*snip* A loud, sneering voice rang brashly, making both teenagers jump. “Ooooooh, looks like someone’s got a girlfriend!” Foliage quivered and rustled loudly, and from the thick leaves Lars and his two cronies appeared. The boy and girl simultaneously jumped to their feet. The boy felt a sickening lurch in his stomach at the sight of the bullies. The bigger teenagers stopped in front of their prey, snickering and sharing all-too eager looks with one another.
These new parts are amazing! I look forward to seeing what happens next.
“What’s the matter, kid? Why don’t you introduce us?” Lars leered down at the girl. His piggish eyes roved over her attractive figure. “You’re real pretty, girl.” She looked over at the boy inquisitively. “Are these your friends?” “No,” he mumbled. His mouth was dry, it was a miracle he was able to speak at all. “No, they’re not my friends.” “I didn’t think so.” She turned back to the older boys and glared up at them. “Go away, please. Nobody invited you.” “Oooooh.” Lars twisted his fat face mockingly. “I’m so scared! Guys, the big, scary girl just told me to leave her and her boyfriend alone! And she said please! How terrifying.” The other two chortled. The boy felt himself shaking from head to toe, scared stiff of what was to come. The girl, however, only eyed the bullies contemptuously. “You’re not impressing anyone, you know. You can’t push someone around just because you’re big. Especially not me or him.” The boy felt his mouth fell open and he stared at his companion. How was she not terrified? Surely she could see the dangerous gleam of violence in their eyes! Lars had no qualms about hurting a girl. Talking back to him would only make him angry. Sure enough, Lars’ face twisted into a scowl. “Let’s see how brave you talk when I break your pretty little face, smart-mouth.” “Make like a tree and leave, farting fox-breath!” she snapped. “Or I’ll send you squealing home like the fat pig you are!” Lars’ buddies gaped at the girl in surprise, then burst out laughing. Lars turned red in the face and turned on them furiously. “Shut up!” Immediately, they gasped and shut their mouths. Though they now stared at Lars with fear, a shadow of a smile danced on their faces. In that moment, Lars lost some of the fear-driven respect he had from his cronies, and he knew it. Bunching his hands into meaty fists, he turned toward the girl. “That’s it.” Rage made his eyes shine maliciously. “Yer gonna pay for that, cutie-pie.” He reached down, grabbed a rock and, hefting it in his hand, started toward the girl. “I’m gonna break yer face.”
The boy felt an unexpected surge of anger. “Leave her alone!” Hot blood pounding in his ears, he ran and leapt for Lars. He wasn’t sure what he was doing. All he knew was that Lars could not be allowed to hurt the girl. Without a very clear idea of what strategy of assault he had, the boy crashed into Lars’ stomach headfirst, arms stretched out forward to push him down. He felt Lars fall back beneath his weight and fall to the ground with a loud groan. I just— I just shoved Lars Bouck! A thrill of jubilation shocked the boy. Nobody shoved Lars! Despite the fear still making his blood pound, he felt a broad grin spread across his face— —before a rock hit him at the side of his head and sent him reeling. A burst of bright colors exploded in his eyesight when he hit the ground. Utterly stunned, he lay stiffly. He stayed there in a half-fetal position. His cheek was pressed against dirt. His body was throbbing all over. He was faintly aware of the great pain of all stabbing through his head with each pulse of his heart. Through the hazy blur of it all, he waited for the next blow. However, the second blow never came. After a few terrifying moments, the boy got his hearing back. He realized he could hear the bullies’ voices crying out in shock and confusion. Someone’s foot almost stepped on his face. Sand and grit got into his eyes. He grimaced and blinked rapidly, trying to get it out. He looked blankly at the ground, decorated by several pebbles and a few clumps of grass and thin roots. There was some kind of commotion going on behind him. He wanted to move, to see what was going on, but for several seconds, his muscles wouldn’t respond. Just barely out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the boys scrambling up the small slope and into the trees. As the bully disappeared among the foliage, the boy finally regained enough of his senses to move his head. He moved it just in time to see Lars’ other friend running past him, sobbing in terror. Three long scratches stood out on his arm, the sleeve ripped. Another scratch jutted below one of his eyes.
“You’re a monster!” Lars’ voice rang shrill with terror. The boy sat up blearily, and turned to see the bully and the girl facing each other a few feet away. From where he sat, the boy thought he saw something long waving from the girl’s backside—but then, it disappeared as soon as he saw it. Maybe he didn’t see it at all. “I’m no monster. You’re the monster.” The girl’s face was set into a firm scowl. She didn’t seem alarmed, tense, or frightened—just angry and disdainful. “How brave do you think you are, picking on children smaller than you, who did nothing to deserve it? Get out of here, fox-hearted coward!” Her eyes narrowed. “And if I catch you hurting others again, it’ll be the last time you do it. I swear it.” Lars didn’t need another warning. Bearing a black eye, bloody scratches and shattered pride, he turned and fled the hollow. He never cast a second glance at the girl and boy as he scrambled into the woods, joining his friends. The boy, dazed and amazed, stared at the girl. He saw that she held a single small, stone knife in one small hand. At the time, his head hurt very much, and he was too astounded by the remarkable circumstances to question how the small girl had used a single knife to fight off three boys bigger than she was. All he knew at that moment was that the girl had fended off Lars and both his cronies—knife or no knife, male or female, that was an impressive act indeed. “Wow…” The boy gazed at her with astonishment. He felt himself smile crookedly. “That— that was amazing! How’d you do that?” The girl gave him a strange look for a moment, then said lightly, “Oh, it’s no big deal. I just waved this at them and they practically scattered like chickens.” She tossed her little stone knife in the air and caught it gracefully, as if to emphasize the ease with which she had fought off their opponents.
The boy looked at her admiringly. She could sing, dance, and fight? He was not fond of weaponry and battling by brute strength, but even he could not deny the impressiveness of her talent. “No big deal? There were three of them, and you were hurt, but you just— Ouch!” He had gesticulated with his arms as he talked, and the sudden movement made his head swim. The girl’s eyes widened with concern. “Oh, your head! It’s bleeding!” “It is?” He hesitated, then raised his hand to his temple and touched the side of his head. He was finally aware of how furiously it throbbed with pain, and he winced. When he drew back his hand, he realized the fingertips were now stained red. He stared at his hand and wondered how embarrassing it would be to throw up in front of the pretty girl. “You were really brave.” Suddenly her bare arm was around him, slipping under his armpit to support his weight. He looked to see her smiling at him. “What’s your name?” “My— my name—? Oh.” He chuckled weakly, still feeling dazed. “Lou. My name’s Lou Brookstone. What’s yours?” His heart raced a little faster when her gaze met squarely with his. With a tilt of her head and her smile giving way to a funny twist, like she was about to reveal a joke, the girl replied, “Nice to meet you, Lou Brookstone. I’m Silver Mist.”
The boy looked at her admiringly. She could sing, dance, and fight? He was not fond of weaponry and battling by brute strength, but even he could not deny the impressiveness of her talent. “No big deal? There were three of them, and you were hurt, but you just— Ouch!” He had gesticulated with his arms as he talked, and the sudden movement made his head swim. The girl’s eyes widened with concern. “Oh, your head! It’s bleeding!” “It is?” He hesitated, then raised his hand to his temple and touched the side of his head. He was finally aware of how furiously it throbbed with pain, and he winced. When he drew back his hand, he realized the fingertips were now stained red. He stared at his hand and wondered how embarrassing it would be to throw up in front of the pretty girl. “You were really brave.” Suddenly her bare arm was around him, slipping under his armpit to support his weight. He looked to see her smiling at him. “What’s your name?” “My— my name—? Oh.” He chuckled weakly, still feeling dazed. “Lou. My name’s Lou Brookstone. What’s yours?” His heart raced a little faster when her gaze met squarely with his. With a tilt of her head and her smile giving way to a funny twist, like she was about to reveal a joke, the girl replied, “Nice to meet you, Lou Brookstone. I’m Silver Mist.”
“Cole!” Little Leaf’s cry sounded shrill and pitched and echoed strangely. The winding streets were deserted. No sign of life stirred among the cobblestone roads, the compact houses, the minuscule gardens or shadowed alleyways. Rain pattered down in fat drops, the only other sound in the village. After the roar of chaos just minutes before, it felt as if the land itself were holding its breath. The four figures wandering unsteadily down one of the main roads wondered what had become of the enemies who had attacked the village—and of the ninja who had been defending it. “Cole! Talon!” Little Leaf called again, cupping her mouth with her human hands. Her voice shook this time. She clenched her eyes shut and paused for breath. “Where did you say you last saw them all?” Misako had her head turned toward Lou Brookstone. Lou met the other woman’s gaze anxiously. “That way.” He gestured weakly eastwards of where they were. “Near the west end of the town. Where the blacksmith lives.” The ragged words that tumbled clumsily out of his mouth could not match the ferocity of fear gripping his heart and twisting it in so many directions at once. It left him feeling weak, and he half-expected for the ground to fall before him and to send him plummeting down the dark, endless abyss that threatened to engulf his mind. Yet he kept his calm—or, he tried to, anyway. He couldn’t help but add, “We need to find them—please!” “Liana’s doing the best she can.” Abruptly, Little Leaf looked at him straight in the face. “She’ll find them, I know it.” Lou found himself staring at the young teenager. Those big robin’s egg-blue eyes, the heart-shaped face, that fearless gaze… she looked so much like Silver Mist, more than Black Blood did. His heart twisted once more, this time with nostalgia—and perhaps, love not quite lost.
“Of— of course she will,” was all he could reply with. He cast his gaze forward to where the pale-blond-haired girl stood still, back toward them. Her ponytail, soaked through with the rain, clung limply to the side of the quiver hanging down her back, the ends of the arrows sticking up past her head alongside the end of the bow. She didn’t seem to take any notice of the others. She only stared blindly ahead, concentrating in silence. Lou shivered. He had caught up with Misako, a familiar face he knew who was a friend of Master Wu’s, and the werecat girl and Liana a mere few minutes ago, after fleeing the brawl between Cole, Eagle Talon, and Black Blood. In heaving gasps he had explained what was taking place, and Misako gave a hurried explanation about Liana using “mind-bending”—whatever that meant, another ninja term, he presumed—to fight Black Blood. The girl had spent several achingly long minutes standing in place with her eyes closed, breathing heavily and muttering under her breath every once in a while. Then, suddenly, she announced that Black Blood was no longer attacking Cole’s mind, but something was “wrong”. Lou didn’t understand what she or anyone else was going on about. All he cared about was finding out what had happened to Cole—and, perhaps, his other children, Eagle Talon and Black Blood. Three children! Strangely, this was one of the main thoughts that kept coming back. It voiced over and over again in his head, bringing anew the shock of it all. Three! Not one, not just Cole, but three! Silver Mist’s son and daughter—my son and daughter… I have a daughter… “This way.” Liana’s voice jolted Lou out of his thoughts. He blinked and saw her tilting her head eastwards. “I can feel him.” There was a peculiar tremor in her voice. It made his stomach clench uncomfortably. “Is he all right?” he managed to ask. “Please—” She turned her head toward them, and he saw that her face was twisted. She looked as if she were struggling not to cry. “We have to hurry. He’s hurt. He’s hurt real bad.”
“Of— of course she will,” was all he could reply with. He cast his gaze forward to where the pale-blond-haired girl stood still, back toward them. Her ponytail, soaked through with the rain, clung limply to the side of the quiver hanging down her back, the ends of the arrows sticking up past her head alongside the end of the bow. She didn’t seem to take any notice of the others. She only stared blindly ahead, concentrating in silence. Lou shivered. He had caught up with Misako, a familiar face he knew who was a friend of Master Wu’s, and the werecat girl and Liana a mere few minutes ago, after fleeing the brawl between Cole, Eagle Talon, and Black Blood. In heaving gasps he had explained what was taking place, and Misako gave a hurried explanation about Liana using “mind-bending”—whatever that meant, another ninja term, he presumed—to fight Black Blood. The girl had spent several achingly long minutes standing in place with her eyes closed, breathing heavily and muttering under her breath every once in a while. Then, suddenly, she announced that Black Blood was no longer attacking Cole’s mind, but something was “wrong”. Lou didn’t understand what she or anyone else was going on about. All he cared about was finding out what had happened to Cole—and, perhaps, his other children, Eagle Talon and Black Blood. Three children! Strangely, this was one of the main thoughts that kept coming back. It voiced over and over again in his head, bringing anew the shock of it all. Three! Not one, not just Cole, but three! Silver Mist’s son and daughter—my son and daughter… I have a daughter… “This way.” Liana’s voice jolted Lou out of his thoughts. He blinked and saw her tilting her head eastwards. “I can feel him.” There was a peculiar tremor in her voice. It made his stomach clench uncomfortably. “Is he all right?” he managed to ask. “Please—” She turned her head toward them, and he saw that her face was twisted. She looked as if she were struggling not to cry. “We have to hurry. He’s hurt. He’s hurt real bad.”
Yeah it might take Lou some time to process that he has two werecat children, and that on top of that one of which, his only daughter, wants to destroy his entire race.
Misako didn’t need to know more. She only said, “Lead the way,” and followed swiftly when Liana turned down a different street. Little Leaf gulped and clutched the older woman’s hand tightly as they broke into a trot. Lou followed close behind. His heart pounded uncomfortably against his ribs. Not Cole. Not my son. Those moments spent running became a blur. Buildings flashed by his vision. The pitter-patter sound of their feet echoed plainly against the walls. The sound of the rain easing in its torrents almost masked Little Leaf’s occasional sniffle. Lou set his jaw grimly. Nothing ever mattered so much at that moment than his son. He had to get to him. They ran down several streets, turned a few corners. They ran past the blacksmith’s stall. There was the end of the road where he’d last seen his children. Where the road ended there was the wall—a large hole had been broken through. Bricks, bits of stone, and some broken clumps of earth and rock lay in shattered heaps around it in the puddles. Beyond were the fields and the sky. Liana cried out first. “Cole!” Panic choked Lou. “Cole!” He stumbled ahead of the others. “They broke through the wall,” Little Leaf’s whisper sounded in awe. “The wall…” Lou got to the opening first. He sagged against the broken edges of the stone encircling and cast his gaze out into the landscape. A muddy hill sprawled out before them for a few yards before evening out to a broad, grassy field that stretched out for miles. Nearby a few short, scattered trees waved their spindly limbs in the dying wind. Off in the distance was a small hill that stood out upon the flat space. A dark shape lay still in the tall grass, completely unmoving. Along with the hiss of rain, the occasional rumble of thunder, and the mourning sigh of the breeze, a new sound reached Lou’s ears: the harsh cawing of crows. Small dark shapes were circling above the humanoid figure left in the grass. A few were already diving down, shrieking greedily. “Crows only come if there’s been…” Little Leaf murmured faintly. Horror slowly seeped into Lou’s mind. He stood there for a moment, frozen in place.
Liana reacted first. “No!” She snatched the bow from her quiver. “No, no!” Before anyone could stop her, she leapt past Lou and proceeded to slide wildly down the muddy slope. She staggered to her feet and was running within seconds. “Cole!” A small pale shape flashed by Lou’s vision. He gaped in surprise as a little white calico cat bounded down the hillside and caught up with Liana. Then Misako was climbing down, a little more slowly, and he went with her. His hands shook unsteadily. Misako didn’t say a word, and neither did he. “Cole!” Liana felt the ground begin to slope up beneath her boots. She ran as fast as she could. Wet grass dragged at her legs. She suppressed a frustrated growl and pushed on. Nearby she heard a small weight running alongside her, an animal—Little Leaf. Why isn’t he answering? Liana called again, her voice shrill with desperation. “Cole! Please!” The only reply was the sound of half a dozen crows’ cackling. They were close. “Get away from him!” Little Leaf’s voice shrieked angrily. Liana heard the little cat bound forward, and suddenly the crows’ calls became high-pitched and frantic. They rose in intensity and quantity, irate. Leaf’s yowling could be heard above the racket, growling furiously at the scavengers. With a quick motion of her hand reaching for the earpiece strapped to her head, Liana activated the sensors and her sight bow. Slowing in her run, she reached behind her, clumsily yanked out an arrow, strung it into the bow, and pulled it back. She aimed where the thick of the racket was coming from. Beep-beep-beep. At the first few beeps, she held her position and let go. A sudden shriek made her jump, but it was only one of the crows cawing frantically. A small weight made a thump noise on the ground nearby. The panicked cawing increased, then began to fade. “They’re going away!” Leaf announced triumphantly. Liana lowered her hand, gripping her bow tightly. She’d get the arrow back later. She ventured forward, a little more hesitant now.
She could still feel Cole’s consciousness. It pulsed softly in her mind, like a weak heartbeat. An invisible line was pulling her to him, the connection between them growing ever stronger as she drew closer. She could barely comprehend how she was able to detect his mind so clearly, as if his were a rope she was clinging to. She only continued onward, closer to where he lay. She didn’t need eyes to see. She could feel the terrain, and his presence before her. He lay still on the ground, face up, limbs splayed out uselessly. Beside her Little Leaf gave a little gasp. Grass rustled softly on Liana’s left where the little werecat stood uncertainly. “Oh ancestors,” the cat whimpered. Liana didn’t say a word. Tentatively, she laid the sight bow on the ground close by and crouched down next to Cole. Slowly, her hands reached out, and they met bare flesh and the rough material of his gauntlet. Her hands roved up his torso and toward his head, until they found wet locks of hair plastered to the sides and cheeks hot and wet. “Oh, Cole…” Liana whispered over the fall of rain. “What did they do to you?” Leaning forward, she cupped the sides of his face in her hands and touched a fresh scratch on one cheek. She could feel him breathing—shallow, uneven breaths they were—and she could feel his eyelids fluttering weakly when her fingers brushed over them. “T— Talon. Him and Black Blood,” Leaf rasped weakly beside her, sounding shaken. “I smell them all over him. They turned on him. Both of them.” When Liana didn’t reply, Leaf whispered, “Why?” “He’s a ninja. They hate him. He challenged them.” “But— but he’s their brother.” The little cat sounded plaintively confused. Liana felt a stab of pity for the young girl. How awful it must be, to see one’s own siblings raging violence and hate like this against one another. “After what Black Blood did to you, do you really think she’d find mercy in her heart for her human half-brother?” she murmured gently. Little Leaf didn’t respond. She only padded up to Liana and pressed her small furry head against her side. Liana could feel her trembling.
“Cole!” Lou’s voice echoed off the plains. He staggered up the hill, wheezing. Misako was with him, though not quite as out of breath as her companion was. Liana sat up as they arrived beside her. “He’s alive,” she announced to them. This was no time for emotion. She swallowed back the shaking sob she knew wanted to burst out of her lungs, and instead reported; “Just unconscious. I think he took a few bad blows to the head.” “I’ll say he took bad blows,” Misako muttered. No doubt she was inspecting the damage done. Liana had no idea how badly Cole looked. “Misako, what should we do?” Liana referred to the older woman. She’d been with the ninja long enough to know what to do in these sort of situations. Sure enough, Misako responded promptly. “Someone carry him, if you can. We need to get him back to the Destiny’s Bounty. I can run back and get her over here in a few minutes. Little Leaf,” Misako turned to the werecat. “Could you run as fast as you can and tell Wu and the rest of the ninja what’s happened?” Little Leaf didn’t respond. She only turned and ran, and the sound of her paws whipping through the grass faded away quickly. While the little werecat raced for the village in search of the ninja, Liana stayed in a crouching position by Cole’s side. She left one hand remaining on his cheek, as if by leaving it there it would benefit him. Lou felt Misako’s eyes on him, but he didn’t look at her. His gaze was for the ragged figure that was his son lying splayed out in the grass. He felt his knees quiver, and he wished he had a cane to lean on at that moment. The sight of the scratches, bite marks and everything made him feel queasy.
I look forward to seeing what happens next. 
![[derp]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/YqNTPqyQUocVMYXZgUAI.png)
It's been that long? I swear it doesn't feel like it's been that long! AAAAHHHH!!! O.O ![[h]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/nPCskakrdhDERqIVGKuw.png)
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