[System]
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Race: Human

Appearance: Slender with an ample bosom, Cecilia stands proudly at 5'10, her very countenance exuding the sense of someone who's accustomed to being noticed. Her pearly complexion and vibrant amber eyes can frame her appearance as either cute or mature depending on her expression, and her hair, a pale lilac that turns silver in the right lighting, is left long enough to trail down to her waist.

Height: 5'10
Eye Color: Amber
Hair Color: Lilac

Personality: In a word, Cecilia is forceful. Though technically a runaway now, she still has the presence of a daughter of nobility, overbearing and accustomed to getting what she wants. Her emotions show freely on her face, because she fears nothing at all (except for the eventuality of being caught by her parents' knights and being dragged back home). Bright ideas come to mind easily, and her personality is such that she works to get everyone else on board with her when she's gotten interested in something. The more the merrier, and Cecilia doesn't particularly mind who's on board, so long as many are on board. A natural socialite, it seems odd at first that she would have escaped the ballrooms and opera houses of the aristocratic elite to muck it out in the mud as a solo adventurer/fashion designer, but there is a thread there still.

There is nothing natural about being a socialite in high society; Cecilia has only felt free and unemcumbered when chasing her dual dreams of wearing fancy dresses and slaying evil monsters. If she can accomplish the former with her own efforts, there isn't exactly much reason for her to stay around the mansion, no? She does miss her friends though, even if they were probably only pretending to be friends in order to curry favour with the Tonitrus family. Ah well, life's a journey, and a solo one at that.

History
The Oligarchy of Illiserev stands at the center of the world, not because of any divine ordnance or kingly command, but because they were the ones who drew the best maps, the ones who established the most illustrious Cartographer's Guild on the continent. Adventurers know Illiserev as the Forge of Explorers. Merchants know Illiserev as the End of All Paths. The grand Cephora Mountain Range upon which Illiserev's capital city is built at the base of feeds a network of rivers that stretch out towards the rest of the continent, and this forms the backbone of Illiserev's trade. With well-paved roads leading towards the kingdom and fast-flowing rivers leading out from the kingdom, the merchant-aristocrats of Illiserev boast wealth that would make the nobility of other nations green with envy, and the dozens of trade agreements Illiserev has between various kingdoms and principalities has shielded it from military conflict. Though various religious or knightly orders may be displeased with the cutthroat machinations of the wealthy merchant-aristocrats, no one has yet to truly act upon their displeasure: some small evils can easily be overlooked in favor of the pleasures and novelties brought forth in the wagons of Illiserev's wagons.

Cecilia Tonitrus, thirdborn daughter of the illustrious Duke Sarkuz Tonitrus, was never all that interested in the schemes and politics of her peers, however. Charming and generous, with a penchant for reading heroic tales, the young lady was pampered by her servants and guards growing up, taken on excursions throughout the nation. Her father didn't particularly care; he focused his attention on his heirs, Cecilia's older siblings, leaving her to do as she wished. So long as she didn't bring shame upon her family, the thirdborn was allowed to indulge in whatever her spoiled self desired. She threw grand tea parties, learned arts both martial and arcane, decked herself in beautiful dresses she'd discard the day after, ran amok through the estate grounds, and was generally the weirdest mixture of a dainty lady with fine taste in clothing and a rambunctious tomboy who thought herself as invincible.

That changed, though, when the Tonitrus heirs were slain, assassinated. The culprit committed suicide rather than risk capture, and suddenly, Sarkuz decided that he could not be so lax with his children. Before the grieving period had even passed, the amount of guards that oversaw the protection of his children practically tripled, and suddenly, they weren't able to go anywhere beyond the walls of the main estate. Cecilia hated that. She hated it even more that the whole business of the assassination was swept under the rug by her father, who still valued public opinion enough that he chose to keep quiet, rather than appear as an incompetent protector to his peers in asking for their aid. As those emotional wounds became scabs, scars, Cecilia's sense of suffocation grew and grew. The freedom in her childhood was no more, even though she should be more free as an adolescent, and she yearned for it enough that she wanted to scream.

Instead, she waited, watched, memorized, reconsidered, and pulled everything together. Her freedom was selfish and inconsiderate, an act that would only cause her father's hair to whiten further, but she would pursue it anyways.

One night, she slipped away from her estate and ran as far as she could.

She never stopped.
Level: 20
Class: Spellblade
Profession:
Seamstress [Novice]
Performer [Journeyman]
Stats:
Strength (STR): C
Vitality (VIT): D
Dexterity (DEX): B
Intellect (iNT): B
Wisdom (WIS): D
Charisma (CHA): C

List of Immunities:
N/A

Resistances:
Lightning

Weaknesses:
N/A

Equipment:
Ensorcelled Spear - A winged spear, 2.5 meters in length. Well-made and finely balanced, with arcane conduits inscribed upon the haft to let it function as a spellcasting focus.

Blasted Wand - A wand made from the branch of a lightning-struck tree, or so the maker of it claims. Relatively cheap, but serves its purpose as a back up.

Combat Dress - Customized for greater aesthetic flair by Cecilia. Though it looks much more visually pleasing, it has the functionality of well-made leather armor.

Travelling Boots - Sturdy boots that increases the movement speed of the wearer. An adventurer's staple.

Skills & Spells:
Returnerer - Passive. All objects thrown by Cecilia, if empowered by her magic, will return to her hand after striking their target. Travels at the same speed they were thrown at, and takes the straightest path possible, accounting for terrain but not accounting for moving objects.

Storm's Boon - Empower one's weapon with lightning, increasing damage and adding a paralytic effect that increases with each consecutive hit. When thrown, the weapon discharges residual lightning on impact to create a small blast, before flying back into the wielder's hands.

Zephyrus Aria - Surround one's self with a flowing armor of wind, redirecting physical blows and ranged attacks. When released, generates a burst of wind outwards, blowing everyone around one's self away. Does not protect against energy-based magical attacks.

Lightning Bolt - Unleash a bolt of lightning from one's hand or spellcasting focus, capable of sundering all that lay in its path with thunderous force. A powerful spell with a steep cost, but most definitely Cecilia's trump card in terms of destructive power.

Accelerate - Enhances speed and perception, making one faster and more precise. Don't leave home without this.

Double Jump - Jump in the air twice. Useful when platforming.

[User]
Vani's eyes were racing from Carpenter to the sword gradually melting through the horned girl's fingers. What...the hell was happening anymore. Nothing made sense. And, now that he got a good look at him...that scout was wearing armor that looked like it definitely wasn't from the Empire. Were...were they fighting the King's men? They were beyond screwed. BEYOND dead. They were completely, and utterly, without a doubt or shred of objection, dead as a doorknob. But, maybe a doorknob could get them out of this situation. At least, that's what Kaze's statement about Vani's shield being a "bulwark". The word "bulwark" rang in Vani's head for a moment as he looked to his battered and pierced shield, and, just as Kaze started pushing the lot of them, he came to a realization.

...Bulwark...was a pretty fancy title. One that made him feel really, really important and confident.

Not because his shield was needed. Because VANI felt needed.

"Leave it to me!" he would say, bolting from Kaze's reassuring (and rather forceful) push on the back and dashing forward in order to follow the path that Yeena and Sarafeye had blazed, charging forward beside Annabelle just in time to see the soldier's leader smack that poor girl across the face, only to...

to...do absolutely nothing. Vani was quite confident in his ability to take hits, but...that looked like he'd just fakely swatted at her. But the way his arm moved, and stiffened at the end, that blow was full-on, and met as if he'd just slapped a boulder and acted surprised. Vani was not confident in his boulder slapping ability, but he was pretty sure that nobody on the planet could take a slap to the face that easy. Maybe this girl was some secret powerhouse, with a physique so strong that she broke grown men over her knee, and ate mountains for lunch.

...Man, that concussion was making Vani's internal omniscient narration really strange. But, they were still surrounded. Looking to the demon wielder at where she stopped, Vani immediately stepped back behind the corner while the soldiers' eyes were on Yeena and Serafeye. He didn't like these odds...but it seemed that Annabelle had a plan of sorts. But instead of having Kaze toss her up, Vani made a "shh" motion and pointed to his shield, crouching and hanging it over his head for her to step on. He'd launch her up with it as a springboard, letting her make a softer landing than she would have falling from the height that Kaze could throw her. He assumed. Kaze looked like he could throw Vani in full plate down an alley and bounce him off the wall so hard he came back halfway. ...He just hoped that the two girls in the alley were safe. He was certain that the fair elf with the attractive features wasn't some immortal un-slappable mountain of a woman, and his hands shook a little imagining innocent women getting hurt in this.

"Lolan, if you can hear me...please...let the innocent make it out unscathed, and let the wicked fall to your judgement. I am ever your sword, and my strikes shall call your voice down," he prayed, head bowed in silence while waiting for his spring-bulwark to be used.

[Assistant]
Kaze blinked when it seemed like everyone was about to go in different directions. Still, he ushered those in front of him to follow the busty elven woman, the jester, and horned girl. Vani picked up his own pace, chasing after the women and male ahead, but the girl asked him if he could throw her to the rooftops. "Remember there are archers, girl." He said, but Vani positioned himself to act as the springboard she seemed to desire.

More sounds were coming from behind, there was the unit ahead, and the leader of the squad ahead decided slapping someone full force would get him what he wanted. When someone was kneeling and defenseless, pretty much submitting, you didn't attack them because they said something you didn't like.

A low animalistic growl emanated from the behemoths chest as his eyes widened. His pupils turning to slits as a red miasma started rising off his body, his barbaric Rage activating. Reaching over his shoulder he grasped the handle of his huge blade and drew it before blitzing down the alley-way. Despite his rage he did still move around the others of the group instead of bowling through them.

It took a lot to enrage the reptilian man, except for certain actions. Like striking someone actually submitting since there was no reason for it. It honestly didn't even register that the woman hadn't taken any damage, just that she had been hit. Skidding while drawing his weapon back he swung the giant cleaver as if it were a great-club. A full body double handed swing as if he were aiming for a home-run combined with some of his skidding momentum at the man who had ineffectively slapped Serafaye.

[User]
Well, they were going to engage after all.

Cecilia surely couldn't imagine that going poorly, even if Serafaye appeared to have a jawline made of steel by the way she took that slap to the face. No magic, and a curse that prevented her from using weaponry, but at least she knew how to take a hit, huh? Said a lot about the predilections of the celestials, truly. She cast a backwards glance towards Artemisia, who had already taken to the main road rather than go through another alleyway rundown, before grimacing. Don't split the party, the guild receptionists always said.

"Arte! Over here!"

The lizard man surged in like a tidal wave of muscle, looking like he definitely was going to smash through the walls of the narrow alleyway with his horizontal swipe. The elven paladin became a springboard for Annabelle, while Yinha and Serafaye still...existed. If they were gonna do it, then they were just gonna fucking do it! Cecilia let out a breath, arcane energies flowing out of her heart and to her arms, before tracing up her Ensorcelled Spear like entwining vines. The magical power concentrated on the flat of the spearhead, and Cecilia raised it outwards, pointing towards the clustered group of spearmen.

"Flash."

Brilliant, eye-searing light shot out at the group, hopefully blinding them and seeding enough chaos that Kaze could do his barbaric, bloody work with no reprisal. Unless the fellow turned around. That'd be a bad time. Funny, but bad.

...hopefully Annabelle could dodge arrows too.


[System]
"It was nice working with you, pal. But justice needs to be served."
Age: ~8 years

Gender: Male

Originates From: LISA: The Painful RPG

Personality: Harvey has a malicious streak a mile long, kept in check only by his sworn oath to uphold the law. His inborne hatred of humans often leads to him deliberately misrepresenting them in court, but this will not stop him from helping those in need.

Dandy Boy: A powerful gun... for weak men. This submachine gun sprays hot death without ever needing to reload, but is wildly inaccurate.
Mid-Life Crisis Hat: This really... STOPS attacks. It's something we all go through at some time. A ratty but stylish hat with a red band and a wide brim. Barely protects against the cold, let alone bullets.
Metal Shield: A STOP sign with most of the jagged metal removed from the backside and replaced with a ratty leather strap. It's not very protective or comfortable to use.
Harvey's Magic Briefcase: The mark of a genuine lawyer, this toaster-sized briefcase carries an infinite supply of pre-written, magical paperwork. The arcane jargon scrawled all over this mountain of documents has a number of mysterious effects on whoever it touches. The paper it's written on is razor-sharp and impossibly aerodynamic, too.
Water Gun: Harvey is part-archerfish on his father's side, and can spit water with enough force to cause heavy bruising and break bones. Harvey can freely alter the pressure of his water gun, ranging from what it normally is to a refreshing mist of cold saliva.
Slander: Harvey can sling fistfuls of insulting letters at his enemy, both infuriating them and causing nasty papercuts.
Wrongful Accusation: Harvey can pass out impossibly convincing and impossibly sharp legal documents accusing his target of heinous acts they did not and possibly could not do. This leads to much confusion and blood loss.

Restraining Order: Harvey can slap his target with a legally-binding restraining order, forcing them to hesitate when they next attack him. Inexplicably works even on creatures that have no concept of law or morality.

Legal Jargon: The most mysterious of all of Harvey's paperwork, Harvey can throw documents loaded with information so irrelevant and boring that it magically saps the strength of whoever touches it. Causes heavy fatigue and deep papercuts.
Several years before Harvey was born, the human race lost its women. Nobody knows who or what took them, only that they disappeared in a literal flash. Civilization devolved into violent tribalism almost immediately, with many people resorting to rampant drug abuse, sexual deviance, and mass-murder to stave off depression. Under mysterious and probably scientific circumstances, a new race of sapient creatures arose: the secretive Fish-People. Harvey, obviously, is one of them.

Though he was born a Fish-Person, Harvey was raised by humans, and even managed to find education as a lawyer. Of course, law school doesn't truly exist in the post-gynocalypse, and Harvey's law degree is mostly just bunk written on the backside of a porno mag, but that hasn't stopped him from acting like a lawyer at all times.

Bored out of his mind from managing petty human cases, Harvey retired to a secret village of Fish-People hidden deep within the swamps of Olathe, his home country. It was there that he met the man who would change his life, Bradley "Brad" Armstrong. Brad had run into some trouble with the Fish-People, having stolen their sacred map of Garbage Island, and Harvey took it upon himself to defend him in court. Brad certainly didn't help things, loudly stating that he wanted to have raunchy fish-sex with the judge's wife. Or, at least, that's what Harvey said Bradley wanted to do to the judge. The fact that neither Brad nor Harvey could speak Fish-Person didn't help matters much. However, thanks to Harvey's legal genius, Brad was let off the hook, and graciously allowed Harvey to join his gang in the search for Brad's daughter, the last female human on Earth.

Adventuring with Brad was quite difficult. They were up against the biggest, baddest gangs around. Han Tsunami and the Bathhouse Boys, Buffalo Van Dyke and his football team, the Bloodmoon Mountain Amerindians, Hawk Hollywood and his actors, the Eternal Wrestling Championship, the Gale Motorcycle Club, man-eating Joy Mutants, and even the all-powerful Rando Army. Many lives were lost, and some of them were from Brad's gang. Things took a turn for the worst when Brad managed to cobble together a boat to Deserted Island, where his daughter had fled. Instead of allowing his gang to follow him, Brad took the boat himself, leaving Harvey and the rest of the gang behind.

Brad's betrayal shook the gang to the core, and only three people, Harvey included, were loyal enough to cobble together their own boat and follow him. When they met up with Brad again, they had discovered his true motives for finding his daughter. Instead of wanting to use her to give even a slight glimmer of hope for the human race, Brad wanted to lock her back in his basement for the rest of her life, forever safe from anything that might hurt her. At least, safe from anything that wasn't Brad. Infuriated and offended, Harvey joined his two remaining comrades and desperately tried to stop Brad from forcing his daughter back into a life of isolation. Shortly thereafter, Harvey died.
Fun Facts: Harvey's favorite food is "Green Paste", a Fish-Person delicacy made of mostly organic ingredients.

[User]
"Well, guess I gotta start walkin' someway, might as well be north..." The Engineer takes one step forward before suddenly hearing a rock fall to the ground behind him. With reflexes like lightning, he spins around and shoots behind him, only to see not a soul there. He looks around, confused and finds a rock at his feet and reaches down to pick it up. "That's odd, rocks don't just fall from the sky, so I wonder who threw it."

He looks up to see 2 figures in the distance. "Well, I sure am glad to see some people, maybe they know where in-" he stops after staring at the figures, a large fish thing and what appears to be an angel. He hesitates not knowing what those things are or their intentions, but decides to walk their way. "Only people for miles around and they're a giant fish and what I think can only be an angel." He continues walking "Good news, if they aren't friendly, looking at the fish I've got meals for a few days." he chuckles at his own joke. As he gets closer he sees the fish holding a stack of porno mags. "What even... Did someone switch my lenses with Pyrovision or something?" he takes off his goggles, wipes them off and looks at the scene in front of him, no difference without the goggles, so he puts them back on. "This is gonna be a long day." he says continuing on.

As he gets close, he readies his shotgun for anything that may happen. He scans the two things to see what they are. Thinking about it, seeing neither have a gun, he decides to take charge of the situation."Hey!" he shouts at them, drawing their attention, "Y'all better tell me where I am, else I got a shell with your name on it!" he hopes that they fall for it and tell him without a fight.

[Assistant]
Jake....Susannah...Ka-tet...

The words floated ephemerally through the sleeping mind of the gunslinger. A restless sleep has overtaken him this night, but only after a long day of marching with his party, his ka-tet, dusk til' dawn. They walked the path of the bear reverse, in order to find what they were looking for. This night, no matter how ordinary it seemed, was destined to be different. Radiant rays shined warmly onto Roland's face; the light warmed his skin as he lay upon a patch of lush green grass.

Roland's eyes forced themselves open as his subconscious mind warned him of his foreign environment. His piercing blue eyes darted around his field of vision, revealing only the sky to him. Last he checked, he was sleeping under a tree-line with Jake, Eddie, and Susannah whom, upon sitting up to scan around him, he discovered were no longer present. The old gunslinger immediately performed a roll to a crouch from his prone position as deftly as any adept acrobat could. He would look up to see the powerful form of a starship lowering itself to the ground. From the bottom of the ship was lowered a tall figure clad in an impressive, and alien to Roland's eyes, suit of armor. A few feet away from the landed ship was another figure. A dark haired man who appeared to be armed with a sword much too large to perform in any kind of balanced duel. Today was already shaping up to be strange, and he had been awake for less than 2 minutes.

 Suddenly aware that he had been in the open among possible adversaries for a second too long, Roland leaped horizontally as far as he could to the direction of the forest border where a group of bushes was situated. He would stretch his body out lengthwise and land into a deft roll as to place himself in the thickness of said bushes. From cover he would observe the two strange beings hoping that they had not seen him yet. Roland longed to know how he was taken from his ka-tet and where the hell he was, but he had a feeling Ka had brought him here for a reason, and all gunslingers knew that Ka was not to be questioned much.

[User]
The last thing that Ainz remembered is that he was in a meeting with the Floor Guardians, developing a plan on how to gather more information in the world he was in, and tuned out of the plan a few minutes after the meeting started. He never recalled of how he got outside of Nazarick, he assumed that it was some sort of Prank of the twins, but the twins would never do this. They were too afraid of doing something like this. Albedo and Shelltear would've gotten mad at them if they had. He stared hard at the skies before he gave a huff and laid there.

Figuring this would take too long, he needed more information of the New World that he was teleported to, he sat up. The first thing he noticed was that The Tomb of Nazarick was nowhere to be found, and again, he figured that it was still a prank. However, what changed his mind again, was that he heard someone. A few someone's really. He glanced at the few someone's, not really sure of how they've, or even himself, gotten there in the first place. He wasn't really to sure his they were going to react once they've seen him, he wasn't sure about anything now.

He had seen so much, yet he couldn't comprehend on how to perceive of the humanoid fish hybrid, the Angle he could, but the humanoid fish hybrid? He shook his head and laid back down in his imprint in the grass. He hoped that they wouldn't notice him, then again, he could cast a spell on himself to vanish, but that would be rude. The next best thing was to pretend to be asleep... He could do that... He can pretend, he... Remembered that his new body did not need what his former self needed. So, as long as he pretend to sleep, these fools can assume that he was either dead or sleeping. Well, he is dead to begin with, but that's beside the point.

Jumping from one reality to another and then to another was soo much for him to understand. He wanted to go back, back to his reality, but he would need to gather more information on how too first. Life wasn't fair for him, and it usually isn't fair to him to begin with.

[Assistant]
Harvey watched closely as Kieri instigated his master plan of heaving small rocks at the only other person in the area. His plan seemed to bear fruit when that same person turned around and began raving to himself about angels and fish. It was obvious to Harvey that this poor man was a Joy-addled lunatic, which was only reinforced when he promptly pulled a gun out and tried to mug them.

Harvey had been in this situation several times before. In most cases, he'd wait for Brad or one of the other guys to kill them, then he'd rifle through their corpse for Mags. Harvey had a feeling that Kieri wouldn't be of much help in bringing him down, and that this guy wouldn't have anything worth taking anyway. Harvey realized that someone would need to defuse the situation. Someone with a knack for talking to people. Someone with a law degree.

Harvey pulled a random document out of his briefcase and staring intently at it. Away from the sight of the others, the document began rewriting itself. Extrauniversal mechanics, impossible to explain properly, worked tirelessly to forge a document that would seem entirely sensible to whoever read it. Harvey gave his paper a brief once-over and nodded firmly.

"Sorry, pal," Harvey said, tossing the paper over to the Engineer's feet. It sheared a few blades of grass short as it passed through them. "I'm under contract. Shooting me won't end well for either of us."

Harvey waved his hand nonchalantly, while secretly reaching for Dandy Boy, which he had hidden underneath his briefcase. "I'd strongly suggest you lower your gun, now." Harvey said, grinning pleasantly. "You don't want to upset the big guy, do you?"


[System]
Appearance: below
Age: 18
Bio: TBR
Why are you entering the contest/ offering yourself? Her brothers and father made a name fighting for the princess, and she wants to do her part. On a side note, the culture of the goblins fascinates her.
Other: TBR

[User] Cesidia sighs with a frown. "Then we'll just have to kill him first. Let's go."

[Assistant] He nods, and pulls out the vial of venom, inspecting it. "Only got enough for a few shots, so we should make them count."

[User] Cesidia nods and nocks an arrow. She draws the string and holds the bow on her shoulder so the arrow points behind her. The arrow flies and nails a bird in the eye.

[Assistant] He raises his eyebrow, and points his finger. A thin burst of fire shoots from his finger tip, so hot the heat makes her sweat from the brief exposure near the flame.

[User] Cesidia closes her eyes and she takes the dress off, but she has an underdress underneath. She wipes the sweat off of her brow. "Why?"

[Assistant] He rubs his fingers together, faint smoke rising away. "I was bored. And you got to show off." He smiles.

[User] Cesidia blushes faintly and raises an eyebrow. She rips a part of the lining out of the dress and ties her hair back with a scoff. "'Show off'? I just got tired of that dress and the fact that it was a sauna gave me another reason to shed it." She smirks faintly as she stretches. "That was your plan, wasn't it? Naughty naughty."

[Assistant] "No, I was clearly talking about the shot." He laughs. "I have no knowledge of this, 'plan', that you speak of." He smiles. "You're an excellent markswomen by the way."

[User] Cesidia smirks. "Mmhmm. Your smile says otherwise. Why thank you. I was trained by the best," she flips her hair.

[Assistant] He grins. "You got me. Not that I was trying very hard to hide it."

[User] Cesidia blushes faintly and grins, shrugging. "Oh well. We both know you'll see it all some time or another." She winks. "So what's our next plan of action?"

[Assistant] He smiles. "For the goblin, or you?"

[User] Cesidia rolls her eyes and plants her hands on her hips. "I meant for the goblin. I didn't know you had a plan for little old me."

[Assistant] He begins drawing a flaming map in the air in front of him. "From what the scouts could gather, the king stays around here, his supplies are here, and he has possible mages here, here, and here." He draws a small X on each of the locations.

[User] Cesidia nods. "We could cut off the supply lines to draw out the soldiers, and you can use your magic to keep the mages from giving the king backup while I end it all."

[Assistant] "There's a downside to my magic though. The more of it I use, the more out of control it becomes."

[User] Cesidia nods thoughtfully. "Then we'll just have to make sure you don't have to use a lot."

[Assistant] He smiles. "Discord may be controlled, but it's still chaos."

[User] Cesidia nods. "I agree. That might be the case, but I'm not going to risk that if we have allies happening to be nearby."

[Assistant] "If they're close enough to be effected by the magic, they're already dead."

[User] Cesidia frowns. "If that's the case. Let's go."

[Assistant] He nods, and spreads his wings. "Should I fly over and bombard them?"

[User] Cesidia nods. "Drop me at the supply lines first. You'll know when I'm done."

[Assistant] He wraps her in a tight hug, and takes off.

[User] Cesidia hugs him back and rests her head on his shoulder.

[Assistant] "Sorry about the height, but I need to get there as soon as possible." He smiles sadly, and keeps flying higher.

[User] Cesidia smiles at him and kisses his neck gently. "I told you. It's different when I fly with you."

[Assistant] He chuckles. "Sure. I come with central heating."

[User] Cesidia grins. "Is that a joke?"

[Assistant] He laughs. "Mostly."

[User] Cesidia chuckles. "Well, you're a healing force to me."

[Assistant] He smiles gently. "A heating force, or a healing one?"

[User] Cesidia smiles. "Both."

[Assistant] "How am I healing?" He gently brushes her hair.

[User] Cesidia smiles softly. "Well firstly, I don't feel... insane when I'm around you. I can let loose and be myself around you without worrying about bringing shame to my family or punishment to those I care about because I broke some stupid rules. We think the same way for the most part and I know I don't have to put a brave face."

[Assistant] He smiles. "You can show your true nature around me?"

[User] Cesidia raises an eyebrow. "Yes... can't I?"

[Assistant] He sighs. "I hope you feel that way."

[User] Cesidia nods. "I do. What about me? Do you feel you can 'show your true nature' around me?"

[Assistant] "For....the most part. It scares me to open up so much, to anyone."

[User] Cesidia nods and lays her head on his shoulder. "I get that and I'm okay with you taking your time. I'm already in love with you, and I'm not going anywhere. That's a promise."

[Assistant] He smiles gently. "I want to....but I don't want you to be scared of me."

[User] Cesidia smiles. "I'm not afraid of anything, remember? Ever since I was a kid I never have been and that's not about to change."

[Assistant] He smiles, and looks at her. "Ok." His iris begin slowly filling with flames, and his eyes become voids.

[User] Cesidia watches, a little confused.

[Assistant] "I'm scrying my little friends." He smiles, looking around, seemingly aimlessly.

[User] Cesidia nods. "How are they?" she whispers.

[Assistant] "Oh, they're fine. For the most part."

[User] Cesidia frowns. "'For the most part'? What's that supposed to mean?"

[Assistant] "They get weaker every hour they're not in the underworld. Then they fade back."

[User] Cesidia nods thoughtfully. "They've done their part, haven't they?"

[Assistant] "Yep. That's why they're fading."

[User] Cesidia nods. "Onward!"

[Assistant] He begins flying again, floating over her.

[User] (Doesn't he have a hold of her?)

[Assistant] (He rolled over midair. He's flying on his back.)

[User]
(Okay)

Cesidia smiles as she hugs him tightly, squealing softly when he turns.

[Assistant] He chuckles. "You don't like turns?"

[User] "Your lucky I agreed to flying," Cesidia scowls as she glances down. "So no, sudden movements when I could plummet to the earth, not a fan."

[Assistant] "I'd catch you." He smiles.

[User] "And I'd have nightmares," Cesidia smiles.

[Assistant] "Nightmares are fun."

[User] "Have you ever had one?"

[Assistant] "Yeah. I know some personally." He shrugs. "They're strong enough, for their kind."

[User] "Nightmares are... tangible? Sentient beings?"

[Assistant] "Yes and no. If you're talking about the sleep nightmares, no. The race of Nightmares, yes."

[User] "I'm talking about the sleep nightmares. I've never seen a member of the race Nightmares."

[Assistant] "Do you want to?" He smiles.

[User] Cesidia nods with a smile. "Yes."

[Assistant] He nods. "It'll take a bit to summon one. I can describe it while I work on it though." The pentagram on his hand glows.

[User] Cesidia holds a hand up to stop him. "We're supposed to be on a mission, so how much longer until I'm in position?"

[Assistant] He starts. "Ah. Right." The pentagram vanishes. "Only a few minutes. I think."

[User] Cesidia frowns. "Don't tell me you forgot."

[Assistant] He smiles, glad that his skin covers any blush. "I didn't. I was....distracted."

[User] Cesidia tilts her head. "What is it? I'll need you to eradicate it."

[Assistant] He shakes his head. "I'll tell you once I land."

[User] Cesidia sighs and nods, frowning faintly in confusion.

[Assistant] After a few more minutes, he finally lands, and gently places her back on her feet.

[User] Cesidia glances around and whispers. "Okay? What was the distraction?"

[Assistant] He gestures at her shirt, which has dropped fairly low, exposing quite a bit of her chest.

[User] Cesidia blushes faintly and hikes her dress up her chest. "Sorry about that." She grins roguishly. "Hey if all else fails, I can resort to flashing them and making a run for it."

[Assistant] "They're goblins. That'd make them run faster."

[User] Cesidia laughs. "Then it's perfect if I want them to leave."

[Assistant] He shakes his head, grim. "They'd chase you with earnest. They'd think you're offering yourself."

[User] Cesidia frowns, blushing. "Then it's a good thing I was only joking. I don't want anyone but you to see my body."

[Assistant] He smiles. "Thank you." He kisses her softly. "I'll protect you."

[User] Cesidia blushes and kisses him back. "No your going to the mages. Go I've got this." She pushes on his shoulder.

[Assistant] He smiles. "Call for me if you need me. My full name, if you would. Dharichar Darkheart." He takes off, heading to the back to find any goblin mages.

[User] Cesidia nods, committing the name to memory. She crouches behind a crate of supplies, and swiftly takes out the guards with two arrows. She cuts the supply line with hardly any hitches, except from when her underdress had drifted down her chest as she worked and a goblin thought she was offering herself.

[Assistant] It chatters in excitement, and many of his friends turn to her with earnest. "Run!"

[User] "It was an accident! Ac-cid-ent!" Cesidia hikes her dress up and sprints off. "Dharichar Darkheart!"

[Assistant] He turns in midair, and raises his hand. "Duck!" A wave of fire sprays from his palm.

[User] Cesidia drops, sprawling on the grass.


[System]
Age: Unknown

Gender: Male

Appearance: Sinthe stands at the height of six feet and weighs around 200 pounds, he has long snow white hair on his head and eyebrows that stops just past his shoulders, Sinthe has two bright green eyes that sometimes glow, he has light brown skin, he has a small nose on his face and no facial hair on his chin or jawline. Sinthe has a mesomorph build looking like he's at his physical peak with his muscles and strength.

Sinthe wears what he considers to be simple clothing, he wears a black sleeveless martial arts gi uniform with bright white bandages wrapped around his forearms, knuckles and fingers, on his feet he wears simple boots to protect his feet from debris that could be sticking out of the ground.

Magic: Fire

Weapon: I don't need them.

Personality: Sinthe can be a quiet guy who only speaks when he feels obligated to, he's the type of person to call another out on their faults and admit to his own without being a hypocrite, unlike many others he feels weapons are useless and his hands and feet are the most suitable weapons he should use in a fight, but along with his melee only fighting style he uses his magic of fire to add more pain to his punches.

Sinthe isn't the type of person to talk about himself and if asked about where he comes from or where he got the gi from he will instantly say " Don't get too curious about it." Showing that he's very secretive of his past and isn't willing to speak of it in any form no matter how much someone tries to get him to talk about it. But besides the seriousness Sinthe can be friendly towards others he feels aren't harmful towards him and is willing to help people who can't help themselves if they can convince him to help.

Bio:" My past is my own don't worry about it. Unless you wish to be put in a hospital"

Other: The bandages wrapped around his arms are coated in pitch allowing them burn quickly when ignited

[User]
Sinthe was behind everyone while they walked into the almost blinding mist, he noticed the blue moons in the sky and it started to give him memories, while he walked with everyone keeping up with them, he held his forehead and remembered being a swamp like forest and jumping through the trees and beating hell out of people while wearing a black cloak and an odd mask on his face, he remembered ambushing a group of men that captured people in cadges and dragging them through the swamps, Sinthe remembered taking the men on with only his hands and feet and freeing the people.

When Sinthe came to, he noticed that they came across a man with his eyes cut or ripped out, Sinthe didn't like this, and felt that they should just keep going. But sadly it didn't work too well, Tatsumi was wanting to help, even after the last attempt to help someone, Sinthe began to wonder if the guy was a knight of some sort that needed to help people." Tatsumi remember what Akemi said ! This isn't the real world ! It's a trap ! " Sinthe yelled at the guy, he didn't approach the guy like Tatsumi, but tried to remind the guy that this wasn't the regular world he probably came from, Sinthe wasn't going to help him in this type of fight if it was actually a trap.

[Assistant]
As they walked into the thick mist that permeated every inch of the barren wasteland outside of Iredele's wall, Akemi spared a few moments of peace and silence to think about the current situation, while the effect of alcohol vanished gradually.

"This wasn't one of my best days, I have to admit..." the fox demon thought to herself as she recalled everything that happened.

"It all began calm and quiet, as I came back to the 'town' after slaying a few chupacabras at a random farm, I got my udon, my drink and even some free beef, but then, they came." Akemi frowned under her hood as she thought about the newbie hunters.

"Ahh... and for the Absolute's sake, I had to let my goddamned body have the best of me. But what could I do after not having sex for so much time that even I can't remember the last one?" She heard Sinthe's heavy footsteps at the back of the group, and if the others could see Akemi's expression they would notice a total lack of interest, disappointed that things didn't went as she wished.

"And then, I fought those dog bastards for nothing, nearly drunk myself to a stupor and finally, basically raped one of those stupid vegetables that call themselves villagers. And last, but not least..." Akemi sighed, and the last few words came out of her throat without she even noticing "Here am I, babysitting a pack of newbies when can't even walk around in the dark without tripping on their own feet. Just what I call a perfect day."

Just as Akemi concluded her lone rant, she noticed the little commotion of the other hunters, in regards to the poor beggar, that she only noticed now. Akemi's ears twitched as she heard the man's pitiful cries "Ah, to hell with it!" the fox woman yelled when she couldn't bear the noise any longer.

The vixen stepped in front of the other hunters, and before any of them could react, she drew something from inside her mantle "Here, that's allthe kindness you'll get from me, old man." Akemi said as she closed in on the beggar and... placed a loaf of tough bread and a waterskin, full of wine, in his hands.

"Keep to the tracks to your left and you'll reach the town in an hour or two. Don't expect me to help you anymore, though." If the man still had his eyes, he would be crying now, but instead, he just thanked his unknown savior from the bottom of his heart and walked away in the shadows following the tracks while he ate food that Akemi gave him eagerly, just as if it was a banquet from the gods.

As Akemi turned tails and began walking towards the Ravine again, she shot a dlare at the other hunters and said "Don't look at me like this, you bunch of wet behind the ears puppies. If you can't tell the difference between a trap and a random unlucky old sap, you're not cut for the job of being a hunter."

Without any other word Akemi began to walk again towards the Paraanon Ravine. "Sure, he old man wasn't a trap, but it didn't meant that I had to help him. What the heck am I thinking today?" The vixen thought as she continued to thread within the dark.

[User]
The beggar did not answer Macey's question but he did frown heavily, shaking his head and clasping his hardened and dirty hands over his eyes. It was probably obvious to guess what had happened to the pour soul. Fate was against him, as it was to all denizens of the World of Wasted Dreams. And yet, Akemi alone decided to defy fate and show the man compassion.

"Ut absolutam gratiam tuam...ut absolutam gratiam tuam...""

The old man let out what appeared to be a whispy gasp as Akemi stepped forward to deliver unto him some much appreciated food. He listened to her words and managed a crooked smile towards her, the remains of his teeth hanging loosely in his small maw. Yes, this sacrifice of hers would not go in vain. Shuffling over to the left side of the road in his rags, he quickly guided himself along towards the village of Iredele.

However, it seemed that fate was dealing nothing but cruel hands on this day. As the group of Hunters was turned away from the beggar, the forces of the night chose that moment to strike. A piercing screech broke in the air, the sound reminiscent of two bones being harshly grated against one another. If the Hunters looked back they'd see that the man was seen no more in a flurry of black and white.

They looked like oversized, rotting ravens. That was probably the best way to describe them. They were at least three times the size of any regular raven, their feathers slicked with some sort of black, oily substance. Their ribcages showed, revealing pale white bones that led down to form razored claws at the end of each foot. In place of a bird's head was in fact a clacking human skull and its body ended with a long, bony tail with a snarling bird's skull screeching at the end of it.

They had waited for the Hunters to pass before striking to kill the old fool that was condemned to die. And yet, the beggar was not dead. An impossible sight was being witnessed, as the man was fighting back with what seemed to be renewed strength and increased fortitude. It would seem that Akemi's kindness had done something for the man's conscience and he refused to die so easily like other prey before him.

Fate had certainly been changed. Perhaps he would have fallen in despair and been killed instantly had the Hunters turned away from him? No one could say for sure. What could be said though was that the man chose survival over acceptance of death. But life could only sustain for so long. If the Hunters waited any longer, than the man's second chance would go to waste and he would surely die.

[Assistant]
Sinthe pushed Tatsumi back with the others as Akemi gave the man water and bread, he shot a grin her way for what she had done, then let the old guy pass by he didn't trust the man still and kept his guard up as he drunk from the water skin and ate the bread on his way back to the small village, and before any of them knew it and the guy began crawling back to the village, a pair of the biggest birds that Sinthe has ever seen dropped in and tried to kill the old guy, but the old man began putting up a fight towards the large birds." Willing to make them fight for their food huh ? " Sinthe said aloud.

He sighed before cracking his knuckles, Sinthe went in without a plan but with a goal, he sprinted up the back of the close one with a crazy amount of speed and grab hold of it's head, he then flipped over it's head while still keeping a tight hold on it, and brought the creature's head into the ground and flipped the entire creature over, before it could try to recover from the stunning attack, Sinthe put his hands together and brought them both down on the creature's head, he then looked to the other bird creature Sinthe took up a defensive stance and wondered if anyone else would join in on the battle." If you want to live then get moving. " Sinthe told the old begger.

[User]
Not even five minutes after Akemi had helped the old man, defying most of her personal creed in the process, there was he being in mortal danger again, she cursed herself under her breath, before yelling "You rotting, overgrown parrots, if you think you're getting a free bite you're very wrong."

Seeing that Sinthe jumped in to deal with one of the beasts, Akemi focused on the other. She curled her right hand forming the shape of a crooked talon, not unlike that of the birds that assaulted the old beggar restlessly. Slashing the air in front of her, Akemi shouted in a voice that seemed to reverberate from the pits of hell itself "GeT aWaY fRoM tHaT mAm NoW, bOnY bEaK!"

Blood splashed from a she had been carrying and formed and formed a claw that mimicked Akemi's movements and smashed the bird against the ground, with a sickening sound before penetrating the creature's skin and bursting forth from its blood vessels in a gory mess. I wasn't enough to kills the creature yet, so Akemi closed in and engaged the bird on melee.

[Assistant]
"Unh..."

Rising from the dirt, Donny wasn't sure where he was. Or what he was doing. He looked around what seemed to be some old church. Before he even got to his feet he heard the rambling of some old man, something about "hunting monsters" and what not. By the time Donny's eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw some things at his feet. A hatchet, a knife, and a pile of rope. Looking up at the old man he seemed to just sit there. "Aye, what's going on? Where am I?" He asked, but he didn't get an answer. Something told him that he'd need to figure it out himself. Surely there were others around.

Donny strapped the weapons onto his belt. When he touched the rope, he instinctively looped a knot to turn it into a lasso. This was familiar to him. Not entirely certain why, but it felt right. He left the building and arrived in a dark town. He stepped into what he guess was the town square. He didn't see anyone around and it must have been night time. "Maybe everyone is asleep?" Donny continued to walk around. He went to one of the buildings across the square, the Winter Wolf Tavern. Hopefully there was someone there to help him figure out what this town was all about.

[User]
Before Sinthe could actually attack the giant bird, and it tried to lunge at him, Akemi jumped into the fight, she crooked her hand into an odd shape and spoke in a voice that Sinthe couldn't even explain in words, she ordered the bird to get away from the man, and Sinthe wondered if she was meaning him or the old guy for a minute, then she slashed the bird with a giant claw that followed her moves, the claw mutilated the giant bird human hybrid, but the monster wasn't finished yet.

Sinthe could see that Akemi was going for the kill and decided to help her out a little, Sinthe walked up to her side and picked her up, before she could probably object to what he was going to do, he lifted her off the ground and threw her towards the bird's back." Drop it !" He yelled to the demon fox woman, as Sinthe looked at his actions, some part of him thought he wasn't expecting this to be his day, helping a fox woman kill a giant bird with the skull of a human.


[System]
Age: 23
Sex: Male
Sexual Preference: Heterosexual
Occupation: Mechanic/repairman

Relationships:
- Alena Reiss: Ex-girlfriend/mother of his child
- Draco Zapata: His four-year-old son

Personality: Lucio is a pretty focused and hard working individual, and has always tried to do his best where he can. He refuses to half ass anything, and would probably work himself to death if he thought it'd make things in his life better. When it comes to his son, he turns into a bit of a mother hen, and would probably be embarrassed if he actually cared about what others thought. He's a pretty patient man, despite getting irritated easily, and isn't one to resort to violence unless someone else starts it. If you're not trying to pick a fight, he can be pretty friendly and reliable, and as far as friends go, he's as loyal as they come.

Biography: Lucio grew up in the slums of a small city with his parents, a pair of packless werewolves who were simply trying their best to survive on their own. It wasn't the coziest of childhoods,but he grew up well and learned his manners, same as every kid should. He always tried his best to make his parents proud, even when he was small, hoping that it'd make them happier. When he turned 16, he met another werewolf named Alena, who swept him off his feet faster than he could introduce himself. She was a charmer; charmed the socks off both his parents, even his cat, and easily rooted herself into his life.

After about a year and a half of dating, Lucio mistakenly got her pregnant. A whole slew of things happened after that: his parents kicked him out, they got a cheap apartment together, and he began working at a small car repair shop. It took them about three months to settle back into their new life, and then after Alena had the baby, she decided she didn't want any part in it. He doesn't remember exactly how she phrased it, but claimed something along the lines of "I'm too young to be tied down like this", and then up and just left him and their son behind.

Sometime later, he settled into a smaller place in Stillwater and made contact with the pack there. He's honestly never been so grateful for finding other werewolves before, as they've become an important part of his life. As far as he's concerned, they're family.

Pack Information [Wolves only]
Pack Position: Enforcer
Mate: n/a
Born/Bitten

[User]
Slipping from one tree to the next was not unlike a dance, especially when one sought to do so with stealth. Her form swayed on a delicate line of balance, feet finding sure footing and long fingers curling confidently around branches, easily taking her weight when necessary. She wove her lithe frame around a network of boughs, never catching her clothes against the reaching fingers of branches or the occasional thorny vine. Dark hair spilled around her shoulders, emphasizing the translucent pallor of her throat and collarbones. Despite the concentration she granted her endeavor, a smile teased her lips. The smile quieted when she realized one of the strangers had twisted around, searching for a noise she must have made.

Jamie moved, slipping around a trunk so that her body was shielded from the more perceptive werewolf's eyes, her own dark gaze peeking around to keep a peg on them. She felt a prick of annoyance at his sharp senses, but it allowed her a quick piece of information: he was like her. Werewolves didn't choose their positions so much as they were chosen, with the stronger and more aggressive individuals becoming enforcers, warriors, and the smaller and sharper ones being like Jamie - like, perhaps, the fellow currently searching the trees in an effort to locate her. She couldn't move with him staring so intently only a few feet to her right, but since the two weren't moving particularly fast, she wasn't concerned about falling behind.

Surprise vibrated up her spine, causing fingers to convulse instinctively and hold on tighter. Although she'd heard voices, she hadn't paid too much attention – that was, until the snarling erupted. Tension straightened her shoulders, chin notching up and nostrils flaring as she scented the air. She didn't want to give up her position so easily, but the need to know what was going on was a persistent itch. Luck, if that's what it was, arrived, sweeping the man's attention aside as he and the other fellow were both drawn to the same noises she had noticed.

As the one man hurried forward and intervened, Jamie quickly descended, landing soundlessly on the balls of her feet, form hunkered low in a crouch. She rose, limbs unfurling as she took long strides forward and came up behind the second man. She didn't intend to invite trouble by doing so, but he was blocking the quickest path to the commotion. She glimpsed the form of Aurora facing off with a behemoth of a werewolf, a sight that both concerned and frightened the woman – despite her courage, Aurora surely wouldn't win such a battle. Hearing the voice of the alpha caused a fleeting smile to lighten the woman's expression, dispersing any concern she had been harboring – he would, of course, take care of the interloper. Their dire exchange about death didn't worry the woman, since she knew that even if the alpha wasn't enough, he had the pack at his back, and a pack would always trump a loner.

Slipping around the apparently confused man, she offered him a quick glance of dark eyes shadowed beneath an even darker fringe of lashes, a smile dancing along the corners of her mouth. She didn't enter the circle that consisted of the Alpha, Aurora, the threatening she-wolf, and the new fellow who moved to protect Aurora. As a huntress, Jamie wasn't one to jump into the fray, rather preferring to wait until she felt she was needed. Warriors were the combative type, and perhaps the Queens under the right circumstances. Without thought, the woman shifted the majority of her weight behind the slim bulk of a young tree, naturally seeking to blend in as if she was merely on another hunt. Her head tilted, cheek settling against the smooth bark, mind settling down so she could easily listen in on the stream of words that flowed from the others.

@MThePathSeeker @Maria 127 @Arista

[Assistant]
Freya Lockheart
Volrath's Forest

With the arrival of the other wolves, most in human form, on the edge of the forest she turned when the small white one spoke to her and snarled, her massive maw bumping against the side of the brown male that tried to get between them; the dried blood from her earlier kills rubbed off against them, it smelled not of any prey that had hunted before and would know, instinctively, that it was not something they were able to hunt. If she so chose, Freya could open her jaw and simply swallow the small white wolf, though, in everything she did now it was her attempt at chasing them away from what would surely kill them. Claim the ancestral home of the Narvak again, and you will fall victim first to the rage of the First Pack. She warned her, telling her something that she should recognize again from her children's stories, as Freya was the first in hundreds of years, to show her face to the pack wolves who had settled twenty kilometers again. Her eyes lay brilliant silver again, finding ice blue with ease as one massive paw lifted and pinned the male wolf to the ground. She swung around to look at him again, growling at him as well. I am attempting to save their lives. Do not get in my way boy.

Letting the male go she moved again, walking over to where the Alpha Male settled with his arms crossed, stupid and ignorant. You are my relative; a descendant of my ancestor from a far off land. She said to him and him alone, her thoughts blocked to all other wolves in the area as she looked down at him. She lowered her head, crouching to look him in the eye though she was tense and clearly ready to turn on any wolf that dared attack her and kill them without a second thought. Without a warning she snarled at him again, her paw lifting and knocking him off his feet before it came down on his chest and pinned him to the ground. She could easily have crushed him if she chose though she did not. Instead she leaned over him and looked him in the eyes with one of her large, silver wolf eyes. You should listen to what you are told, Damian Lee. Even your blood does not call to the forest; your blood does not carry Volrath's magic; your blood and your pack with die if they come without the Narvak's territory. Will you leave your mate and seed behind for another foolish man to kill? She asked him, scrutinizing him, her head tilting to the side slightly though she did not look away from the man. Acnarian, vertak. Live, Brother. For after me, there is no one left to guard the ancestral home.

Freya stood, turning away from him and walking around behind a tree, following the acute scent of a woman wolf that she knew was there the entire time and fired a thought toward her. You need not hide, Pack child. There is not threat other than the wrath of Volrath. She told her, passing passed her as she rounded around behind, brushing against a few of the wolves as she did. Her scent was that of the Earth, blood, the wolf, and something else that gave it that dangerous edge that sent even most predators away from her. Even those that resided within the forest with her. When she came to a stop she was standing in the exact place she had been when the white wolf had come to find her, waiting, near the edge of the forest for the pack to arrive. She hunted near the edge to draw their attention on purpose, to drive them out of her ancestor's ancient home.

@Maria 127@Arista

[User]
~~ Leo ~~

It was just after 11 when Leo showed up at Moonlight Manor, his VW Beetle coasting up the driveway on fumes while he kept the windows down for air circulation. It was less about keeping cool and more about the stink though. He'd been on a graveyard shift at the local In-and-Out-Mart, then spent a couple hours mowing lawns on the east side of Stillwater for cash- so his plain white tee was covered in dust and grass stains while the front seat of the old car was thoroughly soaked with sweat. That, he could deal with. It marked the car as one of the few things that were well and truly Leo's.

It was the black garbage bag in the passenger's seat that concerned his nose. The car smelling like rabbit would attract other wolves and potentially the Fish and Wildlife services (if their noses were that sensitive, and if he ever happened to be stopped by one, but after some of the things he'd seen on the cross country road trip to his new home it wasn't outside the realm of possibility).

When Leo parked the car, he took an extra few seconds to breathe out the night's frustrations and force his eyes to stay open. He was at the threshold. Not much farther. One hand grabbed the bag in the passenger's seat. The other opened the driver's side door (instinctively jiggling the handle up before pressing down to actually open the thing) and his sandaled feet stepped out onto the driveway.

Leo slung the bag over his shoulder, slamming the car door shut with his foot, and carefully hefted the catch to the front door. It was a pitiful bag- half a dozen rabbits and two hares. He hadn't had the energy to bring in anything bigger for the group. He'd barely had the energy to shift in the first place. His first week with the pack and most of his "hunting" had been pre-packaged roasts and steaks or cash paid under the table for the lawn mowing company he worked with.

Dad wouldn't call it hunting, he thought. Any human can buy food- a Hunter works for it.

The bag of rabbits was his first true offering to the new pack and he would have to answer for the lack of big game. If it wasn't good enough... well, he had enough money in the bank to get to the next state.

Leo cracked open the door to the downstairs kitchen, careful to hurry the bag into the sink when he noticed a blood drip starting out of the bag- a bone had punctured the lining at the base and left a trail of red droplets on the tile floor.

Shit! Where was the mop? Where was the mop!?

"Uh, guys," Leo called out in the kitchen. He gave up on the mop and grabbed a paper towel off the counter, setting to cleaning right away. "Or gals. Um. Dinner? No- lunch. I got lunch!"

[Assistant]
Aurora Solomon

Instinctively lowering her when the order came from her Alpha, Aurora shifted uneasily at the words the she-wolf spoke of, her mind instantly filling with the words from the tales her own mother used to read to her, her ears flattening against her skull as a shiver ran down her spine.

 Those who guard the Forest of Volrath are meant to keep others out of the ancestral land, for a long time ago a war nearly destroyed the land and nearly killed off the remaining werewoles. It never says what caused the war or why the forest now has magic that can kill anyone who dares enter it without permission but one thing is known. If a warning is given by the present protector of the forest, you'd do best to heed the call and leave before the forest senses you there and begins it's attack, even the protector can't save you then.

Raising her head and then to her feet, Aurora nudged her snout against the new brown wolf before doing to same to the male, a gesture of thanks before moving towards where her Alpha stood, her ears flicking as the she-wolf's scent filled the air as she departed. She raised her head and displayed her neck before beginning to make her way back to where she'd entered the forest, her muscles rippling as she ahook out her body, the fresh scent of trees and her pack helping her relax once more. "I think we should leave Alpha...the others are arriving home and...I don't feel we should stay here anymore." She whispered softly, her eyes focusing on everyone that had arrived to confront the she-wolf, almost forming a half circle, her snout teitiching in the direction of the Manor when the scent of blood filled the air. It seemed Leo had arrived with food, although why blood was in the air caused a soft whine to escape her maw, her eyes focusing on her Alpha once more.

She, as well as the others of the pack couldn't leave until he said so, the new wolves could leave as they wish.

@CallaLily @MThePathSeeker @Maria 127 @breathofarda @Fumari

[User]
Lucio - Volrath's Forest

I didn't take Lucio too long to rediscover his alpha's floating scent, which quickly lead him in the opposite direction of the manor, to Volrat's Forest. He unconsciously swallowed down raw nerves, and quickly shifted into his much faster, four legged form in order to properly track. It wasn't his specialty, not in the least, but he had a sharp enough nose to know which direction to run.

Eventually, he found his pack, or at least the few present members who stood with their leader. Then there was the much larger wolf, whose unfamiliar scent he'd caught earlier. He only caught the last few bits tossed between Damien and the stranger wolf, before the altercation seemed on the edge of being settled. Lucio huffed, making himself known while he slowed to a trot.

"Guess I'm a bit late." He laughed in his mind, and made his way to join Damien and Aurora. The latter seemed ready to turn back, and Lucio momentarily worried that he'd only stir things more by being here.


[System]
Age
27

Gender
Male

Appearance

Personality
Focused, methodical and ruthless, Kolya is a consummate hunter and excellent problem solver when working. He takes great care of his subordinates, no matter who they are, acting as something of an older brother to his troops. When off duty he is markedly different, with a perpetually relaxed smile and an easy-going sense of humour. One of Kolya's favourite past times is having a couple of (dozen) drinks with Alexandra's other minions.

Bio
Since the collapse of the old world order, there hasn't been much travel among normal humans. Between regular patrols from the magical girl city states, opportunistic banditry and the constant battles between low ranking magi, the neutral zones between cities make for a dangerous road. And yet communities can still be found amid the lawlessness, hardy folk who can protect themselves. Far to the northeast of Germany is one such settlement, founded by the breakaway crew of a old Russian warship. Nova Prussiya is a hard place, with little arable land or decent fishing zones. Much of its livelihood comes from various successful bandits and mercenaries, often former Russian soldiers and sailors; with a large cache of modern military hardware and the technology to produce more, many Nova Prussiyans have made a name for themselves as Witch hunters. A select few have gone even further, hunting the magical girls that have caused so much grief for the world. Kolya Lukoshenko was once one of these men.

A former Russian naval infantryman, Lukoshenko was an accomplished hunter when decided to leave his home and strike out deep into the German interior. Spurred on by rumours of human resistance factions, he intended to hire himself out as a fighter; indeed, with a total of three magical girl kills to his name, Lukoshenko was one of the best. Armed with the tools and knowledge of a professional hunter, he entered the city of Aurora as a hitman. Working underground for several years, Kolya's impressions slowly began to change; the people he fought for were weak, cowardly and his enemies strong. More often than not he found himself paying his respects to his magical foes even as he finished them, saddened by what he must do for humanity's sake. After years of murdering teenage girls in the name of so-called freedom, perhaps it was inevitable that he would crack.

On the day of his eleventh kill, Lukoshenko had an encounter that would change his life forever. The eleventh was a pretty little thing, barely into her teens; by this point, every kill he made sent Kolya to the bottom of a bottle, but this one weighed more heavily on his mind than any other. She had been very young and confused... and she had begged for her life at the end. It hadn't mattered to his employers of course; they had issued the bounty with their usual glee, no doubt cheering over the death of another little tyrant. What Kolya hadn't known was that the girl had not been on her own. He only found out after the fact but the girl's partner soon fell into despair, creating an especially violent Witch within the heart of the city slums. Many died in the ensuing violence, innocent and otherwise. Having taken it upon himself to atone for his actions, Kolya set out to destroy the beast and restore order, only to find himself preempted by a magical girl; unlike every magi he had met so far, this one had tried to protect the innocent slum-dwellers, more than could be said for his erstwhile employers... The things she said, the conviction and compassion in her voice were enough to sway his already conflicted loyalties. They parted ways peacefully and although it would be several months before they met again, he was now bound to the fate and will of Alexandra Hertz.

Once Alexandra completed her coup and solidified control over Aurora, Kolya quickly came out of hiding to swear loyalty to her. He now serves as Alexandra's closest non-magical aid and a senior commander in her human army. His military training and experience hunting prey both magical and mundane make him an excellent attack dog for the Aurora City Authority regime.

Allegiance
Aurora City Authority, but loyal to Alexandra Hertz

Skills
As a former soldier, Kolya is proficient with various modern weapons and combat tactics. His time as a hunter and mercenary, as well as the specialist equipment he uses gives him an edge when fighting Magical Girls; he is one of a very few who can stand toe to toe with a magical opponent. Outside of combat, he is also an excellent information gatherer and organiser, with a network of informants that stretches across the city. Kolya is also a rather good cook, specialising in sweets and patisserie.

Weapons
RG-6 Grenade Launcher. Instead of firing explosive grenades, Kolya uses specially designed incendiary buckshot rounds in his RG-6, essentially turning it into a massive flaming shotgun, ideal for fighting both Magical Girls and Witches.

Kolya maintains a good stockpile of different weapons, switching them out as the situation demands. Sometimes he will use an assault rifle, other times a sniper rifle; he also had a large amount of explosives stashed away, just in case.

Other
While most of his subordinates are badly trained militia, Kolya does have a handful of hunters from Nova Prussiya on his payroll. These men and women are ruthlessly efficient and can handle Magical Girls far better than the average grunt.

[User]
It was obvious that Kyubey would have grinned had he been able to do so, or had he felt the sort of emotion that prompted that sort of action. He had chosen her for a reason after all, just like there was a reason behind everything that the Incubators did. Maria would just have to figure out what it was along the way.

Kyubey hopped down off the bookshelf, sitting in front of the wheelchair as he watched her with unblinking eyes. It seems to be a magical girl, he said at last, providing some information. Normal humans would find it incredibly difficult to do what they appear to be trying to do. If a Noble is involved though, it is only indirectly, given that you yourself have no knowledge of any illicit magical research.

Another seeming mental shrug then. I would provide more help, but they have done quite a bit to hide their activities from our attention. They had just been fortune that the impact of the ongoing experiments, whatever they were trying to do, had been easier to pick up. But it still left no clue as to who was doing it, much less what they were trying to do.

---

Lukoshenko's arrival wasn't entirely a surprise beyond the exact time of his arrival, when he did show up. Alexandra had been expecting him, since she insisted on receiving general reports so she could keep up to date on the state of her nation. She would not let herself be overthrown like she had done before, and she would not allow her nation to fall in dire straits. Aurora would be maintained as it had been, if she had any say in it.

"Enter," she called, and Lukoshenko would find the door unlocked. that would permit him entrance into the tastefully decorated penthouse, not ostentatious in its display of wealth but rather subtle about it. It exuded power and an aura of strength that was made to either intimidate, or to console, depending on the intentions of the person who entered, and Alexandra was glad that she had found that particular decorator.

Kolya would find Alexandra in the living room, relaxing on the couch with a glass resting nearby. Caroline stood in the corner watching him, though there was less suspicion than had he been someone who hadn't proven his loyalty. She was not a permanent fixture at these meetings by far, but it appeared she had nothing else to do at the moment.

"So, how fairs our border today," she asked once he came to a rest, having earned her full attention. Relaxed though she might be, she was all business nonetheless.

[Assistant]
"It's okay Kyubey, you don't need to worry. Leave it to magical girl Maria to save the day!"

So he's going to expect me to comb the entire city for some crazy bitches messing around with their magic...as expected of him. Though Nobles aren't directly involved I'll bet my storage of grief seeds that they're secretly backed by one. Now I'll just have to check which one of them would resort to such idiocy.

"Let's check the map. That is always a good idea when investigating cities," Maria said as she smiled. She opened up a map file on her computer that she has tampered with herself to show different colors and lines on different parts of the map.

[User] "Adrian," Eponine said, "relay to the other search teams that before speaking with the magical girl, they are to report their position." Her reason for this was so that if the team that found her was wiped out, the rest would know where it had happened. In fact, every team she killed would leave a trail potentially pointing out her next destination. Still, as they continued to follow leads, they saw no sign of her. Eponine hoped that none of the people they had spoken to had lied. If they had, she would have to flatten their neighborhood as an example for what happened to people harboring fugitives. If there was no dishonesty, then Eponine's search cordon should be tightening slowly, and they would all either eventually meet each other in the middle with the rogue having somehow managed to slip past; or the rogue would be discovered and a fight would most likely ensue. Eponine activated her magical girl form, pulling out her warhammer, ready to activate her 'field of absolute terror' at a moment's notice.

[Assistant]
Chloe didn't have to be paying much attention to realize that her time was limited. The rooftops could provide a potential out when it came to people searching for her - regular humans had trouble traversing even the narrowly packed city rooftops - but when she thought about it, what was she really going to do? Run through the city giving these folks a wild goose chase? Kill everybody involved, spawning more havoc?

"...Not the worst ideas in the world, and they sound kind of fun..." But no. She had told Oscar that she was finished avoiding confrontation, and that still held true. Not that she wanted to get shot again. Her mobility was already hampered by one wounded leg. She didn't relish the idea of having to walk around town doing a handstand because of bullet holes in both legs, though again, it sounded just a little fun.

Chloe transformed without any particular flair, and simply stood her ground. She was far enough away from the safehouse that nothing should be traced back to the people there, so it was time to meet her maker.

As the group drew closer, her suspicions were confirmed, seeing a magical girl heading their ranks. That made sense. Five humans didn't do the job, why send anything less? The girl in front of her looked a bit younger than Chloe herself, and was wielding an impressive warhammer. She had to compliment the girl on her taste in weaponry. That wasn't a tool made for fixing things.

As the girl approached, Chloe held up a massive armored hand in greeting, signaling that she didn't intend to fight. At least not right away. "Hey lady. You're the hound they sent to track me down, huh? Well, I guess you did it, so good on you. Here to take me to jail, then? Or kill me, maybe?"

[User] Even after coming here a hundred times, Kolya was still uncomfortable in her Ladyship's private rooms. Not only was the carefully designed architecture doing its job, but the idea of invading a young woman's room just didn't sit right. Pushing the misgivings away, he strode in with an air of respect and hopefully competence. 'Good morning, my Lady.', he began, bowing his head slightly before diving right into his report. 'I have three items of interest. First off, a town in the south requires a new governor after the old administration failed to keep up with taxation. I recommend a magi be sent to oversee the area in the meantime.' Riffling though a handful of paperwork, he produced and handed over a set of forms detailing the fate of Mayor Geier, along with a list of suitable replacements. 'There was also a disturbance reported at a border post of Lady Goethe's lands, but I have it on good authority that the situation has been dealt with. More pressingly for the city, I have evidence of a build-up of UN forces to the south.' Even after the collapse of the traditional nation-state system, the UN continued to exert its authority over the remaining member states. Their activities in central Europe were limited, but a persistent thorn in Aurora's side. 'No evidence of why or what they might be doing, but I would recommend a punitive strike. My men are not capable of holding off trained soldiers, but a handful of magi could easily break their lines... My Lady.', he added, as always striving a bit too hard to remain polite.


[System]
Appearance:
Species: Pegasus Pony

Age category: Young Adult (i.e. early 20's)

Gender: Male

Cutie Mark: See image above; represents his uncanny sense of direction.

Occupation:
Silverwind currently works as an explorer and scout for the Royal Equestrian Cartography Corps. In short, he flies high, far, and wide, charting the lands of Equestria - and beyond - to scout information, draw sketches and gather information for the Equestrian government in order to establish where resources are, what creatures and people live in different places, dangerous or inhospitable terrain features, and so on. Sometimes his role takes him over already known areas to explore in more detail things already found, or finding new routes after events like earthquakes or other changes to the landscape.
He loves the thrill of exploration and the potential danger it takes him into, although he frequently causes headaches for his superior, the unicorn named Compass Rose, by getting himself in trouble with locals and involved in things that, honestly speaking, should have nothing to do with mapping, exploring, or surveying...

Other:
Silverwind is bold and reckless, but good at heart. He can be cocky and a little arrogant at times, but can keep a level head for the most part, especially when things get serious or people are in danger. He wanted to be a Wonderbolt, but failed the entrance exam after losing his temper and acting recklessly, which lead to putting other ponies in danger.
Spitfire - whom he admired and had something of a crush on - punished him for his bad behaviour, and he was forced to leave the academy. Although, what he frequently fails to remember is that she also told him he had a lot of potential, and his heart was in the right place, even if his head wasn't.
Since then he has used his time in the RECC to learn how to be a better flier and to work on disciplining himself and working on his occasionally volatile temper, and his lack of self-control.
Silverwind was born and grew up in Mareford, a settlement in the Western regions of Equestria, high in the forested hills and mountains. He loved being out in the wild, and soaring between hills and through valleys. He has always had a sense of adventure and wanderlust that persists into his adult years, but even as a young, gangly, and mischevious colt with a twinkle in his eye, he would always find his way home, which resulted in his getting a cutie mark that displayed his innate knack for direction.

[User]
Bane was lost in thoughts quite a while, and didn't really notice any pony looking his way or sketching him. By the end of the class Bane flipped through the last pages of the book far ahead of where the class was and seemingly he was done reading it, either that or he had just skimmed through the pages for anything of interest and then closed it.

As class finished the teacher looked over to Damian and Asked if maybe he could show Bane around if both of them wanted. It just seemed like a good choice as the teacher had noticed Damian looking Bane way. "Fine " he replied, as he just wanted to get it over with, the others seemed to keep a respectful distance for now which suited Bane just fine. He glanced to Damian and kept his head low so that his face was pretty much shaded.

[Assistant]
Blade

Wincent had indeed noticed the bags, and was glad the other pony was welcoming. As for his questions and replies Wincent smiled "Yeah, I also remember seeing a photo of you I guess... In equestria daily I believe. Names Wincent Gainbits... Friends call me Vince" he said as he thought about it, then he shrugged. "been livid here a few years now I guess, it's a very good town... Very eventful i guess... From being the center of several major events from getting our own castle and Princess to chaos Lord's and changeling attacks... Princess Luna and Celestia have also visited and that was certainly something... There's also a lot of cool ponies like the hottie Rainbow dash... Uh... Ya know" he said and blushed faintly as he realized what he was saying.

He looked towards Everfree and quickly found consolation in being able to shift the conversation back to it "Your really going there? Wow, never been close to it myself.... Even We Pegasus ponies tend to avoid flying over it if it...i suppose it mostly pony-lore and superstition... But there's been sightings of Timberwolves, and I might. Not be afraid or anything, but I suppose I've never had a reason to go there" he replied, glad to have some pony to talk too, although he grew curious about Everfree, and perhaps he could tag along just slightly??... Maybe it would be a really cool experience.

[User]
With a sudden change of emotion Angie looked around the room slightly confused. "Oh you must mean Me?" angelic asked excitedly with a big smile on his face. "I would love to." extaticly he jumped up and held out his hoof with a big smile. "Hi my name is angelic star, what is yours?" he patiently waited for bane to speak back.

Lots of things were speading through the flamboyant pony's mind as he awaited a reply. Things mostly consenting the fact he got to spend the day walking around the cute mysterious new pony in class, but one could only imagine what was gone through bane's mind consenting the fact the pony in front of him two minutes ago was slightly offputting and quiet and called by the teacher as one name but appeared now to be completely different and introducing themself as though they were an entirely different pony

[Assistant]
Silverwind winced and rubbed the back of his head with one hoof as the green pegasus mentioned his 'appearance' in EQD.
"Yeahhhh," he said with a chuckle. "Probably not the claim to fame I'd choose, but one I got all the same," he said with a grin. "But it's nice to meet you, Vince," he said as he listened to him explain Ponyville and describe his time here, nodding enthusiastically. His grin turned more sly as he heard his new companion mention Rainbow Dash and his thoughts about the mare, and he chuckled softly and gave an agreeable nod. "She's definitely impressive" he replied. "I've seen her a few times around and about, and she's certainly a lovely mare. Really skillful too. I heard she made it into the Wonderbolts reserves."
As Vince commented on Silver's upcoming trip to the Everfree, he followed his look toward the forest, just visible in the near horizon and nodded firmly, but with a shift of expression.
"There's no doubt it's a dangerous place," he replied after a moment, shifting from side to side. "But that's why I - and the cartography corps - have to map it out; finding safe passages through for ponies and other creatures is good, and so is being aware of where the dangerous creatures or terrain are, as much as we can be. I'm sure it won't be too bad - I'll be flying overhead mostly, and following routes on an older map to update them".
He looked back toward Vince, and he gestured around at hte town. "So, Vince, what do you do around Ponyville? You seem to know about the town and the forest quite well. Though, you say you've never had a reason to go there so far".

[User]
Bane

The classroom got louder as class ended and ponies started chatting and leaving again, but it soon quieted down again as the sounds decreased and faded into the distance. Bane slipped out of his seat and watched as the other pony practically bounced out of it, he didn't budge much at first when the hoof was reached out towards him, but then he slightly raised his own... before putting it back down again without shaking anything. "Bane... and I don't like physical contact" he said promptly as he kept himself shaded and at a distance, he glanced around the classroom and then headed towards the door and out into the corridor.

Then he looked around again long enough for the other pony to catch up, and then he looked towards Angelic's direction. "So?... where to?" he asked with a rather uninspired voice compared to the demanding one earlier the same day. Whatever hea meant by it, it seemed Angelic had his attention, for now... however his thoughts was drifting towards the Everfree and he felt like he could skip soon to go there.

Blade

Wincent Gainbits

He was feeling quite nervous after dropping the Rainbow dash comment, and it came as a huge relief to him when the other stallion mentioned some things about her making it not be too odd to mention. He chuckled slightly at the conversation about EQD and shrugged about it as he didn't quite remember what the article was about. "I suppose that make sense, and I suppose somepony have to do it. I'm glad its not me, but at the same time now I am getting a bit curious about it" he said as he too glanced into the distance and towards the forest. "Well, like i said, I've been living here a few years, and I'm somewhat of a drifter when it comes to work I guess... I help out where anypony seem to need it and like when I make other ponies happy. " he said and thought about the forest some more. "You could say its a topic you usually encounter quickly if you ask about it, I had heard of the forest myself before I came here and asked the town's ponies about it... its a quite interesting subject, but most ponies probably give you a good few reason why you should keep away rather than encouraging you to find out... " he explained and then nodded "Is it okay for me to tag along?... a chance to see it first hoof would be cool, and I suppose i promise to not get in your way or anything" he said chuckling.

[Assistant]
Silverwind grinned as Vince explained about the forest and the blue-maned pegasus shrugged. "Well, I do tend to end up with trouble finding me. I must be a magnet for it. Luckily though, I can handle myself okay-" he mimed punching the air with a couple of jabs from his forelegs "-and I also tend to be pretty good at running away," he added with a wink and a nervous chuckle.
His grin only spread wider as the green pegasus asked about tagging along. His wings flicked open as he laughed and nodded. "Of course you can - I could see you were waiting to ask!" he added with another laugh, before patting his new friend on the shoulder. "Let's finish our breakfast, and then get ready. You might want to take a few things if we're going to be doing some exploring," he patted his saddlebags for emphasis. "I always have a little kit with me, just in case".
He gave an eager smile, before returning to his meal, eating and drinking hungrily to finish, the spirit of adventure and excitement now in him.

[User]
With a bounce in his step angelic smiles at bane. "Well first" he said with a small chuckle " I figgured I could show you the school area." Angelic began to walk ahead of him shwing him around all the stuff in the classroom and explaining the library and part of the town history. As soon as they were done there. He pranced off and began showing him around town. Angelic was excited to be introducing someone to the area, even if they weren't feeling the same enthusiasm.

As soon as they were done he turned back to bane with a small smile. "So that's our little town" he said with a giggle. "What do you think?" as he sat there he stated intently into the other ponies eyes as though he were searching his mind for a response. This went on for a while even after the young colt would have amswered

[Assistant]
Wincent Gainbits.
Blade
He laughed as Silverwind told him that he had a habit of getting into trouble, it was quite funny to hear that rather classic line. "Well, I should make sure to pack a bag full then" he said chuckling as he motioned with his head towards his house as they finished, "Won't take more than a few min" he said as he flew over to his house to pack, it just happend that he had some adventuring supplies, luck or no... a Guy had to have some hobbies and Wince just happened to have some incase he went camping or something. Once ready he came back out "Alright... lets go then, lead the way" he said and chukled again as he prepared to follow the other pegasus.

---

Bane

The robed colt mostly looked bored as they wandered around the school area, hearing this and that about it. But he nodded none the less and didn't mind too much, at least he would know if he decided to visit again. When the other pony wanted to show him town however he somewhat tagged along for a bit but then stopped to say "Been there... done that... I rather... not see the pink one..." he muttered as he shuddered as he recalled their welcome, it was not something he wanted to relive. "Its...okay..." he replied to the question about it and then looked towards the Everfree forest.

He seemed to avert his gaze rather quickly when he locked eyes with the other colt, seemingly a bit shy. "I'have somewhere to go" he said simply as he turned tail and headed towards everfree not caring if he missed the rest of the school day.

[User]
As Vince headed to get himself ready, Silverwind finished his breakfast, leaving a modest tip for the waitress before he shrugged on his saddlebags. The grey-coated pegasus flapped his wings a few times to make sure they were settled, before trotting over to the town square to take over a few more sights while he waited. He had to admit, the little town of Ponyville was pleasant enough. The collection of whimsical buildings gave the place an air of fun; what with the building shaped like a carousel, another like a Jester's hat, another still like it was made of cake or pastry. He grinned at the sight. Hopefully once his mapping was finished, he could head back and have a look around some more. There was a lot here to be curious about, he reflected. Idly, he glanced at the statue of Celestia that stood nearby, admiring the craftmanship, before Wince returned.

"Okay then," he said with a grin, rearing and kicking the air with his forelegs. He took off with a few strong flaps of his red-trimmed wings. "I'll try not to go too fast," he added with a wink. "Though I'm certainly no Rainbow Dash," he added with a chuckle. "Come on, let's go!"
He climbed higher over the roofs and towards the clouds, banking gently and riding a thermal higher into the morning sky as he headed for the nearby band of dark trees and vegetation that marked the border of the Everfree Forest, the land beneath only glimpsed through its' interwoven trees and branches, the thick canopy blocking out much of the view from above. A few strong gusts, random and untamed, whispered their way, and the blue-maned cartographer rode them out looking back to Vince and giving him a nod to ensure he was all right, before pressing on, consulting the compass strapped to his foreleg and pointing ahead and letting Vince come alongside. "A little bit further on, I think - should be where we need to be, and where we need to start our exploring!"