FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The team spent the night in Yellowknife, parked at the local shopping center in the parking lot. Not everyone slept, but a few managed to catch some rest, especially Buniq who - in all likelihood for the first time in months, slept soundly on the bed offered to her by Volcan.

She was out like a light until it was almost noon, and she was slow to get up when she finally did awaken. She was upright when there was a knock at the door, and she lifted the blankets to cover herself as she called out. “Come in…" She could not keep the wariness out of her voice; now that she had time to sleep, her suspicion of strangers had found its way to the forefront of her mind again… These ones had been kind to her, but a lifetime of habit was hard to break.

The young avian girl—Buniq hadn't caught her name—entered the room, drawing Buniq's attention away from her swirling thoughts. She realized with a twinge of discomfort that she hadn't learned any of their names last night. That needed to change.

“Good morning," the girl said, glancing at a small clock on the wall. “Or, afternoon, really. It just hit twelve." She used her foot to slide the door closed, her hands occupied with a stack of folded clothes in one arm and a paper bag that wafted the scent of hot food in the other. “Did you sleep well?"

Buniq nodded slowly. “Yes," she replied, hesitantly adding, “Perhaps better than I have in a while." The admission surprised her, and she felt a flicker of gratitude.

The avian smiled, an openness in her expression. “You're welcome. From what you told us last night, you've been through a lot. It was the least we could do."

Buniq's suspicion flared, threatening to shadow her face. She met Tsumé's gaze, searching for any sign of ulterior motives. “May I ask why you were so willing to take me in like that?" she asked, her voice steady. “You only just met me. Yet your leader—at least, I assume he's your leader, since you follow his direction—opened this…" She glanced around the space, her brow furrowing. “I'm not sure what to call it."

Tsumé chuckled softly, sensing Buniq's confusion. “It's called a motorhome. Or RV—residential vehicle, I think. Depends on who you ask." She took a step closer, setting down the clothes and the bag. “You must mean Volcan. He's been called too 'trusting' before—especially by someone else in our group. But he seems to have a good judge of character."

“Volcan is… the red one, with the power of flame?" Buniq asked, trying to piece it all together.

“That's him." Tsumé extended her hand, a warm smile breaking through Buniq's uncertainty. “I'm Tsumé. I'm a phoenix too—an earth phoenix, unlike Volcan."

Hesitantly, Buniq withdrew one hand from the blanket that covered her and reached out to grasp Tsumé's hand. Though handshakes weren't common in her culture, she was familiar with the gesture. “It's… nice to meet you," she said, her voice edged with uncertainty.

Tsumé caught the wariness in her tone. “I get it… Trust doesn't come easy," she replied, gently pulling back her hand. “You've just met us, and we won't rush you into any judgment calls. For now, we hope you'll consider helping us."

Buniq tilted her head slightly. “To do what?"

“To stop those werewolves," Tsumé said, her tone firm. “Especially that one you called Assiminik. I'm guessing she's the one calling the shots?"

Buniq nodded, her expression darkening. “As I mentioned last night, yes… She is their alpha, though I can't fathom how she managed it."

Tsumé rested her hands on her hips, shaking her head. “I couldn't even begin to guess. But we came here because of multiple werewolf sightings in this area," she explained. “When they started getting closer to Yellowknife, we knew something had to be done."

Buniq raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “And you took it upon yourselves, knowing the danger?"

Tsumé smiled knowingly. “Lighris made the same argument. He said it didn't have to be our problem. But we understood the stakes. If we didn't act, who would?" She shrugged. “So here we are."

Buniq's expression shifted, a shadow passing over her features. “You do know… some of you could die," she said quietly. “Assiminik is very dangerous. My entire clan was wiped out by her. Granted, not all of us were werecats—at least, not at first… but she still wiped us out." Her voice grew heavy, the pain of her loss palpable as she recalled the day everything changed.

Tsumé's eyes softened with empathy. “I'm sorry, Buniq. That must be incredibly hard to bear."

Buniq looked away, her heart tightening. “It is. And I don't want anyone else to suffer like we did."

Deciding to move the subject ahead, Buniq looked at Tsumé again, meeting the avian's eyes as though gauging her as she voiced her next question. “What is it you want, exactly?"

“To keep the world safe from people like Assiminik," said Tsumé. Then, she brought over the paper bag and offered it to Buniq. “Hungry?"

~~~~~

After Buniq had eaten, Tsumé led her out of the bedroom, now fully dressed and fed, her hair neatly combed. The others were waiting for her, and the first to notice was Korban, lounging on the couch with the TV flickering in front of him.

“Check it out. Sleeping Beauty returns from dreamland," he announced, smirking as he gave her a playful salute.

Kieran looked over and smiled warmly, waving gently. “Hey, good afternoon! Did you sleep alright? Were you comfortable?"

Buniq nodded, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “I was," she replied, her voice steadier than before.

Volcan, seated at the front, set down the newspaper he'd been reading and rose, his gaze sweeping over Buniq with an appraising look. “Looks like we found the right size for you when we got you some clothes," he said, nodding in approval. “You're pretty close to Kieran's size, just a bit narrower in the shoulders. Looks like we were on point."

“You have a good eye," Buniq complimented, genuinely impressed.

“Well, when I say 'we,' I mean Vinge, really," Volcan admitted with a sheepish grin. “I guessed your size last night, but he caught on to the finer details." He shrugged, dismissing the thought. “Anyway… hope the sandwich was good? That one was my pick."

“Better than the fish I'm so accustomed to," Buniq said, offering him a grateful smile that warmed her features.

“Glad we could add some variety to your diet," Korban chimed in, leaning back with an easy grin. “Living off the fat of the land must get pretty boring after a while, huh?" He chuckled. “Trust me, I'd know. Used to do that kind of thing back when I was a pup."

Buniq regarded Korban curiously. “You did?" she asked, studying him. “Hm… You do have the body type of one who is accustomed to living hard… yet I see no scarring on you at all?"

“Not all scars are visible, lady," Korban replied, still smirking, but his tone shifted slightly, hinting at deeper truths. “Besides, I've got a super crazy fast healing factor, so I'm… basically unkillable."

At this, Buniq raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Lighris, still in the driver's seat, turned in his chair, shaking his head with a bemused expression. “Don't ask about it; it only encourages him," he remarked, his tone teasing.

Buniq felt a flicker of amusement at the banter, a warmth spreading in her chest. The dynamic in the room began to feel less threatening, and she took a step further into the room, her cautiousness slowly giving way to curiosity.

“Speaking of 'encouraged' types… Where's Pavan?" Tsumé asked, looking around the motorhome. “And… Vinge for that matter?"

“Pavan left a few minutes ago. Said he was just going out for some exercise," replied Volcan. “Vinge looked up a local library and headed there just after breakfast; he said he wanted to look up some information. Not sure what specifically he's looking for."

“Knowing Vinge? Probably some books about the supernatural and what tactics or tricks we can use against them," Kieran offered with a shrug. “Dude really is an icy version of Batman. Always learning from his errors and such."

“Just hope we can separate the facts from the fiction," said Lighris, crossing his arms. “I've seen plenty of werewolf movies, but I know very little about their legends, or what's fact from fiction."

“Well, we saw last night the weakness to silver at least is legitimate," said Volcan. “I saw that one Korban put two rounds into; they definitely worked."

“Silver is a purifying element," Buniq put in. “Many supernatural creatures, including myself, are vulnerable to it. It is like poison to us, when it is introduced to our blood."

Volcan eyed Buniq curiously. “Are you suggesting that you - a werecat, and werewolves, share weaknesses?" he asked.

“Largely, yes. We are both therianthropic creatures, born from the same supernatural affliction," replied Buniq. “Our only differences are racial, but everything that could kill me, could also kill a werewolf. And," she looked at the pile of weapons on the kitchen table, “it looks like you came well-prepared."

“Let's just say I know a guy who hates werewolves as much as Korban hates spiders," Kieran remarked, grinning knowingly.

“Fuck you, Kitty!" Korban shouted at the cat, who only chuckled mischievously.

Tsumé looked at Korban with a wide smile. “Oh really?" she asked. “The big bad bounty hunter afraid of a little arachnid?"

“For once, Korban and I agree," said Lighris, leaning back in his seat. “Fucking hate spiders."

Korban pointed an accusing finger at Tsumé. “You get any ideas, I swear to fuck I'll pour antifreeze all over your gardens," he threatened.

Making that threat, however, proved to be a poor choice; Tsumé immediately tensed and her eyes glowed, the brown of her iris disappearing behind a shining green that lit up her face, even in the well-lit cabin of the RV, which noticeably shook as Tsumé's earth powers spiked.

“Touch my flowers," she warned, “and you'll be fertilizing them."

Volcan moved over to Korban and waved his hand in front of him. “Do not. You will not win," he warned. “Also please don't wreck my new home."

He kept glaring at her for a long moment, then closed his eyes and lifted his hands up and stepped back. “Alright fine… but I'm warning you. Get any arachnid-like ideas and you'll be askin' for it." He said.

“So… As Tsumé told me, you are all phoenixes?" Buniq asked.

“Well, five of us anyway—the birds," Volcan replied. “You saw I control fire. Tsumé can move the earth. My brother," he gestured to Lighris, “wields lightning. Pavan is a wind phoenix and Vinge is an ice phoenix."

“I never knew there were so many different… breeds of phoenix," she said, almost apologetic for the ineloquent word. “Let alone so many in one place." She looked at Lighris. “I had initially thought you might have been a Thunderbird."

Lighris shrugged, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. “You're not exactly far off. It wouldn't surprise me if the myth of the Thunderbird started with my kind. In ancient times, our ancestors soared the skies, entire storms travelling in their wake, before we all went into hiding."

Kieran raised an eyebrow. “Thunderbird? What, is that some kinda… god of all lightning phoenixes?"

“It's a mythical creature from the folklore of the indigenous people of Canada," Tsumé explained. “It's said to be a giant bird that commands the weather—specifically, thunder and lightning. They often depicted it on totem poles, representing the balance of power and nature." She pulled out her phone and quickly showed Kieran a picture of a totem pole featuring a bird-like creature carved in intricate detail.

“Huh, so a First Nations thing," Kieran said, nodding. “Cool, I dig it."

Volcan nodded. “My mother used to say that every flame has a story of how it was started, and every story carries a piece of truth."

The door to the RV opened, and the group looked over to see Vinge stepped inside. In his hand, he carried a small notebook, which looked brand new, but the page he had opened it to was already filled with notes he had written in.

“I see our guest is awake," he said, nodding in greeting to Buniq. “I hope you slept well, miss."

“I did. Thank you," said Buniq. “You are… Vinge, correct?"

“I am," Vinge replied.

“So… what'd you go looking for at the library, frosty?" Tsumé asked her casual tone starkly contrasting the seriousness of the topic.

“A mix of local legends and geography," replied Vinge, his expression grave. “I'm trying to deduce where Assiminik's pack might be hiding by identifying likely locations near the city. Unfortunately, much of this region remains unmapped except by satellite, so the candidates are merely conjecture at best—a needle in the proverbial haystack."

“Hey, whatever advantage we can get, we'll take it," Korban remarked, but his tone lacked its usual bravado. “After the beating we took last night, I'm open to anything at this point."

“That's the problem," Vinge said, his voice low and steady. “Even the most obvious locations offer us very little advantage. They'll need to be near a source of water; like most life, they need to hydrate."

Tsumé grunted, her brow furrowing. “Well, I understand the problem there. This area is teeming with lakes, even close to the city. They could be anywhere."

“And that's just the first problem," Vinge added, a flicker of urgency in his eyes.

“Oh no… what else do we have to worry about?" Kieran asked, warily glancing around as if expecting an unseen threat.

“People are starting to grow curious," Vinge continued, his voice dropping further. “I overheard conversations at the library. I wasn't the only one researching werewolves."

Volcan's eyes widened. “That is not good," he said, shaking his head slowly, the weight of the implications settling in.

“If people start getting curious, they'll start looking deeper," agreed Lighris, his tone tense. “If a bunch of reckless teenagers organize search parties and head out there…"

“Lambs to the slaughter," Tsumé finished darkly. “Juste ce dont nous avons besoin…"

The room fell silent, the gravity of their situation hanging heavily in the air. Each glance exchanged was a reminder of the stakes they faced, and the unspoken understanding that time was running out.

As Kieran's thoughts churned over the implications of their situation, a sudden realization sparked in his mind. His ears perked up, and he spoke urgently, “...She's counting on that…!"

“I thought the same," Vinge agreed, his tone somber. “The more sightings there are, the more people will go looking. And the more people go missing, the harder it will be for those left behind to resist the call to search for them. Eventually, you'll have the police involved. Then the military…"

“And then the secret is out," Volcan stated, his voice heavy with foreboding. “Not to mention that Assiminik's pack just keeps swelling its numbers. By the time anyone realizes what's really happening, it could already be too late."

“This just got a lot worse," Lighris said, his eyes narrowing as he processed the implications.

“It's almost as if Assiminik has read The Art of War…" Kieran mused. “'Thus, the expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by them…'"

“Along with," Vinge interjected, “'a wise general will strive to feed off the enemy. One bushel of the enemy's provisions is worth twenty of our own.'"

Volcan chuckled darkly. “I'm guessing Sun Tzu didn't factor in supernatural afflictions in his strategies."

“Unlikely… yet still applicable," Vinge replied, his expression grave. “This applies to vampires, zombies, werewolves—anyone who can raise the dead. Every enemy they strike down adds to their ranks, effectively making their numbers limitless."

Finally, Buniq spoke up, her voice trembling. “That is why she didn't kill everyone in my village… except for those she couldn't turn," she said, her breath catching as a horrifying realization struck her. “How many of the ones I killed were—"

“Don't," Volcan interjected firmly, stepping closer to her and resting his hands on her shoulders. “Don't do that to yourself, Buniq. You were fighting for your life. You can't let that weight crush you."

Buniq's eyes glistened with unshed tears, the burden of her actions threatening to drag her into a dark spiral. Volcan's steady gaze anchored her, a lifeline amid the storm of her emotions. She stayed staring into those eyes, letting Volcan share his strength with her. With that, she was able to center herself with a few more deep breaths, and nodded her thanks to him.

“We need a new plan, and we need it now," Korban repeated, his bravado faltering as the weight of their predicament sank in. “We can't fight her on our usual terms. She's too quick to adapt, and any strategy we devise, she'll counter before we even begin."

“Not to mention, she's different from the other werewolves," Kieran added, his voice steady but urgent. “She has their power and ferocity, yet she moves like a ghost—silent and fast as a cheetah. We need to outwit and outmaneuver her if we stand a chance."

“First, we have to find out where she is," Volcan said, his brow furrowing in concentration. “Can we narrow down some possibilities?"

“If she's not ready to reveal herself just yet, she'll be staying away from municipalities and businesses for now, which rules out many tourist spots," Vinge suggested. “Considering how quickly she arrived when we found Buniq, we might be able to pinpoint her location further. Even fast as she is, a werewolf can only travel so quickly, especially if they're trying to avoid notice."

“So, what are we thinking—a fifty-kilometre search area?" Volcan proposed.

“That's a start," Vinge agreed. “And we can eliminate Horseshoe Island; we've already been there."

“Okay, so we'll need to do some aerial recon. We have the manpower for that, but what happens when we actually find her?" Kieran asked, his tone growing serious. “She's too smart to be lured into a trap, so that option's out."

“...Not entirely," Korban interjected. “She may be clever, but her wolves aren't. They're still primal beasts. If we can cut them off from her, we'll have the numbers advantage."

“I can help with that," Buniq said, her resolve firming. “If we can isolate her from her pack, I can keep her distracted long enough for you to thin out their numbers. Without her to coordinate them, you'll have a better chance to take them down."

“So, you're really going to help us?" Volcan asked, a mix of hope and concern in his eyes.

“I always intended to fight her again," Buniq stated, her voice steady. “Now I know I don't have to do it alone."

Kieran smiled and walked over to Buniq, extending his hand to her. “Nice. Glad to have ya aboard, Buinq." He stated in a friendly, casual manner.

Slowly, she lifted her hand to grasp Kieran's, shaking it. “I will do my best," she promised.

At that moment, the door swung open again, and the group turned in unison to see Pavan stepping inside, looking slightly winded as if he'd just run a marathon. “One sec," he said, heading straight to the kitchen for a drink of water.

After guzzling down an entire glass, he turned, took a deep breath, and spoke. “I might have found where they are!"

The group gaped at him. “Wait, what?" Tsumé asked, incredulous.

“You better not be joking, Pavan; now is really not the time," Lighris said, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes.

“No joke this time," Pavan replied, his tone earnest.

“Alright. What did you find?" Volcan asked, leaning forward, curiosity piqued.

“Well… nothing concrete, at least not yet," he began, running a hand through his hair. “While I was flying, I started thinking about Horseshoe Island. There are a lot of small islands out there, and I thought, what if the werewolves were using one of them as a base camp?"

“You searched all those little islands?" Lighris asked, skepticism creeping into his voice. “You were only gone for ten minutes!"

“I didn't need to look long; most of them are pretty rocky and open—not much cover for a group as big as the one we saw last night," Pavan explained, his tone shifting to seriousness. “On my way back, I checked the area east of that village where we saw them before. That's when I spotted a big lake—not Great Slave Lake, but another one that probably feeds into it during the melting season. There's a lot of woodland cover and rugged terrain out there."

Vinge hummed thoughtfully as he processed Pavan's report. “With the islands eliminated as possibilities, he's significantly narrowed our search area," he said. “Pavan's speed could be invaluable here."

“What are you getting at, Vinge?" Korban asked, raising an eyebrow. “You cooking up a scheme in that frigid noggin of yours?"

“Pavan's done the hard work already," Vinge stated, his gaze sharp. “If none of those islands are viable locations for Assiminik, we can focus our search north and east of Dettah. Given our established radius, the large body of water known as Duck Lake stands out as our most likely candidate. Pavan described defensible rugged terrain—plenty of cover and ready access to fresh water."

“And food," Tsumé added, nodding. “There are tons of wildlife around here, not to mention things in the woods themselves. It's a survivalist's dream if you know what to look for."

Korban glanced back at Pavan, his expression shifting from skepticism to respect. “Nice. Not bad, Twister," he said, smirking and giving him a thumbs up.

Pavan's grin widened, a spark of pride in his eyes as he felt the team rally around his contribution. “Well…" the wind phoenix rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed as he felt the weight of their praise settle over him. “Just seemed like I wasn't doing my part. So, I thought if nothing else, maybe my speed could be useful to us."

“You did well, Pavan," complimented Volcan, before looking at Korban. “Bring up a map; let's see how close we can get to that lake with this rig. Then, we'll go the rest of the way by foot and sky."

The group set out once again, taking the highway back to Dettah before making a detour, on a side road that brought them to another scenic location by a small lake. There, they parked the motorhome and got to work, arming themselves and starting toward Duck Lake. Volcan, Lighris, Vinge and Pavan took to the air while Korban, Kieran, Tsumé and Buniq remained on the ground, with the latter two staying ahead most of the way.

They had a good team distribution now; between even numbers and the skillsets of each, their confidence grew. They made their way south-east, in the direction of the lake, working their way through dense trees, between two smaller bodies of water, and eventually came to overlook a small part of the lake from the western shoreline.

As they made their way along the shore, they saw the avians making several passes, travelling in pairs. Their trajectories usually brought them to the smaller islands or higher ground locations approaching the lakes, searching for any sign of activity around it while the ground party's journey brought them out to a large peninsula with a rocky rise overlooking the lake.

The rise proved too high for them to climb, forcing them to make their way around until they found a ridge that allowed them to see out onto the lake. Once again, they saw Pavan racing overhead, heading out over the lake from high above where he was harder to spot.

“Phew," said Tsumé. “Was quite a hike to get here, wasn't it?"

“Yea, but it's worth it. We'll get ample time to rest and be a little bit stronger for when the time comes," Korban remarked while wiping his brow with his arm.

“Only until we find them, if we're going the right way," replied Tsumé.

“Your friend's line of thinking is sound," Buniq offered, coming to stand beside Tsumé, seemingly unfazed by their long climb up the hill. “This lake is far enough away from the city to go unnoticed, yet close enough to be convenient for the pack… I believe we are, how do you say… On the right track?"

“You have a good grasp of modern slang," remarked Tsumé. “Where are you from? We guessed the Nunavut Territories but don't really know where."

“A fishing village up the Thelon River, west of Baker Lake," replied Buniq. “We were a very small community; I don't think we ever surpassed more than a hundred, if that."

“Baker Lake…" Tsumé repeated, thinking back to her geography. “I don't know it."

“I am not surprised," said Buniq. “There are few municipalities in Nunavut as is. If I am not mistaken, Baker Lake is a mining town and one of the only inland communities in the province named for the large lake by which it was built."

“Did you spend a lot of time there?"

“A little. I often went there for supplies; we usually bought tools and sold fish to the local grocer," explained Buniq. “I was sometimes invited to play hockey with the children there. I enjoyed that," she added with a hint of melancholy.

“Is that where you found Assiminik?"

“Yes. She was found in the lake one day, in a battered rowboat. The local doctors treated her for dehydration, but she claimed to have also been suffering memory loss. Eventually, she made her way to my village; followed me, I suppose… From the day I saw her, something seemed amiss, but she appeared harmless…" Buniq shook her head. “Oh, how wrong I was…"

“One thing I've learned while being employed under Korban is to never assume someone appears harmless," Kieran stated. “It's also another passage of Sun Tzu's The Art of War. 'Appear strong when you are weak, and weak when you are strong.'"

“...Hang on a tick," Korban piped up. “If you found this bitch at Baker's Lake… then why didn't she ever go after it for fresh recruits for her Lycan army? It's a small town, like you said. No one would've ever missed it if its population suddenly disappeared."

“On the contrary," stated Buniq. “With the gold mine located there, Baker Lake was visited quite frequently. It has a functioning airport, with regular flights arriving and departing. She would certainly have been noticed if she started her activities there. Beyond that, I cannot say for certain what her reasoning was."

“Well, we've seen firsthand how cunning she is… and given the fact she's playing the long game, it's not out of the question that she's prepared multiple counters for multiple scenarios…" Kieran remarked, rubbing the back of his head. “Sheesh… that kinda strategic intuition is nuts… It's almost as if she's some kinda secret agent or something."

Suddenly, Tsumé perked up, her eyes going wide. “Wait a minute…" she said, and then looked squarely at Buniq, saying her name before voicing her question. “What kind of airport is at Baker Lake?"

“Excuse me?" Buniq tilted her head, not understanding the question.

“I mean, what kind of airplanes landed there?"

Buniq shook her head. “I… I would not know. I don't know aerial vehicles very well," she replied. “The few planes I saw were usually snub-nosed and bulky."

“Cargo planes…" Korban stated, crossing his arms. “No doubt there to deliver supplies to the city in exchange for payment and other resources…"

“Right," said Tsumé with a nod. “Now… Bear with me for a second… Yellowknife has a larger, functioning airport, right? Actual passenger planes, not just cargo." She pantomimed with her hands as she went on. “So… If some flights got out carrying passengers with infectious diseases, say… Lycanthropy..." She trailed off, waiting to see if they'd catch on

Both Kieran and Korban's eyes widened and their ears pricked upright as the realization hit them like a bombshell. “...Fuck me with a barbed pole…" Korban muttered.

“She could spread the affliction all over the fucking world, and no one would be the wiser until it was too late…" Kieran muttered. “Never mind the long game… She's going right to the end game with that line of thought…"

“We don't know what her long game would be if she has one," stated Tsumé. “Either way, if that is her plan - if that is even possibly her plan… We gotta bring her down, before her and her entire pack turn Canada - maybe all of North America, into the world's biggest wolf pack."

“I never knew our afflictions could be used like that," said Buniq, lifting her hand and staring at it as though seeing it for the first time. “Like some kind of… Of…"

“Biological weapon," Tsumé finished for her. “Yeah… It's as devious as it is dangerous. Whoever Assminik was before her affliction, it doesn't matter. What she is now, is a walking catastrophe waiting to happen, and she knows it too. Worse yet, she intends to use it."

“Then you're right… She needs to die, and she needs to die like yesterday." Korban said, nodding to Tsumé with a firm frown. “We can't cure those that have been infected, but we can at least nip this pandemic in the bud before it spreads too far…"

Tsumé and Buniq both nodded their agreement. Kieran also nodded to Korban's statement. “Good thing we prepared ourselves to deal with this kinda plague… We only just gotta keep her away from her pack long enough for us to take 'em down, then we should be on more even terms when we gang up on her."

As the four spoke, a new figure arrived on the scene. Pavan came down from above, landing on the ground near them and jogged over. “Hey, Korb? Don't suppose you brought that sniper rifle of yours, did you?" he asked.

“Eh? Oh… yea I think so, why?" He asked.

“We got a lookout, over there on that island," said Pavan, pointing to an island to the east of them. “I saw them while I was flying overhead. I don't know if he saw me, but there's definitely someone over there."

“Shit…" Korban growled, then looked squarely at Pavan. “Fly back to the trailer and grab it. It's a Steyr Scout that I keep hidden on a shelf above where I slept in the RV." He said, then pointed at Pavan sternly. “And for fuck's sake, do not handle it… No flicking the safety off or looking down the scope. Just grab it and the mags and beeline it here as fast as you can."

“I'm a wild child, Korban, not an idiot," Pavan returned before he moved back into the cover of the trees and took to the air again, disappearing from sight in seconds.

“With what you did last night, ya coulda fooled me…" Korban muttered under his breath.

Tsumé dropped onto her belly and crawled toward the nearby ledge, giving her a clear view of the lake. She raised her head just enough to see over the rock on which she lay, and peered toward the island, squinting her eyes. “Hm… I don't have telescopic vision like the guys do, so I can't see much from here. Anybody bring a pair of binoculars?"

“No, but I got something that can help." Kieran said, crawling up next to Tsumé. “I have your consent to proceed?"

“What're you going to… Ah, nevermind. Go ahead," she said.

Kieran nodded, then gently placed his hand atop Tsumé's head. He then began tracing a claw tip along some loose ground to create a runic symbol before placing his other hand on it, making it glow as he pumped magic into it. “Aight… open your eyes slowly."

Tsumé did as instructed, slowly lifting the lids of her eyes until she could see again, and she immediately discovered that her vision had been… magnified for lack of a better term. It was as if she were looking through a pair of binoculars without actually having any.

“A little magnification spell I've been practicing during my time up north with Vinge. Never really got to stress test it though." The cat stated with a bit of a shrug.

“Huh. So this is how those guys see things at a distance. Nice," Tsumé said, impressed. “How long does it last?"

“So long as I'm touching you and this runic symbol, as long as I want," Kieran answered. “See anything noteworthy?"

“Just a sec," she said, gazing at the island previously indicated by Pavan, her eyes scanning along the small stretch of land until they settled on something. “...Yeah. Yeah, I see him. One lone wolf, standing between the trees… Oh my god, I think he's naked… And - wait… He's getting bigger; he's changing."

“He's probably transforming into his werewolf form." Kieran remarked. “Odd that he's doing it during the day… I thought the whole thing with werewolves is that they transform during a full moon… Or was that a myth too?"

“The moon does have an effect. But it is not necessary to transform," said Buniq. “Most, like myself, can learn to control their transformation, but some lose themselves to the beast within, especially when the full moon comes. Regardless, night is nearly upon us; that must be why he's changing."

“Do you think he knows we're here?" Tsumé asked.

“No… But if we are upwind of him, he will likely catch our scent," replied Buniq.

“Then we should change positions so that isn't the case," Korban stated, already starting to crawl back so he wouldn't be visible when he stood back up. “Time to contact the others and start putting together a solid plan."

“Right. As soon as Pavan gets back, we'll have him fetch the others and then we're in business," agreed Tsumé.

Pavan returned shortly, carrying the sniper rifle Korban had described, along with three magazines of ammunition, stuffed into each of his pockets save the one that held his wallet. He held the weapon sideways as he offered it to Korban, ensuring the barrel was not aimed at anyone.

Korban took the rifle and magazines from him, doing a quick weapon check before inserting a magazine and chambering a round, nodding to Pavan as he slung it over his shoulders. The others moved aside to give him room to sight the werewolf lookout, who was still on the island; by now he had completed his transformation, and seemed to be heading for the water…

He wasn't running, Korban noted; he still hadn't caught their scent. But it looked like he was going somewhere now… Korban gently laid down on his front and pulled his rifle into his hands, taking aim and looking through the scope so he could keep tabs on the werewolf.

“...Well, the good news is he doesn't seem to know we're here yet," He said to the others. “Right now, he's heading to the water, probably for a drink, but… he's also moving toward something as well."

Then, as Korban watched, the lycan sprang, falling into a dive before dropping into the water. As he watched, the werewolf surfaced and started swimming, heading south and passing another island on the way.

“Where's he going?" Pavan asked, seeing the lycan on the move.

“End of shift, maybe?" Tsumé offered.

“Or he's cooling off," Korban remarked, still watching the wolf swim across the lake through his scope.

That thought was quickly dashed from Korban's mind when he saw more movement in the water - not from the werewolf he was watching, but coming from the second island he had passed. Another lycan plunged into the lake, and swam to meet the first. Behind both of them, he saw another coming to join them, falling somewhat behind, but all three were heading for the same meeting place.

“Oh fuck…" Korban muttered, lifting his head away from the scope as he wore a look of realization. “...They still might know we're here. The bitch set up sentries to further keep watch of the area."

“Shit… What're the odds at least one of them saw our flyboys?" Tsumé asked, rhetorically.

“Can you get them from here, before they warn Assiminik?" Buniq asked.

“I got clean shots on all of 'em… I can probably pick off two of them before they realize they're being targeted…" Korban realistically answered, flicking the safety off of his rifle. He waited until he was certain he had perfect shots on each wolf, then slowly exhaled to empty his lungs.

He then pulled the trigger, nailing the one on the left square between the eyes. He quickly chambered another round and took aim at the one in the middle and fired, nailing that one in the eye, chambering another around and aiming at the last one before firing a third shot. By the time he squeezed the trigger, the werewolf dove, disappearing below the surface of the water; he couldn't tell if he hit it or not…

“Fuck!" Korban growled. “I got two of 'em, but the third dove right as I pulled the trigger… I can't tell if I hit him or not."

“Of all the phoenixes we have in our group, the one we don't is an Aqua Phoenix," said Tsumé, shaking her head.

“Well can't Vinge just freeze the water enough that it captures the escapee?" Kieran asked.

“He'd probably have to be able to see exactly where they are," replied Tsumé. “Plus, it might take a few seconds to freeze it - he could move by then."

“Fuck. So much for our element of surprise," Korban growled. “No doubt that one will report to Assiminik on what just happened…"

“We better move fast, then, before she has time to prepare," stated Buniq.

“I agree. Let's regroup with the others and find a new place to stake out." Kieran nodded in agreement. “We can go over a new plan going forward."

“Go on ahead. I will catch up," Buniq said, her voice soft but firm, as she stepped aside. To their surprise, she began shedding her clothes with fluid, almost practiced movements.

Kieran froze. His gaze followed her every motion, a mixture of fascination and something deeper—something that made his breath catch in his throat. He tried to look away, but his eyes kept betraying him, lingering on the graceful curve of her back, the way the fabric fell away to reveal her golden yellow fur…

As Kieran stared, Tsumé suddenly grabbed him by the collar of his coat, yanking him a few paces away. Kieran turned to meet Tsumé's look, seeing the scathing glare she was giving him. Kieran withered under that glare, pulling his head away and averting his gaze.

“S-Sorry, sorry!" He rubbed the back of his neck, his fur standing with the heat of shame. “I didn't mean… I just—" He trailed off, his words falling into awkward silence.

“Eyes ahead, lover boy; we got work to do," she said, giving him a light push to get him moving.

They followed the shoreline, having to make several detours where the terrain became impassable. Buniq, now in her werecat form, easily caught up to them - and, overtook them, as she ran around the trio - as Pavan had returned to the air, and dashed ahead. They struggled to keep pace with the werecat, but the difficult terrain slowed them down and gave her no trouble by comparison.

“I could tunnel ahead, but it'd leave you guys behind!" Tsumé remarked.

“Kinda wishing I could grow a pair of wings myself and just take off after the others," Korban bemoaned.

“Can I give you a lift?" a voice called from overhead, and the trio looked up to see Volcan gliding low over the tree canopies.

Korban grinned, lifting his arms theatrically. “Take me to heaven, big guy!" he called out, chuckling as if it were a casual request.

“Save that for later!" Volcan shot back, his tone playful as he dove lower, effortlessly grabbing Korban by the outstretched arm. Korban's grip tightened around Volcan's forearm as he was lifted off the ground, his feet dangling beneath him. Korban reached for Kieran's hand with a grin.

Was he really going to carry both of them?!

Kieran's eyes widened as he took a step back. “Whoa, hey dude, uh… I don't think you can carry both of us!" His voice had a note of disbelief, edging toward alarm as he watched Volcan effortlessly hold Korban with just one arm.

“I can! Running out of room here, Kieran!" Volcan's voice was full of confidence, almost playful.

Kieran's stomach tightened as he looked between Korban, who was already laughing, and Volcan, who was now offering a hand to Kieran. “...Ohhh I'm gonna regret this," Kieran muttered, almost to himself, before reluctantly raising his arms to take Volcan's hand.

The moment his fingers closed around Volcan's forearm, Kieran felt the raw power in the phoenix's grip. This guy is ridiculous, Kieran thought, heart racing. He was a big guy, sure, but the strength in that arm… He hadn't expected this kind of raw power from someone who could fly, much less carry two people at once.

As Volcan pulled both of them up into the air, Kieran's stomach dropped—he'd underestimated the bird-man. Volcan wasn't just lifting them; he was pulling them into the air like they weighed nothing. Kieran could barely keep his breath steady as Volcan tugged them higher.

But then, Volcan hesitated, a look of concentration flashing across his face. They weren't ascending fast enough to clear a set of trees, and Kieran could feel the branches whipping dangerously close. Kieran's pulse quickened.

In a move that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring, Volcan swung his arms around their waists, yanking them in close against his chest. Kieran barely had time to process it before the ground seemed to fall away from beneath them. Volcan dropped, landing on his feet, and kicked off the rocky ridge with the force of hydraulic ram striking a solid wall, launching the three into the sky.

The world tilted as Volcan's powerful wings snapped open, catching the air with a force that made Kieran's stomach lurch. They shot upward over the trees, gliding with effortless grace as the wind roared around them. Kieran's breath caught, and for a second, he forgot how to think at all.

Kieran was still gripping Volcan's arm as if his life depended on it, which, in a way, it did. He glanced down, seeing the trees and ground far below. “Holy shit!" Kieran yelped, having to shut his eyes so as not to look down.

“Phew! Close one with those trees!" Volcan remarked. “Don't try that at home!" he added with a jest.

“Meet you guys there!" Tsumé called up to them before she dove into the ground, disappearing into the topsoil.

“And I thought I liked to show off," Korban remarked, patting his chest with a hand. “Seems like yer taking a page outta my book, flamie."

“It was that or splat into the trees," returned Volcan with a hint of strain in his voice, beating his wings hard to keep the three aloft. “Okay… This isn't as easy as I make it look, but we should make it! Which way?"

Korban glanced around, scanning the terrain below to get his bearings. After a moment, his head jerked to the left. “Head left and fly straight!" he called out, his voice firm.

Volcan nodded—well, as much as a phoenix could mid-flight—then adjusted his course, soaring in the direction Korban had indicated. Below them, the frigid waters of the lake stretched out, a vast expanse of gray-blue. Kieran could feel Volcan tense as the lake came into view, the bird-man's unease palpable despite his strength. Still, Volcan pressed on, holding their course toward the patch of land where they had seen the lycans earlier.

As they approached, Volcan's wings beat harder, his flight slowing. Fifty meters from the ground, he pulled back, trying to steady his descent, but they were still coming in too quickly.

"Brace yourselves!" Volcan's voice echoed in the wind just as the land rushed toward them.

Despite Volcan's best efforts, the ground came up too quickly. The three of them hit with a solid thud, the jolt rattling Kieran's teeth as his stomach lurched. The impact sent all three of them stumbling forward, yelping in surprise as Volcan let them go and dug his talons into the earth. He flailed slightly, his wings extending for balance as he struggled to stop himself.

Korban stumbled a few steps but managed to keep his footing. Kieran, however, wasn't so lucky—he caught himself just before he hit the ground face-first, arms flailing to regain balance.

“Okay… definitely going to have to work on my landings with passengers," Volcan muttered, glancing at them with a sheepish smile as he steadied himself. His wings fluttered, still trying to get his bearings.

Korban dusted off his pants, unfazed. “Eh, I give it a six outta ten," he quipped with a smirk.

Kieran groaned as he pushed himself upright, still a little woozy. “...Never… do that… again, please," he muttered, rubbing his side as he tried to steady himself, feeling the aches from the rough landing.

“Sorry!" Volcan said with a rueful chuckle. “It seemed like the quickest way to get us over here."

Almost as if on cue, the other three male phoenixes arrived, one after the other. Lighris, now fitted with the new gauntlets and the borrowed pump-action shotgun he'd received from Korban, stepped forward and peered into the trees.

“I don't see any werewolves… You sure this is where they were heading, Vinge?" he called.

“The trajectory was correct, but I think Korban eliminated some of them on the way here," the ice phoenix replied, hand on his sword.

“Yea, I sniped two of 'em on the ridge… Tried to get all three, but it dove right as I pulled the trigger," Korban explained.

“Then there may still be…" Vinge trailed off, turning toward the water. “Volcan?"

“On it," the phoenix replied, shifting to infrared and looking into the lake. “There he is…" He reported, and then his expression shifted to alarm. “And here he comes!" he pointed at the water, where a dark form began to take shape below the surface.

Both Korban and Kieran drew their respective firearms and took aim, and when the wolf breached the surface, they both practically emptied their rounds into it… well, Kieran had. Korban kept shooting even after Kieran had to stop to reload, and only stopped when he was sure it was dead before blowing the smoke away from the barrels of his guns.

“Overkill much?" Kieran asked as he reloaded his revolver.

“No such thing with these monsters," Korban countered. “Besides, I have infinite ammo now. I'm damn well gonna abuse the fuck outta that every moment I can."

Volcan, though, voiced his agreement on Kieran's side. “And like silent little mice, we scurry on," said the phoenix, grimacing. “If Assiminik didn't hear the sniper shots before, there's no way she didn't hear that cacophony of igniting bullets," he gave Korban a dissatisfied look.

“The way I see it, we lost the element of surprise the second I decided to snipe 'em in the first place," Korban remarked, holstering his pistols. “Doesn't change the initial plan to divide her from her pack and kill 'em off while she's distracted."

“The question remains, how many of her pack are left, and where are they?" Lighris asked, turning his gaze to look up the hill. “Those werewolves were all coming to this spot… So this has got to be-"

His words died as he saw a silhouette stepping out from the trees off to his right, electricity immediately crackling up his arms as he faced it. But when it stepped into view, they recognized the feline features of Buniq. She was drenched, apparently having swam over, leaving her fur matted against her body.

“Fuck! You scared the hell out of me," Lighris exclaimed, the electrical arcs along his arms ceasing. “For something so big, you move like a ninja."

“Where's Tsumé?" Volcan asked.

“Right here," the voice of the earth phoenix chimed as she emerged from the ground beside Buniq. “I had to tunnel under the lake to get over here. It is way deeper than it looks." She hefted her new crossbow as she spoke. “Luckily this has a good, solid stock."

“Looks like we're all here now." Kieran remarked with a nod, then turned to Vinge. “Let's start cookin' up a few plans while we still have a moment."

“Unfortunately, this is where my expertise is lacking," said Vinge. “I know not the enemy, the terrain, or their strength. We need more information - the first of which, their location."

At that, Buniq dropped to all fours and crept forward, moving into the midst of the group as she began sniffing at the ground, placing her paws carefully as she breathed in through her nostrils. “There is a scent, here," she said, her voice once again in a deep-throated, growling tone in her alternate form. “It is many hours old - likely, from those three lycans in the lake, when they first came here…"

She lifted her head, searching the woods with her ears raised. “I hear movement in the trees… From up the ridge ahead of us. I smell werewolves… Multiple werewolves. They are not far."

“Can you lead us to them?" Volcan asked.

“Some are coming this way now," replied Buniq. “Three of them… They will be here in moments."

“Sounds like she's bringing the party to us," Korban remarked, once again drawing his guns. “Eyes up people. Time to go to work…"

Volcan brandished the massive blade he had purchased from Gustav, drawing it from the sheath on his back and gripping it with both hands. Lighris removed his gauntlets and unholstered his shotgun, and Tsumé loaded the first arrow into her crossbow as Pavan drew his pistol and new whip, uncoiling the latter.

Vinge started to draw his sword and spoke. “This may be an opportunity for you and I to test our synchronicity, Korban," he said.

“You mean in terms of our elemental powers?" Korban asked, smirking at the ice phoenix. “Fuck it, I'm game."

“As Pavan's presence fueled Shiryu's powers before at P.A.C.E's fortress, it would stand to reason that your powers will be likewise enhanced in my presence," said Vinge. “Let us use that to our advantage; the enemy has not yet seen what either of us can do."

“Hehehe… Let's send those lycan fucks to the ice age," Korban added, spinning his guns a few times along his fingers before gripping them again.

Buniq stood on her hind legs again, flexing her claws. “Here they come," she growled.

As if cued, three massive wolf-ish forms emerged from the trees, their snarling filling the air as they rushed at the group, baring teeth and claws as they ran at them. Lighris fired the first shot, raising his shotgun and shooting the closest werewolf with a silver-plated slug, the sound of sizzling and the acrid smell of burning flesh following the lycan as it fell howling in pain onto its back.

The second one dropped to all fours and lunged, throwing itself toward the closest target - which was Buniq. The werecat moved like the crack of a whip, striking the lycan with her massive paw out of midair, before throwing herself after him. The third one headed straight at Korban and Vinge. The husky channelled his ice magic into his guns, causing them to freeze over a little before he took aim and pulled the triggers, shooting two ice bullets that spiralled around each other as they travelled through the air.

Both bullets struck with explosive force, sending the lunging lycanthrope off their feet and onto their back, where Vinge sprang into action and drove his silver-plated Schiavona into the beast's chest, ending it swiftly with only a weak whimper to mark its death throes.

The one Lighris had shot was getting back up, but Volcan came down from above and clove into its torso with his massive blade, nearly slashing it in two and spraying him with much of its blood. The life fluid sizzled on contact with his feathers, as did the lycan's flesh from the silver of his blade; it fell dead to the ground, and Volcan stood back up easily, confirming his kill with an expressionless face, before turning his attention up the hill from which the wolves had come.

“I see more of them, up the hill. They're not advancing… They must already know their packmates just died," he reported.

“Time to take the fight to them, then," said Tsumé.

“No time like the present then, people," Korban announced.

Kieran drew his sword and opened up his spell book, then quickly spun in a circle while dragging his sword along the ground to create a boundary around him that quickly lit up with mystical energy. “Korb, Tsumé, Buniq. Step inside. We'll hit 'em with a little death from above."

“I like where yer head's at, Kitty." Korban stated, stepping into the glowing ring without hesitation.

“What's this going to do?" Tsumé asked, stepping in beside the two.

“A more refined teleportation spell." Kieran answered with a smirk. “We're gonna rain hell on 'em before they even know what hit them."

“I like that," the Earth Phoenix said. “Buniq, come-!"

But the werecat was off in a run before Tsumé spoke, vanishing into the shadows of the trees.

“...On," Tsumé finished. “Guess she's just going to do her own thing."

“Let her. She's clearly got her own plan," Korban remarked, nodding at Kieran to do his thing.

The spellsword then looked up to the area above where Volcan had stated the werewolves were and pointed his sword in that direction. Then with a brilliant flash, the three of them had vanished from where they stood and appeared where Kieran had pointed his blade, sending them into a freefall toward the pack below.

Korban already angled himself into a dive, pointing his guns downward and spinning like a top while mag dumping round after round as he fell, whooping excitedly as he did. Kieran followed suit, but was more selective with his shots, taking aim and firing only when he was sure he had a clean hit. Several bullets found their marks, but the werewolves were not so quick to fall; this time, there were five of them, and he had only shot two - mortally wounded, but not dead.

Tsumé shot the next one with her crossbow, burying the bolt deep into its shoulder. Then, as she landed, she vanished below the ground, leaving the crossbow in favour of a knife; another lycan struck the ground with their paw where she had been, and she erupted behind them to stab them in the leg; to the werewolf threw back its head and howled in pain.

The fifth one was left to Kieran, who wove a barrier spell, making motions with his sword and forming the shield repel the wolf's attempt to rend him to shreds. While the wolf stumbled, he turned and slashed at the wolf twice with his sword, ending with a fireball spell that immolated his opponent and had it smothered in red hot fire. To his surprise, the fireball came out far larger than he had intended, utterly engulfing the werewolf in an instant and lighting up the surrounding trees like a miniature sun!

At that, he happened to notice Volcan flying overhead, dropping on one of the previously shot werewolves to finish it, and he understood what happened. “...Huh. Guess it does extend to mystical arts." Kieran remarked, nodding in satisfaction at his spellbook.

“Kieran!" Tsumé shouted suddenly, but her warning came too late; something slammed into the cat from behind, sending him hurtling forward to hit the ground with a massive weight on top of him, multiple points of sharp pain in his arm as the claws of the creature dug into him.

As Kieran struggled to free himself, there was a snap - like a miniature sonic boom, and the weight was lifted from him as the werewolf reared up in pain, giving him a split second to react. He quickly rolled onto his back and took his revolver in hand, aiming right at the wolf's head and firing three shots as it reared back. Two shots found its neck, and the last went under its chin to pierce its head; the werewolf fell lifeless to the ground without so much as a groan.

Pavan raced into view, looking down at Kieran, carrying his whip in his hand. “You good?" the wind phoenix asked.

“Y-Yea! Just a few bruises." Kieran answered, giving Pavan a nod back at him. “Appreciate the assist, man!"

“No prob!"

Meanwhile, Volcan, having struck down another of the werewolves and ignoring the pain in his leg where he'd suffered a claw strike, looked around and saw that only a few werewolves still remained; “Hey guys!" Volcan called. “I think we've almost got them all, but I haven't seen Assiminik; anyone got eyes on her?"

“No!" Lighris called as he struggled with another werewolf, catching its head between his hands and channelling enough electricity into its head that it seemed to be flash-fired in his grasp, its eyes exploding from its skull and blood rushing out its ears and mouth followed by smoke before he pushed it aside. “Not that I've had time to look at the colour of their eyes while they're trying to chow down on my neck!"

“If I were a bettin' guy!" Korban shouted as he artfully dodged over another and put several rounds into its back as he landed. “I'd wager that's where that Buniq chick went when Kitty offered to warp us over the pack!"

“You think she went after Assiminik alone?" Tsumé asked, worriedly.

“I mean, that kinda was the plan," Korban reminded her. “We fight off the pack. She fights Assiminik long enough for us to kill the pack, and we just leave the queen bitch to her."

“That was never the plan!" Tsumé protested. “To have her distract Assiminik, yes, but she's been running from her for God-knows how long; you think she'd do that if at any point she could've taken her down by herself?"

“Judgin' from what she told us, every time she tried fighting her, she had her pack backing her up," Korban countered. “Now that she's without her pack, she's alone. All we need to do now is regroup with Buniq and lay that bitch to waste. Problem solved."

“Well, I'm not taking any chances," stated Tsumé, pressing her foot into the ground to reach out with her seismic senses, eventually locating Buniq and breaking into a run.

“Tsumé! Where are you going?!" Volcan called after her, but received no answer from her. “Damn it… Pavan, scout around from the air and see if there are any other lycans left. Everyone else, with me!"

With that, the others were off, running in the direction Tsumé had gone.

The fight between Assiminik and Buniq was bloody and savage. After cornering the red-eyed werewolf on the top of the ridge, the two went at it with fang and claw, growling and roaring as they ripped into one another.

By all the logic of nature, Buniq should have been stronger; she had the proportionate power of a feral mountain lion, packed into a massive body, and human intelligence. Assiminik had the same; all of the power of a species of wolf - one Buniq didn't know, but even the largest wolves should have paled in comparison to a feline. No… The difference for Assiminik, was combining her bestial strength, with genius-level intelligence.

Assiminik was weaker than Buniq, but she was many times more experienced as a fighter, using the surrounding terrain to outmaneuver her. She jumped toward a pair of trees, deliberately reverting back to her anthropian form to leap between them, and when Buniq tried to pursue she slammed into the trees. Assiminik then leapt up to a branch above her, swung and kicked Buniq hard with both feet, striking her square in the head and knocking her back, transforming even as she swung between the trees again.

The re-transformed Assiminik landed atop Buniq, and pinned her arms down, baring her teeth before biting down hard on Buniq's neck, tearing into flesh and bringing screams of agony from the werecat…

Fortunately, that was when Tsumé intervened. A goose-fletched crossbow quarrel buried itself into Assiminik's broad chest, and she recoiled in pain, grabbing at the arrow and snarling at her assailant. Her red eyes gleamed brightly in the dark as she studied the arriving group, coming up behind the petite earth phoenix.

“Buniq!" Volcan called, seeing her bloodied, torn form as she rose. “Are you okay?"

“Be careful… She is extremely dangerous," Buniq warned, not answering Volcan's question as she stood.

“Hey bitch!" Korban called out as he stepped up, brandishing his guns and taking aim at Assiminik. “I got a nice wad of payback with your name on it from our last bout. How bout you come on up and claim yer prize?"

Assiminik growled as she took a step back, studying the group once again as she reached out to the tree beside her. A dead spruce tree, devoid of any leaves; she looked at it briefly… And with a sharp pull of her arm, she ripped it – roots and all, from the ground before throwing it at them.

“Incoming!" Volcan shouted as he jumped into the air to avoid the flying projectile.

Korban broke into a sprint and slid under the tree, already firing pot shots at Assiminik as he slid along the ground, a few shots finding their marks as she fought to stay on her feet. Kieran also jumped into the air, spellbook in one hand and making motions with his other as he channelled a spell.

Ethereal chains rose up from the ground around the werewolf and latched onto her arms to hold her in place. She growled as she felt the chains taking hold, pulling hard on them and causing Kieran to strain as his will was tested by the supernatural strength of the werewolf.

Volcan ran at Assiminik, brandishing his large, silver-lined blade once more and crying out in fury as he slashed at Assiminik, the force of his swing combined with her pulling forced Kieran to release the spell as she was thrown back, a trail of blood flowing in her wake as she was thrown toward the cliff.

She landed, rolled, and clawed at the stone and trees, but it was too late. Over she went and disappeared into the darkness below. Volcan ran over to the cliff to stare down after her and then looked at the others.

“Get down there; that fall's not going to kill a creature of that size - we're finishing this!" he called before he leapt off the cliff, spreading his wings and beginning to circle down to the land below.

Lighris and Vinge followed suit, taking flight to follow Volcan while the others ran to look for a way down…

Volcan landed first, his blade clutched tightly in both hands as he sought the werewolf, not seeing her at first. He heard Vinge and Lighris coming down behind him, looking over his shoulder at them before all three - weapons in hand, walked slowly past the trees, looking for any sign of Assiminik…

They didn't have to look long, as they came to a break in the trees where they found a form lying in a pile of broken foliage. It was a female wolf, reverted back to an anthropian form, and lying lifeless where she fell. Volcan relaxed, lowering his blade only slightly.

“Is that her?" Lighris asked.

“Black wolf, female… It must be," said Volcan, “we've already seen that they revert to their normal form when they die."

Vinge, however, didn't seem convinced. He looked up the cliff face, eyes narrowed suspiciously, and then back at the body of the wolfess. He stepped forward, sheathing his sword and dagger before kneeling in front of her, looking at her half-lidded eyes.

“Red… Just like Assiminik," he muttered. “But… Something doesn't seem right here."

It was at that moment the rest of the group arrived, finding the three phoenixes and the body they stood near. The bounty hunters slowly stepped forward, keeping their guns trained on the body of the anthro wolf as Vinge examined her.

“...There's no way she's dead," Korban remarked, narrowing his eyes slightly. “I only nailed her with four shots at non-vital areas, and a werewolf could easily survive a fall of that height…"

“Maybe we got lucky?" Kieran asked.

“In my experience, luck doesn't factor into this kinda situation," Korban countered, never taking his eyes off of the wolf.

At that, Vinge stiffened, and he leaned forward, running his hand down the corpse of the wolf along her chest.

Lighris made a face as he saw what Vinge was doing. “Whoa, Vinge; come on. That's really-"

“She has no bullet wounds!" Vinge interrupted, “and where's the arrow Tsumé shot her with before? She never pulled it out!"

As everyone understood the meaning of Vinge's words, the ice phoenix made another - rather grotesque, check, poking one of his nails into the eye of the wolfess… And it came away with a red disk speared on his talon, revealing an eye long faded with the death of its owner where the disk had been.

“You have got to be kidding me!" Lighris boomed. “She made a body double?!"

“To fool us all with her death, and buy time for her escape," added Vinge, casting away the red contact lense, “She must have done this well before the fight ever started, in preparation for a potential loss."

“She thought that far ahead?" Tsumé demanded. “Who the fuck is this bitch?!"

Volcan cursed and looked at the others. “We have to find her, now!"

“Too late… she's already long gone," Korban remarked, growling as he holstered his pistols and sniffed the air. “...She even took the time to hide her scent, too."

“...The amount of planning that she considered for a situation like this…" Kieran remarked, looking at the double closely. “There's no way she's this good just from pure survival instinct… She's been trained in this kinda stuff, and I'm not talking military. I'm talking Special Forces secret agent spy-level stuff…"

Before anyone else could speak, Buniq threw back her head and roared furiously into the sky, the sound drowning out the voices of anyone else as she let out her anger through her voice. She even turned and punched a nearby tree, sending it careening over with her strength, before leaning against another for support as she caught her breath.

“She is still out there…" growled the werecat, her anger apparent in her voice even behind the growl that accompanied her words. “She escaped justice, even when on the brink of death…" she hung her head, and they all knew that her anger was slowly giving way to sadness.

“One day…" muttered Buniq, her brow creasing as a very anthropian expression crossed her beastial features. “One day I will kill her… One day…"