‘You’re a long way from home, little vulpari.’<br/><br/>The voice seemed to come from nowhere, yet everywhere at once. It made Donchen freeze in his tracks. As if to punctuate the sudden announcement of the melodious voice an apricot sailed out of the darkness and hit the small humanoid square on the muzzle. The soft, furred fruit rolled along the cobbles until it came to a halt in the deep groove between three of the obsidian blocks, directly beneath Donchen’s gaze.<br/><br/>‘Why are you here? What cause do you have to come to this place little man?’<br/><br/>The voice was soft and feminine, tinted with curiosity. There was no malice to the feminine tone, merely a strange curiosity.<br/><br/>‘No, don’t move. I have plenty more ammunition.’<br/><br/>Proving the voice’s point another apricot sailed out of the dark, hitting Donchen in precisely the same place as the first. It landed beside its brother, settling upon the ground and becoming still. The voice changed slightly, becoming more light-hearted and lilted with wry amusement.<br/><br/>‘Oh, don’t you worry. Your friends are all safe, there is no need to worry about them. There are answers here, in this gloom-filled town. Each must find their own, seek their own truth. I am curious though, my furry friend, what answer is it that you seek? What drives you to be here, why are you even associating with these fools when you know that they cannot overcome the Kaiser’s power? I can tell you’re cleverer than that, even from a glance.’<br/><br/><br/>************************<br/><br/>Katrin dipped her head, her soft locks falling about her gentle, heart-shaped face. A single, diamond-like tear rolled down her cheek, glistening in the half-light of the deserted street. She remained frozen in that position for what seemed like an eternity, the single glinting tear dominating Tyora’s attention.<br/><br/>Then it fell, seemingly in achingly slow-motion before it hit the cobbles and shattered into a thousand wet pieces. Only then did the strange and beautiful woman look up.<br/><br/>‘We cannot, lady Tyora. You should not…’<br/><br/>Katrina’s hand darted out and grasped the elf’s. A sudden flare of undeniably real warmth infused Tyora’s hand as Katrin’s soft skin clasped at hers. She pressed her twitching fingers to her lips and kissed them, tenderly, soothingly. There was an element of abject fear to the woman’s actions, as if she had become truly afraid of her own surroundings.<br/><br/>‘You must come with us now. We know of a place that is safe, warded against the dark. The monsters. I have…food, water. Come, Miss Flopsy will take us.’<br/><br/>Katrin tore herself away from the elf and hopped effortlessly into the enormous rabbit’s arms, instantly becoming the small child once again. Hardly missing a beat, the construct turned toward Tyora and extended one huge, soft paw, inviting her to climb aboard.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>