Dawn was breaking when the garishly hued boat slipped into a berth and Milltear jumped down to moor it. The others sullenly disembarked and glanced at each other in dismay, all still bore the marks of the Turaga of Colour's anger. "Let's get this over with." Méirle grumbled as he glanced at the others, wondering which one would be first to try and sell him out to lessen their punishment.
Leaning against the wall of the throne room, Lariska idly glanced around wondering why the Shadowed One had called her and Iteotha to be present when several of their organisation returned from their mission. Nearby her closefriend was listening to Farmad as she and Garbh tried to wind Gionair up. Eventually the mottled brown novice hunter snorted in disdain and stalked off to another corner of the room. Peering out one of the windows that overlooked the courtyard, she suddenly blinked and rubbed her eyes, "Er boss, you should see this..."
Raising an eyebrow, the Shadowed One stood up and swaggered over to the windows as the other Dark hunters craned their necks for a glimpse of what Gionair had seen.
As badly stifled snickers broke out, Lariska's eyes narrowed as she noted what she knew was the rainbow hued Turaga's handiwork and glanced briefly to where Iteotha stood. The poison green Dark hunter's eyes were also narrowed and his expression was grim as he caught his closefriend's eye and nodded.
A low growl escaped the Shadowed One, then at his gesture everyone returned to where they'd been lounging and listened intently. Dimly at first then with growing clarity helpless roars of laughter began to echo throughout the fortress.
Eventually, a servant pushed the doors open for the returning group, his eyes glowing with suppressed mirth as the multi-hued group tramped past him, closely followed by more Dark hunters all eager to find out how they'd goofed up.
…
Leaning back in his throne, the Shadowed One sipped on a mug of chocolate and smirked at the pair still standing in the room. Silently Lariska and Iteotha returned his glance, both itching to get their hands on those who'd been sent after their daughters, "You are not allowed to kill them. Anything else is permitted." Feral grins crossed the pair's masks, though their eyes still glowed with anger as they knew who'd sent the would be kidnappers after their daughters, and bowed sharply before leaving the room.
Unseen by all except Darkness, Rionna's shadow twin finished taking notes of what had occurred in the throne room then raced after Lariska and Iteotha as they stalked swiftly towards the courtyard. Glee filled the shadow twin's eyes as she spotted the five hapless Dark hunters glancing nervously at the approaching Dark huntress and her closefriend. Setting pen to paper, the Chronicler's shadow twin grinned and she began taking notes as the pair began to circle the five, closing in like Takea sharks around their prey.
xXx
Shifting as she began to waken, a frown crossed Lannair's mask. Then her eyes snapped open as the memories of the previous night surfaced and she stared around the room wildly. Standing with their backs to the bed, a couple of healers were busily mixing some draughts between preparing breakfast for their patients, then Slàna glanced over and smiled reassuringly.
Whimpers came from Farran and Sàraich as they too began waking, reaching out to catch hold of Lannair's robe as they roused. Gently shushing the half-awake twins, Turaga Lannair glanced up as Slàna carried a tray over and set it on the bed before fluffing up the pillows. "Eat up, there's plenty for the three of you." the cobalt healer smiled, hugging Lannair as she shivered then whispered, "But the m-masters?"
"Have been kicked off of Metru Nui sis. And if they ever dare to return...then it will be their last mistake." Anuenue murmured as she caught what her peach/light gold sister had said. Before she could add her own reassurances to Slàna's, Farran piped up, "Lanna has no masters, she's free." Rubbing sleep from her eyes Sàraich agreed, shifting closer to hug her trembling foster parent.
Watching as the twins continued hugging Lannair, Slàna smiled, "Something tells me that when the day comes for them to go with Lariska, there's going to be a Karzahni of a fight."
"Indeed, and what's the betting that Lariska may agree with them." Anuenue softly replied before accepting Farran's plea for her to join them sitting on the bed.
xXx
Having finished venting their fury on those who'd gone to kidnap their daughters, Lakino and Iteotha sauntered into the cool of the fortress heading for their quarters. Though she hadn't said anything to her closefriend, the Dark huntress was certain that at least one of the shadow twins would have been watching.
Behind them, the battered group slowly picked up the remains of their armour, grimacing at their wounds before gingerly making their in the direction of the sawbones room.
Once the door closed behind them, Lakino launched her daggers at the target lent against a wall, joining Iteotha's battle-axe then she flopped down on the bed and gave an uncharacteristic sigh as her closefriend joined her. Neither spoke for a long while, then Lariska sat up and leaned over to scoop up a water canister from which she took a long drink before handing it to Iteotha.
"Shouda have realised he'd do something like this." the poison green hunter muttered as he absently replaced the top of the canister before dropping it on the nearby table. Lariska nodded, her thoughtful gaze focused on a knot in the door while she turned a small dagger over in her hand, occasionally tapping it against her metal arm. "He may try again..." she began before glancing sharply over to where the familiar form of Rionna's shadow twin had stepped into the Dark huntress's line of sight, "What do you want pipsqueak?"
"Farran and Sàraich are recovering from what happened." the shadow twin replied, watching as Iteotha and Lariska's eyes brightened, then they frowned as the Chronicler's shadow twin added, "But they aren't happy with the idea of being Dark hunters."
She watched as the small dagger Lariska still held whistled through the air and neatly embedded itself in the door beside her mask and the Dark huntress stood up and began stalking around the room, throwing her arms up and snarling curses about their boss. Iteotha moved closer to where Rionna's shadow twin stood, his eyes glowing angrily as he crouched to be at eye level with her, "I hope for your real self's sake that's true..." he growled. Tilting her head to one side, the shadow twin smiled sadly, "Afraid so, ever since they woke from the attempted kidnapping, both are adamant they don't want to be hunters."
"Farran and Sàraich have more or less welded themselves to Ignika's legs when he looked in to see how they and Lannair were." Anuenue's shadow twin added as she moved out from a patch of shade cast by the wall hanging.
"He wouldn't!" the Dark huntress exclaimed, dropping to the bed, a fleeting expression of horror crossing her mask. Guessing what Lariska hadn't said, Anuenue's shadow twin shook her head, "Turn them into Toa as they've asked? No, he would not disrupt their destiny whatever it is."
Rionna's shadow twin looked around from where she'd been silently dismantling the roving eye she'd trapped, "And he won't hear anything else from this critter while we're here." She then grinned as the rainbow hued shadow twin rolled her eyes while Iteotha peered at what she'd done. A chuckle escaped him, "Meirg will not be happy."
"Tough, he shouldn't be such a peeping tom." the shadow twin grinned wickedly before glancing around for somewhere to dump the deactivated eye. "Right, now that that thing's been sorted how about a swift trip over to Metru Nui so you can reassure Farran and Sàraich?"
The Dark hunter and huntress shared a long glance then nodded, "Yes, it'll take Meirg a while to get another up here. Let's go." Lariska grinned as she caught Iteotha's arm before offering a hand to Turaga Anuenue's shadow twin while Rionna's took Iteotha's.
"Won't you want to block the door before we leave?" Rionna's shadow twin commented as the group moved towards the nearest patch of shade, "No need, everyone has their own way preventing being barged in on." the poison green hunter replied before he lent over her head and tapped a innocuous looking carving beside the door. Several clicking noises could be heard, then a small yellow lightstone began glowing, "If someone does force their way in, then it turns orange and the occupant of the quarters has fun tracking down and getting the one who's invaded while the occupant's been 'busy'." Iteotha grinned sharkishly as Lariska snickered, her grin matching his as the shadow twins shared a glance before leading the pair into the shade and back to Metru Nui.