---

---

“You’re an ornery little girl, eh?”

Max sighed in discontent as he holstered his firearm. Taffy may have had a point but she wasn’t the boss of him and he definitely didn’t volunteer to be drafted into her motley crew of scavengers and thieves. He didn’t really care if Taffy decided to keep the medkit in question and he had half of a mind to just tell her “good luck” and be done with it. But between Taffy’s unbearable screeching and stubbornness and his principles it was really hard to make that call; especially considering the particular situation he found himself in. The red-furred Novan wasn’t stupid—he knew the stories of The Fall well enough to make an educated guess that it was dangerous for more reasons than pilots needing to fly around it to avoid crashing. His sister’s yammering about the damn place had been good enough precedent that the idea of strength in numbers wasn’t a stupid one. Especially if a roaming Wyvern or some other nasty monstrosity decided to rear their ugly head.

Whether he liked it or not, he had to stick with the stupid group and its loud-mouthed girl-leader.

As he approached Taffy and the boy, he began to notice something in the sleeping child's body language. Nothing out of the ordinary for someone in the midst of a nightmarish fit, but before he knew it a large flame engulfed the child; something that was out of the ordinary. As if on instinct he moved into a sprint.

“Get down!”

As Taffy turned for her eyes to meet the magical display Max grabbed the collar of her shirt and yanked backwards, sending her lunging back to the ground. The red-furred Novan put his right forearm in front of him to brace for the impact of the fire though it never came. After a few minutes he lowered his arm, brow raised in a quizzical fashion as the boy shouted out a statement that Max assumed was part of his nightmare. But at the same time he couldn’t even begin to perceive what had just happened. He had never heard of a Codus reacting like this before and Miran magic surely wouldn’t be taught to a Novan child. As Taffy got up to approach the boy, Max only had one question on his mind.

“What the fucking fuck was that shit?!”

---

---

Taffy was still kneeling by the otter boy when she overheard Max's remark about her being an "ornery little girl." She shot him a glare, but saw that he was coming over, though the Draconi had taken the initiative and was already nearby. She toned down the intensity of her glance just enough to be merely disapproving instead of scorching. I'm going to have a lot of trouble with him, she thought to herself with a frustrated puff of air escaping her lips, just forceful enough that it couldn't exactly be called a sigh. At least he's playing nice for now. Choose your battles, Taffy-girl. If we can just get through this, I'll be soaking my feet in hot water in no time at-

Then when she turned forward and bent to one knee near the boy's side and had said her piece...the next instant, a swirl of flames erupted from the boy, and Taffy's eyes widened as she saw the fire leap toward her. A wave of heat washed over her, and the hint of singed fur and flesh. I'M TOAST! was her very first thought as she leaned backward, and she tried in vain to shield her face and eyes as she scrunched her face up into a grimace, but it was just too close, and-

"GET DOWN!" she heard, and suddenly she was yanked backward by a strong hand that gripped her collar and sent her sprawling backward onto the cool grass and dirt. As she went down, she saw that it hadn't been the Draconi, but Max who had been the one to pull her away from the sudden conflagration, having moved very quickly in such a short space of seconds. As she landed onto the ground with her backpack first, which simultaneously lessened the blow and dug shapes in her backpack into her back, she saw Max try to shield himself from the bright orange light.

What is that idiot doing?! she thought in a brief panic as she struggled to sit up.

The Draconi swore as he too guarded against the burst of fire, and Taffy thought she had heard a cry of surprise from Nikki somewhere behind her - or was it a mew? Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the flames died out, leaving after-images of light in Taffy's eyes that she tried to blink away as she clambered to her feet and tried to approach the boy again. She saw that the flames had scorched the ground around the boy...in such a small radius that, even if she had stayed where she had been, it was more than likely she wouldn't have been touched by it after all. Max and the Draconi were equally unharmed, and she only caught a glimpse of their surprise before they both asserted control over their faces with a simultaneous discipline that made her wonder where they had learned that.

Max asked his question as to what was going on just as Taffy came forward again. She balled her left hand into a fist and swung it sideways at Max's arm as she reached him, giving him a light thump on the arm and offering no explanation as to why. She wasn't entirely sure herself, except she was sure somehow that he probably deserved it. Friggin' hero! Why didn't he just jump away when he pulled me back?!

Then the boy sat upright just after she had given Max that thump, and said his words that sent a shiver up her spine and caused her tail to fluff out. It wasn't the words themselves so much, as the meaning behind them and the way they were said.

“Do you think he’s still going to need us to carry him?” the Draconi said in a stage whisper that made Taffy roll her eyes and give an exasperated sigh, as she then thumped him in the arm as well with a quick jab of her other arm before she turned to the boy and knelt next to him again.

"Are you okay?" she asked the boy, the harshness of her manner losing its edge as she addressed him. She could smell the sizzle of flesh, though she was surprised at how little damage had been done to the boy's fur or clothes by the fire. And she was puzzled at what could have caused the sudden nightmare and its subsequent explosion. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a ration stick. "Are you hungry?" she said as she offered the compressed-nutrient bar.

---

---

"You should stay," Nikki told Xell as she leapt easily to the ground. She was rather curious about him, even if she didn't really want to be alone in his company. For instance, she knew why /she/ had been en route to the forest, but what about him?

And then the otter kid combusted on the spot. She gasped, already diving toward the entrance to the wreck before the sound finished leaving her mouth. She knew she'd seen the bright red of a fire extinguisher earlier in the cockpit, and that's where she headed. Behind her she could hear shouting and a bit of truly uncreative swearing from Max -- so much for learning from him. She grabbed the cannister and hauled tail back outside, not bothering to be quiet about it. As a result, she burst loudly back into view during a quieter moment, barely having time to register that the kid wasn't burning anymore -- but he'd definitely been burning, and that meant he needed dousing.

"Hold still!" she cautioned him, pointing the nozzle his way.

"Fok off, G!"

"You were on fire!" the nekomi protested, not lowering the extinguisher though she did delay squeezing the handle. "And it's not something you're meant to be doing, or you wouldn't smell like bacon and chemicals! You can't be going around instantaneously combusting, it's not good for you. So hold still while I make sure you don't do it again!"

---

---

His mind raced, pouring over the quickly fragmenting information that had forced its way into his brain from the dying creature. The people quickly surrounding him distracted his thoughts. A memory’s information faded, ‘Xalonmetan…’ he tried desperately to remember but it was gone.

Another memory from the fox, a red eyed human… close… very close… holding him down… He felt his eyes widen realizing what he was remembering, ‘Koibito~’

“HOLD STILL!”

He snapped back, wriggling to his feet like he'd seen a spider on his leg. His body went rigid, blood turning cold from the secondary meaning the words she spoke had. He instinctively took a few panicked steps away from her before the rest of the memory fading and leaving him feeling helpless as the woman yelped at him, pointing a chemical filled device at him. He snapped back in embarrassment as he struggled to his feet, “Fok off, G!”

The women maintained her aim, the words she was speaking lost in him remembering the memory again, he felt his face flushing and clamped his eyes shut shouting. “I SAID FOKKOFF YA MAL LOSKIND!!!”

He glared daggers at the woman, but two familiar glowing amber eyes stared back. Yonath froze, preparing to fight another fainting spell, but it didn’t come. The eyes stayed as they were, his own widening in a mix of helplessness and disbelief. First the Procyon woman, now this. It.. couldn’t just be a coincidence. Something drew them here, just like before.

Moments passed as his brain tried to process both the memories and the events happening around him.

---

---

As if the situation wasn’t confusing enough with the show of magic that had just happened.

Max waved his hand, implying to the Nekomi to knock it off. Her assertion to point the extinguisher’s release at the boy as if he was still on fire (or that the fire was natural) was obviously making the boy more terse and upset. If Max’s experience with Mirans was anything to measure with, her hitting the valve on the extinguisher was only going to result in one result—and the red-furred Novan was not privy to burying a corpse that had been set ablaze. That would just waste more of his time and delay his arrival to Merecc; and it was not like he was on schedule, anyway.

He grumbled as he stepped forward. “Oioioioi, calm right the fuck down, Nik. Splashing ‘em is only gonna make the kid burn you to a crisp. The ‘let says fuck off, so fuck off, yeh?”

---

---

Xell could detect Taffy's unimpressed reaction to his question which was met with a thump to his shoulder. It didn't hurt but it was unexpected and she was slightly stronger than what he thought.

"Was it something I said?!" He asked with open arms out, where her back was turned to him by then. He watched as the Lotori went to over to assist the Otter boy who had been on fire earlier.

"You should stay," the cat girl said which made the Draconi's ear perk as she landed swiftly on the ground and walked past him.
The Draconi remaining silent as Nikki made her way towards the now conscious Lutran-like being.

Leaning against a tree for a 'time out', he frowned and folded his arms. Looking up to the skies again.
It was getting late. The light of the skyscape over the Fall had diminished rapidly. The once warm, rich hues of purple, orange and yellow were beginning to get saturated by an inky navy blue from the upper most summits. A relaxing and tranquilising view to watch, but it did nothing to ease his mind on the implications that could arise from being here in the heart of the Fall during the darker hours.

He watched as Taffy offered the youth a nutrient bar. What followed rapidly after was Nikki holding a fire extinguisher and holding it to the Youth's face. He raised an eyebrow. He hadn't even noticed her disappear to retrieve that object. Surely she hadn't got it from the plane?
The youth responded with a less than flattering outburst from what he could make out.

There was something very surreal about what happened to the kid. The engulfing of flames being something he would've only have seen in his nightmares. What could he possibly be that he burst into flames, which subsided and left him largely
unscorched and unharmed? Bar the smell of burnt flesh and cauterised wounds which was still lingering in the air.
He watched the Spicati known as Max, intervene and reinforce the message to Nikki that firing the youth with halon foam would yield an undesirable result. Said so in a very politically incorrect fashion, as always.

Xell unfolded his arms and walked over to place a hand on Nikki's arm, more for undivided attention than to intervene.

"Ha. We can save that for later, right guys?" Xell tried to say jovially, before making brief eye contact with everyone and was hoping Nikki would now relinquish the thought of using it.
He briefly made eye contact with the youth, who seemed disorientated and confused. He hoped he'd take the nutrient bar Taffy offered.

"A word please," he said motioning for her to step away from the group so that they were out of earshot range "who are you exactly and how did you know about... that" He gestured towards the plane with a single nod of his head.

---

---

Nikki didn't seem perturbed by the explosive response, just arching an eyebrow in bemusement. Max's response got more of a reaction. "If he lights up again, I blame you, Maximus," she informed the pilot with a shrug, lowering the nozzle under Xell's hand. His request for a private word earned him a look of speculative interest, though she didn't leave the others so far behind as to be out of sight.

"Like I said, Nikkolaira Wyatt. As for that, it was rather hard to miss, yeah? There's another one too, though it was farther off. If you mean the extinguisher, well, it's standard gear for planes." Her tone turned playful. "And if you mean about the med kit, you didn't have it when you went in." A teasing smile crossed her face. "'Sides, if you meant to steal it properly, you'd've been more careful about letting it get seen, or you'd have held it more confidently. ...I suppose you might just suck at being a thief, but even I wouldn't pry open a burning wreck just to lift something minor. Well, not without a good reason." The wink she gave him said a number of things, most prominently that she was not unfamiliar with thieves and con artists, and that she felt no malice towards them. Nikki didn't even see it as a matter of covering for him. Regardless of his actions inside the plane -- which she wasn't admitting to observing -- she figured he'd brought the kit out with the intention of helping anyone injured.

---

---

It had been a quiet day in The Fall, which was exactly how Akaeyla preferred it. No violent storms, none of the more dangerous creatures of the forest deciding to go on a rampage, no tremors and best of all, not a trace of another person in the entire forest. Though, when she'd first come to live out in The Fall Akaeyla had wondered how she'd survive the life, she now more often found herself wondering how she'd lived any other way. Here life went at its own pace, untroubled by the escalating tensions between Novan and Miran- the trees continued to grow, the birds and beasts went about their daily routines, the seasons came and went, and migratory species made their annual pilgrimages to other parts of the world. Once you knew your way around, and were accustomed to the daily exercise of travelling through the expansive forest, you could live off the land with little difficulty, and almost forget the rest of the world existed beyond the dreaming borders of The Fall. However, in the late afternoon, the 'almost' had made itself felt; the rest of the world had invaded the tranquility of The Fall, in a most unexpected way.

It had begun with a sound- a series of sounds actually. At first no more than a whining, droning buzz, it had grown to the constant din of aircraft travelling at speed, somewhat muted by the forest canopy, and by distance. Almost as soon as she had heard the noise, Akaeyla remembered why it was not simply uncommon, but almost unheard-of for any aircraft to fly over The Fall- because it was impossible: Any aircraft that flew over The Fall inexplicably failed and plunged into it's depths, along with the many other wrecks and ruins that were reputed to decorate its interior. Even as her ears detected the change in engine tone, along with the staccato bursts of weapons fire and scented the oily smoke borne her direction on the breeze, Akaeyla realised two things. Firstly, that there was an aerial skirmish going on overhead and secondly that all involved were in danger! As though her thinking it had caused it to come to be, the sounds from the aircraft engines dwindled to erratic chugs and clunks, before cutting out completely. As that realisation sank in, on top of the previous two, Akaeyla dashed to the nearest tree, before swiftly scaling the trunk to the higher branches, the world unfolding around her as she made her way up past the dense autumnal foliage to the vantage-point that awaited her above, the canopy expanding in all directions around her like an ocean as she emerged.

Overhead, the suddenly disabled aircraft plunged in gradual, almost graceful swan-dives towards the seemingly endless expanse of forest, before sharp, brittle cracks and crashes echoed across the landscape, causing Akaeyla to wince. Branches breaking and shearing off, metal colliding with living wood- how long had it been since she'd heard anything like those kinds of sounds? Two years, maybe three.. possibly more? Though the thuds that marked the final descent of each plane were muffled by the forest they landed in, and the crashes distant, Akaeyla could nevertheless pick out with near pinpoint accuracy what had happened, for she had an... ability... that set her apart from others, both figuratively and literally. An ability that seemed almost to have been born of a disability.

Blind since birth, Akaeyla had, at eight years old, mysteriously begun to see.. only she didn't see with her eyes. At first both she and her parents had believed it to be a Codus, but just as swiftly realised it couldn't be, because her new sight remained constantly on- an impossibility for a Codus, given the amount of metabolic energy it required to use one at all. Though she had no points of reference for the matter, she knew the form of vision she possessed was vastly different from the regular.

For a start, she saw before her, behind her, above her and beneath her all in a continuous 'sphere' of 20/20 vision. Since her sight didn't depend upon her eyes, neither daylight or darkness affected it. As far as Akaeyla could determine, her sight somehow derived from reality or truth- in short she saw what was really there.. which unfortunately, as she had swiftly discovered, came with its own complications. One complication was, since she saw what was real, she saw the supernatural as readily as the natural. That would be fine if all that was supernatural was auras around people but, as Akaeyla was only too aware, the supernatural was far more than that... and some of it could be dangerous, even lethal, if you could see it. The second complication, far more problematic than the first, was that her capacity to see truth had sharpened markedly over time. Instead of simply seeing natural and supernatural realities, just as clearly whether day or night, Akaeyla had begun to see all the truth that was to a thing. Whether the thing in question was an inanimate object, plant or animal... and most particularly people... Akaeyla saw the truths that were to them. If not for that, she might still be living back home instead of in The Fall.

Putting her musings to the side, Akaeyla observed the locations the planes had crashed... and that a parachute was slowly drifting down close to one- that was good, one pilot at least, had survived- for now. That left the pilot of the other plane unaccounted for so, Akaeyla reasoned, that was the crash site she should check first. Stepping carefully out along the branch she was perched upon, Akaeyla took a deep breath, before opening out her wings and leaping into wide blue yonder, gaining height with each beat of her wings. Even though she travelled swiftly once airborne, far faster than she could have travelled on foot, the shadows were beginning to lengthen by the time she arrived at the crash site. Whilst that didn't affect her greatly, it did mean that the creatures that roamed The Fall during the hours of darkness would very soon begin to stir. Not good for a crashed pilot and stranger to the forest. Ruffling her leathery wings a bit, before folding them smoothly as she landed, Akeyla took in the crash site.

The plane had become more ensnarled in the trees than the ground, sizeable sections shearing off as it did so- it was still about recognisable, but even if it hadn't crashed into The Fall, its flying days were over beyond recall. Twisted shards and stumps of metal were everywhere, the cockpit was a caricature of its former self, fuel and oil were spilling everywhere, and the sparks crackling here and there made it all the more dangerous. There was, Akaeyla observed though, a significant absence of a pilot.. or a body. Most likely that meant they had survived. The emblem on the hull of the plane caught her attention- it was a Sky Pirate craft. More importantly than that, she realised, there were tracks in the disturbed earth... tracks made by a person. The pilot had survived and was on the move. Not simply on the move, Akaeyla realised, on a bearing that would take them straight towards the other crash... plane or not, the pirate meant to finish the battle begun in the sky. That was bad news for the other pilot... bad news they would need warned about. It would take some time to fly to the second crash sight but, Akaeyla believed, if she did so she could out-pace the grounded pirate and reach the second pilot in time to warn them, and whilst there was still enough light she wouldn't be mistaken for a beast or monster and shot on sight. Spreading her wings, Akaeyla rose gracefully into the air again, getting her bearing before heading in a straight line towards the other downed plane...

---

---

Xell felt his face flush as Nikki continued to skirt around with her words. For such a simple question he posed, it seemed he hadn’t been specific enough. Not for her anyway.

He maintained a stern frown, body still as his eyes were the only things moving to keep up with her manner of speaking and body motions.

He had to place a hand to his forehead to ease his mind from the intense amber eyes. He wasn’t sure what was making him feel more woozy. The overly flirtatious vibes she was giving off or the fact that she seemed to know more than what she was letting on.
He began to sway from side to side, clutching his forehead even more. Now with both hands. Jamming his finger and thumbnails into the temples of his head until his scales began to bleed from the pressure.

He was looking down to the floor, the dead leaves, stones, and grit blurring and spinning around within his vision.
His eyes widened somewhat and his mouth was slightly ajar as he noted volcanic cracks within the ground. Starting to perforate throughout the platform he was standing on.

His eyes became crimson.

He wasn’t sure what was going on but somehow his fuse was being burnt. Could it have been the drugs?

“Oh well… that’s ok…” Xell cooed. Small hints of insanity sifting through his voice.

“because if you knew more than that, I’d have to kill…”

He shook his head rapidly. Eyes returning to their former rich blue colour. Albeit like the colour of the distant horizon.
Gaining a sense of the real world as his tunnel vision disappeared, the chirping of crickets could be heard, and owls could be howling in the night. He shivered somewhat despite the sweat that ran down him.

“We… we really ought to get going,” Xell stuttered as his disorientated phase passed. Hoping he hadn’t scared the Nekomi femme “thanks for sticking up for me back there…” he briefly put a hand on her shoulder, looking up with sorrowful eyes. Then pulling away to walk off.

Was his tolerance towards Halocaine becoming too strong?

He hoped to the highest existence that wherever Taffy’s destination was, that it wasn’t too far away.

---

---

Taffy rolled her eyes, and was grateful that Max and Xell had managed to prevent an incident. At least they did something right, she thought. She wasn't as concerned about the kid igniting again, as much as that this nonsense with the fire extinguisher was agitating the poor guy, who was already injured and possibly lost far from home. He had barely started to reach for the ration bar when she saw his fur bristle and his focus shift toward the extinguisher and the catgirl who wielded it. But while the kid could react to danger, he did seem a little off-focus still, and Taffy suspected low blood sugar was behind it.

"Hey," she said, softly, but firmly enough to get the otter boy's attention again, and then waggled the ration stick before she unwrapped the tip of it and held it back out to him again. "Five hundred calories. Don't use them all up in one place."

He started to reach out for it, then took a whiff of the gritty-looking bar, which had been tailored to the sensitive noses of most Novans. The otter boy took the bar and looked somewhat less surly as he took an experimental bite of the soft bar, then muttered what Taffy thought was a "Thanks" before he started eating the bar in large but measured bites.

Max had turned back from the nekomi and raised an eyebrow at the label of the ration stick. "Tuna with bacon flavor?" he asked Taffy incredulously. "Seriously?"

Taffy shrugged back at him, a full shrug that used her hands as she raised them up to either side, palms up. "It was on sale," was all she offered. Going to the most expensive medical institute on the planet is kind of hard on my allowance, she wanted to say, but she bit back further comment because she didn't want to sound pitiable. And she didn't want to give any idea of her family's status or wealth beyond what she had already done by mentioning that she was a medical student at Colosse, which was bad enough to say in mixed company if you wanted to keep your wallet.

The dimming light reminded her that they were on a time budget, as dusk fell over the forest. "All right," she spoke up as she took a few steps toward the path she had come to reach the crash site before. She raised her voice enough that she hoped everyone could hear her, and as she turned around and swept across the group with her eyes, she could see she had gotten their attention. "Let's get moving. My uncle's place isn't too far away from the Merecc side of the Fall, and we can get shelter and food there. I know of some other places along the way we can stop at if we have to, but I'm not sure how safe any of them will be at this time of night."

Then she turned, and began to lead the way through the forest. At first she didn't hear anything besides the beginnings of the repetitive chirpings of night insects that started their chorus in the deepening dusk, but then she heard the sounds of footsteps following behind her. She had been worried that the others might have given her more argument or tried to go in another direction, but a quick glance back showed the group following her, for now at least.

Now if we can just get to my uncle's hideaway, then at least we can get a good night's sleep, she thought, wishing that she hadn't already spent nearly a whole day hiking out in the Fall before coming across the crash. She wasn't very worn down - she was tougher than that - but she certainly felt more tired after dealing with this crowd of strangers that she was now parading toward her uncle's estate in the wilderness. And she was hoping that she wasn't making a big mistake.

---

---

The young otter fought to parse the things going on while his thoughts and foreign thoughts swirled around in his brain trying to settle into something cohesive and understandable. He watched the feline taunt the unidentifiable creature.

‘Russard you ass… stop that shit… now.’

His mind said the phrase but it wouldn’t manifest, stuck as a thought and never given voice. The other creature looked more like the cattle saurians they bred for food than any sentient he’d ever seen. The emotions coming off him struck a chord with him, maybe between the obvious other Hemayan here and this guy he’d be… The man’s voice changed, a tone that made his skin crawl, a veil clouding any real emotion. Then he saw the eyes, he felt any hope he’d started gain wilt and shrivel away. His eyes widened, not with mundane shock or fear, but with abject terror. He watched the eyes return to a blue color, watched the creatures reaction, felt the emotion returning to him, it was… too similar. The other creatures eyes could be a coincidences, he seen that kind of thing before, but the Thing hiding in this mostly furless man could not be anything else. A word escaped him as a whisper.

“No.”

“Hey,” a distraction had been coming from the side for some time, food other than the ration he had the day prior was now in his hand. He had absentmindedly taken the offering before uttering the word. Yonath tried to remember if he’d eaten that day but given the amount of ‘medicine’ he’d ingested he couldn’t really recall.

The threat of night urged him to move, to follow, eyes constantly moving between watching the environment and stealthily as possible keep the odd looking creature’s location in his mind.

---

---

"Hey, /hey/! You okay?" Nikki was alarmed to see the poor draconi wobble, and the sight of blood welling under his nails was downright alarming. And then he said something about killing her. Triple-cursed druggies! she thought. Either half-crazed or entirely stoned. Ugh. Won't catch me melting my brain like that, no sir!

Still, she did wonder what "more" he thought she knew. There wasn't anything, was there? Which made her terribly curious as to just what he might be hiding....

Trust a cat to be curious.

But then his manner turned more normal, his eyes returning to blue -- when had they changed?! -- and refocusing on her. Nikki tilted her head at the thanks, but just nodded, wondering why he seemed down. "Yeah, sure," she replied, falling in not quite next to, but close enough that she didn't seem to be avoiding him. "Don't think I caught your name, though." When he gave it, she flashed him another smile. "Right, nice ta meetcha."

The lutroi 'let was munching a granola bar by the time she and Xell rejoined the group properly. Nikki hadn't intended on being out so late -- she'd meant to nose around a bit, get a feel for the forest's mood, and then return home and get an early start the next day. Not that she was entirely without supplies, but she'd been so stung by the outcome of that conversation that there was nothing for it but to do something right then. "He's in Woodsedge, then?" she asked the other girl, tail swishing. "That's where I live -- my bike's up by the road but I don't have room for everyone, or I'd offer to drive y'all back." It was a shame, but she greatly preferred the rush of wind and the mobility of the smaller vehicle to most cars. "But I can walk back with you guys. I'll just grab it another time."

She glanced at the youngest in the party, then took another, longer look as they started moving. "...Hey, didn't mean to upset you or nothing," she offered, looking sheepish. He seemed ill at ease, even though she'd left the heavy extinguisher behind. "I just figured better safe than sorry, yeah? Didn't want you hurting yourself any worse than you already have." The catgirl waved a hand at his various injuries. "So no hard feelings, alright?"

---

---

The Draconi swayed slightly from side to side as he heard the Nekomi's voice trail behind him. Asking him if he was alright.
"Ha," he uttered with a bitter laugh "poor kitty. I'll never be alright."

He held onto a tree branch to steady himself with an exasperated sigh.

She reminded him of someone he once knew. Another femme with a confident, flirtatious and foxy demeanour and had a tendency the see the world through a phosphorescent filter.

That demeanour he found to be both admirable and candidly naive. Something he craved but felt the need to reject simualtaneously.
Still, right now he'd place her as his only friend as of yet. Maybe.
The only restraint keeping himself and Max for instance from lashing at each other's throats was the Coon leader, and the need to escort the lost boy. Or at the very least, to help recover him to what can be deemed fit and healthy?

He noted the Lutran-like figure finally acknowledge and consume the bar. Muttering an incomprehensible expression of gratitude from what he could make out.
He overheard a sarcastic retort from the red Spicati. Something about ridiculing the flavour of the ration. The Coon's answer being that she had to budget with her ongoing medical studies.

Folding his arms as the Coon miraculously appeared to have the group’s undivided attention, he listened on as she stated that her Uncle lived near Merecc and that they could seek food and shelter there. She suggested that there may be places along the way but that the safety at this time of the night was questionable.
He rolled his eyes as the group finally made their way. It was never safe in the Fall. Who was she kidding? He did agree with her ‘safety in numbers’ plan, however. Even if the company was less than desirable.

The Draconi started to drift into a deep thought. Weighing up his options on the future of this venture, whether it be long or short. The trip to Merecc may be an eye opener or a fresh slate for him from small town areas around the peripheries of this Forest. He had heard there were more resources there, being more of an urban setting. Should it prove to be high maintenance, however, to conceal his lifestyle in a society with more infra structure and 'tabs' as it were, he'd be sure to leave if and when the group are on their merry way home. The anonymity of surviving in in the Forest may be safer with his habits.
He wouldn't know until he embarked on this journey whilst being with the group so, who knows?

He turned and saw the chatty Nekomi extend an olive branch to the vague Otter boy who she had pointed a fire extinguisher at earlier.
Not knowing the outcome of that conversation, he switched off and focused on the journey ahead.
His weary eyes downcast as he saw the dead leaves, flint and stone become darker and darker as the saturated light started to wither to darker tones. The evening aging deceptively fast.
That's one thing he had not thought of. A torch. He looked up with an inquisitive expression and wondered if anyone looked as if they may have one in their possession.

"Taffy, is it true Lotoris can see in the dark?" He asked jovially "because if I'm proved to be disappointed, we're going to have a really interesting journey ahead."

He switched off for a minute. Not out of disrespect but because he felt a wave of unease and tunnel vision suddenly hit him. His mind in a slight panic as he realised something he should've done earlier had not been committed to.

------------------------------------

Flashback

A tall, coral coloured Diablosi stood against a weathered, moss infested and decaying tree. Long perked vampiric like ears with a suave, dark cerulean parted hairstyle framed his clean cut face. His eyes were a set of nature defying HellGrün green irises that were so bright, they stood tall and proud amongst the darkness. Like a pair of neon flares. Irises echoing a sinister sense of arrogance and need to play cat and mouse.

His demeanour and attire, clad in a leather jacket and jeans suggested his style to be very similar to a young Novan from the 1950s era.
He threw out his arm within the blink of an eye to check his watch. Spiralling deeply black inked tribal tattoos decorating his right forearm and wrist.

He simpered at the reading from his device.

He delved the same inked hand into one of this silken leather pockets and retrieved a cigarette.

Holding it up with the same hand to position it between his index and middle finger, a small flame blue flame was emitted after snapping his fingers upon his left hand twice. Efficiently lighting up his smoke.

Shaking his flopped hand to fan out the solitary oxygen flame of his self catalysed fire, he took a drag and looked down towards ground with his eyelids without moving his craned head.

His ears perked as he heard some rustling through the grass. The sounds were resonating miles away which he picked up about 5 minutes ago.

The scaled figure, ever approaching through the dark as his silhouette was made visible by the moonlight and a lit up lodge not too far, started to lower his sprint to a light jog.

"You're late, Weaver." The Diablosi said beneath an ominous smirk that masqueraded mind-game tones.

Xell’s light jog ended with a few defiant further steps. Standing no closer than 5 metres to spare between himself and the unnatural bête noire before him. Standing with guarded fists.
Feeling violated for his name being known and the fact that it wasn't his original name.

“So the legend is true after all.” The Draconi said “I come to this part of the Fall at 3AM, and the Diablosi himself appears.”

“Your fashion is untimely,” the Diablosi took another hoarse drag of his cigarette “really gets on my nerves.” He said through one side of his mouth with a gritted canine. Pupils constricted and eyes flaring.

Xell felt his posture almost unwillingly shrink before the damned figure ahead of him. His aura was oppressive.

“Still, you’re here now and ready to ask for a favour?” The coral figure shrugged off the noxious tone and sniggered as he looked off to the side. His left hand cradling the elbow of the right which still held the cigarette with fumes blowing into the air.

“Ready to ask for a wish, yes…” Xell recoiled his neck with grimace. Uncertainty starting to hollow out his confidence and holler at the back of his head. Despite seeing the profile of the Diablosi’s head, it still felt like all eyes were on him somehow. Burning.

“This is it how it works, Weaver,” the Diablosi turned and narrowed his look at Xell authoritatively “Legend states that the white Devil offers you a favour.”

He began taking some steps forwards. Xell’s scales twitching in neurotic dance.

This Diablosi wasn’t even white…

He continued to pace towards him, still talking.

“Legend states that, any one Novan or Miran, who comes by the lonely path to the edge of the Fall during the last night of any season at 3AM will be granted a favour. The favour of the Ruined King.”

The ever-approaching presence was stinging Xell’s eyes. Not so much a sense of feeling burnt by Fahrenheit but rather the Diablosi’s aura
was like dry ice.

The Draconi was withering to a crouch.

He shut his eyes in discomfort. Opening them up in alarm to see a patch of blisters start to form on the outter most hand closest to the approaching creature. Grey scale segments becoming purple from oxygen deprivation and tumour like swellings proliferating close to rupture.

The Diablosi smiled wryly as he stopped. Throwing his cigarette to the ground and stubbing it. The ashes causing nearby grass to rot to the core.

“I know you’re just trying to escape,” he tilted his head to one side, speaking softly “just factor this, a favour now, is a favour later.”
He Diablosi clicked his fingers on his right hand. Xell’s eyes fixated on the tattoos streaking across his wrist.

There was a moment’s silence. A gust howling through the dead branches of the trees. The whole atmosphere feeling like a barren wasteland. Even the lumination of the moon had disappeared. Instead, borrowed light coming from the distant lodge sparing what sight there was. That, and the ominous monster's eyes.

“That’s it?” Xell stepped back a bit, to ease his body from the irradiating beast. Patches of his skin feeling bulbous. Mostly veiled by darkness but even he noted the crude outlines from the artificial light.

“You know, you didn’t even ask my name.” The Diablosi frowned.
Xell's eyes were once again drawn to the tattoo scattered on the Coral Daemon’s wrist. Strange scribe somehow coming to light within his head.

“Aleksei.”

He mock clapped. Left hand static whilst the tattooed hand propagated the echoing resonance across the fields.

“Sometime, I’ll drop by and I’ll ask you return my favour,” he explained with open arms.

“No questions asked.” He then pointed at Xell menacingly.

Aleksei tilted his head to one side again. Shoving both hands in his jacket pockets again. The popular high school look kid about him. He turned to walk away. His final words clear as if he was in front of Xell’s face.

“I want you to bring me some of that precious Elixir the Mirans and Novans rely on so dearly,” he spoke, back turned and holding a finger up “if you want more advice on how I can help you achieve your ‘favour’, help yourself to some of the draft I need and you’ll see more of me on the other side.” He smirked, unseen to Xell. His body beginning to disappear into the inky blackness.

A sense of lingering betrayal as heavy as the clouds that started to suffocate the nightmarish skies. Leaving the Novan dragon alone in isolated periphery of the 'Fall'. The light from the lone lodge waning in the distance.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Woah… gosh sorry!” Xell almost knocked Nikki over as he bumped into her from the side. He grabbed onto a nearby branch to stop himself from toppling over. Gritting his teeth.
Taking a few breathes in, he managed to stand up and acquaint himself with the real world once again. Noting that the skies had rapidly tarnished to darker shades.

“Well?” he asked out loud, turning around with open palms out “do I really have to ask again whether anyone has a torch or not?”

---

---

The boy’s eyes darted over to the feline as the creature fell into her. He jerked away, taking a defensive stance towards them both as Xell began to complain about the lack of light.

He slowly slipped the backpack off to the ground, not taking his eyes off the creature as he blindly rifled through it and pulled something out.

He’d seen this before, his adopted father lived through two wars, the result was moments nearly identical to what he’d just seen. Was this guy even aware of what he was? And what WAS he anyway?

*thud*

There was a soft noise of something meeting grass and soil at the Draconi’s feet. He looked down, but it was hard to make out the object. Suddenly a beam of light shot from the boy’s head, illuminating a small black torch on the ground.

The Lutran kept the headlamp focused on it, watching cautiously.

---

---

“That’s a weird looking flashlight.”

Max raised a brow as he reached behind his jacket to his kit, and retrieved a similar but vastly different one. He had never seen a flashlight of Novan or Miran design look like the one the kid had thrown on the ground. As he reached down to the ground and swiped the piece of metal from the shrub-covered grass he looked over to Taffy before tossing it over while he turned on his personal flashlight. He figured two should have been good enough.

“Oi, catch. Even little girls know how to use ‘em, yeh?”

---

---

Taffy was in the middle of getting her own flashlight out of her backpack, and putting the plane's medkit in, when Max tossed the other torch to her. She dropped her pack, and her flashlight and the kit with it, to the grassy ground of the forest, and caught the strange flashlight after it danced along her hands for a moment. She reached down and picked up her own flashlight with a huff, showed them both to Max with an arched eyebrow, then tossed her flashlight toward Xell - she had heard him introduce himself earlier, so now she could attach a proper name to him - and kept the otter boy's peculiar flashlight for herself.

"As I was going to say before I was interrupted by flying flashlights and rude comments about my age, which is TWENTY," she said the number pointedly as she glared at Max before looking back at Xell, who she had started to talk to, "yes, us Lotori have excellent night vision. Until someone starts pointing flashlights into their faces, at which point we're about as good as anyone else who's just been stabbed in the eyeballs." The sardonic tone fairly dripped from her voice; even Max hadn't had the poor sense to aim the flashlight at her face when he turned his device on, and both he and the otter boy aimed their lights at the ground like they should so it wouldn't get into the eyes of their traveling compatriots, but she did feel put-upon enough that she didn't feel like apologizing or cutting the tone.

Then Taffy fumbled with the unusual flashlight until she found a switch and turned it on. It surprised her at how bright it seemed judging by the relative shape and size of it compared to hers or Max's, but it looked like it could be some newfangled model that must be cutting-edge technology. She'd been in larger cities for most of her life, where new devices filtered their way into public use all the time as inventors worked tirelessly to produce new wonders to pay their bills, so the idea wasn't too foreign to her, though she still felt it odd at how foreign this actual device felt despite its similarities.

"Anyway," she said, changing the subject toward Nikki's question as she put away the extra medkit away into her backpack before buckling it closed and hoisting it onto her shoulders, "my uncle actually lives in the Fall, on the edge closest to Woodsedge and Merecc. He's kind of an eccentric nut who likes his privacy enough where he built a cabin in the Fall just to get away from it all. My family used to go there for vacations when I was younger, and it wasn't until I was older when I appreciated how dangerous it was for him to live out here all by himself. Still, lots of good memories, and more importantly, it'll be a safe place to stay for the night."

She spoke of her uncle with a very small but real smile on her muzzle even as she called him an eccentric nut. The fact that they were only a few miles away from there helped warm her heart and kept her from worrying about being caught in the forest after dark. If she hadn't known about the comfort awaiting them not long distant...well, she was glad it was there, and she would just leave it at that.

"So if we're done playing Hot Potato with our lights, then let's carry on. We should try not to stop unless we need to."

She turned back toward the trail with a flip of her tail, and started to lead the way again, picking an easy, grassy trail that led through the trees.

---

---

"Status report."

The office window let in light from the street at an angle cast against the corner of the room where the window sat, providing enough light to give shape to that corner, without revealing any of the shadowy figures that sat around the office's long table. The command for information had come from the reedy figure at the head of the table, who, like the others, was cast into silhouette by the lack of any other lights in the room, but seemed comfortable in it all the same, like a spider seated in his dark web.

"The Red Star Pirates have reported that they ambushed the courier carrying the >Package<," came a reedy voice from one of the other seats. As it said the word "package" the voice, like the others in the room, became strangely monotone and metallic, as if spoken through a metal pipe. "The courier chose to fly into the Fall rather than be shot down. One of the pirates also got too close; both planes have crash-landed into the Fall, and the remaining pirates fled, due no doubt to their illogical and superstitious fears of the Fall."

A gruff voice barked out the next response in a manner that made it sound more like a telegraph machine than an organic being. "Analysis of the courier's history including his military background indicate that he is difficult to kill/stop/cease functioning and combined with a strong work ethic leads to the conclusion that he will attempt to maintain the reputation of his company and persist in delivering the >Package< even in the face of mounting peril/adversity/danger and is likely armed but only with one handgun."

The figure at the head of the room let out a breath - not as much a sigh as a slow, steady exhalation, like a steam valve being left open too long. "We cannot afford to let the Syndicate beat us to the >Package<, gentlemen, not after it has been deemed >Priority One< by the Maker." The leader's voice seemed more smooth and natural than those of his compatriots, though the sinister undertone of his words showed that he was as much a deviation from the norm as they. "I anticipated that Red Star would fail us after consulting with our hyper-statistical machine prophets. Therefore, I've already called in an outside agent to intercede on our behalf to retrieve the >Package<."

"Why do you not engage this >Priority One< incident with our full might to fulfill the Maker's objectives rather than rely on a single outside agent not of true allegiance to our objectives?"

"Oh, he is not one of our number, yet," said the head of the table as he steepled his fingers in front of him on the table. "I chose this mercenary because of his professed - and confirmed - success rate of ninety-five percent completed missions, which is more than adequate for our calculations of how to respond to this ex-military courier. He also has many strings we can pull that he is not aware of. We cannot afford to tip our hands by activating so many of our own people at once, even in such an important task as this, nor can we allow this to be tied back to us. Hence, an outside agent, a Miran who has a knack for magical combat enhancement and wields a scythe - an unusual choice of weapon, but his success rate speaks for itself."

"And if he should fail? Five percent of a failure rate is still five percent," questioned the reedy voice moodily.

"A tracking device, planted upon his person, will enable us to tell when he has failed, and more importantly, where. Calculations can be made as to where the >Package< will be at that point, and we can activate needed agents closest to the target site without alerting the authorities or the Syndicate. The courier can only go one direction if he wants to escape the Fall and complete his objective, and that's to go towards Merecc. And once here, gentlemen, as long as we keep the home advantage, we will succeed in acquiring the >Package<."

"Calculated risks assert high probability of success/victory/glorious outcome even if target should escape outside mercenary/agent/interceptor."

"What is this agent's name?"

At the head of the table, a single glowing red light tilted up as the figure there raised his head. "His name? He goes by a moniker, like many of his sort do. For this operation, we will refer to him by it.

"The name is Carrion."

---

---

“This doesn't look right...I don't recognize any of this...” A figure stood in the darkening forest, glancing around in confusion. At first glance she would appear to be a wolf, wearing a feathery cape. Upon closer inspection however, the cape turned out to be actual wings, and some of her lupine features appeared to be...off. Her tail was longer than a normal wolf-Novan's, and her ears were more rounded. She also bore dark grey stripes like those of a tiger on her rose-grey coat. “...this isn't on my map,” She said, squinting at it in the encroaching darkness. Not that I can see anything on this map right now... Sighing, Sashrya - “The Mystery” as she sometimes reffered to herself, on account of her origins being shrouded from her memory – folded up her map and glanced around again. “I think I'm lost.” She muttered matter-of-factly to herself, “And it doesn't help that now I can't see as much.”

Sasha's ears perked up at the far-off sound of a howl in the distance, followed shortly by another...and then another. She fought the ancestral instinct to answer with a howl of her own. She might have ancestors in common with the distant singers, but she knew that a feral pack would probably not take kindly to a stranger in their territory, especially a Novan, to say nothing of being a hybrid. “I better find some shelter soon.” A small, nervous breeze picked up around her.

It was then, by seeming coincidence or outright dumb luck, that she noticed not one, but several lights moving in the darkness...a group of people? What would a group be doing here in the middle of nowhere, and at night for that matter? Could they be bandits? Or worse, will-of-the-wisps? Sasha shrugged. If they WERE wisps...she was already lost, so it didn't really matter. If they were bandits however...

She didn't have long to ponder this, as they were headed right toward her. What should she do? Make her presence known, or hide in the bushes and wait for them to leave? I have to take a chance. I don't want to be wandering around out here all night... She called out, “Hello? Excuse me? Can you help me, I think I'm lost.”

---

---

Xell’s mandible was ajar in child-like wonder as he felt a metallic like object clink against his toes. The object rolling back a bit with a chink. He closed his azure blue eyes momentarily, wiping the sockets with his fists, before bending down further to take in what it was.
As if to answer his call, a light beam shone onto the ground to reveal that it was, in fact, a flashlight.
He rose up ever so slightly from his crouch, not enough to be far away from the torch but high enough to cast his sight upon the source of the light.

Coming from the Otter kid? he frowned, tilting his head from side to side unsubtly to weigh up if that was the case.

Had he been the one to throw out a lifeline? To hand him a match? In spite of his unhinged attitude towards a situation that could’ve been better handled with polite a question towards the assembly?

And where did that radiance of light come from to reveal the torch in the first place?

With what little light there was, however, all the grey Draconi was able to make out was a placid, yet tight lipped and guarded expression upon the Youth’s face.

Before Xell could reach to fetch in time, the object was swiped away and denied.

“That’s a weird looking flashlight.” Max's voice bellowed which the Draconi processed slowly, with contempt.

‘Big kid of the playground trying to assert his way.’ The pint sized dragon rose slowly. Staring daggers at Max.
He’d let it go for now but push any more buttons at this inflammatory rate, and even the Draconi himself knew it wouldn’t be a matter of if, but when the gloves would be dropped.

“Yeah thanks!” he called out sarcastically to the Coon, catching the torch Taffy had tossed over to him deftly “nice of you to show the moral high ground.” He retorted, after listening on as she had a whinge about her night vision being perfect but condemned the unwise actions of people shining lights in one another’s eyes.

He then listened on as she spoke of her Uncle’s lodge and how she used to vacation there. Her Uncle’s reason for living so remotely being to get away from the city and ‘it all’.
There’s always more to that one than meets the eye he frowned conspicuously. If the Coon was all the more aware, being older and wiser of how dangerous it was to live out alone in the Fall, why was he still living a solitary life? Was there something she wasn't telling them?

Although she seemed benevolent in her act of tending to the Youth’s wounds and providing him with a nutrient bar, she still had a real chip on her shoulder.

“All to be saved for a rainy day’s story though, right?” he asked changing his tone with a smirk, catching up with the frontline of the group.

“What?” the Coon carried on striding forwards, giving the Draconi an incredulous look whilst recoiling her head.

“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all,” he practically sang. Earning a fatale styled sneer from the group leader who turned away to focus on the journey ahead.

“Do you have anything else to add?” Taffy asked sternly, not in favour of his company.

“Well… maybe I could refer you to various philosophies or belief systems, but I think you may find inspiration from this saying alone.”

“Whatever first impressions you get of Novans, for better or for worse, it won’t be the whole nine yards.”
With that said, Xell let his pace slow down so that he was more amongst the middle of the group. Still keeping far to the side as his social energy had reached their limits.

Hopefully they’d find shelter or a location to settle in soon. A yawn escaped his mussel as his eyes started to weigh down like lead.

Taffy trailed to a stop, turning a radial 180 degrees to cover her perimeter with the flashlight without blinding the group.

“I think I heard something,” Xell cottoned on, he too, shining the flashlight around the periphery of his area. Normally he’d be afraid, especially since it had got this dark deep in these parts of the woods but the half life of the drugs wearing off was leaving him stoically fatigued.

He heard a faint voice, ears perking towards some rustling shrub and leaves as he turned his whole body towards the resonance.

“Hello? Excuse me? Can you help me, I think I'm lost.”

The Draconi exchanged looks with everyone. Wondering how they’d react to a newcomer. At this point, he felt it was their call. Although he was familiar of fables of monsters that could imitate innocent Novans, much like cats imitate a baby’s cry to earn attention from their owners, he thought it may still worth be uncovering the veiled identity.
He knew he had a knife ready, and that ruffian Spicate a handgun, if it was to boil to a smack down.

“Do enlighten us and show yourself,” Xell called out, shining a light towards the plumage of leaves. Getting a bit too tired for these larger parties of people now.

---

---

“Ain’t feel dangerous, oke. Back dat way though? Koud as fok.”

Xell suppressed surprise hearing the boy’s raspy voice crackle quietly not far from him. A initial glance making him take a second. The flashlight the otter had attached to his head appeared to have been turned off at first. But with the second glance he realized it was just the effect of looking at the brighter lights they were all carrying. The torch was still on, but a dim red color, the pink coated youth moving it around the paths behind them slowly and fluidly. He moved back the way they came some and crouched in front of a tree, still scanning back the way they’d come while the newcomer was called out.

---

---

Well, at least they aren't will-of-the-wisps... However, they also didn't seem to be completely friendly either. Although, she couldn't really blame them, it being after dark in the Fall and all. Gulping, Sasha took a deep breath and emerged from the bushes.