Author's Note – WHAT'S UP, BITCHEEEEEEES?!

I DECIDED TO ADDRESS YOU ALL TODAY WITH EXTREME AND ENTIRELY UNNECESSARY AGGRESSION!

LovelySheree!

I get it! But no! Not yet! Too soon! Eventually!

Everyone else and their mothers!

Fine, I'll do a sparring chapter!

To no one in particular!

Garlic bread is freaking phenomenal!

AND IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU THAT IT ISN'T

TEACH THEM RESPECT AND LET BRUTALITY BE THEIR INSTRUCTOR!

And by the way...

4,500 WORDS, BABY!

THIS CHAPTER IS OUTRAGEOUS!

*flies away on unicorn of adrenaline*

Hunters

Anna was getting a bit worried for Elsa. The amount of stress she was under was enough to, hopefully not literally, break her back.

In the last few weeks, The Queen of Arendelle had received an endless amount of pleas for assistance from practically every hunter in Arendelle.

According to them, one of the most abundantly populated hunting grounds in the forests north of Arendelle had been overtaken by, what Anna could only assume was, some sort of demon.

Those who had seen whatever beast this was had only been able to catch a fleeting glimpse of it.

"It musta been twice the size of your average wolf!"

"'E was like the great demon wolf himself!"

"Eyes like liquid shadow and hatred!"

"Ate every speck o game in that entire forest!"

"Teeth more ferocious than that of any predator I've ever seen."

"Smells worse than me wife!"

Elsa had continuously attempted to assure the men that something would be done to at least expel the beast from the grounds. In all honesty, she was hoping that the creature itself would move on from it's current home. Yet as the weeks went on, and the complaints increased, she realized simply waiting would not suffice.

She decided to act.

"Kai, could you find the Captain?"

Kai stopped pouring the tea he had made to give the Queen a very sarcastic look.

"Is that how he wishes we refer to him now?"

Elsa stifled a laugh, agreeing with her assistant's tone completely. "He's just so excited about it. He wants everyone in the castle to calling him that."

Kai exhaled wearily. "You certainly have chosen a…unique fiancé, your majesty."

"Indeed I have."

The conversation was stopped, however, when Ignus appeared right next to Elsa in a burst of flames. He had gotten very good at his little trick, able to stifle what used to be heart-rattling explosions.

"You called?"

He was dressed in his brand-new Captain's uniform. It was his own design, of course, and entirely unnecessary, yet he was never one to pass up a chance to dress up.

Elsa straightened his collar, a bit wrinkled from his sudden appearance. "Yes. I have something I need to talk to you about. Follow me."

Ignus complied, picking up the freshly-made cup of tea Kai was about to enjoy. The servant's eyebrow twitched as he made himself another.

"There's been something occurring as of late-" Elsa began.

"Does it have to do with the creature in the forest?" Ignus asked, shrewdly.

"You've heard about it?"

"Heard about it? It's all I hear about these days. Everytime I walk into town I hear something about this thing. If I were to combine all the descriptions I've heard about it, we have a dog the approximate size of the castle on our hands, complete with horns, three eyes, and a tail made of misery and hatred."

Elsa weakly laughed. She certainly hoped that wasn't the case.

"Well…it needs to be taken care of. The hunters are losing precious skins and goods fast. At this rate they'll fall far behind on their schedule for the winter."

Ignus nodded. "Gotcha. So what do we do?"

Elsa gave him an apologetic look. Ignus looked at her for a moment, then understood.

"Wh-but! Aaah, Elsa!"

"I'm sorry, but you are the best suited for something like this!"

"Just because I shoot fire?"

"No, because you are cunning, have experience with the wilderness, and are quite formidable in a fight." Elsa answered curtly.

Ignus tried to squelch the pride he felt.

"Yeah, but…"

"Look, I really don't want to send you out there. Please believe me when I say I do. But I need something to be done about this situation, and all the hunters in Arendelle are too afraid to go back into the forest."

Greeeeat, Ignus though sarcastically. But Elsa's eyes were pleading.

"Well, I'm going to need help. I've never been around the Arendellian Forest much…I'll need someone with experience."

The Queen smiled, giving him a kiss. "I think we can find someone."

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"I'm an ICE-FARMER. Not a BEAST-SLAYER."

"With any luck I'll be the one doing the slaying, okay? You just need to guide me around a bit!"

It had been like this for a while.

Kristoff had been none too happy to accompany Ignus to find a fearsome animal that, from what they heard, could easily tear out a man's throat. However, he was a frequent traveler in the forest. And he too had experience hunting animals. He couldn't live on carrots, after all.

Sven snorted from his position at the front of the sled. He had been pulling them along for about an hour, delving deep into the forest.

"A bit longer, Sven. We're almost there."

Ignus, meanwhile, looked at his equipment. He had a few traps, a crossbow, a hunting spear (freshly cut), and some bait.

He had tried to convince Elsa to let him bring Marshmallow, but she would have none of it. Her reasoning was that since Ignus was gone, she'd need someone to protect her at the castle.

Ignus snorted in the present, thinking about it. Elsa needed protection like she needed ice cubes.

And so, Ignus had taken what he could carry. He had always been one for lightweight travel, so he didn't take much to burden himself with.

"Alright, we're here." Kristoff said as Sven came to a halt. They clambered down from the sled.

Ignus walked around a bit, getting a feel for the forest. It was shaded by the amount of tree braches above his head, and there was an abundance of green plants around. Yet there was an air of uneasiness.

"Okay, my hygienically challenged friend, point the way."

Kristoff managed to ignore the comment and looked closely at the dirt.

"Well, they weren't kidding when they said this place has a ton of game. There are rabbit tracks, fox tracks, raccoons, deer…no, I think that's elk…even some bear prints!"

Ignus was stunned. "You got all that from one look at the ground?"

Kristoff wiped his nose smugly. "I've been in the woods a while."

Ignus decided not to mock him further and simply be impressed with his friend's ability.

"Well, do you see any strange prints? Ones that you wouldn't normally see around here?"

Kristoff narrowed his eyes, concentrating. He walked around, sifting his hands through the dirt and grass.

"Not around here. Let's keep walking."

"Wait, what about Sven?"

Kristoff pulled out a small whistle.

"He can hear this thing a mile away. We'll use it as soon as we're done here."

Ignus nodded, satisfied.

They walked through the trees, Ignus looking at the many marks on the ground, seeing some of what Kristoff was talking about, but certainly not as much. Ignus was a good hunter, but Kristoff could read the forest like a book.

"So! How're things with Anna?" Ignus said, making conversation.

"Couldn't be better." Kristoff said sincerely. "Although she's still stubborn as ever. Se wanted to come hunt with us, but I was able to persuade her to stay with Elsa."

Ignus pictured Anna in a coonskin hat and leather hunting equipment. While it was a bit ridiculous, it didn't seem too far-fetched.

"I can see her being a good hunter."

Kristoff snorted. "Right up until the actual 'hunt' part. She'd never hurt an animal. Ever."

Ignus smiled. Anna could be very tough, but when it came to animals her heart melted.

Ha. Heart melted. Because that actually happened once.

Ignus slapped himself.

Kristoff gave him a bewildered look.

"You okay there?"

"The puns, man. They won't stop."

Kristoff chuckled. "Even the ones in your head?"

Ignus exhaled, shaking his head.

"It's seriously, seriously a good thing Elsa likes them." Kristoff said.

"God, don't remind me. I don't think we'd have gotten anywhere if she didn't."

Kristoff shrugged. "Well, I wouldn't say that. I don't think she's marrying you for your puns."

Ignus gave him a look. "You make it sound like she asked me."

"Ig, c'mon. You know who's wearing the pants."

"So what? I'm just her little lover boy?"

"With fire powers."

"Oh, shut up."

They bickered a bit more as they walked deeper into the forest. Kristoff was continuously checking the ground and trees, looking for any sort of suspicious markings.

Finally, after close to an hour, Kristoff held up a hand and pointed to a nearby tree.

Ignus looked at it closely. It was clawed in a very bestial, yet almost calculated sort of way.

"Like a warning." Kristoff said, reading Ignus' thoughts. "But the markings are to small to be a bear's handiwork, so that must mean…"

"We're in it's territory." Ignus said quietly. He motioned to Kristoff to stick close.

He pulled out his crossbow, loading it. Kristoff took out his knife and a large machete.

Ignus slunk around the forest like a predator. He hadn't been doing much stealth work as of late, what with him not being chased by lunatics anymore, but a lifetime of training had embedded itself permanently in Ignus' mind. To him, this was utterly natural.

He listened to the forest, hearing only a few birds and Kristoff's quiet breaths next to him.

A smoky haze appeared at the top of the back of Ignus' collar. It stretched over his head and solidified into a hood.

Kristoff gave him a look. "Why?" he asked bluntly.

"Helps me concentrate." Ignus said. He didn't say anything else after that.

They continued to slink through the dense forest. More and more markings were becoming apparent. Yet Ignus had not heard, nor seen, any sign of the beast.

He frowned. He was in its territory, he was making noise, and Kristoff's scent was more than enough to draw it's attention.

So where was it?

"Kris, find something to hide yourself with. I'm gonna put down some bait."

Kristoff nodded, creeping over to a rotted log and crouching inside it.

Ignus took out a small vial of red liquid. He popped off the cork, a pungent and disgusting smell filling his nostrils. He dumped the rancid contents of the vial onto the ground.

He then silently walked back to where Kristoff hid and sat next to him, waiting.

Kristoff felt a bit uneasy. It was hard to not be intimidated by Ignus when he got serious.

For about fifteen minutes there was nothing but an uncomfortable silence.

Then Ignus heard a snap.

He raised a hand to his mouth and looked at Kristoff. He didn't even breath.

And before their very eyes, a creature burst from the bushes.

It was a fox.

Kristoff almost laughed. Ignus groaned in frustration.

The fox smelled the bait Ignus had set down with interest, then looked around aimlessly. It then walked away.

Kristoff exhaled. "Well, that didn't work."

Ignus frowned. "That fox got it's scent all over the bait…nothing's gonna go for it now."

Kristoff leaned back against the log. "Is there anything else we know about the thing? Anything we can use?

"All we know is that it eats meat and is ferocious."

"Comforting."

"It's hardly seen…and it's only attacked those in it's territory. This thing, whetever it is…it's smart."

Kristoff gave a sarcastic laugh. "Wonderful. Smart, powerful, sneaky and aiming to eat us. This was a wonderful idea."

Ignus shushed his friend.

"How do we find this thing…we can't even use bait. Sooner or later it-"

He stopped.

"Kris, stop moving now."

The edge in Ignus' voice made Kristoff obey him immediately.

"What i-"

"Shut up. Now. Don't look at me, don't move, don't speak."

Kristoff was now totally freaked out.

Ignus swallowed a shaky breath.

There was something behind him breathing on his neck.

"Kris, listen but don't react. I think the thing is behind me right now. I can feel it's breath."

Kristoff's eyes widened, but he managed to keep it cool.

"What do we do?" He whispered, almost inaudibly.

Ignus' mind raced. This thing had gotten the drop on him, it had ignored bait, it had evaded every hunter. This thing was more than smart. It was downright intelligent.

Ignus frowned. He'd just have to do something no one else could, then.

Without warning, Ignus shot fire from his hands and rocketed backwards, feeling a very heavy weight slam into his back. He didn't stop, flying backwards almost 200 feet.

He skidded onto the ground, coming to a clumsy, tumbling stop as he heard whatever had attacked him come to a crash next to him.

Ignus raised his head and looked at the thing before him.

It was a an enormous, black and white mountain lion.

It slowly got to it's feet, letting out a slow drawling growl. As Ignus looked at it, he saw that it's eyes were the palest blue he had ever seen. It was magnificent and terrifying.

Ignus slowly got to his feet, eyeing the lion cautiously. He had fought with wolves a few times, but never something like a mountain lion.

He clenched his fist building fire. Quick as a whip, he aimed the crossbow at the lion and fired.

With unbelievable speed, the lion howled and lept out of the way, the crossbow bolt hitting the tree behind where it had once stood.

Ignus just barely managed to raise his spear, when the lion attacked him. It pinned him to the ground and tried ferociously to bite his face. Ignus grunted as he kicked at the lion's belly. The lion responded by chomping down on the crossbow and hurling it away from Ignus' reach.

Ignus cursed and set his arms on fire. The lion yowled and retreated, looking at it's paws and then at Ignus' fiery hands.

It seemed to make the connection. Ignus felt a new wave of panic. How smart is this thing?

It yowled again and ran at Ignus, who barely dodged out of the way to avoid it's claws. The lion distanced itself before running around to strike again.

Ignus was ready this time. He raised his spear and waited for the lion to jump to pin him down.

Except it didn't. The lion instead jumped to the side and slashed at Ignus' arm, leaving three gashes. Ignus bit back a sharp cry of pain.

This thing's not giving me a chance to get near it…it knows I can use fire somehow!

The lion turned around, baring it's teeth at Ignus. It's expression said, Enough. Leave me be.

Ignus shook himself. Now was not the time for lion interpretation.

And if the lion wouldn't come to him, he'd go to it.

With a flash, Ignus vanished, using his old trick.

The lion barely had time to react before Ignus appeared behind it, about to drive the point of his spear into the beast's heart. It whipped away, snarling as Ignus pointed his blade at the beast.

The black cat narrowed it's eyes. Ignus took it as Not bad.

Then it leaped at Ignus again, this time aiming low for his legs. Ignus reacted instinctively, jumping up into the air.

The lion wasted not a single moment, and immediately launched itself upwards, grabbing Ignus' spear in it's teeth. With a single clamp, the shaft shattered.

Ignus gaped at his broken weapon. This thing can chew through metal?! This is borderline insane!

He had no more time to question reality, however, as the lion had barreled into him, attacking the now-defenseless Ignus.

"Get…off!" Ignus grunted, fighting against the massive feline. He immediately lit his entire body on fire. The lion launched itself off of him.

Ignus acted without thinking. The animal's primal abilities must have affected his mind somewhat.

He let out a yell and shot himself towards the lion, knocking them both another hundred feet, and down into a valley.

Ignus kicked the lion away from him mid-air. It crumpled to the ground near a rock.

Ignus, unfortunately, was directly en-route to a tree branch. It smashed into his face with cruel indifference.

Ignus crashed to the ground right next to the panting creature. His nose was bleeding.

Giving a weak moan, Ignus leaned himself up against a rock. The lion lay weakly beside him.

For about ten minutes they simply sat there, catching their breath.

Ignus felt he should be more surprised at the fact that the lion was not, at this moment, killing him in a painful and most likely gruesome way. But he wasn't. That blow to the head must've addled his…whatever made him feel surprise.

He glanced at the great cat. Then he noticed something. Beneath the lush fur of the creature, Ignus saw a large number of scars, running all across it's body. And they were not the scars made by man-made tools, they were-

"Mountain Lion claws." Ignus muttered.

The black mountain lion looked at him with it's pale blue eyes. It regarded him coldly.

"They didn't like you that much?" Ignus asked it.

Yes, I'm talking to a mountain lion now, Ignus told himself. Get over it.

The lion did not respond.

"From the looks of it you got yourself seriously roughed up by other lions. They kick you out?"

The lion, again, simply looked at him with it's icy eyes.

Ignus almost laughed. "Well, I know how that feels."

The lion snorted. Actually snorted.

Ignus' eyes widened a bit.

"That seemed intentional." He said out loud.

The lion did nothing.

"What, you don't believe me?" Ignus asked, despite himself. "Why do you think I used to wear this?" He grabbed the tip of his hood.

The lion's gaze seemed to soften.

"I know what it's like to be kicked out. Be beaten to a pulp. Given scars that you try to heal up but can't. It's agonizing. You feel like-"

Ignus realized something.

"You feel like you're just better off alone."

The mountain lion looked down, crooning sadly.

Ignus decided to humor the thought that somehow, miraculously, this thing could understand him.

"That why you came here? Put up warnings, tell others to back off?"

The lion made a sort of sound akin to, "Mrrp."

Ignus exhaled. "Yeah. I kind of did that. But more metaphorically. I put up warnings around myself. Hid myself from others with a hood and some stealth."

The lion gave him a look. It seemed to convey, And how did that work out?

"Not well." Ignus replied, wincing from the pain in his shoulder from where the lion clawed him. "You are seriously smart, you know that?"

The lion held it's head a bit haughtily, as if to say, Of course I am.

Ignus sighed softly.

"So…I mean, what now?"

The lion sighed, like it was saying I don't know.

Ignus simply sat there. He didn't realize how much blood he had lost.

"I mean…" His voice waivered as his consciousness flickered. "I don't want to fight you anymore…you seem, I'm not gonna lie, really, really cool, and…you sort of remind me of myself…is that weird? It's probably weird…always thought I was more of a 'dragon'…or a 'phoenix'…y'know, 'cause the fire…nevermind. Anyway, just…I don't want to fight. You'll probably kill me. So…maybe..."

Ignus managed to give the lion one lucid thought.

"You could live somewhere else."

Ignus' head fell forward, and his mind went blank.

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Ignus opened his eyes to see a troll's butt a mere inches from his face.

What came next was probably the girliest sound he had ever made in his life.

"Whoa! Okay, he's awake!" The troll yelled, slipping off of Ignus' body.

"What in the name…of ALL THAT IS FREAKIN' GOOD…were you just doing to me?!"

"Healing you up, son." The troll answered simply, holding up some white salve.

Ignus looked down at his chest, The scratches he had received during the fight were healing. The troll had been applying it to his wounds.

"Okay…okay, that's a relief. But, uh-"

"Hey, you're awake!"

Kristoff had run over, slapping his arm heartily. Luckily for Ignus it was his uninjured arm.

"Ow…hi."

"Is this, like, a thing with you? Falling unconscious? Because this is happening way too much, we're gonna have to get you some help-"

Ignus ignored his friend, leaning up slowly. He looked around and saw that he was, as he suspected, in the troll's valley, complete with steaming geysers and moss as far as one could see.

"You brought me here?"

"Yeah. I followed the burnt trees and found you in a valley. I whistled for Sven and got you over here ASAP."

"And, uh…what happened to the mountain lion?"

Kristoff looked a bit uneasy.

"Well, uh…see we tried to make it go away, but-"

Ignus then felt a very familiar snort on the back of his neck.

Whirling around, he saw, to his astonishment, the very same mountain lion that had attacked him earlier. It looked at him coolly with it's fearsome eyes.

Ignus made a small choking noise.

"Calm yourself, Ignus."

The elderly troll himself, Pabbie, appeared out of the crowd of trolls.

Ignus looked at him like he was mad.

"Um…calm myself? Now?"

Pabbie almost chuckled.

"Yes, calm yourself and listen."

"You found this animal out in the forest, correct?"

Ignus, out of the corner of his eye, saw the lion flick his ears, like he was saying, Animal?!

"Well…more like he found me."

"Mm-hmm. And, by chance, did you, during your fight, notice anything unusual about this mountain lion?"

Ignus blinked several times.

"Well…I mean, It's smart…no more than that. It's extremely intelligent."

Pabbie nodded, like something he suspected was happening. Ignus did not like that.

"And did you by chance understand the lion?"

Ignus' face screwed up in confusion.

"Come again?"

"Could you understand the lion?"

"No! Because he didn't say anything!"

"Yes, he didn't say anything, but…"

Ignus looked at the mountain lion. It raised it's eyebrows just a hair.

You are able to understand me.

Ignus almost fell over.

"What the heck is happening here?"

Pabbie chuckled.

"You seem to be able to understand it quite well due to your similarities to it."

Ignus blinked, surprised. "I can understand it because of that?!"

"Well, in addition to your magic aiding you, yes. Life came from fire, and from life, language. It stands to reason your fire is able to assist you in that way. And every living person has an animal companion they feel the most connected to. Just look at Kristoff."

Ignus shook his head. He could care less how it worked. He was more amazed that it did.

He looked at the white and black animal before him.

"So…then you can understand me as well?"

So it would seem, unfortunately for me.

"Hey!"

Kristoff raised an eyebrow. "This is weird…"

Weird? I saw that man mimicking the voice of the reindeer earlier. Now that is something weird.

This mountain lion had an attitude.

Ignus almost laughed. He felt like he was in some sort of alternate reality.

*Author's Clarification – Ignus is not in an alternate reality.

"Well…I mean…why did you follow me?"

The lion did nothing at first.

You said you'd find me a new home.

Ignus recalled his words in his last moments awake.

"Well...technically I suggested you find a new home, but...maybe I could. You followed me here because of that?"

If it means that foolish humans with toy weapons will stop annoying me, then yes. I accept your offer.

"That wasn't a toy weapon." Ignus said sullenly.

Really? It felt like one.

"This guy reminds me a lot of Fraxinus." Ignus said to Kristoff.

Kristoff shook his head. "Great. Wonderful. So let's find it a home so we never have to see it again."

Ignus looked at Kristoff apologetically.

Kristoff understood at once.

"No."

"Kris-"

"No!"

"Where else could we-"

"Anywhere! Literally! Anywhere else!"

He seems agitated, the lion communicated to Ignus.

"Yeah, he gets like that."

"Stop it!" Kristoff said, eyeing the two of them. "He's not coming back to the castle with us!"

Ignus and the lion looked at each other.

Ignus smiled.

"You have a name?"

The lion eyed Ignus, like he was deciding whether or not Ignus was worthy to hear such knowledge.

Back in my old pack, I was named 'Manen Skygge'.

"Manen Skygge? Wow, artsy."

Ignus smiled.

"Well, if you're interested, there's one place that I know takes in smelly, dangerous and wild beasts."

How do you know?

"They were crazy enough to take me in." Ignus added with a sly smile.

END

A/N – This chapter was…wow, I honestly have no idea where this came from. I have no idea how to feel about it.

This was certainly a unique chapter. But, as I don't want to drive people nuts, please let me know what you think.

Do you want to see more of Manen?

Is this an idea best left discontinued?

Honest opinions welcomed and appreciated. While i'd certainly like to continue using this "Manen" addition, i don't want to annoy you all if majority thinks it's stupid.

Thanks again for reading these splurges my brain cooks up.

-TheStanfordExperiment