FSE

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The pair of riders were ignored as they approached the encampment. Horse and kerstaug both snorted nervously and tugged against their reins as they got closer. “She's here!” Ryllae whispered excitedly. “I'll be so glad to end this miserable journey.”

“Don't celebrate too soon.” Kai said softly, slowing his mount to a walk as they approached the open gates. The wooden beam meant to bar the wood closed had been smashed in half and one of the doors had been broken off its hinges. “Something tells me our chase is not yet over.”

They entered through the open gates unprotested, finding the fort strangely vacant. “Hello?” Kai called out. “Is anyone still alive?”

“Kai! Look!” Ryllae said, pointing ahead.

A few more steps brought a pair of corpses into view. Kai jumped down from his saddle and rushed to the prone forms, kneeling down beside one to check for a pulse. The bull's skin was cold to the touch. His body was stiff, arms and legs crossed in a traditional pose. Beside him, the doe was similarly posed and just as cold beneath Kai's fingers. Her open eyes had a milky glaze covering them.

“Both dead.” The human announced, rising back to his feet.

“The MidKnight?” Ryllae asked, leading both animals over.

Kai turned to face his companion. “Our girl may have killed them, but she didn't pose them like this. Someone is here... somewhere.”

“Hey! Get away from them, fleshie!” An unfamiliar voice rang out. Before either of them could respond, a group of young tarous seemed to appear out of nowhere to surround them, all of them bearing training weapons. “Just what do you think you're doing?”

The already nervous stallion reared and kicked the the air before he turned to flee, nearly colliding with the equally skittish kerstaug. Frightened further by the skittish horse, the kerstaug let out a bellow and followed the horse to perceived safety.

Kai slowly raised his hands as he watched their mounts flee, then turned his attention back to the young warriors. Ryllae stayed where she had fallen on the ground, scowling and rubbing her lower back but making no aggressive movements.

“We come with peaceful intentions.” Kai said slowly. “We intend no harm.”

The pointed end of a spear was shoved closer to Kai's throat. “That's what the MidKnight said when she got here too.” The owner of the spear argued. “Do you and your tree-hopper require a healer as well, fleshie?”

Kai gently tried to push the spear further away from himself, but the blade was only snapped back into place and pressed harder against his throat. “Actually I, and my wood elf companion here, have come to collect someone. The tarin MidKnight to be exac-” The final word ended in a choked squeak as the blade pressed harder still into his neck.

“Stop that at once!” Ryllae shouted from her place on the ground. Several pointed blades held in her direction kept her in place.

“How do you know about the MidKnight?” The young bull demanded. “We only sent out that messenger a few hours ago. And you are obviously not who we sent the message for.”

“And a very tired messenger she was when we, shall we say, crossed paths.” Kai said, pushing the spear away again. “Truth be told, we have been following this particular fugitive for quite some time and were quite happy to hear that she'd been contained here. We, um, would be very pleased to take her into custody and off of your hands for you.”

The tarous narrowed their eyes suspiciously at the pair. “Are you with the druid?”

Kai considered lying and saying yes, but Ryllae spoke before him. “Druid? No. What druid?”

Reluctantly, the young warriors in training lowered their weapons and took a step back in unison. Silent conversations were played out in their eyes as they exchanged looks with each other. As if a command had been given, all but the young bull who had spoken before turned and walked away to tend to their dead.

The bull continued to watch Ryllae and Kai with distrustful eyes, but he set the butt of his spear against the ground. He said nothing until the wood elf had finally climbed to her feet and dusted herself off. “When the MidKnight came to our door, she had a dwarf and an ill druid in tow. We were told they wanted a healer for the druid.” The bull looked over his shoulder. The human and wood elf followed his gaze, spotting a mess of shattered wood and rubble. “We captured the vile creature immediately. She gave us no resistance. The druid and her servant were allowed to rest, recover from whatever illness plagued her. They were allowed free roam of our fort.” He fell silent as if lost in thought.

“What happened to the druid?” Ryllae finally asked after several seconds of silence. “Is she one of those dead?”

The bull's head snapped back around to glare angrily at the wood elf. “No. They were two of our own. The druid was a diversion that allowed the MidKnight to escape. The three of them ran off together and disappeared into the night. I don't want to say they were working together, but I would not be hard to convince of it.”

“Well, we're not with the druid, but we are after the MidKnight.” Kai spoke up. “If you could perhaps direct us in the direction she went and-”

“And replace our lost mounts.” Ryllae cut in. “Or send someone to go fetch them.”

“And that.” Kai added. “I suppose some fresh mounts would certainly help us be on our way faster.”

The bull's ears flattened as he looked back and forth between them. “We don't have any kordox here.” He finally said. “And I doubt anyone would give you one if we did.”

“Could you at least send someone to fetch ours, then? I'm sure you have a speedy runner in there somewhere.” Ryllae replied. “I doubt they've gone far.”

The bull tossed his head testily. “After recent events, we can't spare anyone. I suggest you...” He paused and the hint of a smile graced his broad muzzle. “Hoof it.”

“No.” Kai protested coldly. “Listen here you talking cow, just because you and your little playmates were foolish enough to lose one of the most dangerous servants the Undead King has ever summoned, does not mean that you can simply shoo us away and push your little mistake into the shadows and hope no one remembers it.” The bull's eyes narrowed dangerously, his grip on his spear tightening. He took a step closer to the human but Kai ignored the challenge. “My patience with your kind and your stubbornness is wearing thin. Now I expect some cooperation out of you ugly bovines and I expect it now. Or else you can explain exactly how you allowed the MidKnight to walk right out of your possession before you're thrown to the ghouls. I'm sure they would love some fresh beef.”

The bull's nostrils flared. His skin rippled with the tightening of his muscles, each one seeming to coil in readiness of lashing out. Tarin and human locked gazes while Ryllae simply stood by, watching with a passive curiosity.

When the bull finally spoke again, his teeth were clenched together, giving a slight slur to his words. “I'll see what can be done.” His words were sharply clipped despite the slur. “But it will have to wait until after death rites have been granted. You may be tired of us 'talking cows', but we still have respect for our dead.” He then snorted into Kai's face before sharply turning away and returning to his group.

“That was interesting.” Ryllae said, stepping closer to the human so she could speak with a lowered voice. “You know he could have pounded you into the ground with a single finger, don't you?”

Kai let out his breath in a hard whoosh, his body relaxing as if being deflated. “I'm surprised he didn't, to be honest.” He gave the wood elf a small, nervous grin. “I wasn't very nice there, was I.”

“Well, that was a nice bluff then.” Ryllae gave him an approving nod. “I just hope this delay doesn't cost us too much.”

The grin fell from Kai's face and his gaze shifted to his feet. “I agree. Or it will be us that are fed to the ghouls.”

Nadirah panted heavily as she ducked into the treeline. The night was fading, and with it went most of her borrowed power. She had covered a lot of ground during the night, but the druid Matna and her dwarf husband were not far enough behind for comfort. They were persistent hunters and had given her little chance to rest.

She had little doubt that she could kill the both of them if she was forced to. It was neither cowardice nor mercy that kept her from doing so. The pair were little more than a nuisance. It was what came behind them that had the doe truly running scared.

Malthamus wanted her back, his little lost pet. She could feel the pull of his will as he tried to call her home. Deep in her body, she could feel the presence of the searchers, sent to find her and bring her back into the fold. The worst thing the bumbling fools on her tail could do was lead the true hunters to her trail.

She had only managed to burrow her way a few feet into the dense foliage when she froze. Above her, she heard the hoot of a passing owl. The MidKnight looked up at the canopy, wondering if it was dense enough to hide her. She squatted down and tucked herself away in the shadows, waiting until she thought the threat of being spotted had passed. “Accursed shape shifting druids.”

Another glance upward brought no new views of her pursuer, but the MidKnight couldn't rest. The dwarf was bound to be following her tracks even as his wife searched from the air. Abandoning her hiding place, she began to dash through the trees as quickly as she dared and her tired body could carry her.

When she finally dared to stop to rest again, she leaned against the nearest tree, bending double as she panted for breath. She had just begun to recover when she heard a growl from a few feet away. The doe's features drew grim and her body became tense. Slowly, she lifted her head and stared in the direction of the rumbling growl.

“Persistent pain in my... Fine. Come on out then, druid.” Nadirah said. “I'm getting tired of you and your tricks. Come out so we can end this now.”

A soft rustling of leaves came from a different direction. The MidKnight crouched lower, preparing for an ambush and swiveling her head side to side. She narrowed her eyes to peer into the dark underbrush, but her eyes could not penetrate the shadows. All she could do was wait for the sound to repeat itself.

A few seconds later, the rustle of a single footstep reached her ears. Slow, deliberate, she was meant to know that she was being circled as the crunch of debris came from behind her. The MidKnight's body tensed in readiness, her head swinging around to follow the movements of her stalker as she kept the tree safety at her back. She felt like she was being toyed with. Despite her exhaustion, the heat of her anger began to lend her a new strength. “Is that you, dwarf?” he called out into the surrounding woods. “You and your complicated wife trying to toy with me, are you?”

An unnatural silence suddenly fell over the copse. Sensing an oncoming attack, the MidKnight's hands curled into tight fists. Another rustle from behind the tree reached her ears. She felt as if the noise was meant to draw her away from the tree, make her an easier target, and she pressed her back tighter against the trunk. “I'm getting tired of this game.” She called out to her unseen tormentor. “Are you two going to face me or keep playing in branches?”

Her challenge was answered by a strange cackle that came from neither tarin nor dwarf. The rustling of heavy steps followed soon after, the sound less deliberate and more careless. The steps were no longer meant to draw out but intimidate. Around and around, the doe's head spun as she tried to keep track of the unseen creature racing circles around her yet still somehow just out of sight.

Faster and fast the hunter ran until suddenly they stopped. The expectant hush fell once more. Hunter and hunted both waited for the other to make their move. Nadirah inhaled deeply before letting out a snort of disdain. Straightening from her crouch, she raised her head in defiance and dared her unseen enemy to approach. Her aura began to darken, distorting everything around her. Her eyes glowed brightly in the cast shadows. Patience wearing thin, she took a single step away from the tree.

As if accepting her challenge, the hunter padded softly forward. The game was over. As it came closer out of the shade it began to take shape, the creature itself appearing to form from the very shadows. The creature stopped a few feet away, red eyes staring fearlessly up at its prey. The lips covering its boxy snout pulled back in a gruesome smile to expose the cruel teeth of a predator. Powerful muscles bunched in its high shoulders as it lowered its head in preparation of a strike.

“So, you've taken on the appearance of a hyolf now, have you?” Nadirah sneered back. “Wait, no. You're not the druid. You look too intelligent.”

The hyolf's lips lowered slightly, as if surprised by the MidKnight's proclamation, and emitted a strange chuckle like the one she had heard before. It took another hesitant step forward, bringing it into a patch of sunlight, seemingly confused by her lack of fear.

At first, Nadirah thought that the beast was actually a specter, it's coat pale and milky with faint speckles barely darker than its body, with red eyes that glowed like her own in the sun. The thought was quickly dismissed for the beast was far too solid to not exist.

Silent seconds passed as the two sized each other up. Never taking her eyes from the beast, Nadirah's ears twitched in search of others not yet revealed. On its own, the hyolf was dangerous, but they had a tendency to hunt in packs. The MidKnight was tired, injured, and her power was on its lowest ebb. Fighting off a pack of apex predators could become a great inconvenience.

Sensing no trace of a pack, the MidKnight thrust herself up as tall as her legs could stretch, her arms raising over her head to make herself look as intimidating as she could. It would take much less strength to frighten the beast away than to fight it.

The hyolf took a step back at her antics, greyish-pink nose wiggling as it scented the air. Its lips raised back up into a threatening snarl and its eyes widened as it watched her every movement. A low growl emitted from its throat.

Despite nearly matching the MidKnight in physical size, the pale hyolf was smaller than it should have been at full growth. Alone, the creature was no more threat than the druid. Just a nuisance. She shook her arms and stomped one hoof forward in another attempt to scare it away. “Go'way!” She snapped. “Git before I turn you into a cloak.”

The hyolf jerked back, ears twitching nervously. Its head lowered and another growl rumbled from its throat, but the sound was weaker than before. The beast shifted constantly, betraying its insecurity. It wanted to leave, the doe no longer suitable prey, but something was holding it there.

Nadirah wondered if there were pups nearby and the pale hyolf was trying to scare her away from them. The orks rarely allowed their beasts to go fully feral, they were far too dangerous to be allowed to develop an uncontrolled population.

Before she had the chance to think about her new revelation further, the sound of creaking branches above the doe's head caught her attention. The hyolf temporarily forgotten, Nadirah turned and managed to raise a protective arm just as she caught sight of the large silhouette leaping from the tree, aiming right for her. She finally understood that she wasn't being led away from cubs, she was being led into an ambush. Her last thought before impact was to wonder how the other hyolf got into the tree.

Matna let out a cry as she spotted her mate below. The dwarf was kneeling to inspect something on the ground and she began to circle above him. Having lost the trail herself, she hoped that her husband had found something she'd missed. The MidKnight was too dangerous to be allowed to run free. She had also turned out to be more resourceful than either of them had expected.

It had taken all of the druid's forms to keep on her trail, tracking by scent, sight, and even from the air, but eventually even her sharp owl eyes and ability to fly were not enough. The aberration had somehow managed to elude them and disappear.

A sweep of the area had offered nothing new, so the druid dipped down and landed carefully next to her husband. A moment later she ruffled her feathers and melted back into her true form. “I lost her. Any luck on your end?”

“Nah.” The dwarf grunted before spitting on the ground. He rose to his feet shaking his head. “She's a crafty one.”

Matna sighed and raised her head toward the sky, silently begging for divine assistance. “We've got to find her.” She said softly. “It's our fault she came across those young ones, and it's my fault she managed to escape again. We can't let her just run free to kill more innocents.” The dwarf gave a short grunt of affirmation but offered no suggestions. Matna speared him with a furious glare. “You think this is a waste of time, don't you. That we're out here on this wild goose chase because I can't just let anything go and let someone else handle it.” The dwarf ignored her, slowly scanning the landscape in front of them before pointing at something in the distance. “Well let me tell you somethi-”

Her words were cut off by a strange noise. Abandoning the one-sided argument, she snapped her head in the direction of the sound, which was also the direction that her mate was pointing in. A strange creature stood near a cluster of trees, watching them with rapt attention. The odd beast looked similar to a horse except that it's neck and legs looked stretched out. It was mostly white with black striping along it's legs and belly. A pair of horns graced it's slender head, one little more than a small lump above its nose while the other was a long spike coming from its forhead resembling that of a unicorn. It let out another bray as it continued to stare at them.

“What is that thing?” Matna asked. When she got no answer, she began to stalk forward, lowering her body closer to the ground and walking on all fours as she began shifting into the form of a black lioness. The lioness crouched her body even lower to the ground as she padded closer to the strange creature.

As a druid, Matna had studied many of Eidra's creatures; those native to the world and the ones brought over by the humans. Creatures alive and those who had gone extinct. She could name most creatures by sight, but she had never seen or heard of anything like the strange beast. Wondering if the animal was actually one of the MidKnight's amalgamations, she sniffed the air as she crept closer.

The creature snorted and pranced in place nervously, it's head swiveling as it sought the creeping druid while keeping an eye on the dwarf, and yet seemed reluctant to leave. Matna did not remember the golems showing any sort of intelligence or life.

Matna continued to creep closer, relying on her dark coat and tall grass to make her nearly invisible. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. Lifting her nose, she tested the air for the smell of death, but the odd beast smelled completely alive. The wind carried the sharp scent of it's musk, the sour tang of it's sweat, even the blood pumping through it's veins.

Losing interest in the creature, Matna rose from the grass just a few feet from the beast. The strange animal let out an odd bray and then bolted, making a wide circle before returning to the edge of the trees but further down, keeping a wary distance between itself and the druid.

A sudden sound from deep within the trees had them both looking in that direction, although the druid could see nothing through the brush. The animal tensed and looked as if it were on the verge of fleeing again, then it simply relaxed and lowered its head to graze, the druid forgotten.

Matna turned her attention back to the copse. Crouching low again, she slunk into the shadows, her black coat seeming to melt into the darkness.

As she crept deeper into the foliage, she was surprised to hear muffled voices drifting into her ears. A confusing tangle of scents began to reach her sensitive nose. Her soft paws made almost no sound as she slunk in the direction of the voices.

“A druid and a dwarf?” Came one of the voices. “Well now, you certainly do know how to make friends, don't you. Did you threaten to eat their mounts too?”

A druid and dwarf. That could only be referring to Matna and her husband. Somehow the MidKnight had found an ally in the middle of untamed lands. Silently, Matna crept closer still, her ears perking forward to catch more of the conversation.

“Are you still hung up on that fancy pony of yours?” Came a voice Matna recognized as belonging to the MidKnight. Creeping closer still, Matna slowly pushed a limb out of her way with a paw, peering in at the owners of the voices. “What did you expect me to do when all you offered me was a handful of dried weeds?”

Matna tried to make sense of what she was hearing. Mount? Fancy pony? Was that stripe-legged animal some sort of horse? Why would anyone want to eat a horse? Tarous didn't eat any living creatures anyway, even when faced with starvation.

“There's that charisma I remember.” The stranger replied. Matna peered harder through the underbrush. The MidKnight was just out of view, but there was another tarin in her sights. The other tarin was a doe, naked but for a hyolf cowl and a strap of hide for a belt that rested on the doe's hips, holding up a pair of hatchets. The long, sharp claws of some predator were held to the back of her hands by another cord of hide. What could be seen of her coat looked to be large red patches over a cream base. The doe turned her head to look directly at Matna. “Gigs.” She said calmly.

A sharp pain on the druid's flank tore her attention away from the doe. Letting out a roar of surprise and pain, she flexed out her claws to swipe at her attacker. The albino hyolf released its grip and jerked back just out of reach, but quickly moved forward again, jaws snapping shut just a hair's distance from her foreleg.

Her cover blown, the druid scrambled to get away, but the hyolf was too fast. As soon as she turned away it was on her again, grabbing at her flanks and hind legs and forcing her to turn around to make it let go again.

“Looks like one of your new friends found us.” Said the strange doe, moving to further block Matna's escape as she faced off with the hyolf. “I'd say it's your druid.” Matna turned to swipe at the odd doe, but she felt teeth grasp at her hind leg as soon as she turned away, jerking her up into the air. The druid tried to swipe at the hyolf's face but it simply shook its head, its sharp teeth gripping tighter to her leg.

Finally, she changed back to her normal form, still dangling upside down with her leg caught in the mouth of the hyolf. “Let go of me, you ugly brute!” She screamed, attempting to kick the large beast. “Tell your mutt to set me down this instant!”

The skewbald doe approached slowly, taking her time to inspect the struggling druid. “Good job, Giggles.” She said to the hyolf, her tone affectionate. “It looks like you brought home a big one. Now we just have to find her little partner in crime.”

“Crime?!” Matna exclaimed. Her body stiffened in her offense and her loose hoof managed to clobber the hyolf's nose. The beast let out a yelp and dropped its prey. Rather than flee, the angry druid rose to her feet, dusted herself off, and stomped over to the strange doe while ignoring the minor damage to her ankle. “I will have you know that my husband and I are not the criminals here! Do you have any idea what you were just talking to when I showed up?”

The stranger watched the entire scene with an expression of amusement on her half-hidden face. She waved her hand casually as the druid approached, sending the hyolf away, then turned her attention back to Matna. “I know exactly who and what.” She replied. “Do you?”

Matna was taken aback for a moment as she tried to reassess her situation. “You... you know her? And yet you...”

“Ah, there he is.” The doe said, turning her attention away from the druid as the hyolf appeared again, this time with a struggling dwarf dangling in its jaws. “The crunchy one.” As the doe smiled, the hyolf hood she wore made the expression malevolent. “I suppose we may as well come out into the open now. It would be a bad idea to start a fire here.”

“Fire? Fire for what?” Matna asked with alarm. Ignoring her, the other doe turned and began to make her way out of the trees, the hyolf and its prize following behind her. “Where are you going? What's going on here?” Matna continued throwing out her unanswered questions as she followed behind, beginning to limp. She fell silent as she saw the MidKnight standing not too far away, watching them warily.

“Guests to dinner.” The hooded doe called, gesturing to the druid. “Would be rude not to invite them.”

Nadirah's eyes narrowed further at Matna. “By dinner, I hope you mean for the hyolf.” She muttered irritably.

“But of course!” The other doe replied cheerfully. “And us too.”

Sensing a trap, Matna let out an anguished roar and shifted back into a large black lioness, bovine-like horns sprouting from the feline's skull. Before any of them could react, she darted forward and leapt at the MidKnight, claws extended. Just before she reached her quarry, she felt a sudden sting and her world went black.

Nadirah stepped aside as the unconscious lioness flopped to the ground where she had been standing a moment before. She jabbed the still form with her hoof a few times to be sure she was really unconscious. She lifted her head to look at the beastlord just in time to see her tucking a short pipe behind her back. “Felking druids.” Nadirah muttered. “Did you kill it?”

“Nah, she'll just be asleep for a bit.” The other doe replied mirthfully. “A bit cranky, that one. A nap may do her some good. Now! About that fire.”

Matna rose slowly from the murky depths of sleep, her head groggy. Muffled voices drifted to her ears, but she couldn't understand any of the words. It all slurred together with her sluggish thoughts like a thick mud in her brain.

She let out a yawn and tried to stretch. Her tongue felt sandpaper rough and dry. For some reason the druid didn't quite understand, it was dangling half out of her mouth. As the last dregs of unconsciousness began to fall away, she slowly opened her eyes and wondered why everything was upside down.

Matna gave a cry of dismay, completely awake. Looking around herself, she quickly realized that she had been tied up and left hanging by her feet while still in her lioness form.

Matna tried to struggle free, but her bindings were too tight. Tilting her head, she tried to look around herself. The first of the twin suns had set and the second was well on its way toward the horizon. A few feet away sat two tarous does, a dwarf, and a pale hyolf curled at the feet of one of the does. A small campfire burned in front of them.

Matna let out a furious roar and struggled again, but the tight cords only bit into her flesh the more she moved. Around the fire, all three figures turned to look at her. The skewbald doe rose and trotted over, the hyolf-skin hood still transforming her into a strange predator and making her every expression one of animosity. “So you're finally awake now are you?” She said as she approached, her tone antagonistic. “Good. Promise to mind your manners this time?”

Matna huffed indignantly and roared again, her tail whipping furiously.

“Yes yes, I'll let you down.” The doe promised. “But not until you promise to behave yourself. No more sneaking around or attacking people. It's quite rude, you know.”

The druid harrumphed and struggled briefly before giving up once again. She turned her head away from the doe and tried to point her nose in the air scornfully, but it only gave her a better view of the ground.

“Alright. Hang out for a while then.” The doe replied as she turned back to the fire.

Matna saw the dwarf try to rise up, but the MidKnight's hand on his shoulder pushed him right back down again. She watched the first doe walk back towards the fire, her shadow lengthening in the fading sunlight. The druid's body was stiff and sore. While there was no numbness in her paws, it still hurt where the cords bit into her skin. She glared hateful daggers at the retreating doe's back, but her ire was ignored. She stubbornly refused to call out again, determined to find her own way free.

Once the strange doe sat back down by the fire, Matna tried to pull her head up towards her paws, hoping to gnaw off the cord, but she couldn't quite reach it. Further struggle only managed to give her cramped muscles in her legs and shoulders as well as further chaffing. She tried to shift out of her lioness form, but she couldn't change while she was bound. She decided to try waiting them out, certain the group would not leave her there for too much longer, but the pain was starting to become intolerable.

Finally, Matna submitted to her predicament and let out another roar group's attention. Once again, all eyes turned to her, mute witness to her embarrassment, and once more the hyolf-hooded doe got up to approach.

“Ready to behave yourself now?” She asked the exhausted druid.

Matna let out a piteous sound to say that she had given up. She would behave herself for the rest of the time she was in the stranger's presence.

The hyolf-hooded doe nodded and reached for one of the hatchets on her belt. “You be good and we won't have any problems. Got it?” She spoke slowly, as if talking to a calf, but Matna's indignation at this insult was ignored. “Be ready now.” She warned.

Matna was not ready. With one swipe from the hatchet blade, the cord swiftly uncoiled and plopped the surprised lioness onto her back. The druid lay there for several seconds and blinked up at the sky before rolling onto her feet. Her ears folded back and she hissed in annoyance at the doe before stretching out her sore body.

The hooded doe smiled and tucked her hatchet back into her belt before turning back to the fire.

Matna took her time to compose herself, then shifted back to her normal form before joining the others at the fire. She settled across from the other three, her husband sandwiched between the other two does.

Nadirah held a stick with some small animal's carcass on the end of it, roasting it slowly over the open flames. The hooded doe was gently stroking the head of the pale hyolf, which rested peacefully beside her. The dwarf kept his head bowed nervously, fingers stroking at his long beard.

“Well. Now that we're all here and on our best behavior...” The strange doe looked pointedly at Matna as she spoke. “I'd say some introductions are in order. You both seem to be familiar with Nadi here, and she with you, so I feel a bit left out of this party. My name's Terresya. But I suppose you can call me Terr if you're in mind to be rude.” This time her gaze fell on Nadirah, who ignored it.

“Matna Sungale.” Matna introduced herself. “Druid of the Layis. And that is my... And he is Trynt Sulfurclan. We were on our way to fulfill a diplomatic mission when we encountered that MidKnight that you are now protecting. She has managed to esca-”

“Got it.” Terresya interrupted. “She said you were a chatty one. Well, Matna, this handsome fella here is Giggles.” At hearing his name, the hyolf lifted his head and let out a call that sounded similar to a youngling's laughter, yet sent shivers down the druid's spine. “And I'm sure you've seen my 'fancy pony', as Nadi likes to call her. She's a dreydey.” The beastlord tossed her head to indicate the space behind her. Matna turned her eyes in that direction, spotting the odd stripe-legged beast that she had previously mistaken as one of the MidKnight's creations. The dreydey calmly grazed several feet from the small fire. “If you ever try to harm either of them,” Terresya continued, bringing the druids attention back to herself. “I will use both of your hides for leather.” The doe's voice turned cold and hard as she spoke the last sentence, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously as they peeked out from the open sockets of her hood. For a moment, Matna was sure that she would transform into the very beast whose skin she wore and devour her. Without warning, the doe clapped her hands and smiled cheerfully, as if it had all been a joke. “So! Now that we're all friends here-”

“Speak for yourself.” Nadirah snapped as she pulled her roasting stick away from the fire. “I still say you should have fed her to the hyolf.”

“I think this would be a good chance to clear up some misunderstandings we've all been having.” Terresya finished, then pointed to the dwarf. “Like what his problem is. I keep catching him staring at me like my skin's inside out. Obviously he's seen a tarin before.”

“It's because you're naked.” Matna said tiredly. She glanced at the dwarf but her glare was reserved for the MidKnight beside him.

“So?” Terresya asked.

“In dwarven culture, it's shameful to show too much skin in public. That's only something you do at home when you intend to mate. You're supposed to remain clothed at all other times besides bathing.”

Terresya let out a hearty laugh, throwing back her head. The albino hyolf lifted his head and let out his laugh-like cackle along with her own. “As well they should be ashamed. Ugly little things, no one would care to see one of them undressed I imagine.” She turned and elbowed the nervous dwarf. “Is that why you married a doe, you shaggy little dirt dweller? Couldn't find yourself any decent females in one of your tunnels?” She continued to laugh as the dwarf's discomfort grew.

“It's a long story.” Matna sighed wearily. “More important is the MidKnight. She killed several unblooded and turned one into a ghoul. No doubt she's committed many more atrocities and will commit many more if not contained quickly. We must find a guardian and turn her over as soon as possible.”

Nadirah ignored the druid, poking at the small roasted creature on the end of the stick before plucking it off and stuffing the entire thing into her mouth. Only then did her eerily glowing eyes rise to the stare at the druid as she chewed. Matna shuddered in disgust.

Terresya laughed again, slapping the dwarf's back as if he shared in her mirth. He gave a soft protest, but his words were too garbled even for Matna to understand. “You're right about a few things there.” The beastlord said. “That crazy fool's been committing all manner of mischief since long before she was turned. I bet you even gave that nasty corpse-sniffer a good run for his magic, didn't you, Nadi?”

Nadirah glanced at the beastlord, still chewing her meal, then turned her eyes back to the fire. The fire itself crackled merrily as it devoured the sticks and random detritus that had been piled up. Occasionally it gave a soft pop with the explosion of hidden sap.

Terresya stared unabashed at the MidKnight. “She's a wild one. Chaos given form.” She finally said.

“Speaking of chaos,” Nadirah finally spoke, her words crumpled and fuzzy as they were forced out past the mouthful of food. “What the hell led you to jump on my head, you idiot?”

Terresya gave another laugh that was echoed by the odd cackle of the hyolf. “Had I known it was you I would have come down with my hatchets out, you mad loon!” She retorted, laughing harder. “Of all the places on Eidra for you to end up, you happen to find the one tree I was taking a nap in. Giggles tried to chase you off, but stubborn fool that you are, you wouldn't leave. Finally woke me up."

“Could have just left me well enough alone, you know.” Nadirah grumbled. “Had your pet not bothered me I would have left on my own soon enough.” The beastlord only shrugged in response. “How'd you get yourself a hyolf pup, anyway? I thought they didn't like anyone but the orks.”

“Funny story that.” Terresya replied. The hyolf lifted his head as if in understanding that he was being spoken about. His reddish eyes focused intently on the beastlord as she spoke. “He's an albino, and a runt. Apparently he was the only member of the litter not stillborn. But you know how those blood-thirsty brutes are. His mother abandoned him first and the orks were going to use him as training fodder. So I offered to take him. And when they refused, I took him anyway.” Terresya's hand rested on the great beast's head and stroked gently as she spoke. His tongue slipped out once in passing to affectionately lap at her arm.

“He's...quite an unusual...specimen.” Matna chimed in, watching the animal warily. She shuddered as his odd red eyes shifted to look at her intently.

“Yeah, he's an interesting boy.” Terresya replied and ruffled his neck fur. “I think you've figured out how he earned his name.” She let out a soft laugh, which was echoed by the hyolf's cackle. “I think he might be a hybrid of something. No telling what though. Must have been pretty damn tough to mate a hyolf without getting killed for it. For all I know, maybe even an ork could have sired him. Seems like something those ugly felkers would try to do.” She began to laugh again, once more echoed by the hyolf.

As the laughter fell away, a heavy silence befell the group. “I think I'm going to go lay down.” Nadirah finally spoke up. She rose heavily to her feet and walked away into the darkness.

Matna rose to follow, but as she passed the beastlord, Terresya's arm shot out and grabbed her wrist. Matna turned to face the other doe, ears pinned back angrily. “Let me go! I need to-”

“Sit right back down where you were.” Terresya finished for her. “Word to the wise, let that one go. She's too wild to tame and you're too green to try it.”

Matna snorted and tried to wrench her wrist free, but the beastlord's grip was like steel. “Well thank you for the warning, Terr, but I can't just-”

“Do the smart thing and listen to someone who knows better. I know.” Terresya interrupted again. “You think that because she hasn't killed you yet that she won't.”

“I'm much more concerned about the other innocents she will kill if she's allowed to run free.” Matna said. “Now, if you could just-”

“She was alive when I first met her.” The beastlord ignored her protest. “Vicious as a hungry hyolf pup and just as ill-mannered. Too stupid to survive but too stubborn to die off. She's grown since then. But even a hyolf will growl a warning before it bites you. She's growling now and you're not listening. That muzzle won't stay on too long and when it comes off, you won't see the bite coming.”

Matna shook her head in confusion. “Terresya, you're not making sense. Are you going feral out here?” The hyolf looked up and pinned her with his strange eyes that seemed to glow with the light of the campfire. As his master smiled, his large jaws opened in a mirror of her grin, baring his large, sharp teeth.

“How much do you know about hyolfs?” The beastlord asked, ignoring the druid's question. “They're considered the most dangerous predators in Eidra. If left uncontrolled they would devour every living creature on land. Including us. Nasty as the orks are, they keep their beasts well under control. And do you know how?” The hyolf let out a soft cackling bark. “By making the beast believe that their master is the stronger, more dangerous predator. They don't behave out of loyalty or love. They behave because in their world, the strongest is in charge.”

Matna sighed and tried again to pull her arm free. “Why are you telling me all of this? Are you trying to say I should be afraid of you because you have an ork pet?”

Terresya sighed and shook her head. “You're not listening. Now open up those big ears of yours. An ork can only keep their beast obedient if it thinks they have no other choice. Once that ork shows weakness, the hyolf will turn on them in a flash. They may be the best of friends before, grow up as pups together, but as soon as the ork is weaker than his beast, the beast turns. Kills its master.” As she spoke, the beastlord reached up and untied a small cord knot of her hood, allowing the skin flaps to fall away from her neck. Giving a tug, she pulled Matna closer, forcing her to bend over. Gently pulling off her hood, Terresya leaned back her head until a long furless scar was visible in the firelight. The jagged scar stretched across her throat from one side to the other.

It was an old scar, long healed, but still ugly. The wound that had caused it had been deep and brutal. Matna gasped as understanding dawned on her. “She... She did that to you? And you're still protecting her?”

Without answering, the hood was replaced, once more hiding the beastlord's face and the ugly scar. “You think you're wild too. Wild and dangerous like Nadi. Too stupid to live, too stubborn to lay down and die. I can see it in your eyes just like I saw it once in hers. You've tasted your fair share of hardship and you've gotten drunk off the pain. You chase wars in the search for a peace you know isn't there. But you're not the same.” Her voice lowered. “You've got the same temper, but she's true wild. Untamable. You're like a kordox calf, just need age and a harness to temper your spirit.”

Matna felt a strong urge to slap the beastlord for her insults, but instead gave another sharp twist of her arm, finally breaking free of the other's grasp. “Well, I thank you for your words of wisdom, wildling,” she snapped sarcastically, “But I think I can handle myself just fine, thank you”

Terresya shrugged and stroked the hyolf's head. Both of them continued to stare at her. “I'll be gone by morning and you'll forget what I said. But when the bite finally comes, you won't forget that. If you live long enough to feel it.”

Shaken, but doing her best to hide it, Matna whipped her tail furiously behind her as she walked away. She found the Midknight not far from the fire, curled up in a nest of leaves and sleeping deeply. Matna settled nearby, leaning her back against a large rock. The dwarf joined her soon after, flopping unceremoniously to the grass and snoring almost immediately.

The druid fixed her glare on the sleeping MidKnight and resolved not to move from that spot or allow herself to fall asleep. No matter the personal cost to herself, she was going to make sure that the necromancer's minion was not allowed to escape again, and was brought to justice for all of her crimes.

Mere minutes later, she was snoring almost as loudly as her husband. Terresya looked over the sleeping druid and shook her head in resignation. Soundlessly, she walked away, followed by the hyolf. “Why do we keep running into these idiots with death wishes?” She asked Giggles, who gave only a noncommittal grunt in answer. “Next time we come across someone else out here, maybe I should just let you eat them.”

Matna woke with a start, her nightmare melting like fresh snow in the warm rays of the suns. Her first thought was to look where the MidKnight had been sleeping. The leaf nest was empty. Chiding herself for falling asleep, she scrambled to the barren spot on her hands and knees, finding it cold to her fingertips. While she had slept, the MidKnight had gotten away yet again.

She rose to her feet, scrambling to find any trace of her quarry, but there was none. Even the beastlord had disappeared without a trace. Matna screamed in frustration, waking her husband, who lay a few feet away, then changed to the form of a large black owl. Leaping into the air, the owl began to swoop in ever widening circles, but she could see nothing useful from the air.

The MidKnight was gone.

Matna continued her frantic searching, calling out in helpless frustration to her husband below, but something told her that this time the MidKnight was gone for good. She had failed in her self-appointed mission. Even as she kept the hope alive of spotting the undead doe, she felt as if it would be a long time before she ever saw her again, if ever.