To Love & Protect (#2 A story from the world of Arcaya)

Chapter 13: The Search For Danny

After eating the deer, we had some meat left over. Gyermo put salt, a lot of it, on all the left overs, he explained it would keep it from spoiling, a few he put pepper on it to be prepared next, and then he put them in a basket with a top on it.

I began to speak to Sai, "How did you get here?" How could she even know where here is?

She spoke with a beautiful calm voice, "I was teleported here when you passed out. It seems we cannot be away from each other for very long or else you will begin to die." She was beautiful as a wolf, fully blue with deep blue markings on the fur on her face.

Then I remembered what I asked her to do, "Is Jackie ok? Did she make it to camp or is she still with the lady and the big wolf?" I hope she is ok.

She nodded for a moment before speaking, "We made it to camp and we ran into someone named Alex, she said she knows you. I left Jackie in her care to come to you. Good thing I did, eh?" she imitated a Canadian as she did it.

I couldn't help laughing at the imitation, "Well, as long as Alex is with her, she will be ok." Alex will make sure Jackie doesn't starve.

I heard Gyermo speak to me and Sai, "Can you two come over here for a moment?" I started walking but Sai got there first because of her four legs made her walk faster.

Once I got there I chose not to speak because Sai had already started speaking. Gyermo spoke after a moment, "You two are dire wolves, I know that much." He said. How did he find out? Must've been from watching Sai. Then he continued speaking, "I was wondering if you would let us ride on you two." Odd question, but us dire wolves being as big as a normal human, I can understand the question.

Sai responded before I could, "Only females, sir." She said it with a bow.

I looked at Brutis and old man Gyermo, neither of them were heavy set. I guess I could do it, "Yea, why not, it will make traveling quicker." I said. I just stood there for a moment, watching Miranda swing her leg over Sai and laying close to her fur

Miranda seemed to be enjoying herself, "Soooooofffftttt." She said slowly.

I shapeshifted into wolf form and Brutis and the old man got on top of my back, Brutis sitting further back. The old man leaned close to my ear and whispered, "You have demon blood in you, you should be able to sense where this demon has been and is going." He was right, at least, I think he was, because I felt like there was some heavy type of dread sitting in the distance. I moved towards it slowly, prowling, I couldn't tell if it was close or far. I heard a roar and a crash, when I looked in that direction there was clumps of black shadow scattered on the ground.

I heard Brutis's breath catch in his throat as a person... thing walked into view. It was a young man wearing only pants, he had orange stripes all over him, a spiked demon tail, and large bat-like wings. The shadows were feeding into him slowly and forming something on his right arm. It nearly doubled when the shadow had all been absorbed, it also had giant claws in place of fingers now. One of the guy's eyes was pitch red and crying tears of blood, the other eye completely numb.

It was only when Brutis launched off of me at him that I realized they had been talking. This must be the person they were looking for. I shapeshifted back into Wolfkin form and started to charge when Gyermo stopped me, "This is their battle. Let them have at it." I saw Miranda launch of Sai as well.

I heard Sai's voice in my head <Brother, we should be helping. Standing here doesn't feel right.> She was looking at me as she spoke... err... thought?

It was a weird sensation, a slight deep buzzing sounded in my ear while we spoke like this, the feeling being the feeling when your head won't stop thinking. <I know it doesn't feel right, but if these three have bonds, then we would only get in the way.> I also didn't want her to start fighting so soon after being revived either. I watched the battle rage, Miranda and Brutis had a type of comradery during a fight that I had only heard of in legends. If Brutis was one place, Miranda was the exact opposite. Brutis attacked when Miranda finished her attack and vice versa. Together they slashed and slashed and slashed with swords and claws. Every cut the man got was healing before another blow could be delivered. I saw the clawed arm of the man tense up, preparing for an attack. When it came, my legs moved before I knew what I was doing, the man's claw moved too fast to see, and yet, I caught it with my own claws inches in front of Miranda's face. Brutis had just finished his attack before I caught this claw, and that's when I noticed, the man had been learning their pattern. The man flung his claw upwards taking me with about a foot above the ground, in midair the man kicked me in the chest sending me flying through the forest. When I landed I hit my head and felt an irresistible stab of rage. I was back in the man's face before they even moved from their spot. I kicked him in the jaw at an upward angle, feeling bones crunch, flinging him into the air almost above the trees. He caught himself in the air using his wings... the big, heavy, blood red, spiked wings. I watched his jaw fix itself.