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Open Land of Twilight II

Edna took the man's hand after a moment's hesitation, pulling herself upwards by using it to keep her steady. She made a little grunting sound as she pulled, and let go of his hand as soon as she was on her feet. She dusted herself off, offered a curt thank you, and started down the path.

This is not going to end well, I can feel it...
 
After the girl took his hand and helped herself up, he slips his hands into his sleeves and makes his way to the path. He glances at the dragon and chuckles softly at her question.

"There are darker things at work here. The Witch has grown strong, and is only getting stronger every day. She has a dark force on her side that...if left unchecked, she can fall the very gods of this world and claim the entire land we hold dear."

He then steps onto the path and makes his way to the front, chuckling under his breath when he heard another voice appear.

"You're not too late, my friend. But please do follow. We have to reach our next destination before nightfall....there's a full moon tonight."

The closer to the dark moon...the more her powers grow...once the moon is swallowed in shadows, we are all doomed.
 
Iortheayr followed along the path. He didn't know where they were going, but he couldn't wait to get there.
 
((Sorry for the Hiatus, people. It's been a bust time for me.))

Deeper into the woods, a figure slips through the shadows and brush, closing the distance between itself and it's prey. The figure crouches lower to the ground and peers through the leaves at the prey out in a clearing.

Picking flowers happily was a small child wearing a faded brown cloak, a basket on her arm filled with sweet smelling flowers. The little girls starts to sing a little song as she ventured further from the marked pathway, the white stones turning a dark grey as it's magic ceased in that one section of the woods.

The Figure licks it's furry lips and crosses the path to the other side, long brushy tainted gold tail bobbing behind them as they slipped into another shadow of a tree to watch the little girl further. It's ears twitch as the sounds of the girl's song reached him louder.

"If Only, if only, the Woodpecker sighed, the bark on the tree was as soft as the sky. The wolf waits below, hungry and lonely, And cries to the moon, if only, if only."

The figure smirks and slips out of the shadows. The girl turns her head when she saw a dark shadow fall on her and screams as he faces the face of one of the Witch's wolves. She gets to her feet and tries to scramble away, only to be tackled to the ground and pinned. The little girl whimpers a plea of mercy from the wolf on her back, tears slipping down her cheeks. The wolf leans his head down and licks a tear away from her face, his voice soft and cold in her ear.

"Little girl. You've left the path and are now in my Mistresses domain. You now belong to the wild and at the punishment of me and my younger twin."

"P-please...I promise I won't do it again..!"

The wolf chuckles under his breath, his claws digging into her body.

"Oh...I know"

The wolf's jaws snap onto her neck and quickly ends the little girl's life. He tears the flesh off of the girl's body and devours her hole, her blood dripping off of his muzzle onto the flowers in her basket. Once his meal was done, he lifts the remaining cloak and basket into his paw and makes his way through the forest. He looks over his shoulder at the peaceful clearing behind him. Not even bones were left of the girl. All that could suggest she ever existed is the smell of blood and the flowers painted red. He smirks and makes his way to the edge of the forest, draping the cloak and basket on the low branches for the villagers to find. He then slips back into the shadows, humming a little tune. Before disappearing into the shadows, the last words uttered floated lightly in the air.

"If only, if only."

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

After travelling for half a day, The Man finally ends the trip in a clearing within the forest encircled by a ring of white stones. He finds himself a fairly large rock to sit on and rests his staff across his lap. He glance up at the sky and watches the colours of fire slowly slip into a dark blue speckled with tiny lights.

"...The night will be here. We should be safe for now...more so during this night."

He slips his hood off of his head, drawing his long red hair braid over his shoulder. He looks at the group he has gathered, smiling at them.

"...It seems I should introduce myself. I am the Wizard Kitsune. I doubt most of you would have heard of me, I tend to keep to myself on my travels. If you have any questions, now will be the time to ask before we get further into dangerous territory."
 
"You're a wizard? Then why do you need us to help you stop the witch? Can't you just have a big magical battle with lots of smoke and sparks and turning each other into frogs?" Edna asked, plopping into a patch of soft grass in the clearing. She removed one of her sandals and started to rub her foot. "Ow ow ow ow."

She sighed, plopping her basket on the ground next to her and moving on to her other foot, wiggling her toes as she rubbed.

"Besides. How can she hurt us here? We're probably not anywhere near her." The small girl sighed, falling to her back with a sigh. "I'm bushed. Are we sleeping here?"
 
"Said battle may cause the very balance of the world to collapse. No, I big battle between me and her would end badly for our world and the next. I need the help of others to find where she is staying and to help me weaken her defences why taking care of her minions."

He then leans back on the stump and studies the girl before him.

"True that she may not be near here, but this is a safe place. The stones are protective wards that keep her minions away unless you cross them to the other side. As for resting here...yes. This is where you will all sleep."

He then closes his eyes, letting out a soft sigh.

"And we only have half a month to stop the witch before we are all doomed. Once the Moon phase hits the new Moon, she will be at her strongest and will have the power she will need to forever change our world and enter the next...the world called 'Awaken'. We can't allow her to enter that world and change the course of both realms. This is why you are needed. Alone, I will not be able to find her in time, but together, with all your talents, we may win in the end..."
 
Miyu ignored their conversation, carefully cleaning her fur once again.
He's just saying that so that he doesn't have to admit to being weaker.
After a bit, she padded away and stretched before lying down. She was tired, and not really used to walking far like that.
 
Bépya's leafy head snapped up as a horrible feeling, akin to suddenly stopping after a long fall, gripped him in the pit of where his stomach would be, if he had one.

Someone had been killed in cold blood. Someone in the forest. This was an evil thing, a horrible, unnatural thing, for death was a part of the forest, but not murder. Bépya had to get to the humans on the trail. This might affect them...

The birch-spirit quickened his pace, his rootlike feet blurring slightly as he melted into the trees.

After a few minutes' time, Bépya found the path. The group the squirrel had told him of was a few yards away, apparently halted for the moment. Bépya located the red-cloaked girl the rodent had mentioned, and the tall, also-cloaked man. He exuded a powerful lifeforce. The dryad would have to be wary of him.

Quietly, the dryad morphed into a silver birch tree, and continued to watch the group.

((I was afraid this had died. {:))
 
"A bed would be nice, but what can you do..." Edna sighed, wiggling her toes and looking up at the sky. It was a nice night...warm and not raining or anything. She could live with this, she supposed. She yawned, shutting her eyes.

---

The white rocks have turned grey... Their magic... is gone?

A small black-furred creature hopped over the rocks, it's large ears raised high, looking for sounds. There was a smell around, human-y and other things, not humans. The creature wiggled it's nose, placing a paw carefully on the path as if it was expecting a shock. When none came, it stared to follow the sent, paws barely making a sound.

Behind it, a trail of blood drops fell from the severed stump of what must have once been a tail.

The creature quickly came to the clearing the group of people and not-people was in. It carefully sniffed at the grass of the clearing, wide yellow eyes examining them. It pushed a small rock, making it roll into the clearing, to gauge a response.
 
((^Tailypo! :o))
"So.. we're to just go to sleep?" Emra grumbled, not sure if that was the best idea. "Even if this place is protected, I don't see myself falling asleep easily. Ha." Looking into the trees, Emra glared at a small maple sapling. "I'll stay awake for a while, in any case." Looking around the group of people and others, Emra sighed. It had been a while to walk, and not being able to run ahead of the others..

"Where does this path lead, anyways? Does it take us exactly where we want to go?" She snapped, not really sure why she was still talking. No one cared, anyways.
 
"...It's not my den, and it's not in bed with a human man, but it will do."

The transformation finally wore off, and the blond human sank to the ground as a kitsune again. Chimani motioned for her sister before lying in the grass with a yawn. "I don't like being around others like this, bu-" she stopped as she heard a rock roll forward behind her a ways. She turned to look at it, blinking when she saw the odd creature. "What the..." she tilted her head at it. Part of her was telling her not to go near it, but the rest told her that she ought to go examine it.

Naturally, she listened to her more cautious side and turned away disinterestedly.
 
Kit uses his staff as a leaning post, looking out at the forms of the others he has gathered to this important mission. His hand rests on the head of the staff, a pale green orb reflecting the light of the moon.

"If you wish to stay awake, then do so. It is your rest time...but don't complain when you are tired later. As for the clearing we are in. Yes, this is safer than anywhere else in this forest. The stones around us are powered by the moon's light, thus it will ward off the creatures that follow the Witch."

He then lowers his head, a shadow falling over his eyes.

"Unless a fool has stepped off the path and rendered a part temporally powerless...that is the only way her minions can cross the path to grab those that trespass. The stones would turn grey and will remain like so until the light of the moon shines on them. When all stones are white, no evil can tread on the path."

Kit then looks at where the sound of a rock hitting the ground came from, his eyes focusing on the dark figure on the path. He slowly gets to his feet as he stares at it's bright yellow eyes.

"...Step back everyone..."
 
"...Is something wrong?" Edna asked, sitting up and glancing in the direction the wizard had looked.

The small creature wandered into the clearing, it's paws making soft sounds on the ground. Blood continued to drip from the tail-stump, and it's ears swiveled to lay flat against it's skull. It whimpered.

"Oh! a little fox... It's hurt..." Edna said, getting to her (bare) feet and walking over to the creature. She scooped it into her arms "Someone cut it's tail off...poor thing."

The creature churred.
 
Ayame's ears perked up at the sound of the rolling rock.

"What was that?" Ayame muttered, looking around.

Her eyes focused on the rock. She stepped back far away from it but still in the safe zone.
 
Kit glances at the bleeding fox in little Red's arms, slowly sitting back down onto the stump. He studies the creature in her arms, feeling uneasy at the sight of it.

There was something about this fox that sent up red flags in his mind. But couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"...Edna. We should stop the bleeding so the creature doesn't die."

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

"My my...seems everything is falling into place..."

A long figure slips out of a dark home, crossing the wet grass to a single apple tree. The figure brushes back a lock of long black hair out of her face, her red tinted purple eyes shining in the dark night. He lifts her pale hand, thin fingers tipped with long purple nails, and plucks a red apple off the tree lovingly.

"You should eat more, my pet...don't want you to fall weak when I need to enter the villages that surround my growing kingdom."

She kneels down in front of a man tied to the trunk of the tree, bare in the moon's light and showing a great deal of pain from his recent transformation. The man looks up at her with dark coal eyes, a flash of rage in his eyes.

"This...will never be your kingdom, Witch..."

The Witch laughs softly under her breath, bitting a piece of the apple. She leans down and presses her lips to the man's mouth, forcing the apple piece into his. The man closes his eyes and chew the fruit, too weak to resist her silent command to eat. The Witch smiles and tilts his chin up with her finger, looking down into his dark and cold eyes.

"Oh...it will be my Kingdom soon, my little Prince. Once the time is right, I will not only rule this land but the one of the 'Awaken' as well. If you are a good boy, I may release you from my spell and let you help me rule my new kingdom as my servant."

The man glares at her, hating the very touch of her on his skin. But at the same time, he could not escape her control or her eyes. All he could do is follow her commands and bring her to the villages when she commanded.

Thus was the live of a cursed man under her spell.
 
Emra narrowed her eyes at the odd fox in Edna's arms. "Huh. I wouldn't go around picking up wild animals, if I could," she warned. "You never know what they might really be.. though helping this one may be a good idea." She sat on her side, flicking a rock that had gotten stuck between her feathers away with her tail.

Emra looked a bit closer at the so-called fox. As she said, it could've been anything, with the powers of transformation everyone but her seemed to have. "Keeping him alive is a good idea," she finished, and looked away.
 
Kit lifts his staff and holds it over the Fox, the pale green orb glowing as it passes over the creature's tail. Little wisps of green light pour out of the orb and encases the bleeding stump, turning into a green bandage to stop the bleeding of the creature.

"That should hold for now..."

He then turns and glances at the lone tree that stuck out to him, his staff pulsing as he passes the staff in it's direction. He smirks at the tree and folds his arms over his chest.

"May I ask why you are trying to hide as a tree?"

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

The wolf slips through a thick of trees, entering another clear that held a house and his mistress. He calmly crosses the grass, a slight smirk on his bloodied face as he nears his mistress and her beast of labour. The wolf then lets out a low growl as he notes the form her pet has taken.

"So he's human again...Did he try to attack you again, my Mistress."

The Witch turns and looks at her loyal pet, a soft smile on her face as he greets her furry follower.

"No, my Dear. He can't while he's tied...now. Go clean up and see to your brother. I have much more to chat about with the Prince here."

The Wolf bows his head and and moves past the Man, a wicked smirk on his face as he passes. He slips to a lone pond and washes the blood off of his fur, watching the blood swirl in the water and disappear like magic. The Moon's image reflected off the surface of the pond, round and white.

This is the beginning of his Mistresses rule over this place.

He gets back to his feet and slips into the house, nosing around until the scent of his twin reached his nose. With a calm smile, he crosses the room to the sleeping form of a pale blond wolf curled up in the corner. The wolf kneels down to the other and leans down, whispering into his brother's ear.

"Hello my Dear Brother."

Meanwhile, outside of the house, the Witch settles herself down in front of the man, offering him the apple. Her long black hair curls over her shoulder, a sweet smile on her wicked face. She looked nothing more than a young girl that is just old enough to turn heads of men in villages and kingdoms with a simple laugh.

"Are you going to eat, little Prince?"
 
The branches of the birch tree seemed to flinch, as if a strong wind suddenly snapped through them. Bépya immediately changed back into his more humanoid appearance, gaping at the cloaked man.

How could he tell...?

"I can explain," stammered Bépya in a soft, almost whispery voice. "I was keeping watch over your group. I felt someone in the forest... pass on, you might say. Someone innocent. I squirrel alerted me to your presence, so I thought I might watch all of you until you left the forest..."

Bépya was blushing, his wooden cheeks going a dark green.

"If you would prefer it if I left, I would have no objection... I simply wished to assure your safe passage."
 
Kit chuckles at the stammering young sapling, crossing over to him as the boy hasted his speech and excuses on why he was hiding as a tree. He gentle places his hand on the tree-folk's shoulder and gives it a light squeeze to show the boy that he was not mad.

"I understand your reasoning. I thank you for taking it on yourself to watch over this little group...but I believe it will fair better if you join us. With your knowledge of the forest, we may be able to find our objective before the new moon."
 
Bépya tensed a bit when the man touched his arm, but quickly relaxed and nodded.

"I would be happy to help you, sir," answered the birch-spirit with a nod. "But what, if I may ask, is your 'objective'? I heard of your group from a squirrel, who aren't the most... focused animals in the forest."
 
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