Pffffffft x'D

I'll try to do this from my DS unless I get lazy.
Pop in whenever you're ready!

WHAT IS THIS
IT'S BEAUTIFUL

Hunter's face is the best thing ever. XD

Oh, and I'll probably be commenting from the computer a lot, so you don't have to stick to your DS.

Isn't it though? Sorry to clog your tags with this. XD

Alright, sweet! I'm gonna give myself a recap for memory's sake. If I recall correctly, Zekra and Layla are taking cover in a shop, three enemies are closing in on them, and Adder and the twins are coming to their rescue. I think that's all?

(Eh, might as well throw out the last comment to get us in the right mood.)

Hunter grunted in reply to Adder's call, finishing up his splint before striding to catch up with the other two. He remained quiet and rather detached, instead keeping his eyes on their surroundings.

Hawk wiped his bangs from his face as he peered through the rain for the source of the voice. "Are you sure it could be them? I would imagine they'd be trying to keep quiet."

---

"Ahhhh, stay away stay away stay away!!" Zekra hurriedly slammed the shop door shut, then dragged a bookshelf in its way, then shoved a small sofa up against it. Not stopping to check if her defense would hold, the centaur rushed over to Layla and shook her shoulder. "Come on, we gotta get out of here!"

A banging on the door and muffled voice caused her gaze to jerk up. Panicked, she wrapped Layla up in the blankets and hoisted her onto her back. "Let's hope you stay there," she murmured as she carefully slipped toward the back of the shop in search of a back door.

'I don't care if they're trying to be quiet or not,' said Adder shortly. 'It sounded like them. And we're going to find them.' And he set off along the rain-slicked street, following the noises caused by Zekra's attempts to barricade the shop door.

'This way,' he called out over his shoulder.

---------

The commotion roused Layla out of unconsciousness. She sat up groggily, looking surprised to find herself suddenly on Zekra's back. 'What's going on?' she gasped, holding onto the centaur's mane. She couldn't remember much from after they'd entered the shop, and guessed she must have passed out again. //Are we being attacked or something?//

Hunter grumbled as the twins picked rushed to follow Adder. "We're letting him take the lead?" he murmured.

"Now's not the time to be going stubborn," Hawk replied through his teeth, shooting his brother a glare.

----

Zekra rushed into a small lounge at the back of the library and flurries around in search of some sort of escape. "Not good, not good!" she yelped as Layla awoke. "They're at the door, and I'm not seeing an exit! You think you can fight if they get to us?"

----

Just outside the library, the three enemy creatures were crowding around the door. The faun raised a hoof and gave the door handle a kick, smashing it out of the weak wood. The jackal-headed creature then wrenched the door open and pushed against the bookshelf barricade.

Ignoring the twins' audible bickering behind him, Adder increased his pace, leaping over a piece of crumbling wall that blocked their path. 'Watch out for that!' he called back, slowing down just for a moment to scan the area. The street running ahead of them looked to be deserted, but he didn't doubt that a myriad of creatures were on their tail - not to mention wherever Layla was.

----

Layla didn't answer, throwing a frantic glance behind them - just as the door came crashing open to reveal three creatures outside. 'Ahh! They're inside!' she exclaimed.

Just then, her gaze fell on a section of wall about halfway between the floor and ceiling. Long cracks ran across it, as if it had been struck by a blow at some point, and the material didn't look very strong. She pointed out the spot to Zekra. 'Do you think you could break the wall and get out through there...?'

Hawk slowed to clamber over the wreckage while Hunter hurdled over it, coming to a stop beside Adder. "I can hear something up ahead," he affirmed between breaths.

----

Zekra jolted. "What! Really??" She managed a tight, frantic circle before stopping to look where Layla had indicated. "I dunno..." When she glanced back to see all three pursuers loping toward them, she wheeled about. "Only one way to find out! Hold on!" Muscles bunching, the centaur launched herself at the fractured wall and burst through it, sending them and rubble crumbling onto the street. Coincidentally, they had emerged in clear view of Adder, Hawk, and Hunter.
"We did it!" Zekra shouted, punching the air even from where she lay on her stomach, zebra half up in the air in a tangle of legs.

Hearing the sound of the wall shattering, Adder spun around, knife raised in preparation to fend off a new tide of enemies. Then he spotted Zekra on the ground underneath the ruined side of the building and sprinted over to her.

'Are you all right?' he said, somewhat breathlessly. While he spoke, he stretched out a hand to grab Layla's and help her to her feet; she'd toppled off Zekra's back during their hasty escape. Once he'd reassured himself that she was unharmed, he looked over his shoulder and waited for the brothers to catch up.

"Oh, hey guys!" Zekra called nonchalantly as the trio approached. Hawk fell to his knees before the centaur. "Are you guys alright? What happened?"

"Hey, look out!!" Hunter shouted suddenly. He raced forward, metal sword conjuring in his hands, just as a foreign blade swept out from the dust to strike Layla. The two blades met with a 'clang.' "There are people in there!" Hunter warned. His opponent, an elf-like human with pointed ears, lurched from the darkness toward Hunter, singling him out.

The jackal-like humanoid bounced past his armed partner and leaped toward Adder, sickle raised to strike.

(I have developed a dozen characters through this roleplay. X'D)

Layla stumbled backwards as the creatures appeared, having forgotten in the relief of their reunion that there were still enemies on their trail. She looked around for a weapon, saw none, and instead sent a weak blast of wind magic into the face of the jackal humanoid attacking her brother.

The creature staggered from the blow, thrown off-balance but uninjured. Adder darted in close and finished him off with a slice to the throat, before kicking the body aside and turning to see how the twins were faring.

(It's pretty helpful, isn't it? This is the only RP I've ever really used Adder and Layla in, so it's helped me to work them out a lot.
Also, you don't have a dozen characters in here. XD)

Hawk started to help Zekra up, until he notice his brother losing against his opponent because of his injured hand. With a quick apology to Zekra, Hawk jumped up to help Hunter, only to be intercepted by the faun, who simply bouldered into him. While the two wrestled on the ground, Zekra scrambled onto her feet. "Hey, hey! Not cool!" she remarked. She retrieved her new staff from the rubble and whacked the faun as best she could without hitting Hawk as well.

(I do, actually, although they haven't been drawn before: the white lion with the storm powers, the twin warrior battle cats, the egyptian jackal humanoid, and the elf dude with a lot of hair. XDD)

(It's not a dozen, of course, but eh XD)

Adder started to turn towards Hawk, then paused, torn between attacking the faun and helping Hunter defeat his own opponent. In the end, he made his mind up and leapt over to Hawk and Zekra. //Hunter will just complain if I help him, anyhow,// he thought absently.

As he drew near, he gave Zekra a quick hand signal to tell her to stop attacking (he didn't fancy the idea of getting accidentally hit by her staff). Then he lunged downwards and drove his bloodied knife into the faun's back, just left of its spine, hoping to puncture a lung or at least injure it badly enough to make it release Hawk.

(Ooh yeah, I remember you mentioning that the white lion was a character. Was he adopted or did you create him?)

(Adder knows him too well)

Caught off guard, the faun screamed and released Hawk. It tried to reach around and grab Adder's leg to trip him, but before he could, Hawk finished it off by driving a metal knife into its chest before shoving the body away. "Thanks," the boy gasped.

Hunter fell back into defense as his opponent attacked again and again, hardly allowing him a chance to recover from each blow. At last, his blade managed to clip the elf's hand, making them even. Grinning with confidence, Hunter clashed with his opponent and forced him backwards towards the others.

Upon realizing there was only one opponent left, Zekra lurched forward. "Ooh~! Lemme get 'im!" But before she could, she tripped and face-planted into the rubble once again.

(I created him, along with all the others. I'm just too lazy to draw any of them or give them bios. XD
On that topic, if you want to add any other characters, even as enemies, you're welcome to! Anytime in the story)

'No problem,' Adder replied. Noticing, like Zekra, that there was only one enemy left in front of them, he folded his arms and leaned back casually to watch Hunter battling the elf. At first, it seemed that he had no intention of helping, but as the pair's duel brought them closer and closer to the main group, his expression turned serious and he moved forwards to attack.

With the elf busy fending off Hunter's blows, it was easy enough for Adder to sneak up behind him and, wrapping one arm around his neck, press the edge of his knife against the elf's throat.

Layla, who had hung back rather than getting mixed up in the skirmish, shot Zekra an exasperated glance as the centaur tripped over her own legs.

(Hmm, I do plan on adding one or two more characters eventually... but it depends if I can find a suitable place to throw them in. XD)

(Good luck, then! XD)

Hawk struggled to his feet and dusted himself off before moving to help Zekra up, who had assumed a disappointed expression after seeing Adder had taken care of the last enemy.

The elf froze up when Adder seized him, and after a moment of consideration, he dropped his weapon. Hunter scowled at the assassin. "What are you doing? Let me finish him!"

'No,' said Adder from behind the elf. 'Not like this.' He used his foot to gently push the surrendered blade out of its owner's reach. 'He dropped this thing. Generally it's considered bad form to kill someone who's just surrendered.' He adjusted his knife against the elf's neck.

Layla went over to stand beside Hawk and Zekra, watching with a guarded expression.

"Well--well he attacked us! He attacked them!" Hunter spluttered, pointing a finger at Layla and Zekra. "Are you just gonna let him go?"

Hawk glanced momentarily at Layla before watching the scene, worry in his eyes. //For some reason, it seems worse to see someone die like this, rather than through combat... I don't want to watch this...//

'This isn't a fight anymore,' said Adder, eyeing Hunter tersely over the elf's shoulder. 'And I might be willing to end people when it's for money and I need it to stay alive, but this isn't an assassination either.'

He kicked at the dropped weapon again, pushing it towards Zekra and Hawk. 'Someone take this so he can't pick it up again once our backs are turned.'

Zekra blinked in confusion, but Hawk, seeming to understand, picked up the sword before continuing to watch.

Hunter growled at Adder, ready to argue, until the elf spoke up, his voice quiet and humble. "Are you releasing me?" he queried.

Adder pressed the knife a fraction harder into the elf's throat. 'Looks that way,' he replied. 'But we're all armed, and you're not. So it'd be a bad idea for you to try to kill us. If you're stupid enough to try, I won't have any problem with letting Hunter at you.'

Then he drew his arm back and let his blade fall to his side, leaving the elf free to move.

(I gotta go for a bit! I might reply again later.)

(No problem!)

Hunter advanced toward Adder's hostage, fists balled, until Hawk grabbed his sleeve to stop him.

Upon his release, the elf gasped and pulled away. He turned and eyed the assassin warily, then gave a faint dip of his head. "Thank you." Finally, he turned and ran off into the mist and rain.

"You son of--" Hunter wrenched his arm free from his brother and stepped in front Adder. "Now what? He's gonna tell his whole gang where we are!

(Sneaked back to slip in another reply--)

Adder stood his ground, folding his arms and staring down at Hunter. 'We'll be long gone by the time he tells anyone,' he said in a low voice. 'Were you planning to sit here and get caught? No. He can't predict which way we're going to head in. And you might enjoy killing people, but the rest of us don't.'

(XD)

Hunter was shorter than Adder, but not by much. He came face-to-face with the assassin, lips curling aggressively. "I don't -enjoy- killing people! I'm just doing what's necessary to keep -ourselves- alive! Do you not understand what survival is?"

Hawk looked back and forth at the males anxiously. "Hunter, now is not the time to be fighting..."

Adder narrowed his eyes, the only sign that he was more angry than he was letting on. 'You think I don't know what survival is? That's pretty strange, seeing as I've spent the last year trying to keep myself AND my sister alive, doing things I don't even want to admit to to get money. If anyone doesn't know how to survive here, kid, it's probably you.'

Layla glanced at Hawk and Zekra, then back at her brother, wondering if she should intervene. But she kept silent.

Hunter's short fuse exploded. He stepped back, only to lunge forward and tackle Adder to the ground. "We'll see about that!" he shouted as he swung a fist toward the assassin's face.

"Hey!" Hawk and Zekra both snapped. Hawk rushed forward to pull the two apart, but he hesitated, not wanting to somehow get sucked into the fight.

Adder couldn't have said he was entirely unprepared for this, but it still came as a bit of a surprise. He managed to dodge the fist blow so it only glanced off the side of his head instead of breaking his nose. Then, swearing under his breath, he forced them both over so he was on top and wrapped both hands around Hunter's throat. His knife had been knocked away in the scuffle.

Layla had also jerked forwards when Hunter attacked, but quickly moved back, knowing that she'd never be able to stop them physically. She started focusing her magic.

(OK, now I really have to go. XD I'll reply either later tonight, or in the morning.)

(See you later!)

Hunter managed a small gasp before Adder pinned him and constricted his throat. He clawed at the assassin's hands in an attempt to allow air into his lungs, although he still managed to get in a few curses as he squirmed.

Hawk had intended to stop Hunter, since he had started the fight, but he switched his attention to Adder once he began to strangle his brother. The boy grabbed Adder's shirt and pulled as hard as he could. "Cut it out!"

Adder held on for a couple more seconds, then abruptly released his grip and stood up. He stepped away from Hunter without looking at any of the others. 'I wasn't going to kill him,' he grumbled.

Layla was glaring at her brother, but he didn't meet her eyes.

When Adder released him, Hunter rolled onto his knees and coughed harshly before sucking in several gasps of air. From the corner of his eye, he shot daggers at Adder.

"It doesn't matter--none of this was necessary!" Hawk retorted.

Zekra, who had her arms crossed casually, spoke up. "I say just let them brawl it out," she mumbled with a shrug. "Me and my siblings did it all the time."

"Yes, but now is not the time! We're being chased, remember?" Hawk tossed his hand in the direction the elf had gone. "They could be back any second, and now we're in even less of a condition to fight them."

(And now I remember that everybody brought bags of provisions)

(Eh, I can't remember everything that happened last RP either, it was too long ago.)

'Then I suggest we get the hell out of here before anyone shows up,' Adder pointed out. 'Any ideas on which direction we should head in?' He ignored Hunter's death glares. Off to the side, Layla let out a slight sigh.

'The problem is, if we let those two fight, they COULD kill each other,' she said in response to Zekra's remark.

Hawk held out a hand as Hunter struggled to stand up, but his brother slapped him away without meeting his eyes. The boy sighed before saying, "We'll probably head down the street we've been following and hope for the best. Let's move quickly, now."

Zekra crossed her arms behind her head as she turned toward the street. "At least one of them says he doesn't like killing. Not sure about the other one," she said slyly.

Hunter met nobody's gaze as he picked up his metal sword and reverted it to its formless shape.

(I'm going to be gone all day until midnight for you, so no need to soo by here today)

(Alright!)

Adder followed Hawk, being careful to also keep Hunter in his sight just in case the boy decided to make a lunge at him while his back was turned. Layla opted to walk on Zekra's left side. She still felt tired, but perhaps being out in the fresh air had helped her a little; at least she didn't need to be carried.

While she walked, she glanced over towards Hawk and asked tentatively, 'I can't remember if anyone explained already, but where are we going exactly? Out of the city, I suppose, but then where?'

Hunter sulked at the back of the group, his hands in his pockets and eyes elsewhere. Zekra clopped along casually, having seemingly forgotten the tension already.

"Whatever city's closest to this one," Hawk explained. "I've lost track of where north is, but once we reach the borders, we should be able to figure it out." He added quietly, "Hopefully we aren't going east, where it's a lot colder."

(Wait, what time of day/night is it supposed to be again?)

(Uhh, they set out at morning, so it's probably mid-day/afternoon)

(They can't use the sun for direction since it's raining)

(Yeah, I thought that.)

Layla shielded her eyes with her hand and gazed upwards, but the thick stormclouds, not to mention all the high buildings around them, made it impossible to see the position of the sun. She shrugged a little and let her hand drop. 'I suppose this direction's as good as any other.'

Adder kept quiet, watching Hunter out the corner of his eye as he walked, his hand on his knife hilt.

Hawk shrugged in agreement before dragging his sleeve over his rain-soaked face.

Hunter kept his gaze locked ahead, seeming to not notice Adder. Then he approached his brother and pulled him aside. "Hawk, let's ditch these guys," he muttered in his ear. "We'd make better progress without them, and we won't have to worry about spending provisions. Besides, those two seem perfectly capable of fending for themselves."

Hawk frowned up at Hunter. "No way! We made a promise to help them, and we're going to do it."

"-You- made a promise. -I- didn't."

"So are you going to leave me and run off on your own? Zekra's set on helping them too, you know."

With a disappointed grumble, Hunter gave up and returned to walking at the edge of the group.

It was a moment later that Zekra broke through the silence. "I recognize this area! We're at the edge of the city!" she exclaimed before racing ahead. "Come on!"

Adder and Layla, having both been too lost in thought to notice the brothers' side conversation, quickly looked up at the sound of Zekra's voice. 'I wouldn't run ahead too far...' the assassin said, watching the centaur cantering off, not sure whether to be amused or worried.

Layla, however, had a strangely wistful look on her face. 'I've never been outside this city before. I want to see what's out there.'

"Me either," Hawk commented as he watched the centaur grow smaller and smaller.

"Look at all this open land!" called Zekra, her voice echoing down the street. "There's so much grass! And I see mountains!"

"Might as well catch up..." Hawk picked up his pace to a jogging speed, and Hunter followed after a moment of reluctance.

The other siblings kept to a slower pace, with Layla being barely able to walk, let along sprint.

'I've heard the other towns and villages around here are pretty nice,' said Adder after a few moments of silence. 'At least, they won't be a complete dump like this one.'

Layla nodded, but her thoughts seemed to be elsewhere, because the next thing she said was: 'You shouldn't have attacked that boy. He might be annoying, but he has enough reason to not trust us.'

'Attack HIM? He attacked ME.'

'Yes, but you didn't have to escalate the fight the way you did. That was stupid.'

The assassin fell into silence. They had caught up with the rest of the group by the city's edge by then, and he didn't want to risk Hawk, or worse, Hunter, overhearing their conversation.

*let alone

Hawk and Hunter stopped beside Zekra to take in the sight. Although the rain made the image hazy, they could see the grassy heaths roll out for miles, and could faintly recognize the dark silhouette of a mountain range. The rain had decreased to a light shower, although the clouds still stretched endlessly.

Hawk glanced back at Adder and Layla as they caught up. "Do you need a break before we start out? We can find a hidden place for refuge to eat and recover. We can't waste much time, though - I'm sure search teams will be sent out shortly."

Layla shook her head firmly. 'I would rather keep going. We don't want to risk being caught up to.' She looked past Hawk at the surrounding scenery, momentarily left speechless by how beautiful it was. Why would anyone choose to reside in a crowded city if they could live out here?

Adder was also eyeing their surroundings, but with a more guarded expression. There were no buildings or walls to hide behind out here. Accustomed as he was to narrow, dark alleyways, he couldn't help but feel oppressed by the open space around them.

'Yeah, let's keep going,' he said. 'Unless the rest of you need a break, of course.'

"We'll be fine," Hawk replied with a nod. Hunter, seeing no other reason to hesitate, started down the lone road which traced trough the center of the expanse.

Zekra turned to Layla. "Do you need me to carry you again? I've still got plenty energy," she said with a confident grin.

She hesitated, torn between not wanting to be a burden by getting carried, and not wanting to be even MORE of a burden by passing out and then having to be carried.

Then she nodded. 'As long as you're sure it won't tire you,' she said, reaching up to pull herself onto the centaur's back.

Adder glanced at them for a second, then continued on ahead with the twins. //She'll be fine with Zekra.//

Once he was near enough to Hawk for them to communicate, he said, 'Do you recognise this place enough to know which direction we're going in yet?'

Zekra winked playfully. "Don't worry about me, sweetie; I'm built for stuff like this." After kneeling down and helping Layla onto her back, she trotted after the others.

"I recognize it now, yes" Hawk confirmed as he glanced at the assassin, then back to the landscape. "Up ahead are the Ferim Mountains, which is east of our city. There's a village in the hills, so we can shelter there. Fortunately, our enemies won't like going to this place. Unfortunately," he gave a grim smile, "We won't like it either."

Adder stared ahead, but couldn't see the village from where they were. 'Why's that, then?' he said guardedly. 'I thought one of our main reasons for leaving the city was getting OUT of danger.'

Layla held on tightly as Zekra set off.

"A different kind of danger exists here," said Hawk. "In Ferim Pass, it is constantly cold, and ice slicks the paths in the hills, making it unsafe to travel far. Once we get there and find lodging, we should be fine." //I just can't bear the cold. He can't blame me though; I grew up in Trundale's hot, humid climate.//

(I'm thinking we should take a timeskip to the mountains)

(First DS reply! :D)

Adder nodded, but didn't look overly concerned. 'I'd rather deal with cold weather than living, thinking opponents,' he said. 'A bit of ice and snow can't be more dangerous than what we just came out of. We'll be alright.'

(Go ahead and skip whenever you want.)

(Lol XD)

As if he could feel the cold already, Hawk rubbed his arms. "I hope so."

---

The cloudy sky was darkening when the group reached the end of the field, leaving only mountains in their path. The temperature had dropped noticeably; Hunter rolled down his sleeves, and Hawk pulled out a tattered scarf and wrapped it about himself. "If we hurry, we'll make it to the Pass before dark, and before the snowstorms hit," Hawk informed them. He gave a worried glance at the rolling clouds above, wondering if or when they would burst.

Not too far ahead, several stacks of chimney smoke rose into the air, indicating the presence of a village hidden behind the hills. Gravel crunched as Zekra clopped up the path. "We're so close," she breathed.

'Looks like it could start snowing any moment, though,' remarked Adder, following Hawk's look. Inwardly, he was curious as to what a snowstorm would be like. Having never left the city and certainly never ventured anywhere near the Ferim Mountains, he'd only heard about snow, not seen it.

(I plan on throwing in a new character sometime soon, either when they reach the village or sometime before, if that's alright with you.)

(That'd be great! I'm hoping for them to stop at a tavern/inn, so you can do it then)

The travelers hurried toward the village as snowflakes began to drift down, harbingers of the incoming storm. When they took a corner, the first signs of the village appeared: houses made of wood and cobble spreading along either side of the path, and a few villagers who straggled toward their homes.

By the time the group reached the center of the village, the snow had quickened and begun to coat the ground and rocks. Hawk squinted at the various buildings around them. "Start looking for a hotel," he called to his group.

The assassin was watching the snowflakes drifting around them in spiralling patterns, a hint of a smile on his face. He half-turned towards Hawk and nodded. 'Let's split up into two groups and search,' he suggested. 'It's not a big village, we can find each other again once we find a place.'

Still sitting on Zekra's back, shivering slightly from the cold, Layla was watching the snow with a similar expression to her brother. //I want to live in a place like this someday,// she thought wistfully. //Somewhere where snow falls all the time.//

Hawk nodded in agreement. When he considered what could go wrong if Adder and Hunter ended up in the same search group, he determined to separate the two. "Why not you stick with Zekra and you sister, and Hunter and I will search together? We'll take the left side of the town, and you can take the right." //I need to have a talk with Hunter, anyways.//

Zekra nodded determinedly. "Let's do this! We should make it a race so we can get inside faster," she joked with a grin.

'I'm good with all of that,' said Layla quietly, secretly relieved that Adder and Hunter weren't going to be anywhere near each other.

The assassin nodded, also agreeing. 'I'm not so sure about turning it into a race, but it'd be nice to find somewhere warm quickly.' He glanced around, but his cursory inspection of the village showed no sign of an inn or tavern. They must all be further away.

"Yeah, yeah," Zekra absently, turning and beginning down one snowy path. Hawk, with a small "Good luck" toward the opposite party, turned and directed Hunter in another direction.

Once they were out of hearing range, Hunter gave a long sigh, relieved to be alone. "Damn cold, isn't it?"

Hawk ignored his brother's remark. "Hunter, that was inaappropriate of you to attack him," he said with a chastising glare.

The taller twin watched him, then rolled his eyes. "Can't we just let that slide?"

"No, we can't, and we won't. Tonight, you're going to apologize to Adder. And to everyone else for making a spectacle of yourself."

"You think you can tell me what to do?" Hunter snapped.

"I can, because I'm your brother and I care about you."

---

Zekra hugged her red sash about herself as she ogled at the tiny village. "It's so cute and old-fashioned... I feel like I just stepped a hundred years into the past. I'll betcha the hotel is a bar and hotel combined, just like they used to be."

'That sounds likely, looking at this place,' remarked Adder, as he wrapped his scarf once more around his neck. It really was cold here...

Suddenly, Layla tapped Zekra's shoulder and pointed out a fairly large building ahead of them. The front doors were open and candlelight spilled out onto the snow, accompanied by the sound of laughter and the delicious smell of cooking food. 'That looks like a tavern. Should we go and see if they have an inn as well?'

Zekra's face lit up. "That sounds great! I can't feel my skin anymore!" With a cheery slip, the zebra centaur hurried toward the tavern and flew through the doorway. "Ahhh, it's so much warmer in here!" she breathed. "I love the snow, but this is much better, any day. And--FOOD!!" She threw her fists in the air excitedly. "Let's eat!"

---

"That doesn't mean anything," Hunter puffed, taking a step ahead of Hawk.

But the boy grabbed his arm. "Hunter, listen to me. If we can't make amends within our own group, we're never going to make it through this. We've got a plethora of Magi on our tails, and we can't fight them alone. We need Adder as an ally, not another enemy."

Hunter grunted and looked away, so he continued. "This matters for both of our survival. Do you want to make it through this together or not?"

His twin finally shook him off. "Whatever. Let's just find that hotel and sort things out then."

As Hunter walked ahead, Hawk sighed and looked up at the darkened sky. After a second, he shuffled through the snow after his brother.

*skip

Adder hurried in a moment after Zekra, glancing around guardedly as he checked to make sure his knives were hidden inside his overcoat. He didn't think walking into a tavern while looking like an assassin would make him very popular.

'Don't draw TOO much attention to us...' he muttered. 'And we should probably wait till Hawk and Hunter get here before we order anything. Even if Hunter deserves to go hungry.'

Zekra clopped across the room, hardly even listening to Adder. She gaped at the various foods on the tavern tables. "Ooooh, they all look so gooood.... And the smells, ahh..." The centaur nearly melted before she had even found a table for the group to sit at. She eventually knelt down by a table for layla to climb off. As she did, she said with surprising thoughtfulness, "I wonder how those boys are gonna find us... If we just wait for them to find this place too, then splitting up was a waste."

---

It was silent for a while between the twins as they trekked up the snowy path, eyes on the buildings on either side. "I'm not seeing any inns," Hawk murmured with a shiver. "The others have probably found it. Let's turn around and see if we can find them."

Layla carefully climbed off the centaur's back and sat down on one of the chairs arranged around their table. As she did, Adder said, 'You're probably right. But it doesn't make sense for all of us to go out looking for them. I'll find then and lead them back to this place.'

Without waiting for an answer, he slipped back out the doors and disappeared into the gently falling snow.

'I have a feeling Hunter and Hawk only went off alone so they could have a talk,' commented Layla.

Zekra searched for a food menu as Layla spoke. "Hmm, I wonder... You never know when it comes to those two!"

---

Hawk and Hunter trudged their way through the snow, eyes on the lookout for the inn or for any members of the group. Hawk finally noticed a familiar figure up ahead. "Is that... Adder!" Hawk called, raising a hand.

Adder spotted the twins coming from the opposite direction and swiftly went over to them, giving a nod of greeting. 'We found a tavern with somewhere to sleep back here,' he said. The snow was starting to come down more heavily now, thick white flakes spiralling from the sky and settling on everything below.

(I tend to disappear the moment you make a quick reply. x'D)

"Great. Lead us there," Hawk said, breath puffing out in white steam. He couldn't feel his feet anymore and looked forward to a warm room and place to rest.
There was a hint of relief and eagerness in Hunter's eyes too, but he was too occupied keeping his distance from Adder to show anything more.

Adder turned and set off at a brisk pace through the village, leading them back to the entrance of the tavern. The warmth seeping from inside could be felt even before they entered, melting the dusting of snow around the front door.

Layla looked up from her own menu when she noticed Adder coming in. 'They're back,' she said, in case Zekra hadn't noticed, then went back to examining the meal selection.

Zekra looked up once Layla spoke and she waved at the boys. "Hey guys!!"

The twins both let out sighs of relief as they stepped out of the cold and into the warmth of the tavern. "I don't get how people can live in this weather," mumbled Hawk as he dusted snowflakes off his shirt.
Hunter chose a seat opposite of Adder and hunted through his own menu for something appetizing.
Hawk met Adder's gaze as he sat. "I'm guessing you don't have enough money to pay for all of us. Although I'd hate to do it to these kind villagers, if it's necessary Hunter and I can fabricate coins with metal."

Layla continued to scan through her menu, biting her lip thoughtfully. Adder glanced up at Hawk once he'd chosen a seat and settled himself down. 'I have some money, but only enough for three of us, I think. Unless we're not eating very much.' He didn't particularly like the idea of creating fabricated money, but he saw the necessity of it in their situation.

While they were talking, Layla glanced over at Zekra. 'What are you going to get, if we can afford it?'

Hawk chewed his lip and nodded, sharing in Adder's concern. "Let's see what prices turn up, and we'll figure out what's necessary then," he said quietly.

"There are too many options!" Zekra moaned in reply to Layla as she flipped her menu around, upside down, and everything else. "My mother always encouraged my siblings and me to go vegetarian, but I can't help but love everything!" She said with a glance toward Adder, "I guess it'd be best to go for whatever's cheapest."

'Probably,' agreed Layla. 'I'll have the chicken pasta, it should be cheap enough.' She looked back at Layla. 'Are centaurs usually vegetarian? Or was it just your family? If you don't mind me asking.'

Adder only cast a short glance down at his own menu to note what was on it before adding, 'I'll have the vegetable stew.' He then glanced at the menu again to see how much they'd already spent. 'That's not too much. How about you three?'

(This is making me hungry)

"Um..." Zekra tapped her lip in thought. "...My mother used to go on about us being part animals so eating other animals is like partial cannibalism, or something like that. Of course, during the war, there were times when we had nothing to eat but meat." She shrugged nonchalantly. "So I'm gonna get what I want to eat. Umm, chicken soup sounds nice," she said as the waiter came around.

Hawk answered for Hunter and himself. "We eat sparingly anyways, so we're satisfied with whatever's cheapest. According to the menu... Eggs and bread are some of the cheapest. We'll go with those."

"Why go for whatever's simplest? This is a rare opportunity to get something nice," remarked Hunter, who had been eying the steak section of his menu.

"But we don't have the money for 'nice' foods right now," Hawk mentioned.

"Unless we fabricate coins, like -you- suggested. I think we can get away with it."

Layla nodded slowly, understanding. 'We've been through some less than easy times where we've had little choice in what to eat, so I know what that's like. Besides...' She smiled faintly. 'We're all animals. The fact that you're a centaur doesn't make it anything like cannibalism.'

Adder, surprisingly, didn't argue with Hunter. 'Let him buy whatever he wants,' he said. 'As long as he's only making fake money for HIS food, and not ours. I'm not going to cheat anyone.'

(I was hungry already, but there's nothing to eat here except bread and soft cheese.)

"Huh, never thought of it like that..." With that prompt, Zekra drifted off into deep, distracted thought.

Hawk gave his brother a forced, lopsided smile. "That works; you can pay for your own meal, and Adder will pay for the rest of us. If you get caught, it's your own fault."

Hunter shrugged, perfectly satisfied with their decision.
The waiter came around and took each person's order, then vanished into the kitchen.

Hawk sat forwards suddenly and looked at Adder and Layla seriously. "Come to think of it, we may need to make our own currency. Layla needs a doctor, and there's no doubt the prices for treatment will be high. What Adder has right now may not even be enough to cover it. Or, another option, we can work here to earn the money."
Hunter's expression made it obvious that he disliked his brother's proposal.

Adder scratched the back of his head thoughtfully as he considered the idea. 'I don't like it, but you might be right. Still, I'd rather find some way of earning the cash than cheating people. I'm pretty sure that with the skills we all have, we can easily get what we need. I'll look around the village later and see if anyone needs work done.'

Layla remained silent throughout this discussion, eyes glued to her menu. //I wonder if I'll ever be anything besides a burden to these people,// she wondered, more curious than depressed by the thought. //I already feel better, but maybe that's just the fresh air...//

The boy nodded before Zekra chimed in. "I can do heavy pulling stuff! I'm cool with taking care of animals and such, too."

"We'll think about it more in the morning," Hawk suggested. "Right now, we need to rest and refresh ourselves."

(To move things along...) The waiter returned with several dishes and handed each meal to the members of the group. Hawk, Hunter, and Zekra all dug into their meals in a hurry, starved after a day of constant traveling and fighting.

Hunter looked up from his meal at Adder. //Do we seriously need them?// he wondered. //We're going to spend all our money and energy on him and his sick sister, and if it weren't for their needs, Hawk and I could leave here early in the morning. The Magi could be catching up, if they found our trail.//

Layla started eating her meal like she'd been starved for days, while Adder dug into his stew at a more casual pace. He had a spoonful halfway to his mouth when he paused, catching Hunter's gaze. He didn't like the look of it. //It's up to Hawk to make sure he doesn't try to betray us all.//

Once he was halfway through his bowl, he turned to Hawk and said, 'You're right. We have to sleep now; we can discuss all the important stuff afterwards.'

'Hey, quick question?' Layla interjected. 'Do we have enough money left to pay for rooms here?'

Adder hesitated, dug a hand into a pocket of his coat, then shook his head lightly.

(''Spend all our money'', Hunter? You don't even have any. XD)

(Hunter: "I have lots of money! Fake money!")

"We can provide it," Hunter replied quickly. He flashed Adder a haughty look that said, 'Well aren't you a disappointment?'
The teen pulled a piece of metal from his pocket which formed into a coin as he raised it for everyone to see. "It's too late to earn money right now, and we need lodging, so we haven't another choice but to use these," he explained.

Hawk chewed his lip but didn't say anything, knowing his brother had made a point.

Adder returned Hunter's contemptuous look without expression. 'If it's necessary,' he said smoothly. Layla eyed both of them guardedly over her empty bowl.

Getting up from the table and pushing his chair back, Adder said, 'How about you go and get the rooms for us, then? Seeing as you're the one with the 'money'.' Layla also stood, stumbling a little and leaning against her chair as a small wave of vertigo hit her.

//That hasn't happened in a while..// she thought once the room had stopped spinning.

Hunter stared back with a challenge in his eyes, then stood. "Alright," he said shortly before turning to find the hotel desk.

Hawk watched his brother go. //The problem is... If he gets caught, all of us be kicked from our rooms.// He turned back when he glimpsed Layla stumble. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

Zekra had already been standing since she couldn't necessarily sit, so she quickly made it over to Layla's side to support her.

(The computer I was typing on just crashed while I was writing this ffff--)

'Fine,' said Layla shortly, steadying herself with one hand on Zekra's shoulder. 'Nothing to worry about.' She looked back at the desk Hunter had gone to. Like Hawk, she was wondering what they'd do if anyone realised he was using fake coins as payment.

Adder glanced briefly at his sister, but on seeing she was all right, he turned away again. 'I'll be back in a minute - hopefully he'll have our rooms by then,' he announced, then headed off in the direction of the restrooms.

On the other side of the bar, a tall man with curly blond hair and crimson eyes was watching the group curiously over the top of his glass. He looked like he'd been paying attention for a while.

(IT'S DA COUNTTTTT)

(Rood compooter)

Hawk gave a wary nod before watching Adder make his exit. Out of curiosity, he scanned the tavern and was surprised to meet a pair of red eyes turned their way. He pulled his gaze away quickly. "Looks like we're getting a lot of stares," Hawk commented to Zekra and Layla, hopefully quietly enough that no one else would hear. "I guess it's no surprise, though: they probably don't many visitors often--especially ones from Trundale."

Hunter returned to the group. "Got three rooms booked," he reported.

Hawk frowned. "Three rooms?"

"Yeah. One for the girls, one for Adder, and one for us."

Hawk sighed in exasperation and dragged a hand over his face. "Hunter, I know you dislike Adder, but it's foolish to... shove him so far away from yourself, especially when we're trying to stick together. Each room has two beds, so you'll be well distanced from him as it is. Can we please book -two- rooms?"

The taller twin shrugged and headed for the stairwell. "It's not like we've lost anything. If you're so set on making him feel welcome, you two can share a room and I'll take the third room."

Hawk moaned as his brother walked off. "What am I going to do with him...?"

(Not him actually, but close. XD)

Layla rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything other than, 'As long as everyone's got a bed, I don't think it matters too much.' She let her gaze drift around the bar as Hawk had done, spotting the red-eyed man looking their way. Their gazes met, and then the man casually got to his feet and began to cross the room towards them.

Just then, Adder returned. 'Got the lodgings?' he asked without preamble, noticing Hunter was back.

(I WAS CLOOOOOOOSE)

Feeling the burn of the stranger's gaze, Hawk glanced back again to see him walking their way. He hurriedly turned away from the man and toward the group. //He's probably just heading for the exit...// "Yeahhh... You can say that." He tossed an impassive look where Hunter had vanished. "Hunter has the keys to the rooms."

'I'll go up and get the keys from him, then,' said Adder. He started to say something else, then trailed off when he noticed the stranger walking towards them. He didn't go straight for the exit; instead, he slowed down and paused close to their table, scrutinising them curiously.

'I couldn't help but overhear your conversation,' he said, 'or see what that boy who was just here did with the money. It's fake, isn't it?'

Adder's hand drifted towards one of his concealed knives as the man spoke. 'What's it to you?'

Hawk turned and froze as the stranger approached and pointed out his brother's mistake. //He saw that? Oh god, if he rats us out...// "Why... do you ask?" he said, voice wavering a bit.

Zekra blinked at the stranger, rather confused by the whole ordeal. She chose to hold her tongue to allow herself to comprehend the situation.

The stranger waved a hand dismissively. 'Well, I should probably tell the innkeeper, but I won't. You don't look like bad guys to me. I'm guessing you just got here and didn't have any money on you. I've met a few other people like that recently.' He paused to think. 'In fact, there was a girl who showed up here just yesterday, saying she was from the city that got destroyed. Name was Cherry or something.'

Adder let go of his knife, but didn't say anything, just waited guardedly in case this turned out to be a trick.

Whether or not the stranger's story was bait, Hawk grabbed onto it eagerly. "We're from the same city. We narrowly escaped a group of thugs and came here without much preparation of a journey. We would be so grateful if you kept quiet about all this."

"There's another person here from Trundale?" Zekra remarked to nobody in particular. "That's cool! I wonder if she's one of the good guys."

(Just a heads up, I'll be gone today and Thursday, so no need to stop by then.)

(Alrighty.)

Layla's eyes flickered between the stranger and Hawk as they spoke. 'Is that girl still here?' she wondered.

'I think she's staying at a cheaper hotel a bit north from here,' replied the stranger, turning to her. 'If you want to see her, she'll probably still be around tomorrow.'

He glanced back at Hawk. 'I won't tell anyone, but you'd better be careful - if I saw what you were doing, it's a fair bet others might too.' He extended a hand to shake. 'Name's Armin, by the way. Nice to meet you all.'

(OH MY GOSH IT IS ARMIN)

//That's true,// Hawk realized anxiously. "My name is Hawk, and my brother is Hunter," he said as he returned the handshake.

"I'm Zekra!" exclaimed the zebra centaur. She turned to her companions. "We should go meet that Rose person in the morning!"

"Cherry, I think," Hawk corrected. "We can if we have the time. We need to earn the money to bring Layla to a doctor, first."

Hunter stood hidden at the bottom of the staircase, listening in on the conversation.

(YUP)

Armin shook hands with each of them, not seeming particularly surprised about Zekra being a centaur, or anything they were saying. 'I have no idea why Cherry came here,' he added. 'It was quite a while ago that Trundale got wrecked. There's a rumour that she's running away from someone.'

Adder, looking more relaxed now that he'd convinced himself the stranger wasn't going to rat them out, said: 'Do you know if there's a doctor in this village, too?'

Armin shrugged. 'You could check around. I've only been here a few days, so I haven't really looked.'

"Oh hey, so are we!" exclaimed Zekra concerning Cherry before Hawk shot her a careful look.

At Armin's remark, the boy's brows raised. "So you aren't from around here either?" //That's somewhat relieving to know there are at least two others who are also oddballs in this crowd. Maybe he can help us find a safe-haven.// "Where do you come from, if I may ask?"

'I'm from out of the country,' Armin replied evasively. 'Anyway, seeing as we're both new to this village and you lot obviously need some help...'

He dug into one of his jacket pockets and withdrew a small handful of coins, passing them over to Hawk. 'It might not be enough to stop you having to fabricate money, but if you need it...' He shrugged and trailed off.

Outside, the snow was falling heavily enough to almost obscure the view through the doors and windows.

Hawk's eyes grew round as as Armin retrieved the money and handed it to him. "I can't..." Despite himself, he reached out and accepted it. "Thank you," he said to the stranger. "We'll use it wisely."

Despite her attempts to hold it back, Zekra yawned. "I think I'm ready to collapse.... What about you, Layla?"

Armin smirked. 'No worries. I had enough to spare, and you obviously need it more than I did.' He raised a hand in farewell and started to walk off towards the bar.

'Yes, I'm tired too,' Layla replied, glancing towards the stairs. 'Let's go and check out those rooms Hunter bought for us.'

Adder said nothing, but watched Armin walking away before nodding in agreement and turning towards the staircase.

Hawk watched Armin walk off, considering whether he should call out to him to ask another question, then finally turned and followed Adder up the staircase.

Zekra approached the stairs, then stopped. "Umm... To be honest, I'm not too confident with stairs. Why not you climb off me in case I stumble?" She laughed awkwardly.

//Tch... One more person to be wary of.// When he heard the group coming, Hunter retreated to the second level. Rather than have them come to him for the keys, he left the first two at the top of the stairs and took the third, with which he unlocked his own room and slipped inside.

(Oh my goodness my timing is awful)

Layla gave a weak laugh. 'Sure, no problem,' she said, slipping off the centaur's back and beginning to ascend the stairs, holding onto the handrail. She paused and glanced back. 'You'll be alright climbing up?'

Adder reached the landing first and spotted the keys glinting on the floor in the dim light. 'Here,' he mumbled, leaning down to grab them. 'I'm guessing this is Hunter's polite way of saying, 'Here are the keys to your rooms'.'

(I'm not sure what happened there. XD)

(I wanted to reword something so it'd make more sense, but you happened to post the same time I did. XDD)

(Oh, I thought that might be it. I deleted and reposted my comment, so they're in the right order now. XD)

"Yeah, of course... You go on without me," Zekra said dismissively as she began to take one step at a time, clutching the handrail. It took about a minute for her to make it to the top, but she never fell or hurt herself. "See, that wasn't so bad," she huffed, seemingly exhausted from her efforts.

Hawk gave a grim smile. "At least he gave them to us," he murmured.

(Thanks for that. XD)

'Now we just have to figure out which keys go to which rooms,' said Adder thoughtfully.

Layla glanced at Zekra to make sure she had made it up safely, then said, 'The room numbers should be on the keys.'

'Oh, yeah. I knew that.' Adder handed one of the keys over to Zekra. 'I think you two have to share, so here's your room,' he said, then glanced at the final key he still held. 'And this one must be mine.'

Without any further talk, he set off across the landing to find the right door.

(I've been thinking of starting something like I did last year with #OCSantaHat, but I'm not sure if it would take off... hmm...)

Zekra smiled as she accepted the key, then followed him down the hall until she spotted the door with her key's number. "Here we go!" The centaur unlocked it and entered to find a cozy room with two beds, a small bathroom, and a window at the far end.
"Ahhh, I haven't slept in a bed in ages!" Zekra raced up to one bed and looked about ready to leap onto it. Suddenly concerned how to get on without breaking it, she pivoted and simply plopped down on her side. "It's so soooooooft," she moaned as she buried her face in a pillow.

Hawk wandered down the lobby. //Judging from the numbers on the first two keys, our room must be next to Adder's...// He chose a door and knocked. "Hunter...?" When he didn't receive a reply, he knew he had guessed correctly. He pushed his way in.
The layout was about the same as Zekra's and Layla's chamber, lit dimly by the street light outside the window. There was a form laying on the farthest bed, but Hawk knew he wasn't asleep. "Hunter... Why won't you tolerate Adder?"

It was a moment before his brother spoke. "If I did, he'd take advantage of the group."

"Take advantage? He's trying to help us."

Hunter sat up and turned rigid eyes on him. "He's trying to take control of us! Haven't you noticed? He's always telling us what to do, making decisions for us, trying to be the 'protector' of the group. And have you considered he's an assassin? It's stupid to put him in charge!"

"Are you genuinely concerned for the safety of the group, or are you just jealous of his authority?"

The marksman went silent. "...Since when did you start siding with him and not me?"

Hawk kicked off his boots and curled up on his bed. "I'm not siding with him. I'm trying to protect you from the consequences of your immaturity. That's what my role is."

With a scoff, Hunter turned his back and lay down, ending the conversation.

(Have another Shadow novel)

(Is that what they're called now? XD)

Adder had already found his room and slipped inside before Hawk located his. It was much the same as all the other hotel rooms; a small cosy space with sparse furniture and a bathroom off to one side. What surprised him was the fact that there were two beds. Obviously this had been designed as a double room originally.

He did a small habitual examination of the place to make sure there was nothing inside that shouldn't be, then took off his long overcoat with a sigh and tossed it over the bed nearest the door, the concealed weapons inside clattering noisily.

----

Layla stifled a laugh at the sight of Zekra trying to fit herself onto the bed. Then she let out her breath and sat down on the edge of the other bed, taking her shoes off. 'I don't suppose you /would/ sleep in beds very often...'

(Why aren't there more synonyms for the word 'bed'?)

(I don't know. Maybe you should make some up. XD)

"Mmphmhhmuhphmmph," Zekra told Layla through the pillow, then extracted her face from it to breathe. "They sure do have a magical ability to make people sleepy, though." The centaur curled up on her side, but instead of sleeping, she asked, "Do think there are ghosts here?"
Without even waiting for an answer, she remarked, "If we ever have a campfire, we should tell ghost stories." With that, Zekra quickly drifted off to sleep.

Layla opened her mouth to say that she didn't know any ghost stories, then glanced across and realised Zekra was already asleep. Rolling her eyes good-naturedly, she climbed into her own bed and followed suit, unaware of just how exhausted she was until sleep claimed her within seconds.

----

Adder didn't sleep immediately. For a moment he sat on the end of his bed, listening for any sign that that twins were arguing in their own room. He thought he heard a mumble of voices, but the wall between them was too thick to know what they were saying.

After that, he quietly left his room and went downstairs, intending to leave the tavern and look around town to see if there was a doctor anywhere.

(Shall we skip to the next morning, or should I have Adder explore the village and you can control people he talks to? Either works for me.)

(Hmm, I'm curious to see what Adder does, so I'm cool with handling a few villagers for a while. XD)

Downstairs, the bartender was cleaning up the tavern as the last groups either left or went up to their chambers. Outside was a blurry white wonderland, snow clogging the air and coating everything.

As he came downstairs, Adder slowed and threw a glance at the bartender. It was worth a try. //He's probably been living here for a long time. He might know.//

The assassin crossed the nearly empty room. 'Sorry to bother you, but I have a question. My... friends and I are planning to search round the village tomorrow to see if there's a doctor or hospital anywhere. Do you know if there's one?'

(I realised I never said he picked up his coat on the way out, so I'll just say he did.)

(I also realised that I never completely decided whether Adder and Layla were normal humans or not.)

(I'm good at planning.)

(X'DD)

The man turned friendly eyes on Adder as he approached. "Oh, of course! It's not a problem! Head down the right side of the street until you see the bank. Doc lives across the street from it."

'Thanks,' said Adder, then turned and walked out of the tavern, raising a quick hand to the bartender in farewell.

Outside, the snow was falling so heavily it was hard to see as far as the other side of the street, but he kept going anyway, following the direction the bartender had suggested. A thick blanket of whiteness crunched under his boots as he walked. Despite the weather, there were still a few people in the streets, either doing shopping or on their way home from wherever they'd been.

After a few minutes, he spotted what he guessed was the bank up ahead. Glancing up and down to make nothing was on the road, he swiftly crossed over to where another building stood opposite it. He couldn't see any signs that mentioned it being a doctor's office, but he shouldered open the door and went inside anyway, keeping one hand close to his dagger hilt as a precaution.

A nurse was shuffling through a stack of papers at the front desk when Adder entered. She looked up in surprise. "Oh, hello there. I didn't think anybody would be walking about in this weather, unless it's urgent." With that thought, she worriedly asked," What may I do for you, sir?"

He went up to the desk, absentmindedly brushing snow from his coat.

'It's not that urgent... yet,' he replied. 'I'm on the lookout for a certain medicine, and I wanted to check if you had any here.' He hesitated a moment. 'Someone I know is seriously ill - nobody's sure what the disease is, but it's been weakening her for months. Some travelling doctors I once met suggested a medicine called Spiritus Dracones, but there was nobody in our home city of Trundale who knew how to make it. I just want to know if you have it, or something else that might help.'

"Spiritus... Dracones? Mmm, I can look for it, but it doesn't sound familiar. Pardon me," she said as she turned and vanished down a hallway. It was a while later before the nurse returned, a bottle in hand. Inside was a dark, syrupy liquid. "This one is labeled... 'Sanguine Draco.' It's not what you're looking for, is it?"

Adder eyed the bottle. 'I don't think so. How about I come in here tomorrow with the person in question? Maybe you can suggest something that might help if you or the doctor actually sees her first.'

He glanced over his shoulder at a sound from outside, but it was just the snow; heavy pieces of it were hammering against the walls like hailstones.

The nurse nodded reluctantly. "I suppose that would be best... The snow should stop by morning, so it will be safer to bring your friend. Even then, you should make sure she stays warm and doesn't over-exert herself."

Adder nodded in return. 'Thanks,' he said shortly, then turned and left the hospital without waiting for a reply. Heading back out into the snow, he had to take a moment to get his bearings before he remembered which direction the tavern was in. He continued back along the street, winding his scarf tighter to ward off the icy cold.

(Want to skip to the next morning?)

(Sure!)

White morning light pierced through the windows of the tavern as day approached the snowy town. Zekra gave a big yawn and stretch before blinking and surveying the room. She slumped back against her pillow. "Ahhh, I haven't slept like that in ages."

Hunter stirred when sunlight struck his face. He sat up and squinted at his brother, who was still sound asleep, buried under the bed sheets. When a pang of hunger struck Hunter, he threw his legs over the side of his bed and pulled his boots on.

Down in the main room of the tavern, Adder was already awake and dressed, sitting at one of the tables and warming his hands on a mug of coffee. There was no sign of the stranger, Armin, who'd spoken to them the night before.

Layla had been deeply asleep, but upon been woken up by Zekra's voice, she immediately sat up in her bed. For a few seconds she gazed around uncomprehendingly, clearly having no memory of how she ended up here. Then her expression changed to recognition when she spotted Zekra. 'Oh... good morning,' she said, her voice hoarse.

"Good morning," Zekra greeted Layla. Suddenly, she scrabbled out of bed and rushed to the window. "It's so WHITE!" she gasped as she took in the town, blanketed in a thick layer of glistening snow. "It's like, at least five hands deep!"

Not bothering to wake his brother, Hunter followed the smell of food downstairs. He scanned the room, spotted Adder, and approached. However, upon realizing it was -just- Adder, he froze. Guilt from yesterday bubbled in him as he eyed Adder, then looked away. "Sorry, he mumbled.

Layla smiled slightly and got out of bed to go look at the snow too, but as she stood, another wave of vertigo hit her and she doubled over, coughing harshly. //It's definitely getting worse...// she thought.

Adder didn't answer immediately, but continued drinking his coffee while watching the boy expressionlessly over the rim of his mug. Finally, he said: 'For what? You've got more than one thing to be sorry for, from what I've seen.'

Zekra whipped around at Layla's sudden bout of coughs. "Woah, woah, take it easy there," she said as she helped her sit on the bed. "You're still sick, you know. That's right, we gotta take you to the doctor today."

Hunter bit the inside of his lip, tempted to drop the idea and stalk off, but he knew his brother would get to him if he didn't. "For... picking fights with you, and treating you with disrespect."

She allowed Zekra to help her sit down while she tried to regain control of her breathing. When she'd finally finished coughing, she eyed the sleeve she'd been holding against her mouth, noted the blood staining it, then sighed. 'I suppose so. Do you think the others are awake by now?' she asked, changing the subject.

Adder held his silence for a moment or two, hoping to make Hunter uncomfortable, but then he relented. 'It's fine. And I'm sorry if I ever annoyed or disrespected you, though you deserved it.'

Zekra didn't notice the blood. "Hmm, probably. Hawk's one to sleep in though," she said with a wink. "Need help getting downstairs?"

Hunter reddened and mumbled something along the lines of "Thank you." After some hesitation, he sat down at the other side of the table and picked up a menu. He barely refrained from hiding behind it because he didn't want Adder giving him looks without him knowing it. //Should've woken up Hawk before I went down...//

'Sure, let's go,' said Layla, her voice still slightly hoarse, but normal otherwise. She stood up slowly to make sure she wouldn't fall over. 'Uhm, I might have to lean on you going down the stairs, but it'll be fine.'

Adder continued drinking his scalding-hot coffee, watching not Hunter, but the stairs, as he waited for any sign that the rest of the group was on their way down. //Wonder if we're the only ones who bother getting up this early?// he thought idly.

"Let's do that!" Zekra led her out the for and to the staircase. From there, she needed to trust Layla to use the rail to descend on her own, since Zekra would have just as much difficulty as she would.

Hunter remained quiet as well, but instead of watching the stairs, he pondered how he could win Adder's respect without fighting or challenging him--or at least, do so without getting in trouble.

Layla glanced at Zekra, then, remembering her difficulty with stairs, grabbed hold of the railing and started to carefully climb down. She kept to the opposite side of the staircase from Zekra, just in case the centaur tripped and fell forwards.

As he heard the sound of foot-and-hoofsteps coming down into the tavern, Adder rose to his full height and pushed his empty coffee mug away. 'Sounds like everyone's coming,' he remarked.

Zekra took one step at a time, gripping the rail and watching the stairs carefully. She soon reached the bottom step and bounced to the ground in relief. "Yeah, let's not do that again," she decided.

Hunter hardly gave a grunt in response, although he did glance up momentarily. //I'm guessing, after we eat, we'll go get the girl to a doctor... Would they even mind if I didn't come? If they need money, Hawk can handle it.//

Layla gave a small laugh. 'I'm with you on that.' Spotting Adder and Hunter at one of the tables, she walked slowly over to them and leaned against a vacant chair. Adder glanced up, shot her the barest hint of a smile, then said:

'I went out last night and found a doctor's place. I don't think they have the kind of medicine we heard about before. But we're going to go back today so they can meet you.'

'Alright,' said Layla. 'Is anyone else coming?' She didn't really like the idea of dragging the entire group off to the hospital, especially if they had other things to do.

"I'm definitely coming," Zekra said as she came up beside Layla. "You don't wanna go walking through that foot-deep snow on your own two feet, do you?"

Hunter couldn't help but look up at Layla's question, the desparate look in his eyes revealing his opinion.

'In that case,' said Adder, noticing Hunter's look out the corner of his eye, 'why don't the three of us go down to the doctor's place this morning, and you two can go do whatever it is you want to do?' He couldn't help but wonder WHAT Hunter had planned in the village, but didn't ask; it wasn't his business.

Hunter glanced at Adder, a faintly relieved look in his eyes.

"Wait! I'll come too," Hawk's voice broke in. The boy rushed up to join the others, his hair still a mess from having just woken up. "You might need more money, right? If Hunter isn't coming, I can take care of that for you," he reminded them.

'Are you sure?' Adder asked, looking up at him. 'There doesn't seem much reason for nearly all of us to go up there. If you think we'll need more money, you could always give us some now.'

(Short comment whoops)

"Well, I suppose I could..." Hawk looked around for any stray eyes before reachin into his pocket and grasping a chunk of metal. Still in his pocket, he reshaped the metal into as many coins as he could, then finally pulled it out. "Hopefully, this should be enough. If not, come find me here."

(Nothing wrong in that. XD)

Adder nodded and took the coins, pocketing them before anyone noticed. 'Are you two going to be OK doing whatever you're doing?' he asked casually. 'I mean, I'm assuming you'll be doing SOMETHING while the rest of us are stuck at the doctor's place?'

Layla had watched intently when Hawk created the coins, but she said nothing.

"I'll probably be asking around for directions on the safest place to stay," Hawk replied. "The farther away from our pursuers, the better."

Hunter shrugged. The marksman honestly had no clue what he would do in the meantime - so long as he was far from Adder.

Zekra tapped Layla's shoulder before kneeling down to allow her to climb on.

(Shall we say they already ate? XD)

(Alright. XD)

Adder pushed his chair back and stood up. At the same time, Layla also got to her feet and climbed slowly up onto Zekra's back. She felt more shaky than yesterday, but didn't say anything. What was the point?

'Right,' said Adder, yawning, 'I'll show you where the hospital is, then?' He adjusted his scarf in readiness to venture out into the snow once again.

(Want to have either Hawk or Hunter meet up with Cherry in the village?)

(Ooh sure! Hawk would be nicer, though it'd be funny if Hunter tried flirting with her. XD)

Zekra spread out her red sash and wrapped herself in it, then saluted to Adder. "Lead the way!"

"I'll start by asking the tavern owner for a map of the country and advice, then work my way outdoors," Hawk stated as he stood.

Hunter remained sitting, having little to do.

(Maybe Hunter then? He doesn't get along with Adder, so maybe he would with her. XD)

Giving her a casual thumbs-up gesture, Adder walked out of the tavern, keeping his hand close to one of his hidden knives. 'It's not far,' he said over his shoulder. 'It's just along the street here.'

(Okay. XD)

Zekra paid attention to Adder up until she stepped outside and onto the snow. "It's so cold... and fluffy!!" Bursting with excitement, the centaur rushed out and kicked the white powder around, barely remembering to move carefully for Layla's sake. "Come on!" she called to Adder as she went ahead, prancing down the street.

"Guess I'll get started on learning about the area," Hawk said as he headed toward the bar and sparked a conversation with the bartender.

Hunter watched his brother walk off, then looked to the entrance. //Guess I could be doing -something-...// Without much of a plan, the marksman rose and started down a different street from the others.

'Careful,' muttered Layla, glancing down and noting how slippery the ground looked. She wasn't sure how well horses' hooves coped with snow and ice, but she didn't want to take any chances.

Adder realised they wasn't following him anymore, and hurried after them, struggling somewhat to keep up with Zekra's pace. 'Hey, slow down. You don't even know where it is,' he called after them.

With both Adder's and Layla's warnings, Zekra had no choice but to slow down and wait for Adder. She still watched her feet as each hoof kicked the surface of the snow before crunching down into it.

Hunter tucked his hands in his pockets to stay warm as he trekked trough down the street. He watched the path ahead for anything worth paying attention to, but so far the only movement was a few shopkeepers who were crossing the street to open their stores. //This place seems so happy and careless...//

Adder quickly caught up with them, looking slightly disgruntled at being left behind. 'This way,' he said, and set off up the street again. Even though the last time he'd been out here it had been dark and snowing heavily, he had no difficulty remembering how far to walk until the bank, and the doctor's building, came into view up ahead.

He hurried up to the office and let himself inside, holding the door open for Zekra.

----

Not too far ahead of Hunter stood a small inn. It was cheaper and more run-down than the one they had stayed in last night. It actually looked deserted, but then suddenly the door opened to admit a short, redhaired figure who left the inn and hurried up the road at a quick pace. She looked preoccupied - so much that she accidentally crashed into Hunter.

'Oh, I'm sorry,' she apologised quickly. Her voice was quiet and timid.

Zekra smiled at Adder and stepped inside. She took in the lobby's mysterious interior as she tapped each hoof on the ground, removing the snow and ice on them.

The same nurse was at the front desk again, and she looked up when the door opened. "Oh, it's you again! I'm assuming this is your... sick friend?" She eyed Zekra confusedly, not seeing Layla on her back yet.

---

Hunter, busy thinking with his eyes on the sidewalk, failed to catch the stranger's approach until she had literally run into him. He stumbled back a bit before fixing wide eyes on the red-haired girl. "Woah, what's the rush?"

Adder looked at the nurse, then back at Zekra, spotting the problem. He made a motion towards them, and Layla carefully climbed off the centaur's back and stood beside her instead, leaning a little on her shoulder for support. 'Here,' she said, in a weak but clearly audible voice.

----

'S-sorry,' said the girl again, looking flustered. 'Everything's all right, I was just... uhm... going somewhere.'

The girl was about seventeen, average height, with shoulder-length red hair and green eyes that watched him uncertainly. She was wearing a thick green sweater and a matching coat to keep out the icy cold. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she noticed he didn't look like a native of this place.

The nurse brought a hand to her mouth. "Oh! I see now. Goodness, you look quite pale. Please follow me; the doctor is this way." She led the way down the hall and stepped into a room where a square, grey-haired man was bent over a clipboard. He straightened as the group arrived.
"Welcome. The ill one, please sit here on this bed."

---

Hunter felt his cheeks were rather flushed as he took in the girl's appearance, especially her rosy red hair. "Well--you shouldn't go alone. It's safer to travel with someone," he said abruptly.

Layla nodded in gratitude to the nurse and then went to sit on the edge of the bed as instructed. 'Thank you.'

Adder hung in the doorway, glancing over his shoulder every now and again.

----

'W-well, yes, I know that,' she said. 'It's a long story, but I'd rather be travelling on my own right now...' She started to turn away, then hesitated. She looked him up and down, taking in his clothes and appearance. 'You... don't happen to be from Trundale, do you?'

Zekra stayed by the bedside in case Layla needed help later on.

The doctor pulled up a chair and sat down, hands together. "My nurse has told me a bit about you. You have an unidentified disease that requires Spiritus Draconis, which we do not have here. But perhaps I can figure something out, if you will answer a few questions. Where were you when you discovered your illness?"

---

Hunter bit his tongue when the girl rejected his offer, then frowned at her question. "...Yes. How did you know?"

Layla's eyes went distant as she tried to remember. 'Well... it was nearly eight months ago, so I can't quite recall. It started to develop slowly over time. It wasn't until almost a month had passed that I knew something was actually wrong. We were at home in Trundale then...'

----

'Just something about you...' said the girl hesitantly. 'I don't know, really. Your outfit, your accent... You remind me of the people I used to know there growing up. But I don't live there anymore.'

"Trundale?" The doctor chewed his lip a moment, then muttered, "No wonder you're sick. Trundale is nearly uninhabitable, with all the chemicals in the air. What sort of symptoms have you discovered?"

---

"You lived in Trundale?" //Come to think of it, she doesn't have the same accent as everybody else here.// Hunter eyed her carefully, tempted to say he knew her but doubting the possibility on account of the size of their home city. "Wait, what is your name?"

Layla couldn't help but agree with him about Trundale, but didn't say so. 'I've been... weak,' she said slowly. 'I never have much energy, and I can't walk far or run. Sometimes I can't even get out of bed in the morning. Once or twice, I didn't even wake up until nearly evening. It wasn't bad at first, but every week it's getting a little worse.'

----

'Yes, I do.' She met his gaze properly for the first time, a hint of steel in her eyes that hadn't been there a minute ago. //Why is he so interested? Well... I suppose I WAS the one who just walked into him...// 'My name is Cherry. And you?'

The doctor began to scribble on his clipboard. "Have you been eating sufficiently? Were you exercising much before you came down with this?"

---

//I swear that name is familiar...// "I'm Hunter. So, you're living here now? Or are you passing through?" He put a casual hand on his hip.

'I was eating normally. Still am,' Layla replied, thoughtfully. 'And I think I used to exercise as much as the average person.'

----

Cherry bit her lip. 'Pleased to meet you... And I'm not really living here, no. I just needed a safe place to stay. I rode from Trundale to here without stopping, and I still don't know if he's following me...' She abruptly broke off, flushing slightly as she realised how much she'd said.

"I see... Mmm. What other types of symptoms are you familiar with? Coughing, sinus problems, light-headedness..."

---

"He?" Hunter's mind suddenly flashed back to their own pursuers. "Who is after you?" he asked intently.

(short comment oops)

'Lightheadedness,' said Layla, nodding slightly, 'and... sometimes I start coughing up blood. I don't know what triggers that.'

While she and the doctor had been talking, Adder, guessing they would be here for a while, pulled a chair up to the edge of the doorway and settled himself down.

----

Cherry's eyes narrowed slightly. 'I-I'm sorry, but I don't think that's any of your business.' However, she didn't really care about Hunter asking personal questions. She was just worried he might somehow be in league with the person she was running from. 'I'm sure you mean well, but I can't tell a complete stranger about it.'

The doctor frowned. "Coughing up blood? Why, I've never heard of that coupled with these other symptoms of yours. I know a few illnesses like it, but I can't say how you would've come to receive any of them." He exchanged glances with the nurse standing by. "...The person who suggested the medicine to you... Did they mention the name of your sickness?"

---

Hunter stared down at Cherry, his curious expression gone. "Of course not. It's not like you need the protection." Suddenly disinterested in the red head, he turned and began to walk off without another word.

Layla shook her head. 'No, otherwise we'd know what it was,' she replied, with a slightly raised eyebrow. 'They suggested it because it was supposed to have magical properties and could cure almost anything.'

Just then, Adder turned away from the door to eye them. 'Actually, they did mention something. They said it might not be a normal illness. It could be something magical, or even a disease humans don't normally have.'

'Oh, yes, I remember now,' said Layla. 'They said it might be an illness that usually afflicts non-human species, but was somehow passed to me during all the time we've been living in Trundale.'

----

Cherry stood in the middle of the street and stared after him, utterly bewildered. 'Um... did I say something wrong?' she said, almost to herself.

Zekra had been poking at the various tools on a counter until she caught 'magical' in the conversation. "Her sickness is magical?" she gasped.

"Magical? If that's the case, I can't help you much, except to give you painkillers. We don't deal with magical inflictions here." The doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"But the Viser probably could," the nurse broke in.

The doctor made a sharp hiss sound and gave her a chastising glare.

---

Hunter peeked over his shoulder to see Cherry still standing on the street, but he didn't turn back yet. //Maybe I'll follow her and find out where she's headed,// he determined.

Adder and Layla both looked at the nurse, identical expressions of curiosity on their faces. 'The who?' Adder questioned. 'If there's someone here who can help us, you'd better tell me.'

//Damn,// he thought afterwards, //I didn't mean for that to come out sounding threatening. Hopefully no-one will notice.//

----

After a moment or two, Cherry let out a barely-audible sigh and turned away. //And here I thought, being from Trundale, he would've been a normal person... Then again, maybe he isn't BECAUSE he's from Trundale.// Lost in memories of the ruined city, she set off along the street in the opposite direction to Hunter. She didn't look back to see if he was watching her.

The nurse ducked her head in embarrassment.

The doctor dragged his hand over his face with a groan. "Vierviser. A witch doctor. Either he miraculously heals you but charges you with more than you can afford, or he finishes you off. Trust me, he's not worth considering."

---

Hunter glanced back to see Cherry walking away. //Guess it's time to go undercover.// The teen casually turned and followed the path she had taken, keeping his distance and remaining by the walls of the buildings in case he needed to hide. //What could she be doing that she doesn't want others to know about?//

'Money isn't a problem,' Adder mumbled thoughtfully, picturing Hawk and Hunter. 'We don't have to let him do anything, but we could go see him, at least.' He glanced at Layla, who looked briefly startled, but then nodded.

'We might as well,' she said. In her mind, it didn't matter if she was taking a risk. She was likely going to die anyway, so what did she have to lose?

Of course, Adder wasn't thinking about any of this; he was only thinking of finding a cure.

----

Cherry didn't know she was being followed, but she was acting cautious nonetheless. She took a side street rather than walking down the main one, and emerged in a village square blanketed in a thick layer of snow.

Glancing around nervously, she hurried over to a small house off to one side. Waiting by the door was a middle-aged woman only slightly taller than her, with greying brown hair and a concerned look about her.

'Aunt!' Cherry ran the last few steps and hugged her briefly.

'Cherry! Why are you here already? Is...' Suddenly, the woman raised her head and looked around the square. 'Is HE still with you?'

(This is random but
I had a dream last night
And Adder and Hunter were in it
I think they were trying to kill each other. XD)

The doctor rubbed his hands together. "You see, the problem is... He'll try to force it on you. The Viser used to visit the sick himself. He would barge in, heal the person, then demand some kind of payment or favor that the poor family could hardly afford. We finally became fed up with his ways and drove him back up the mountain by force."
He raised an eyebrow. "Best way around that would be to have backup. And if you're serious about seeing him, you'll need horses to get you up there. It's all ice and stone."

---

Hunter crept down the side street Cherry had gone, then slowed when he heard voices. //She's meeting with someone...// When the older lady abruptly looked around, he flattened himself against the wall. He noticed a cluster of barrels nearby, so he ducked behind them and tuned his ears in to listen.

(Well, what's the surprise in that? XDDD)

'Well, this is turning into an adventure,' said Layla in a dry tone. She glanced meaningfully towards Zekra, then turned to Adder. 'Backup means at least two other people are going to have to come with us. And you'll need horses.'

'That's easily done,' Adder replied. 'I can look around the place and see if anyone's selling or loaning horses.'

----

Cherry shook her head violently. 'No! He... he might still be following me, but he's not with me. I left him. And I'm not going back.'

Her aunt didn't look entirely convinced. 'Cherry, you just said yourself that you don't know if he's coming after you or not,' she said. 'I don't know if you even know this, but he's DANGEROUS. He might kill us both if he catches up to you.'

'I'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning.' Cherry's voice had taken on a pleading note. 'I only need somewhere to stay overnight, and I don't have any more money to stay in a hotel...'

There was a long, tense pause. Then her aunt let out a huge sigh. 'On your own head be it,' she said. Then, still talking - but too quietly to hear - the two of them went inside the house and shut the door. The voices cut off abruptly.

(A l l t h e n o v e l s)

"I don't need a horse," Zekra remarked seriously.

The grey-haired man groaned as the siblings discussed their plans. "Good heavens... I'm a doctor; I save lives, not send them to their deaths." He stood and faced his guests. "But if you are insistent, then I must let you go. Here is some money to help you along." He held out a handful of cash for Adder to take.

"Horses are down the street from here," the nurse added. "Take the corner and head left until you see stables.

---

Hawk finally finished a hearty conversation with the bartender, learning all kinds of information concerning their surroundings. He gathered up the maps he had been given, but when he turned around, Hunter was nowhere to be seen. "Good riddance... They're all gone, aren't they?"

---

//Whoever's after her is trouble... Wonder if it's worth getting involved,// Hunter mused, standing up after Cherry and the woman had gone inside. But the mention of money made him curious. //I could win her favor if I gave her enough to survive until tomorrow. For once, I could have somebody who stands by me instead of against me.//
The male turned and headed back toward the main street. //There's no telling when she'll be out, so I'll wait around.//

(y e s s i r)

Adder chose to pretend he hadn't heard what Zekra just said. 'Thank you,' he said seriously, standing up and taking the money. 'Come on, we'd better go if we want to get horses and start making our way up the mountain today.' He nodded to the nurse, then walked outside. Layla also got up and started to follow.

'So,' the assassin added once they were out of the doctor's room, we'll need at least one horse if I'm going up there... and maybe more if we can persuade Hawk and Hunter to come too.'

"Well, he said we need backup, right?" Zekra mentioned as she stepped outside. "So we should bring them. Besides, it'd be more fun that way!"

Just then, Hawk appeared down the street and waved to them. "Hey!" He ran up to the trio. "I got directions to a safe, somewhat hidden city that we can stay at." He paused when his eyes settled on Layla. "Oh! Did the doctor help you?"

---

Lost in thought, Hunter found himself wandering a little farther than he had intended, so it surprised him when he heard his brother's voice echoing from somewhere up the street. He trekked a ways further to see Hawk in front of the rest of the group. Instead of joining them, he hung back, loathing to give up his freedom to wander.

'It's a bit more complicated than that,' said Adder, and quickly began to explain: 'We need to go visit some witch doctor guy who lives up the mountain. It's going to be a long and difficult trek. I'm planning to go and buy some horses so we can accompany Zekra and Layla up there.' He paused and looked Hawk up and down. 'Are you coming with us? We'd appreciate the backup.'

As he spoke, he noticed a figure standing further along the street over Hawk's shoulder. He guessed it was Hunter, and wasn't overly surprised that the boy wasn't coming to join them.

Hawk's eyes grew round as he listened. "Actually, that would be perfect." He pulled out a folded-up paper from his satchel and opened it to reveal a map with a few red lines and arrows scrawled on it. "I've been told there's a city on the other side of the mountain range, and right here is a hidden pass that's safe enough to get us past."
He folded the map back up. "We will all be heading together. --Which means, we need to get everybody together." Hawk looked around, quickly spotting his brother idling down the street. He waved him over, then turned back to Adder. "There we go. So you'll be getting horses?"

A dissatisfied look on his face, Hunter approached the group but didn't join the conversation. The red-haired girl was still on his mind, so he glanced down the street once and awhile.

'Sounds good to me,' said Adder. 'And yes, I am. But we don't all need to go for that. Unless anyone wants to come with me, I'm going up to the stable on my own. We won't be ready to travel up the mountain for at least an hour or two, so...'

'Maybe we should think about getting something to eat,' suggested Layla, with a small shrug. 'It's been a while since breakfast.'

----

Across the other side of the village, Cherry left her aunt's home and set off along the main street, lost in thought. //I guess I'd better go and get some food...// She was heading towards a small cafe when she noticed, quite unexpectedly, a group of people standing on the streetside. Hunter was among them. Eyes widening, she ducked her head and walked past them, hoping not to be noticed.

Hunter sent another backwards glance, just in time to catch a glimpse of red hair. //There she is..!!//

"Hunter and I can buy provisions for our trip," Hawk volunteered.

Hunter whipped around. "But--"

"--And Zekra and Layla can go back to the tavern and order some lunch for us all. The food should be ready by the time the three of us have gotten what we need. I'll buy jackets, blankets, and other attire to keep us warm while I'm at it."

"You get those; I'll buy the food," Hunter interjected suddenly before sprinting off down the street. //Dammit! Where'd she go?//

Zekra saluted. "Can do! Whaddya think sounds good, Layla?"

Adder narrowed his eyes as Hunter suddenly charged off, not sure whether to be annoyed or amused. 'Alright, so we all know what we're doing.' He nodded to Hawk. 'Good luck getting whatever we need.' He turned and continued up the streetside, in the same direction as Hunter but not trying to follow him; he was heading for the stable around the corner.

'...Well, they're gone,' Layla muttered. She glanced up at Zekra. 'Let's go and see what's available.'

----

Cherry was almost to the cafe when she heard heavy footsteps pounding up the street behind her. She stiffened and thought about running into the nearest open building, but restrained the urge. //Nobody's going to attack me or anything in the middle of the village in broad daylight,// she berated herself.

She turned to see who it was, and got a shock when she recognised Hunter. //Has he been following me?!//

"You too," Hawk said before turning and heading his own direction. //I think I saw a fur shop this way...//

"Yeah! Food sounds really good right about now," Zekra commented as she trotted toward the tavern. After they entered, she found a table and let Layla climb off. She snatched up a menu and sifted through it. "Let's hope the boys get back before the meal is finished, or we'll get roasted for not having money," she joked nonchalantly.

---

Hunter's eyes widened when the girl's green eyes met his. "Wait!" he shouted, running nearer.

'Well, let's not order anything for a few minutes, to give them more time to finish their errands,' replied Layla, smirking weakly at the centaur's remark. She picked up a menu of her own and scanned it. 'They do some nice food here...'

----

Adder glanced over his shoulder to make sure the others had left, then increased his pace. When he spotted the stable a little off the road up ahead, he hurried through the gate and looked around.

It wasn't a large place, but he could see several stable boxes, about half of which had horses in them. //Guess I'd better find someone to talk to,// he thought and started to look around for the stable owner. As he passed by the row of stables, a piebald stallion eyed him curiously and gave a snort of greeting.

----

Cherry was frozen to the spot and couldn't have run if she wanted to, but managed to say, 'What do you want? Why have you been following me all this time?' A look of terrible realisation came over her face, and she stammered, 'Y-you're not working with HIM, are you?'

Zekra nodded before she buried herself in the menu again, finding satisfaction in just reading the names of the food items.

---

"Welcome!" a male voice called out to Adder. A bald man approached in an apron and with a brush in his hand. "You aren't from around here. What can I do for you?"

---

Hawk wandered into a shop with racks and mannequins covered with fur coats, scarves, and everything else. Hardly bothering to be picky, the boy grabbed several coats until they were heaped in his arms, blocking his vision. "Sheesh... Shoulda got the horses first. I can't carry all this."

---

Hunter came to a halt in front of Cherry and took a moment to catch his breath before saying, "We're leaving tomorrow. You should come with us."

Layla tried to think of something interesting to talk about. She wasn't exactly used to being in someone else's presence and not talking.

----

Adder turned to the stranger and inclined his head in greeting. 'Hey. I'm looking to buy or loan some horses for me and my friends to travel through the mountains.'

----

'Wait, what?' Cherry exclaimed. 'We - we don't even know each other! You can't...' She trailed off and stared at him with new understanding. 'You know something, don't you? About me and why I'm here. That's why you've been trying so hard to spy on me.'

The caretaker raised his brows. "Now, that's quite a trip! If it's a one-way journey, you might as well buy the horses. This way." He led Adder toward a part of the stables with horses which looked more fit for mountain climbing. A couple of them watched Adder curiously. "Where are you coming from?"

---

"Um..." //More like I'm lonely and attracted to red-heads...// He rubbed his neck. "You could say that. But listen. Past the mountains, there's a safe haven that's unknown to most. You'll be safe there, and it'll be best if you travel with others."

'We're from Trundale,' Adder replied, then got distracted by one of the horses stretching its head out of the stable to sniff at him. It was a chestnut, too small for him but possibly suitable for Hawk or Hunter. 'We'll be needing at least three horses. How much would that be?'

----

Cherry hesitated. //That doesn't explain why you want me to come with you...// 'I-I guess I could, if you and your friends don't mind me being there. But why do you care about helping me? If you really were eavesdropping on me earlier...' Her eyes narrowed slightly. 'then you know I might be being followed by someone dangerous. He could hurt you... or kill you.'

"Trundale, eh? You must be tough travelers." The man stroked his chin in consideration as he eyed the chestnut. "For three, it'll cost you [insert amount here]. Of course, I'm willing to humour you if that's a troublesome price. As part of the package, I'll give you their blankets for free."

---

//She's probably dramatizing this guy's reputation,// Hunter mused, tempted to roll his eyes. "We have some things in common. We're both from Trundale. We're on the run. And we need somewhere safe to go. I think it's a good move to stand together. Besides, we're a tough group. You'd be safe with us." He opened his arms, indicating to himself.

Adder thought about the money given to him by the doctor. //I've got enough, but I won't have any left afterwards. Guess Hawk and Hunter will have to make more if we need any.//

'Sounds fine to me,' he said to the man. 'And thank you.' He looked up and down the row of stable boxes, inspecting the different horses. 'If it's alright, I'll take those ones...' He pointed out the small chestnut, a dappled grey, and a larger bay-coloured stallion.

----

'W-well... Maybe you're right,' Cherry sighed, still hesitant to trust him, but realising what he said made sense. She closed her eyes for a moment while she considered. When she next opened them, there was a hint of new determination in the green orbs. 'I'll go with you and your group. But I don't know if I can be of any help to you.'

(We should think up a name for the currency. XD)

(Pegos

First word that came to mind)

(I don't like that as much though. Maybe give your suggestion and we'll combine them. XD)

(Uhhh
I usually name my world currencies after different metals and gemstones, but altering the name slightly. Like in my main fantasy world, the currency is Emeras (from Emerald).
This isn't much help, but I don't normally make up currencies. XD)

"Very well. You've got yourself a deal." The stable owner attached leads to each of the selected horses and led them out. "Be strong, girls and boys," he murmured, patting their muzzles, before handing the reins to Adder with a nod. "Good luck."

---

Hunter grinned. "Nah, don't worry about that. I'm sure they'll like you." He glanced around. "Right now I'm headed to buy provisions for our trip. You wanna come with?"

(Oooh that's cool! The currency here is probably silver, so something like Slivens. Dunno)

Adder dug the correct amount of money out of his coat pocket and handed it to the man. Then he took the reins of the three horses, keeping the large bay on one side and the smaller horses on the other. 'Thanks,' he said. 'We'll take good care of them.'

He set off out of the stable and back onto the village street, leading the animals behind him. 'Now time to find the others,' he muttered to himself, causing the chestnut to stare at him oddly.

----

Cherry nodded quickly. 'Sure. I have a little money left over, since as I was on my way to get lunch. I can help you buy whatever you need. Besides, if I'm coming too, we'll need more provisions...'

(Hm...
Sliverns
Silverns
Silvars
Silvents
Silvs
Silvos
Silavins
Silerps
Silvops
Silvepps
I should stop now.)

(I gotta go for a bit, I'l reply later!)

(Woah. XD That's helpful though, thanks!
Alright then!)

Hawk emerged from a store ahead of Adder, his arms so full of coats and scarves that he couldn't see ahead of him. He walked straight until he spotted several shapes moving his way from the corner of his eyes. "Oh, Adder! You got horses!" Of course, once he turned to greet him, his vision became blocked by the load.

---

Hunter crossed his arms loosely as he began to walk, assuming he knew which way to go. "I've got plenty enough to afford it all. I can pay for your share, too--you're low on money, right?" He raised a brow down at Cherry.

Adder smirked slightly at the sight of Hawk carrying an armful of clothing almost bigger than he was, but didn't say anything. 'Here, give me some of that. I'll carry it and take two of the horses. You can take the chestnut horse. I bought that one because it's the smallest they had, and you're the shortest,' he added, with a great amount of tact.

----

Cherry flushed slightly. 'Well, I don't have a great deal of money,' she said almost too quietly to hear. 'But it's fine. If you want to pay for it all, I won't stop you.' She fell into step beside him, glancing around as the village began to fill up with early afternoon shopping crowds.

"Huh. How considerate," Hawk mumbled sarcastically as he shoved his load up on to the horse's back.

"We should find Hunter then head back for lunch."

---

Hunter approached the first food store he spotted and opened the door for Cherry. "I just remembered: my group's about to gather at the tavern for lunch. You're welcome to join us then," he offered. "You can save your own money that way."

'Probably,' he agreed. 'Though somehow I can't imagine Hunter's finished with the shopping yet.' He mimicked Hawk by tying the bundle of supplies onto the large bay horse's saddle, then tugged on the reins of both horses to urge them forwards.

'We could maybe go to the tavern and wait for him. I think there's room to tie the horses up outside.'

----

'Sure,' Cherry replied, feeling slightly more at ease with this almost-stranger. She went into the food store. 'If you don't mind me asking, who is in your group? I saw you talking outside the doctor's office, but I didn't stop to stare or anything.'

(Gonna be pretty inactive the rest of the day)

"Yeah, let's do that," Hawk said gratefully as he followed alongside the horses. "I can't feel my feet."

---

Hunter took his eyes off the food displays to blink at Cherry. "Oh, you saw?" he mumbled quietly, then cleared his throat. "There's my brother Hawk, a centaur, a blockheaded assassin, and his sick sister." He added under his breath, "I've been hoping to ditch the latter two once the girl's better."

(That's alright, it's getting kind of late here anyway.)

Adder set off back towards the tavern. 'I'm guessing you and Hunter know how to ride?'

----

Cherry's eyes widened a little. 'An assassin? That doesn't sound like a very good idea...' She reached up to one of the shelves and pulled down a small loaf of bread and some canned fruit. //Am I going to be any safer travelling with a group of strangers and an assassin, than I am running away from HIM on my own...?//

Hawk blinked up at Adder, and it took him a moment to reply. "Nope." He chuckled awkwardly and scratched his neck. "We've ridden Zekra, but that's different because she has a different kind of mind." He watched the chestnut mare beside him. "I'm not sure how horses think and behave."

---

"It's nothing to worry about; he acts tough, but he's an idiot and is afraid of hurting others," Hunter reassured. He began to grab random packages foods and shoved them in a basket. "So who's this person after you?"

'I haven't done it in a few years,' said Adder. 'It's simple enough. If I ride in front with Zekra and Layla, your horses will just follow mine.' He spotted the tavern just ahead, along with a series of wooden posts about six feet high that the horses could be tied to. Someone else's horse was already there, eyeing them curiously as Adder walked over and secured the reins of his two animals firmly to the posts.

----

Cherry bit her lip. 'I'm not sure if I should say,' she said uncertainly. 'He's... someone I used to work with. My boss, I suppose. But we didn't see eye-to-eye, and I didn't agree with the things he did. Last night I waited until he wasn't looking and rode away as fast as I could. I don't know whether he'll actually follow me or not.'

Hawk nodded slowly. "That sounds easy enough..." He mimicked Adder and tied his horse to a pole, then headed into the tavern.

Zekra noticed the two return and waved from the table. "We ordered food! It should be here soon!"

---

"Your boss?" He carried the basket toward the cashier. "What kind do work did you do that was so bad you had to run away?"

Adder checked the horses one more time before following Hawk into the tavern. He lifted a hand in greeting. 'That's great. We're still waiting for that unreliable lump who was supposed to be buying provisions, though.'

----

'I...' Cherry stopped and cast a hunted look around the shop. 'I'll tell you more about it when we're on the road. This really isn't the place.'

Hawk have Adder a slight frown as he chose a spot at the table. "I'm sure he's doing his job, just taking his time."

Zekra smirked. "Well, if he is goofing off, we'll start without him."

---

"Huh. Alright." After purchasing their items, Hunter led them back outside and to the tavern. "Those must be ours," he noted aloud when he saw the horses parked in front.

Layla looked like she didn't know whether to be amused or disapproving, and eventually opted to say nothing and watch the bartender working instead.

Adder took his usual spot at the table and gazed towards the door. 'We'll see,' he said simply. It wasn't clear whether he was responding to Hawk's statement or Zekra's.

----

'Yes... and that's mine,' said Cherry, pointing out the fourth horse, the one that had already been there when Adder and Hawk arrived. It was a small palomino mare. 'I'm glad now that I decided to ride from Trundale instead of walking.'

Hunter eyed Cherry's horse as they passed it. "That would've been smart," he murmured, more concerning his own group than Cherry. He beckoned her toward the entrance and approached the group, though he slowed when he began to consider how they would react.

Hawk's eyes lit up. "Hunter, you're back! And...?" His eyes settled on the red-head behind him.

Cherry flinched slightly at the sight of the large group of people sitting at the table, moving back behind Hunter as if he might protect her. 'Cherry,' she murmured. 'I was... um... invited to join your group. When you travel through the mountains, that is.'

Adder didn't seem too surprised, or angry, at seeing the new arrival. 'Is that why you took so long?' he asked Hunter, raising an eyebrow. 'You were off picking up girls?'

Hunter's face reddened. "It's not what you think. She needs help."

"Wait a minute," Hawk broke in, voice thoughtful, "Your name is Cherry, right? That Armin guy mentioned you; he said you were from Trundale, too."

'Help with what?' Adder questioned, but was cut off by Cherry's response.

'I know, I met Armin yesterday, when I first came here,' she said. 'I didn't know he was going to tell everyone I was here, though... And yes, I am from Trundale. But I'm not going back there again.' She met Hawk's gaze with a surprisingly determined one.

"Since she needs a safe place to go, I've invited her to join us on our trip through the mountains," Hunter asserted after Cherry had finished.

"Another traveling partner would be awesome!" Zekra remarked.

Hawk watched the girl momentarily. "I don't see why we shouldn't let her. Nothing to lose in greater numbers." He then looked to Adder, waiting for his opinion.

Adder was silent until he realised Hunter was waiting for him to speak. He shrugged and said, 'I'm not the leader here, but I don't have a problem with her. As long as Hunter knows she's trustworthy.'

Cherry eyed each member of the group in turn, deciding that Zekra would probably be the most welcoming towards her. When her gaze fell on Adder, she felt suspicion rise up in her. //He must be the assassin Hunter warned me about...// she realised, aware of the half-concealed knives he carried and his dark clothing.

Relieved that no conflict had arisen, Hunter gave Cherry a "There you have it" smile, then set an example by sitting down at the table.
At just the right time, the cooks returned with the group's meal. Zekra and Layla had ordered a soup and bread buffet which was served in a pot and basket, making it easy for everyone to share - and it was easy on the cooks.

Zekra opened her mouth to start a conversation, but before she could, Hawk turned to Cherry. "So you'll be traveling with us through the mountains? We'll need to make a stop at a certain place while we're up there, if that's alright with you. Hopefully, there'll be no trouble while we're at it."

Hunter frowned. //What place? I thought we were just passing through.//

Cherry looked around for an empty chair, saw none, and dragged one over from a different table. 'That's fine by me,' she said quietly as she joined the group.

Layla glanced across at Cherry with a hint of a sympathetic smile. 'I suppose it's pretty sudden, you getting dragged into our problems.'

Cherry shook her head, avoiding eye contact with Layla as she investigated the meal. 'It's fine,' she repeated. 'I really don't mind. And it was my choice to come.'

Adder didn't bother getting involved in any conversation, instead focusing his attention on digging into the food with relish.

(Should we timeskip to morning?)

(It's only midday. XD But I guess we should if there's nothing else for them to do today.)

(That's true, but I don't have anything for them to do. :P)

(Unless you've got something to do for them, I'm gonna post this...)

Clouds covered the morning sky as the group of misfits traveled up the mountainside. The twins, bundled in coats and scarves, each had their own horse, and Zekra carried Layla on her back.
Snow and gravel crunched under hooves as Hawk glanced back once more to see the town they had left behind. "I hope this was a good idea," he murmured.

Zekra clopped along giddily and hummed a tune to herself. "Mmm~ eighty-nine bottles of milk on the wall, eighty-nine bottles of milk..."

Adder urged his horse on to join the front of the group, getting a better view of the road ahead. The mountain trail was steep and rocky, making it slow going for the horses, their hooves unable to properly grip the unstable surface. It also grew colder the further they climbed up the mountainside.

Cherry kept her small palomino mare beside Hunter's horse. She had been quiet all morning, barely saying a word of greeting when she came down for breakfast. Now she said, 'I'm curious, Hunter. If you don't enjoy travelling with these people, why have you come so far with them? It's a long way from Trundale to here, yet you came all this way...'

Hawk looked over to Adder. "How often do we need to stop - that is, for the sake of the horses? Do they need to eat and drink often?"

Hunter was watching the landscape move by until Cherry spoke. He watched her a moment, then turned to the landscape again. "I haven't much of a choice. My brother and I have always stayed together. He wants to help these people, so I can only follow along." He tossed her a glance. "It's good to have somebody on this trip who doesn't hate me."

Adder considered. 'They seem pretty tough. And since as WE'LL probably have to stop occasionally to eat and drink, they can at the same time.' He watched the back of his horse's head as it ambled along the mountain trail.

A hint of a smile flickered over Cherry's face, then it was gone. 'Well, I'm not too happy at having to travel with an assassin either,' she admitted quietly. 'Even if he's only a FORMER assassin... it reminds me of what my old boss used to do.'

The boy nodded. "Makes sense. Hopefully we'll get to the doctor's--err, witch doctor's--before we need to stop. Did anybody tell you his exact location?"

"He was an assassin, too?" Hunter guessed. "Or murderer. No wonder you didn't like your job. I can't imagine you killing anyone - you're too sweet and quiet," he said jokingly.

"Eighty-four bottles of milk on the wall..."

'No,' said Adder. 'I think I remember them saying it was a cave. We'll just have to look out for him on the climb up.'

Cherry blushed slightly at the compliment, then sobered. 'I didn't like to think of him as a murderer,' she said, staring thoughtfully at the path in front of her. 'I always liked to believe he'd change... that /I/ could do something to change him. But in the end, I had to tell myself it was no use trying any more.'

"I guess so. It'll be hard to spot a cave..." hawk squinted at their surroundings skeptically. "Couldn't imagine living here at all."

"Huh... What kind of guy was he? Sounds pretty horrible to me," Hunter grunted.

'Well, it's not like he came up here by choice,' said Adder. 'The villagers drove him up here a few years ago.'

Cherry looked like she didn't want to answer, but did anyway. 'He was a criminal,' she said quietly. 'A criminal boss. He had a lot of other people under his command, but I was the one closest to him. He always ordered ME to do the most horrible things. But I'm just glad I had the chance to run away.'

(I almost feel like there should be some random bad guys to attack them right about now.)

"Yeesh... Doesn't sound like the best kind of guy to go to for healing," Hawk remarked anxiously.

Hunter watched Cherry. "What a bastard. Glad you ran away from him. And there's no need to worry about him getting at you--I'll protect you," he said with a heroic grin.

"...Take one down, pass it around... Oh look, a bandit... Where was I? Seventy-eight bottles of milk on the wall..."

"Wait, what??" Hunter yelped. Before he had even finished his exclamation, a dozen men swarmed out from behind rocks. They fanned out and created a circle around the travelers, their bows, swords, and spears raised offensively. The attackers were disguised in jackets and scarves, but it was obvious they were mountain bandits.
Hawk's mount reared up in a panic, nearly sending him toppling off.

(Lol as you wish)

Cherry shrieked more out of surprise than fear as the bandits circled them. Her horse started to back up as quickly as it could, snorting in warning, while Cherry herself gazed at the scene helplessly, too shocked to do anything.

Adder reacted faster. As soon as he heard Hunter's exclamation, he drew two knives and leapt off his horse's back, landing in front of a bow-carrying bandit and running the man through with a quick lunging blow. However, this left him open to attack from other assailants. He cursed quietly and started to back away, but the narrowness of the mountain path hampered his progress.

(XD)

"Ahhh, what do you want?" Zekra screamed, even though she likely wouldn't get an answer. She scrambled to retrieve her staff, failing to notice an opponent approaching from behind.

A bandit lashed toward Hawk's chestnut mare with a dagger, causing her to rear up again and finally send Hawk toppling into the snow with an "Oof!"

Hunter grasped his horse's reins before it could pull off a similar move, instead steering it into a bandit who was preparing to release an arrow his way.

One bandit snatched the reins of Adder's abandoned stallion while another ran past him and swiped his cutlass toward Adder with a roar.

'I don't think they're going to talk to you!' Layla gasped as she hung onto Zekra's back. Determined to be something other than deadweight, she focused on the bandit coming up behind them and loosed a small blast of wind magic his way, enough to knock him off-balance.

Cherry threw a worried glance at Hawk, hesitated, then forced her mare over to him. She jumped out of the saddle and grabbed his arm to pull him to his feet. 'You OK?' she shouted over the noise.

Seeing the bandit aiming a slash at him, Adder parried the blow on one of his knives, then swung the other knife towards his attacker's neck. Behind him, unnoticed, his stallion reared back wildly in an attempt to get rid of its captor.

'How did we not notice these people BEFORE they jumped out at us?!' Layla shouted, not really expecting an answer.

"I noticed them!" Zekra remarked as she looked about aimlessly. She spotted the man Layla had set off-balance and lifted a hoof to give him a good kick in the rear.

"I-I'm fine!" Hawk gasped, spluttering snow. He searched for his horse, but she had been herded off by one of the bandits. "There are too many of them! We can't fight back!"

After trampling his opponent, Hunter wheeled his horse about. He caught a flash of the stolen chestnut. Whipping his reins, the teen raced after the bandit.

"Hunter, don't!" Hawk shouted. //What's going on? I can't make sense of anything! We're gonna lose at this rate!//

One bandit, undetected, rushed up and wrapped an arm around Cherry's neck and dragged her toward the edge of the battle grounds.

Adder fought his way through a knot of enemies, amassing several minor cuts and wounds, but ignoring them. He couldn't seem to figure out how many there were. //They're either looking to steal our money or our horses,// he thought, then caught sight of the bandit making off with Hawk's horse, and Hunter charging after him. //He'll have to fend for himself,// he thought grimly as more assailants tried to surround him.

Striking out with his knives, he used wind manipulation to throw two of the bandits over the side of the mountain. 'Keep together!' he shouted to the others, not knowing if they'd actually hear him. 'There aren't as many as you think!'

Layla heard a shriek from further down the trail, and looked around desperately to see Cherry being dragged back by another bandit. 'Zekra!' she exclaimed, hitting the centaur's shoulder to get her attention and then pointing towards Cherry.

While the girls seemed to miss Adder's warning, Hawk scrambled to Adder's side and summoned his crossbow. Now that he considered the assassin's remark, there were not as many bandits as it had first appeared to him. He raised his weapon and shot two advancing men, then searched for others.

Zekra whipped around and pounded after Cherry without a second thought. From their angle, Cherr was blocking the kidnapper, although she could still see his head. She reached for her dart blower, aimed quickly, and fired. By a miracle, the dart struck the bandit's neck, and he toppled lifelessly to the ground.
"You okay?" the centaur breathed.

Adder shot a glance at Hawk as the boy ran over to him and fired at the bandits. They both fell, struck down by the crossbow bolts. 'Everyone still alive?' he asked, raising his twin knives threateningly as one of their assailants started towards him. The man hesitated, then charged at Adder with a yell, swinging a short sword.

Cherry gasped, leaning over and taking a few shaky breaths before managing to answer. 'I-I'm OK,' she said. Looking up, she realised that both Hawk's horse and Hunter were nowhere to be seen. 'I just wish I could be more helpful.'

Hawk scanned the battle grounds to find that many of their attackers had fallen or were fleeing. "We're gonna make it," he gasped. When he detected Adder's opponent, he instinctively fired his crossbow, nailing the bandit.

"Now's not the time to be remorseful! Layla, hang on!" Zekra reared up and kicked at a bandit armed with two knives, getting a few cuts before she knocked him down. "Just hang in there a moment longer, Cherry!"

There were a couple bandits who seemed reluctant to abandon the fight, but the rest were fleeing.

Adder raised a hand to Hawk in thanks, then ran further up the mountain trail to attack the single remaining bandit he could see. After a brief struggle, he managed to get past his opponent's guard and slash him across the throat. The bandit fell backwards, but with his dying breath he threw his sword at Adder, the blade slicing deeply into the assassin's forearm, despite his efforts to dodge it.

'Is that all of them?' Layla asked breathlessly after Zekra kicked the other bandit aside, not noticing her brother was injured.

'Where's Hunter? He's not coming back,' said Cherry, looking around with a worried expression.

Hawk was panting for breath as he watched the group slowly regather. "I can't believe this," he murmured. "We're a wreck."

Zekra, although worn, punched the air once. "We lived," she breathed. "Uh-oh. Adder looks hurt." She watched the assassin as he returned.

From the opposite side of the path, heavy clopping could be heard as Hunter arrived on his horse. Beside him was Hawk's chestnut mare, its reins in his hand. There was a deep score from his chest to his shoulder, but thanks to his thick coat, it hadn't gone any deeper.

"Hunter! You got her back!" his brother realized.

Hunter's voice was hollow when he replied. "But they got away with your things. That's your provisions and blankets."

Looking shaken but relieved, Cherry remounted her horse and held tightly to the reins in an effort to make her hands stop trembling. Layla was gazing at the scene from atop Zekra's back, unsure what to say, her opinion mirroring Hawk's.

When she heard Hawk talking to his brother, Cherry looked up quickly. 'Hunter! Y-you're... OK?' she said uncertainly.

Adder came quickly down the mountain trail, stumbling a little. He'd sheathed his knives and had the end of his threadbare scarf in his hand, which he pressed against his arm to staunch the bleeding. 'They stole our provisions?' he repeated. 'That's not good.'

Layla eyed him with concern as he approached.

"Just mine," Hawk corrected Adder before suggesting, "Maybe we should find somewhere to rest and dress our wounds." He watched Adder and his brother worriedly.

Hunter eyed Cherry, briefly wondering whether or not he really was OK. Not trusting himself to stay in his saddle, he dismounted and leaned against his horse's shoulder. holding the chestnut's reins loosely in one hand while the other clutched his forearm. "...I'll be fine. We should stop somewhere, though."

"AGHH!'" Zekra screamed suddenly. "THERE'S AN ARROW IN MY BUTT!!" The centaur shuffled in a circle, trying to glimpse the projectile protruding from her right thigh.

'Good idea,' agreed Adder. 'And if the rest of us still have our supplies, I think we'll be alright, as long as we're careful.' He winced slightly as a spike of pain shot through his arm, but tried to hide it.

Cherry watched Hunter with concern. 'Are you sure you're not hurt?' she asked tentatively.

Layla nearly jumped out of her skin at Zekra's exclamation. 'How did you not notice that until now?' she sighed when she realised what was wrong. Twisting around, she gripped the shaft of the arrow and quickly pulled it out before Zekra had time to react.

Hawk scratched his head as he observed their surroundings. "...Maybe we can find a cave or outcropping somewhere. At least to get out of the wind."

Hunter gestured to the deep cut across his chest, surrounded by a dark stain. "Sure I'm hurt, but I can't do anything about it right now." Teeth clenched, he pushed himself onto his own two feet and began to lead both horses toward Adder and Hawk. "Let's get a move on before they regroup."

Zekra crossed her arms. "Well, everything was happening so fast I couldn't possib--YAA! That hurt!" she yelled, twisting back to see that Layla had pulled it out. "Oh... thanks, Layla."

Layla rolled her eyes. 'At least it's out now. And I think Hawk's right.' Raising her voice so the whole group would hear, she added: 'I can see a fissure in the rocks up ahead. It looks just wide enough for us to go inside... Maybe we can check that out?'

Adder crossed over to stand beside them. 'Did I just hear something about arrows and butts?'

Meanwhile, Cherry sat hunched over on her horse's back, still shaken. She didn't reply to Hunter, but kept glancing at him every few moments, worriedly eyeing the gash across his chest, and wondering how he'd managed to get such a nasty injury in the short time they'd been separated.

"Let's head up there," Hawk said in reply to Layla. He approached his brother and took the horses' reins. "You can rest in a bit; just hang in there," he murmured worriedly. Hunter said nothing but followed silently. //Curse this all... We're pathetic.//

Despite the obnoxious throbbing where the arrow had been, Zekra burst out in snorting laughter at Adder's question. "That sounds sooo weird coming from you!"

'What? Because I said the word 'butt'?' Adder replied, half-incredulous, half-amused. 'It's a perfectly normal word.'

'How's your arm?' Layla asked her brother, leaning over the centaur's side to get a look.

'It's alright. Not too deep.'

(Short reply whoops)

(Maybe because you're up so late? XD)

Zekra snorted in amusement again, then waved him off. "Let's just head inside and get cleaned up."

Hawk led the way up to the fissure Layla had spotted. Instead of entering it, he paused to tie the horses' reins to a tree as close to the shelter as possible. "Hopefully this will do," he mumbled.

Hunter was the first inside. The fissure was barely wide enough for him to walk through, but as he progressed, the tunnel grew wider until he was standing in what was undoubtedly a cave. Not bothering to wander any further, he sank down and sat on a boulder. He clutched his chest beneath the gash, willing the throbbing to stop.

(It was actually because my dad wanted me off the computer, I just sneaked on to write something while he was out the room. XD)

Cherry swung herself down from her horse and tied it outside next to everyone else's, before cautiously stepping into the cave. 'I never would have guessed this was here,' she murmured. 'It looks so small from the outside...'

Layla climbed off Zekra as they approached the fissure, as it was too narrow to guarantee that they'd be able to squeeze through at once. She limped inside, holding onto the wall for support.

Adder glanced around as he entered. 'Looks safe enough,' he said, before sitting down on another flat boulder opposite Hunter. 'Who's the worst injured here?' As he spoke, he withdrew a cigarette from somewhere in his coat and lit it nonchalantly.

(Lol XDD)

"You two have the worst of it," Hawk said to Adder and Hunter as he came in. "Although, Adder, you hardly seem phased... Nevertheless, why not both of you take off your jackets and shirts so we can tend to those wounds?"

There was a long moment of dramatically-loud scratching and scrabbling before Zekra popped in and collapsed onto the cave floor. "Ugh! I can't believe I actually fit. But if we eat in here, I'll never get back out." The centaur pushed herself to her feet. "I don't need to bandage mine; the bleeding's already stopped."

"Not like you can just bandage your butt," Hunter mumbled under his breath. He shed his layers down to his bare back, revealing the bloody cut across his chest. He grimaced at the sight. //How did I just let that happen?//

Cherry winced as she noticed Hunter's wound. She looked around for another boulder to sit on, saw none, and settled herself down gingerly on the rocky floor. 'That looks bad,' she remarked. 'Do we have things to clean and bandage all of these injuries?'

Adder pulled off his long overcoat, shook it out and lay it over the boulder he was sitting on. It made an audible /clunk/ as it landed. Underneath the coat, he was wearing a short-sleeved wool shirt that left the wound in his right arm clearly visible. It was a deep cut, stretching almost from his wrist to his elbow.

'I still think Hunter ended up the worst,' he commented as he examined it.

'Are you joking?' said Layla. 'That looks nasty. You should be more careful.'

Hunter looked tiredly to Cherry and shrugged. He paused, then stared down at his hands. "...What about you?"

"Ewww. That's really deep," Zekra commented on Adder's wound, sticking her tongue out.
"Does it really matter who got it the worst? I'm mainly concerned about whether you guys will be alright," Hawk said.
When he overheard Cherry's question, he stepped outside and shortly returned with one of the bags that had been fastened to Hunter's saddle. "We have rags and cloth. We can wet the rags with drinking water to clean the wounds, then bind them with the cloth." He handed a handful of the materials to Adder, then brought the rest over to Hunter to help him.

Adder nodded absently in thanks and used the supplies to clean his wound as best as he was able. When he came to bandaging it, however, he quickly noticed a problem. 'Hey, can someone give me a hand here? I mean literally. I only have one.'

Cherry didn't hear him; she was watching Hawk and Hunter, still concerned about how severe Hunter's injury was. After a second of hesitation, she crossed the cave to sit on the floor near the brothers, in case they wanted her help with anything.

Layla glanced at Zekra to make sure she was all right, then hobbled over to Adder's side to help him with his injured arm. 'We all look like we've just come off a huge battlefield,' she commented quietly.

Hawk cleaned Hunter's wounds without provoking too many complaints from him, then bandaged him up. "If moving your arm hurts your shoulder, we'll need to give you a sling. In other words, don't overdo yourself," Hawk warned.

Hunter grumbled in return, then shivered. "At least let me get a coat on first." He reached for his coat, but when he lifted it up, he found himself staring through the tear left in it. Muttering a string of curses, he dropped it and rubbed his forearms.

"Cherry," Hawk said, meeting her gaze momentarily, "You think you could grab two coats for Hunter and Adder? Since their old ones are damaged."

Zekra came up behind Layla and peered over her shoulder to see how she was doing with Adder's wound. "You were an assassin, right? Is that why you seem kinda chill about all this?"

Cherry nodded quickly and hurried off to search through the bags of spare clothes they'd brought.

With practised ease, Layla tied up the assassin's arm with the bandages. Without looking over her shoulder at Zekra, she moved back and sat on the cave floor, leaning against the flat boulder.

'I don't know,' said Adder in response to Zekra's enquiry. 'I've just never been bothered by little things like this.' Just then, Cherry came running back across the cave with two spare coats. As she passed by Adder, she tossed the longer one to him without looking at the assassin directly. He caught it with a mumble of thanks and pulled it on, before starting to take everything out the pockets of his old coat and stuffing them into the pockets of the new one.

Cherry approached Hunter uncertainly and handed him the other garment, not sure how much of a bad mood he was in.

"-That- is little? You must've seen a lot in your life," Zekra said with a sarcastic smirk. As Cherry returned, she began to wander deeper into the cave.

Hunter looked up at Cherry when she approached, his expression unreadable. Then he gave a grateful nod and accepted the coat. After bundling himself in it, he held as still as possible, figuring out a way to breathe without agitating his injury.

Hawk stood and shifted over to the girl's side. "Sorry for his change in mood," he murmured remorsefully. "I think he's humiliated about everything that happened. He might also be upset with himself that the bandits got away with my baggage."

"Uhh, hey guys?" Zekra's voice sounded from down the tunnel. "Somebody's singing."

Adder and Layla watched Zekra disappearing into the darkness without comment. After a moment, Adder lit another cigarette and stuck it between his teeth, drawing on it deeply before blowing a stream of smoke up towards the top of the cave.

'Oh, it's fine,' said Cherry quickly, looking down. 'Maybe I understand how he feels... And I'm sorry about your supplies.'

Then they all glanced around in surprise at the sound of Zekra's voice. 'What...?' Layla muttered, trying to see the centaur, but the shadows obscured her vision. 'Did she just say someone's SINGING?'

Adder followed her gaze. Without saying anything or removing the cigarette from his mouth, he withdrew a knife using his good hand and stood up.

Zekra's voice continued to ring from below. "Yeah. It's not the wind; 'least, I never knew the wind could sing 'The Riddle Song.' It smells like smoke too."

"Who would be back here singing?" Hawk mumbled. Hurriedly, he fished through Hunter's bag and retrieved a flashlight. "Thank heaven the town wasn't too old-fashioned to sell these." He flicked the light on, then wandered cautiously down the tunnel until his light found the zebra centaur. Then he heard it; a voice, low and drawling, murmured from far off like a distant brook.
"She's right," he breathed, loud enough for the group to hear.

Hunter stayed put, watching the others with a baffled scowl.

Cherry hung back next to Hunter. Layla also stayed where she was, not trusting herself to be able to walk even as far as the back of the cave without falling over. Adder, however, followed the others until he too could hear the distant drone of an unfamiliar voice, echoing off the walls. Whoever it was, they were so far away that even Hawk's flashlight with its powerful, long-reaching beam couldn't see any hint of a figure in the confines of the cave.

//Who would live up here like this?// he thought. Then an unpleasant realisation came to him. 'Uh, I don't want to scare anyone, but that old witch doctor supposedly lives in a cave in these mountains. Could that be...?'

"Please don't say that," Hawk moaned, obviously spooked. He watched whatever came into his flashlight's beam, but he couldn't see any movement. "It might be dangerous to walk in like this... Though, if he's what we came for..."

Zekra eyed those who stayed put thoughtfully, then approached Layla and nudged her. "Hey, you should come with us. It'll be a scary adventure! Besides, if the witch guy is really there, then you can get healed."

Adder shrugged as he came up beside them. 'What's the worst that could happen? He's just a creepy old man living by himself in a cave. There's...' He glanced back and did a quick headcount. 'Six of us and only one of him.'

Layla thought about it, then nodded and climbed to her feet. 'Let's go and look, then,' she said in a long-suffering tone. 'If only to stop them from walking off and getting themselves killed.'

Cherry eyed them both, then cautiously ventured forth into the dark of the cave. Halfway between the two groups, she hesitated and looked back at Hunter. 'A-are you coming...?'

((Like before, I'll be gone Tuesday and Thursday for the next three weeks, so don't expect activity from me then)

Hawk had to agree with Adder's reasoning. "I suppose we're going in, then."

Hunter looked like he was about to refuse, but then he stopped himself. He chewed his lip before finally rising and following.

Zekra giggled excitedly as she helped Layla onto her back, then turned and fell into line behind Adder and Hawk.

As they progressed, the singing become louder and clearer. Hawk could hear the words by then: "I gave my love a cherry, that had no stone~... I gave my love a chicken, that had no bone~..."

Hawk inmedietaly regretted taking the lead on the fear that if something jumped out, he would be the first victim, but he refused to surrender the flashlight. Thus, he continued first down the dark tunnel. But right when they should've found something, the cave ended. The stone walls curved in abruptly--but there was a dark form there, too. Heart leaping, Hawk raised the flashlight to see... a door.

"The heck?" He moved the beam over the blockade. It appeared as though a wooden door had randomly been inserted into the wall. "This gets weirder and weirder..."

'Let me see.' Adder carefully moved past Hawk to get a better look at the door. 'That's strange... It's made of wood. Whoever did this must have taken the time to carve out the wall of the cave. I'm guessing they've been living here for a long time.'

Layla ducked her head as Zekra passed beneath a section of the ceiling that was slightly lower than the others.

Cherry was lingering at the back of the line, but when Hawk spoke, she tentatively advanced to the front to see the door for herself. There was a moment of silence. Then, unexpectedly, she said:

'Should we knock first or just walk in...?'

(No problem!)

Before Hawk could reply, Zekra rushed forward. "Obviously, we knock!" She gave the door a few sturdy bangs with a fist, then stepped back to watch.

The singing stopped. There was a stretched moment of silence, and then the door cracked open and a thin man's face peeked out. "Ye here to buy licorice? No? Then get out."

And with that, the door slammed shut. Hawk stared, dumbstruck.

Layla and Cherry joined Hawk in staring confusedly at the door. Adder's face hardened. He pushed past the others and knocked a second time, accompanied by the words, 'So I guess you won't mind if we make camp in your cave, then?'

"Ye what now?" The door opened fully this time, revealing a short, elderly man with piercing eyes. His scraggly grey hair protruded outwards in every direction, defying gravity, and he wore a scarf around a tattered coat.

"Well? What ye want?" he barked.

Zekra barely suppressed a snort at the sight of him. "His eyebrows are like caterpillars," she whispered to Layla, giggling.

Hawk took the situation more seriously. "Are you the witch doctor? We've been looking for you."

"Normally, when ye find out somebody's a witch, ye run," the man muttured sarcastically.

'We've encountered worse,' said Adder, his mind going back to Trundale and the magi and the creatures that had run them out of the city. 'Anyway, we were hoping you might be able to help us. Seeing as you're a witch doctor and everything.'

Cherry, who had taken a hasty step backwards when the door swung open, now peered curiously around Hawk's shoulder. //He doesn't look dangerous, but maybe looks can be deceiving,// she thought.

Layla, who hadn't offered more than an eye-roll in response to the caterpillar comment, whispered, 'I wonder how long he's been living up here by himself?'

Zekra snickered back, "Probably long enough. He's got a mad look in his eyes."

"Yeah, I'm a witch doctor," he said boredly. "Doesn't mean I'll help ya. Well? Whaddya need?"

Hawk hesitated suspiciously before answering, "Our friend Layla has a strange sickness that others can't seem to recognize. We were hoping you could do something about it...?"

The witch doctor leaned against the door frame. "Sure I can do someth'n 'bout it. What's she got? And where ye from? Don't know your faces."

'We're from Trundale,' Adder replied. 'And I'm not surprised. You look like you've been hiding up here for half your life.' He still had his cigarette in his mouth, and was looking down suspiciously at the witch doctor over the top of it.

Layla leaned forwards and sideways so she could watch the old man from around Zekra's upper body. Her gaze was just as cautious as her brother's, though less openly mistrustful. 'Are you sure you can do something?'

'I'm more worried about what he's going to want as payment,' murmured Cherry from behind everyone.

The doctor seemed to miss Layla's question, instead commenting to Adder, "Yea, hardly see faces anymore nowadays - 'specially ones from Trundale! Ya'll're quite a treat to see." He stepped back and beckoned them forward, a friendly grin appearing. "Come in - we should talk!"

"Hold on a second," Hawk said, "How can we trust you won't play tricks on us if we come in? You said you might not even help us."

"Why else would ye trust a doctor to feed you strange liquids?" he remarked cleverly. "And yer friend needs help, right? Witch doctor's the one for the job."

"What would he need? A toothbrush?" Hunter replied dryly to Cherry.

Adder removed the cigarette from his mouth, dropped it on the floor of the cave and stepped on it. 'Just don't try anything,' he said warningly. 'We're armed, and you're not.' He stepped through the doorway that the doctor had left open for them, looking around the cavern - or room - that lay on the other side.

Cherry started to laugh at Hunter's comment, but quickly stopped herself. She had a feeling that laughing at this man wouldn't be a very good idea.

Despite Adder's hostile warning, the witch doctor happily stepped aside as the group filed in - which might have been a bad idea judging from the standing room available.

Inside was a room only as wide as the cave tunnel, lined with wooden boards and finished with a sorry attempt at wallpapering. A fireplace opposite them provided the lighting, but either the chimney was blocked or there was no chimney, because the ceiling was clouded with its smoke.

The sizes and amount of furniture inside baffled Hawk. There were wooden chairs, rugged sofas, and tables, all covered in stuff ranging from blankets and articles to lamps and priceless sculptures. The floor had just as much litter, so packed that it was impossible to navigate through there without stepping on things.

"Sorry 'bout the mess," mumbled the witch doctor as he picked up various items and tossed them out of the way. "Don't have guests very often. 'Cept for the animals - course, they only contribute to it." He finally reached a rocking chair and plopped into it. "Sit, sit! Let's talk a little 'bout y'all." Of course, no chairs were clean enough to be sat upon.

"We'll stand," Hawk said politely for the group.

Hunter found a part of the wall to lean against. "We're here to heal Layla, not chat," he mentioned.

Layla waved a hand dismissively. 'If he wants to talk, you should let him,' she said. 'Nothing's going to happen to me in the next few minutes.'

Adder picked his way through the mess to stand in the middle of the room, trying his best not to walk into anything that looked valuable or dangerous. 'What a tip,' he muttered, quietly enough that the witch doctor wouldn't hear. He looked up and said more loudly, 'I want to know your name before we do anything else.'

Cherry, the only one in the group who didn't look at least a bit disturbed by the state of the room, hovered in the doorway close to Hunter. Her green gaze moved back and forth, surveying the doctor's belongings and wondering just how much they might find here, had they the time to explore properly.

Ever since she had walked in, Zekra had become distracted wondering why there was a rocking horse in the corner and how he had managed to get it up into the mountains.

The witch doctor picked up a pipe from the table beside him and lit it. "The townsfolk call me Veiviser, some - what, Norweigian? - word. Viser for short. But eh, just call me Harold. How 'bout you lovely folks?"

Hawk waved smoke out of his face before saying, "I'm Hawk, and my brother is Hunter. The centaur is named Zekra."

Layla glanced around at him from Zekra's back and decided to answer for both her and her sibling, as Hawk had done. 'My name is Layla, and the guy over there is my younger brother, Adder.'

Cherry had been lost in thought for a moment, but then suddenly became aware that she'd been asked for her name. She whipped around with a startled look and managed to stammer out, 'Uhm, my name is Cherry.'

"Ahh, very good, very good... Y'all are such young folk. When I was yer age... Ehh, we won't go there. Mostly 'cause it's been too long to remember!" 'Harold' said with a cackle.

Zekra somehow found humor in his remark because she laughed too.

"How old -are- you? --If I may ask?" queried Hawk.

"Seventy-eight and still smokin'! Won't die for 'nuther thirty, I'll reckon!" He broke out laughing at himself, then ironically doubled over coughing and wheezing. After recovering, he sat up and surveyed the group. "So ye come from Trundale, eh? Runnin' from the war, are ye?"

'Something like that,' replied Adder. Cherry shuffled her feet and said nothing. 'Trundale's not exactly the best place to live anymore.' He gave no reaction to the old man's raving comments and humour, standing still and expressionless throughout.

'Why is everyone so interested about us coming from Trundale?' Layla muttered under her breath. 'I'm sure that's all the people we meet wants to talk about.'

"'Cause Trundale's a madhouse!" the doctor exclaimed, having caught Layla's muttering. "They were all greedy diggers; no shocker when they started crushin' their own. And seeing ya - it's like meetin' monster critters that just came outta the lab. Yer a phenomenon."

"I guess that's understandable," Hawk mumbled.

"I'll reckon from yer backgrounds some of ya'ller magical, too," Harold guessed, leaning forward with a grin. "What'ya got up yer sleeves?"

Layla threw a glance towards Adder, and he shrugged.

'Adder and I have an... ability?' she replied, uncertainly eyeing the doctor's less-than-confidence-inspiring grin. 'But it's not a natural one - we're both human.' She lifted a hand and focused on a stack of what looked like mouldering papers lying in front of Harold's chair. A whisper of air swept through the cave, catching the papers and scattering them across the floor.

Adder watched with a blank expression, then added, 'But yes, we haven't always been able to do that. We got the ability only a few years ago.'

Cherry said nothing in response to the doctor's question. Like the siblings, she was also a human, but unlike them she had no magic to call her own - biological or otherwise.

(Is this witch doctor guy an existing character, or did you just make him up on the spot? I like him. XD)

The doctor's brows raised in intrigue at Layla's performance. "Hmm, very int'resting, very int'resting..." He then looked to the twin boys expectantly.

Hunter opened his mouth to say they wouldn't share, but Hawk found himself pressured to reply by the doctor's gaze. "My brother and I... can manipulate metals by our touch and thoughts. For example..." He pulled a piece of dark metal from his pocket and held it in front of him for everyone to see. The block's shape suddenly warped and collapsed, then drew back up into a figure that was unmistakably a dog. "It's a challenge to make detailed items on a whim, so we learn shapes and patterns and reuse them. Hunter and I tend to create the same bow and crossbow."

"Very fascinating!" Harold finally turned to Cherry, expecting more entertainment.

(I made him up when I first mentioned him. X'D Glad you like him!)

Cherry realised everyone was looking at her, blushed slightly and averted her gaze. 'I don't have anything,' she mumbled, almost too quietly to make out.

Adder leaned against the wall on the opposite side to Hunter. He didn't really know why he'd let Layla tell this strange doctor about their magic. They'd never even met him before now; this could all be a trap. //But we do need his help, so it's probably best to do as he asks,// the assassin concluded.

"I don't either," Zekra threw out.

The doctor rubbed his chin. "Nothing, eh? No magic ain't always a bad thing," he said to Cherry with a wink. He turned to Layla and rubbed his hands together, grin growing. "So! What's the missy's illness?"

Hunter watched Cherry a moment longer, somewhat curious about her lack of magical abilities. //Huh. Hadn't considered that.//

Hawk breathed a silent sigh of relief, glad that they were getting back onto their mission.

Layla looked at the doctor for a moment, then shrugged. 'We don't know what it is. That's part of our problem. I got it while living in Trundale, but... nobody seems to be able to identify it.'

Cherry noticed Hunter staring her way, and turned slightly to meet his gaze with a questioning look. //He looks surprised. Is it really that strange for someone to not have magic? Maybe for these people, it is...//

"Heh? Mysterious illness, eh... We'll, let's take a look at 'er." The witch doctor rose and made his way over to Layla. Without much concern for her comfort, he poked at her a bit and checked her temperature with a hand. "Little pale and warm, but ye don't look deathly. Ye got internal pain or bleeding?"

It took Hunter a moment to notice Cherry's gaze had met his, but when he did, he directed his gaze elsewhere.

'No,' Layla replied, peering down at the witch doctor. She hadn't moved away, but looked like she was considering telling him to show more respect for people's personal space. 'Nothing like that.' In a few words, she gave him the list of symptoms she'd already told the doctor back in the village.

Cherry frowned for a moment. //Talkative, isn't he?// she thought as she averted her own gaze.

Adder was bored, and starting poking around in the mess on the floor with the tip of his boot. He half-expected cockroaches to come scuttling out every time he moved something, but it seemed they couldn't survive up here in the peaks.

Hawk found himself curing his boredom as well by wondering how the sofas and dressers had fit through the door. //And what about food? Where does he get them, and where does he keep them?// He added the mental note, //Don't take food if he offers it.//

"Sounds like a cancer to me," said the doctor with a shrug.

Zekra looked back toward Layla. "Didn't somebody say it was a magical disease? Like, something caused by magic?"

The doctor considered it and rubbed his chin. "Well, it's certainly a possibility. Eh, no sweat. I can remove magic." He made his way to the far wall and begun to dig around for something, singing the same song as before as he did. Eventually, he reappeared from the wreckage with a small bottle. He swirled the purplish-red liquid around as he returned to Layla. "Spiritus Dracones. Said to be a myth because of its magical properties. It'll 'bout any magic-induced disease." He held it out for her to see. "Give it a try?"

Hawk eyed the bottle suspiciously and somewhat fearfully. //And now I wonder why he was chased from his hometown...//

'They DID say it was supposed to be magical,' said Layla, then broke off suddenly when Harold withdrew the bottle of medicine. Like Hawk,, she found herself eyeing its contents uncertainly.

//The merchants we met in Trundale suggested something with the same name,// she remembered. //Could this really be it? The medicine that can supposedly cure any magical illness?//

Then she shrugged and, ignoring Hawk's suspicious gaze, reached out and took the bottle on a whim. 'What have I got to lose?' she asked. Gripping the bottle firmly, she unscrewed the top and took a gulp of the liquid inside. It tasted odd. There was nothing she could compare it to, but neither did it taste unpleasant.

Adder stopped poking at the mess and glanced up, his eyes flickering between Layla and the witch doctor.

Harold smiled in satisfaction as he took the bottle back and searched for other concoctions. "Now, that'll cure the cause of her sickness, but the symptoms'll stay there for a bit." Ignoring Adder's stare, the witch doctor handed her another smaller bottle. "That'll help yer coughin and vertigo."

Hawk and Hunter both watched Layla, held expecting something sudden to happen. //Then again,// Hawk considered, //He wouldn't try to poison her while he's obviously outnumbered. I think she'll be fine.//

"Well? How do you feel?" asked Zekra eagerly.

Despite everyone's concerns, nothing seemed to happen at all when Layla drank the concoction.

When the witch doctor handed her another bottle, she took that one too. It hardly tasted of anything. 'Well, I don't feel any different, but then I wouldn't expect them to take effect instantly,' she said lightly.

When it became apparent that Harold wasn't trying to poison anyone, Cherry reached down towards the floor and picked up a book lying at her feet. She thumbed it open out of curiosity. The cover was blank, and the text inside was written in a language she couldn't recognise. //This man must have all kinds of interesting things... Maybe even valuable things,// she thought.

"Don't ye worry 'bout a thing," Harold said, waving a hand dismissively as he returned to his rocking chair. "This is what witch doctors do." He cackled a bit, then went quiet and scanned the group. He grinned and rubbed his hands. "Now, about my payment."

Hawk casually slipped a hand into his pocket and began to turn his metal objects into coins. //Not a problem,// he mused.

Hunter prepared himself to do the same, in case his brother's was not enough.

But the doctor's request came as a shock. "I don't want money, 'cause I haven't a reason to use 'em, and got enough valuables tucked away. But y'know, it's been pretty lonely up here, and I could definitely use 'nother hand for my tasks..."
Deviousness glittered in his eyes. "Perhaps I'll keep one of ye here."

Adder shook his head. 'Not possible. We've got things to do.'

Layla agreed, though reluctantly, because she did think the witch doctor deserved payment for helping her. 'Isn't there anything else we could do for you?'

Cherry, who had gasped outright when she heard what Harold said, quickly closed her mouth. //If they decide to give him what he wants, I'm sure they're volunteer ME to stay here,// she thought sadly. //Everyone else here seems like they have too many important things to do...//

Harold gave a little laugh. "Too bad. I've already made my decision. I have ye what ye needed; now ye give me what I want. And I want a helper to accompany me. The rest of ye can canton ye on yer little journey."

"You can't just do that! It's unfair!" Hawk retorted.

"Who says I play fair?" Harold said with a smirk. "Truth be told, I ain't just a witch doctor; I'm a quack doctor. I don't play fair."

"So you're just gonna make one of us stay here?" Zekra gasped. She readied herself to run out the door to protect both Layla and herself.

Adder stepped away from the wall and withdrew something from inside his coat. It was a small knife, its blade gleaming wickedly in the dim light of the cave.

'And how are you planning to make us do what you what?' he said in a dangerous tone. 'You're one man, and there's six of us. Even if not all of us can do magic, you're still overpowered.'

Cherry pressed herself back into the shadows, watching the scene playing out before her with wide eyes. //Should I run? No, I can't leave them all here...//

Hawk spotted Adder's knife and followed suit, conjuring one of his own and keeping it by his side.

But the witch doctor seemed unfazed as he reclined back in his chair. "Then I suppose ye wouldn't mind if yer friend here died?" He gestured to Layla.

Zekra took a defensive step away. "Yeah right-- You'd have to go through me first!"

A smirk spread over Harold's face. "I've still got a grasp on her. The first medicine was real - yes, I'll keep that much of my promise - but the second one was a lil' magic trick I played." He curved one hand loosely as if holding something. "Thanks to the special magic flowin' through her body, I can crush her insides before anyone can say, 'witch.'" His smirk grew wider.

(Are you planning something or just making this up as you go along? I was gonna do something, but I need to know if it'll interfere with what you're doing first. XD)

(Don't worry, I'm making stuff up. XD Do what you like!)

(Alright!)

'Uh, shit.' Adder glanced at Layla, who gave him a blank look in return. //Can I throw a knife faster than he can turn on us?// he thought. //Probably not.// And he wasn't willing to take the risk, no matter how badly he wanted to put a knife through Harold's eye at that moment.

He was about to ask the others for their opinion when a small voice suddenly spoke up from the shadows. 'I-it's OK. I'll do it. I'll stay with him.'

Cherry took a step forwards, a scared but determined look on her face. 'I'll do it,' she repeated. 'I'm... I'm less important than any of you.'

All eyes turned to Cherry when she spoke up. Hunter, who hasn't watched silently until then, stared wide-eyed at her.

The doctor leaned forward and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, ye do seem young n' energetic. Awfully purty, too. The problem's if ye try and gun it... Well, assumin' ye care for the sick girl, ye'll stay obedient to me." A gave a satisfied smile.

"Cherry, wait-- We can work this out! We can't just leave you here," said Hawk, growing distressed. He looked to Adder, hoping the experienced assassin would have a solution.

Hunter was chewing his lip silently, eyes darting as he thought.

(*who had watched)

Cherry hesitated, then nodded firmly. 'I understand. And I'll do as you say.' She took another step towards the witch doctor, ignoring Hawk's plea.

Adder started forwards, but before any one of them could say or do a thing, a voice rose up from somewhere behind them, on the other side of Harold's door. It was a smug, childish voice, and echoed back and forth through the caverns, sounding more eerie than it actually was.

'Cheeeeerry! I know you're in heeeeere!' it called out. 'Is this cave a dead end? I hope it is, 'cuz I'm getting bored of chasing you around.'

(Oh noooo)

"But Cherry..."

Hunter was about to speak up when the voice called out. Immediately, he knew who it was. //He caught up.// "Cherry, you can't stay here," he murmured, looking at her seriously. "You have to come with us."

Cherry had frozen like a deer caught in the headlights when she heard the voice, but recovered quickly. She walked up to Hunter until they were only a few inches apart, folding her arms and gazing up at him defiantly.

'If you have a better suggestion, I'd like to hear it,' she said, her voice trembling just a little.

From the caves behind them, the voice called out again. 'Cherry! You can't keep running from me! And if you're with anyone, I'll kill them!'

Adder turned to face the door, still gripping his short knife. All thoughts of attacking Harold had vanished when he realised that whoever was closing in on them was the greater threat. He glanced over his shoulder. 'Does anyone know who this guy is?'

Hunter stared back at Cherry, though he couldn't give her an answer yet. He did answer Adder, though. "Cherry's boss. The one she's been running away from."

"Acquaintance or not, he ain't comin' in here without my permission," Harold asserted as he stood. He pushed past the group and barred the door. "That should do it."

The fact that they were trapped in the small room was beginning to get to Hawk. "He'll kill us..? Are those empty threats, or is he serious?"

Cherry gazed blankly in the direction of the door, head bowed. 'He would,' she murmured. 'I've seen him kill people with even less reason before. He's dangerous,' she added, as if the stranger hadn't already made this clear.

Despite the door being locked, Adder remained poised in front of it. A second later, there was an echoing crash that made half the people in the room jump as someone knocked heavily on the door from the other side. 'Hey! Who's in there? If you're trying to save my assistant, I'll make sure your death is as slow and painful as I can...'

The witch doctor answered for them. "I ain't got no assistants in here! Get outta my home!" he shouted.

Hawk instinctively inched behind Adder, using him as a shield in case the person outside burst through the door.

"Is there a back door?" Hunter queried.

The doctor scratched his head. "Well... I tried to make somethin' like it, but the idea never flew. Door's yer only way in and out."

From the other side, the stranger slammed into the door hard enough that the wood began to bend inwards. It looked like it could break at any moment.

Adder tightened his grasp on his weapon. 'Everyone be ready,' he said tensely. 'If he comes through, we're going to have to hit him before he hits us.'

Layla stared at the door as well, preparing to use her wind magic to blast the intruder in the face. She couldn't tell if it was imaginary or not, but she was already starting to feel a little more healthy.

"Don't you break my door!" Harold growled, stalking forwards, but Hunter grabbed his shirt and pulled him away before he could open the door and make the situation worse.

"Won't this be interesting," Zekra murmured as she stepped off to the side to keep her and Layla out of immediate range. She held her staff in both hands readily.

Hawk conjured his favored crossbow in his hands and raised it toward the door, expecting the worst.

Moments after Hawk conjured the crossbow, there was a deafening crash of splintering wood as the door caved inwards and broke apart. In the threshold stood a small dragon with glossy dark-blue scales and cruel yellow eyes. Those eyes moved around the room, seeking out Cherry's form huddled in the shadows. A grin curled his jaws.

'So you WERE hiding here,' he said. 'That's not nice. You could have told me you were here. Or maybe come out, then I wouldn't have had to break the door down.' He switched his attention to Adder, and then to Hawk behind him. 'Who're all these weird people you're with?'

When the intruder finally burst through the door, Zekra gasped. "He's a dragon?" she breathed.

Hunter stepped in front of Cherry and unsheathed a sword. "We're here to protect her," he declared. "Back off before it's too late."

"I'M not with them," Harold ascertained, crossing his arms.

'Yes, you are,' said Adder warningly, without looking away from the dragon-creature. 'Unless you want to get killed by that thing.' He had to qualms about leaving Harold to die after the doctor had threatened Layla's life, but he wouldn't do it himself.

The dragon paused in the entryway, gazing at each of them in turn. His movements were quick and jerky, like a bird's, and his claws clicked restlessly against the cave floor. 'Well, well, well,' he said at last, with a nasty chuckle. 'Looks like you've found some people to protect you. But that's OK - I'll just have to kill them before I get to you.'

He tensed and crouched. That was the only warning they got before he suddenly launched himself at Hunter, outstretched claws aiming for the boy's face. Cherry shrieked and stumbled backwards.

Hunter staggered back in shock, barely reacting in time to slash out his sword at the dragon.

Hawk reacted at the same time and fired a bolt at their attacker. "Zekra, Layla, get out of here!" he shouted. Harold was already making a run for the doorway.

The zebra centaur hesitated, glancing back and forth between the fight and the exit. "Well, it's not like we'll help if we get trapped in here. Come on!" She whipped around as charged for the door, shoving past Harold as she passed. "Outta the way!"

The dragon recoiled as Hunter slashed at him, the tip of his sword cutting through the feathers on his throat, and possibly the skin beneath. Without touching Hunter, he dropped to the ground and circled around him, grinning at the speechless-with-fear Cherry in the corner.

'You can't be having second thoughts now,' he said cruelly. 'We had an agreement - you work for me, and I let you live.'

Cherry shook her head, trembling. 'I'm not having anything to do with you anymore, Crowley,' she whispered. 'And you can't kill me.'

The dragon tilted his head curiously. 'What makes you think that?' He spotted Hawk standing next to Adder, and charged towards him, aiming to knock the boy down before he could fire his crossbow.

Hunter stared as the girl and dragon spoke to each other. //He threatened her life to make her work for him?// With the dragon's attention on Cherry, he raised his sword to attack from behind, but then the creature darted in another direction.

Startled by the assault, Hawk stepped back and tripped on a stray rug just as he pulled the trigger, causing his bolt to fly up uselessly and ricochet off the ceiling. Then the dragon collided with him and they crashed to the floor.

"Hawk!" Hunter shouted. He threw a glance at Cherry and commanded, "Get out of here! We'll cover you!" Then he rushed to help his brother.

Cherry was floundering helplessly, wanting to jump into the fight but knowing she'd be next to useless. 'I can't...' she started, then gave up. Hunter was right. There was nothing she could do. With a final glance at her former boss, she darted through the broken door and vanished into the darkness.

Crowley struggled to right himself, his leap at Hawk having thrown off his balance as well as the boy's. Snarling, he lifted his head and snapped at Hawk's face, keeping one paw on his chest to pin him down.

Layla was still hanging onto Zekra's back. She started to focus on her magic, wanting to blast the dragon with a gale-force wind to knock him away from Hawk.

Before Layla could use her magic, Zekra rushed after Cherry through the doorway. She skidded to a stop once in the tunnel. "We have to help them, somehow... Maye we should lure the bird dragon outside where the three of us can ambush him," she thought aloud.

The dragon's heavy paw opposed to Hawk's small frame crushed the air from his lungs, but he struggled as best he could. When Crowley's jaws snapped toward him, he instinctively raised an arm and the teeth sank into his flesh. Tears gathered in his eyes but he bit back a scream, instead fumbling to get a knife into his hand.

"Adder! Stop standing around!" Hunter snapped before lunging toward the dragon with his sword, intending to plunge it into his ribcage.

'Great idea,' said Layla, panting a little as she gripped hold of Zekra's shoulders in an effort to keep her balance. 'But how? Do we shout insults at him and hope he gets angry enough to chase us?'

She glanced up and down the cave, but Cherry was nowhere to be seen. In the distance, the sound of hurrying footsteps could be heard, getting fainter as the girl ran towards the cave entrance.

Back in Harold's room, Adder jolted into motion at Hunter's yell. Before Crowley could have another go and sinking his teeth into Hawk's throat, and before Hunter could reach him with his sword, he threw his knife, the small blade embedding itself in the dragon's side. Crowley jerked around in surprise, grinning as he kicked Hawk aside and prowled towards the assassin instead. He didn't seem very concerned by his injury, or even by the fact that he was facing multiple opponents at once.

"Uhhh..." Zekra looked where Cherry had vanished, then back at the doorway. "Didn't think about that. Maybe once the boys get out, they'll lead him out. We'll wait outside to ambush him." Although unsure about her plan, she began to follow the tunnel out.

Hawk yelped when the crow-dragon's shove sent him rolling across the floor. Hunter temporarily turned his attention over to his brother, and he helped him to his feet. "You good?" he murmured.

"I'll be fine," the boy replied, gasping for breath.

Before crowley could attack Adder, a little copper statue flew toward the air and nailed him on the back of his head. "Git outta my home, ye hear?" Harold snapped angrily. He held another hard object in his hand, poised to throw.

Crowley grunted in surprise when the statue smashed over the back of his skull. Fast as a snake, he switched his attention from the twins to Harold. 'Hey! Who gave you permission to interfere, old man?'

He swung his tail around, the feathered tip catching the witch doctor around the ankles with enough force to trip him.

Adder drew a new blade from his coat and leapt forwards, driving the serrated dagger as hard as he could into Crowley's shoulder. Blood flowed from the wound, but besides giving a small wince, the dragon hardly seemed to notice it. He lunged and drove his teeth into Adder's leg, just above where his thick boot protected him.

Outside, Layla shrugged quietly. 'I guess that's the best we can hope for...'

"Why, yer in my--" The witch doctor never finished his sentence because he fell flat on his face with a 'thump.'

Once he could see clearly, Hawk turned to the dragon. //Does he not even feel pain?// he wondered fearfully.

If Hunter had considered who he was about to rescue, he would have hesitated, but his mind was too lost in the adrenaline of the fight to care. The teen raised his sword and plunged it into Crowley's back, ignoring the burn of his chest wound.

Hawk began to back toward the doorway, raising his crossbow and waiting for a moment when he'd need to fire.

Zekra scurried up to the fissure, then let Layla off and squeezed through with a bit of trouble. When she made it through, she stumbled onto the white snow then glance about for a sign of the red-haired girl.

As it turned out, Crowley COULD feel pain, for he cried out when Hunter stabbed him in the back. But he didn't let the wound stop him from stumbling around and swiping his claws at his attacker. His movements were far less smooth now, the injuries he'd taken beginning to slow him down at last.

With his leg free, Adder leapt back towards the door, hitting Hunter on the arm to get his attention. 'The others have left! Hurry up and get out!' He ran out of the room, pausing long enough to throw a blast of wind magic at Crowley, sending him staggering backwards into Harold's chair.

Layla followed Zekra through the fissure and looked around as well, but there was still no sign of Cherry. The girl must have moved like lightning to get away as fast as she did.

Hunter scrambled away from Crowley's reach, only managing to get a light cut on his arm, then pivoted and chased after Adder.

"Ahh! My chair!" Harold yelped from where he still lay on the ground. His sinister plan to make one of the travelers his servant and been utterly destroyed, and now his home was coming to ruin, all thanks to the crow-dragon.

Hawk backed toward the door and released one last bolt toward Crowley before also turning and following the others up the tunnel.

"Well, so long as she's safe," Zekra murmured. She glanced at the fissure when she heard the echo of rapid footsteps approaching. "Here they come - get ready for an ambush!" The centaur stepped away from the opening and poised her staff to strike.

'Shut the hell up, you old geezer!' yelled Crowley, pulling himself to his feet. Once he had found his purchase on the cave floor, he turned to survey the room. 'This place looks like a bomb went off. Haven't you ever heard of cleaning?'

An icy wind blew through the mountains, making Layla shiver slightly and pull her coat around herself more tightly. But the weather was quickly forgotten when she realised the others were coming. 'Is the dragon thing chasing them?' she asked, peering back through the fissure. The inner caves were too dark to see what, or who, was coming.

"Well, I was gonna get to that, till ye chased the youngin's off!" the witch doctor growled as he struggled to get up, using an armchair for support. "And yer the one who added to the mess!"

Zekra waited to find out whether or not the dragon really was coming. Finally, people emerged: Adder came first, then Hunter, then Hawk. "Where's the dragon?" she queried, lowering her staff some.

Thanks to his chest injury, Hunter seemed to be struggling to breath; he leaned up against the stone wall and clutched his chest, waiting to recover his breath.

hawk was in better condition to answer. "Adder blew him over before we ran, so he's probably a few seconds behind." He realized with a bit of guilt, "The witch doctor was still in there, too..."

'Oh yeah? You needed them to help you clean up this junk pile?' Crowley shot back. 'I guess that makes sense. You're too old and decrepit to do it yourself.' He folded his wings and looked around again. //Should I go after them...? Nah. I can track them down again, easy.//

Adder gestured back the way they'd come with his dagger. 'He's still in the doctor's room, as far as I know,' he replied. 'And who cares about that guy? He wanted to kill or enslave us.'

'None of you have seen Cherry since she ran out, have you?' Layla added, and Adder, looking faintly surprised, shook his head.

'She ran this way. We couldn't have seen her.'

Harold picked up a sock and tossed it at Crowley. "I'll make /you/ do it if ye don't shut it," he growled, fuzzy brows twitching. He began to take items off the floor and put them up on furniture.

Hawk sighed, knowing Adder was right. He still felt sick about leaving people to die, but there was little he could do about it.

Hunter glanced up in surprise when Layla spoke. //Did she actually run off?// He pushed himself up and made his way over to the horses' location where Hawk had hidden them. //Is her horse here?//

Hawk threw a wary look at the cave before saying, "Maybe we should look for her. But we'll have to be quick, and we need to get moving again as soon as we find her."

A cackling laugh exploded out of the dragon as he batted the sock aside. 'You think you can MAKE me do it? Who do you think you are, the King? Actually, nevermind - the King couldn't make me do it either.'

Adder stepped forwards and headed out onto the snowy mountain trail outside Harold's cave. Everyone's horses were still tied up outside, including Cherry's small palomino mare. 'Looks like she ran off too fast,' he said, nodding towards it. 'She's left everything behind.'

'In that case,' Layla mused, 'I doubt she's going far. She probably just panicked and wanted to get away from that dragon. She'll come back.'

"Oh, I can make ye do it," the witch doctor grumbled as he dug around. "I got a potion that'll make ye do what I wish."

Hawk didn't retort, but he still seemed worried. "Well, why not we mount and start on the trail, and maybe we'll see her or she'll see us?" he suggested.
He glanced down and suddenly remembered the bloody bite on his arm. He hadn't really felt it because of the cold, but he still determined to clean it up.

Crowley sneered. 'Good luck with that,' he said. 'There's no way I'm drinking anything you give me. You might've been able to trick those idiots who were here a minute ago, but not me. Never.'

Layla nodded. 'That will work. Like I said before, she can't have gone far.'

Adder threw a final glance towards the mouth of the cave, then sheathed his knife and swung himself onto the back of his bay stallion. 'I'll keep an eye out for her as we ride,' he offered. 'One of you should tie Cherry's horse to yours. That way, if we find her further along the trail, we won't have to walk all the way back to collect it.'

The doctor gave a partial smile. "I don't have to make you drink it." In a flash, Harold yanked a bottle from the rubbage and smashed it at Crowley's feet, clear liquid splattering him. The witch doctor stood upright and grinned. "Now you're under my control," he sneered.
Of course, from the very beginning, it was all a lie. He couldn't control people with potions; it was a trick to deceive the travelers into obeying him. He was, after all, a quack doctor: a cheater, a liar.

Hunter was the first to the horses, so he fastened Cherry's to his own then mounted. He glanced about warily as his mare ambled up to the trail.

Hawk and Zekra followed suit, and they began to climb the mountain path once more. Hawk couldn't help but keep glancing back in fear of pursuers - whether it was the dragon or another party of bandits. "Should we move quickly?"

Crowley leapt back as the liquid splashed around his feet, colliding with another chair and getting his wings tangled. After a noisy scuffle and a healthy amount of swearing, he managed to free himself, standing up and glaring at the doctor with disbelieving eyes.

'Go on, then,' he growled. 'Make me do something and we'll see if I actually do it.'

----

Adder also glanced over his shoulder. He could understand why Hawk was uneasy, but unless they could see or hear something chasing them, they would probably be safe for the time being. 'That dragon's probably busy tearing Harold into tiny pieces,' he said with a nonchalant shrug. 'I'm sure he'll be after us eventually, seeing as he came here to get Cherry. But he's not here yet.'

Layla, unusually, didn't ask to climb onto Zekra's back as they set off. She walked alongside the centaur instead, a little breathless, but moving under her own power.

'Surely Cherry couldn't have just run off and left us all here,' she muttered. 'She originally didn't want to leave us at all.;'

The witch doctor gave a faint grin as he held out one hand. "I can crush yer guts in my hand right now, or turn each function off till ye drop dead. Ye'll do as I say if he don't wanna die."

Hawk gave small shrug and faced forward, willing himself to forget his anxious gut. He instead began to bandage the arm Crowley had bitten.

Zekra blinked down at Layla, not yet realizing she was walking on her own. "Well, she did seem a little... left out, if you know what I mean. Maybe she make a quick decision to continue on her own."

"And leave her horse?" Hawk murmured.

"...Maybe she forgot. Or took a path a horse can't climb."

"It still doesn't make any sense... She doesn't seem the selfish type who would leave if she's left out."

A thought aroused in Hunter's mind as he stared ahead. //What if she felt guilty for luring the dragon to us? So she went elsewhere to lead him away?// He suddenly yanked his reins and wheeled his horse about. //In that case, she's goin to get herself killed.//

Adder had been staring at the path ahead without talking, but when he heard Hunter's horse turning around, he glanced over his shoulder with a small frown. 'Where are you going off to?'

Layla stumbled on a rock. Unlike Adder, she had guessed what was going through Hunter's mind. 'You can't just gallop off to save her by yourself. We'll come with you.'

'Save her?' Adder repeated. 'What from?'

'Well, maybe Cherry went in another direction to lead the dragon away. Or maybe she slipped back into the cave after we left to, I don't know, fight him.'

'She's have to be insane.'

----

Crowley sneered, but there was a slight edge of unease to his expression. 'Reallyyyy? What if I said I don't believe you?' He rustled his wings impatiently. 'I'm pretty sure there's no potion that could do THAT just by splashing on someone. You can't control me.'

"If everybody comes, we'll surely attract the dragon's attention again," Hunter retorted. "And insane or not, we can't let her die like that." Without waiting for anybody's response, he snapped the reins and took off down the path, Cherry's horse in tow.

"Hunter!" Hawk called after his brother, then sighed. "Well, I'm not gonna let him get himself killed, too." Reluctantly, he turned his horse around.

Zekra came up beside Layla and nudged her. "Hey. You need a ride, or will you walk?"

---

Flustered and unable to escape disclosure, the witch doctor threw his arms up. "Bah! I'd be able to if ye wouldn't mess with the system and rebel left and right! Ye've screwed up everything!" His hand found a small jar on a side table which he promptly chucked at the dragon. "Git outta here before I shove hemlock down yer throat!"

Adder looked like he was trying hard not to roll his eyes or make any rude comments. 'I'm not going after him,' he said. 'I'm sure those two can look after themselves for a few minutes.'

Layla glanced at the centaur in surprise. 'Uhm, no, it's OK,' she said, only now realising that not only was she walking by herself, but that she felt no need to ride. 'I think I'll be fine down here for a while.'

----

Crowley let out another cackling laugh. 'Sure thing, old man. Maybe when I'm not so busy, I'll come back and kill you. It'd be fun to see you die.' He turned and slipped through the broken door, disappearing into the darkness that filled the rest of the cave.

'Cherrrryyyyy?!' he yelled. 'I'm coming to find you!'

----

Out in the snows, Cherry stopped dead. She was breathing so hard she could barely walk. This was the first time she'd let herself stop running since escaping the cave. //He must be following me,// she thought. //It's me he wanted. He'll leave those other poor people alone.//

Or will he? She was terrified that Crowley's bloodlust would lead him to kill her companions out of rage. He certainly would if they tried to attack him. Maybe running off hadn't been such a great idea after all. Now, she had no idea whether they were alive or not...

"Alright then," Zekra replied cheerily. She turned to Adder, a concerned look on her face. "I'm sure they'll be fine, but is it a good idea to split up? Right when we're about to go into the mountains?"

---

Hunter galloped back to the fissure, ignoring the throbbing that the ride caused in his chest. He skidded to a halt outside the entrance. "Cherry!" he called, voice echoing through the mountains. He scanned the landscape for signs of the red-haired girl. Towards the forest, there was a trail of footprints leading away from the cave. He pushed his horse to gallop in that direction. "Cherry!"
//That dragon had better not've gotten to her...//

---

Hawk had followed at a slower pace, so in a few moments, Hunter had vanished from his sight. "Oh, bother... Watch this go to chaos in ten minutes..."

(This chatroom is getting very full...)

Adder thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. 'Probably not, but it might be even worse if we follow them and all of us get into trouble.' He gazed in the direction the two brothers had vanished. 'Let's go after them, but slower. That way we'll be nearby if they need help.' He turned his horse and began to walk.

---

Cherry froze when she heard the call echoing through the snowy mountains. 'H-Hunter?' she stammered, hoping desperately that it was him and not Crowley. The echoes made it hard to tell exactly whose voice it was. Nonetheless, she began to stumble towards the sound.

(I hadn't noticed. XD If you think it's a good idea, maybe we could make a new room.)

Zekra nodded, satisfied with the decision, and followed beside Adder. She glanced back once to make sure Layla was keeping up.

---

The footprints became harder to see once Hunter was underneath the canopy of the forest, but it wasn't long before he could spot her red hair through the trees. He raced her way and pulled to a halt a few feet back, so as to not douse her in snow. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Where's the dragon?" he questioned.

(If this part doesn't take too long, we can probably start a new chatroom for when they reach the next location.)

(Alrighty! Maybe we should take a few days' break before posting the next room as well, just to refresh ourselves?)

Cherry jumped back when heard the approaching hoofbeats, but stilled when she recognised it as Hunter's horse. When he stopped in front of her, she stammered, 'I-I was trying to lead him away from you all. It's me he wants... he was supposed to chase me and leave you alone.' She surveyed the snow-covered landscape that surrounded them. 'But he never even came after me...'

----

Adder pointed at the ground. 'Lucky there's snow everywhere,' he remarked. 'We can follow his horse's prints without a problem.' He urged his stallion on to walk a little faster, knowing Hunter might have covered a lot of ground already.

Layla was preoccupied with looking around. 'It's quite beautiful up here,' she said quietly. 'I might have said this before, but I'd like to live somewhere like this one day.'

(Good idea!)

"I don't even know where he went. Cherry, you came with us to save your life, right? We promised to protect you, so you aren't supposed to get yourself killed for our sake," Hunter pointed out. He held out a hand. "You coming back with us, or are you gonna wait for that dragon to finish you?"

---

Hawk and Zekra matched their paces with Adder's. At Layla's comment, Hawk shivered. "Sure it's beautiful, but it's not for me. It's way too cold, and hard to get around. And so far... we haven't really had a good experience up here in the mountains."

'Well... there's nothing else I can do. I couldn't fight him, like everyone else was doing,' said Cherry. 'And I don't want to be useless. You and your friends don't have to protect me. I haven't given you anything in return.'

However, she was quickly becoming aware of just how cold it was. Shivering, she walked up to her horse and gratefully climbed onto its back, gripping the reins tightly to stop her hands from shaking.

----

Layla nodded absently. 'What about you, Zekra?' she asked. 'I can't imagine you're used to this weather either.'

A little way ahead. Adder slowed his horse. 'I can see them. They're in the trees, past a little drift of snow. They seem to be OK, so I'd say we should wait here for them.'

(Oh yeah, he brought her horse lol)

Hunter untied Cherry's horse from his own as she mounted. "Back in Trundale, we'd seldom pay others back for the favors they'd done. Friendship was discovered, not earned." He turned his horse the way he had come and headed towards the others.

The zebra centaur shrugged. "Eh, it's kinda chilly, but it's not too bad. Trundale was so stuffy and humid. This atmosphere at least lets me breathe and run freely."

Hawk watched as Hunter and Cherry returned, then glanced around. "How much longer do you think we have till it's dark? I can't tell with the clouds."

Cherry said nothing, but watched Hunter out the corner of her eye as they rode, a curious expression on her face. After a moment, her thoughts went back to Crowley. //This isn't over. He's going to come after us again...//

Adder shielded his eyes with a hand as he watched them returning. Even though it was cloudy, the surface of the snow was bright this high up in the mountains. 'Hard to say,' he replied.

'It must be at least midafternoon by now,' interjected Layla. 'If that's the case, then we might only have an hour or two before it starts getting dark.'

"Let's get moving then," Hawk decided as he faced the path once made. "I wouldn't like to set camp in this area, at least."

Hunter's mind was on Crowley as well. //Next time, I'll be prepared... I'm done with being beaten and humiliated. I'll fight my hardest from now on.//

Zekra followed the others with an excited skip. "Woohoo! We're off again-- to see the wizard! ...No, we've had enough of wizardy people for the day.... We're off to see a new land!"

(Maybe this is a good place to stop? I've got a packed weekend anyways)

(Yeah, me too. Alright, let's stop here for now.
Are you going to post the next chatroom?)

(I probably will, unless you think you can relearn how to draw on your DS and have a drawing idea. XD)

(If I draw something, it will probably be something like this cover, only worse. XD)

(X'D)