The Exiled

Part 7

 It was nearly night, and the sky was painted orange and purple clouds were carelessly thrown across it. The sun was a deep red and was only showing off a few rays, not its body. Small shadows were cast by a group of beasts gathered beside the Main Building.

Laurence looked around the small group of Weihrs. "Is everybody ready for the plan?" A murmur of agreement ripples through the small crowd of creatures gathered. "Great. Now, Haydn and I will take the ground, considering we aren't flying creatures. Rosa will take that building-" he gestures to a building a bit far off in the center of town- "and Mr. Evans will take that one." He points to one a bit closer. "If we see any civilians, let them be. We have to see who comes after them." The group nods collectively. Rosa grabs a knife from seemingly nowhere and twirls it between her fingers casually.

"When we see somebody with a white mask, we attack, right?" The pigeon asks, tilting her head in a very pigeon-like fashion. Laurence nods.

"That's correct."

Haydn looks a bit uncomfortable. "These kids are younger than us, are you sure we have to kill them? Why can we not capture them? That seems, like, totally unethical." Laurence scoffed.

"These kids are murderers, and you and I both know that King would torture them horribly before killing them. Would you rather kill them quickly or have them tortured, Woodard?" He snapped. Haydn looked at the ground, her ears pinned to the back of her head.

"I understand, Sir Caldwell." she murmured.

"That is what I like to hear. Now, let us get into our positions." he runs off to a building next to Rosa's. The pigeon-weihr turned and flew herself to the building before crouching on top back as a human. Say ran to his building before quickly climbing it instead of flying. Finally, Haydn took position behind a building nearer to the main building. For a while, it was quiet.

Until a creature with one of the masks began walking into the center of town. Laurence put his hand up and waved it around at Rosa when the creature wasn't looking in their direction to tell her not to attack yet. The creature stopped and sat in the middle of town.

"Greetings, other fellow townsmen. I am aware that you are here, for my senses are keen and your scents are not disguised. I am also aware that you are not simple townspeople, but high ranked and on a mission because you are hidden and out at this time. That or dumb. You needn't come out, no, but I definitely recommend getting into a defensive position of sorts, as you are entirely picked out by now." He stood, and then crouched instead of sitting. "Or, give up your mission and let us be with ours. We have a good cause, and you shouldn't attack because you do not understand it. We understand yours, and we suggest you leave." Absolute silence followed the creature's statement.

Until Laurence's voice rang out. "For what cause do you kill the way you have?"

"Not the same needless reason you kill, wolf." Laurence's breath caught in his throat with anxiety. "We kill for us. We kill for each other, and for freedom." The creature stands and turns directly to Laurence. The wolf raised his hand to Rosa, then flicked it quickly to the creature. Rosa sprung from the building, landing in front of him. In one hand she held a knife. Her other hand was reaching for a staff which was tucked safely on her back.

The creature stood but lowered his head, reaching into his robe. He pulled from it a whip. Laurence noticed when he did, Haydn suddenly took on a serious and concerned expression. Rosa lunged forward and hit him on the side of the head with her staff, knocking the mask askew. A bear.

The bear stood for a second, a bit shocked, before moving his mask back to his face and raising the whip. He quickly jerked his arm down and to the side, bringing the whip across Rosa's side. She squawked in pain, stumbling a bit. However, she quickly regained her balance and struck out with her staff, a few times catching the whip on it and trying to yank it away. Finally, she struck him square in the gut with the end of the staff. The bear wheezed from the blunt object blasting all of the wind from his lungs.

He stumbled back, before hastily rolling the whip. He walked backwards a few more steps before turning and running. Rosa began chasing him, but Haydn, a caracal at that moment, grabbed her by the leg of her pants with her teeth.

"Do not follow him. I noticed something about the whip. Something that you'd totally think me crazy for."

Laurence tilts his head. "What do you mean?" It was the first time he had spoken to her since the incident with Mieko. Haydn waves her hand dismissively. 

"I will tell you tomorrow. I'm too tired to put forth any more energy into today. I have dreams to experience." With that, Haydn ran.

"That caracal girl is quite the peculiar little beast." Rosa commented. Laurence nods before walking off to report to King what had happened.