Sorry this took so long to get up. Just finished finals week, yay.
So, there was a question about whether or not Alakyl could change forms. The answer is: no, she can't. Short explanation is that her race lost the ability to do so a long time ago--legend says they just never had a use for the human form on their islands, so they lost it. Additional answer is that there are some Northland wolves who can still walk around on two legs, like most other Northland races, but it's a very rare occurrence (Alakyl obviously is not one of these) and they cannot change to a human form. They generally keep to themselves, so don't expect to see one in the story.
I only mention this here because it's not talked about in the story, at least in the draft I have right now. It's really not that important anyway, but I guess it's nice to know :).
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Coen slowly swung his sword at the low-hanging branch, neatly cutting one leaf from it. The green foliage floated downward lazily. He impaled it quickly on the end of his weapon. The knight had spent many days in his past doing this. He tended to be idly destructive towards vegetation when bored, or stressed. He certainly felt a bit of both now that he was back in Bale.
He had no idea where Niira had been the past few days. He had seen Alakyl wandering around, but Niira herself remained hidden. It frustrated him, that his old friend would avoid him like this.
Or maybe I'm avoiding her. Who can tell any more?
He was so deep in his thoughts that he visibly jumped when someone spoke from behind him. "Are you going to strip that tree leaf by leaf or what?"
Coen turned around to find Niira sitting on the low wall that surrounded the knights' areas behind Indels. "How long have you been watching me?"
She smirked and dropped to her feet. "Does it matter? Where have you been the past few days?"
"Where have I been? I think the better question is where you've been. I haven't seen you since we first got back here."
Niira shrugged. "Just...working things out with my father."
"I see."
"I was looking for you earlier. Kept getting sent all over Indels. I was beginning to get the feeling that you were avoiding me."
I wasn't doing it on purpose. "I've been around." Coen gave his sword a shake, freeing it from the leaf. He never avoided anyone on purpose, he just had times when he preferred to be alone. That fact that being alone was not in Coen's best interests was something that Radulf had needed to remind him of repeatedly over the years. "What do you want?"
Niira shrugged off-handedly. "I was bored."
"What, your guard dog isn't around to keep you company?"
"She does what she wants. Whether or not I like it."
"Right." He smirked. "So I take it things worked out with your father after all, huh?"
"Yeah. Maybe." She looked distracted for a moment. "You could have told me he was a dragoon."
"What? Oh, that. It didn't occur for me to tell you."
"It didn't occur to you."
"Yeah." He sheathed his sword. "I've never seen him fight as a dragoon. So it doesn't occur to me."
"Uh-huh."
Coen was about to reply to her when he saw a shape hurtling towards them. And here comes Mr. Coordinated...
Happy Tail burst in on their conversation with a fluttering of feathered wings and a loud "oomf!" as he landed on the stone wall. He spent a few moments righting and balancing himself before speaking. "Niira! Finally... There's someone at the front gate of Indels who says he's looking for you. A feliform."
Coen noticed Niira's stance become tense. "Who?" she asked.
"He says he's your cousin. Sir Lavitz is with him. Don't think he's very happy, no."
The half-blood relaxed again. "Guess I should go see him."
"Guess so," Coen muttered.
"You know him? Niira! Who is he?" Happy Tail was fairly hopping from foot to foot.
"You can come if you like," Niira said to Coen, ignoring the avian's excitement.
The young knight held back. He wasn't so sure he wanted to get involved in Niira's family issues, after seeing Lavitz as distraught as he was a few days earlier.
"I'm pretty sure he won't be as biased as Alakyl."
"I...well..."
His indecision was solved as Niira took hold of his loose sleeve and dragged him along. I don't know how much more excitement I can take this week...
Happy Tail trotted along beside them, his winged arms tucked neatly against his flanks. "I hope you can at least straighten this out with your father. He's not happy, nope."
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Lavitz was standing just inside the courtyard of Indels, his armor gleaming in the sunlight. He had his arms crossed over his chest and gave Niira a rather severe look as they approached. "Is there anything else you're not telling me?" He sounded worried and tired more than angry, but Niira still flinched beside Coen.
"Niira!"
It was Coen's turn to flinch, started by the shrill shout. For a moment, he though Niira had shifted into her feline form. Because there was a large cat leaping right for them. Coen's hand was immediately on his sword hilt; the memory of being attacked by Niira in the forest was still very fresh in his mind.
But it was Niira who was tackled to the ground. She and the feline rolled over once, then Niira wrenched herself free. She shouted at the cat in the Northlander tongue.
Coen got a good look at the newcomer then. He (Coen was pretty sure it was a male, at any rate) had his jaws locked around Niira's arm, but he was hardly biting to draw blood. In fact, he looked more like an oversized kitten playing with its favorite toy. The knight relinquished his grip on his sword.
The newcomer was even bigger than Niira's feline form; his fur was grayish-gold, and his sported a scraggly grayish mane. He gave Niira a goofy smile and released her arm. She promptly popped him across his nose with her hand.
"Ow!" The feline sat up, tenderly rubbing his nose.
"What the hell, Reezy? You're a damn freak." Niira scowled at him as she pulled herself to her feet.
Coen could see Lavitz frown disapprovingly at his daughter's language, but neither knight wanted to interrupt the Northlanders.
The cat, Reezy, stood as well. His ears turned back, disappearing into his mane as he glowered back at Niira. "What did you expect me to do? Sit on my tail back home while you're out gallivanting around the world?" Coen was struck by how well the foreigner spoke his language.
Maybe Niira taught him...
The two Northlanders entered into a brief glaring contest. "That doesn't mean you can pounce me like a damn kitten."
"And you don't have to act like my dad and smack me on the nose like that."
"Oh goodness, goodness," Happy Tail rumbled. Coen couldn't tell whether the bird was worried or amused.
"Hmph." Niira turned around to face the others, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. "Father, Coen...this is my cousin Reezy."
"So he is your cousin." Lavitz's voice was flat.
"That's what I said!" Reezy grinned at him. "Guess that sorta makes you my uncle, huh?"
"I suppose it would."
"Not to cut this short," Reezy said quickly, "but I've been traveling for weeks and I'm kinda just a little hungry. I'm sure we could discuss more of this over dinner. Or lunch. Or whatever meal is now. Or two meals at once, that would be nice."
Niira closed her eyes and sighed softly.
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Sorry this section'sso short. But Niira's cousin has arrived! Where did he come from, though? How did he get to Bale? Why did he leave his home? Stay tuned to find out!