Disclaimer: I don't own Avalon, Rachel Roberts does. I only own my personal characters, and you should be able to pick those out rather easily.

Chapter 4: Escape!

The girls found themselves in a cold, dark prison cell. Outside stood a line of the creatures and the red-gold wolf. The man, Akuma, stood before them.

"Well done, my Kakera. You were not a mistake to create. I knew that you would be loyal to me. But you", he said turning to the wolf. "How dare you defy me! I allowed you to live, and this is how you repay me? Perhaps you need to be reminded of you're place!"

The wolf howled in pain and fell to the ground as the collar lit up with red sparks. Even as she lay there on the ground writhing in agony, the collar did not stop. "Stop! Please", she howled. Finally, the collar stopped glowing and she painfully got to her feet again.

"Good. Kakera, you are dismissed. Kaji, guard the prisoners. Do not try to free them, otherwise you will be destroyed." The wolf cringed at his words. With a smirk, Akuma left, followed by the Kakera. Kaji waited a few moments. Then she raced for the cell.

"Listen to me. I can get you out of here if you can get this collar of me. Is it a deal?"

"I don't know. You tried to attack us", Kara stated.

"I know, but it wasn't me. Honest! They've been using this collar to control me. Now is it a deal or not?"

After hesitating a moment, Adriane reached through the bars and unlatched the collar. Kaji grabbed it a flung it across the room. Shaking out her fur she streaked out of the room.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Emily called after her.

A few seconds later, Kaji returned with a set of keys clamped between her teeth. Kara let out a sigh of relief as he wolf picked out one of the keys and slid it into the lock. It clicked and the door swung open with a very loud squeal. Within moments, a troop of Kakera raced in.

"Go!" yelled Kaji as she leapt at the guards, knocking them over. The girls raced out of the nearest exit. Kaji followed close behind and closed the door. "Lock it!" she barked. Adriane quickly locked it just as the Kakera hit it.

"Thanks", Kara said.

"No problem", Kaji replied as she turned to lick a cut on her left shoulder she received for on of the guards. "What're your names?"

"I'm Kara, this is Emily, and the black haired one dressed in black is Adriane."

"Kaji. Nice to meet you." She looked up at them. Kaji thought she heard a sound, and as she looked down the hall behind them, she saw more Kakera. "Run!"

Kaji ran down the adjacent hall as the girls followed her. They ran down hall after hall, but the Kakera were catching up. They entered a large room where more of the foul creatures were with bows and arrows. The girls ducked down to avoid the volley of arrows that were fired at them. One was aimed at Kara's head. Just as it was loosed, Kaji leapt in its path. The head of the arrow buried into her right shoulder. Kaji stumbled and fell behind the girls.

"Look out for the drop-off!" cried Emily. The girls skidded to a stop, but Kaji didn't. She knocked into them and all four fell over the edge. They were bruised, but miraculously unharmed. They scrambled to their feet and kept running as Kakera landed behind them. Kaji whirled around and howled as loud as she could. The sound shook the walls and the ceiling caved in, trapping the Kakera under the rubble.

"Is everyone okay?" Kaji asked as she reached around to remove the arrow with her teeth.

"Yeah", said Adriane.

"I…I think so", Emily shakily responded.

"I'm covered in bruises!" wailed Kara.

"You could have an arrow in you instead if it wasn't for Kaji!" yelled Adriane.

"…Oh."

Behind them a rock clattered across the floor. The four whipped around to see an enormous black wolf. Kaji leapt forward despite her shoulder and growled low and loud.

"Touken!"