The two made their way down the stairs, out of the tower, and onto the long path that led to the deep woodlands. Emory led the way, with Mystic right beside her.

"Nero gets defensive when he sees new people for the first time, but he'll be nicer once he sees me with you." Emory informed. "Here it is!" They both stepped into the clearing where she slept for the night. "He should be just beyond the stream..."

Suddenly, they heard something. It was hard to make out at first, but it soon turned out to be the distant shouting of men.

"Where is he?"

"He disappeared!"

"This savage thing doesn't know when to quit..."

"Watch yourselves, he could be anywhere!"

"There!"

After that, there was shouting as if they were fighting a war. Mystic, aware of the trouble being stirred up, knelt to his daughter.

"Stay here, I'll go check it out." Emory nodded. Mystic leapt over the stream to the source of the chaos.

When he reached the commotion, it was quite a sight. It was a group of four hunters, fighting off an unusual humanlike creature. Upon examination, this creature was what Emory talked about. He showed impressive combat skills, for when he was pinned down, he quickly kicked the attacker off of him with barely any effort. Mystic was able to catch a glimpse of the bandage around his left ankle. Every attack the hunters threw at the werewolf, he nimbly evaded or countered. He dodged just about every weapon, until he was slashed across the face by a fifth, stronger hunter who leapt out of the bushes in ambush. The werewolf was knocked to the ground from the sudden force, the leader raising his dagger to finish the deed.

Just as it came down, the humanoid twisted around and countered with a dagger of his own, slicing the top of the hunter's hand open. He recoiled and was pinned against a tree, face to face with his supposed prey. The forest dweller pressed his stone dagger against the hunter's throat. All the other hunters looked on in tense silence. The high class hunter looked into the werewolf's violet eyes. He kicked his boot down hard on the creature's bandaged ankle. The werewolf hissed in pain and drew back, giving the hunter time to pin him to the ground, his knee firmly pressed on the creature's ribs. He got ready to slice the throat of his struggling game when a magical beam of light shot right past him and into the tree. He turned his head to the wizard before him.

All was silent when Mystic walked down to face the hunter who had the werewolf pinned. The man he looked down on was in his mid to late thirties, and the other men were late twenties to early thirties. The older hunter looked at the wizard in amusment.

"I never thought I'd be graced by the presence of the Mage of the West," he said. "What brings you to an untamed place like this?"

"I can ask you the same thing myself," Mystic answered.

"I'm a hunter. It's clear that I need someplace to call my hunting ground."

"Who you're pinning down seems to disagree."

"'Who'? This is merely an animal, by night at least. The full moon's tonight, as well as tomorrow. He's clearly dangerous, and living in the forest only fuels the savage nature of a beast. It was quite clear when I found he escaped the trap I set last night. A savage will do anything to escape confinement."

"If he's been staying here for so long, he has no interest in human interaction."

"Yes, but for how long?"

Mystic looked at the werewolf, who was still glaring at the hunter who pinned him to the ground.

"As far as I know, he was defending himself. Anyone would if their life was threatened." His staff began to glow, and the leader was levitated off of the creature and to his group. Mystic stepped in between them. "I'll have to agree that those who kill for sport are not welcome here."

The hunters stared at the mage, until the leader chuckled. "If that's how it's supposed to be." He beckoned his group and they walked away.

Mystic turned to the lycanthrope, who was pushing himself off the ground. "You're Nero, correct?" Nero tensed up in defense. Mystic held his hand out. "My daughter told me about you."

Nero looked at the wizard's hand, then slowly got up on his own. He looked over Mystic's shoulder for a moment and gave him a sharp, judgemental shove.

"What were you thinking leaving her there all this time?" he berated.

In confusion, Mystic turned around to see Emory sitting and watching innocently on a rock.

(End of Chapter)

Aw man! I really liked the fight scene! The struggle between Nero and the hunters was awesome. And the way you wrote Mystic is stellar so far. The part with Emory at the end made me laugh harder than it should have. (-> v <-)