The warm, safe feeling made him feel sleepy. He blinked, nearly nodding off, then took another sip. He could see why Garagan liked drinking it so much. With all this tension in the war and in trying to escape the clutches of the Pingousers, it was a relief to sit down for a while and forget it all. Something in the fire made him peer closer at it, though he didn’t move from his chair—it was much too comfortable for that. That’s when he began seeing them: faces. Dancing carelessly among the flames, familiar faces could just barely be made out. They never stayed still, but he eventually recognized the feminine figure flickering in the fireplace to be Skylor. She was giving him that intriguing and attractive smile of hers and laughing softly. He wished he could reach out and touch her. More faces flitted by after her. Nya. Lloyd. Master Wu. Zane. Cole. Jay. They all wore familiar expressions of laughter and content. It summoned an almost painful sensation from Kai’s chest—like a combination of joy and homesickness physically pulsing like a fist in his ribcage. His throat choked up unexpectedly, yet he felt strangely sleepier than ever. He shut his eyes to block out the images of his friends. The glass of kimbachi juice in his hand slipped and shattered on the carpet. I wonder if this is what ‘seeing’ is… he thought as he fell asleep.
* * *
Shock and pain jolted him awake. Someone had shoved him off the chair and was smashing him to the floor. He struggled blearily, feeling his cheek being pressed into the carpet. “Hey, what the—?!” “In the name of Lord Hälogen and the empire of Pingous, you are under arrest!” a voice boomed. A large man in Pingous soldier’s attire stepped into view, glaring down at Kai. “You are accused of treason, breaking and entering a military and royal facility, theft, and assisting national criminals known for attacking both Pingsous soldiers and civilians!” They’ve caught us! But how—? Kai caught sight of a feminine figure standing behind the line of maroon-clad soldiers. She wore an anxious expression and wrung her hands together. The maidservant.
“Are these the men you sighted?” the large man—presumably a commander—questioned her. “Y— yes, sire. Quite certain.” “Very well.” The commander’s face turned into a sneer. “Well, well, well… Garagan Annohsohn. The traitor to his nation. We’ve caught you at last.” Kai was pulled to his feet while his hands were jammed behind his back. Before he could do anything, something cold and metal was encased completely over his hands to his wrists and locked tight. He looked to see Garagan receiving similar treatment, although his hands were bound by regular manacles. His face was white. “Wha’ the—? How’d—?!” he sputtered. The commander sniffed, “I’ll be honest. None of us expected to see your sorry hide back here so soon, after we finally caught your scent in our midst. Coming right back to do Star Guards-know-what was so stupid, it’s almost clever. But mostly stupid. Do you know how long we’ve been trying to catch you?” “I’ve kinda lost track of your bumbling mishaps after the first dozen times,” Garagan sneered. “Five years. And now we’ve finally caught you. I’ll surely be rewarded handsomely for this.” The commander’s eyes lit with greed before he finally focused his attention on Kai. “Hmm… An accomplice. But not just any accomplice. The mysterious mage who can shoot fire from his hands and fly in the air. We’ve been getting warnings about you.” Kai gritted his teeth angrily—then realized that someone was attaching heavy shackles to his ankles. He snapped, “Hey, what’s the big idea?!” “We can’t let this all-powerful mage burning us up or flying away now, can we?” The commander grinned triumphantly. “We got reports of your work, so we had these special manacles forged just for you. Don’t try any fire tricks. You’ll only end up burning yourself.” Kai tried, anyway. Feeble tongues of fire peeked out from the end of the egg-shaped manacles but soon died. Wisps of smoke became the only trace of Kai’s power. He growled, frustrated.
“We’re not letting this spy get out again—him or the mage.” The commander nodded to the rest of the soldiers. “Take Annohsohn to the prison yard. The mage, however, should be given a special cell. No telling what other tricks he has up his sleeve.” Panic washed away the anger in Garagan’s eyes. “Kai, whatever happens, don’t forget the plan! Don’t forget—!” “Quiet, you!” One of the soldiers slammed the butt of his spear into Garagan’s mouth. This elicited a groan. Kai’s anger flared. “You won’t get away with this!” He struggled—three men came up and grabbed him, dragging him out the door and down the hall. “We’re not the criminals here, son,” the commander said. “You are. Compared to what your kind have done, you’re getting off easy.” Garagan was shoved down the corridor in the opposite direction from Kai. His red-streaked face flashed at Kai through the crowd of soldiers. “Don’t forget the plan!” he said again. “Whatever happens, don’t forget wha’ we’re supposed to do—!” Another hit silenced him. Kai struggled as hard as he could. “Garagan!” A couple of punches to the stomach silenced him. He finally quit fighting the soldiers and allowed himself to be dragged away. Dragged away from his mission. Dragged away from Lord Hälogen. Dragged away from his only chance of getting back to Ninjago.
* * *
Cole couldn’t remember the last time the Destiny’s Bounty had felt so crowded—perhaps it’d been when they’d rescued a group of citizens from the Ninjago TV tower during the Stone Army invasion. Unlike then, when everyone had been shocked and terrified, the atmosphere tonight felt lighthearted. The ship hovered by the city on autopilot while everyone gathered below deck for dinner. The werecats had already hunted outside for themselves, but they joined the humans anyway for the sake of socializing. It helped that Zane, Master Wu, and Cole’s father were cordial and engaging with the newcomers, along with Little Leaf and Eagle Talon’s encouragement.
-last edited on Dec 4, 2021 18:25:28 GMT by LordTigress
Post by LordTigress on Dec 4, 2021 18:11:16 GMT
During dinner Cole could tell that Nya was slowly beginning to warm up to some of the cats, especially the girls. To his surprise, however, Jay continued to be sulky and Misako stayed grim-faced. Jay soon finished his food and abandoned the dining room while Misako busied herself with the dishes—perhaps she needed something to do to get her mind off her fears. Eagle Talon introduced Cole personally to some of his tribe-mates. Because he trusted them, Cole allowed himself to greet his companions heartily and help them feel more at ease in their new surroundings. He recognized Spark Pelt from Oxstone village, but to his surprise the young man was more mild-mannered in person than he’d expected. He hadn’t even been aware of the Moon Tribe having a “battle-master” until he was introduced to Mist Rise and Talon explained his job in recruiting warriors for the army and training and supervising them in battle techniques. Lightning Streak was Little Leaf’s good friend and was the first newcomer to smile at the ninja. Violet Swift, one of the brown-haired girls, greeted him shyly and kept tugging on her braids. Talon told him she was one of the greatest hunters in the tribe. Wariness shifted into approval and then friendly affection as the humans and werecats talked more and more. As the hours dragged on, however, Cole started to look around and realized that Liana had slipped out of the dining room. A strange anxiety clutched at his heart—not fear exactly, but rather some sort of excited uncertainty. He waited for the right opportunity, then started as casually as he could for the doorway. “Going somewhere?” He swung around to see both his dad and his brother standing together, grinning at him like a pair of idiots. “The— the bathroom,” he blustered, irritated. “Oh, the bathroom, gotcha.” Talon rolled his eyes knowingly at their dad. “Don’t let us disturb you, then.” Cole turned—before he could escape, though, he heard his father whisper loudly, “Go get ‘er, son.” His face burned. He stalked out of the room as fast as he could while barely-stifled chuckles sounded behind him.
At last, quiet. The hallways were unlit and deserted. He wondered briefly where Jay was sulking before turning his thoughts back to Liana. Where could she be…? Some instinct took him to the stairway. Stepping soundlessly in his soft shoes, he ascended to the quarter deck, up where he had a good view of the rest of the ship. Night had fallen. Cold stars twinkled in blue twilight around them. The ship rocked as gently as a cradle while wispy clouds drifted by. A bright moon gave light to the deck and illuminated a single figure standing at the bow. His heart gave a strange jump. Hesitantly, he stepped down the stairs and came up behind her. He didn’t know if he should say anything. “Hi, Cole.” She turned in his direction and smiled shyly. Of course she’d heard him coming. He cleared his throat and joined her on the higher deck. “Hey. You doing all right?” “I kinda am, actually.” She leaned against the bannister. “I think Eagle Talon and Little Leaf’s friends are helping things feel a little nicer—like, getting to make new friends is helping us forget about… y’know…” “Right, yeah.” He stayed standing, uncertain. “It’s nice out tonight.” “It is.” She heaved a little sigh and reached around her head, tugging at something. Her ponytail fell away in pale blond waves, silver in the moonlight. “I’ll be ready to head in soon, I think.” “Same.” An awkward silence squashed the conversation and he wished she would keep talking. Her voice was pretty. He gazed at her. The cool breeze made strands of her pale hair wave gently around her face. Her tall figure leaned in a slight, attractive curve at the side of the ship, standing out against the sparkling night sky. The pale scars over her eyes could be made out faintly in the moonlight. Although her lips were shaped into a small smile, something sad lingered in her eyes. Before he could muster the courage to even think of saying something, she spoke quietly—so quietly he had to take a step closer to hear. “Do you think Black Blood will be there? Tomorrow, when they attack?”
“I— I guess so.” He shrugged. “She’s been in nearly every other attack. She’ll probably be leading this one, too.” The feeling of dread made a comeback. “I figured.” Liana hugged herself, biting her lip. He didn’t know what to say to that. Then, she murmured, “I don’t want to lose you, Cole.” “What?” “She still wants to finish you. I know it. I’ve been in her mind.” She sighed shakily. “And I remember when we found you in the field— after both of them had nearly ripped you to pieces. I thought you were—” Her voice broke. “I’ve already lost both my parents and my brother. I— I just don’t want to lose you, too.” His heart twisted—he knew the feeling, from when his mom had died and later Zane… “Hey. You’re not gonna lose me. I’m right here.” Impulsively he stepped up to her and took her hands. They felt small and cold in his own. He attempted to feign lightheartedness. “It’s going to be OK. I’m the Master of Earth, remember? Everyone’s gonna come back alive. It’s just another battle.” Her face twisted forlornly. “This isn’t like any of the other battles you’ve faced and you know it. This isn’t some kids’ TV show where everything always ends with a ‘happily ever after’. This is real.” “I— I know.” His stomach felt all twisted up in knots. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure they were alone, then stammered in a low voice, “That’s why— that’s why I wanted to talk to you tonight. Because… we don’t know what’s gonna happen tomorrow. We don’t know where tomorrow will take us. So… I have to say this now while I can.” She frowned, puzzled. He licked his lips nervously, summoning what courage there was left in him to speak again. He wondered if it was possible for one to be sick from pure nervousness. “Liana, you— you’ve always been my friend. Even when we were fighting. I hate your Dark Sleep curse as much as you do, and— and I wish I could, just, destroy it for you so you wouldn’t have to suffer anymore.” He gulped. “But, selfishly, I’m really glad you’re here, with us. That we’re doing this together.” Her face softened. “So am I.”
His hands lingered around hers. He didn’t want to let go—he might lose his courage if he did. “So— so I think you should know that— that, um— I like you. Not just as a friend. I—” He held his breath and cringed. “I think I’m in love with you.” Liana’s face froze. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Panic overtook him. Like the tide, words tumbled clumsily out of his mouth. “It’s just— it’s just that you’re so amazing, you’re brave and smart and kind and you can do all these things even though you’re blind and I think that’s kinda really awesome and I can’t help it, I just really like you and you make me feel so happy when you’re around and I wish you could keep being a ninja because I love seeing you be this happy and I wish I could be the one who always makes you happy—!” “Cole…!” “I’m sorry!” he blurted. “I’m sorry! Dang it, I made this weird! Uhh— you know what?” He released her hands and backed away. He had never felt his face burn more painfully than now. “I’m just gonna go. Yeah. Please, please, forget everything I said. I’m just being weird. Don’t—” “No, don’t go, please!” she cried, surprisingly emphatic. She wrung her hands together. “Please— please stay.” “I’ve already made an idiot of myself, Liana!” he snapped. “I’m sorry—I get that you don’t like me the same way…” “Are you kidding me?!” she blurted. “Cole! I’ve had a huge crush on you for years!” That stopped him. He felt his jaw drop open—he had to process the words again in his head. “Wh— what?” Her face turned pink as she chuckled anxiously. “I— ever since we first met, when you helped me and Philip escape the bandits… I’ve had a huge thing for you. I tried to— tried to talk myself out of it, tried to ignore my feelings, especially after… we separated. I— I told myself you’d never— that you’d never have feelings for anyone like me. Because of my blindness and my scars…” Her voice quivered. “But I couldn’t help it. Even when we never heard from you again, even when the news media started gossiping about you and Nya, even after all these years… I’ve had a crush on you. It’s never gone away. I—” She whispered, “I love you.”
His heart was pounding as hard as if he were in the heat of another battle. Hesitatingly, he stepped closer to her. He felt shaky. “I— I had no idea.” “How long ago did you realize how you felt about me?” “Just— just recently… or maybe it was longer than that.” He shook his head wonderingly before suddenly chuckling uneasily. “I’m sorry I, uh— that I only brought this up the night before a huge battle.” “Better late than never.” A blushing, quivering smile crept up her face. Her eyes shone with barely-suppressed bewilderment and joy. Remorse, however, suddenly nagged Cole. She’d waited for so long…! If only he’d remembered them sooner. “I’m sorry. I— I made you wait… I forgot all about you. Maybe that’s time we’ll never get back, that we should’ve—” Her face twisted with understanding and pity. “Ohh, Cole…” Impulsively she reached out and touched his face. “It— it’s all right. I understand, I think…” He caught his breath when her hand pressed against his cheek. His heart raced faster than ever—he couldn’t explain the feeling that ran through him at her touch. “Liana…” She was shaking. She didn’t know why. She felt she had to say something. She opened her mouth—and felt his warm lips press against hers. The electric shock that came with it had her stiffen. It felt hard and soft at the same time, and she didn’t know what to do with it. Then she relaxed. With a little sigh, her arms drew themselves over his neck, and her fingers found his hair. Slowly she kissed him back, feeling joy exploding from within. Suddenly shocked at what he’d done, he drew himself away, gasping. He couldn’t help the happy flush that spread across his face. “Does— does this mean we’re—?” His words were quieted when she put her hands around his face and pulled him close. The long silence that followed was one of bliss. It was the calm before the storm.
Oooh, really? It'll be sad when it ends, though, because it's always fun logging in once in a while to read RoE. And if I may ask, how many chapters are in the last episode?
EDIT: Oh, and I just remembered, a little while back, the part with Wolf Paw, I think it was, she used the word 'glorious,' which is currently my adjective of choice for basically everything and I say it obsessively, so I thought that was funny. ^.^
Oooh, really? It'll be sad when it ends, though, because it's always fun logging in once in a while to read RoE. And if I may ask, how many chapters are in the last episode?
EDIT: Oh, and I just remembered, a little while back, the part with Wolf Paw, I think it was, she used the word 'glorious,' which is currently my adjective of choice for basically everything and I say it obsessively, so I thought that was funny. ^.^
Man I might need to read this story again About sixteen iirc, but you didn't hear it from me
"Wise words by wise men write wise deeds in wise pen." —Lollimon the Wise
Oooh, really? It'll be sad when it ends, though, because it's always fun logging in once in a while to read RoE. And if I may ask, how many chapters are in the last episode?
EDIT: Oh, and I just remembered, a little while back, the part with Wolf Paw, I think it was, she used the word 'glorious,' which is currently my adjective of choice for basically everything and I say it obsessively, so I thought that was funny. ^.^
'Eyy, I'm happy to know you still check in every so often.
I have absolutely no idea. I finished writing this over a year ago and-- waaaait... I do believe the next episode ends at Chapter 106. I'm tired, so anyone may do the math from there. :3
Ohh no way!! XD That's perfect, since I'm using that name in your honor.
This dark forest blanketing the wintry mountainside was very different from the bleaker land to the northeast. The group of lion-sized cats making their way through the pine trees cast wary looks around them. They bristled at every unfamiliar twig snapping or crow cawing. If the black female taking the lead was nervous, she showed no sign of it. She kept walking as if she knew exactly where they were going and what would happen once they got there. The four sorcerers were alone. Sky Pelt had been left behind because of his age and No Claw because he was still recovering from his wounds. Broken Fang, Rip Claw, and Raven Frost kept close to Black Blood despite all three of them attempting to appear braver than the others. They stepped soundlessly over the mossy and muddy ground. Despite Black Blood’s earlier warning to stay silent, Broken Fang finally muttered, “Why are we going through all this trouble for some mangy, stupid hounds?” “I already told you,” the black cat replied gruffly. “To save lives of our own warriors in the battle. These things will be placed on the front line.” The older female sniffed distastefully and held up a muddy paw. “Why couldn’t we have gotten the more intelligent shape-shifters? The ones from the jungles?” “It is because of their intelligence they must be avoided. Never recruit an ally who is as smart as you are.” Black Blood looked over her shoulder at her fellow sorcerers. “And the next cat who opens their mouth will get a lightning curse to their face.” Rip Claw purred while his sister’s tails twitched angrily, but both soon quieted. A loud cawing broke the hush of the forest. The cats looked up to see a small murder of crows flying away above the trees. “Odd,” Raven Frost growled, ignoring his leader’s warning. “They seem frightened by something—”
A loud snarl made all four sorcerers jump and bristle. Several dark shapes leapt from the shadows of the trees and surrounded them within moments. They were nearly as big as the nekomata were and had thick gray fur that blended in with the rocky and shadowy environment. Black Blood felt her heart race as the creatures approached them with throaty growls. Wolves. Raven Frost began murmuring an enchantment. Quietly Black Blood hissed, “Remember my orders. Say nothing and do nothing unless they attack first.” She cast him a cold glare. “That’s an order.” The growling increased. She raised her head to see one of the largest wolves—an ugly brute with a jagged scar across his nose—approaching her with his hackles raised. His nose twitched—he was identifying her. Tails twitching, she took a breath to steady herself before speaking. “Greetings. I am Black Blood. I am the leader of the Tribe of the Moon. I am a bakeneko-nekomata.” The suspicious growls only increased. They didn’t seem to like the fact that she was an intelligent creature. The largest wolf eyed her. Oh, ancestors, she thought grimly. Tell me these brutes can understand us. Her prayer was answered as if the wolf had heard her thought. “Uh. Black… Blood. Big cat.” He stopped padding towards her. The other wolves stilled as well, observing him. She felt new excitement give her confidence. “Are you the leader?” “Uh. Am Grunt.” He made a motion with his paw to point at himself. “Grunt. Are you the leader?” “Leader?” “Leader.” She made herself suppress her frustration. “King. Alpha.” “Alpha?” The wolf’s guttural voice sharpened. “Black Blood want Alpha?” “Black Blood want Alpha. Immediately.” She met his yellow-eyed gaze defiantly. “Want to speak to Alpha.” “Speak? Not fight?” Grunt demanded. She affirmed, “We speak. No fighting. Only speak.”
His tail swung back and forth—not in the cute puppy way, but in an expression of frustration. Perhaps he had been looking forward to fighting some werecats. “Alpha. Grunt get Alpha.” He turned to the other wolves and barked. They responded with low growls and wagged their tails. He turned back to Black Blood. “Cats stay. No fight. Grunt get Alpha.” When she nodded in agreement Grunt huffed and dashed away from the glade. He soon disappeared among the dark trees, leaving the four nekomata at the mercy of the wolf patrol. Black Blood sat and curled her tails neatly over her paws. She could not show any fear, especially to the wolves. They were sniffing the air and staring malignantly at the cats. Some of them growled and grunted to one another in low tones. Although she could not understand their guttural language, she knew they were talking about the cats. They were hostile and suspicious but also curious. As long as Broken Fang, Rip Claw and Raven Frost didn’t do anything stupid, they were safe. Nearly an hour passed before the sounds of twigs snapping reached her ears. Black Blood stood when Grunt reappeared from the trees and boulders with a second wolf. This one was even bigger than Grunt and had a reddish-brown coat, standing out from the dark gray ones of the other wolves. The red wolf approached Black Blood until he was barely a muzzle-length in front of her. His yellow eyes were cold and dangerous. Her heart skipped a beat. She had to force her fur not to bristle. “Am Alpha.” The voice was deep and raspy. “Why do cats come to wolf home? Wolf destroy cats. Wolf eat cats.” He licked his chops. “Stupid cats.” His breath fogged in a cloud briefly in the winter air. She could smell the odor of old meat. Black Blood made her voice sound cool and steady. “Nekomata and wolves used to work together, many seasons ago. We must work together now. I am asking for your help. We are at war with the Sons and— with the humans.” “Humans?” His hackles raised, giving the impression of a great lion’s mane. “Wolves stay away from humans. Humans small, but humans dangerous. Boom sticks. Boom sticks hurt wolves.”
![[lenny]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/7elNEqtPK2hcSAiIMFNh.png)
I do believe the next episode ends at Chapter 106. I'm tired, so anyone may do the math from there. :3