The Hellhound's Demon

The Blind Leading the Blind

"What are you guys doing?"

Kali blinked and opened her eyes only to find Theo standing over her. "Uh, what does it look like?" she asked.

"I thought you didn't mediate?"

"I don't."

"Then why are you sitting with RJ and Casey in a meditation pose?"

Kali shrugged. "Call me a glutton for punishment," she said. "Besides, it's either this or clean up the mess you left in the pantry last night."

Theo paused; his face screwed up in thought. "What mess in the pantry?" he asked. "I give it a thorough inspection last night. You know, it was really fun, to be fair, I did it all while walking on my hands. I'm trying to prefect it so I can use it in battle."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen any time soon," said Casey, shaking his head.

"Why, what happened after I left the pantry?" Theo asked, curiously.

"You left the fridge open," said RJ.

Theo's face fell. "Oh, so you mean all the perishables...?" he trailed off, wincing at the thought.

"Perished," said Kali, nodding. "The smell was astounding when Rylie and I went to get the dairy products this morning. $1500 down the drain."

"Whoops," Theo gulped. "I'm sorry?"

"Maybe you should avoid Rylie if that's your attempt at an apology," said RJ, shaking his head. He uncrossed his legs and stood up, just as the monitors flickered to life and the alarms started to blare loudly.

Kali jumped up, stretched her muscles, and inspected the screens. "I'll get Lily," she said, disappearing downstairs.

Casey and Theo shared a look, inspected the screens themselves, and then headed for the exits.

~X~

"Blades!"

"Charge!"

Kali ducked as a black bird swooped down low, almost taking her head off with his sharp feathered wings. She rolled forward as a second bird, this time white, attacked from behind, narrowly missing her shoulders. "What's the deal?" she asked, getting back to her feet.

"They must know you're the Hellhound," said Casey, circling up with the others around their team mate.

Kali grit her teeth and looked up into the skies. "Theo, Lily, take the white bird," she said. "Casey, you and I have got the black."

The team nodded and broke apart.

"Hey, big bird, this way!" Casey called, waving his arms in the air and gaining the attention of his target.

The white bird turned mid-flight and swooped down on the pair. Kali stepped backwards, to avoid being hit, and managed to glimpse his whole appearance. He looked like a crane, but she wasn't entirely sure. Birds had never been a favourite in terms of animals.

"Hey, get off!" Casey cried, as the crane took off into the air again. It's long talons dug into Casey's shoulders and lifted him up, his feet barely scraping the pavement.

"Let him go!" Kali said, hurling a fireball at the bird.

Casey groaned as he hit the ground. "Thanks," he said, scrambling to his feet and looking at Kali.

"Don't thank me yet," said Kali, shaking her head. "He's not -" she broke off as the Crane was hit from behind, its attention drawn to the person who dared interfere.