Tabitha's eyes went wide as the ball of flame came towards them. Luckily--Lysander was ready. With a cry he launched himself towards the oncoming threat rather than dodging it nimbly.(as it would be all too easy to do.) He would take this challenge head-on.
prepare yourself Tabitha--hang on! Tabbi clung to the Kage's back--wings spread wide in a mirror imitation of Lysander's as they dove towards the flame. Tabbi counted in her head--they'd practiced this maneuver time and time again. But she never thought they would use it. One. The fire was closer. Two--they spread their wings as wide as they could in a strange synchonized movement--as if they were one body. She could feel the heat of the flame--smell it. Three. Just as it seemed they would be struck from the air by the Rogue's attack--they clapped their wings together sending an intense rush of wind towards it--cupping their wings around the fire like a great candle snuff--dousing the flames that were caught and sending any stray back to its owner--stuck to the wind like burning leaves. Tabitha felt her nose and brows were slightly singed--but she was otherwise unharmed. Lysander spiraled through the air triumphantly crowing and without leaving their opponent time to build up another attack--Lysander lowered his massive head and charged towards the other Kage--preparing to hit lthem ike a living battering ram dropping them from the sky. Dismayed--Tabbi glimpsed the smoldering remains of the northen part of town. Her eyes hardened. No more chances. The damage was too great. These Rogues must go. Now.

When the fire came back to them. Firetongue didn't even flinch. The fire just absorbed back to her body. Once the fire was gone, she saw the guard coming straight at her. With a cry, she built up a wall of flame and soared higher into the air with Medra. Medra was getting exhausted. He hadn't fought with Firetongue for long. He had no practice. Most of the time, they ran and hid. This was his first real battle ane he ached all over. His head felt like it was splitting into two, and his back, oh his back felt like it was on fire, which it was, and knew that once Firetongue was gone, he would be bleeding. He hated to admit, but he was going to loose. Firetongue hadn't even reached her potential and he was faltering.

Medra's eyes returned to their soft blue color and he looked about him dazed. He looked down and saw all the destruction. His heart did ache for it. They had so much food and clothing! All of it was laid to waste. Fire tongue let out a peircing cry and the Earth began to shake. Cracks formed in the ground as fire began to shoot up like a gyser. Medra had enough . "STOP!!" He cried and the fire vanished. He gave one look back and pulled Firetongue back side him. She cursed him but all that was left was a long shadow and those fiery wings. He shot away from them as fast as he could. "Linaul! I can't handle this!" he called. Things were getting fuzzy.

Linaul looked around. Medra. He ran over, yanking his coat down off his shoulders. Scars gleamed on his back. The skin there split. Spikes burst from his skin in a splatter of blood. The tattoos changed, imitating the patterns of his Kage.

Grabbing the younger man around the shoulders with one arm, Linual raised the other. There was still some moisture in the air. With Ryuuza's power flooding through him he isolated the water droplets. Shards of ice formed, blanketing the sky, slicing at the two enemies.

"Ryuuza!"

The Kage dropped to all fours. The ground rumbled as he sprang over to them. Synced with Linaul, he dropped to the ground. Linaul dragged Medra up onto Ryuuza's back with him.

"GO!"

Ryuuza leapt forward, smashing the gate with his head. Linaul put his hands on Medra's back, Ryuuza allowed him a gush of water to smother the wings.

Medra winced when the water washed over him. Steam rose from the wings before they vanished. Two gashes remained on his back where the wings had been. Under the two bleeding wounds were older scars made from whips. Medra was gasping. His whole body was sore. That wasn't on his mind however. "I am so weak!" he growled. He needed to practice with Firetongue more. He couldn't control her.

I wont let you control me. Its your fault Medra, Firetongue huffed.

No. I wont let you take over my body again. No one will ever take control of my life again. That was the first time I fought with you and you nearly exhausted me! I could have died, leaving you stranded with that guard! you would have been killed if that happened to. Firetongue remained silent. He was right.

It all happened so quickly. The Kage saw them coming and suddenly a wall of flame. They were going too fast to stop! Tabbi managed to cover her face with her arms before they hit it full on. Lysander cried out as the fire burned his feathers--his tail lashing in an attempt to bat out the flames. A barrellroll doused the flames as they plummeted downwards--but Tabbi's arms were badly burned and blistered. Enraged--Lysander shot back up like an arrow after the now fleeing Rogue. He had called back his Kage and was fleeing--his flight pattern awkward. He was wounded badly. Now was their chance--Tabbi and Lysander cried out at once and made another charge--but they counted on the second Kage. It was huge. She saw it coming--and looked woriedly towards Kaiser and his Kage.
"Kaiser--look out!" She cried.. and then the ice began to rain down upon them--sharp and deadly. Lysander--swirved and rolled--trying to avoid the larger pieces--but it was impossible to avoid them all. A particularly sharp dagger of ice lodged itself into Lysander's left wing and he screamed in pain--dropping suddenly and at a dangerous speed. Tabbi was forced to call him back--relying on only the wings he had lent her lest they crash broken to the ground. Now only a slender shadow trailed behind her like a lion's tail as she did her best to avoid the ice and land. But this too--was difficult. Tabbi felt the wings being torn by the tiny blades and spiraled downwards--landing, (well--somewhat of a crash landing really.) in a pile of rubble below.
they-they're getting away... Lysander murmured weakly. Tabbi felt her wings lift as he tried to force her back into the air after them. Tabbi pushed herself to a sitting position slowly--the world spinning as it always did after a fight.
can you still fight? Tabbi asked him, cautiously rising to her feet.
if you can fight--i can. he replied silkenly. there was always a sense of pride in his voice--as if even when he was defeted he was certain he would soon win. Tabbi admired that much about him. Drew from it and managed to straighten her tattered wings. With a flap she was off--not in the air but on the ground--using the wings to speed her up. She had to catch them. She could not fail.
"Kaiser--they're getting away!" She called; her voice seeming hoarse from shouting.

Linaul used his hand to hold the wounds closed. Ryuuza was only good at stemming the flow of his own blood. It would have to be stitches.

"You are not weak," Linual said.

His voice had deepened. It rumbled like Ryuuza's. He resembled Ryuuza. Spikes on his back, claws. The patterned skin. But at the same time Linaul was panting. It was a flimsy balance between them, and Linual had used all of his own strength for their escape. He sagged forward slightly.

Ryuuza had abandoned the road. He was galloping through the fields. After many minutes he stopped, tongue lolling. He gave a satisfied snort and shrank, leaving Linual and Medra neatly on the ground. Linaul's shadow returned to it's normal size. His body, however, stayed the same.

Medra lay on the ground a little numb. "Thank Linaul.." he sighed. "I am weak. I couldn't fight her. You were holding off against the second guard and I hardly did a thing. I was fighting Firetongue instead of the enemy and now we are both warn out and accomplished nothing. We almost destroyed the whole area! Well at least Firetongue was burning everything... I didn't see what you did," Medra groaned. He had never wanted to kill. Life was to precious for him. He didn't want to take that from anyone. Firetongue on the other hand didn't give a damn about anything. Now the guards knew who they were and what type of kage they had. No doubt they sould send Kage that could counter theirs.

Kaiser froze at what the Rogue had said, making Darkflash stop mid-air. He's right...If I didn't stop them...all those people... His body went numb, realizing the magnitude of what he had done. The world whirled by in a blur: Tabbitha charging the fire Kage, it fighting back, fire shooting up from the ground, the Rouge taking control, the one he was fighting attacking by freezing the air, and them running.

Then something brought him out of his vigil of anger and sadness. A voice. "Kaiser--look out!" Tabitha's voice. At the sound, he blinked, as if waking from a daydream, and looked around. The Kage's attack was coming from above, icy daggers lancing their way towrds him, but there was nothing he could do, not fast enough. He urged Darkflash to land, but the blades were faster. Many pierced Darkflash's wings and legs, other's his flanks, still other's hit Kaiser, ripping flesh and tearing his limbs. And then they were falling, straight towars earth. The ice kept coming. Before he knew it, they had hit the ground with a thud, dust flying everywhere.

Kaiser only felt pain, pain everywhere. The ice needles were lodged all along his arms and legs and down his back. Darkflash had retreated back into his shadow, wanting to heal in his natural state. Kaiser try to look up, but could not see much. He saw the large Kage bounding away, taking the two Rogues with them. He heard Tabitha's voice telling him this. But the pain was too much, he could feel hot blood spreading out below him on the ground. I....have failed... And with that thought, Kaiser slipped into unconciousness.

"What I did..." Linual murmured.

Fifty people whispered Ryuuza. No more today. It'll kill us both.

"You have to learn to work with her. Firetongue, if you take control of him he'll never trust you. You two need to learn to sync... try and be aware of each other." His whole body shuddered as the spikes withdrew back into his body. His eyes reverted, and the claws disappeared. It would have been less painful to keep them.

Swaying slightly, Linaul fumbled in his pocket for a needle and thread. Blood seeped from under his nails, trickled down his back. He swallowed, trying to steady his shaking hands.

Tabbi saw Kaiser and his Kage falling like stones from the sky as the icy daggers pummeled them both. She felt her heart studder.
They're down! Quickly, Lysander. We must go to them. By Lysander resisted--set on his mission as usual.
No--we can't stop for them--the Rogues will escape!
"Then let them go..." She muttered coolly.
WHAT!?
[i] They have already done so much damage here--let them go and spare more innocent lives...we will find them again...we know what we're looking for now...[i]
Still, Lysander resisted--but for now Tabbi was more stubborn than he. While her wings tried to maneuver for her to head towards the gate where the two Rogue Hosts had fled; Tabbi stubbornly ran towards the fallen Kaiser--in the end she won out. Something rare--and unpleasant for Lysander. Sulking he shrank back into her shadow--withdrawing her wings as he went. She cried out in agony as they pulled themselves back into her flesh--leaving large, deep, wounds that bleed freely down her back. It dripped out from under her armor--soaking into her leggings and boots. As it were she was already covered in her own blood, face and arms cut from the icy daggers, and burns with blisters on both forearms as well. Frankly, she looked a mess as she knelt over the unconscious Kaiser. All of her hurt..ached...but she stubbornly ignored it. Now was not the time...She gingerly pressed her fingertips to his neck--check for a pulse and was relieved when she found one. Faint--but there. After that fall--she was glad for it. Urgently, Tabbi searched for the source of all the blood--his head was bleeding. No surprise--he'd probably hit his head in the fall. She tore a strip of the cleanest part of her leggings free and gently began to dab at the cut that ran along the side of his right temple--it was a celan cut at least; easily stitched. But she hadn't any mead to ease the pain....still she couldn't move him until she had stopped the bleeding.

"Kaiser..Kaiser if you can here me this is Tabitha. You need stitches...so brace yourself.." she said in her soft voice--brushing his blood-stained hair behind his ear.With quick light fingers she tugged her needle and thread from the pocket under her brestplate and began to work. She was glad she always kept it with her for situations like this.It was done quickly and she snipped the extra thread free with her teeth. But Kaiser hadn't moved a muscle. That worried her. Again those small gentle hands began to search his wounded body. His arm was bent funny--but it didn't seem broken. Only popped out of his socket. She could fix that too--but she couldn't imagine that he wouldn't wake up and bite of his own tongue while she did it. He had to be awake. They had to leave his place and get real medical attention...she couldn't only do so much.
"Kaiser? Come back to me Kai...wake up." Gently, she patted his cheeks--trying to wake him.

Firetongue glared, but again, knew that they were right. She really did need to form a bond with Medra. it was the only way they would win anything. That way at least they wouldn't fight themselves during a battle like they had done. She sighed bitterfly. I am sorry Medra. I will work with you not against you again.

Apology accepted and I vow the same thing. Medra rubbed his shoulders which were sore. He pulled at his sleeve to see the rest of the damage. Both his arms were red from the burn with a few blisters. "At least she kept the fire off me for the most part..." he muttered. Then he turned back to Linaul. "How you faring? Need any help?"

Linaul shook his head. He wasn't doing well. He was bleeding worse than Medra and drenched in sweat. He tossed the needle and thread to his friend. With his hands free, he pulled his coat back up over his shoulders to hide the holes in his back. With a heavy breath he flopped over onto the grass. He closed his eyes.

"I would advise you to sew up any wounds you got from the ice. If you two can manage it, then have Firetongue help to cauterize the ones on your back. Those are too wide for stitches. If we have been followed, leave me and run."

Linual?

No answer.

Kaiser was drifting in the blackness. He could not hear, smell, taste, feel, or see. There was noting but him. It was...peaceful. He could stay here. It was nice. But under all that, there was another feeling. Another place. This one came with searing pain and a feelinf of failure. Why should I go back there? It's nice here. Yet he knew that he had to go back, he had a mission and people he needed to help. To protect.

Suddenly, the pain in the other place began to diminish. Not much, but just enough to focus. A voice. He could hear a voice. Calling his name. Who was that? What was her name? Try as he might, he could not remember.

Tabitha.

Another voice. This one male and more familiar. Darkflash? That you?

Wake up, Kaiser. Go to her voice. Come back.

Then it was all real. The pain, the feelings, the voice. It was all back. He was back. He opened his eyes only to be blinded the sun. Once adjusted, he could see more properly. Tabitha was leaning over him, attending to some wounds on him. "Hello. Fancy meeting you here." He tried to get up, but felt a searing pain in one arm. He sat back down. "Where am I? What happened?"

"you're awake..." Relief spread over her face--and a small smile that made her wince slightly. A small trickle of blood trickled from the side of her mouth--apparently there had been a splinter of ice there--melted now--the blood ran free. She wiped it with the back of her hand,still ignoring the bleeding as best she could--though the edges of her vision had just begun to get fuzzy.
Tabbitha...you're bleeding... Lysander needlessly reminded her.
yes--i know. it will wait a bit longer yet.
as you wish... lysander moped bitterly. he was still mad she'd picked her fellow gaurdsmen over another attack on the Rogues. Even though Tabbi was sure deep down he knew it was the right decision. Tabitha gently helped him sit back again.
"You're in the remains of the Northern edge of town...you and your Kage fell from the sky like a cannon ball...and unsurprisingly...you're in fairly rough shape..." her soft voice explained, gingerly prodding the injured arm. "You're arm is also out of it's socket...i can put it back in if you like...but...it will hurt far worse before it feels any better..." she folded her hands in her lap demurely, her eyes shyly avoiding his.

Kaiser let out a sigh, not sure what to think, pushing his blood and sweat soaked hair out of his eyes with his good arm, when his fingers brushed the new stitches on his temple. He smirked a little. "I guess this was your doing? Thanks for that." Then part of what she had said hit him. "'Me and my Kage'? Wait, where' Darkflash? Darkflash!?" He looked around desperately.

Hey, welcome back to the world of the living. We missed you, Kai.

Kaiser breathed a sigh of relief, watching as his shadow grew a little beneath him. "Not without you, partner. thank you." There was no reply from the shadow. Kaiser looked down at his arm, laying there, useless and turned at an odd angle. He took a deep breath and exhaled it. "Alright, let's do this. But only if you deal with your own wounds after." He pointed a the new trail of blood making it's way down Tabitha's face. "Once this is set, the rest of my wounds will heal fine. You need tending to, though."

As best he could, Kaiser reached down with his good arm and ripped of a segment off the bottom of his shirt. He wadded the soft, white material into a ball, then nodded at the girl. "Ready when you are." He then placed the cloth in his mouth to act as a gag.

Tabbi gave a shy smile when he thanked her for the stitches, murmuring something that might have been "you're welcome." or "no problem"--but she spoke it so quietly it was hard to tell. She said nothing when he commented on her wounds--Lysander chimed in with an,
i told you so...you should listen to your new friend...
oh hush...i'll be fine... Tabbi retorted, moving to Kaiser's side as he gagged himself. But as she positioned herself to pop his arm back in--a searing pain shot through her spine. She'd aggrevated the wing wounds and could feel it sting beneath her armor.
you need those wounds on your back stitched...maybe even cauterized...even i know that...stop being so stubborn.
i know the limits of my body Sander..... mentally she sighed, not wanting to admit he was right, but seeing little choice. She'd never hear the end of it now. please help me remove this chest plate? It's making it hard to move my shoulders without pain... Her shadow stretched out like a circle underneath her, an audible sigh rose and then a gust of decently strong spiraling wind shot upwards--lifting the armor over her head. It fell to her left with a small clatter. thanks Sander...i'm sorry i'm so stubborn...i'm just...worn out i guess...
promise you'll take care of it after?
yes sir... Lysander settled into a satisfied silence--but it felt to her as though his wing was wrapped protectively around her. It was much easier to move now that her tattered flesh wasn't rubbing against the steel. But--it was also easier to see why she had been uncomfortable. What was left of her white undershirt was dyed red with her own blood along her entire back--and it hadn't seemed to have stopped yet. But she wasn't the best of the best for nothing--her pain tolerence was nearly inhuman. And Lysander's desire to protect often aided in her forgetting herself and her own pain; opting to help others first, needing to keep them safe at all costs...gently she lifted Kaiser's arm.
"on three okay?" She murmured softly. "One...two.." There was a sickening snapping,popping sound as she roughly pulled back his arm--putting back into it's socket. She felt the muscles spasm with the force--but kept a firm pressure on it until it stopped. Then--as delicately as if he were made of glass she began to move the arm around--bending it at the elbow slowly, pressing his fingers to close into a fist, then opening them again, rotating his shoulder--until she was satisfied that it had indeed only been popped out. "Well--it seems to be in working order. That unpleasant tingly feeling will go away after some use.. " she explained, trying to be comforting. She knew how much having one's arm popped back in could hurt. "How does it feel? Nothing broken right?" Tabbi asked him, sitting on her knees at his side.

Kaiser watched in silence as Tabitha's Kage took off her armour and revealed the deep gashes across her back. His eyes widened. Darkflash, we need to do something about that. She must be in alot of pain.

Yes, your probably right, but you can't do anything without your arm. Let her fix you first, then we'll help her.

Kaiser silently resigned. As Tabitha counted down, he braced himself for the pain that was sure to come. When it came, it was more than he thought. He bit down on the wad of cloth in his mouth, hard. All the muscles in his body tensed, his eyes clenching shut. His breathing became ragged. White hot pain shot from his shoulder outwards, wracking his body in tremours.

What seemed like minutes later, the pain began to fade, his body relaxing, the shaking fading. His breathing began to slow, becoming more even, and calmer. When feeling came back to his arm, he could feel the cool, gentle touch of Tabitha's hands moving his arms, testing it's mobility. He could also feel a tingling feeling through out his arm, but she then told him it would go away.

When he was sure that all was back to normal, he spat the now ragged bit of his shirt out, taking deep breaths as he did. He lifted his arm, testing it himself, moving it in circles. It twinged abit, but nothing that wouldn't go away with time. He looked at the girl at his side. "I think everything is fine. Thank you very much." Now that he could use both arms, Kaiser pushed him self into a croutching position. "It's your turn now, Tabitha. Those wounds won't heal on their own."

"T-they really aren't as bad as they look..." She stammered. Tabbi looked down at herself when Kaiser crouched near her. She really was a mess. Her shadow shifted underneath her--Lysadner seemed to place himself directly on the opposite side of her as if to block her from moving away. She eyed her shadow warily.
i saw that. Do you not trust my promise? Tabbi chided Lysander. The Kage's voice sounded less than amused.
Tabitha, do you think i don't know you better than that by now? Tabbi gave a small tired smile. he was right. She probably would have tried to play it cool. Pretend it didn't hurt. And take off to tend to her own wounds like a frightened animal. It wasn't that she didn't want help--it was more..her embarassment. Her shyness was like a disease sometimes...practically dehabilitating. And it didn't help her anxiety any that she knew the only way to treat these particular wounds...would be to remove the back of her blood-stained tattered shirt and sew them up. Granted--she had bandages to keep it from getting..overly awkward..but all the same. Had she enough blood--it would have rushed to her face just at the thought.
"They..still haven't stopped bleeding..." Tabbi admitted quietly, turning her body so her back was to him so he might see the wounds better. "My medical kit is in my armor..do you know how to stitch?" She asked, halfway hoping he wouldn't and they'd be forced to return to the castle for treatment...though--part of her wondered if she even had the strength to walk there...
you don't. Lysander answered for her, stretching out along side her yet further.

Medra nodded and took the needle from him. He sewed up Linaul's wounds first before he turned to his own. He looked up and scanned the area to make sure no one else was there. He sewed his injuries and like suggested, Firetongue helped in healing his back. Medra lay back and starred up at the sky. Thanks to those stupid guards, they had lost their chance to eat and now how to go running to another city. Why couldn't they just be left alone? They hadn't done anything wrong until they showed up for a fight.

((T.T short...))

Linaul barely even registered what Medra was doing. He could feel the needle, but it didn't hurt. He wouldn't have cared if it did. Things had gotten out of hand. He needed to train with Ryuuza more, to figure out how to isolate battles even in built up areas. But right now he wasn't going to do anything. He couldn't do anything. He was tired, worn. He'd need hours of rest.

He forced his eyes open and looked around. Grass, shadows, Medra was beside him still, too. His eyes wandered over the marks caused by his ice. If he'd used a different attack, they wouldn't have been hit too. Injured by his own attack. Linaul was glad Ryuuza was not the mocking type.