The massive red shape tore through the heavy snow drifts, eyes slitted against the angle of snowfall. Prowl shivered from his spot on his/her shoulder; it was really cold. Narzenim was a strange cross between human and snow leopard, something that apparently kept her warm.
Ranthanoss wasn't happy, judging by the way he rumbled in irritation every once in a while. It had been tricky, going over the frozen river, and Prowl could tell that it really scared Ranthanoss when the ice began to crack beneath his weight and the weight of his passengers.
Now he collapsed in exhaustion beside a river; they had ran out of Decepticon territory a while ago and were in the thick forests beyond. The sun was just peeking above the horizon, lighting the trees around them nicely.
Narzenim motioned for them to climb off, stroking Ran's nose. "Never again." he rumbled tiredly. "No more snow."
Narzenim chuckled. "I won't tell you what I Saw, then." she teased and the Dragon groaned as his passengers climbed off his back. "Rest, Ran. We're relatively safe here. We're close to your territory, aren't we?"
The Dragon rumbled as his sides heaved. "Clasher's Peak is just a few miles away." he replied. "Give us a minute to rest and we can make it the rest of the way back."
"Call the others." Narzenim told him, poking his shoulder. "They can make sure no one's following us."
A great red eye with an obsidian pupil swung to look at her. "But that would mean I'd need to get up." he whined.
Ironhide looked around. "Where are we?"
Narzenim looked over at him. "Near Whin's territory. Once we cross the border there, we'll be safe."
"I have to get to work!" Prowl yelped, looking at his watch. "We'll be late."
Whatever else he was about to say was interrupted as Ranthanoss got to his feet and throwing his head back, gave a deafening roar.
"What are you doing?" Orion snapped, throwing a rock at Ran's shoulder. The roar cut off and the Dragon looked at him. He gulped, taking a step back. "Are you an idiot?" he sputtered, gathering his courage. "You'll bring them here."
Ranthanoss looked confused. "Isn't that the point?"
Ratchet threw his hands in the air. "How long were you with Whin?"
The Dragon tilted his head to the side, looking even more confused if it was at all possible. "For most of her life."
"You knew that she went to war?" Ratchet pressed, and the Dragon nodded, crouching down so his head didn't poke above the short trees around the river. "Then you should know that our position should remain a secret."
Ranthanoss ignored him, lifting his head as the low, mournful cry of a wolf echoed through the trees, followed quickly by the harsh scream of an eagle. He smiled and gave a low snarl in response. The trees shook convulsively and alarmed, the Autobots clustered around Narzenim and Bee, determined to protect the two youngest members.
A great gray wolf broke through the trees, stopping to stare at the with golden eyes and a canine grin. It was as large as a shire horse, and nothing to shake a stick at, even if they had weapons. He looked surprised, or as surprised as a giant wolf could look. "Ran? Wha' 'appened to Whin?"
Ranthanoss snorted. "She's sick. They had her eat raw meat and drink blood. Not to mention Huitzilopochtli poisoned her, the bastard."
The wolf nodded and Narzenim ran over to hug his furry neck. "Jumper!"
His grin widened. "'Ey, Narz. See ya survived th' 'Cons."
The girl nodded, hugging his thick fur. "Can you n' 'Bird make sure no one's following us?"
He nodded. "We're on it." when she let go of his fur, he tapped his cold nose against her forehead and turning, raced away through the forest.
She walked back to Ranthanoss and climbed on his back. "Let's get going. The sooner we make it to the border, the sooner we'll be safe."
"Who was that?" Jazz asked in awe. That was a seriously large wolf.
"What was that?" Ratchet asked at the same time.
Narzenim grinned. "That was a comrade. His name's Jumper. I'm surprised you don't remember. If I remember correctly, you thought his arms were way too big and muscular to be real."
Soon Ranthanoss was hopping over the river and bounding through the forest. Rocky cliffs jutted out, towering over a section of forest. Ranthanoss stopped at the edge of the cliff, staring out into the forest. Then he knelt down, allowing his passengers to climb off. "We're here." he rumbled, staring off into the misty fog gliding over the forest. A shimmering lake glittered far away near the purple mountains. "The edge of Whin's territory."
"This is Clasher's Peak." Narzenim added, climbing down. "Well, this is Clasher's Cliff. That's Clasher's Peak." she said, jerking her head up at the thick spire of rock rising majestically through the air. "This is the south end of her territory." she added.
"Why are we stopping now?" Orion demanded as she began to take of Ran's harness. "We need to keep moving."
"We may be wanted by the Decepticon Army, but they wouldn't dare enter our territory." Ran told them loftily, tossing his head.
"Why would it matter? They're Decepticons." Ironhide rumbled. "They dare to do all sorts of things."
The Dragon turned to look at him with brilliant ruby eyes. "The Decepticons respect us - as in Whin, Syrioss, Jumper, Firebird, and I - that they wouldn't dare set foot, claw, or wing on our territory. Sure they're looking for us, but the won't follow unless they really wanted us, and believe me, they don't. They only wanted to see if you'd accept their 'offer.'"
"How do you know?" Ratchet asked, helping Narzenim undo the heavy buckles.
"Ensallidus and Voltimand told me." the Dragon replied as if it were obvious. He paused and shook his head. "Whin's awake now. I'll be going." as they watched, his ruby eyes faded to a brilliant gold - Whin's usual eye color.
Whin said nothing as she slowly changed back to her human form. Her arms from fingertip to elbow were red and blistered painfully; judging by the way she toppled over, her legs, in knee-high boots, were the same.
A big burly man was suddenly there, catching her before she could fall and swinging him in his massive arms. His braided and beaded hair clicked as he adjusted his hold on her until he carried her bridal-style. "'Bird's wai'n fer us a' th' bottom o' th' Cliff." Jumper, the big man from before, rumbled to Narzenim. "Shall we b' goin'?"
Narzenim gave them a brilliant smile. "I know you're all tired, but once we get to the Jeep, then 'Bird can take us to the house and you can all go and sleep." she assured them.
"We have work; we're late already." Prowl pointed out.
Jumper gave a low rumble-laugh. "We took care o' it, don' worry."
"Then why do I worry?" Ironhide drawled under his breath. Ratchet elbowed him in the arm as Jumper sighed, evidently hearing.
"Whin has a house at the center of her territory." Narzenim continued as if none of them had spoken. "It's really nice if I do say so myself. I haven't gone there yet, but I have seen it in her mind." she led them down the path with Jumper holding the unconscious Whin in his arms.
"What happened to her?" Ratchet asked, gathering the courage to walk beside Jumper and peer at Whin's blistered hands. "It looks like she burned herself."
Orion snorted angrily. "Whin never burns herself." he said mockingly. Jumper growled at him, subsiding when Narzenim placed a hand on his large arm.
"That is certainly true, however." Narzenim said, casting a hard glare at Orion who looked away, still angry. "Orion, Whin, and Firebird aren't affected by fire because they're Torches. This is from the snow." she added, motioning to the blistered limbs as they reached the end of the trail. "She and Ran don't react very well to cold. Look; there's 'Bird."
True to her word, there was a sort of car like a cross between a Jeep and a truck; it had a Jeep's distinctive tough design with a truck's bed and no roof. There was a tall man sitting in the open bed of the truck, swinging his legs as he took a drink from the canteen in his hand. The man was as tall as Jumper but thinner, looking like a Native American with softer features. Beads and feathers were braided in his long hair which he kept in a ponytail, and warm eyes like honey glittered at them as he gave a wide smile. Seeing Whin, his smile faded abruptly and he raced over.
"Wha' 'appened?" he asked in an accent similar to Jumper's.
"Two-legged Dragon with a mean attitude and a puke-green belly." Narzenim replied. "Who do you think?" she paused as Jumper placed Whin gently on the pile of blankets she made in the bed of the truck. "Get in; we don't have all day." she grumbled. Jazz, Prowl, Bee, Ironhide, and Ratchet squeezed in the larger than normal bed of the truck while Orion climbed in front with 'Bird.
"Ready?" 'Bird called back. At Narzenim's distracted affirmative, he started the engine and drove through the forest on a narrow, winding path. "Sorry fer bein' so rude. 'Course we kinda need t' hurry 'cause, well, y' have 'Cons on yer tails. M' name's Firebird, but most call m' 'Bird. Tha's Jumper," he said, jerking his head to the massive gray wolf loping beside them. "An' half o' ya know Whin n' Narz."
"You're gonna have to explain a few things." Ratchet murmured as he watched Narzenim as she patted Whin's unresponsive cheek. "Like the whole shape shifting thing, you know?"
Narzenim sighed and looked at him, settling down beside her adopted mother. "Well, obviously we aren't human. You know the most basic idea of this war: you're Marked and you fight against the Decepticons - the 'bad guys,' if you will. However, to someone else, this is all a Game and a gamble. Have you heard of the First?"
"He's supposed to be the strongest, isn't he?" Bee asked quietly as Jazz and Prowl listened with rapt attention.
"She is supposed to be the oldest." Narzenim corrected. "The oldest and the wisest. She's charged with finding a safe house and instructing the young Marked in the ways of survival in the Game."
"So this is all a Game?" Ironhide rumbled angrily.
Narzenim shook her head. "I assure you, Ironhide, that this isn't a game to us. To the Great Lords, yes, but not to us."
"We've 'lready seen to' many people die fro' this stupid Game." Firebird said disgustedly. "Whin don' wanna see no more. 'Speciallly her brother, friends, and son."
"So she is my mother?" Prowl asked slowly. "My biological mother, I mean."
There was a bark-laugh from Jumper. "'Course she is!"
Narzenim rolled her eyes. "She is, Prowl."
Prowl sat back, eyes wide. He could delude himself into believing that there was some mistake - that Whin was only his adopted mother - at the Fortress, but now, hearing it from Narzenim who never lied to him…he couldn't deny it. All those nights staying up to find his birth mother, telling Whin his plans when he found out who she was…she was really staring right at him.
"The rules of the First are complex. She must ensure that the Seer remains alive. She must make sure that the Marked are trained and well before allowing them to join the Game. She must teach the young Marked the way of survival in the Game. She must keep our existence a secret according to the demands of the Game. She can never back down on a sincerely-given oath. And she must obey the edicts of the Great Lords." Narzenim told them dully.
"We're almos' there." Firebird spoke, interrupting their brooding. True to his word, they broke through a few ferns and slid to a gentle stop in front of a large house. It was a pale, creamy color, three stories tall and beautiful. Behind it they caught a glimpse of the lake they saw before, and the purple slashes of mountains. Beside the house were two rows of trees, one row on either side of the massive house.
As the Autobots climbed out of the truck, they watched in awed disgust as with sickening pops and cracks, Jumper became human once more. "I'll take you guys inside. I can tell you're all tired." Narzenim said as Jumper picked up Whin's limp form.
"You have some explaining to do." Ratchet pointed out as Ironhide yawned.
Jumper snorted as Firebird gathered the folded blankets with a grimace. "We c'n 'xplain when y' wake up." he said in his deep voice. "Yer walkin' dead."
"What about Whin?" Ratchet asked. "Her arms are burned…"
Firebird lifted a hand, silencing the medic. "We'll worry 'bout Whin. You git some rest 'cause if Whin get's up an' finds tha' we didn't take good care o' ya, she'll skin us 'live."
"If you're sure…" Prowl said slowly. Even though he didn't have much medial training, he was worried enough about his mother to offer his help. Since it was obvious that only he and Ratchet would.
The two waved them off with a 'thanks for your concern, but it really isn't needed,' carrying the unconscious woman into the house and disappearing. Narzenim led them in as well, taking them to the second two stories and showing them to their rooms. According to her, Jumper and Firebird had brought their stuff over.
Of course, that fact should have made them uncomfortable, but they were really too tired to care. They closed the door and collapsing on the bed, fell asleep.
Ratchet slowly woke, and stared at the sky-blue ceiling, broken intermittently with fluffy clouds. It wasn't until he realized that they weren't moving that he remembered that one, Whin was an artist, and two, this was her house.
He sat up, remembering the events that brought him there. Rubbing his aching head and trying to steer away from the horror-struck faces of the men Narzenim and Whin had so nonchalantly batted aside at the Fortress, Ratchet stood and looked around.
The ceiling, he had noticed, was painted to resemble the mid-morning sky with his light as the sun. His carpet was soft and a pale golden color, like the color of sand; his room held the vision of the beach. Waves curled near his door, and beyond he could see the darker colors of the deep water, and beside it the gentle curve of the cove, captured on the wall in emerald greens and glittering, whimsical hues he had no name for. Behind him and near his bed, the "beach" sloped into towering emerald-and-purple mountains, foggy and mysterious at the top, lush and vibrant near the beach. His bed blended perfectly, looking as if made from long poles of drift wood with a shimmering green canopy. His pillows were foamy like the sea waves, and his blanket was as blue as the rolling waves. The drapes near his large window blended perfectly with the mural around it, fading from blue sky to blue waves to sandy shores and foaming waves. Through his window he could see the real thing, the glittering blue lake and the misty, purple mountains beyond, glimmering in the morning light.
Just to make sure the painting wasn't real, he had the compulsion to touch it. Feeling the glossy paint, he felt satisfied and looked around at the room. There was a desk in the corner near the curved palm trees, looking, as his bed did, as if made from driftwood. A dresser stood beside an almost-invisible door which he opened, revealing a spacious bathroom with a large tub and shower, not to mention the other furnishings a bathroom usually had. As with his room, it had a seascape appearance, main colors being blue, green, and pale gold. There was no mural here, but it seemed just as beautiful as the room he had slept in. A sand-colored towel caught his eye, and curious, he walked over. It was embroidered with neat cursive letters spelling 'Ratchet' with medic crosses on either side.
Surprised, the medic stepped out, finding a note on the desk addressed to him. He didn't readily recognize the handwriting, but read it nonetheless.
"Ratchet,
I really hope you like your room; I did spend around a week painting it, after all. Narzenim suggested that I paint a seascape, though why exactly I'm not entirely sure. She no doubt consulted her Compass, sneaky little Seer. Regardless, this is your room, and I stress 'your'.
Should you get lost, go out your room, turn left, and keep walking until you find the stairs. From the stairs, you can find your way easily throughout the house; the kitchen, dining room, and living room are all downstairs.
While we were held captive (Ratchet winced at her phrasing), Jumper and Firebird gathered your stuff. You'll find them in the appropriate places. Rest up.
Whin."
Curious, he opened the top drawer of the dresser - his dresser - and found his clothes neatly folded, something he hardly did. Yet another slip of paper caught his eye and he picked it up, unfolding it. There were two lines of writing, both from different people. The first was messy but readable, not unlike Ironhide's handwriting.
"Firebird is OCD. Wouldn't leave your clothes all messy and wrinkled."
The second was much neater, almost as neat as Whin's note.
"Jumper is the pack-wolf. Carries all your stuff. Too much of a dumb brute to argue properly."
Ratchet crumpled the paper and shaking his head, gathered his clothes for a bath.
Red-brown hair dark with moisture from his bath, he dressed quickly and walked out the door, following the directions Whin's note gave him to find the stairs. From the stairs, he followed the noise of people talking, finding Bee, a sleepy Jazz, Prowl, a grumpy Orion, and a grumbling Ironhide.
"Morning." he greeted them cheerfully. "Did you sleep well?"
Orion eyed him, but it was the ever-positive Bee who answered. "I didn't realize I was so tired until my head hit the bed." he paused, noticing the silence.
Ratchet looked around, sitting beside Ironhide. "Where's Whin?"
Orion growled. "Do I look like her mother?" he demanded.
"I would hope not." a dry voice from the door said. They all turned as the door opened and a veiled woman walked in. She looked as if she was a Muslim that had just come from Saudi Arabia, swathed from head to toe in veils. In one arm she propped a basket filled with dates, apricots, pomegranates, plums, nectarines, and figs against her hip as she closed the door with her other arm. "You look nothing like Whin, actually." she continued, putting the wicker basket in the kitchen nearby. "I'm surprised you're related."
Whin walked into the dining room gingerly, arms and legs still blistered and red. "Who's related?" she yawned. Dressed in a revealing halter-top and flowing skirt, she stopping blinking, as she saw the woman in the kitchen. "Hey, Arianna. Did you go to Saudi Arabia recently?"
The woman laughed behind her veil. "Yeah, I just got back, actually." she motioned to the basket of fruits. "Got you guys some fruits."
Whin sighed. "I'm sure 'Bird'll be happy." she murmured distractedly. "He loves pomegranates."
Ratchet raced over to her, grabbing her by the elbow. "Let me see." he told her, not liking the way her arms were so red.
Whin looked confused. "Why?" through the bottom hem of her halter-top, the medic could also see the nasty-looking wound she had gotten from a poisoned dagger. He was surprised that the wound continued on to her human form though she got it while she was a Dragon, and said as much to his old friend who snorted. "It only carried because I was poisoned." she told him. She shuffled over to the refrigerator and grabbing a cup, poured a clear, slightly yellow liquid into the cup from a pitcher labeled with a flame. She shook the pitcher. "Don't drink from this unless you're a Torch." she told them before putting it away.
"Sit down so I can examine you." Ratchet pressed and Whin sighed.
"Fine, I'll humor you." she muttered, shuffling over to an empty chair. "But first, watch this." she held the cup to Ratchet. "What does this smell like?"
Ratchet's nose wrinkled, as did the others' at the table. "It smells like gasoline." Bee yelped, clapping a hand over his nose.
Whin smirked. "It is gasoline. Watch." to their surprise and horror, she tilted her head back and gulped the contents of the cup, placing the empty cup on the table when she was finished. She held out her blister-free arms to Ratchet. "Better, doctor?" she teased.
Ratchet gaped, grabbing her arm and twisting it this way and that; he was sure those burns wouldn't heal for at least a week, and even then it should have scars. "How did you do that?"
"Dragons heal quickly." Arianna said, placing a large bowl of cut fruit in the middle of the table.
"I was weak before, so I couldn't heal myself as quickly at the Fortress." Whin explained, standing. She lifted the hem of her halter-top, revealing her scar- and wound-less stomach and side. "Fire Dragons such as myself need to keep a certain core temperature or we will return to being moderately human. I dropped below my core temperature when we left the Fortress, thus I became unconscious and my other sides took over." she tilted her head to the side as Narzenim skipped into the dining room. "Do you guys want something to drink? Tea, coffee, cocoa?"
"Actually, we don't have any coffee, remember? You threw it all out when Firebird went bonkers?" Narzenim said, laughing.
Whin rolled her eyes. "True. And I don't think we have much tea…well, appetizing tea, so cocoa it is." without waiting for a response, she gathered enough cups on a tray as well as a pitcher of water, some cinnamon sticks, cream, ground cinnamon, and cocoa mix. As they watched, she poured the cocoa powder into each mug, followed by some cream and cinnamon. She put the cinnamon sticks in with the cocoa, pouring the cool water into each cup. She stirred each cup with the cinnamon stick, and as they watched, a glittering red veil of light settled on the cups as she did so; they began to steam gently as if she had poured hot water into the cups. She placed a cup in front of everyone, sitting down in a chair when she was finished. "Careful, it's hot." she told them as they eyed the cups.
Without warning, Orion growled and threw the cup at her. It shattered on her chest, spraying hot cocoa across her chest and exposed skin; Narzenim and Bee, who sat on either side of her, yelped as the steaming drops hit them. "Stop acting like everything's all right in the world." he growled at her as she looked confused. "We're at a war. The Decepticons kidnapped us, then you kidnap us and won't let us go. You killed our mother, and act like you're old chums with the Decepticons - our enemy. Nothing is all right now. Everything is horrible! And you try to make everything right - fix irreconcilable differences with cocoa the way our mother used to make it…it's even worse!"
Whin's fists clenched and she growled, a low, scary sound echoing from deep in her chest. "Windtreader," her hostile, ruby-eyed stare turned to focus on the veiled woman. "Stand down." another low snarl rippled through her chest. "Windtreader, behave." she said in warning.
Whin tossed her head, training ruby eyes on Orion. Her lips had peeled back in a feral but silent snarl. "No. Nothing is all right, brother." she snarled in a low, gravely voice. "We already know this. Why do you think we risked our lives and the lives of our siblings to rescue you from the Decepticons? We know how the Game is played. We're the referees, if you will. The Chosen."
"Windtreader." Arianna said again before turning helplessly to Narzenim. "Aren't you going to do anything?"
The girl shrugged. "They have a point. And they are controlling themselves, believe it or not. You don't See what they're thinking." she added, sipping her cocoa. "On second thought, you really don't want to."
Whin ignored them. "Do you know what we are?" she growled, gesturing to herself. "We're a monster. A freak. We are a Dragon. Do you know what a bittersweet blessing that is? What a wonderful nightmare?" she held up a clawed hand. "We can kill a person with a flick of our wrist. We can become a creature that only exists in nightmares. We can do things that no normal person can. Do you think we like that?"
"You're insane is what you are!" whatever else he was about to say was drowned out in Whin's savage growl.
"We are insane? Ha! You haven't seen insane. Compared to the Decepticons, I am perfectly sane. Blackout - or Huitzilopochtli, whatever you want to call him - is known as the Aztec god of war. He existed in the time of the Aztecs, if you're too dense to understand that. He demanded human sacrifices - sometimes more than five times a day. Bet you never knew that, eh?" she leaned over the table, eyes hard. "Five times a day, sometimes two people at a time. Or more. Imagine all those people being killed. For one Dragon, no less! Do you know what he did with them? He drank their blood as if it was wine. He ate their hearts and their eyes, their tongues, their throats. Do you know how the Decepticons eat? They hunt down cattle and game, yes, but sometimes, sometimes their guards just get on their nerves." she bared her teeth in an angry snarl. "So yes, compared to them, we are positively sane and civilized. Yes, we have a temper problem, but is it so much better than what the Decepticons do."
Everyone at the table looked a little green, especially at the feral grin she wore. "How do you know all this?" Jazz asked faintly when he regained enough courage to speak.
The grin disappeared and she looked angry as her eyes switched from red to orange before finally settling into a shade somewhere in between. "We were there."
"Impossible." Orion snarled, leaping to his feet. "You can't be that old."
There was the feral grin again. "Can't I? Why don't you ask Narzenim, or Arianna, here exactly how old I am?" she leaned closer. "I'll tell you a secret. In the records, I am fifty-seven. In my records, I am well over thirty thousand years old. I was sent back to learn."
"To learn what? How to kill?" Orion snarled.
Now Whin really did look angry. "We already know how to kill." she rumbled in that snarling, gravelly voice.
"Is that what you did with our mother? Hmm? Were you showing her what you learned?" he sneered.
"Windtreader." she swung her head to glare at Narzenim who sat comfortably in her seat. "Stand down." her lips peeled back in a defiant snarl. "Panz larnnez." Whin snarled one more time before stalking outside.
"Ko sykelar tsunz. Ko qepo." Whin growled over her shoulder.
"What did you tell her?" Bee asked, staring after the woman.
"I told her to go outside." Narzenim said simply, sipping her cocoa. "And before you ask, she said she was hungry. She went to get something to eat."
Arianna sighed, sitting in the chair the woman had vacated. "I suppose I really should have spoken with you before she came down." she admitted. "I guess I should've stayed here. Guess I should've have gotten those fruits for Firebird. It would've saved a lot of tears."
Narzenim sighed. "You know Dragons cannot cry, Arianna. Don't waste time blaming yourself; what's done is done. You may as well get it over with now."
Arianna sighed. "I don't know why I didn't do this before; I guess I was too enraptured by their argument." she pulled off her veils, revealing a smooth, porcelain-like face of a doll. Only this doll could move. Her eyes were bright, brilliant, beautiful, a simmering blue the color of the sea with a greenish glimmer near the edges. Her hair was the darkest black they had ever seen, darker than the night, darker than the infinite confines of space.
Orion stared, slack-jawed. "Wh-wha…"
"My name is Arianna, Orion. I'm your mother."
"But you're dead."
"I was dead. Whin bargained with the Great Lords to bring me back." was the reply as she peeled the rest of her veils off, folding them and placing the on the empty tray in front of her. "'Course to do that, she had to sacrifice her…"
"Why didn't she tell me?" Orion interrupted, sitting back on his chair. The appearance of his mother had cowed him considerably.
"Would you have believed her?" Narzenim asked practically. "To see the woman you hated the most - next to Slash, of course, who just up and left - the one you thought killed your mother, come over to tell you that she raised your mother from the dead? No one would believe her. Hell, she hardly believed it herself."
"So…you died?" Ratchet asked slowly, staring at the doll-like woman.
"Yep. But Whin didn't kill me. It wasn't a murder as Whin has hinted at. It was only an accident." she replied easily as if it didn't bother her in the least. "That's what you get when you live with two young Dragons."
Ironhide frowned. "Why not?"
The doll-like woman shrugged. "Well, consider this: there were two hormonal female teenagers in the house. Add the fact that they had the minds of a human, a Torch, and a Dragon, and already you have a problem." she shrugged. "Self-control is very hard for them when they're young."
Jazz shivered. He remembered seeing the ghostly form of the Mark on his partner's skin, the glyph of a dragon spreading its wings in flight. He shivered again when his eyes drifted to Narzenim; the brilliant emerald orbs were practically glowing as the girl tilted her head to the side.
"Jumper, do you know where my Compass is?" she asked in a peculiar voice that had everyone shivering. "Oh. Okay. Thanks. Happy hunting."
Arianna's lips twitched in amusement. "What'd he say, Narz?"
Narzenim looked surprised. "Was I speaking out loud again?" she asked, an embarrassed flush spreading across her face. She scratched her nose. "He said it was in my drawer-lock. I best go get it 'fore someone steals it." standing, she left with a light skip.
"Okay, okay. I think we need a few explanations. I have absolutely no idea what's going on." Jazz said, leaning back in his chair.
Arianna gave a soft smile. "That makes perfect sense. Come with me, please?" she stood elegantly and motioning for them to leave their cups, led them through the house. She opened a nearly-invisible door near the back of the house, revealing a large room filled to the brim with books. "This is the library. I'm not entirely sure why Whin built a library in the house, but in this case, it's rather useful."
"Are all these books hers?" Orion asked in awe, staring. The library walls were around twenty feet high and loaded with shelves which were in turn loaded with books and scrolls, some of which looked to be older than a hundred years.
"Why else would they be in her library?" Narzenim asked, hopping down from the second-story railing. She handed a large, leather-bound volume to Arianna. "Here you go." then she grinned at the woman's confused look, tapping her head with a finger. "You forget that I can hear your thoughts across the house. All that clay must amplify it, or something."
Arianna rolled her eyes. "Trust you to make comments about that and my resonance, you little brat." she swatted playfully at the girl's head. Predictably she ducked out of the way, laughing when Arianna made a face at her.
Seeing that exchange reminded Orion, Ironhide, and Ratchet just how young Arianna really was. Whin had told them (and Orion had done his own math) that she was born when Arianna was fifteen, and had Orion at thirty-three; the woman died at fifty-seven, but after having Whin and Slash, apparently hadn't grown up, according to Whin. Not really, anyway. In many ways, she was very much a teenager though you could tell that she had seen her own fair share of horrors.
Arianna sat down at a table, opening the large volume. "Story time, kiddies." she teased, baring perfectly straight teeth that glittered like polished ivory. It was really creepy. Slowly, the Autobots and Prowl sat down at the table sitting innocently in the middle of the room as Arianna looked through the large volume, finding her place in the thick paper yellowed with age and tattered at the edges.
"We call this the bible." Narzenim told them, becoming a emerald serpent, draping herself around Arianna's neck. "As a joke, of course, but it fits somehow."
"You know I don't like snakes, Sara." Arianna said patiently. "Birds are much better."
The serpent's eyes rolled and the scales disappeared, replaced by soft feathers. Then, with an impish grin (that looked very creepy on a snake turning into some sort of bird) the feathers changed from pale orange to white on her body and pale green on her clawed wings. Finished, she perched comfortably on Arianna's shoulder, looking for all the world like an evil chicken.
Arianna rolled her eyes. "And that is so much better." she muttered, finding her page. "Here we go." she looked up at the squirming Autobots. "This is the story that started the entire war. It starts with the very beginning, with the battles on Cybertron, to the Great Cube called the AllSpark. It tells of why you are here, and why we are so different from normal humans." she paused, letting it sink in. "Are you sure you want to hear this story? I must ask for it contains things that you will not believe, but unfortunately it is the truth."
Bee shifted, looking at the faces of his comrades. He had only known the war and the limited scope of his powers. All he had known was the strange Marks on his skin and the skin of both his friends and enemies. Narzenim, the girl he had met in the cafeteria, proved to be in on the secret - the one person they really needed to befriend to win the war. How he knew that, he didn't know. And he really wanted to know the answer. Why? Why them? Why was there even a secret war raging on Earth? Why was it only them?
Ironhide's jaw was set, eyes hard. He wanted to know; it was very obvious. Ratchet was the same. Both knew war. They had lived through it as humans and semi-humans. Now they had to live through it as freaks. They had the same questions on their lips as he did. Jazz was the same, though he kept flashing glances to Prowl. Prowl was harder to read, as Bee didn't know him as well, but he could tell that he had an aching curiosity to find out just what was happening; nothing was explained very well to him, after all. Orion, well Orion was the trickiest. He was a Torch, after all. They were very strange, tricky people who Bee had a hard time reading.
'It just gets harder to read Torches.' the voice resonated in his head, and he jerked his eyes to stare at Narzenim the evil chicken. 'I am not an evil chicken.' she added loftily though her scaly lips quirked upward in a smirk. Then she tilted her head to the side. 'If you want me to "stop reading your mind," then you should stop thinking so loud.'
The evil chicken (Narzenim glared at him for that) turned her head to Arianna and nodded. Arianna began to read. "Many millions of years ago on the planet Cybertron, life existed, but not life as we knew it today. Intelligent robots that could think and feel inhabited the cities. They were called Autobots and Decepticons. But the brutal Decepticons were driven by a single goal: total domination. They set out to destroy the peace-loving Autobots and the war between the forces of good and evil raged across Cybertron, devastating all in its path and draining the planet's once-rich sources of energy. The Autobots, on the verge of extinction, battled valiantly to survive.
"At the edge of desperation, the leader of the Autobots went to the high temple on the planet. He took the AllSpark, the all-powerful artifact that in the right hands bring the planet back to life, and took it away. With the remaining Autobots, they bought the services of the only neutral captain on the planet and with her, escaped with the Cube to Tyger Pax." Arianna looked up at them before continuing. "They told the captain and her limited crew not to snoop around, but the youngest of her crew couldn't resist. She had to find out what was in the cargo bay; why her surrogate family was risking their lives by working with the Autobots.
"And did she find out. Beneath the tarp in the cargo bay was the legendary Cube - the AllSpark. She read the glyphs on the sides and saw the entire history of their race. There was nothing she could do at the moment; the Autobot encampment at the lonely asteroid of Tyger Pax was attacked by a gang of Decepticons, led by their nefarious leader himself.
"He captured the young scout on the Autobot ship, and to prevent him from getting the AllSpark, the scout and Autobots sent the Cube flying through space. Angry, the Decepticon leader chased after the Cube and wasn't seen for millennia.
"The Autobots, including the scout and captain, set off after the AllSpark in an insane quest to find the Cube before the Decepticons did, chased after them. The Decepticon leader, followed closely by his army, had beat them to the small, developing planet. They began to look for the Cube even as the Autobots landed." Arianna paused as turned the page and continued. "A sudden sickness struck through them, killing the Decepticons one by one. Within time, the sickness jumped to the Autobots. The first to fall was the captain's twin, a Decepticon warrior. Immediately, the captain was sick and on the verge of death; twins couldn't exist without the other. Despite this, she survived along with her crew, her son, and the Autobot saboteur.
"They knew that only one thing could help them: the AllSpark. So together, they set off to search for it. The first to fall were the captain's first mate and her old friend. They were placed near a river and the rest carried on. Her adopted daughter, her son, and the saboteur began to grow deathly ill and despite her own illness, the captain pushed on. She refused to stop, even resorting to carrying them on her back." Arianna paused, looking at Narzenim who was now a spotted leopard kit, ears flat to her skull and fur flared. "You don't have to listen to this, Sara. I know you don't like to hear this part."
"No, it won't matter; it will resonate in their minds for weeks." Narzenim replied, voice strangely flat. "I can bear it now; I will have to bear it for a while anyway. What is one more time?"
Arianna stroked the spotted gray fur and went back to the story. "She was struck as first the saboteur, then her son died of the strange illness. With her surrogate daughter in tow, she found the hollow where the AllSpark was buried. It was far too late, however; the youngest of her crew died at the beginning of the hollow, leaving the heart-broken and dying captain to limp down into the hollow.
"There, she found the AllSpark. As she lay dying at the base of the immense Cube, she implored the deities housed within to help her - to do anything.
"And they did. Just not in the way she expected." Arianna stopped, looking up. She allowed them to absorb the story she had just given them before turning the page, continuing. "A few million years later, as homo-sapiens began to walk the earth, the Cube - and the deities within - awoke. The first who woke was Primus, the Cybertronian god of light and life. Unicron, the god of darkness and death, followed soon after.
"They had nothing to occupy their attention now. Bored, they wandered the Earth, finding each immense bodies of their children and getting rid of them. Seeing the beginnings of humans gave them an idea. Using the bodies of their warriors, they created spirits which they infused with their speed, strength, agility, unique transforming ability. Everything they had before in a small, human-like body. To blend in, really.
"They called it the Game, and to make it more interesting, they scattered them in different times, branding them with tattoo-like Marks to keep tabs on them. That is the origin of you - the Marked." Arianna looked up at them, stroking Narzenim's furred head.
"It's a lot to take in, we know." Narzenim told then softly, becoming a wide-eyed ginger kitten. She gave an impish smirk. "It took Firebird and Jumper a few years, if it makes you feel better."
"Is that all we need to know?" Prowl asked slowly.
"No."
"What else is there?" Ironhide rumbled.
"There are the Twelve Laws." Narzenim said, looking up at Arianna.
"You know those better than I do. I'll go put this away." the woman stood and walked off to do as she said.
"There are twelve laws which we must abide by. Most of them don't concern you, but you must know them anyway because they do affect you in some ways. First: It is the job of the First to ensure the longevity of the Seer. Second: The First is not immediately bound to the Marked though it is her job to ensure the longevity of the young Marked. Third: The First has the responsibility of governing a safe house and instructing the young Marked in the ways of survival in the Game. Fourth: It Is the First's job to ensure that the Secret is safe as demands the Game. Fifth: The First owes a never-ending debt to the Great Lords. She may not resist an order from the Lord of the Light, but may refuse orders from the Lord of Darkness. Sixth: The First may never back down on an oath given sincerely. Seventh: The Great Lords aren't bound to the Marked, just as the Marked aren't bound to the Great Lords. Eighth: A Dragon may never die. Nine: A Torch may never die. Ten: The Chosen may choose to do as they wish though the First must take responsibility for their actions. Eleven: The Chosen are forbidden to die. Twelve: Those who remain useful are permitted to live; once one ceases to serve a purpose, they may be killed off and all rules in their favor become void and cease to exist."
"'S she sai', there ain't many Laws tha' 'ffect ya." Firebird said, sauntering in. "West side clear, Narz. I did see Huitzilopochtli sneakin' near m' aerie, though. 'E ran 'fore I could do 'nythin' t' 'im, the coward." he smiled at Arianna. "Hey, Ari. I thought I smelled you in the kitchen." he held up a handful of dates, popping them into his mouth as he spoke. "Thanks for th' fruit."
Arianna ruffled his hair. "You're welcome."
"Anything else to report?" Narzenim asked, snagging a date from Firebird.
The man shrugged. "If y' count Whin stormin' off in a tizzy, then yeah. Jus' saw Huitzilopochtli, Jumper, n' Whin t'day. No' much more." he tossed the last date at Narzenim who caught it. "I'm off 'gain. Second patrol, n' all." he opened the window and leapt out, becoming an enormous red, orange, and gold bird and flying away before they could get a good look at him.
"Patrols?" Bee asked, surprised.
Arianna shrugged. "The Decepticons will likely try to infiltrate for a week, so Whin, Jump, and 'Bird are running extra patrols. Nothing too serious, really. You'll start your own when you've been trained."
"What do you mean by 'your own?'" Prowl asked slowly.
"Well, Whin has a larger than normal territory, especially for a solitary Dragon, even though she lives with a Phoenix and what you would call a werewolf. She has sectioned off a bit of land on the North edge of her territory. When 'Bird and Jumper were called after Bee was captured, they were working to build a base for you." Arianna told them calmly. "Of course it is understandable that you would not wish to live with Whin for very long, but she feels that she cannot leave you completely alone; thus she began to expand her territory once she got word of the size of your group. By sectioning off her territory, she is able to be close to you but give you enough room to be on your own."
"So you're kicking us out?" Ironhide rumbled.
The doll-like woman tilted her head to the side as Narzenim stared blankly at the wall. "Only if you want to leave. We all assumed that you wouldn't tolerate Windtreader's presence." she turned to look at Narzenim who was beginning to look worried. "What is it, Sara? What are the patrols saying?"
Green eyes flashed to her. "Firebird caught sight of the Seeker trine in our airspace. He's not engaging, but he's keeping an eye on them. He also found Blackout and Waspinator. They are doing a spiral-pattern search just west of Clasher's Peak." she tilted her head to the side, a far-away look in her green eyes. "Jumper? Do you have anything to report?"
"It's times like these where I wish I could hear both sides of the conversation." Arianna murmured, watching the girl.
"He's climbing a hill now; he's tree-level at the moment." Narzenim said slowly. Suddenly, she swore. "Windtreader, where are you?" her eyes flashed left and right as if tracking something only she could see. "Finish your hunt and return. Now. You can bring it back, but I need you here now." she was on her feet, pacing.
"What's going on?" Orion asked, getting to his feet abruptly.
Arianna motioned for him to be quiet. "Something's wrong; the Decepticons are searching for something, and it's not you." she looked at the pacing teen. "Where is she?"
"Near Vancouver. It'll take her a little while to get back here. Jumper, track them. Stay on their trail but out of range. Firebird, let them know whose territory this is, but do not engage. Light up the sky if you must, but be careful." Narzenim tugged on her lower lip thoughtfully. "I know we can't take on the entire Army!" she roared suddenly, throwing her hands in the air. "You don't need a Seer to know that." she ran a hand through her vibrant red hair. "This is worse than anything I could've Seen." she whispered.
There was a low rumbling outside and a massive reddish head poked into the library, just barely fitting through the window. "What is the matter, Daughter of Mine?"
Narzenim hugged the massive nose. "Everything is going down the drain. Find Jumper and bring them back." the great head jerked and when Narzenim let go, slipped quickly through the window and disappeared. "Arianna, help me get medical supplies, weapons, and armor. The rest of you, do as you please, but do not go outside."
Arianna and Narzenim ran out, the latter becoming a spotted leopard and racing around the corner.
"What's going on?" Ratchet asked, chasing after Arianna.
The woman glanced back at him but continued to race down the halls. "I'm not entirely sure, but Sara did say that I'd need to treat more than a few injuries today. I'm also to show you the hospital wing. Once you are trained and ready, you are to take over."
"I am a doctor. I am very capable of handling things now." Ratchet snapped, feeling belittled by the woman's tone.
A brilliant blue eye regarded him. "Okay, then. You have a young Fire Dragon on the verge of adolescence with a broken wing; fractures on her first two phalanges and another on her radius. She still has a case of battle-fever, and lost a few scales on her neck. How do you treat her?" she asked, stopping in front of a door marked aptly with a medic's cross.
Ratchet stared at her, mouth agape. "I'm not a vet." he snorted indignantly.
"Which is why you will only be handling injuries while they're in their humanoid form." was the reply. "I will be your mentor; I already act as nurse when Whin, 'Bird, and Jumper get injured." she opened the door, revealing a large room. "Welcome to the hospital wing."
It looked like Whin had ripped a chunk out of a hospital to some extent; the walls were creamy white and the bright tile reflected the bright light high above. The ceiling was around twenty feet tall, maybe more, and nearly fifteen shining metal berths were lined neatly at the farthest end of the room. Gleaming metal cabinets lined the walls, and there were stationary berths of varying sizes for operations as well as sinks and stretchers.
Arianna walked into the room and Ratchet followed, staring at everything he could. "The emergency supplies are here." she said, gesturing to the first metal cabinet. She opened the doors, revealing large black duffle bags. "I usually pack around five with general first aid equipment; antiseptic, bandages, that sort of thing. The blue ones are emergency, like broken and fractured bones, missing limbs, and wounds that need stitching and anesthesia. Red is for life-threatening injuries like severed arteries. Once Whin nearly lost her head." she added, grabbing two black and blue bags, and one red one. "Not a pretty sight. First lesson: don't get between Whin and whoever she's protecting. Also, try to stay away from touching her blood, especially the blood in her chest and neck. It tends to burn."
Ratchet dipped beneath the weight as Arianna tossed a black bag at him as she hauled her own burden out of the hospital wing. "So what would my duties be?" he asked, trotting after the woman.
"Caring for the wounded, basically. You aren't required to go into battle, but if you want to, you can. Of course, you'll have to stay in small skirmishes and possibly patrols, as we can't risk a Healer being out on the field, but you can fight." she smiled. "I mean, look at me: I'm a reincarnated human-slash-healer and I still fight."
She led Ratchet out the door, dropping the bags (gently, of course) under a veranda on the side of the house. "I'm confused." Ratchet said, shaking his head.
Arianna gave a small smile. "It's all right. You'll get used to it." then she paused, an odd look passing along her strange eyes. When Ratchet moved to speak, she leapt to his side faster than he could believe, pressing a hand to his mouth and pushing him against the wall, head turned to stare at the trees behind her.
Ratchet's eyes widened at the feel of her hand; it was cold and smooth like glazed pottery or porcelain. Not flesh, but something inorganic. Narzenim's comments about clay and resonance suddenly made sense. "Hush." she said in a breathless whisper. Cool air - her breath - breezed across his face. "There's someone in the forest."
The trees shook convulsively and the enormous gray form of Jumper leapt out of the brush, eyes bright. "Hey, Arianna, Ratchet. We have an injured Tracker an' a pregnant Dragon incoming'."
"The extent?" Arianna asked, sounding relieved.
"The Tracker 'as a nasty gash on 'is leg an' flank an' a nasty limp. Th' Dragon is in pain; too much shape shiftin'." was the reply as Jumper shifted his weight from paw to paw. "I need t' go an' cover 'Bird's feathered butt. They're nearly here."
"Understood. Stay safe." with a nod, the massive wolf bounded off. Arianna picked up a blue bag and opened it, spreading its contents on a large table outside as the trees shook convulsively. Ratchet stared in horror as a black, gray, and white head poked through, red eyes bright against his dark mix of a face.
Whin's face appeared through the trees as well, and Ratchet breathed a sigh of relief. She crouched down, allowing her passenger to slowly slide off; Arianna was there to catch her and half carry her to a chair. "Ratchet." her sharp voice caught his attention and she motioned for him to treat the Decepticon who was in obvious pain.
"Why do I feel so sick?" the woman snarled, and as he had with Whin, Ratchet had kept out of her reach as her eyes blazed gold.
"Calm down and sit still.." he told her softly but firmly, as if he was speaking to a misbehaving child or dog. Slash's mouth, open to demand an answer, shut with a snap, surprised at his tone. "Good, now stay calm and stay in control."
Whin, behind them, gave a low rumble of a laugh as Arianna climbed up Barricade's side to treat his leg. "Ratchet the midwife. Doesn't that have a nice ring to it, Slash?"
"I can't say; he's currently giving me a death glare." her twin replied with a wide grin as her eyes bled back to red. Her voice, much more melodic than Whin's rough lilt, dropped to a stage-whisper. "But between you and me, it should be his new nickname."
"Can it, you two." Ratchet grumbled as he felt Whin's hot breath on his back. "Whin? Can you give me some hints?"
There was an amused rumble from behind him. "I keep forgetting you're not a Dragon and can't yet sense what's wrong." she said ruefully, tongue flicking out to taste the air; he saw the forked tip out of the corner of his eye. "She's pregnant, but despite our warnings, continued to shape shift." the last part was directed at her twin who stuck her own tongue out at her.
"Is that bad?" Ratchet inquired curiously.
"It depends. When Slash shape changes, everything in her changes, and when we're pregnant, that would also mean our child - or children." she added. "The more she changes, the more comfortable whatever in her stomach becomes with it, and there is a chance that they will decide on their own not to change back with their mother."
"That seems to be the case." Narzenim said, popping out the door, hefting a large create behind her. "I See nice twin boys."
Barricade rumbled. "Oh great."
Narzenim didn't seem to be very surprised at seeing the two Decepticons in her yard. "I'd tell you more things about them, but I'm worried you'd kill them first."
"Very reassuring, Young One." Slash said wryly.
"If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?" Ratchet asked, looking at them. Up close, he could properly look at the Dragon. Of course, he could also get a look because it was apparent that neither would actually hurt him. He had thought earlier at the Fortress that Barricade was black, white, and gray; it turns out that his black areas were mixed with indigo, dark violet, and lighter shades of purple. His white and gray areas had flecks of silver and white.
Whin, back in her human shape, walked into the house as the rest of the Autobots poked their heads out, wondering at the noise.
"Pleading temporary sanctuary." Barricade rumbled reluctantly.
"A 'Con, pleading for sanctuary?" Ironhide rumbled back in disgust.
"He is my sister's mate." Whin snapped, walking back outside. She had changed out of her skirt and halter top, now wearing a pair of full breeches and a soft tunic, both colored the same ruddy red as her scales. Her hair was pulled back in a tight braid, leaving her red and silver bangs to frame her face. There were arm guards on her forearms with delicate slits on the outer edges of her arms. "I have seen and heard all I need to and unlike you, don't question it."
Slash eyed her. "Sister, you do not need to fight this battle. We will leave as soon as we are able to."
Whin said nothing, not even looking up from stretching. It was Arianna who spoke. "Ensallidus has a nasty gash on his flank. It's poisoned - no doubt Huitzilopochtli's work - and deep enough that it tore part of his muscle. If he keeps running on it, it will tear further and take longer for it to heal."
"I am capable of fighting, Sister." Whin said quietly. "Narzenim has Seen this happening, so I am not too worried."
There was the harsh cry of an eagle high above, and they all looked up to see a massive eagle hurtling toward them.
Only, it wasn't an eagle; it was far too big, and it's neck and head far too slender. It still had the curved beak and dangerous claws, though colored red, gold, and orange as if it were on fire. Two long feathers on each brow formed a long, elegant crest, and long tail feathers gave it a whimsical appearance. The enormous bird began to shrink, growing arms and legs in place of wings and claws. Soon Firebird stood before them, looking drained and breathing heavily. He was dressed only in a pair of basketball shorts, leaving his slender chest bare.
"They're near Jumper's pond now." he reported as Whin stood. "Approaching fast. They may not have their Tracker, but they are able to tell where they were and are swinging around. The Seeker trio saw us, too. They're leading us here."
"Numbers?" Slash asked sharply as Jumper bounded to them, stopping in front of them.
"Bonecrusher an' 'is crew, wit' Blackou', th' Seekers, an' Megatron hisself. Jus' them. Ah go' th' res' o' their infantry." Jumper told them with a feral grin. Now that he called attention to it, his teeth and mouth were stained red. The Autobots shivered.
"We don't have enough to fight all-out with them." Narzenim said quietly.
"Which is why I'm getting ready." Whin finished grimly, checking the fit of her arm guards as Jumper became human once more; Narzenim tossed him a rag and with it, he wiped the blood off his face and hands. Like Firebird, he wore only a pair of basketball shorts, baring a narrow gash on his chest and a large slice on his side.
"You must not do anything to provoke them." the Seer told them in a voice that booked no argument. "Let Whin do the talking."
"But they're 'Cons." Orion protested childishly.
"That does not mean they are incapable of speaking in a civilized manner." Arianna told him sharply, looking up from treating Barricade's leg. "Respect your enemies, respect yourself, respect your teammates."
"You don't understand, Mother, Autobots and Decepticons mix like oil and water." he protested.
"Let me put it this way: my turf, my rules." Whin rumbled, eyes flashing angrily. "If you want to survive this Game, then you'd best start trusting me an' my crew. That includes Narzenim." she jerked her head for emphasis at the girl who sat beside her. "She knows more about this Game than you do, and you'd best respect that."
Firebird gave a short whistle. "They're coming head on."
"Windtreader." Whin turned to look at Barricade who regarded her solemnly. "Forgive us for placing this burden on your shoulders. Let us fight him ourselves; it is our battle, not yours."
"Narzenim has Seen this fight for a while; it must come to pass." Whin replied. "But you are my sister's mate. Your problems are my problem now. And that includes battles. It is my joy to fight for you." with a short bow, she walked off.
Narzenim stopped the Autobots from following her with a look. "She wants to be alone before she fights." she said solemnly. "Let's get this crate out to the front." with Firebird's help (Arianna and Ratchet were treating Jumper's wounds), they placed the crate in front of the house near the porch.
Icy fog crept through the trees as the sky darkened. "Always making a dramatic entrance." Arianna grumbled. In her hand she held a powerful bow; on her back was a quiver full of arrows and she wore wrist guards. Each arrow was fletched with a feather that seemed to be the embodiment of fire. She looked at the Autobots who had followed her out. "Line up side by side." when they looked reproachfully at her, she scowled. "It is polite. Now do it or go inside."
Reluctantly they obeyed as Narzenim opened the crate and pulled out strange-looking weapons. She passed them out to the Autobots. "Don't you dare shoot unless we tell you that you can." she told them. "Pretend you're in the army and Arianna is your captain."
Indeed, Arianna stood slightly ahead of the line, bow resting at her side. Whin was in the large area in front of the house, staring pensively into the trees.
There was a large, heavy moose carcass near the tree line on the side of the driveway, and seeing it, Narzenim and Firebird bounded over and dragged it over. "Whin won't like it if they took her kill." Narzenim explained, noting their confused looks.
The icy fog continued until the trees were misshapen, misty shapes. Then figures began to emerge.
"They're 'ere." Firebird said grimly.