PBEM-G6

Chapter Six

"Fireworks?" Isianu said in disgust, "You call summoning forth the dark ethers around me and willing them to turn into fire and striking down some of your soldiers fireworks? I think not!" She stands there insulted turned away from the comander and not giving a second thought about the flanking soldiers. A rought plan started to form in her mind, and she'd just hope they'd be smart enough to fall for it. Turning her head back around, she gave the commander a scathing gaze, "Just accept that I'm a powerful mage and could quite easily smite you if I would have known you were coming. Unfortunately I spent most of my power on this," She points to the cottage they were standing next to. At the dumbfounded gazes, she remarked, "Why do you think a house like this would be so far out in the wilderness, let alone in such a bad location? I willed it into being with all of the cumforts of home. Large ever-burning fire place, peramently fluffy chairs, an infinately supplied cabinet, and a bed of a thousand and one plesant dreams. If you would ask me nicely I might be persuaded to give you a personal tour..." She smiled evilly at the last part, hoping that they would get the picture, Going into the house: good, Going into the house with her: bad.

As Isianu talked, it occurred to Kupita that no one was watching her. Now was a good time to make some attempt at escape. She could walk fairly well, though her arms remained tied at her sides and she was gagged.

The flanking soldiers listened to Isianu's remarks while their leader drew his sword. He snorted at her threat. "Aw, come on you maggots! It's just all talk! Doesn't make any sense anyway..." The flanking men hesitated a moment longer, but Isianu was quickly realizing that the edge her display had given her was weakening. It looked like it would be hand-to-hand, her strength against that of five humans...

As those thoughts materialized, a fireball burst on the leader's chest. He shouted and his men all turned to him in surprise. He began swatting at his burning clothing, managing to fan the flames further. The men started shouting contradicting advice at him. Isianu and Kupita were promptly forgotten.

At the further disbelief of her magical prowess, Isianu crossed her arms in disgust and gazed at the commander with daggers in her eyes. If only had a little more magical power, you wouldn't belive I can do only simple parlor tricks. When the soldier she was glaring at burst into flames, her eyes opened wide in surprise for a few seconds, but then went back to a self-confitent gaze. Hmm, guess I just had some left in reserve or something. Once the soldiers were turned away from her, Isianu decided that she scared the poor humans enough and it was time to leave before someone would take a beating. Sneaking back into the forest, she leaned down and shook Arias awake, telling him to start running into the woods, indicating a direction. She then went over on the other side of the house, keeping it between her and the soldiers, trying to find and rescue Kupita.

Seeing Isianu fleeing, Kupita's eyes widened. She'd be left alone with all this... cheese! She hopped to her feet and awkwardly gave chase, trying to shout around her gag.

Isianu shook Arias, but received no response. He wasn't waking up, despite her best efforts. His breathing was shallow and he seemed more ashen then usual. Kupita hobbled up, grunting and carrying on in her tied-and-gagged state.

An armored dwarf stepped out of the house behind them. He chuckled to himself. "I haven't laughed that hard in ages!"

Kupita looked at the dwarf and tried to hop towards him. Perhaps he would untie her. She attempts to get the message across by looking at the ropes and them at him. She repeated the phrase "Untie me," although she was sure that he couldn't understand her with the gag in place.

The dwarf pulled the gag out of Kupita's mouth. Looking her over, "All this trouble over you? What did you do?" The wizard also came out of the house. He was waving a staff and he clapped the dwarf on the back.

"Kupita!" Isianu cried in a low tone of voice, still wary of the soldiers on the other side of the house. She made her way around the corner to kneel down and began to undo the moogle's bonds. "Are you alright? I'm surprised that those brutes could do this so fast, but still, they outnumber us and I used up most of my mana just on that little fire blast. Why don't you grab H.P. and..." The Lupine stopped in mid-sentince and began to sniff the air, an odd scent whafting up to her. Turning around to see the two remarkably short people gathered around Kupita, with the original owner of the house. She looked at them rather questionally, but without malice. "Kupita, who are you're friends? And more importantly, where did they come from?"

"Oh dear, where are my manners!" exclaimed the little old man, waving his staff dramatically. "Kupita the Knight and Miss Veenous the Caller, this is--"

"I can interduce myself," grumbled the dwarf, cutting him off. "Name's Bildur. Those brutes are my company, sort of. I was checking this here house over when you went and riled them up. Yer fortunate," he gestured to the old man, "this old goat here popped Strom with that ball of fire or he might've stuck one of you two. He's excitable, that one." The old man smiled happily.

The Lupine sorceress mulled over the things the short humans were saying and trying to understand exactly what was going on. After untying Kupita she stood up and looked down at the dwarf with a deadpan gaze. "Well Bildur, I thank your friend and hope in the future that you'll be able to have a little more control over them." Casting a sideways glance over in the direction the stench of burnt human was coming from for a second, she turned back to the dwarf. "If you don't mind my asking kind sir, but what exactly are you and your men doing out here?" She then turned and looked at the magician standing next to him, a little more harshly and said, "Magician, you seem to know our names and might have an idea of our purpose but we know nothing about you. Would you mind enlightening us?"

Bildur seemed to choke at Isianu's words. "Name's Bildur. Not kind and definitely not a sir. That moogle yer untying is why we're here."

The old wizard flushed at being addressed so. "I, well, oh my... I'm sorry the house wasn't to your liking... I really did try so very hard... I could have tested it further, I--"

Bildur cut in. "His name's Feltan. Crazy old goat. Dunno how I get involved with crazies." He shrugged. He moved to intercept the soldiers now running around the house.

The old wizard blinked. "Oh, yes, Feltan. Artificer, Dabbler, and Tinkerer by trade. That's what I usually say... can't imagine why I didn't say so before."

Things started to swirl around in Isianu's head about Kupita and these soldiers. Were they actually after her for some crime, or were these the rest of her unit, recently reinforced by some common conscripts. All of this would have to wait until the dwarf came back, at the moment, she decided to peruse another avenue of investigation. Bowing to the short wizard, she said, "I am so sorry Feltan, it is all my fault. Your house was perfect, but the disappearance of that horrid specter and you showing up at the door, plus the fact you took us in without any cost to us made me suspicious. I thought you were some rouge changeling that used your house to trap innocent travelers like ourselves, but I was wrong however. I only wish you could forgive my paranoia." Standing back up straight, Isianu's ears swiveled around to the soldier's running a muck and turned back to the wizard. "Out of curiosity, how long have you been with Bildur and his 'company'?"

The wizard beamed proudly. "The house is perfect, that's such a relief. I've only recently gotten into real estate." He sat for some time, then suddenly realized that he'd asked a question. "How long? Oh my, I don't really recall. Probably five or ten minutes, at the least. I was fixing some tea when he came in and I asked him if he would like some. He sniffed it and said it was fowl, or some nonsense. He asked if I could stiffen it a bit and I did, and we've been fast friends ever since."

Kupita's head was spinning. She guessed that it was because of the Cheese. Uh! Cheese! When things started to make sense she wondered How do you make tea stiff? Put starch in it? Then she asked, "Hey, anybody know who those thugs were and what they wanted with me?" Probably a bunch of perverts who like tying up moogles for kicks.

The old wizard cast a glance over at Kupita. "They seem to believe that you are some sort of criminal. A chocobo rustler, it would seem. You do appear to be a moogle, and you do have a rare chocobo at that. It's an understandable mistake. After all, what are the odds that there would be two armored pink moogles with black chocobos running away from their homeland? At least one in three or four. I think we could ask your gambler friend, if he weren't lying there with that ghastly expression on his face."

There was some sort of altercation taking place between the soldiers. They were yelling at each other in what must have passed for quiet tones amongst their group.

At this new information Isianu blinked several times and looked down at the moogle in front of her. "You stole that chocobo?" In a rather quesitoning tone, "But you're a knight of some order. I thought you just were given that for your heroic deeds or raised it from birth, or some such thing..." Looking over at the soldiers still arguing behind the house brought the Lupine back to the danger they were in. "Well I'm sure we'll straigthen all of this out eventually," Isianu said patting her on the head. Turning over to the wizard, she asked, "Now, do you know who exactly sent these people out to find this chocobo wrangler?"

The old man nodded happily, "Oh yes, of course!" He pointed in the direction of the quarreling soldiers. "See those cloth strips they are tearing off of each other? Those are Aldersgate colors, blue and yellow! They used to wear the finest uniforms, so regal, but since the King died, they've become so sloppy." He sighed. "Now they're lucky to even have insignia or scarves. It's no way to run a kingdom."

"Come On, let's get outta here while We've got the chance. If We stick around here long enough I'm apt to do something rash." Like take the heads of those solders... Kupita thought, hatefully. She tried to cover up her embarrasment with her anger. She didn't want her associates...her potential friends...to know about her seedy past. It really wasn't her fault that she stole the chocobo. It was an honest mistake. There's no reason that I should have to be punished for my 'crime', I didn't even mean to do it! ... Now, burning down that fondue company... that I could understand.

Isianu placed a firm paw upon the moogle's shoulder, "Hold friend Kupita, I don't think you need to worry about those soldiers anymore. It seems that desertion is a lot more common out here amoung the human lands than in my country." She then directed her attention to the insignias being torn off their uniforms and smiled. "I have a feeling that right now they're saying, "This is insane!"" she said lowering her voice and making it more gruff with the words a little slurred, mimicing the rough humans. ""We were sent out here to find some stupid little teady bear and that unholy being of destruction! This is an insult to our machoism and we aren't going to get ourselves killed because of some stupid giant turkey!"" Leaning up agianst the house's wall, Isianu looked upon the arguing soldiers with a slight look of acomplishment on her face. "Oh, speaking of which, you might want to go and retirve your mount before he runs to far. While you're doing that, I think it might be best for me to go and see what exactly is the matter with our 'friends' once they worked out a few things from amoungst themselves." While Kupita went off to retrive H.P., Isianu kept her eyes on the soldiers, keen interest in her eyes. If any of them take a moment to look in her direction, she would smile broadly, making sure not to show any teeth, and wave at them in a friendly manner.

Isianu regarded the embattled humans. They had divided themselves into two opposing forces, on one side the tall, blonde human that she could only assume was the leader and the more scarred, mean-looking half of the original group, and on the other, Bildur and the slighter men of the group. Already several of the slightest and one of the oldest soldiers were laid out on the ground. Except for Bildur and his counterpart, who were arguing loudly and incoherantly, the rest were engaged in wrestling each other to the ground, making a shambles of armor and uniform alike. She could not quite determine the gist of the arguments, as everyone involved bleated back and forth. It was obvious that it would have to stop soon as many of the combatants were very nearly spent.

Her satisfied look turned to one of concern and worry, she didn't notice before that things have gotten so bad between the soldiers and now it might cause some troubles for themselves. "Kupita, Feltan," Isianu said getting off the wall and looking over towards the fighting soldiers. "I think that we have something a little more important to worry about at the moment. I would rather not encur their wrath, but unless we do something, I think you might be hauled off again Kupita..." Taking a deep breath, Isianu took a step forward and motioned for the other two to back her up as she made her way over to the infighting soldiers. She made a straight line towards Bildur and the man he was arguing with. If there were any soliders werestling in her way, she would try and seperate the two, showing a slight favor for the weaker combatant. "Alright, alright, break it up you guys!" she said making her way to the leaders of the two factions. Once reaching the dwarf and the human, looking at each in turn before asking in a farily neutral tone, "You know, it might not be any of my business, but what exactly is going on here? I'd personally hate to see some good men just beating each other up for no apparent reason. Personally I'd like us to leave on peaceful terms, not like the way that we meet, and I'm sure you'd like that too. I would just like to know why exactly are you out here, and why are you fighting?"

The human and dwarf were glaring at each other icily. They didn't turn as Isianu spoke to them, as if they could not hear her. The fighting seemed to die down, none of the combatants having the strength or will to do other than struggle weakly and occasionally mumble token words of defiance. The dwarf finally grumbled, "What's it going to be, Strom? You can't win, not by yerself. I didn't sign on to be no fat human's toady. There was a time when you'd have died a'fore goin' out like that."

"FAT!!" exclaimed Strom, indignantly.

The dwarf rubbed his temple, shaking his head. "Not you, ya' lime-headed fool. This so-called Baron. What're we doin' here?! Kidnapping some fuzzy critter over a bird? For money? In the old days, we'd just have taken the money and been done with it! And--"

"It's not money!" the human cut his companion off, "Not this time." He turned away, seeing the collapsed heaps that were just minutes before fully clothed soldiers. "C'mon Bildur, let's just do this. It'll be like old times... it'll be even better. You'll see." He turned to Isianu, stating authoritatively, "You two are coming with me, on the authority of the kingdom of Aldersgate!" The dwarf just groaned, putting his head in his hands.

"That does it!" Kupita says in a disgusted tone. "You grab me, accuse me of stealing a chocobo, leave me tied up, and then try to take on my friends. I've had it with you!" He tone had built up to a vengful roar. She whips out her sword and heads for the human.

The Lupine sorceress stood there slightly insulted at being ignored in this manner, but thankful that they were too weak to mount a major offensive against her. When the one known as Strom addressed her in such a rude manner, she gave out a very angry snort and took a step forward, glaring down at the mercenary. Her eyes fill with disdain and loathing until they almost burn with it. "Do you address me in such a manner?" she asked calmly, but full of venom, having it slightly letting the Lupine accent she kept so well hidden. Letting a malicious chuckle escape her lips she said, "I honestly doubt you have the authority to order ME around. I believe your Baron and his country is a pitiful, little speck in the greater thing of inter- kingdom politics. He is a pompous oaf that doesn't know that those who bait wolves are those who will be missing a hand, at the very least. Then there's the fact that your men have ran themselves ragged fighting among themselves leaving only you to oppose me." She raises a paw and puts it on Strom's cheek, while giving him a rather malicious, toothy smile. "So, little human, what do you propose to do, at least until I rip your throat out?"

The "little" human's scowl deepened as he took explosive action, his left hand grabbing Isianu's wrist and twisting it painfully while his right drew his blade. Kupita's charge was stopped short as he slapped the sword out of her hand with his weapon and placed the blade to her throat. Kupita's eyes bulged. "Now, the only thing that keeps me from ripping out your throat is my being a little short-handed," said the blonde warrior, emphasizing the last three words. He chuckled to himself, watching Kupita.

Isianu's eyes watered from the painful twisting of her wrist. She hadn't expected the man to muster such strength and the way he was gripping her arm was essentially incapacitating her. She instinctively pulled away, which only served to send the pain shooting further up her arm.

"Let them go," said the voice of Arias, somewhere outside Kupita and Isianu's frames of vision. Feltan, a look of shock on his face, and Bildur, looking bored, both turned to see the man standing defiantly before Strom.

"Or you'll what, fella'?" said Strom, genuinely curious. He was answered by a surge of black energy that distorted his features and bent his form in a terrible display. He shrieked, letting go of Isianu and scrambling backwards to escape the onslaught. He held his sword tight, stumbling over the wheezing bodies of his companions as he hastily backed away.

"Amazing," breathed Feltan. Bildur simply sat, looking as his fingernails.

^^Whoa-hoh! What a performance! How long has he been able to do THAT?^^ Kupita said shocked, she recovered and spoke once again, this time NOT in Moogle. "Okay, buddy!" she said as she retrieved her sword. "Hand over the weapon. Between my buddies and me, we can take you down!" She waved her sword menacingly at him, but far enough away that he couldn't knock it from her grasp.

Strom stopped his retreat, also keeping a safe distance. "You want a piece of me, fuzzball?! Why don't you come over here and make your threats?! I'll make a bite-size nugget out of you... maybe two!" His soldiers were picking themselves up and looking at the assembly warily. Some picked up their weapons and held them at the ready. "Or maybe you need your... er, scrawny sorceror... guy to talk like that!"

"I don't NEED anyone to talk like this..." She turned and gave her friends a look, then turned back to Strom. "But I DO appreciate my friends' help when the opportunity presents itself. I'm sure you feel the same way. Or maybe you don't..." She looked over at the other soldiers. "Well, does he ever appriciate you? Does he even know your names? Do you let this idiot trash talk you like he's doing to me? You think he's gonna recommend you for promotions? Help me take this guy out."

The soldiers seemed unmoved by Kupita's words. The six or so that supported Strom were somewhat recovered and positioned themselves flanking him, warily watching Kupita and company.

"C'mon Bildur, you hear it talkin'," began Strom. "It's just a dirty fluffbag! There's no reason why it can't be like old times, only this time around, we won't get run out of town! People will actually like us." Bildur glanced back and forth between Kupita and Strom. His stoic expression remained.

"I've had enough of this!" Said Kupita with disgust. "You aren't worth the time it takes to talk. I've got better things to do, like finding my friend." Kupita turned and wandered into the woods to find H.P. ^^H.P.! Where are you?!^^

Strom and his group looked at Isianu and Arias as Kupita retreated. Feltan, Bildur, and the remaining soldiers were seemingly overlooked. Strom shouted unintelligibly, but he stood his ground as his prey escaped. "C'mon, let's get the birds!" he yelled, suddenly, motioning for his loyal followers to go back around the house. They ran and he followed.

The remaining soldiers looked to Bildur, but the dwarf was looking at the ground, transfixed.

Kupita wandered away from the woods. ^^H.P.! Where are you? Come back!^^ Why does he always run away? I miss him...I love him, dang it! Why can't he understand what this does to me?

Follow Kupita's Search

Isianu just sat there, stunned by what was happening around her; the fact that a human could be so strong, the magical prowess shown by Arias, and Bildur's indifference to the whole situation. Slowly she got back to her feet growling some slight curses in Lupine. Once to her feet, she saw Kupita run off in search for her mount and the soldiers that seemed to be doing the same. Dusting herself a bit, she looked at the solemn dwarf and decided that it would be the best course of action to do. Slowly coming up to the mercenary, she sat down on her haunches, glancing over at him with a sorrowful look. "Bildur," she started hesitantly, not sure how to start this out, "I thank you for standing up for me and my friend back there. You are a noble and wise man, which the world could definitely use more of. My only regret is that we might have been the direct cause of the hardships with your friends, even though that man seemed like an utter oaf, and I got the distinction you had no real love for him." With that Isianu turned her head to look at the horizon, almost mimicking the dwarf next to her, somber gaze for somber gaze. "To tell the truth, I feel a bit like an oaf myself. We shouldn't have interrupted you two in a private matter that was none of our business. I should have just left, but of course that might have just caused more problems for you and your men..." Letting out a long sigh, she continued, "What was I thinking trying to intimidate Strom when I knew he was a trained mercenary? Just because he was a human, I underestimated him, I seem to do that a lot out here. It would just be best to give up and run away, but I press forward stubbornly believing I can overcome anything that might oppose me."

Isianu's head then droops down a bit and a few tears start to fall to the ground. "How could I ever to hope to run a country," she said, openly crying, "When constantly almost get myself killed out here? Maybe it was the best thing for Goranthor that I left, now it wouldn't have to deal with a Queen who would run her kingdom into the ground..." With that, she let go of the self control that she had learned to display at all time. Placing her face in her paws, she let go and cried a storm of tears, letting out, "I was trained to be the best Sorceress in the world, and some man, who didn't show any magical talent a hour ago and does more than I could ever do! I'm a failure as a ruler, a sorceress, and as a Lupine in general..."

Bildur glared at Isianu unpleasantly. "Aw, quit yer belly-achin'!" His face reddened, "It is your fault! You and all the fool humans and moogles!" He snorted and stomped, casting his withering gaze all around. "By The Anvil, you all deserve each other! I want nothing to do with any of you!" He turned and clumped away. The remaining soldiers looked at each other, then timidly followed.

Isianu realized that with the exception of Feltan, everyone was gone. Even Arias had slipped away. The old wizard gave her a wan smile. He thrust his staff in her direction. "Maybe it's a bad time, but I was sorry about your sickle-weapon. I thought maybe you could use this... I used it during my... apprenticeship. As you can see, it's still very useful." He held the staff out to her.

The Lupine sorceress just sat there silently crying a bit, most of the downpour being over with. She was expecting something similar to what Bildur said and it seemed to help her deal a bit with what she was doing. When Feltan came into her field of view, Isianu hardly paid him any notice, but when he offered her a staff, she looked a bit confused at him. Standing up, she gently took the staff and looked it over, then back at the wizard with a odd look on her face. "Why, thank you Feltan..." she said rather curiously, "For your kindness. It seems that I have never had a moment's peace in around five days, I have been on the run, captured, shot at, and basically attacked. I wish I could fight back against the things that wish to slay me, but I am weak from my previous ordeals. At the moment I'd just like to pack up with Kupita and find somewhere to go, despite the fact that I don't know where I could possibly go..." Slowly Isianu's dream came back into her mind and she dwelled upon it a little more, wondering if it was a sign to tell her which path to take. "Well, that's not entirely true, I might have someplace I would like to go, but it wouldn't be plesant to do so." Sighing again, she sat down on the rock the dwarf had recently unoccupied, and looked at Feltan in the eyes. "I don't know what I could do that would make a difference in my or my friend's struggles. I'm just too weak..."

Feltan looked around, blinking in surprise upon seeing he was alone with Isianu. "Hm... Well, making a difference is very overrated, if you ask me. Not that you did ask me. But that doesn't make any difference now, does it? And I think that was the very point I was making! Splendid! Did you see how good that felt, when you weren't really making a difference? Yes, well, I'm glad that's settled. Do you need an explanation on using your ::wink:: staff?"

Isianu stood there, listening to obvious logical circles the dwarf was running around here, with various pitfalls along the ways. Scratching her head in obvious confusion, she noticed that she wasn't thinking of her weakness and instead on what a nutcase Feltan is. "Yea, well it does feel a little better, but still, sometimes things must be done, regardless of our personal feelings. But on to more pressing business, please instruct me in the proper way to use your staff." She then bowed down to Feltan, holding the staff close, ready to know what secrets it contained.

"Oh, it's really very simple. You simply pretend that the staff is an extension of your will. Like it were an arm, only a magical arm. Instead of focusing on power within, you focus on power as if it were within, only without. No, that's not quite right. You really just have to practice it..." He paused, slightly flustered. "Do you understand?"

Isianu looked over the finely crafted rod that has been given to and listening to Feltan's words, her mind began working on what he was saying. Eventually what he was saying dawned upon her, it was some magical device that would allow her to cast something without draining her spiritual reserves. She heard tales of these things in some ancient tomes, but never seen one. Her father trained her to be the only real weapon she needed and not rely too heavily on external devices. Holding the staff close to her, Isianu said, "Oh thank you Feltan for giving me something like this. I wish I could do something for you in return for such a marvoleus gift, but I have very little and I think my companion might be need help in the near future. If you wish, you are more than welcome to join us..." Isianu held the gift in both hands, relaxed against her legs and looked down sympathetically towards the dwarven wizard.

"Oh dear, yes, that might be true. Although I don't know about consorting with criminals. Then again, I'm not sure if this Baron isn't the greatest criminal of them all." He pursed his lips. "I was going to go home."

"I think I agree with you on some of your points," the sorceress said smiling a bit. "It's better traveling with criminals rather than being under the sway of a tyrant. Well if you do not wish to join us, I hope that the rest of your day is less exciting than it has been so far." Bowing low to Feltan, Isianu said a traditonal Lupine formal farewell and went off to look for her moogle compainon.

Feltan tapped his house, which conveniently reduced itself to miniscule size. He watched Isianu's retreating form, grabbed his house, then scampered after. "I... ah... oh... don't think this is such a very good idea. My... the villagers and the soldiers from Aldersgate are looking for... well, hm, a wolfbeast? And some might say that you fit that description, in a way... I am sure they'll attack without being reasonable. No, going this way can only bring more trouble..."

Ahead, Isianu picked up the sounds of chocobos. Lots of chocobos, loudly warking.

"I know this way is bad," Isianu stated, rather obviously, "But we won't be going too far. We're just going to find Kupita, then we'll go a different way." Looking away from the dwarf keeping pace with her, the features of her faced darkened a bit and her voice went into a harsher tone. "I have lost too many companions in the past few days, I shall not lose any more..." Turning back to Feltan, her voice and features going back to normal she stated, "Besides, Kupita knows her way around here better than I do. I have to ask her where we should go, I know if anything went wrong, which I definitely think it has, she was supposed to meet up with others that support her cause. Even though I might not be totally knowledgeable of their doctrine, I do know that they are kindred spirits and I might find sanctuary among their numbers."

While she was talking, Isianu heard the sounds of various chocobos crying not too far off in the distance. If it was chocobos, and they were panicking over something, Kupita was probably the cause of their problems. Nodding over to the direction the sounds were coming from she addressed Feltan, "I believe that my companion is over that way. We should probably just go up easily, collect her, and leave. No need to cause any sort of trouble for anybody." With that she made a long arch around towards the sounds of warking, just in case a stampede might break out in their direction.

Feltan raised an eyebrow. "Support her cause? Bird... stealing... ?" He asked. His eyes widened. "Oh dear, that was tart. I apologize." He clapped his hands over his mouth.

They looked down the hill. There were dozens of chocobos running and flapping in every direction, yellow streaks winding to and fro. A chocobo feather sailed to the ground near Isianu's foot. Feltan gingerly picked it up. "These are quite useful when properly prepared," he remarked, holding it up and peering at it with one eye closed.

Isianu did not see Kupita, nor H.P. What she did see was several of the soldiers trying to corral the chocobos. Further up the hill, Bildur and some of the others caught her eye. They too were standing and watching the commotion.

Isianu stood up there for several minutes, trying to think of the best course of action at the moment. She knew that going down there alone was a bad idea, the soldiers would spot her right away and soon do away with her. That and she couldn't just leave Kupita behind. Talking a brief glance to her side, she noticed Bildur and his company watching the same scene with a similar interest. Then a crazy idea poped into her head and she started to walk in the dwarf's direction. "Come on Feltan, if we can't retrive our companion alone, then we shall have someone help us..."

Eventually Isianu made her way towards the dwarven leader, stood next to him and looked out over the camp solemly. After a minute or two had past, she said, "It's a shame what has happened to your company and to your camp. As you said before, I am responsible for the troubles you have been having and have put my mind to make it up to you. If you wish me to aid you in restoring order to your band, I would gladly do so. All I wish is that I have paid for my mistake, and would have my companion back at my side. If you would deam it so we will leave you to your problems and not bother you with our presense any more." Isianu then turned and looked Bildur in the eyes, "But I will not leave my companion to be seriously injured or die. I am sure you see the honor in my statements, but none the less I ask you go give me some way to help you, and possibly my poor friend down there."

Feltan looked skeptical as he and Isianu approached the sour-looking dwarf. Bildur seemed to be ignoring what Isianu was saying. As she finished he turned and walked away.

Down the hill, the warking and stamping of chocobo feet was reaching a fever pitch. A soldier staggered away from the circling birds, clutching his side.

"Oh dear," murmurred Feltan. "Angry chocobos can be quite dangerous in a herd... or is it a gaggle? A formation? A school? No... goodness." His brow creased in thought. "I'm sure I know this."

Isianu just gazed silently as Bildur walked off, she didn't think it would do anything, but it was worth a shot. She then turned to Feltan to say, "Flock, and it looks like we'll have to go down there to find Kupita." Taking a few steps towards the camp, she turned to address the dwarven wizard, "Come with me if you wish, but I would not call you a coward if you stayed here. I'll try to sneak in, find Kuptia and come out as soon as I can, then we can leave this place. I don't want any trouble, but I will not hesitate to use force to protect myself or my companion. If I happen to fall in battle, you would surely know I had by the howl and all consuming flames at the camp below." With that rather morbid final farewell said, she took off down the hill, trying to stay low to the ground and avoid any rampaging chocobos.

"A flock! Of course!" Feltan was greatly relieved. He watched Isianu make her way down the hill, towards the flocking chocobos. He blinked in surprise. "Oh... dear..."

As she drew near, she saw a central figure in the confusion. Although she only saw a few glimpses of him through the streaking birds, she recognized Strom. He grunted from a blow and swung his sword, failing to do anything but open himself up to further attacks. He bellowed in pain. Kupita was nowhere to be seen, but a black flash was present among the swarming birds.

The werewolf's eyes narrowed as she spotted Strom, that wretched human responsible for her most recent headaches. He was alone in a sea of feathers that would muffle the screams and prevent anyone from helping him. The oppertunity was tempting Isianu with the seductive satisfaction of revenge. Unfortunately there was the fact that he was armed and she was rather weak. She might take him down with one or two blasts of her new staff, but how did she know that Kupita wasn't right next to him? Giving out a slight growl, she looked in the direction the black feathers were and bent down so that the other chocobos would hide her. If H.P. was around, then Kupita must not be far behind. Going into the sea of feathers, Isianu kept her staff always aimed in the direction Strom was, if anything funny happened in his direction, she would let him have it.

Isianu stepped into the sea of charging chocobos. She was immediately bowled over by one passing too close. Before she could do anything, another tripped over her, warking in pain and surprise as it crashed into her prone form. The powerful legs of the others slashed her exposed limbs as others tried to avoid the pile.

She looked up, not sure how to get out of this situation. There, before her very eyes, lay Kupita. She appeared to have been knocked to the ground just as Isianu had been, and now was trying to shield herself from the press of feathered bodies.

Kupita tried to gab at the little chocobos circling her head. Oooo! Minibos! Those might come in handy. Even if they didn't, they'd catch a high price, if I were to sell them. Upon realizing that they were figments of her imaginationm, she blinked repeatedly trying to disperse them. Then she covered her head and neck. For protection from the Chocobos. ^^EEEEEEAAAAAAA! H.P.! Help! I'm being trampled.^^

Finding her companion, Isianu gritted her teeth, tightened the grip on her staff and took off in Kupita's direction. Jostling her way through the various chocobos was tough, but her desire to save the moogle was greater. Letting out several threatening growls, she pushed her way through the large birds with only a little pink ball of fur filling her vision. Making her way over there, she bent down quickly and picked up the obviously scared moogle in her off hand as best as she could. "Don't worry Kupita, I'm here for you! Just hold on, we'll try to find H.P. and get out of here!" Then something occured to her, wasn't Strom somewhere in the area? Kupita wouldn't be much use unless she would risk being trampled, so she would have to defend them both. "Try and get on my back, I think I'll need my hands free in case something happens..." Looking around cautiously, Isianu tries to make her way away from the herd of chocobos and hopefully away from Strom and closer to H.P.

Isianu grabbed Kupita and lifted her. Kupita reeled, now safely on the lupine's back and coming back to her senses.

With a strained wark, H.P. emerged from the the whirling current. He flapped mightily, slowly rising above the fray. Success! H.P. was really flying! He let out a triumphant wark as he slowly sank back into the crowd. At the last moment, the bird seemed to grimace. Then he was gone.

A blade flashed in front of Isianu, tearing the sleeve of her robe. The swollen, leering face of Strom followed. Blood trickled from his mouth and one eye was blackened. His uniform was torn and blood dripped from numerous wounds. "I'll take you with me!" he spat, dipping the blade in a practiced fashion. Isianu stood, eyes on the weaving point. The chocobos pressed in cutting off retreat and making every moment dangerous.