Snippet #1782264

Ari had finally reached the camp and she had run through it into the place they were letting her stay. She didn’t want to call it home because it wasn’t home, not yet. She still felt new, unwanted and she didn’t have a friend in sight here. She pulled the wolf dagger from its resting place, pulling the blade from its sheath. Her hands scrambled to pull open the tip of the sheath, fumbling with it horribly. She finally got it open, dumping out a light powder. She cursed and scooped some up onto her fingers, rubbing it over the markings and looking into the dagger with a sigh. She had again hidden the markings on her face, no one would ever know of this. Besides, they didn’t count. She’d never slept with someone.
She consoled herself, attaching the dagger to her hip and grabbing her bow before stepping outside. Ari walked through the camp, head held high. She saw and scented how uncomfortable the people were, something was going on. Her eyes burned silver and her ears heard the voices of someone in Sean’s cabin. She twisted as her nose caught the sharp scent of blood. Ari turned and ran toward the scent, readying her bow. She leapt over the fallen logs, ran around trees until she saw them.
She didn’t recognize the woman but she knew her prisoner, it was the same man that had called Sean away earlier. She stepped forward, shifting into a crouch and running her fingers down along the feathers of her arrow, her eyes growing dark.
“Who are you,” she asked, stepping into full view of the women.

Ali was calm as could be, hear eyes and ears open to any bit of change in her surroundings. She knew every face staring at her in anger, people she'd worked with, shared laughs with, people she had trusted her life with... And while three years ago it would be heart breaking to even consider being in this position, today it felt perfectly natural to her; The Pack was the enemy, simple as that, and she'd kill them all to the last one if it came to that.

"Who are you?" A voice asked, and Ali locked her blue eyes on a girl, not much older than Donovan, but whose face she didn't recognize.
"If you don't know me, and I don't know you... You're new here." Ali stated with a little smirk. "Take my advice then: Leave while you can." She fixed her gaze on the girl's eyes and added, in a more serious tone. "And whatever you think you can do to stop me: Don't bother. If I don't kill him another will, and I don't think the Alpha will enjoy seeing his brother dead in the middle of his camp because you felt like trying to save the day."

Her heart stuttered and she carefully unstrung her bow, lowering it. Ari cocked her head, not taking her green eyes from the blue, placing the bow gently on the ground and dropping her daggers right next to it. Brother, of Sean? She took a couple steps forward.
“I have no loyalties to them yet,” she said, noticing the worried look on her face, “They call me Ari. I would just like to talk if that is alright with you?”
Ari didn’t want death, not now not today. Her eyes glowed sliver around the pupils and she sniffed the air. She wasn’t lying about the others and she playfully tossed her hair out of her eyes. She stood awkwardly, waiting for an answer from this girl, her senses heightened.

"We can talk." Ali stated simply, relaxing some, but not taking her attention from the assassins nor relaxing her hold on Donovan. "Doni is not much a pleasant company, but then I can't blame him. And those guys..." She nodded towards the nearby assassins. "They hate me a little bit for this, can't blame them either. What kind of a monster threatens to kill a sixteen year old recruit, right?" Her voice turned into a low growl as she spoke those words giving an angered glare towards the assassins, some of them shifted uncomfortably in guilt.

"He was a traitor." Donovan stated. "He deserved what he got."
Ali tightened the garrotte only slightly as he said that. "Careful, Donovan." She hissed. "And Lionel was a traitor as well, wasn't he? He was buried properly, with his ring, as any member of the clan would be."

Donovan silenced after that and Ali turned her attention towards Ari again. "Allison Blake, nice meeting you, although I don't consider these the best of circumstances." She smiled. "I can hear your heartbeat changed just a bit when I mentioned Don was Sean's brother..." She snickered. "Whatever the reason, I hope you snap out of it soon. He's a heartless bastard, you'll see." She tilted her head curiously when she noticed Ari had sniffed the air. "You can enhance your senses too, or is it some other ability that allows you to catch their scent? She asked intrigued. "That's interesting... And unfortunate, they haven't bathed in a while."

Ari smiled slightly, she was not kidding about the bath that they needed and she blushed slightly as she mentioned Sean.
“Very nice to meet you, though I was it was under better circumstances as well. Donovan,” she said, acting like she knew him to some extent, “I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself; that is unless they enhance the conversation. I care not for Sean, truth be told he frightens me.
My enlightenment, allows me to become any animal I choose. I don’t have to change completely, but can choose to give my body the senses of that animal, so heighten them in a way. I assume you have an enlightenment that enhances your senses?”
Ari smiled back, being pleasant enough, but all the while her eyes were taking in the little details; the cord around his neck, the position of the men, the way Allison was positioned. She wasn’t kidding about killing him and she seemed settled enough to the point where she wouldn’t kill him, not yet. Ari just wanted to be there so that she wouldn’t have the chance to cause more damage to Donovan.

"Oh, Sean can be a very scary monster, can't he Doni?" Ali said, taunting the boy. "Don't take me for a bad person, now, Ari, but I have a few individuals I hold dear, and I'm not very fond of people trying to stick arrows in them; No matter how ridiculous their attempt is."
"Ranged attacks are much more effective against an empath..." Doni started.
"Not Crys, you idiot! She had your level of skill when you were still pissing your pants and she can sense that rage of yours as far as Blackpond. If you were my brother I would beat the crap out of you for being so damn stupid!" She said, in a tone filled with contempt, but yet severe as if she wanted the boy to learn. "Now, listen to your friend's advice and shut up; she's obviously smarter than you."

That said, she put her attention on Ari again. She could tell the girl had analyzed the situation to a point where she had settled with simple conversation, Ali hoped that didn't change, she'd rather not have to kill any recruits. "I can enhance or nullify any of my senses... Which means I can not feel pain for certain periods of time, which is useful, but if I overdo it, it becomes very unpleasant afterwards." She gave a slight shrug, careful not to put more tension on the wire. "I don't mind pain though... It's there for a reason, much like fear... It let's you know what you should stay away from." Her eyes lowered from the girl's face to the bow she had dropped on the ground. "That's a beautiful weapon, is it your work?" She asked in a very interested tone. "You know, I need to craft myself a new bow, mine is getting a bit old..." She said, indicating the black bow she was carrying at her back. "I can't make peace with the idea of retiring it though, it was the last thing my brother crafted before he died. Sentimental value and all that." She said absently, giving a small sigh at the mention of her older brother. She didn't like to think of what Alex would think of what she was doing now. "It's an interesting enlightenment you have. Animals are such wonderful creatures, aren't they? If only we were a little more like them... Well, we wouldn't be standing here now in this situation."

Ari smiled and nodded sharply, her eyes glimmering with some hidden emotion.
“Yes, I crafted it myself. Wandering in the woods as a loner could get a bit lonely. I am sorry about your brother,” Ari frowned and shifted, stretching out her leg, “If you want I could craft you one, though it is only an offer.”
She moved briskly to the bow lying on the ground and picked up one of the wolf daggers, carrying back toward the other girl. She held it out for her to take and quietly said, “This was my lover’s. He disappeared, where I do not know, he could be dead,” she shrugged, “I try not to use it though it comes handy in a fight. I prefer to carry it around, just to keep him close. I would say try the same thing, but a bow is harder to work with. Perhaps you could put it someplace special, a shine perhaps. It is hard to lose someone you love.”
Ari’s eyes flickered blue, betraying her emotions and she carefully turned her back toward Allison as she carried the dagger back to the pile. She turned back to the girl, smiling again her eyes glimmering silver.
“We really are wondrous creatures,” she tilted her head, her ears catching the approach of footsteps; “you might say it’s interesting, but really it’s appealing to my other nature. I would show you, but…”
Ari trailed off, coming back to stand far enough away not to make herself look like a threat but close enough to intervene if need be. Her eyes caught Allison’s and she smirked.

"It is hard to lose a loved one." Ali agreed. "Perhaps I'll burn it, then. In Blackhurst, archers believed that if they burned their bows, as they got too old for use, the weapon would be waiting for them in the Afterlife." She explained absently. "I think my brother would like to have it back, when I can't no longer use it. Besides... The irony of it is just too good. On the other hand, I might craft something else from it. Why waste perfectly good wood, right?" She asked with a little smirk.

"Eeeeh, I wouldn't do that if I were you." She stated, out of the blue. "I can hear you and I can hear them. If there's one heartbeat unaccounted for... Don't test me." She said, opening a grin. "I have my orders, but I'd welcome an excuse to disobey."

As she said that three assassins stepped out of hiding and into the center of camp, angered expressions on their faces.

"Much better." She told them, with a smile. "Isn't it better when we all play nice?"

Then she went on with the conversation as if there had been no interruptions. "As for you offer, take no offense, but I decline. If, or when, I replace this bow I will replace it with one that holds the same significance... For that I'll have to craft it with my own hands and put a little bit of myself into it. I think, and maybe that's just a weirdness of mine, I think that one's bow should be an extension of their person in a way." She chuckled slightly. "I think it is a weirdness, but it's how I feel nonetheless." She added.

As she said that, Sean's voice was heard shouting something, followed by the sound of something being slammed against one of the walls. Many of the assassins grimaced and looked around warily wondering if they should intervene. Ali, however, let out a soft giggle. "Sean's so emotional... Tsk, tsk..." She said, shaking her head slightly. "Perhaps you can show me the extent of your abilities at another time... Whenever you're in the desert maybe. It seems we will be leaving soon."

Ari nodded, not really willing to shift right now. She looked nervously in the direction of the shouting and then back at Allison.
“When I make another journey I will call upon you,” Ari giggled and took a couple steps back toward her bow and daggers, “No offence is taken, I prefer to make my own bows too. It always adds a little of your soul into it.” She turned back to face them, standing tall and proud. “It was quite an honour to meet you Allison, but I best be on my way, before Sean sees me caught up in all this. Would hate to end up dead before I’ve really even started.”
She winked at Allison slinging her quiver over her back and attaching the daggers to her hip. She snatched up her bow and mockingly bowed at Donovan and she smiled at Allison.
“Donovan, it is good to see that you can take advice from a lesser like me, I suggest you keep it in mind next time you find yourself in this situation. But then again, what do I know, right?”
She turned her attention back on Allison, her head starting to throb with pain at keeping her senses heightened for so long.
“Before I leave, I do have one request,” she said hesitating at the tree line, turning back to face them, “When we next meet, I would like to have a little contest, one of archery. That is only if you are up for it?”
She cocked her head waiting for her response, her heart beating rapidly in her chest in fear that Sean would show his face and recognise hers. Her bright green eyes flickered form Allison’s face, scanning the trees. She had been here too long, revealed too much.

Ali laughed slightly at Ari's comments. "Oh, I understand. I wouldn't want to be caught up in this either. And I'm always up for a little competition, although if you beat me I might have to kill you for the sake of my reputation." She joked. "Until then, have a nice day." She added, with a small wink.

Once the girl had vanished amongst the trees Ali chuckled softly into Donovan's ear. "She's really, really, talented Don. I hope she gets wise enough to leave before your brother ruins that. That'd be such a waste."

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Crys entered the cabin and immediately walked around the round table, running her hand through its battered surface as if to make sure it was still the same table she had, oh so often, bumped her head against when she was small enough to hide underneath it. She felt a sharp pain in her heart at the memories contained in that place. She was born there, she had taken her first steps there, spoken her first words… Her mother had died there. It was a lot harder to stand in that cabin than she had ever imagined it would be, yet at the same time, the memories there contained gave her strength in a way. She walked past the table and sat by it, smiling as Sean walked in and spoke.

“You’re in my seat, Crystal.” He complained.
“Excuse me, Alpha, old habits. Do you mind? For old times’ sake?” She asked, smiling at how this bothered him.
“Fine.” Sean muttered, sitting across from her. “What do you want Crys? Why mess with my people after all this time of hiding? What changed?”
“I’ve changed. You’ve certainly changed. I can list about a thousand other things that have changed as well, but it would be a waste of both my time and yours. What I want, what I really came here for… I want you to leave the White Shadows alone.”
“Why do you think I would want to mess with them?” Sean asked, honestly surprised. “And I don’t believe that’s why you’re here.”
“I haven’t moved against you Sean, I started over, I have absolutely no interest in the Pack anymore. Why are you so afraid of me?” She asked, leaning forward over the table. “What have I ever actually done to you?”
“You haven’t moved against me; that’s true… What about Evin, and Jake and Allison? You’re honestly going to tell me that you had nothing to do with them?”

Crys shook her head, leaning back on the chair. “You’re dodging the actual question, Sean. And I have no control over what Evin does. I never had it when I was Alpha, why would I have it now? He’s a free man, he can annoy or murder whoever he pleases and he happens to really hate you. I haven’t seen Jake in almost two years, but he hates you just as much and not all the reasons involve me, as I’m sure you recall. Ali didn’t hate you, but now I think she hates you more than the other two, the only thing keeping your brother alive is her friendship for me. The only thing she has done to spite you, aside from saving my life, is aid the Crimson Shadows. You were the one who wounded her hand and murdered a fifteen year old kid who she happened to love like a little brother. I mean, really… Knowing Allison you didn’t think that would make her want to jump at your throat?”
“I’m not afraid of you.” Sean stated. “And you know what you did to me.”

“Liar, liar…” Crys snickered. “You’re terrified because you know that everything you built is yours as long as I don’t decide to take it from you.” She stated. “Tell me, have you lost sleep thinking about this moment? Have you been up all night thinking about me coming back and taking everything away? Did you toss and turn wondering what was going through my head?” She asked him, unable to hold back a delighted grin as she felt the anger stir up inside of him. “I didn’t do anything to you.” She stated. “Sparing Theron’s life was my mother’s decision. I supported it as much as I would have supported her had she chosen to kill him.”
“You promised me he would pay, remember that? Whatever it takes, you said.” Sean told her. “I waited and I tried not to go insane, because I trusted you, and I trusted your mother, with the only thing that could still give me comfort: Knowing that the man who killed my mother would suffer the consequences. I put that one hope I had in your mother’s hands, and she crushed it. And my father let her do it because she was the great Dani Rivers; the one who exterminated the Wolf Hunters. What a load of crap!” He exclaimed. “And then I discover that your mother and that outsider she married were responsible. If it wasn’t for them there would be no Shadow Hunter!”

Crys raised an eyebrow. “My father was a Wolf, Sean. He joined the Wolf Hunters when he was a child, he didn’t know better.” She leaned back in the chair. “You’re pathetic, Sean. I honestly feel sorry for you.” She stood up and walked towards the door. “Not as much as I feel sorry for the clan for supporting such a weak leader, or for your family for being stuck in the middle of this.” Before she reached for the door, however, Sean slammed his hand against it and got in her way.
“We’re not done yet!” He shouted.”
Crys sighed. “It’s fine.” She whispered, so that Ali would know she was still safe. “You should keep your voice down, Sean. You wouldn’t want you brother to suffer over that temper of yours.” She told him, taking a step away from the door and closer to him. “I said what I needed: Touch the healers and I will make every one of your nightmares come to life, one by one; I swear on my mother’s grave.”

Sean ignored the threat, although Crys could tell he was furious. “Tell me something: How do you do it? How do you get people so devoted to you? How do they trust you so easily? It can’t be just your mother’s reputation, or your enlightenment… There has to be something else. I mean, Jake… We all know what’s in it for him, right? Evin was close to Dani, Ali was your recruit, but then... There’s the Crimson; there’s Dastan. Tell me Crys, what kind of spell have you cast on that poor man to make him risk exterminating his entire clan for you?”
Crys snickered. “Funny Sean, you sound so familiar when you say that. Wonder where I’ve heard it before…” She whispered, fixing her eyes on him. “Don’t think I trick people into doing what I want, it’s more complicated than that; it’s beyond your comprehension, even. I will tell you this: My friends have never done anything for me that I wouldn’t do for them, not once, and I like to think they know that. You should take a good look at yourself though, before you accuse me of using people. Speaking of which… Has Blackpond come to collect your soul yet?”
“My soul remains intact, thanks for asking.” Sean muttered.
Crys chuckled as he said that. “I hope you’re good looking, Sean, because you’re just not that clever.” She told him, shaking her head in amusement. “Are we done now? Or do you wish to attempt any more insults? I have time, but I’m guessing Donovan might be getting tired.”
“Mark my words, Crystal: I’ll make you pay for this.”
She smiled, reaching for the door handle with a shrug. “Put it on my tab.”
“Oh, I will. And, you know… Whenever you see Jake again, thank him for me.” Sean said casually. “I needed an excuse to break my truce with Newhaven anyway.”
“What are you talking about?” Crys asked, her tone slightly more serious.
“You didn’t know he was back in Newhaven? He was kind enough to let me know, I thought he’d show you the same consideration… No? Anyway, remember Amalia? Remember the day she got here? Remember the story she told your mother? Remember how your mother used to write everything down; no exceptions? Need I say more?”
Crys frowned slightly remembering the story the woman had told her mother; she had never really seen was actually been told there until just then, and she could feel how Sean was satisfied to be the one to make her reach such conclusion. “It’ll never stick.” She stated finally, glaring at him in anger. “There are no names in those files and the only witness is someone whose credibility is shaky at best.”
Sean snickered. “You’re so naïve sometimes, Crys. I’ve paid enough taxes to the city Council to know that they will take any excuse to get rid of her. Truth is: They’d much rather the way Morgan ran things, he was a sadistic bastard, but he was less of a hassle to the higher-ups.” He shrugged. “Even if they don’t make it stick… It ought to keep them occupied for some time and, as you know, my dear friend… Time is everything.”

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Ali was holding Doni hostage for what seemed like forever when Crys finally left the Leader’s Cabin. It was hard to make out the expression on her face, it didn’t show what she was feeling or thinking. Sean stepped out right after her, same blank expression. If one of them had won whatever discussion they had… Neither one of them would show it. She could see on the faces of most Actives that they were hopeful there would be some sort of truce, however she knew better than them. There would never be a truce as long as Sean was alive.

Crys walked past her and the boy and mumbled a “Let’s go”. Ali didn’t hesitate to drag Donovan along and follow Crys out of camp. As she turned her back she could hear Sean order his people to let them go, this time. So, they walked South and when they were far enough from camp, they released Donovan, ordering him to walk away and not look back. Once the boy had gone, Ali finally asked Crys what she wanted to know. “So, is he going to attack the White Shadows like Trevor said he might?”
Crys nodded, leaning casually against a tree. “He has no intentions of going against the Shadows, even after I threatened him. I think the healers are safe, from him at least. Did you find out anything interesting?”
“Sean has a recruit.” Ali stated.
“No kidding? I thought they weren’t recruiting.” Crys said, looking genuinely surprised with the news. “How do you know it is Sean’s recruit?”
“I’m not absolutely sure, but that’s what the Actives whispered to each other when she came up to me.” Ali confirmed. “She’s around seventeen, if I had to guess, pretty and all that. A shifter, talented with a bow, if she shoots as well as she crafts. A real waste of talent, in my opinion.”
“Ali…” Crys chuckled.
“What?” Ali asked, faking an innocent tone in her voice, but knowing it was no use.
“She’s Sean’s recruit. I don’t need to be an empath to know what you’re thinking.” Crys said, in a slightly severe tone.
“I don’t want to kill her.” Ali stated in a serious tone. “I’d much rather save her before Sean infects her with his stupidity.”
“That’s her decision to make.” Crys stated, as if ending the subject. She paused for a moment then added. “I’m going to Newhaven.”
“Newhaven… Why?” Ali asked, seeming a bit confused with such a sudden decision.
“Sean told me he did something that… Well… If he did it, it could end up disbanding the Black Knights, or worse.”
“What’s worse?”
“They could go back to being what they were.” Crys said.
“We don’t want that?” Ali asked, sitting down on a nearby rock, feeling her ears ringing from overuse of her enlightenment.
“Nobody wants that. It’s just bad all around.” Crys sighed. “Sean doesn’t see what he’s messing with here.”
“What can you possibly do about, whatever it is, Sean did?” Ali asked, now rubbing her eyes.
“I doubt there’s something I can do about this, but I would like to see it for myself.” Crys explained. “Besides, there’s someone there I would like to talk to, although she would probably not want to see me.”
“You haven’t told me what this is, yet.” Ali said absently, looking up at Crys as if waiting for her to tell a story.

Crys chuckled. “Another time, maybe. Either way, I was planning on talking to Sheila either way, I might stop by the Castle and see if Sean actually did what he said he did.”

“Alright… I have one more question for you then: What do you care for the Black Knights right now?
Crys gave a light shrug. “Call it a matter of common courtesy, if you will.” She said.
Ali laughed. “You’re walking all the way to Newhaven simply out of courtesy? Right…”
Crys smiled slightly. “Let’s just say that when people show me kindness I tend to remember it.”
“Oh, so you know this person?” Ali asked curiously.
“We’ve had a conversation once. You remember? It was on the night we got to the desert.” She stated. “I probably won’t spend more than a day in the city, but we’ll see.” She said.

“I remember. And let me guess: You want me to go back and keep an eye on things, because Evin is, wherever the hell Evin usually goes, and someone needs to stay ‘in charge’, right?” Ali asked, not even waiting for the answer, since she knew what it would be. She simply stood up and continued to walk South. “Say hi to Jake if you happen to see him.” She said, over her should her.

As Ali heard Crys’ footsteps walking away she distinctively heard her snicker and mumble the words “Opposing allies”. Wondering what the hell that meant, the archer walked back to the territory of the Crimson Shadows.

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Ari walked carefully along the path. She had just realized how stupid she had been to openly talk to the “traitor”, Allison in front of all those people, it would only be a matter of moments until Sean found out and she would have to answer to him. She ran back to the room, leaving her bow on the bed and grabbing a bag, slipping her dagger into it and her clothes. She stripped down, her body twisting and writing as she changed into a large black wolf. Her eyes flashed silver and then faded to the gold colour of the wolf. She threw back her head and howled, feeling her body lock. She paced back and forth along the door, waiting for someone to open it, her body feeling trapped. Ari began to get nervous, her instincts taking over. Her golden eyes flickered to the window and she backed away, her hackles rising along her back as her lip pulled back in a snarl.
She sprang through the window, the glass shattering around her as she bolted out, the bag strapped to her back. She watched as a couple of the assassins drew their swords as she bolted past and she slid to a halt as the door to Sean’s house opened. She scrambled back, her eyes opening in horror. She relaxed as it closed again, no one coming out. She yelped as an arrow landed beside her and she went into the woods, vanishing like a ghost into the trees, avoiding the next rain of arrows.
Her eyes remained golden as she tried to call upon her curse, erm, enlightenment. She shook, hating herself for using it way too much today. She whined, unable to form any words to express her anger, and the tree next to her suffered the wrath of her anger. She shook her pelt, sniffing at the large gouge marks that had cut through the bark. She sighed and wandered down the path, the bag bouncing along her back, her nose fixed on the ground.
Someone had been along this path, someone who smelled of the desert. Her pace quickened into a trot and she found herself catching up.

Crys walked the path that led to Newhaven without much of a care and not much of a hurry. She knew there was really nothing she could do for the Black Knights, except maybe offer her apologies for not slitting Sean’s throat while she had him alone, however, he had mentioned he needed time for something, and he wasn’t bluffing; which made her wonder what he would actually gain from causing this level of commotion in the Newhaven ranks. A trip to the Inn could maybe give her an answer or two, if she could get the recruiter there to talk to her; wouldn’t be easy, the woman didn’t like her in one bit.

Crys sighed, thinking of what Sean had told her. She remembered clearly when, around seven years ago, this woman, Amalia, made her way to camp asking that she was allowed to stay. She was carrying a bag of coins, a small child and was also pregnant. Crys’ mother decided to let her stay as a worker, but not before she told her story. The woman told, in plenty of detail for what Crys heard, how she was being held hostage in this bandit camp when it was raided by these two ‘strangers’: A man, who seemed to be the leader, and a woman. They eliminated the bandits, but the man wanted to get rid of the witnesses as well. He would have killed Amalia and her small child hadn’t his companion intervened. The woman ran her sword right through him, told Amalia to run away, and not tell a soul. She didn’t tell a soul, except for the Leader of the Pack at the time. And she always filed everything in the archives; absolutely everything.
It was also around that time that the Captain of the Black Knights, the man who was Captain then, was killed by bandits, and Mageria was promoted after him. Crys knew this because the Pack investigated both the Black and White Knight Captains when they sent Jake to Newhaven; that was also in the clan records… Sean must have put both stories together when Evin made him Second and he gained access to those files. Crys shook her head, not really sure of why she had never put it all together herself. If she had, she would have found a way to make those records disappear a long time ago.

Suddenly, the blind woman stopped walking and slowly moved her hand towards the hilt of her Katana. There’s someone around, but whoever it was she couldn’t hear. She waited for a moment, but nothing. “Who’s there?” She called, gripping the sword and waiting for a response.

Her black ears tilted forward as she heard a woman’s voice. She picked up her pace, running up over the hill, slipping under a fallen log. Ari growled and came forth from the brush, curiosity causing her to walk up carefully to the stranger. Her nose told her that something was wrong with this woman and she barked, announcing her appearance. She crept forward, keeping her head low and brushed her tail gently across the woman’s leg, gently circling her. Her eyes flash silver and she squealed as her body writhed and she became human. Ari stood there, panting in pain from the shift and she smiled, blushing lightly.
“Ari, Ari Lupir,” she said pulling her bag off of her back and quickly pulling on her clothes, “the question is: who are you?”

Crys was intrigued for quite some time as what sounded and felt much like a wolf walked around her in circles, she could sense it was a person however, which made her even more intrigued. Crys had spent a lot of time amongst wolves in her early teens, one of the few good things about her ability was to discover that she could easily get animals to trust her. Although animals didn't actually feel in the same level as humans, they were extremely sensitive to human emotions, and she discovered she could, in a way, communicate with them. This 'animal' however, had a complexity of emotions within that made sure to Crys it was a human being.

Crys tilted her head slightly as she couldn't recognize by sound what was happening then, although she guessed the wolf was taking a human form, a guess that was confirmed as the voice of a girl spoke to her. Crys was silent for a little while before she responded. "My name is Crystal. Crystal Rivers, but I'd much rather be called Crys. And you..." Crys started walking towards Newhaven again, only slower, not to leave the girl behind or draw her too far from camp. "You are with the Wolfpack, no?"

Ari froze, fear and suspicion rising in her mind and a tiny growl rose from her throat. Crys, the old alpha, the true alpha, the one Sean feared. She walked carefully along side of the woman, nodding slightly with a quick and sharp “yes.”
“I am with them, though I use that term loosely. I would say looking to join, but not with yet,” she said carefully, her hand resting on her dagger, “You came back. Why? Was it just to torment, or did you have some other agenda?”
She knew the question was extremely straightforward and most likely boarded on being rude, but she was angry and a curious. Her eyes scanned the woman, searching for a weakness just in case, but her attention was soon diverted from the hunt when a deer sprang across the path in front of them.
Ari didn't trust her and didn't want to but still, she wanted to know more about Crys.

Crys chuckled slightly. "I came to speak to your Alpha. I spoke, I listened, and now I'm leaving. No more no less." She shook her head slightly. "Judging by your already defensive posture towards me, I'd say that you're more with them than you'd like to admit; or maybe more with Sean. I hear he hand-picked you, that's impressive." She stated, stopping when a deer crossed their path. She opened a bright smile as the animal passed as if she ran into a friend. "I had almost forgotten how much I missed these woods." She stated. "See, I was born in this forest, I've spent 22 years of my life here, my parents are buried in these grounds, and Sean took that from me in one day, and I don't mean the day when he challenged me for command, but I digress. So... I do have an agenda: I plan on tormenting Sean everyday for as long as we both breathe; and one day, when the time is right, one of us will have to die, most likely." She said calmly. "Today, however, is not that day. Today I have somewhere else I need to be."

She opened her bag and pulled an apple from it and took a bite of it chewing on it quietly for a while before adding. "That's between me and Sean though, I'd rather no one else got involved, although I see how that's difficult when he's so afraid of me."

Ari nodded slightly, not quite understanding why it was such a big deal to be picked by the Alpha. She felt her cheeks grow hot with colour as Crys mentioned how close she felt to Sean. She shrugged, playing it cool, and continued to walk with the woman before shaking her head sharply and bowing.
“I hate to talk and run, but” she looked over her shoulder, “I must get back. If Sean...”
Ari trailed off, knowing just how much he hated and feared this woman and how much trouble she was getting herself into. She would have loved to stop and talk about the woods with Crys, for felt like she herself was part of the forest.
“What have I done,” she whispered, appalled as she turned back toward the camp, “He’s going to kill me.”
She looked back at Crys, her eyes bright brilliant green, slowly fading to blue as she grew scared and sad.

"Ari, is it?" Crys asked, stopping for a moment. "Don't be afraid of Sean. If he likes you in one bit he'll just hate me some more for trying to 'cast my spell' on you. That's crap, by the way, I can't do that so don't worry about it. If he doesn't, well... We can use people of your talents. Allison seemed impressed by you, and she's not easily impressed." Crys stated. "You seem like a nice person, all in all... I'd advise you to keep your distance from the Pack, but I have the impression that you need to learn that for yourself." She began walking again, taking another bite of the apple. A few steps up the road she spoke over her shoulder. "…The sooner the better."

With that said she waved over her shoulder and continued on her way.

----------------------------------------------------------

[Blackpond – In the morning]

"Hey, mate... I think I found your lady friend. What do I tell her?" Viktor called.

Jake wasn't sure what time of day, or night, it was anymore when he heard the man's voice sounding on his mind. Heaving a sigh he replied. "Tell her you're with me in the dungeons and you have a message for her."

"What's her name, then? And I should probably say something that will prove the messages are really coming from you." Viktor told him.

Jake sighed again, thinking back to the little he and Sham had talked in their way there and in Newhaven to find something that would make the woman sure he was behind the messages. He picked the first answer he could think of. "Ask her if she's having fun yet or if I should cause more trouble."

"A'right... If you think that'll work." Viktor told him, going silent.

The telepath didn't think of his words much, he thought the best way to do this was to be simple and say just what was needed... Focusing on the woman he sent the message to her:

"Hello! Sham, is it? My name's Viktor, nice to meet you. I'm sitting here in the dungeons with your pal Jake... He asks if you're having fun yet or if he should cause more trouble. He also has some things he needs you to know. Let me know if you can hear me."

Sham was trying to shadow Jake from the rooftops as he joined the mob heading towards the Castle. She couldn't follow him directly, but she could catch glimpses of what had to be him, as people were tripped and others that were killed, without any reason that she could see. It was at the crossroads that she ran into the slight problem that it was too far for her to jump normally. Backtracking for a house or three, she went down past to where she didn't think that anyone would be able to notice her with everything else going on. Her eyes flaring greenly, she took a running leap and soared across the way, rolling smoothly once she hit the other side.

Running smoothly over the roofs, Sham finally found a good spot to wait and settled in, drawing her cloak around herself to try and blend in with the roof line, one more gargoyle among many.

Sham was considerably startled, jumping a bit and nearly loosing her seat on her perch before she grabbed a handhold and recovered.
What the hell? How do I tell him if I can hear him?
She moved back from view of the street and made sure that no one was around to see or hear her. Going on the theory that a telepath would be able to read her mind as well, she focused on thinking clearly, as if she was speaking.
Viktor? Yes, I can hear you.

"Alright... I got her attention, Jake. What do you need to tell her?" Viktor told Jake.

Jake thought about how to say what he needed without giving the telepath too much important information, after all... He was very much aware of the fact that this guy could be just anyone. Fact was; he needed to get the message out, no matter how he did it. "I Need you to repeat what I say, word by word, do you understand?"

"Yup, I get it." Viktor replied.

"Alright, tell her I saw Dom in the Castle and she might want to find him because last I saw him he was with... Red Cloak." He said, not wanting to give Lamya's name. He remembered hearing her talk to Dominic and didn't see him afterwards, not that he had much time to pay attention. "Also tell her that the soldiers are alive as far I was told..."

"Hey! You don't trust me, mate?" Viktor argued.

"Sorry, but I trust my eyes better than a random voice in my head. No offense." Jake told him. "Last, but not least. She needs to tell the Captain, and the Captain only, that I have spotted the item Lena told her about. She needs to tell her that as soon as possible, even if it means going back to Newhaven and saying it in person. I have no clue how I got to the cell, and I'm not even sure where in dungeons I am. I just... Appeared here, apparently. Tell her that."

Viktor's voice went silent in Jake's head as he passed the message along, trying to repeat exactly what Jake had told him to say: "Hey, I'm back! Okay... He wants me to say he saw Dom in the Castle and you might want to find him because last he saw him, he was with Red Cloak. Is that a code or was he actually wearing a red cloak? Anyway... The soldiers are all alive and well, as far as he was told. I told him, by the way. And, this seems important: He wants you to let Captain know that he spotted the item Lena told her about. He says this message is to be delivered to the Captain only and as soon as possible, even if it means going back to deliver it personally, sounds serious. He also says he has no clue how he ended up in the cell or what section of the dungeons we're at, I don't know either, sorry. I don't have much time left, so if you got questions or messages for him, you better make them quick."[/quote]

Sham chewed on her lip, torn by indecision. There were two things she had to do and they both led to opposite ends of Valcrest. Thinking quickly, she made up her mind.

All right mate. Two questions, one for you and one for him. Jake's question. Which is more important, the message or Dom? And your question. How do I know this isn't some kind of trick?

"She wants to know what's more important, the message or Dom?" Viktor sent to Jake. "Hurry up, mate, I can't keep this up for much longer."

"Shit." Jake muttered, standing up from where he was seated and pacing around in the cell. Dom was a grown man, and a Knight, but he was completely stupid when around that woman. Maybe if he was good enough of a fighter she'd lock him up too. There was no way to know though, there was no logic to that woman's actions. And then... The King didn't seem to know what he had. The problem was, the moment he found out it would be hell all over again. And his friends could be at risk, not to mention every one else in the land if he finished what the Shadow had started... "Holy shit." He growled. "The message. If you can still reach her as far as Newhaven, then tell her you'll keep her posted if I find out something else."

Viktor didn't waste time in sending the response along, he was almost running out of time. "Message, he says. He also says I'll keep you posted if he finds out anything else. As for your question to me... I guess that, much like your friend, you just can't know. I'm a voice in your head. I can be anyone anywhere. I swear on the Twins though, I'm just a soldier who's been locked up in a cell too long, Miss. Your friend didn't even promise to get me out, he'd only promised he'd try, but I'm betting on it. I've been doing this too long now, I have to g-"

Sham swore quietly and passionately for a few long moments. Jake said the message was more important that anything else, or rather, Viktor said that Jake said that the message was the most important thing. But it could be a trick, somebody trying to get her to leave Jake behind. Taking a deep breath, she followed all the logic paths that she could, trying to imagine every possible outcome. It was hard, she was more of a reactive person than a planning person. Finally she had to choose. Jake was a grown man, the same that Dom was. Worse come to worse, they could take care of themselves. If the message was true, it was apparently vitally important that it be delivered.

Moments later, a non-descript traveler entered the boarding stable and turned in a chit for one of the horses. They saddled it quickly and competently, before mounting up and riding out. They wound their way through the streets of Blackpond, lost in a crowd of merchants as the exited, slowly falling back as they each went their own way. It was only when the traveler entered the forest and was alone when they put their heels to their horse and took off at top speed.

Jake didn’t hear Viktor anymore after he told him what to answer. He hoped the message got through to Sham. He hoped Dominic didn’t get into too much trouble too. He thought the guy was a bit of an idiot, but he’d rather not see him hurt for it.