Here goes another chapter to this baby... Heh heh... I'm glad people enjoy this story as it seems to be one of my better ones. ; )

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Zhon was currently in Bloodwitch's tent.

"How shall I repay you for saving my life?" She purred as she let the cloak fall lower onto her bosom. He jumped back, his eyes wide, but not looking away. She smiled like a seductive feline and stepped closer to him wrapping her arms around his shoulder. She leaned in closer and closer towards him. "You are a man." She noted. "And I know how to please a man..." She added

"That's quite all right!" Zhon said unwrapping her arms and gingerly stepping away. She frowned confused.

"Then how shall I repay you?" She wondered.

"All I wished to do was find the Claw Viper temple and remove the curse they have placed upon the sun."

She looked up surprised. "We have been at war with the Claw Vipers for many generations." She hissed. "I shall repay you by helping you with this task." She decided. She picked up her javelin and put her hand in his.

"Magician." She announced. "You have the power of my army and my javelin."

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"What if he's dead somewhere! Maybe somebody or... something ate him!" Ki-Ki said in hysterics.

"I think the Magician can take care of himself." Dru added. Wolf nodded and jumped up and down besides Ki-Ki.

"Might as well find this temple and kill it's inhabitants." Eudora said seemingly unaffected by the Magician's absence.

"I just... well... you see we've been together forever..." Ki-Ki rambled. "I've never done anything on my own. I'm just an assistant!" She complained.

"This isn't a magic show." Eudora scoffed. "Now come on." She ordered the tall skinny blond. Dru nodded to the assassin and followed her.

"Dru!" Ki-Ki yelled after him. Wolf had meanwhile been playing in the sand. He grabbed Ki-Ki's hand and placed a gem (which he had found) into hers. "Oh Wolf..." She cooed. "You're not worried about Zhon are you?" Wolf simply laughed and ran after the Paladin looking back for Ki-Ki to follow him. Ki-Ki simply sighed and examined the gem. It was a rather large diamond and she wondered how Wolf had found it. Reluctantly, she followed the others, looking around one last time to see if she could spot any clue of the Magician.


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Bloodwitch assembled the tribe of Panther woman. Liliah met with Zhon after he exited Bloodwitch's tent. She met him with averted eyes. She looked about ready to say something, but hesitated.

He examined the younger feline for a moment and finally asked politely, "Is something wrong, Liliah?"

She looked up at him in wonderment. "Did you... and Bloodwitch..." She stopped. He had no clue what she was talking about. She looked around nervously.

"Did we what?" Zhon asked not knowing where this was leading.

"Did you... you know..." She shifted uncomfortably. "Did you... do it?" She asked in a tiny voice.

"Um... well... uh... no..." He said uncomfortably pulling at his collar which seemed to have become rather scratchy in the last second. Liliah looked at him and could tell he was telling the truth.

She smiled happily and simply answered, "Good." She put her hand in his and led the way to the front of the army.

"You can't fight!" One of the panther woman hissed at Liliah. It was Kaa, Liliah's sister.

"I can too!" She hissed back showing off her packet of throwing spears on her back.

"Let her fight..." Bloodwitch interrupted the two sisters who were glaring at each other with their ears flattened against their head. Kaa backed away as Liliah gloated because no one argued with Bloodwitch.

Zhon joined Bloodwitch at the front lines with Liliah by his side. "Let's go..." Bloodwitch said a little bloodthirsty. The army growled in answer and they all made their way toward the temple. Zhon looked back at the hundreds of Panther woman. Who knew he would be leading a bunch of cats into war against a bunch of snakes.

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Eudora, who had now taken on the leadership role snuck into the temple with Dru (second-in-command) and Ki-Ki and Wolf. The temple was dark and it looked as if no one had used it for hundreds and hundreds of years even though Drogan had told them of the Claw Vipers only recent renewed religion.

"Are you sure this is the right temple?" Ki-Ki wondered.

"It's the only temple we've seen. How many temples can there be?" Dru answered.

"It is A temple." Eudora snarled stressing the word "a". "How am I supposed to know? Zhon had the map, though it didn't seem to help too much..." She added. Suddenly, Wolf howled and the sound echoed through out the temple.

"QUIET KID!" Eudora hissed and Wolf pointed down the temple corridor. Coming towards them were hundreds of snake like creatures, their eyes glowing red in the dark.
Eudora grunted annoyed at Wolf and quickly spun her Katars in her hands. They flashed the red of the Claw Viper's eyes. Wolf howled again and turned into his wolf form. Dru unsheifed his sword and Ki-Ki stood behind clutching the half of the Horadric staff in one hand and a throwing potion in the other.

Eudora was at the brunt of the attack. She quickly sliced and diced at the snakes as fast as she could. Unfortunately, the Claw Viper's claws were as quick and as deadly as her katars and she was having trouble. Wolf matched teeth and claws with the teeth and claws of the vipers at Eudora's side. Together they managed to keep from getting cut by the frozen touch of the Vipers. Dru was at the back swing wildly, but he was tiring as most of the snakes saw his tall form and shining aura better than the others. Ki-Ki threw potions upon potions until they had all been wasted. Then she kicked and hit at the snakes with her staff.

No matter how good they all fought the snakes were closing in and their seemed to be more and more of them pouring out of the halls. Soon the four were surrounded and they seemed to be fighting a losing battle...

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The panther woman descended upon the temple like locust except for the growling and hissing. The Claw Vipers waited right outside as if they expected an attack. With a quick wave of his wand Zhon seemed to have covered the entire army in some type of blue shield which made the panther woman feel confident and even more bloodthirsty than before.

The two armies clashed as they ran at each other. The cats scratched, bit, and jabbed their javelins into the Claw Vipers. The cats in the back threw poison potions while other threw spears like Liliah.

Though Liliah was more equipped for ranged combat, she still followed Zhon who sent balls of ice at the enemy followed by a deadly poke of his wand which caused the frozen Claw Vipers to explode into millions of shards of melting ice. More than once he had to quickly freeze another snake who was about to kill Liliah who was enthralled by the exploding shards of ice.

Zhon left the cats to fight as he made his way through the Claw Vipers. Liliah followed him and soon the battle sounded far away. They made their way through the dark halls of the temple. Zhon took a torch from the wall as they explored through the ancient temple.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Liliah whispered.

"Drogan mentioned an alter..." He said absent-mindedly, but Liliah didn't know what he was talking about. Then as Zhon was walking he felt something soft hit his foot. He brought the light down and Liliah jumped backwards spooked. There on the ground, lay bloodied and beaten up was Dru lying sprawled out and unconscious.

"Oh no!" Zhon whispered and bent over to feel Dru's pulse.

"You know him?" Liliah wondered staying far away from the Paladin.

"Yes..." Zhon answered not really paying attention to her. He uncorked a health potion and put it to Dru's lips. Dru woke up sputtering and coughing.

"Magician?" He questioned upon seeing Zhon. "Am I in heaven?" He asked sitting up and looking around. His face paled, "Or hell?"

"No, you are still in the Claw Viper temple." Zhon said helping the Paladin to his feet. "Apparently you found it without me." He said a little smugly. The Paladin wobbled as Zhon helped him stand. "Can you continue? Or should I open a portal back to the town."

"No..." Dru said wearily. Then he put his hand on Zhon's shoulder panicking. "We've got to find the others. I fear the worst..." He continued. "I couldn't protect them after I fell... I was knocked unconscious... Ki-Ki... and Wolf... and the assassin... we have to find them."

Zhon nodded his head in agreement. Liliah who had been ignored till now stepped forward into the light. Dru raised his sword and stepped to Zhon's side. "Watch out Magician." He warned about to end the young Panther woman's life. Liliah cowered in fear.

"No!" Zhon warned stopping the Paladin's hand from falling. "This is Liliah. She helped me after we were separated from each other." Zhon explained.

"Oh." Dru said simply. He had always assumed Panther woman were untrustworthy. He nodded at the young feline and she nodded back equally distrusting the Paladin. Zhon didn't have time to settle their differences as a growl erupted from a room ahead. Zhon, Dru, and Liliah ran toward the noise.

They came to the edge of the room and this is what they saw:

In the middle of the room stood an alter, but that is not what directed their attention to it because on the alter happened to be a woman tied to it. And who else should this woman be other than Ki-Ki barely conscious swinging her head back and forth moaning. Ten feet off to the left of the alter stood Eudora and Wolf in a cage with Claw Viper poking at it's inhabitants. Eudora was growling like an animal at each of their prodding's and Wolf, still in wolf form, simply whined and yelped.

Then a slightly larger snake than the usual Claw Viper, with a purplish tint, stepped out of the shadows on the other side of the room, and stood in front of the alter. It hissed something in a strange demonic language and raised it's claws above Ki-Ki's form.

Immediately, Dru rushed at the monster. He raised his sword above his head and sliced at it's middle protecting Ki-Ki from the blow. "Die foul beast!" He cursed. (That's about the extent of cursing for Paladins... sorry if you were expecting to hear a really foul one... hee hee...)

The monster responded by whacking the Paladin to the side as if he were simply a rag doll. Zhon sent a shock through the monsters body, but it didn't seem to hurt it too much. It also knocked the Magician to the side. Just then the yell of triumphant from the battle rang outside. It seemed the Cat's had won.

"Fangskin fight me!" A voice rang through out the room. Zhon and Dru looked over in astonishment to see Bloodwitch followed by some of her army, step into the room. She looked almost angelic like as the torch light outlined her form.

The large snake (whom I assume was Fangskin) stepped out from behind the alter ready to face his new opponent. While Bloodwitch and Fangskin fought, Dru went over to Ki-Ki with Zhon right behind him. Ki-Ki seemed unaware of her surroundings as Dru cut the rope on one side and Zhon cut the rope on the other.

Liliah who wanted to be of some assistance to the magician, went to go free his friends who were trapped in the cage. The claw Vipers who were poking at the prisoners had left their post and had joined their master in fighting the Panther woman. Liliah jiggled the lock on the cage and noticed the keys hanging from the dead hand of one of the Claw Vipers a couple yards away. After retrieving it, she fumbled with the lock and key until she noticed the inhabitants of the cage. She jumped back surprised when she saw what looked like two beasts looking back at her.

The female was scary enough with dirt smudged on her face and grimacing at their savior. But who really scared the young Panther woman was the wolf. It looked at her curiously and not exactly aggressive, but she couldn't help but feel nervous around him.

"Oh good, you found the keys." Zhon said snatching them from her hand not noticing her stare. He quickly unlocked the cage and the prisoners fell out. He grabbed Eudora by the arm and she clumsily glared at him for helping her though it was apparent that she needed it. Wolf limped out still in wolf form and looking curiously at Liliah. She backed up more and bumped into one of the panther woman who was watching Bloodwitch and Fangskin fighting.

Zhon opened a portal and Dru carrying Ki-Ki in his arms, stepped through. He came back free of the woman and helped Eudora through. "Come on Wolf." Dru ordered seriously and Wolf limped through the portal still never taking his eyes off Liliah. "Are you coming Zhon?" Dru asked.

"Take care of the others." Zhon yelled over the battle noises ensuing between cat and snake. "I have to take care of a couple things." Dru nodded and disappeared through the portal. It closed up and Zhon was left alone to watch the battle.

Bloodwitch seemed to be at a disadvantage as her right arm now seemed useless as it limply swayed at her side. Still she managed to jump out of the way and slice at the snake as it lunged at her. Everyone gasped as the snake suddenly turned unexpectedly and drove his claws into her stomach. But Bloodwitch had managed to drive her own javelin into the Claw Viper's stomach and they both fell to the ground in unison. Bloodwitch's army extracted her body from the snake as they recoiled and hissed at the dead monster. Bloodwitch was still breathing, but much closer to death.

"Heal her." One of the panther woman prodded Zhon.

But Bloodwitch opened her eyes and looked at the panther woman who had said this. "No..." She moaned. "You shall be the next leader of this tribe. Take care of our sisters and let it be known that I have defeated Fangskin." And with that she died.

It turns out the next leader of the tribe was Bloodwitch's daughter, Darkwitch, a grayish panther woman. She held her mother, crying into her fur. Everyone was silent as they watched the death of their leader.

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Bloodwitch had been carried out by her army and Zhon was left to survey the temple afterward. He picked up the staff which Ki-Ki had dropped and played with it in his hands. Liliah walked up behind him.

"I thought you would be at Bloodwitch's funeral." Zhon asked.

Liliah clung to the Magician. "Can I please come with you?" She asked with pleading eyes rivaling those of an innocent puppy.

"Well, if you wish. But wouldn't you rather stay with your sisters?" Zhon asked.

Liliah sat down on the ground frustrated. "They were never really my sisters. I was raised in a village by humans and among our tribe that makes you the lowest of the low." She explained. "I was found by the tribe by Kaa and I've lived with them ever since then. I don't think they've ever really liked me, especially Kaa." She shrugged. "But please can I stay with you?" She pleaded with the Magician. He nodded.

"Yes!" She said excitably. Then her ears flattened against her head. "Do you have a dog?" She asked.

"No..." He said confused.

"But I saw him." Liliah argued. "I think he hates me." She said clinging to the man.

"Oh, you mean Wolf."

"A WOLF?!" Liliah asked having second thoughts about following the one she knew as Ali Khazum.

"Well, he's a Druid. You'll just have to see when I introduce you. You've already met Dru..." He said looking over at the alter in which Ki-Ki had been tied to. Something shiny caught his eye.

He walked over to the alter and Liliah followed curious at his behavior. He noticed that the shiny thing was sticking out of the side of the alter. He pulled at it and it came loose causing the alter to crumble. Liliah jumped back at the crumbling alter.

"How did you do that?" She asked. "You must be stronger than I thought Ali Khazum." She said admiring him. "You are truly a great man."

"This must be the other part of the Horadric Staff..." Zhon said ignoring the feline. She hugged him affectionately.

"Let's go to town..." He grunted under her crushing hug.

Her ears flattened against her head. "We have to go to town?" She whined.

"Yes..." Zhon said confused. "I haven't been in a human settlement for so long." She said a bit embarrassed.

"Don't worry." Zhon assured. "I'll protect you."

She smiled up at him as he opened the portal and used her new found courage to step through before the magician. Zhon stepped through not looking back wondering how his other companions where doing...






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The End.

(Of this chapter, not the whole story.)

Found out how Ki-Ki, Wolf, Eudora, and Dru are holding up back in town. And will Liliah get along with the others?

Please review or nasty things will happen to you... (Just kidding! Just review...)

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