Just friends

[Lunarking]

As the strong quartet of travelers travel through the snow buried town of Az'rael, the sky an unforgiving barren of stark white and gray clouds, a flaming ball of space matter came crashing down to earth in the distance causing all the woodland animals to scurry out of the woods. The woodland animals that do come out nearly trample Thren.

"Gah! I hate these damned creatures..." he looks around to keep count of the group.

"Though, we need to see what hit..."

[LeighG2]

Blaze was on guard instantly as the flaming matter hit the earth far off in the distance, watching as Thren was nearly trampled by the animals that came bounding out of the trees in droves, her ruby tinged lips curving into a smile as she watched him curse.

"Oh Thren, you do let the smallest things bother you" she said with a sarcastic smile, looking over at him, and their two werewolf friends in turn

"But, I do fear it wise to go to whereever that flaming ball has hit and find out what is going on, I fear this adventure has taken a very dismal turn" She said with stark certainty.

[kingripper]

one of the small creatures stops on Kallas foot, it looks up at him with cute eyes, kicks it off with a angry look

"blasted little things, should have stayed in there forest." he sighs "very well we will go see what it is,but if its cute i might as well kick it too"

[Lunarking]

He sighs, some what upset at hearing the truth from Blaze.

"I guess you're right, we should head out." Starts to wander off in the general direction of the hit. "What are y'all waiting for?"

As he wanders off in the distance his ruby red armor glistens in the little sun shine that this Woodland had.

[LeighG2]

Blaze followed Thren after watching Kallas kick at one of the animals, she laughed, it was just like him to get all ragey over an animal, after all, he was the alpha male.

Placing her sword back into the scabbard attached to the back of her long red robe that was currently rubbing against the hot dirt of the area leading into the woodlands, pretty soon,m she would have to take it off, but for now, it was offering her some form of protection against the sun, that was now thankfully beginning to dwindle behind forest cover so dense that it was as if they had walked into a room, albeit one with a ceiling made of intertwined branches.

As they got further in, she kept looking around er for a sign that anyone may be missing, or straggling, and was relieved to find out that such wasn't the case, looking ahead, toward Thren, she asked him a question, that no sooner had it left her mouth, she began castigating herself for it.

"What do you think that could have been?"

[Lunarking]

As she asked the question he turned and looked at her in a bewildered manner.

Wondering if the question was sarcastic he answered. "Gee, I don't know... maybe some a plan, or , or , or an alien space ship! Yeah! That sounds exactly it!" He laughed it off as a joke happy that Blaze had a sense of humor with him. He and Blaze had been friends and closer from time to time.

"Ah, you know I don't know Blaze. but we must continue." He said as he walked along side with her.

[LeighG2]

As they ventured deeper into the woods, the two werewolves behind them, Blaze, realizing that she no longer had any need for her hood at least, pulled it down, allowing her soft brunette hair to flow over her robed shoulders, and finally enjoying being able to see 20/20 again, and also hear properly.

As the heat in the air began to gradually rise, Blaze reckoned they had to be getting ner to the crash site, and deep down in her inner conscious, began to fear what they may find, but, in reality, she could not show this, she had to be brave, if not to herself, at least in front of Thren, who had been one of the primary people to train her, and she would not disappoint him, not on this occasion, she had things to prove.

Alowing herself just a few seconds, she began to remember the times they had spent together, as both friends, and erstwhile lovers, before it had all been ripped away by the rising of the Dark Lord, who, only two years before, had murdered her parents in cold blood.

((I can get away with the murder, yeah?))

[Lunarking]

He continued to walk wondering how Blaze would handle the crash site. In a sense he felt more like an older brother to her than a friend or lover, he was the only close one to her since the event of her parents.

"Blaze," he said still focusing ahead of him. "how are you doing, I mean health wise, you seemed a little depressed before this adventure..." He remained focused on the direction of the crash site his voice with a hint of despair.

[LeighG2]

Blaze listened as Thren spoke, the two wolves seeming to lag behind for a while, but neither being noticed by her, or Thren for that matter, she smiled at his display of concern.

"I'm fine now thank you Thren, I have been focusing more and more on my fighting, I just know darker times are upon us, and that fireball worries me, I believe it will bring about the passing of an age, and I think we are all due to be affected by it, but, I also know that we need to keep fighting against the entity that has gripped this land"

She took a few steps forward, now finally seeing the starting smattering of small fires that indicated they were now getting very near, and the heat nearly intolerable.

"I think our future may depend on us winning this fight"

[Lunarking]

"I agree, We definitely need to w-" His words were cut short as he saw a giant spider web. Knowing Blazes fear of spiders he whispers. "Psst Blaze stop for a second and turn around.." He unsheathes his silver and black broad sword and hacks away at the web making it fall. What ever beast was inhabiting it didn't matter, he just he needed to get Blaze the hell out of there.

He turned and picked her up with ease and ran 50 yard towards the crash site. He finally set her down. "We should be okay now, I think this thing...What ever it is, is mutating the wild life around it."

[LeighG2]

Blaze was suddenly panicked into action by Threns' words and turned around, hoping that whatever was in the web didn't decide to come down for lunch, but, she found out in a few seconds that she needn't have worried as Thren lifted her into his muscular arms and just ran with her with ease, and she wasn't the lightest girl in the world.

As he set her down, he said words that struck a small amount of fear into her already fast breathing heart, mutating the creatures?, what if there were more, God forbid, spiders?, how would she handle that?

She had no time to worry about that however as, out of a heavy thicket, came a muffled sound, before a giant snake, easily ten foot in length, and wider in girth than Blaze herself, came bounding out of it, leaping, somehow, directly at her. But, she was faster, and with one fell move, her sword slashed through the air, making a very loud "thwip" sound as it connected with the meat of the snake's body, seperating head from body like a knife through butter, blood splattered against her face, but she just wiped this off, shrugging nonchalantly

"See, snakes, I can handle, but, you see anymore eight legged creepies, please tell me so I can scream incoherently" She said with a sacastic smile to Thren.

[Lunarking]

As the snake lunged at Blaze he was worried but the show of skill and technique she possessed amazed him.

He gave a warm smile at her sarcastic comment, don't worry, I'm sure there won't be any spiders, though.. We might need to be slaying some wolves." He told her with a sigh as he noticed the dis appearance of their two new friends. Thren never knew them nor liked the because of what happened when he was ten. a werewolf attacked his family causing him to grow up in the streets, he vowed that he would never let this happen to him or anyone around him in the future in which led hi to his determination in the skills of the blade. When he met blaze it only increased his determination to protect her at all costs.

[LeighG2]

She gave him an affectionate smile as he spoke, she knew of the attack, and was shocked, if she was being honest, that he had even agreed to bringing two known werewolves on this trip with him, she could understand his choice of picking her, because they were close, hell, he could have been her big brother if they got any closer, plus, their combined skill was legend in this fair land, they knew what the other was going to do before they even knew themselves, so God forbid they ever become enemies, the fight would go on for days.

"I agree, I don't trust them, especially not the bigger one, he keeps looking at me in a way I don't trust" she said, trying not to sound bothered, but partially failing

"But, anyway, enough of that, look at that cave there, it doesn't look natural, I think whatever, or whoever it is we're looking for, could be in there" she said, removing her robe from the heat, to expose her body, which was presently covered by a red leather all in one body suit that only just showed off marginal cleavage, but not enough to cause distraction, which was the effect she was hoping for with the two furry guys dribbling at her.

[Lunarking]

"I agree, I think we should." He waits for her to get ready.

He let's out a soft release of breath as she takes off her robe. "Would you like me to hold that for you?" he looks her up and down with his eyes as they talk.

[LeighG2]

She smiles as he offers to hold her robe, and she can feel the heat as his eyes scan her body, a wicked, flirty smile dancing across her features, passing it over to him, she adjusted her sword and scabbard so it now fixed to her the lace going down her back, holding the corset part of her suit together, the strap now travelling between the groove of her chest.

Leaning in close to him with just a hint of flirtaciousness, she speaks quietly into his ear "So, we go in that cave, fight whatever, if anything, is in there, then, we make short work of these wolves yeah?"

[Lunarking]

nervously laughs and picks her up and carries her over his shoulder. "Of course Blaze, let's get going." Walks up to the entrance of the cave, Blaze still bent over his shoulder broad shoulder.

he sets her down and draws his sword. "Stay on your toes."

[wolf1991]

Mark looked around studying all around him. "anyone have any idea of there was a village of any sort in the area where the fireball hit?" he asked from the abck of the group, worry in his voice. "I am a healer, but i can only so so much." he said with a sigh as he brushed the last of the soot off of this black rideing coat.

[LeighG2]

Blaze turned around to Mark, who had just suddenly appeared, she was still a bit giddy from being carried into the cave by Thren, but was thankful for it all the same

"I don't think so, but we need to keep on guard, there may be more of those mutated monsters in here, and while I'm in the mood to fight, i don't think it's wise to let them overpower us, or we're all goner"

[wolf1991]

Mark noded his head slowly towords her. "how long do we intend to stay here?" he asked as he looked out the mouth of the cave, his movements slow so as to not attract any unwanted attention. "we dont have enough provisions to last us very long." he stated in a grim tone.

[Lunarking]

"Shh, we need the element of surprise or else we cou-" Thren was yet again cut off, but this time by dodging a thick scorpion stinger.

He jumps and lunges at the 10 foot beast and stabs it in the spine paralyzing it. He drags his sword from the spine to the head of the beast. When he walked back to the group he was covered in blue blood.

"Damn creatures.. Let's keep going." As he walked away, Blaze couldn't help but notice the huge gash in his left arm.

[wolf1991]

Mark drew his sword and looked around. "point taken." he mumbled, his eyes drating around, watching for any sign of movement. "could these animals be related to the fireball?" he asked in a wisper.

[Lunarking]

Thren was long out of earshot when Mark spoke. He found a quiet spot and rested while waiting for the others. he tore off his red armor and took a look at his 10 inch deep gash.

"Damn... The creature got me good..." He tore some rag off of his main towel and rapped it around his arms, then wrapped chain male around it, now putting his armor back on. Taking deep breaths as the cloth is quickly blood soaked.

[LeighG2]

Blaze, who had momentarilly gone into a bout of daziness (sorry guys) suddenly rushed over to Thren when the makeshift bandage he had fashioned still allowed the blood to seep through the thin gauze, she had been this far with him, and Mark, to lose Thren at this late stage because of an arm wound, she knew he was brave, but, this blood loss was disconcerting to say the least, she could see it trickling down his arm from under his armor.

Pulling a proper gauze out of her satchel, she pulled his armor back off, exposing his well toned arm, and began feverishly wrapping the bandage around it, attampting, in vain to stem the blood flow at least

[Lunarking]

He head starts to spin as Blaze administers the gauze,he was fainting, he felt weaker than ever.

"Blaze, w.w.where am I? It's cold..." He leaned his head up against the cave wall and closed his eyes. Blaze knew, in the sound of his voice, that Thren was getting weaker and weaker. "Where's mom?' out of a fit of hallucination, thren grabbed his sword and unsheathed his sword, preparing to fight for the symbolic enemy of death.

[LeighG2]

Blaze knew that he was dying but she had no idea what to do about it, wait, poison?, of course, it was a scorpion that had got him.

Reaching into her satchel again, and cursing her own stupidity, she pulled out a vial of some sort of antidote, and pulling frantically at the gauze again, she began to massage the vial into his wound, stinging him in the process, then, as he unsheathed his sword, she jumped back in horror as it nearly got her, then, she just had to hope as Thren continued to struggle against what it was that only he himself could see.