Three figures. Alone in the darkened hall. A doorway, a choice. The leader, clad in blue, turned to the other two for help. Feeling the ominous atmosphere that hung over their heads, they both shook their heads and stepped back. The one remaining faced the door, the dark void that they had created, and felt that premonition of danger. As curious as they were, their safety came first, and ot was a shared, unkown instinct that if they stepped through, they would not come out unharmed. Tearing their eyes away from what could have been, they turned and continued back the way they came.

The door remained open...

It had been some time since Seam had worked at the castle. It had become distant memory of laughter and cheers, worn away by the ages of time he had spent behind his counter. He missed it, sometimes, the roar of the crowd after a particularly good trick, the pride felt in completing a new act. But what stuck in his mind most was him. Such an extrodinary person, so lively, so witty. One to match him and challenge him in every way. Although he had met so many people, travellers, guards, anyone who had stopped by, he had never had another friend like him. And a part of him still longed for that relief from the constant pang of sadness.

But, there could be nothing done about that now. He was trapped within the deepest depths of the castle's dungeon, so far away from his little 'seap' out here in the field. It was no use moping about the past when there was nothing you could do to change it. Although, melancholy was a nice way to pass the time. Considering that there was little to no use doing much else. The world was changing, and growing darker by the minute, as far as Seam was concerned, there was nothing that he could do to stop it. But the days did grow tiring as ever, and he could not stop thinking about his lost friend. Perhaps it would have been nicer with some chaos around...

As if an answer to his prayers, a figure burst into his shop, puffing and panting before straightening up. "King... come find you... escape..." The Rudinn Ranger managed to say between his gasps for air. Leaning over the counter the old cat peered worryingly at the guest. What is a Ranger doing all the way out here? I thought they only stayed in the castle. So what could possibly be so important that they've been sent all the way out here? And to me of all people? As soon as the Rudinn had regained enough breath to construct a coherent sentence, he blurted out all the information that the shopkeeper needed at a speed . "Sirthekingsentmethere'saprisonerwhoescapedforsomereasonhethoughtyouwouldbeabletohelp. But I must get back, protect the castle. Long live the king!" With that, he left the shop just as hurriedly as he came, not giving Seam any time to register what he had just said. When the information sank in, it clicked in his mind, and the answer chilled him to the core of his cotton.

He was free.

In the distant, he could hear the faint sparkling of the Ranger, but one other sound caught his attention. The tinkling of bells. There was a silence for a moment, and the sound of a sword being drawn. A swish, a clink, and a maniacal laugh. All was quiet aside from the thump of a body on the floor, and the warning of the bells, drawing closer by the minute. He's coming.

A few minutes passed in anxious anticipation, as the jingling grew nearer and nearer, until it was accompanied by the bell on his door ringing in harmony. He turned away from the front of the counter, afraid of what he might find, and soft footsteps fell on the carpet, creeping towards him. Closer, closer, and faster, faster his tension grew. He could almost feel the breath on his fur, and he could not resist any longer. He turned around and stared into those peircing, yellow eyes, and the pale, round face he knew so well.

"It's been a long time, Jevil"