This is a reupload - last time I updated this chapter I think something bugged, because instead of a chapter there was just a brick of html text. Hopefully that issue should have been fixed now, but feel free tolet me know if that's not the case
There have been a few edits, such as to Xero's appearance in the Sanctum, but nothing major has changed too much. Beyond that and my username at the end, nothing else has been changed.
Hi everyone, I have returned!
Again.
So it's half term here in the uk, with Halloween quickly approaching and honestly I am so mad that I can't basically cosplay a member of the Black Parade and walk around the street with fake blood on my face and scare the shit out of passing kids and parents but heyho life moves on I guess.
Well at least I know what my plans are for next year-
That's not what y'all are here for though so let's just dive right into the story again.
Damn I really took until halfway through the week off to write the next upload again?
HOW IS IT ALREADY NOVEMBER IT WAS ONLY THE 20TH OCTOBER YESTERDAY I SWEAR!
Pronunciation guide
Haful (fire) - HA-fool
The group follow the black wolf in the increasingly dark woods the best they can, their eyes slowly adjusting to the shadows. The soft sound of Luna's paws landing in the grass below soon stops, and her bright yellow eyes appear over her shoulder, fixing Kai and Skylor with a neutral look before her voice echoes in their heads.
"You two have the ability to control haful, do you not?"
Skylor raises an eyebrow in confusion before Luna's head shakes in the darkness.
"I mean fire."
Kai's eyes suddenly spark and he slaps his forehead before setting his right hand ablaze. Skylor soon copies him and together they step to the front of the group, lighting their way at a brightness that the humans in the team could actually see.
The group continue in near silence, only the sounds of their feet, breathing and hearts beating audible in the woods. Jay glances around nervously - the forest is too quiet for his liking.
Zane whispers something to Pixal, who nods and hums quietly in agreement, drawing all eyes to them apart from Luna's, the shapeshifter's focus not moving from directly in front of her.
After a few more minutes, Luna stops still, her tail whipping back and forth once as a signal to halt. The team slows, all eyes on the wolf. Her eyes flicking around in the shadows, Luna casts her head over her right shoulder to fix the group with a firm, piercing stare. Lloyd shifts on his feet, uncomfortable under the animal's eyes, an acceptable response in Zane's opinion - while there are few recorded cases of shapeshifters actively attacking humans without provocation, they have been portrayed as having little to no mercy towards their foes. Any sensible living thing would quiver before a shapeshifter.
"We are almost there, but I must warn you - many of our kind will not take too kindly to your human forms due to our... eventful past with your kind. Take caution when you show your faces."
Her warning complete, Luna steps forward again and disappears into the darkness. In blind fear, Lloyd quickly follows, desperate to find the wolf to guide them. He, too, vanishes in the shadows. A single, short growl bursts from Akita's jaws as she launches forward, following suit. No sound can be heard from any of the three after that.
Swallowing their fears, the rest of the ninja take one further step.
There is a loud, collective gasp as sight returns to the humans' eyes.
The darkness has let up to create a large, bright circular clearing among the trees, their gentle shadows covering the green grass beneath their feet. Littered among the trees, small hills and dips, all around the team, animals can be heard - birds call from in the trees, squirrels and other mammals of the forest chatter as they run and play, and a few unrecognisable sounds echo through the forest. Luna appears in their view, next to the paralysed Akita and Lloyd, her eyes shooting around as if she is looking for someone. She starts pacing, her head swivelling when a loud whoosh can be heard. Her ears perk up and she lets a small howl escape her, a foreign shape approaching ahead.
The animal is majestic and unlike any animal the ninja have seen before. It seems like some kind of hybrid of a fox and a shark. While its body is mostly a medium grey, it has a cyan chest which leads down to its belly. Its front legs each have two lighter grey stripes across them, while its hind ones have seven, alternating in direction. Under its eyes are small cyan triangles which curve back from the front, leading down to point at its mouth. Its eyes are closed, a light grey line between them across its snout. Its ears curve back and lean down. Overall, it is one odd-looking creature.
The animal smiles the best it can, bright white canine teeth gleaming. Luna's tail flips a few times as she pads up to it their snouts bumping in greeting. She returns its odd expression. The creature's focus then seems to shift and its nose twitches, finally picking up on the additional presences.
Almost immediately, its expression changes, its upper lip curling in a loud, rippling, ferocious snarl. It launches itself over Luna's dark form, separating her from the ninja. Akita jumps in front of it, her tails swinging from the movement. The beast's eyes open with effort, and it regards Akita closely, as if wondering why its own kind might defend a group of humans, before it growls again, clearly not recognising her.
Luna snarls loudly in return, drawing the attention of everyone but the aggressive animal. When she fails to get it to notice her, she blocks the Formling from the shapeshifter's view, only causing it to bare its teeth more.
"You bring humans to the Pack?!" A nearly deafening, alien voice rings in the ears of the ninja, and the beast looks ready to pounce. "You betray us?!"
"Nay, I bring with me the saviours of our world!" Luna's voice echoes soon after, her own snarl making the larger animal step back.
With one final growl, Luna takes a step forward, holding her head high, eyes fixed firmly on the other shapeshifter.
"Stand down, Xero."
Okay folks, that's all for now!
So, you've now met Xero. You're gonna want to get used to them, they're gonna be around a lot. Just a warning.
Sorry I took so long getting this update out, I'm gonna try to update some more before Christmas. I've stopped updating one of my stories and another has been put onto a less frequent upload schedule, so I'm trying to reduce my workload on top of my schoolwork, so hopefully I'll have some more out soon.
See you all soon!
Don't be afraid to leave comments in the reviews, as normal, but if you're gonna be rude or negative, you can expect some sass thrown back your way because I'm not here to deal with people's shit.
So for now, I'm out
See ya!
-XeroZero