Shaggy and the Forest

Chapter 8. Town of the Dead

(Ezri's pov)

Watching Alexandria as she describes her fall to Shaggy and Alixia around the fire she keeps an eye on her surroundings, her pack spreads out to patrol the perimeter around them. She still is unsure about Shaggy not understanding how he does not know of his ancestors and his own past, she keeps a cautious eye on him but she can tell he does not pose an immediate threat..yet. Reaching down picking up a slice of meat from the fox she caught for food she takes a bite, she remembers Alixia's protest to eating her own kind, "Foolish woman," she remembers thinking, in this forest, you do what you must to survive. Finishing her slice she takes out her blade unwrapping the fur from the tiger she props it on a stick to dry over the fire, she cleans of the access blood from her handle leaving just enough to color the bone, that beast she knew from her past though she did not remember the scar on his left eye that turned it white, all she remembers is seeing her sister being carried off with a flash of white fur and a voice so deep it rattled her chest, she grips the handle hard closing her eyes in the memory, she sighs and looks at the smile on Alexandria's face wondering how after what she has been through she can be so happy, but as she watches the three of them it comes to her, the idea of having someone to look forward to seeing must be what drives her, she remembers seeing a determination in Alexandria's eyes after she found her in that stream, a determination to get to them. Going back to cleaning her blade she thinks of the tiger's life's it has taken and the souls it's trapped inside, all for one, his. She slides the blade back in the band on her arm, she checks the darts in her band on her other arm, darts full of poison, seeing them all there and in good condition she lays down to rest letting the others voices drown out into the distance as she drifts off.

(Shaggy's pov)

Listening to Alexandria's story of how she survived the fall by getting swept away by the tornado, landing in a tree then waking up in a stream to find Ezri and the pack around her was wonderful but he could not get the painting out of his mind, each time he pictured the painting it came to life, "Fulfil your destiny," it would say, but what in the hell did it mean. Snapping out of it he saw Ezri lay down to rest and figures that would be a good idea they have still a long way to travel, to the Town of the Dead and to the city. Laying down he takes Alixia's hand in his looking at her as she meets his gaze he sees relief in her eyes and he smiles, "We should get some rest we have a lot to do tomorrow," he says to both of the girls, they nod and say goodnight, he wraps his arms around Alixia as she lays next to him cuddling, Alexandria laying not far from them, hearing the fire crackling and Alixia's soft breathing.

Laying in Alicia's arms he lays restless unable to sleep, every time he closes his eyes he sees the drawing, his eyes shooting open he gently gets up and heads back to the cave not but a few hours walk away. The trip seems to take longer than when they left, as he arrives he looks up to see the tiger hanging from its legs over the cliff, (Alexandria's idea) crows eating away at the decaying flesh he walks up the path to the cave, he slides into the tunnel at the back of the cave till he emerges at the landing with the drawing of his ancestor illuminated by the light from the stream of lava down below the landing. He stands there staring at the drawing asking himself and the drawing what this all means, lost in thought he doesn't hear Ezri walk in behind him walking up to him until he feels her hand on his shoulder, jumping he turns to attack stopping seeing it's Ezri, "You scared the living hell out of me Ezri!" He exclaims in frustration turning back to the drawing, "Well at least the evil within you is gone now," Ezri giggles, "But I can sense anger in you now and confusion, you wish to know what you don't and can't understand, but you are not ready to know everything, but I can tell you some things so you ask and I will answer if I can." He looks at her confused, "How can you know these things of my past," looking back at the drawing, "Are you a record keeper or a wizard?" He stumbles over his words in frustration and confusion. "Sit down my cub, and I shall tell you my knowledge but take what I say and hold it to yourself for those you care for will not understand," sitting down he looks at Ezri her blue hair slightly more purple in this light but her eyes still daggers made of ice and beauty, she stands before him, "Are you ready my cub?" She asks. "Yes!" He says eagerly.