The Noisome Mutt of the Forbidden Woods

Van, yet again, was searching for Koyo. He had just found out from training with his soldiers that no one had seen Koyo down at the practice fields for some time. Slightly angered that his son wasn't practicing, he went looking for him. When Van ended where he had begun, after searching the whole castle, he vented his frustration. Ripping his shirt off, Van spun opened the doors and took to the air.

Van eventually found Koyo with Riis in the back of the flower gardens where Dutch was resting. He didn't want to disturb them, since he didn't know if it was Riis' first time to the grave or not. Thinking about graves, Van thought that perhaps he should visit his parents, Folken, and Escaflowne . . .

"So that's what happened?" Koyo asked softly. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

"Yep," Riis replied. "I don't fancy lying all that much and I go out of my way not to lie unless it's absolutely necessary." A mischievous look took her features. "But I know how to tell if someone is lying."

"That's awesome!!" Koyo exclaimed. Koyo continued without thinking. "You should sit in on meetings. It would help Fanelia a lot to know who is trying to use us and who's being genuine."

A sad expression stole over Riis' face. "Yeah . . ."

She must be thinking, Koyo thought. He really didn't like seeing her suffer. Looking away, Koyo started to devise a plan of his own. Realizing he could do something, Koyo thought it was close to dinner and Riis replied that she wouldn't mind eating with them this evening. With a smile that didn't reach her eyes, Riis followed Koyo to the castle.

She was crying again, Cuero thought as he scented the wind. But what pained him the most was that he couldn't return to his kit. The clan had called him back to the village and they were now debating what to do with the rogue shadowfox, his daughter. Shaking his head, he returned to his dwelling.

Riis returned to her room, deep in thought and close to tears. Her thoughts were halted by a package on her bed, but not her tears. Careful and with ears swiveling listening around for anything, Riis walked to the bed. Mindful of her ankle, it was still sore despite the more severe damage done to it being healed, Riis carefully sat on the bed. Carefully removing the paper from around it, Riis gasped as her eyes filled with tears anew.

The package the Riis had opened contained several paintings. One was Dutch just standing like a show dog. Another was of him jumping. A third one was him next to a Gaean horse and rider. A fourth was of him snarling as he attacked something. His colouring was almost exact. The paintings were done so well Riis could have sworn that they were photographs.

With her attention focused on the paintings, Riis almost didn't notice the slip of parchment that fell from one of the paintings. Picking it up, Riis smiled as she read it:

Riis,

I know that I can't give you back your dog that you lost. I'm sorry that this did occur, and that you're suffering from it, but please accept this act of mine.

Some of the guys and I went out hunting yesterday and we flushed up a particular animal that you might take a fancy to. Since we were hunting, we killed it, only to find its offspring rambling up behind. One of the guys felt sorry for it, and some of the other wanted to kill it, just to put it out of it's misery. I thought of you, and how you told me about that . . . hierarchy authority thing and thought you might like it.

If you would care to take a look at it, come find me sometime tomorrow and just give me this note if you don't know what to say.

Have a good evening,

Koyo Vin de Fanel

Smiling, Riis set the pictures on the writing desk in her room before she snuggled into bed. That night she dreamed, her mind free from the torments that had previously plagued it.

Koyo was exiting a meeting when he almost ran into Riis who was leaning against the door jam.

"How did you find me?" Koyo exclaimed. Van and Hitomi, along with a few other diplomats were walking down the corridor the opposite way, leaving the same meeting. Riis smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"You forget," she started as she tapped her nose, "that I'm a fox."

"Right . . ." Koyo replied, slightly put off that he couldn't hide anywhere. "Did you need me for something?"

Blushing slightly, Koyo thought that perhaps because she had interrupted something, Riis handed him a crumpled and folded piece of paper. Puzzled, as soon as he opened it and identified his writing, motioned her to follow him as he started to walk down the corridor.

The barking was what reached Riis' ears before they had even exited the castle. Curious now, she asked Koyo where they were going. He only smiled and replied with a "you'll see."

He opened the doors and she wasn't surprised to see that they were in the castle's kennels. Koyo had to stop every now and then to assure some dogs, but Riis was fascinated. She hadn't really paid attention to Fanelian, or Gaean, dogs. Now that she got a good look at them, she thought that she recognized some. There was a breed that looked a lot like a greyhound. They kept to the back of their kennel and ignored her. Some looked like Doberman pinchers, but slightly smaller. She recognized something that looked like a beagle and maybe a border collie, but other than that, the other breeds were alien to her.

Riis caught up to Koyo who had stopped in front of a shed. The shed was made of old, weathered wood that had some scorch marks here and there. She heard some scuffling noises and the sound of a chain coming from inside it. He looked at her as if he were asking her if she were ready. Nodding her head, Koyo turned around and cautiously opened the door.

Savage growling greeted them as Koyo quickly shut the door behind them. When her eyes adjusted she couldn't believe what was in front of her.

"Oh . . . my God," Riis whispered as she looked at the wolf in front of her. At least, it kind of resembled a wolf. She turned to Koyo. "Is there some way to light this room better?"

He shook his head. "No. He broke the lamps when we first brought him in. No one has entered since then." Riis nodded. Koyo retreated to a far corner. He was uncomfortable in this shed, but if it made Riis happy, he couldn't leave. He watched from his safe spot farthest from the animal he could get. Koyo suddenly blinked. He head heard Riis growling, but now where she had been standing moments before stood a huge black fox. The fur on it's back was slowly growing back as its wounds healed. The fox snarled as its hackles rose.

"Shut UP already!!" Riis snarled at the animal. Said animal turned its attention from the dove to the huge black fox that was before him.

"What do you want?" the animal snarled back. His hackles rose as he lowered his head.

"How dare you talk to a black shadowfox like that!" Riis snarled as she strode forward, her tail swishing angrily as she lowered her head. "I should kill you for it."

The animal looked taken aback. His hackles fell and his tail returned to normal size. He dipped his head in a bow. "I'm sorry for the insolence. I have never scented my own kind since I was disowned."

It was Riis' turn to be surprised. Hers, though, was executed with more finesse. Brining her head up and lowering her hackles, she laid down, crossing her forepaws. "Continue, if you will," she yipped.

"My mother was a fox-dog," the animal started. "Her mother had loved one of the dogs in town and, against her clan, rutted with him. Instead of bearing a litter or kits, she only had my mother. My mother, since she had no humanoid form, turned into my grandmother's underling. So states the Laws of White Shadowfox that those who are born and hold no humanoid form must become underlings or be disowned." He paused, gathered his thoughts before he continued.

"My father was a wolf mix. His pack runs in the woods. Wood wolves have forest colours: black, brown, and tawny. Never white. Never grey. Those colours belonged to the mountain wolves. My father looked like a Mountain wolf, but he had some brown and black on him. He wasn't a Woods wolf and he wasn't a Mountain wolf, so he, like his mother once did, ran with both.

"I don't know how he met my mother. I know they rutted in a glen. My father had taken me there once before he met his untimely end." The animal spit to the side. "Anyway, I know that I had brothers and sisters. I think the white shadowfox killed them because my first visual memory of my mother was her covered in scars with a deep sadness in her eyes.

"When I turned two, the clan disowned me and I turned to find my father. I ran with his pack for two years before he was killed and I was chased over to the Forbidden Wood and the Gossamer Wood. I soon got a reputation of being the Noisome Mutt of the Forbidden Woods." He looked back at her. She stared evenly back at him.

He must have seen something in her eyes, for he bowed low, much like a stretch. "If it is your will," he started uncertainly. He looked about. "I would have no qualms if you were to make me your underling. And . . ." he drifted off. He didn't want to overstep his boundaries. "and I would like to see the sadness in your eyes disappear."

"You should be more careful in the future, Hisomu," Riis explained, a smile tugging on her lips. "I may not be so forgiving in the future." She was humanoid in the blink of an eye and walking toward Hisomu who was wagging his tail enthusiastically.

"How did you know my name?" Hisomu asked as Riis undid his collar.

"A black shadowfox had pounced on you in the Gossamer Woods on accident thinking you were someone else," Riis explained. "That shadowfox was my mother."

"So you're the shadowfox born on the Mystic Moon," Hisomu growled back. He shook. It felt so good to be out of his collar.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!!?" Koyo shrieked. The shed exploded with magic. Riis, frightened from Koyo's outburst let out a wash of lethal defensive magic. Koyo, who was unprepared for sudden onslaught of magic, listened to his instincts and his wings sprouted in an explosion of light and feathers. The extra feathers burned up in the magic and nullified it.

"For Heaven's sake, Koyo, don't scare me like that!" Riis exclaimed, a hand over her heart. "I could have killed you."

Koyo was just staring at her.

"Oh, my mother would frown at my manners," Riis exclaimed. "Koyo, this is Hisomu, also known as the Noisome Mutt of the Forbidden Woods. Hisomu, this is Koyo. Koyo is the first crown prince of Fanelia."

Koyo looked at Riis as if she were crazy. He looked back at Hisomu, the reputed Noisome Mutt of the Forbidden Woods. He had heard stories about him, but he had never actually seen him. And to think that his hunting group had caught him on accident! Koyo watched at Hisomu bowed to him.

"Now, what's for dinner?" Riis asked. She smiled at him as he led her back through the kennels to the castle. He smiled back and noted that this was the first smile in a long time that actually reached her tri-coloured eyes.

A few days later, a letter arrived at the castle for Riis. Curious, since the only hint it gave as to its sender was a paw print, Riis, with Van and Koyo in a conference room, opened it.

"To Riis Zannen,

Daughter of Ceciline Verillion le Su Zannen

From the Black Shadowfox tribe Shii-nu Rashkan of the Tenkuu Wood

I, Shizstu, representing the High council of Seven, write you the results of their debate."

"I didn't know I was the subject of a debate," Riis replied.

"Must be the reason for Cuero disappearing," Koyo stated rather blandly.

"Must be," Riis replied with the hint of a smile.

"Continue, please?" Van more or less commanded.

Chastised, Riis continued.

"The High council of Seven was torn between what to do with you to be honest. A Cuero Colza, known to be a Riis Zannen's sire, put in a suggestion for you to be an ambassador to the country you have chosen to live in, a little country known as Fanelia.

"The council thought, that since the country is still not what it used to be, that it might need some aide. The council decided to let Riis Zannen stay in Fanelia under these conditions:

"One, Riis must sit in on meetings, and tell King Van Slanzer de Fanel if his guests are true or not.

"Two, to be safe, you must act the part of a pet. We of the council, representatives, and royal blood like yourself know this is degrading, but it must be done for self preservation.

"Three, your magic must be used discreetly. If some dignitary or peasant recognizes you and chants the boon, you must ask either Crown Prince Koyo Vin de Fanel or King Van Slanzer de Fanel for permission first.

"Those are the conditions. We hope this letter finds you well. We will expect a letter from you by means of the Noisome Mutt at the beginning of Summer.

Sincerely Yours,

The High Council of Seven"

"After that it just goes onto list the names of the members of the council, my fathers name, the representatives, blah, blah, blah," Riis explained as she finished her reading, waving her hand around in the air as she refolded the letter.

Koyo nodded as he took in what the letter said. Van just sat back in his chair, studying Riis and thinking a bit. She was a magical creature after all, and they had special needs....

"Riis," Van began, "what form are you most comfortable in?"

"I was born a kit," Riis started out slowly, hoping Van would pick up on her hint. He just seemed to be thinking really hard. Riis got the funniest picture of him thinking with fire and smoke coming out of his ears.

"So," Van's voice had her attention back on the real world. "Would you be interested in lounging at the foot of my chair all day with a nice, leather collar?"

Riis' eyes turned icy, much like that of a stalking predator. "I think we can arrange something."