Aventures on Darmus

[Moneytalks]

Vixen:

"Up ahead there is a big group of meanies
Who have armor like beanie weenies
They're moving fast
Like future to past
Except for Gwen stop them for an hour, pleasies."

As Vixen, Cervantes and Aristus' were riding hard when suddenly the knights and Valdimer froze. They almost collided with the suddenly frozen figures of their fellow riders.

Suddenly the hurricane that Vixen now knew the source of hit. Her horse was startled as was Cervantes and Aristus'.

She managed to control her horse just as she saw the fleeing figures of Gwen, Muffin & Rocky.

"Goddess be DAMNED!" Vixen cursed.

She wasn't happy.

"Damn it Cervantes... can't you keep a leash on him?" She jerked her head towards the rapidly retreating back of Rocky clinging tight to Muffin.

She kicked her horse agressively and her horse whinnied in protest before lunging forward after the retreating trio.

"Come on! I'm not loosing my wages because of a whelp of a girl and snooty princess...!" She yelled over her shoulder at Cervantes as she galloped forward.

Ahead... the trio rode into the forest. Vixen could vaguely scent them as she entered after them but even she realised she needed an added advantage.

"Damn..." she growled leaping off her mare.

She tethered the horse firmly to a tree trunk and crouched on the ground several feet from it. She centered her thoughts inwards... slowing her breathing... feeling that core of herself she hid from the world. She felt the familiar sensation of her skin prickling as fur began to noticably grow. Her body seemed to cave in on itself ... her face elongating horribly ... until a four-footed animal stood where she should have been.

It was true... that Cervantes was a were-hyenna... but due to some odd chemical balance within her own system she appeared more like a fox. Sleek with dark fur... only larger than any fox had a right to be, along with the uncanny ruff of fur down her back that hyenna's had. She howled once... taking the opportunity to inhale the scent she sought.

With and effortless bound she was off... hunting...

 

[KillerMuffin]

Muffin

"GWEN!!!!!!! You didn't tell me they weren't normal people!!!! I can't magic at them without hurting them!!!!!"

"What do you mean?" Gwen roared back.

"Two of them slipped my spell!"

"Stop them!"

"I can't! I'll hurt them!"

"Then hurt them! Honestly, Muffin you are such a wimp!"

"I can't hurt them!" Muffin was horrified at the thought. Hurting people with magic! The very thought of it was, was, repugnant!

"We have got to get to the stones, then it'll be too late for them!" Gwen howled. "I hate to do this Rocky, but we have to switch horses! You ride mine and I'll ride behind Muffin! We'll run faster that way!"

 

[Rockingham]

Rocky barely heard the conversation. His eyes grew wide as he stared back behind them. They didn't have a choice now. Rocky cringed in fear, she wouldn't really hurt him, would she?
He snapped back to what the two women were saying.
"There's no time," he looked at Gwen, his head shaking firmly, "She's following us now. These stones you need to get to so badly, you better hope their nearby. We've got less than an hour, if that. She's already on the hunt."
He whispered to Muffin, "If this horse has a speed faster than sprint, please use it now."
His eyes still had fear all over them.

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

The ground became a blur beneath her feet. The air was thick with their scent... she was gaining... slowly.

Her feet were beating a steady rythym against the hard ground, she heard the sound of a whispered voice... urgent... fear?

A low rumbling growl came from deep within her... her hunting instinct becoming increasingly strong... every fibre in her animal body honed on one idea, one concept... the hunt.

It was not the random chase of animal against animal. This creature had an intelligence to guide it.

She sniffed the air... her head weaving left to right... her eyes sharp. She lept easily over a large fallen trunk of a tree, landing lightly on sure feet on the other side. Her nose lowered... scenting. A change in the air... they had turned... just slightly. Heading towards something.

Her tongue lolled as her legs carried her onwards...

Finally she had them in her sights. She growled... leaping... throwing her body against that of Gwen... throwing herself and the Lady Gwen from the horse and landing with a thud. Vixen yelped as she rolled away from the fall. She stood again shaking her entire body from tip to tail. She pounced again on Gwen who was still apparantly dazed... Vixen growled deep and threateningly... her teeth inches from Gwen's face. Her front paws holding her down on the ground.

 

[Rockingham]

Rocky jumped off of the horse, landing hard on his side. He looked at the sight in pure horror. If only they had more time. He kenw he could solve everything if he just had more time, probably some brains might help as well. He couldn't wish for the moon just yet though.
He took the two aquirrels from his pocket. They both looked up at him, dazed and confused.
"Guys, I need your help. Distract her for just a minute, but don't get yourselves hurt."
He let the squirrel go, in an instant they were on Vixen, biting her ears, blocking her vision, doing everything they could to distract her. Garret grabbed gwen off the ground, pushing her to Muffin and Dragonlance.
"Get her out of here, quick," he saw the look in Muffin's eyes, "Don't worry about me, just go."
He eyed Vixen warily, hoping maybe he could tackle her, and get an extra minute for the two girls. He knew it was useless, but right now he had no choice. He didn't know why, exactly, but he felt that whatever Gwen and Muffin were planning, they had to succeed.
"You're going to have to kill me Vixen, I'm not letting you through."

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

Vixen growled viciously at the two pesky rodents suddenly attacking her. If you could call it an attack. They barely scratched her unnaturally tough skin. Her animal instincts were becoming insensed... it wasn't a good idea to get on her bad side in this state.

She growled low and terrible at Rocky. Some vague human thought flickered through her mind... recognition... but his aggressive stance was something to react to... not think about. She bared her teeth. That was a sight to behold in itself... large, sharp... glistening white... and so many of them. Her muzzle rippled as she snarled angrily.

She heard his words... there was a strength and determination to them she recognized. Her human side struggled now... struggled desperately to be heard. The hunt making her see red for the moment. She paced forward... one step... two... closer to this aggressor. Her paw brushed something solid.

Her head angled down and saw a book beneath her paw. Her head swung up to see Gwen and Muffin scrambling onto the horse that wasn't a horse.

Human side... pushing forward... her animal side was getting confused... easier now. The large eyes... the only thing that truly looked like Vixen herself focused on Rocky. His arms stretched wide as if to catch her... or to stop her following her intended prey.

Think Vixen... remember... the animal side finally giving way.

The large fox/hyenna crouched... still growling... but... changing... slowly... fur retacting. Face flattening. Muzzle pulling into itself.

Her eyes blinked... slowly... recognition.

Sooner than it seemed possible Vixen herself crouched before Rocky. She did NOT look pleased to see him.

She felt the book beneath her hand and picked it up weighing it thoughtfully.

"So Rocky... did you have a nice trip then?" She asked calmly. Shaking her hair back as she threw off the last semblance of the beast she had been. Her eyes were keen as she examined him. Almost as if read his own mind. Could she do that?

Vixen looked behind... where she had come from...

"Cervantes is coming Rocky... why don't we go and talk to him?" Again calmly said.

 

[Psycho_64]

After Vixen and Cervantes ran off into the forest like two animals hunting their prey Aristus casually walked over to the now frozen group of "heroes".

"Gee, Valdimer I think I like you better this way." he stated.

Valdimer muffled " GET ME THE FUCK OUTTA THIS SPELL, NOW!!!"

Aristus looked over Val and a few of the other knights, he instantly recognized the spell. "Damn, I've known this spell since I was but a lad." He motioned a few quick gestures with his left hand and the spell fizzled into nothingness.

"There now that we have wasted precious time shall we find out why Muffin did this?" Aristus asked them all.

Aristus looked at his horse and thought "Why in the blue hell did I take a horse?" He floated about a foot or two off of the ground and flew steadily forward motioning for the rest to follow.

"I can track Muffin by her magic signature, let's go."

 

[Valdimer]

Valdimer

"GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF THIS SPELL, NOW!!!" Val muffled, looking strongly at Aristus. A wave of his hand, and the spell was dissolved. Gritting his teeth, and clenching his fists on the reins, Valdimer looked to Aristus, "Just show me where they went."

Aristus levitated, "I can track Muffin by her magic signature, lets go."

Valdimer pulled hard on the riens, his horse rising on his hind legs, and Valdimer reared his horse to face Aristus. With a giant leap, Valdimer and his horse took off, Val pulling his large two handed sword out of its sheath.

" I can see just fine where they went." he said, more to himself, than anyone else. The foilage and underbrush was severly trampled, obviously by a large beast. Valdimer pressed on, moving past Aristus, pushing his horse as hard as it could go.

Riding for a short time, up in the distance, Valdimer could see a small group of people........The ones he was looking for.....

 

[KillerMuffin]

Muffin

"The book!" Muffin howled.

"I've got it!" Gwen howled.

Dragon put his head between his front feet and came to an abrupt stop. The two sisters went flying. He ignored Muffin, who landed in a heap in a nettlebush, and bounced over to Gwen. He stepped on her hair, putting all fifteen hundred stone of pure equine anger on it. He stuck his nose in her face, teeth bared, and snorted angrily.

He knew what was in the book, he'd written it. He knew that there was only one spell in that book that required the standing stones.

"Dragon! Get off of my sister! We have to hurry, they're coming!" Muffing grabbed his tail and pulled backwards, trying to move him.

He nickered angrily, wishing he could speak. This damned horse hide was irritating.

"You know it has to be done," Gwen growled back. "It has to be, do you have any idea what would happen if Malvort knew the truth? What he would do to Muffin if he knew that she was the wizard in the family and not me? Do you? It would be a fate worse than death."

 

[Rockingham]

(money and Muffin both said they've got the book... how many books are there?)

Rocky watched as she changed. His heart leapt. He grabbed her falling down, seeing her skin come back. It was beautiful skin, something he always loved to see.
"There, your better now," he knelt down holding her head. He wiped the skin from her eyes, looking down at her. He knew how much energy it consumed to change. He had seen Cervie pass out many times. He would sleep for nearly a day. Other times he got out of it, ready to go sailing. It was odd like that.
"I'm sorry Vixen, really I am. Muffin told me everything would be better when she got the book back to the stones. This is very confusing, I don't know who to trust anymore. Your my friend, but I don't want to help you hurt people, I don't like it when people get hurt."
Rocky remembered the times he had been kicked, thrown things at, he didn't want that happening to anyone else.
"Vixen, please, just tell me what to do, and I'll do it."

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen

(OOC: ggls... I noticed that about the book also... maybe Gwen pulled a swifty on Vixen? Or maybe Gwen just THINKS she sitll has it not realising it's fallen to the ground in the previous struggle. I was initially trying to make Gwen & Muffin's escape difficult... but Muffin seems to have taken care of that with Dragon's character)


IC:

Vixen tried to remain calm. It hadn't been an easy change. One of the reasons why she changed to rarely was decidedly for this very reason. The animal instinct was incredibly strong... and unreasonably hard to shake off.

"Vixen, please, just tell me what to do, and I'll do it." Rocky implored her.

She had to remember how sensitive Rocky was...

"Rocky..." she sighed... "it's okay... I understand why you did what you did... no one got hurt... so I guess you did good right?"

She frowned looking back... where was Cervantes?

Her eyes widened as she saw Aristus floating towards them.

"Well that's something new..." she murmered to herself as she noted Valdimer coming not far behind.

"Rocky... you said they were heading for some stones?" Rocky nodded in the affirmative... clearly happy to have someone tell him what to do again.

"Must be the runes of Jalmar... what could they possibly want to do there?"

She wondered if maybe Aristus could give them some clues.

OOC: Did anyone pass Vixen's horse on their way over? Did anyone happen to think to bring it along? [ggls]... or will she have to steal someone elses? [grins]

 

[KillerMuffin]

OOC: Vixen has the book, Muffin realizes they lost it but Gwen still thinks they have it.

 

[Rockingham]

Ooc: Just wanted to straighten it all out, thanks.

 

[Valdimer]

Valdimer

Val pushed through the brush, moving closer to Vixen and Rockingham. He bursted through the last bit of bushes in his way, pulling hard on the reins, his eyes filled with rage.

"What the hell is going on here?!?" he screamed, his sword held at the ready. His gaze turned toward Muffin and her sister Gwen. He sheathed his sword, and effortlessly dismounted, still eyes locked on Muffin. "Im not a part of these people,' he said, waving his hand behind him, toward Stagwort, and his small band of knights, " I'm on your side, remember?!".....

 

[KillerMuffin]

Muffin felt like crying. "I don't know what's going on!" she cried. "Gwen said we had to get the book and go to the standing stones and now Dragon is mad at her and we don't even have the book. And she shoved Rocky off of Dragon and I'm afraid that he got hurt cause it's a long way down and we're being chased by the lady that isn't a lady and I'm just confused."

"Muffin, would you get your horse off of my hair please?" Gwen asked. Dragon stomped his free foot and drooled on her.

"I don't understand , Gwen! You said it would be all better if we just got Uncle 'Leaf's book. Now we have to go to the stones to make it better?" Muffin turned to Valdimer. "We have to get to the stones."

Dragon lifted his head, bared his teeth, and flattened his ears. Though he was a horse, an ugly one at that, he looked astonishingly like a mule.

 

[Psycho_64]

"While Valdimer has a point I'm sure that there is a reasonable explanation for all of this. While I would like to know what book and what stones it is that you speak of I'm sure that if we are to accomplish whatever it is that we set out to do we must all be calm or else nothing we will accomplish nothing."

Aristus looked around "These knights are completely unnessecary." he thought.

"Now Muffin why did you attempt to cast a spell on all but a few of us? Plus it was an easily reversable spell and I know you have better ones at your disposable."

Aristus looked at her and as with the town he began to feel like he was being watched. This time fear began to seep into this feeling. He hated being scared....

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

"Aristus... the book... I have it here... maybe you can tell us all what is going on?" She handed over the precious book.

She glanced at Gwen who was still struggling under Dragon's hoof. Strange animal. She sniffed the air trying to figure out what it was about it...

She was distracted by Muffin's clearly agitated state. She felt a pang for the girl. Without thinking she put a comforting hand on the girl's arm.

"It's okay... calm down... none of us here are going to hurt you or you sister okay?"

She looked at Valdimer and Aristus... hoping they had some answers of their own.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Gwen

"I cast that spell you idiot, not Muffin," Gwen snapped. She slapped at Dragon's leg, but he didn't budge. "That book belongs to us, now give it back!"

Stagwort looked from Gwen to Muffin to Aristus and back. The evil light of understanding dawning.

"Muffin! Tell them who has the magic in this family!" Gwen roared.

"Gwen is the mage in the family. I'm just Muffin," Muffin said. This was going too far, she was starting to get mad at everyone.

 

[Ravenloft]

Cervantes:

While everyone else was busy being frosen or, whatever, Cervantes rode up next to Stagwart. He had concidered going on the hunt with Vixen but didn't really feel in much of a blood thirsty mood at the moment. "So... Stagster... Time for us to have a little chat... Don't you think?" He said in a cheerful tone as he reached over to the frosen Stagwart and yanked him by his hair onto the back of his horse, face down. Stagwart gave a muffled yelp of pain. "What was that? I couldn't quite make that out staggy... Speak up next time lad..." Cervantes kicked his horse into motion and rode a short distance away, far enough to be hidden whilst he conducted his buisness with the poor defenceless Stagwart. He reigned his horse to a stop and hopped off, ripping Stagwart from the back as he did so, letting him fall painfully to the ground. This time, Stagwarts cry of pain was more evident. "Whats the matter Staggette? Don't deal well with pain huh?" Cervantes asked tauntingly as he kicked Stagwart over onto his back and knelt to look him in the eye. "I can remedy that for you... But not just yet, kay?" And with that, Cervantes went about searching Stagwarts person. In short order he turned up with a letter baring Malvorts seal, and a small silk pouch filled with a white powder. "What DO we have HERE?" Cervantes asked with a wide smirk. He opened the letter and read. "Hmm... Blah, blah, blah... AH! Here we go... 'The pouch in your posession is filled with a most potent poison, if any of your men, or the hired tracker dare show defiance at any stage, you are to use it as you see fit...' Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Looking up over the letter, the pouch's string hanging from his hand, Cervantes smiled. "Vixen is no one to be trifled with Stagwart... And nether am I..." Calmly rolling the letter back up, Cervantes slipped it into his belt and palmed the pouch. Rage burned in Stagwarts eyes, he was too stubborn a man to show fear. "Its a terrible thing to be defenceless isn't it Stagwart... Don't worry, I have no intention of ending your misserable life... Just yet, that simply would not be sportsmanlike of me now would it?! I am, however, going to give you incentive to come rushing head long to your death..." Cervantes reached out and ruffled the mans hair, unsheathing a dagger, first slitting the bindings to stagwarts armor, shedding him of it, then following suit with every stitch of his clothing. finally, when Stagwart was buck ass naked Cervantes turned and went to his horse, grabbing a bundle of silk rope. Minutes later, Stagwart was hog tied. Cervantes smiled as he tested the binding. "I made it a little loose for you, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle to escape for a man such as you... But you never know..." Cervantes shrugged as he crouched down. "Oh, one last thing..." Letting the pouch dangle from his hand, Cervantes forced Stagwarts mouth open and shoved it in, bottom first. "Try not to salavate too much fella..." Three minutes later Cervantes was finally on his way to meet back up with Vixen and the others. "God! How I love scenting that woman!" He growled to himself as he took a big whiff of the air.

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen...

Vixen caught on... much the same time as Aristus had.

"If you're so powerful Gwen... why don't YOU make the horse Dragon get off you?" She asked carefully still weighing the book carefully in her other hand.

Vixen's eyes narrowed as she looked over the young woman in her current ungainly predicament. If the woman had any power... she'd be standing by now.

"Rocky... I think Muffin needs you to be with her for the moment..." she called him over. Rocky was immediately by Muffin's side, holding her hand gently.

Vixen fingered the spine of the book and looked at the cover. In her lifetime she had been a hunter, a thief, a con-artist and a prostitute... but she admitted she had never found the time to do any common learning... she hadn't learnt to read. She turned to Aristus again...

"Maybe you know what this is then?" She asked casually holding the book up for him to see.

 

[KillerMuffin]

"Because Dragon isn't a horse, that's why. I prefer not to waste magic or call attention to my magic by using it when it's not necessary." Gwen congratulated herself for her quick thinking. Muffin sighed.

Vixen wasn't buying it.

Aristus took the book, his eyes widening in shock as he read the elvish runes.

"That's Dragon's book!" Muffin shouted. Rocky squeezed her hand and she subsided. "Well it is."

 

[Rockingham]

Rocky held onto Muffin tightly. He had no clue what was going on anymore. What Muffin said seemed so right, Gwen was in trouble, saving her was the option, why had it all turned upside down?
Cause, her friends were the ones who had kidnapped Gwen. How could he possibly help someone in trouble and not hurt his friend in the same process.
He looked at Vixen, knowing she would sort this out. She would know the right thing to do, she always knew the right thing to do. At least, as long as he's known her.
"Muffin," he looked straight into her eyes, imploring, "I'm here for you, you know that. Vixen here's my friend, I know she won't let any harm come to you or your sister, it'll be ok, I promise."
Rocky gave her a comforting hug. Doubt entered his heart though, he had never made a promise to anyone else before, except Cervie.

 

[Psycho_64]

Aristus regained his composure, while this book was significant and quite powerful he couldn't quite let the rest know of this. He looked at the book again and handed it back to Vixen.

"This book, while a nice commodity for a medium power wizard, is nothing that I haven't seen before." he was blatantly lying through his teeth, but then again this was something he was good at. "Let's carry on and figure out why Muffin cast that measely spell."

"Well Muffin why did you?"

 

[Moneytalks]

Vixen

Vixen lifted her face slightly... she scented him approaching and smiled. Loosing his touch letting her be aware of his approach.

"Cervantes is coming..." she almost smiled.

She looked down at the book again and then at Gwen who still struggled under.

She looked at Dragon carefully... suddenly the thing about him that had been nagging at her sub-concious surface. Her eyes widened in shock at her discovery. In some strange way... he was... he was.

Her mouth twitched. She lifted the book to cover her mouth as she stiffled a laugh.

Her eyes caught Dragons and she tried something. Something only a beast that was not a beast could hope to try.

... her mind searched for his...

"Dragon... you can hear me can't you? You're... or you were... quite powerful once were you not? Oh! Sorry... still are..." she looked pointedly at Gwen still struggling beneath her feet.

Vixen looked down at the book and thought some more.

Out loud now... "Gwen was trying to save Muffin... by... by taking away her magick..." she muttered. "Muffin was just listening to Gwen when she freezed... or attempted to freeze us... which reminds me... I wonder what became of Stagwort and his cronies..." She frowned as Cervantes came into view. She realised there was probably a good reason why he had been so far behind.

"I think I'll keep this book for now Lady Gwen... Muffin... if you don't mind... I think it's safer with me for the moment. As for heading towards the runes... well... it would seem impossible if Dragon doesn't want to go there... so I suggest... we get Lady Gwen's take on what she thinks Lord Malvort intends... without the interruptions from Stagwort and crew"

She cocked her head and spoke with her thoughts once more...

"Since we aren't going where you obviously didn't want to go in the first place... perhaps you'd consider letting the Lady Gwen go so she can speak more easily? I promise you no-one will compromise Muffin without Muffin's own strict knowledge or understanding..."

She left her mind open even though Dragon would easily understand human language... human's lied... mind's didn't. She winced slightly... it had been some time since she'd let anyone other than Cervantes talk to her on her animal level.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Dragon's ears twitched as he considered the were's words. He looked at Muffin, the clueless wench, and then backed away from Gwen.

Very well, Lady Vixen. I will trust you, for now. Muffin is...Muffin. She was trying for a cat when she summoned me, something cute and harmless. Goldleaf has being trying to teach her, but she has a horrible attention problem. Gwen hasn't helped any either. Perhaps she should hear what Gwen is up to. Dragon pause, heaving a horsey sigh. I have never met this Malvort, but I do not like him. Muffin will not go to him.

Gwen rubbed her head, surging to her feet before Dragon could take it into his head to step on her hair again. She glared at that damned horse. "You damned stupid horse! I can save her!"

Muffin stepped closer to Rocky. She'd never heard Gwen curse like that before.