I can't upload anything except .txt files it seems. :P Sorry about that -_-
Chapter 2, Battle
Slowly he walked closer, making no attempts to lunge at the amazon and the ninja. His way of walking was peculiar too; he seemed unable to move completely upright. As he came forwards he lowered his head a little, crouching as if awaiting an attack himself.
He didn't become less of a strange figure as he came in close up.
Well, he was human… or?
He looked mostly like a human, but… there was something different, which Lise couldn't pinpoint. By now her eyes had gotten partly used to the night, so she could at least see Kevin's forms.
The clothes he wore were just as uncommon as the rest of him. His pants were wide and seemed to be tiger-striped, the cloth somehow pasted just around his ankles. Above the belt he carried an open shirt, an not even meant to hide his chest. Around his neck was a crag of some kind of fur, and among the thick hair on his head was a small, peculiar hat of some kind.
Oh, the hair… that was it. It was more of a lion's mane, flowing out of and around Kevin's head like a dark aureole. Lise had never seen such hair before, not on a human.
He seemed to be just about her and Hawk's age, but the amount of muscles he carried made Lise uncertain.
Kevin was obviously some kind of warrior, but she couldn't tell from which country he could come from.
Plus, his way of speaking really was unique…
It was hard to see his face in the shadows, but in his eyes was a deep sadness that even the dusk couldn't hide. Lise tried to look away as she noticed it. His grieve was so strong that her own troubles rose up inside of her memory, and that hurt her. But somehow she couldn't pull her eyes away from Kevin's, some part of her absentmindedly worried that such a move would hurt him even more.
"My name is Lise," she heard herself say, "this is Hawk."
"Me hear you," Kevin said, almost shyly, "want to escape too, gah…"
A new hope carefully awoke inside of the princess.
"Do you have any ideas about how?" she asked, "we're stuck."
Kevin nodded and pointed at the fort's shadow that hovered above Jad in the moonlight.
"Risk, but me think only way now," he said with his grunting way of speaking, "many beastmen go to Wendel tonight, but birds are still there. Me can handle them."
"Say, how can you know about that?" Hawk suspiciously asked.
"Ah…"
Kevin crouched his shoulders, even though he wasn't walking now. Just miserable. Lise almost reached out to touch his arm, but was held back by sense of manners.
"Me half beastman," the young man with the mane said in a low voice, "son of Beast King…"
"You're Iwhat/I?!" Hawk gasped and Lise said in surprise.
"Ah…" Kevin grunted again, "my precious Karl…"
He rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand.
"Karl little wolf, and he had no mother either," he muttered, "so we always together. But then…"
A growling that almost sounded like a sob worked its way out of his throat.
"Suddenly Karl attack me," Kevin bitterly continued, "after that… I fell into rage and… and killed Karl."
He rubbed his cheek again before continuing. Hawk and Lise silently listened.
"Then hear Beast King and Deathjester talk. They made Karl attack me… me charge at Beast King, but no luck. Too strong… Priest of Light no help me either, no can do."
Another growl, this time completely pure left his lips.
"Me go back and avenge Karl somehow," Kevin snarled, "but stuck here now, gah. Can flee with birds tonight… ah, still dangerous go alone. You come?"
Hawk tried to catch Lise's eyes for an exchange of glances, but she was still watching Kevin.
The princess struggled against herself as she desperately wanted to try to comfort the half blood beastman. He had lost someone he loved, just as she… but that didn't make them less strangers.
"I'm sorry about what happened to you," she said, deep within wanting to hug him for the shared pain.
Kevin looked back into her eyes and tried to smile a little.
"Thank," he honestly said, "me hear you talk, sorry too."
His eyes went to Hawk for a moment, telling that Kevin also meant the thief's torments. Then the sad eyes came back to the female warrior.
Lise found herself smiling warmly because of his compassion. It soothed her troubled mind a little.
"What do you think?" Hawk carefully asked, more or less only subconsciously aware of the warm understanding between the half beast and the amazon.
He had a part of their compassion, no doubt. Hawk had been forced to kill his best friend, and his mind still turned over itself in pain every time it swiftly touched the painful memories. Empty and wide open eyes, screech, daggers, blood…
Kevin had killed a beloved friend.
But still it seemed as if it was Lise who understood the half blood better.
Some part of Hawk snarled that he could be puzzled about such facts later, when Eagle was avenged. First of all he had to right the wrongs that he and all of Navarre had been put through.
"Hmm?"
The princess of Rolante awoke from the silent sympathy.
"I think we should try," she said, "I trust him."
Kevin almost shyly smiled by those words, as if he hadn't awaited or ever heard them before. Shrugging his shoulders, Hawk nodded.
"I guess we have no other options," he said, "you lead the way, prince."
Kevin grimaced.
"No prince," he said, "traitor and no want Beast King as father."
"I see," Hawk said with a slanted smile, "at least I'm not the only so called traitor around here, then."
Silently and hesitating Lise watched the two young men.
They were going into battle together, and the amazon belief was that any comrade in battle needed to be fully trusted. Hawk wasn't her enemy even though he was of Navarre; she had already chosen to trust him. And Kevin was… somehow it was completely impossible to even assume that he had any kind of foul intentions. Despite his obvious strength and talk of revenge he still seemed innocent. It was probably his shy way, which brought a distance to the blood running in his veins. Beastmen weren't exactly known for being careful and awkward.
Well… it was probably unwise, but she decided to tell them anyhow. In any case, her title wasn't worth anything now that Rolante was a part of Navarre.
"Before we go there's something I want you to know," she said and got her new allies' attention.
She took a deep breath. It's alright. It's painful to say, but it's just the truth.
Urgh.
"I'm the exile princess of Rolante," she admitted.
Kevin seemed to take it with a shrug, but Hawk let out a low whistle.
"Geez, am I the only non exroyalty in this town?" the sunburned one said and chuckled, "what a group this has become… a runaway princess, a half blood werewolf and a thief who's face is hunted down by his old best friends... the only things that possibly could be missing now are an elf and a magician who can't use magic. And of course a maniac knight bent on fulfilling a quest of some sort."
Kevin gave a short, grunting laugh in agreement and Lise had to smile at the humor in that. He was right, looking at it in that way it was a really bizarre meeting.
"I'd like to see Isabella's face if she knew that the princess of Rolante was in the reach of a warrior of Navarre, but that he'd never dream of capturing the lady," Hawk thoughtfully smirked.
His sneering way of saying that caused Lise to laugh shortly in a low voice. And just yesterday she had been sure that she'd never even smile again. But Kevin's hope and Hawk's humor, ah…
"Thank you," she warmly said, "even if we should fail getting out tonight, at least you two have managed to make me feel a lot better."
"Glad about that…" Kevin mumbled, smiling with that simply adorable shyness peeking out at the world again.
Hawk grinned and bowed, his way of moving bringing the mind an image of a cat.
"At your service, my lady," he said with a low chuckle.
He straightened up and spoke once more.
"Well then, shall we take our leave?"
Lise and Kevin nodded.
The half blood beastman turned around and began to walk in his crouching way, and his allies followed him. But just by the warehouse's corner Kevin stopped and looked around.
"Just warn," he said in a low voice, "know beastman power; transform when night?"
Slowly Lise nodded. She had heard about that power, yet never seen it and actually believed that it was just fairytales before coming to Jad. However, throughout the past nights in town she had heard the creepy howling and heard townspeople talk about the beastmen's other forms. Like wolves, walking on the back legs.
But she hadn't seen it herself, wisely staying inside like everyone else while the monsters roamed the streets.
"Yeah?" Hawk said, warily.
"Me half blood and not used to it," Kevin grimly said, "but can transform when in danger. So you know, just."
He sighed heavily and shook his head.
"Lost control with Karl, gah…" he muttered, "but no worry, can handle it now."
Lise figured that Hawk had called the other young man a werewolf only as a joke, for in the thief's eyes a sparkle of doubt could be seen.
But if he said that he was able to control himself now… and well, Kevin's plan was all they had.
She managed a calming smile.
"Thanks for the warning," she said.
Kevin looked relieved when facing the living trust. He turned his head forwards, sniffing the clean air before looking around the corner. By his behavior Lise could conclude that he had a reliable sense of smell.
"Quiet now, careful," he whispered.
"Tsk…" Hawk smiled, with that kindly pointing at his profession.
Since her armor was made of hardened leather dyed in Rolante's green emblem color and not a creation of metal, even Lise was able to move fairly silently in the shadows.
There were no bound wolves around now. The last refugees that had left had been strong enough to kill a few beasts; the bodies of the animals were still lying in the moonlight since nobody who cared to clean up had noticed them yet. Lise threw a glance at the pub. By it's closest corner she could see a dark heap. Those were the two wolves that she had killed. She grimly pursed her mouth and focused on where she was placing her feet.
The small group hurried up the stair to the fort, finding that the door was wide open. Lights spilled out into the night from the hallway inside.
Kevin suspiciously sniffed, gesturing at Hawk and Lise to be ready for anything. He finally shook his head.
"Winds make hard," he whispered, "and smell better transformed, but gah… think at least two beastmen here."
"Didn't bother to close the door either…" Hawk said, unable to fully hide the tension in his voice, "think they're awaiting us for dinner?"
"Don't think so," Kevin concernedly said, "but not sure."
"Have you any idea… hm, can you smell how far away they are?" Lise asked.
The half blood sniffed the air again, as he bent at the door the light unveiled his frown.
In the light of the fort's candles Lise had her very first chance to see Kevin's face properly. It was a nice face overall, smooth and free of scars. Still… his skin was a bit peculiar. It was slightly dark with a reddish tone, but not like sunburn. It was hard to explain. And his hair was also strangely red, mixed with blond. It really Iwas/I a mane… the hair was pointing in all directions, spreading out like the rising sun. Except for the top of his head, where his peculiar hat rested. It was blue now that the dark couldn't hide any colors. His belt was also blue, and the rest of his clothes were softly orange with ultramarine stripes. The backpack he carried wasn't more than a simple sack with two laces.
His eyes were strangely yellow, like a wild animal's. But not invoking fear. However, the sadness in them was even more obvious as they were lit up.
"Me think deeper inside," he finally said and looked around, "dare to try anyway? I say only chance tonight, when many are in Wendel…"
Lise and Hawk exchanged glances. Hmm…
He was right about the chances. They just had to trust the half blood to not lead them into a trap on purpose.
"Let's go, people," Hawk said, seemingly taking out two short daggers from thin air.
"I agree."
Lise took her spear in both hands and grimly nodded. Kevin also nodded and turned to the open gate.
The three warriors hurried inside, as quietly as possible.
There had been battles even in the fort; three lifeless, furry bodies laid in a corner of the hallway. They seemed to have been battered badly with at least a sword, but irregular wounds shining through the fur spoke of other weapons too. The imposters had no time for or interest in further investigation for the moment, though.
After the hall was yet another room, and an open door ahead.
With Kevin still in the lead the small invasion group rushed on.
In the third room was a closed door on the wall facing the entrance, and to the right of it was a stair leading down.
Lise suddenly thumped into Hawk, who had thumped into Kevin as the leader stopped. The half blood's sharp inhalation gave a warning even before the sound of voices and heavy footsteps in the stair did so. Still, all of it was too late.
"How could you let them fool you, Freddy?" a grunting sound that could only be the voice of a beastman growled.
"You don't wanna know…" another snarling explosion of powered up breathing announced.
Lise desperately looked around for something to take cover behind, she had a good idea about how great her and her friends' chances were against grown beastmen… there was nothing to hide behind, and the half human beasts were already to be seen in the stair. Four of them, and a third one began to speak just before the fate of the intruders was sealed:
"Be happy that you didn't allow someone important like Kevin to esc… huh?"
Four furry faces nailed their eyes onto the unexpected guests.
"Kevin?!" four voices growled.
"Ah… hello," the half blood innocently said, desperately waving at Lise and Hawk to run.
His two friends hesitated…
"Lugar said to get you, turncoat!" the one who had been the second to speak growled.
Well, at least that finally guaranteed Kevin's role as an ally. The circumstances could have been better, though.
"Run!" Kevin hissed from the corner of his mouth.
"And what about you?" Lise harshly replied, automatically moving her feet to get into defensive position.
She had lost her father, brother, friends and home just two weeks ago. It was a bit too early for her to face another loss, no matter how new and unfamiliar her ally was. No, there would never be time for her to willingly put up with another friend's death. Her amazon instincts growled that if she was to fight she would do so, and if she was to run away she wouldn't leave anyone behind. And her common sense agreed to the fullest.
"Me?" Kevin said.
He sounded surprised for some reason. Lise figured with a cut of sadness that he probably hadn't experienced others' worries for him very often, and for a dangerous moment her fighting spirit wavered.
She clamped her teeth. No feelings in battle! She was good at managing that… at least most of the time. Now and then, when someone else was in danger… she lost it and forgot the importance of complete focus on the enemy, turning to help a friend instead of keeping her own defenses up. Lise was far too concerned about everyone else, she was well aware of it. By taking the role of Eliott's sisterly step mum she had brought a heavy task upon her shoulders at an early rate. Plus, she was the leader of the amazon army. She Ihad/I to care for others, all the time. But preferably not when four muscled beasts two heads taller than her were about to attack. That would be a time where planning strategy would be more wise.
Against all pride she knew that running was the only option; the beastmen were without doubt dangerously fierce foes. But she refused to leave Kevin; he seemed determined to keep his own clansmen occupied long enough to let the members of his crisp alliance to flee and Lise couldn't allow that.
She threw a glance at Hawk. His lips had drawn away from his teeth in a grimace screaming "not again!" to anyone who cared to look at him.
No, Kevin. We're not leaving another friend.
"No way!" Lise growled.
He looked confusedly concerned, but the united growl of the beastmen made him turn his head again.
"But remember," he growled, and his hair bristled, "me taught by Beast King."
"Bring it on, if you're that confident!" the fourth hairy beast snickered.
Kevin growled and clenched his fists, shaking off his backpack. It landed on the floor with a thump that seemed deafening, crucially drawn out into a fatal rumble.
Nothing could have prepared Hawk and Lise for what happened.
The young half blood bent his neck backwards and howled like a wolf, his body being swallowed in an intense light. Through the flashes the amazon still clearly saw her ally grow, his arms and legs thickened, something happened to his head…
She blinked as the light disappeared. Where Kevin had been a wolf now stood. A humanoid wolf, covered with fine, grey fur. He was simply built up by well defined muscles and stood up straight on secure legs which obviously ended in feet, not paws, hidden in suspiciously soft looking boots. Blond hair fell down between his long ears and over the back of the simple tunic he wore.
Kevin looked around for a short moment, and in the wolf's face with its protruding nose which also was a mouth were still his sad, warmly yellow eyes.
"Better run," he said, his voice even more grunting and growling in his other form.
With a piercing roar he dashed forwards, managing to tackle one of the beastmen into the wall. But the half blood's foe grabbed Kevin's thick arms and threw him aside, beginning to howl. Three other voices joined the first, two of the beasts sending the exile prince back and forth between them with powerful strikes even as they were transforming. Kevin had no possibility to defend himself against his strong clansmen, surrounded by hairy and clawed fists he…
"Stop!" Lise shrieked and lounged forward.
Using her spear's hard stick she forcefully hit the back of one beastman's neck just when his transformation ended, and with a surprised growl her enemy fell to the floor. Unconscious. The element of surprise had at least made the odds a little less bad; it seemed as if the half monsters hadn't expected Kevin's weak looking friends to dare an attack.
While the three evil beasts still were caught in the surprise, Hawk buried his daggers in a furry hip. The roar ended suddenly when Kevin slammed both his fists into the extremely distracted werewolf's head. The monster fell with a curse falling from his lips (if they were to be called that).
Two down, two to go…
The couple left exchanged glances and stepped up side by side, preparing a simultaneous attack. Kevin backed and thereby he also caused his two friends to do so.
"Duck!" Hawk snarled.
Lise and Kevin obeyed by instincts, and the thief sent one of his daggers dashing through the air. The two beastmen bent aside, but Hawk had been planning for that. As his first dagger hit the wall, the other almost completely disappeared into a hairy arm.
With a growl Kevin rushed at the pained monster and rammed him into the wall, his head in particular. But the half blood wasn't fast enough; the other beastman cut up four deep wounds on the blond werewolf's back. Kevin's roar was just as good at shaking walls as his half clansmen's.
"No!" Hawk and Lise snarled.
The princess tried her back attack again, but it didn't work twice. A thick arm forcefully hit her chest and sent her flying into the wall. Her backpack didn't work very well as a shock absorber. Through the dancing stars and the flashing pain she heard Hawk shriek in rage, followed by a shout of surprise and pain from the same throat. Seemed like he had gotten it too… a forceful yet somehow soft rumble told Lise that her Navarre friend had crashed into a wall further away.
"Humans should not mess with beastmen!" a grunting voice snarled.
"No… hurt friends…!" Kevin's voice snarled.
"Ouff!"
Several thumps said that the last beastman had fallen.
"Lise, Hawk…?" the half blood gasped, his voice accompanied by a few more sounds of pieces of a body hitting a floor.
Get up… come on…
With a groan Lise managed to get to her knees. After shaking her head she even got her eyes open again.
Hawk was getting to his feet with a little help from the wall. The beastmen seemed to have transformed back from their wolf forms as they lost their consciousness. And Kevin was on his knees and hands, gasping for air. He had also reclaimed his other body.
Blood dripped from his shirt onto the floor.
"Oh, goddess!" Lise hissed and dashed over to him faster than showed to be wise.
She was still dizzy and almost fell into pieces by such a quick movement. But after a moment she managed to pull herself together.
"Me be fine…" Kevin muttered and tried to smile a little to calm both his friends.
"Well, it's not that deep," Hawk reported and reached for some hidden pockets, "I have a little ointment…"
"Bandages," Lise nodded and shook off her backpack.
"No worry for me…" Kevin weakly protested.
"Not another word!" both the princess and the thief stated.
Hawk helped Kevin to get his cut and bloodied shirt off while Lise hurriedly dug around in her packing. The four beastmen they had beaten didn't show any signs of waking up very soon, but you never knew what could come up. Especially not in this town…
All three of the warriors glanced at their beaten foes every once in a while, nervously. Perhaps it could have been wise to take this chance and kill the beasts now that they were… they were helpless.
Neither Lise nor Kevin or Hawk spoke out the shared thought.
We're not like them.
"Sit still," the thief commanded and carefully spread a softly greenish liquid from a small bottle over the open wounds.
Kevin clenched his fists not to groan as the touch caused his flesh to burn. But as soon as Hawk was done, the ointment could start working on the pain.
"Alright, hold up your arms and I'll wrap you up," Lise kindly said.
He slowly obeyed not to lit more pain, and she sat on her knees by his side as she worked.
"I'm not so good at this, but…" she slightly sheepishly said while securing the bandage over and around his shoulder.
"Fine," Kevin gratefully said.
Lise leaned forward to wrap up the last few feet of the bandage around the half blood's chest. And as she did so she fought against a blush for what felt like the hundred time.
It's Inot/I like a hug, I'm not holding onto him…
But it sure was close.
Kevin's muscular back seemed to glisten where the ointment had been, the light of the torches danced on his strangely dark red skin. Whenever he made the slightest movement it was a show of pure strength.
Lise tiredly wondered if she had been a teenager and single for a little too long… she didn't want to think of such things, anyway.
Carefully she secured the soft cloth with a needle for the matter.
"There," she said with a forced smile.
Ridiculous…
Kevin glanced at her.
"Lise smell bothered," he said as Hawk held up the torn shirt for him.
The princess startled, the thief looked rather puzzled at the half blood.
"What?" Lise said.
Kevin tapped his nose with a pointing finger.
"Sorry if surprise," he shyly said, "but feelings smell a little, gah…"
Oh, Idear/I…
She hoped that she didn't look too panicked.
"It's nothing," she assured him, "I'm just a little worried about your wounds."
"Ah… be fine. Promise."
Kevin smiled, and that caused Lise's tension to crack up again. It surprised her how relaxed she suddenly felt, despite all that had happened.
Both of them got to their feet.
"This way," the half blood grunted and waved with a finger as he walked over to the wall left of their entrance.
Chapter 2, Battle
Slowly he walked closer, making no attempts to lunge at the amazon and the ninja. His way of walking was peculiar too; he seemed unable to move completely upright. As he came forwards he lowered his head a little, crouching as if awaiting an attack himself.
He didn't become less of a strange figure as he came in close up.
Well, he was human… or?
He looked mostly like a human, but… there was something different, which Lise couldn't pinpoint. By now her eyes had gotten partly used to the night, so she could at least see Kevin's forms.
The clothes he wore were just as uncommon as the rest of him. His pants were wide and seemed to be tiger-striped, the cloth somehow pasted just around his ankles. Above the belt he carried an open shirt, an not even meant to hide his chest. Around his neck was a crag of some kind of fur, and among the thick hair on his head was a small, peculiar hat of some kind.
Oh, the hair… that was it. It was more of a lion's mane, flowing out of and around Kevin's head like a dark aureole. Lise had never seen such hair before, not on a human.
He seemed to be just about her and Hawk's age, but the amount of muscles he carried made Lise uncertain.
Kevin was obviously some kind of warrior, but she couldn't tell from which country he could come from.
Plus, his way of speaking really was unique…
It was hard to see his face in the shadows, but in his eyes was a deep sadness that even the dusk couldn't hide. Lise tried to look away as she noticed it. His grieve was so strong that her own troubles rose up inside of her memory, and that hurt her. But somehow she couldn't pull her eyes away from Kevin's, some part of her absentmindedly worried that such a move would hurt him even more.
"My name is Lise," she heard herself say, "this is Hawk."
"Me hear you," Kevin said, almost shyly, "want to escape too, gah…"
A new hope carefully awoke inside of the princess.
"Do you have any ideas about how?" she asked, "we're stuck."
Kevin nodded and pointed at the fort's shadow that hovered above Jad in the moonlight.
"Risk, but me think only way now," he said with his grunting way of speaking, "many beastmen go to Wendel tonight, but birds are still there. Me can handle them."
"Say, how can you know about that?" Hawk suspiciously asked.
"Ah…"
Kevin crouched his shoulders, even though he wasn't walking now. Just miserable. Lise almost reached out to touch his arm, but was held back by sense of manners.
"Me half beastman," the young man with the mane said in a low voice, "son of Beast King…"
"You're Iwhat/I?!" Hawk gasped and Lise said in surprise.
"Ah…" Kevin grunted again, "my precious Karl…"
He rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand.
"Karl little wolf, and he had no mother either," he muttered, "so we always together. But then…"
A growling that almost sounded like a sob worked its way out of his throat.
"Suddenly Karl attack me," Kevin bitterly continued, "after that… I fell into rage and… and killed Karl."
He rubbed his cheek again before continuing. Hawk and Lise silently listened.
"Then hear Beast King and Deathjester talk. They made Karl attack me… me charge at Beast King, but no luck. Too strong… Priest of Light no help me either, no can do."
Another growl, this time completely pure left his lips.
"Me go back and avenge Karl somehow," Kevin snarled, "but stuck here now, gah. Can flee with birds tonight… ah, still dangerous go alone. You come?"
Hawk tried to catch Lise's eyes for an exchange of glances, but she was still watching Kevin.
The princess struggled against herself as she desperately wanted to try to comfort the half blood beastman. He had lost someone he loved, just as she… but that didn't make them less strangers.
"I'm sorry about what happened to you," she said, deep within wanting to hug him for the shared pain.
Kevin looked back into her eyes and tried to smile a little.
"Thank," he honestly said, "me hear you talk, sorry too."
His eyes went to Hawk for a moment, telling that Kevin also meant the thief's torments. Then the sad eyes came back to the female warrior.
Lise found herself smiling warmly because of his compassion. It soothed her troubled mind a little.
"What do you think?" Hawk carefully asked, more or less only subconsciously aware of the warm understanding between the half beast and the amazon.
He had a part of their compassion, no doubt. Hawk had been forced to kill his best friend, and his mind still turned over itself in pain every time it swiftly touched the painful memories. Empty and wide open eyes, screech, daggers, blood…
Kevin had killed a beloved friend.
But still it seemed as if it was Lise who understood the half blood better.
Some part of Hawk snarled that he could be puzzled about such facts later, when Eagle was avenged. First of all he had to right the wrongs that he and all of Navarre had been put through.
"Hmm?"
The princess of Rolante awoke from the silent sympathy.
"I think we should try," she said, "I trust him."
Kevin almost shyly smiled by those words, as if he hadn't awaited or ever heard them before. Shrugging his shoulders, Hawk nodded.
"I guess we have no other options," he said, "you lead the way, prince."
Kevin grimaced.
"No prince," he said, "traitor and no want Beast King as father."
"I see," Hawk said with a slanted smile, "at least I'm not the only so called traitor around here, then."
Silently and hesitating Lise watched the two young men.
They were going into battle together, and the amazon belief was that any comrade in battle needed to be fully trusted. Hawk wasn't her enemy even though he was of Navarre; she had already chosen to trust him. And Kevin was… somehow it was completely impossible to even assume that he had any kind of foul intentions. Despite his obvious strength and talk of revenge he still seemed innocent. It was probably his shy way, which brought a distance to the blood running in his veins. Beastmen weren't exactly known for being careful and awkward.
Well… it was probably unwise, but she decided to tell them anyhow. In any case, her title wasn't worth anything now that Rolante was a part of Navarre.
"Before we go there's something I want you to know," she said and got her new allies' attention.
She took a deep breath. It's alright. It's painful to say, but it's just the truth.
Urgh.
"I'm the exile princess of Rolante," she admitted.
Kevin seemed to take it with a shrug, but Hawk let out a low whistle.
"Geez, am I the only non exroyalty in this town?" the sunburned one said and chuckled, "what a group this has become… a runaway princess, a half blood werewolf and a thief who's face is hunted down by his old best friends... the only things that possibly could be missing now are an elf and a magician who can't use magic. And of course a maniac knight bent on fulfilling a quest of some sort."
Kevin gave a short, grunting laugh in agreement and Lise had to smile at the humor in that. He was right, looking at it in that way it was a really bizarre meeting.
"I'd like to see Isabella's face if she knew that the princess of Rolante was in the reach of a warrior of Navarre, but that he'd never dream of capturing the lady," Hawk thoughtfully smirked.
His sneering way of saying that caused Lise to laugh shortly in a low voice. And just yesterday she had been sure that she'd never even smile again. But Kevin's hope and Hawk's humor, ah…
"Thank you," she warmly said, "even if we should fail getting out tonight, at least you two have managed to make me feel a lot better."
"Glad about that…" Kevin mumbled, smiling with that simply adorable shyness peeking out at the world again.
Hawk grinned and bowed, his way of moving bringing the mind an image of a cat.
"At your service, my lady," he said with a low chuckle.
He straightened up and spoke once more.
"Well then, shall we take our leave?"
Lise and Kevin nodded.
The half blood beastman turned around and began to walk in his crouching way, and his allies followed him. But just by the warehouse's corner Kevin stopped and looked around.
"Just warn," he said in a low voice, "know beastman power; transform when night?"
Slowly Lise nodded. She had heard about that power, yet never seen it and actually believed that it was just fairytales before coming to Jad. However, throughout the past nights in town she had heard the creepy howling and heard townspeople talk about the beastmen's other forms. Like wolves, walking on the back legs.
But she hadn't seen it herself, wisely staying inside like everyone else while the monsters roamed the streets.
"Yeah?" Hawk said, warily.
"Me half blood and not used to it," Kevin grimly said, "but can transform when in danger. So you know, just."
He sighed heavily and shook his head.
"Lost control with Karl, gah…" he muttered, "but no worry, can handle it now."
Lise figured that Hawk had called the other young man a werewolf only as a joke, for in the thief's eyes a sparkle of doubt could be seen.
But if he said that he was able to control himself now… and well, Kevin's plan was all they had.
She managed a calming smile.
"Thanks for the warning," she said.
Kevin looked relieved when facing the living trust. He turned his head forwards, sniffing the clean air before looking around the corner. By his behavior Lise could conclude that he had a reliable sense of smell.
"Quiet now, careful," he whispered.
"Tsk…" Hawk smiled, with that kindly pointing at his profession.
Since her armor was made of hardened leather dyed in Rolante's green emblem color and not a creation of metal, even Lise was able to move fairly silently in the shadows.
There were no bound wolves around now. The last refugees that had left had been strong enough to kill a few beasts; the bodies of the animals were still lying in the moonlight since nobody who cared to clean up had noticed them yet. Lise threw a glance at the pub. By it's closest corner she could see a dark heap. Those were the two wolves that she had killed. She grimly pursed her mouth and focused on where she was placing her feet.
The small group hurried up the stair to the fort, finding that the door was wide open. Lights spilled out into the night from the hallway inside.
Kevin suspiciously sniffed, gesturing at Hawk and Lise to be ready for anything. He finally shook his head.
"Winds make hard," he whispered, "and smell better transformed, but gah… think at least two beastmen here."
"Didn't bother to close the door either…" Hawk said, unable to fully hide the tension in his voice, "think they're awaiting us for dinner?"
"Don't think so," Kevin concernedly said, "but not sure."
"Have you any idea… hm, can you smell how far away they are?" Lise asked.
The half blood sniffed the air again, as he bent at the door the light unveiled his frown.
In the light of the fort's candles Lise had her very first chance to see Kevin's face properly. It was a nice face overall, smooth and free of scars. Still… his skin was a bit peculiar. It was slightly dark with a reddish tone, but not like sunburn. It was hard to explain. And his hair was also strangely red, mixed with blond. It really Iwas/I a mane… the hair was pointing in all directions, spreading out like the rising sun. Except for the top of his head, where his peculiar hat rested. It was blue now that the dark couldn't hide any colors. His belt was also blue, and the rest of his clothes were softly orange with ultramarine stripes. The backpack he carried wasn't more than a simple sack with two laces.
His eyes were strangely yellow, like a wild animal's. But not invoking fear. However, the sadness in them was even more obvious as they were lit up.
"Me think deeper inside," he finally said and looked around, "dare to try anyway? I say only chance tonight, when many are in Wendel…"
Lise and Hawk exchanged glances. Hmm…
He was right about the chances. They just had to trust the half blood to not lead them into a trap on purpose.
"Let's go, people," Hawk said, seemingly taking out two short daggers from thin air.
"I agree."
Lise took her spear in both hands and grimly nodded. Kevin also nodded and turned to the open gate.
The three warriors hurried inside, as quietly as possible.
There had been battles even in the fort; three lifeless, furry bodies laid in a corner of the hallway. They seemed to have been battered badly with at least a sword, but irregular wounds shining through the fur spoke of other weapons too. The imposters had no time for or interest in further investigation for the moment, though.
After the hall was yet another room, and an open door ahead.
With Kevin still in the lead the small invasion group rushed on.
In the third room was a closed door on the wall facing the entrance, and to the right of it was a stair leading down.
Lise suddenly thumped into Hawk, who had thumped into Kevin as the leader stopped. The half blood's sharp inhalation gave a warning even before the sound of voices and heavy footsteps in the stair did so. Still, all of it was too late.
"How could you let them fool you, Freddy?" a grunting sound that could only be the voice of a beastman growled.
"You don't wanna know…" another snarling explosion of powered up breathing announced.
Lise desperately looked around for something to take cover behind, she had a good idea about how great her and her friends' chances were against grown beastmen… there was nothing to hide behind, and the half human beasts were already to be seen in the stair. Four of them, and a third one began to speak just before the fate of the intruders was sealed:
"Be happy that you didn't allow someone important like Kevin to esc… huh?"
Four furry faces nailed their eyes onto the unexpected guests.
"Kevin?!" four voices growled.
"Ah… hello," the half blood innocently said, desperately waving at Lise and Hawk to run.
His two friends hesitated…
"Lugar said to get you, turncoat!" the one who had been the second to speak growled.
Well, at least that finally guaranteed Kevin's role as an ally. The circumstances could have been better, though.
"Run!" Kevin hissed from the corner of his mouth.
"And what about you?" Lise harshly replied, automatically moving her feet to get into defensive position.
She had lost her father, brother, friends and home just two weeks ago. It was a bit too early for her to face another loss, no matter how new and unfamiliar her ally was. No, there would never be time for her to willingly put up with another friend's death. Her amazon instincts growled that if she was to fight she would do so, and if she was to run away she wouldn't leave anyone behind. And her common sense agreed to the fullest.
"Me?" Kevin said.
He sounded surprised for some reason. Lise figured with a cut of sadness that he probably hadn't experienced others' worries for him very often, and for a dangerous moment her fighting spirit wavered.
She clamped her teeth. No feelings in battle! She was good at managing that… at least most of the time. Now and then, when someone else was in danger… she lost it and forgot the importance of complete focus on the enemy, turning to help a friend instead of keeping her own defenses up. Lise was far too concerned about everyone else, she was well aware of it. By taking the role of Eliott's sisterly step mum she had brought a heavy task upon her shoulders at an early rate. Plus, she was the leader of the amazon army. She Ihad/I to care for others, all the time. But preferably not when four muscled beasts two heads taller than her were about to attack. That would be a time where planning strategy would be more wise.
Against all pride she knew that running was the only option; the beastmen were without doubt dangerously fierce foes. But she refused to leave Kevin; he seemed determined to keep his own clansmen occupied long enough to let the members of his crisp alliance to flee and Lise couldn't allow that.
She threw a glance at Hawk. His lips had drawn away from his teeth in a grimace screaming "not again!" to anyone who cared to look at him.
No, Kevin. We're not leaving another friend.
"No way!" Lise growled.
He looked confusedly concerned, but the united growl of the beastmen made him turn his head again.
"But remember," he growled, and his hair bristled, "me taught by Beast King."
"Bring it on, if you're that confident!" the fourth hairy beast snickered.
Kevin growled and clenched his fists, shaking off his backpack. It landed on the floor with a thump that seemed deafening, crucially drawn out into a fatal rumble.
Nothing could have prepared Hawk and Lise for what happened.
The young half blood bent his neck backwards and howled like a wolf, his body being swallowed in an intense light. Through the flashes the amazon still clearly saw her ally grow, his arms and legs thickened, something happened to his head…
She blinked as the light disappeared. Where Kevin had been a wolf now stood. A humanoid wolf, covered with fine, grey fur. He was simply built up by well defined muscles and stood up straight on secure legs which obviously ended in feet, not paws, hidden in suspiciously soft looking boots. Blond hair fell down between his long ears and over the back of the simple tunic he wore.
Kevin looked around for a short moment, and in the wolf's face with its protruding nose which also was a mouth were still his sad, warmly yellow eyes.
"Better run," he said, his voice even more grunting and growling in his other form.
With a piercing roar he dashed forwards, managing to tackle one of the beastmen into the wall. But the half blood's foe grabbed Kevin's thick arms and threw him aside, beginning to howl. Three other voices joined the first, two of the beasts sending the exile prince back and forth between them with powerful strikes even as they were transforming. Kevin had no possibility to defend himself against his strong clansmen, surrounded by hairy and clawed fists he…
"Stop!" Lise shrieked and lounged forward.
Using her spear's hard stick she forcefully hit the back of one beastman's neck just when his transformation ended, and with a surprised growl her enemy fell to the floor. Unconscious. The element of surprise had at least made the odds a little less bad; it seemed as if the half monsters hadn't expected Kevin's weak looking friends to dare an attack.
While the three evil beasts still were caught in the surprise, Hawk buried his daggers in a furry hip. The roar ended suddenly when Kevin slammed both his fists into the extremely distracted werewolf's head. The monster fell with a curse falling from his lips (if they were to be called that).
Two down, two to go…
The couple left exchanged glances and stepped up side by side, preparing a simultaneous attack. Kevin backed and thereby he also caused his two friends to do so.
"Duck!" Hawk snarled.
Lise and Kevin obeyed by instincts, and the thief sent one of his daggers dashing through the air. The two beastmen bent aside, but Hawk had been planning for that. As his first dagger hit the wall, the other almost completely disappeared into a hairy arm.
With a growl Kevin rushed at the pained monster and rammed him into the wall, his head in particular. But the half blood wasn't fast enough; the other beastman cut up four deep wounds on the blond werewolf's back. Kevin's roar was just as good at shaking walls as his half clansmen's.
"No!" Hawk and Lise snarled.
The princess tried her back attack again, but it didn't work twice. A thick arm forcefully hit her chest and sent her flying into the wall. Her backpack didn't work very well as a shock absorber. Through the dancing stars and the flashing pain she heard Hawk shriek in rage, followed by a shout of surprise and pain from the same throat. Seemed like he had gotten it too… a forceful yet somehow soft rumble told Lise that her Navarre friend had crashed into a wall further away.
"Humans should not mess with beastmen!" a grunting voice snarled.
"No… hurt friends…!" Kevin's voice snarled.
"Ouff!"
Several thumps said that the last beastman had fallen.
"Lise, Hawk…?" the half blood gasped, his voice accompanied by a few more sounds of pieces of a body hitting a floor.
Get up… come on…
With a groan Lise managed to get to her knees. After shaking her head she even got her eyes open again.
Hawk was getting to his feet with a little help from the wall. The beastmen seemed to have transformed back from their wolf forms as they lost their consciousness. And Kevin was on his knees and hands, gasping for air. He had also reclaimed his other body.
Blood dripped from his shirt onto the floor.
"Oh, goddess!" Lise hissed and dashed over to him faster than showed to be wise.
She was still dizzy and almost fell into pieces by such a quick movement. But after a moment she managed to pull herself together.
"Me be fine…" Kevin muttered and tried to smile a little to calm both his friends.
"Well, it's not that deep," Hawk reported and reached for some hidden pockets, "I have a little ointment…"
"Bandages," Lise nodded and shook off her backpack.
"No worry for me…" Kevin weakly protested.
"Not another word!" both the princess and the thief stated.
Hawk helped Kevin to get his cut and bloodied shirt off while Lise hurriedly dug around in her packing. The four beastmen they had beaten didn't show any signs of waking up very soon, but you never knew what could come up. Especially not in this town…
All three of the warriors glanced at their beaten foes every once in a while, nervously. Perhaps it could have been wise to take this chance and kill the beasts now that they were… they were helpless.
Neither Lise nor Kevin or Hawk spoke out the shared thought.
We're not like them.
"Sit still," the thief commanded and carefully spread a softly greenish liquid from a small bottle over the open wounds.
Kevin clenched his fists not to groan as the touch caused his flesh to burn. But as soon as Hawk was done, the ointment could start working on the pain.
"Alright, hold up your arms and I'll wrap you up," Lise kindly said.
He slowly obeyed not to lit more pain, and she sat on her knees by his side as she worked.
"I'm not so good at this, but…" she slightly sheepishly said while securing the bandage over and around his shoulder.
"Fine," Kevin gratefully said.
Lise leaned forward to wrap up the last few feet of the bandage around the half blood's chest. And as she did so she fought against a blush for what felt like the hundred time.
It's Inot/I like a hug, I'm not holding onto him…
But it sure was close.
Kevin's muscular back seemed to glisten where the ointment had been, the light of the torches danced on his strangely dark red skin. Whenever he made the slightest movement it was a show of pure strength.
Lise tiredly wondered if she had been a teenager and single for a little too long… she didn't want to think of such things, anyway.
Carefully she secured the soft cloth with a needle for the matter.
"There," she said with a forced smile.
Ridiculous…
Kevin glanced at her.
"Lise smell bothered," he said as Hawk held up the torn shirt for him.
The princess startled, the thief looked rather puzzled at the half blood.
"What?" Lise said.
Kevin tapped his nose with a pointing finger.
"Sorry if surprise," he shyly said, "but feelings smell a little, gah…"
Oh, Idear/I…
She hoped that she didn't look too panicked.
"It's nothing," she assured him, "I'm just a little worried about your wounds."
"Ah… be fine. Promise."
Kevin smiled, and that caused Lise's tension to crack up again. It surprised her how relaxed she suddenly felt, despite all that had happened.
Both of them got to their feet.
"This way," the half blood grunted and waved with a finger as he walked over to the wall left of their entrance.