the slavegirl on his lap with narrow eyes, boring them directly into those of the lowly underling before him with such a terrible glare that the entire half dozen of the troupe stopped in their tracks, too deathly afraid to say another word.

The Chieftain’s eyes then began to roam about his assembled troops. They had been eating breakfast prior to the wild exclamation, and many were still holding their crude bowls of stew as they now all sat transfixed upon the lead Gnoll. Alash knew well that the creatures were not brave by nature, and that morale had to be kept constantly high to ensure their absolute loyalty to him. To that effect, having considered this possibility, he had not mentioned anything about the previous night’s events to any beyond his subchiefs, and had instructed them to also keep similarly mute about it.

And all that was now worthless, due to the screams of this one stupid Gnoll.

“All of them?” Alash asked measuredly, his gaze focused once more on that very same Gnoll.

“Y-yes, Chief,” The creature cringed, his eyes darting worriedly from one angry-looking Flind to the next, knowing that with but a word any of his superiors could cut him down. “They wus’ all killed’ed…”

“And do you know who did this?” Alash continued, picking his words carefully, thinking that he might be able to replace his minions’ worries with hatred for a new enemy.

“Yes! Yes, Boss!” The Gnoll nodded eagerly, thinking that he might save his hide by complying. “We founds a camp nearby da’ cave! Some peoples wus’ there last night! We followed there’s trail, we did!”

“How many?” Alash questioned with a hint of interest, now stroking the hair of the slavegirl sitting on his lap.

“Um… s… tw…” The Gnoll turned back to the others confusedly, holding up several of his fingers as if to try and figure the count.

Alash squinted his eyes and gritted his teeth, bemoaning in his mind the inherent ignorance of his lesser cousins.

“Seven! Seven there wus’!” The Gnoll replied eagerly to the nods of the rest. “Four males, three females wus’ withs them, too!”

The last part of the news brought a wicked smile to his face, his clawed hand slipping further down on the female’s body.

“Go on…” He purred, shifting the girl’s position so she sat more into his lap.

“Dere’ wus’ a skunk lady, an’ there wus’ an otter girl, too,” The underling continued, knowing well the appetites of his chief. “An’ there wus’ a vixen withs them! A big one, many muscles!”

Alash’s grin turned even wider at that news, turning to consider the slave he now held. She was a vixen, very petite, and couldn’t have been anymore than sixteen years old. He had acquired her in a raid but a few months ago, and in that time she had become one of his favorites. Terrified of the mighty Flind, she followed his orders unquestioningly and down to the last detail, and the disgust and humiliation that showed in her eyes only pleased him more.

The chieftain slipped his gnarled digits around to the front of her, running them down her slender belly and drawing the most delicious of repulsed shivers from his toy. Because of her submission, he had rewarded her well. Her body was clean and well groomed, with every manner of lovely gold and silver jewelry to be found about her ankles and wrists, along with the necklaces and earrings she wore that were dotted with shimmering diamonds. She took no pleasure in these ornaments, and he knew as much, for it only marked her further as his possession, a trophy with which he had his way with whenever he wished. Her clothing was of the finest silk, though by any measure there wasn’t much of it, merely a pair of veils that hung from gold chords around her chest and hips, giving her barely any dignity to speak of.

“Bring that one to me unspoiled,” Alash hissed pleasedly as he lowered the trembling vixen’s head into his lap, not even bothering to look up at the Gnoll before him. “Capture the females, kill the men. We’ll make feast and pleasure as revenge for the slaying of Grin.”

“Ummm…” The Gnoll hesitated, remembering well the carnage they’d seen at the Ogres’ cave. “Just we’ses supposed to catch them?”

“You have a point,” Alash admitted as he sat back on his throne, his features beginning to relax noticeably. “Tlar, take twenty Gnolls and carry out my orders, these wretches included.”

The subchief at his center before the thrown grinned broadly, though he had already been smiling while watching the chief’s actions with the now-sobbing slavegirl.

“Yup, boss! We gets them for you!” Tlar promised as he raised his heavy crossbow, fingering the trigger evilly as his mighty longsword lay in a great sheathe on his back. “Can I, erm…”

“Not the vixen,” Alash corrected sharply, his soft eyes going stern quickly, even raising his hand up off the back of the slavegirl’s head to point a clawed finger at his subordinate. “You may have your fun with the others.”

“You gots it, Boss!” Tlar turned and shouted to the nearest group of troups. “Gets up, you maggots! Time to go hunting!”

Alash allowed his eyes to close and a very satisfied smile to cross his face. Another vixen certainly would be nice.

[Fluffybun]

About one and a half hour after dawn, the camp had been broken up, the only clearly visible trace of the group's presence being the burnt-out ashes of their fire. While Pat had satisfied himself with some fruits he had found, the others had feasted, if such a word was applicable, on the leftovers of the meat that was prepared the evening before, much to the two mages' disgust.

Marlena was used to better food, but merely sighed since she knew that there wasn't any way she'd be having that anytime soon. Thad on the other hand, wasn't so diplomatic, the badger being used to a life of luxury, and once more bitterly complaining to all who was interested.

Normally, this would have ignited yet another argument between him and Ellani, who still thought that the best place for the badger to be was scattered into the winds, after someone, preferably herself, had slain him and put him to the torch. This morning, however, she was in high spirits and just ignored him, keeping her attention fixed on the road ahead.

"I don't like this place, Robert," she said to the ferret, "too many possible ambush sites."

"Now who would ambush us?" he smiled. "We... I mean Thad has vanquished the group of Ogres that had, most likely, been terrorising this place for many months, so there isn't anything near."

"I wouldn't bet on that, Rob," Khamilah contradicted, while she crouched and looked at the ground before her. "Look at these."

Rob raised his eyebrows and padded over to where she indicated, and looked down on the faint tracks visible in the soil.

"Gnolls," he spat in disgust, his lips curled back. "I recognise these footprints anywhere."

"Listen up, everybody!" the ferret called out. "There are Gnolls, and possibly Flind as well in the area. Chances are they'll attack us, so STAY SHARP!"

"Good, I could use some exercise," the vixen chuckled, making a few swipes with her axe. "If only the sun would break through the clouds... fighting is so much more fun under a warm sky."

Marlena looked a bit uneasy at her, knowing not THAT much about Gnolls, only that they were vicious monsters that kidnapped females for their amusement, or for food.

'Is she crazy?' she wondered, and already knew the answer. 'Just different from me.'

"Don't worry, Marlena," Derrick, who was standing next to her, smiled, "they'll have to pass by me before they get to..."

"HUSH!" Ellani shouted, straining her ears to try and pick up the sound again she heard before.

The others, except for Thad of course, did the same, and scanned their surroundings.

'She could be right, tis is a perfect ambush site,' Khamilah chided herself, 'I should have taken more precautions...'

Ellani had silently unhooked her hatchet from her belt, ready to split the skull of the first beast that would leap free from the heave foilage around them, when she suddenly heard the tell-tale laughter of a hyena. Not wasting an instant, she threw her axe towards the source of the sound, missing the Gnoll covered in the brush by less than an inch.

Tlar cursed his underlings in silence, and vowed that some gruesome punishment would await him when they got back to their lair. But right now, their surprise was blown, and they HAD to attack.

"Attack, you maggots!" the mighty Flind ordered, readying his crossbow. "Kills the males in most horrfic way youz can think of, but don't hurts females too much, or chief will haves your hide!"

From the left of their position, right where Ellani was looking at, 20 Gnolls, wielding spears and halberds, and one or two a greatsword, charged forth towards the group, yelling some form of battlecry.

'This is goings good. Them prey is too scared to do a things...' the Flind thought with a satisfactory smile, before his eyes grew wide in surprise, and even a little fear. 'Wait... what's that male and female mumbling abouts?'

Terror-stricken, he saw a lightning bolt leap from both mages' fingers, reducing the nearest two of his troops to a pile of ashes.

"Not magiks... Attacks the other ones, I'll take care of the flashes users."

The Gnolls planning to attack Thad and Marlena quickly chose another target, their morale visibly shaken, giving their chief a clear line of fire, or so they thought. Both mages were smart enough to hang back, keeping a fighting pack in between them and the Flind. They both saw that the battle was going well for their side, Ellani having already slain a Gnoll by merely recalling her hatchet, and the others holding their own without too much trouble.

Rob had immediately joined Pat in the fight, since the vulpine was beset by the two greatsword wielding Gnolls, and a third one, wielding a spear. The ones with swords were quickly incapacitated, before the two males got separated, Rob taking 3 Gnolls with him, while Pat was left to defend himself against a spear-armed one.

In an other place, Derrick and Khamilah were fighting back to back against 6 of the beasts, the ottress taking them down expertly with her fighting sticks and the lynx then taking them out of their misery.

Finally, Ellani was having a great time, easily keeping 5 Gnolls at bay with a mighty double eight-figure from her axe wielded in one paw, a skill she had been intensely training on the last few weeks, while readying her hatchet for a good opportunity to use it.

"Curses them, these group is too strong, especially this vixen... I has gots to kill them all," Tlar spat angrily as he saw a Gnoll being cleft in two like it was nothing.

He readied his crossbow and took aim for Ellani.

'Not even chief is strong enough for hers...' he thought before yelling the order for the underlings fighting her to break away for a moment.

The vixen heard the barks as well, and seeing that her foes were crouching low, she ducked as well, and barely in time, as a crossbow bolt whizzed over her head, missing her by inches. She was the fastest back on her feet and decapitated one of the Gnolls in one single blow, slashing a second one across the gut, spilling its ropey entrail out of its abdoment, before giving it a deathblow, leaving only two Gnolls facing her.

Elsewhere, Rob was carefully ctting away at his foes, already having downed two of the three and leaving the third one bleeding from many small wounds. Pat also had the upper hand on his foe, his swiftness making up for the lack of skill with his weapon. Khamilah and Derrick had also felled 4 of their foes and it didn't look like the two remaining ones would last long, either physically or morally.

Then, disaster struck.

Rob had just finished 'his' Gnoll, and looked at Ellani, smiling when she as well cut down the last of her foes. He saw that she was scanning the brushes for a sign of the Flind that had already taken a shot at her and was pleased to see a grin forming on her muzzle as she found him.

Much to his dismay, however, he saw that the Flind suddenly rose from his hiding place, his crossbow loaded, and pointing straight to the vixen's throat.

"ELLANI, WATCH OUT!!!" he tried to shout, but he was too late.

As he spoke the words, Tlar tightened his finger on the trigger, and sent a lethal bolt flying, for once in his life perfectly aimed. He smiled with glee as he saw the projectile pierce the skin of the vixen's neck and burrow its way through the musculature, only to re-emerge at the back of her neck, close to her spine. Less happy was he when he saw that the female death-spasm was a throw of her hatchet that, although aimed a little off, still took off his left ear.

Rob looked on in horror as he saw his mighty companion fall, not even distracted by the loud howl of pain coming from the Flind. He rushed over to her, in the vain hope that all this was a bad dream, and that he'd soon awake to see her smiling face, but alas, when he saw her bright red blood spilling from the wound, he knew it was real.

The others had taken out their foes and rushed over to see if they could do anything to help her, even Thad looking down on the fallen warrior.

'Drat... one meat shield down... maybe that foolish bard will excuse me from my duties now,' he thought bitterly.

"Thad, DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING..." Khamilah pleaded, having become quite good friends with the vixen.

The only one who's thoughts weren't turned to Ellani, was Rob. Instead, a burning hatred was rising up in him, and the subject of this hatred wasn't far away. With a snarl, his paws trembling with rage, he rose, and strode towards the still screaming Flind.

Whipping out his rapier, he placed it at Tlar's throat.

"I'm gonna make you... suffer for this," the ferret spat between clenched teeth.

"WHAT IN THE NINE HELLS?" the necromancer suddenly exclaimed.

He, as well as Marlena and Pat, had seen the vixen's spirit detach from her now dead body and had seen it drift up in the skies, but a strong magical glow at the body had drawn his attention back to it, annd he, as well as the others, saw that the wound was rapidly closing.

No one had an explanation for this, since the magical signature was neither Arcane nor Naturalistic.

"How... is this... possible?" the skunkette stammered, her already considerable experience in matters magical still unprepared for this.

"Two options," the druid said analytically, "either there's a cleric around... or it has a more divine source."

"Don't make me laugh..." Thad sneered. "No God, or demi-god, or anything else would even care for this... filthy barbarian."

While this discussion was going on, Ellani's consciousness had drifted away a little, and was looking down on her fellow adventurers.

'So THIS is what it's like to die...' she wondered, before, entirely unexpectedly, receiving an answer.

'Yes, it is,' another consciousness replied, 'Ellani T'gano, daughter of Coelin and Myrrani T'gano.'

'Who are you? And how do you know my name?'

'I thought you'd already know,' the strange being chuckled, solidifying a little into a female vupline shape, her features and bearing almost exactly like Ellani's.

'Mother?'

'Yes, my daughter. I am sent here by Taruna, to give you a message. Your duties on this world are not over yet. You must return to your mortal shell and keep on living until it is the appointed time to me at our Lady's side.'

'But... how?'

'Look closely.'

To her great surprise, Ellani saw that her body was completely intact, not a single trace visible of the wound that had slain her.

'How...'

'Let's say your quest bears the Lady's favour. Now, return and fulfill your destiny. Put our tortured spirits to rest.'

'I will mother.'

'And one thing, if you see your father again, tell him that I love him and that I'll keep waiting for him to join me.'

'I certainly will,' Ellani thought as she drifted back towards her body.

The astonishment that the others experienced by the miraculous heaving of her physical wound was nothing compared to that experienced when the saw her open her eyes again.

The vixen cracked a smile as she watched her companions' muzzle expressions, and couldn't resist making a joke.

"What's the matter all? Did someone die or anything?"

[Fluffybun]

Ellani rose into a sitting position and looked upon the shocked faces of her companions. She was surprised however, to see one of them missing, the one she actually expected most to see.

"Where's Robert?" she asked, while pulling herself to her feet, her axe in her paw.

Khamilah pointed towards where the ferret and the Flind could be found, unable to say a word.

"Thanks," the vixen nodded before starting to move towards the two males. "Hey, don't be so surprised everyone. It just wasn't my time, that's all."

As she stepped closer to Rob and Tlar, the Flind's eyes grew wide in terror. He was strong, resisting the ferret's threats at rapier point, but this was enough to shake the nerves of any Flind he knew.

"No... gets ghost away from me. I tells you anything, just gets her away..." he begged.

"What are you talking about, monster?" the ferret spat at him.

"Robert, not that I mind a good fight, but you shouldn't torture your opponents," came Ellani's voice from behind him.

"Don't bother me, he's telling me why they attacked us, and ..." he replied, before stopping in mid-sentence. "ELLANI!?"

"Please... me tells you everything... why chief wanteds the females... where chief is..."

"Good, then I can bash some sense into him," the vixen said, laying a comforting paw on Rob's shoulder.

He didn't know what to say, what to think, in fact, he didn't know ANYTHING at the moment. If anyone would have told him he was the world's most repulsive Orc, he'd believe it without hesitation, numbed as he was. However, one thing anchored him to reality, and that was the heavy feeling of a well-known paw resting on his shoulder, and he was happy for that.

"Ellani... but... you... he..."

"Hush, Robert," she smiled, before turning her muzzle to Tlar. "Lead on."

[Joshua Fox]

Unbeknownst to the group as they questioned the cowering Flind, three sets of beady eyes watched the scene with great concern.

Three Gnolls, not part of the subchief’s contingent, had been ordered by Alash to follow in secrecy and survey the group’s actions. Originally this had been more to make sure the lesser Flind did not defy his orders in defiling the vixen, but from their well-hidden observation point their findings were of a much more dire nature indeed.

Even before the skirmish was over, for even Gnolls can sometimes see the inevitable, the trio were off and running back to the lair of their mighty master, terrified by the sights they had witnessed from the small band of adventurers.

They remembered their Chief’s anger when the last Gnoll had burst in unannounced, and as such even in their haste approached hesitantly before the well-crafted throne of stone upon which sat the smugly smiling Alash, an otter now in his lap with the petite vixen off to the side, trying desperately to wash a particularly nasty taste out of her mouth.

“What have you to report?” The Chieftain hissed, licking just below the females chin with his slimy tongue and causing her to tremble with disgust and fear.

The Gnolls eyed each other uneasily, turning their unsure gazes upon the scowling subchiefs at the far sides of the stone platform upon which the throne sat. They moved cautiously closer, not wanting their kin to hear what they indeed did have to report.

It was quite a bit, in fact, for these three Gnolls had been chosen for one very particular reason. They were smart as far as their kind was considered, observant and capable of the level of thought necessary for understanding the possible peril that would be coming to them.

Alash for his part, though a bit unnerved at first, was more intrigued than anything of the Gnolls’ description of the disaster, showing particular interest in the abilities of the females described in the farce. A skunk magic-user, a furious otter fighter with a cool head and a nasty streak, and the vixen with cruelty strength that perhaps could even rival his own.

He was intrigued.

While he had been quite satisfied by the ease at which he had dominated the girls of his harem, he had to admit that some of the pleasure had gone out of the process once they stopped resisting. He longed for a challenge again, to break a spirit worth breaking and bending it to his will in absolute sublimation. Oh what joy he would find in breaking that vixen! And perhaps the otter, too, if similar sport was to be found in her. Certainly the acquisition of such prizes would be worth the sacrifice of a score of Gnolls and even one of his subchiefs. He knew where to get more easily enough, and likely wouldn’t even have to treat them as well as the last ones.

He was most intrigued, indeed.

“And you think they’re coming here, hmmm?” Alash grinned a toothy grin brimming with ill-concealed amusement, if it was concealed at all.

“Y-yup, Boss,” The lead Gnoll stammered cautiously, still not sure exactly how his chieftain was taking the news. “Few hours, maybes.”

The Chieftain let out such a diabolical cackle that even the lesser Flinds at his side winced visibly, knowing the underlying tones of cruelty in their master’s moments of mirth.

“Excellent! Let us prepare for them!” Alash roared in glee, raising his bronze gauntlets high into the air above his head. “Prepare for battle! Get the best weapons and armor you have! Set traps along the outside of the perimeter, and inside every junction within the caves as well! We will be ready to take these fools unawares even as they seek to catch us off guard!"

The Gnolls listened intently to their leader’s commands, but could not help but pause a moment to think. They were used to fighting in skirmishes with savage fury, overwhelming lesser foes with their numbers and gleeful savagery without a second’s hesitation. Now they were simply going to wait for their foe to come to them?

“NOW!” Alash added the very moment he noticed the apprehension, his eyes blazing with sudden anger that removed absolutely any idea of noncompliance.

Gnolls scurried about quickly, the subchief on the right directing traffic and work with loud and authoritative barks that worked easily among the frightened group of forty creatures.

“What do yous wants us to do once they is gettings here, Boss?” The remaining subchief asked at his left, curious as to his chieftain’s thinking.

“The males are yours to kill and slaughter as you will,” Alash purred as he ran his gnarled fingers over both his magically-enhanced crossbow and his frightened Otteress slave on his knee. “The females are mine.”

[Shirh Khan]

Khamilah was not a happy camper.

It had little to do with the battle itself, though that certainly was an influence into her current feelings. She'd known, at least from hearsay, that gnolls were usually unwashed brutes who fought in packs to overwhelm, and had a liking for the females. But the gnolls they'd just fought had to have been the smelliest, nastiest, dirtiest creatures that she'd ever met in her life so far; of the five she fought, two had thought to double-team against her. One had managed to briefly grab her, and pull her up against him, pushing a hard lump against her back, as the gnoll was tall enough that he couldn't press it against her rear. The other, had drawn back a club high over his head, with the intent to slam it down on her skull. With a bit of luck, she managed to overpower the gnoll behind her-- and probably only because he underestimated her strength-- and pulled the both of them a couple of steps forward-- and bringing the gnoll behind her into the arc of the club, which slammed down on the head of the opponent behind her. Once the gnoll behind her toppled backwards, and she flashed into action, slamming her fighting sticks into the space between the legs of the gnoll in front of her, and then crashing them repeatedly against his skull after he doubled over in pain. Fortunately, the other three had been just as simple to keep away from, and not too difficult to defeat; they were fairly uncoordinated in-close. Another had attempted to duplicate the actions of the first, by grabbing her from behind; before his grip could become unbreakable, she leaned forward, and pulling the gnoll off-balance, flipped him over her head. As he slammed to his back on the ground, she took the opportunity to slam her fighting sticks into the gnoll's face, then took the opportunity to leap feet-first into the juncture of the creatures legs, slamming the fighting sticks into the head of yet another gnoll as he charged at her in the process.

Her current state of mind had a little more to do with Ellani's..... well, it had seemed that the vixen had met her end, judging by the considerable amount of blood that had stained the ground beneath her as she fell, and what remained, soaked into her fur, as she stood once again and had scared the living souls out of both Rob and the flind leader. On the one paw, she was glad that Ellani wasn't dead; from what she'd come to understand from Thad, the greatest reason for their journey south was because of the vixen. She was also glad that the vixen was alive, simply because she wasn't prepared to deal with the death of any in her party. But on the other paw, she firmly believed that once a being was dead, it should stay dead, and she would have sworn that the vixen's life spirit had left her body; to her, that was considered death. If not for the fact that she'd seen Thad, and knew that he'd had nothing to do with it-- or, so she strongly believed-- and strongly wanted to believe-- she would have thought he'd reanimated her. But by Ellani's words, she knew the vixen's spirit was what inhabited her body, and nothing of Thad's magics, unless he was able to restore her spirit to her body.

Her feelings did have a lot to do with the fact that they were now following the Flind back to his lair, as the creature haltingly told Ellani what she wanted to know. She most certainly didn't want to follow this... this thing back to where it lived, especially if there were at least twice as many there as they'd battled already. She'd personally had as much to do with gnolls and flinds and ogres and other nasty creatures as she wanted-- much more, in fact-- and while she knew that there were likely more to encounter between here and the south, she had no desire to go looking for more of them, especially on purpose.

Because she didn't trust that such a loathsome creature would willingly lead them back to its cave-- and because she didn't think that, if it did, that its friends would take kindly to such a betrayal-- she was keeping a diligent watch out for anything around them that might speak of an ambush. And because of her diligence, she was the first to spot something that wasn't quite right. For that, she called a halt to the troupe.

"You," she said, coming up before the Flind- and his powerful odor. She moved a bit, putting herself upwind of the stench, and spoke again. "Is this the way you and your troops came through the woods?" The Flind, while cowed by Ellani's presense, was a little less so by hers, and a bit of persuasion was needed; she applied a bit of not-so-subtle pressure to his kneecap with one of her fighting sticks, and got the answer she sought.

"Yup, we finds yous from dis ways," the creature wimpered, massaging his sore knee.

Khamilah turned to the rest, especially Ellani.
"Don't move," she instructed them, "I have a feeling that there were others out here, others that we didn't fight. This big lug might be leading us into a trap."