Fan Fiction ❯ Strange Gods ❯ I Been Through the Desert on a Ship With No Name... ( Chapter 2 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Faia Saiyajin 
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Supernatural / Sci-fi / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.02.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.7K | Visits: 176 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Supernatural / Sci-fi / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.02.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.7K | Visits: 176 | Status: Completed
Chapter 2: I Been Through the Desert on a Ship With No Name...
"Blech... Now I know why I hate visiting this place..." Blitz fanned herself rapidly with 4 hands. "It's frikkin' HOT." Above, in a pale-pink sky, a huge sun beat down, sending the temperature well over the boiling mark. "How do you guys put up with it?"
Zet shrugged. "I'm used to the heat."
"What she's not telling you is that she was a High Elf before she started living here." Kayley grumbled, shading her eyes. "She's a High Elf with sunburn." High Elves were fair, paler than their brown-skinned counterparts, the Dark Elves. Grinning somewhat sardonically, Kayley winked at Zet, as a loud laugh rippled through the group.
Faren and Tannik, unlike the rest of them, had not sweated a drop. Blitz and Riki were already damp, sweat turning their fur a darker shade than normal. Guppy was cursing silently under his breath, the collar of his shirt pulled up over his mouth and nose, to prevent the blowing sands from further aggravating his asthma. Ibix floated over his head, large enough to keep most of the sun off his face. "This way, please." Faren led the way, towards a strange pagoda not far in the distance. The siblings moved lightly over the sand, barely leaving footprints on the scalding ground. Riki's broad feet kept him from sinking somewhat, thankful for the thick tabi, the pads on the bottoms of his feet, and his fur. Otherwise, his feet were sure to melt off.
"Okay... no sand in Blitz' shoes, thank you..." she murmured. A slight gust of air swirled around her, lifting her sneakered feet about 4 inches off the ground. She drifted forward this way, behind Faren and Tannik. Zet had no problem with the heat, either, as she moved gracefully, like any Elf. That left Kayley and Guppy. As she had no desire to do the hotfoot dance to the shade, Kayley shifted. Her skin sprouted thick fur, bones bending and growing, as Kayley went from a human to a huge white tiger. Nearly 6 feet at the shoulder, and 8 feet long, the beast shook vigorously, her paws now more than protected from the heat.
"Climb on, Gups. No reason either of us should suffer with the long walk." Crouching down, she waited patiently while he scrambled on, clutching fistfuls of silver and black fur, bent over her like a jockey. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be, Kayley." Ibix settled in the hollow between his body and Kayley's back. He wouldn't be able to move fast enough to keep up with the Were-Tiger.
"Then heeeree wee goooooo!" Tensing like a spring, Kayley launched herself forward, kicking up great clouds of sand as she raced forward, passing everyone in seconds. Guppy held on for dear life, his head lowered, eyes squeezed shut, sand plinking off the lenses of his glasses.
"You think you're so fast, eh? Well, check this out!" Blitz called, before vanishing out of sight. She flashed into sight, neck and neck with Kayley, before dissapearing again. The moment Kayley's front paws touched the cool, black tiles of the pagoda, Blitz appeared again, leaning against one of the ornately done red, gold, and black railings. "What took ya?"
"No one said this was a race, Blitz. You gotta remember, I don't have any powers." Kayley heaved, coughing up a mouthful of sand.
"And you gotta remember to stop running with your mouth open."
"Blah." Bending again, she cocked her huge head over her shoulder. "Third floor. Shoes, robes, and women's underwear."
Guppy slid off, as Faren led the others into the shade. Ibix beeped. "Estimated speed, 85 miles per hour. ...hardly your fastest time, Kayley. ...Warning! Sensors confirm change in weather patterns! Severe sandstorm approaching quickly!"
The sand that was always blowing about in the Kulaini wastelands increased from a light mist, to an almost blinding curtain of sharp glittering flecks. The winds howled like a tortured beast, leaving Guppy to stare in something that looked like amazement. Usually his face was expressionless. The sudden fury of the J'irin storm had caught most people by surprise. Well, not most. Faren, Tannik, Darwin and Zet didn't notice one way or another. Kayley merely chuffed, her furry head shaking as she sneezed up a cloud of dust and sand. The wind blew millions of tons of sand and rock about like nothing, yet not a single speck of it penetrated the gazebo itself, save for what Kayley tracked in.
Faren moved to the far side of the pagoda, . The baulistrade was one lengthy black-scaled dragon, that looped and curled around the 8 deep red columns that held up the peaked roof. Floor, railings, and roof all lined up, forming a near perfect octagon, that was spoiled by the strange half-moons that were balanced atop the support columns. Faren stood at the northernmost railing, the one that faced the dull, curving towers in the distance. Here, on the railing he laid his hands on, the dragon came full-circle. Curled head-to-tail like it was sleeping, it rested on its bed of circles and curves. Tracing a finger carelessly over the head of the dragon, from the blunt muzzle to the tree-stump-like horns sprouting from the wild stone mane, Faren uttered a single word.
"Sukuro."
Without a noise to betray its movements, the whole pagoda lifted from the sand, now hovering lightly over the shifting sand. Even the terrible storm didn't budge the transport ship, as Faren somehow directed it forward. Kayley, who was laying in the center of the floor, gave a feline grin. She hadn't yet given up her tiger form, given that they had another walk from the docking port to the entrance of the citadel, and shifting forms took a great deal of energy (without the aid of the full moon). She was always impressed with the technology that the Kulaine posessed. Laying her head on her paws, her ears twitched idly, as her friends stared out the large windows, lost in their own thoughts.
"I hope we get a warm welcome..." Blitz snickered after a bit, turning away from the window, leaning back on the railing. Six fingers drummed against the metal, while her other two hands rested on her hips. Blitz was forever thinking of things to do with her arms... as having an extra set was frustrating at times. Her smile hinted at the kind of 'welcome' she was expecting. Riki, standing tall beside her, snorted.
"I would expect it." Scratching his chin thoughtfully, the sabertooth was the only one not surprised when the whole ship suddenly shuddered violently, heaving to a stop. Riki was never surprised ...well.. usually. Most were pitched forward, Kayley sliding along the floor until she managed to sink her claws into the floor deep enough. Guppy landed roughly in her side, clutching Ibix. Blitz had both arms on one side of her body wrapped around one of the support columns. The other two were locked firmly around Zet's waist. The Dark Elf would have been thrown out the window, had Blitz not reacted quickly. Darwin was still on his feet, wobbling to and fro like a sort of drunken surfer, shifting his weight rapidly to keep balance and not drop his books. Faren, too, would have been ejected from the ship, had he not caught hold of the two pillars he was standing between. They were dented by his grip, evidence of how strong the Kulani Prince was, and how fiercely the ship had stopped. His sister had also been caught by the Were-Tiger sprawled in the center of the floor, and she looked around with her wide pearlescent eyes, trying to maneuver out from under the massive front paw of Kayley, who had it over her thighs like a seatbelt. Her right arm was thrown around Kayley's neck, and it looked like she had the Lycanthrope's shaggy head in a secure headlock.
'What in the name of....! Faren, what happened?' she was the first to speak.
"Good question... you okay, girly?" Blitz released Zet and her grip on the column. "I didn't grab you too hard, did I?" Zetavius was rubbing her midsection, where perhaps the over-zealous Blitz had dug in her clawed fingers. The Dark Elf shook her head in response, always cheerful, except when in a fight.
Riki, who hadn't lost his balance nor been thrown about, suddenly had his hand on one of the katana at his hip. The sword, which was proportionate in size for a man of his height, made a sharp sound as the safety was unlatched, and a 4-inch long span of gleaming steel was revealed as Riki popped it from the sheath with his thumb. Meanwhile, the swordmaster's eyes were trained on something outside. "We have company."
Darwin, who didn't react to being surprised or threatened very well, extended his wings. Unlike the rest of them, he didn't have special powers at his disposal. Just flight, and a nasty habit of dropping large, heavy books on the heads of those below him. And getting hit on the head with a 30-pound leather-bound book that had been dropped from a few stories in the air was a real headache. Of course, it was bad for the book... but when you had a hundred or so extra copies lying around, it never hurt. Kayley had clawed to her feet, growling softly. Her ears swivled on her head. If anyone was outside, she would hear it. If anyone was coming towards them, she'd hear it. If a mouse farted behind a baseboard in the city itself... she'd hear it. Everyone else was rather calm about it, although Ibix was humming louder than usual, a clue that he was using his satellite or sonar or whatever odd gadgets Guppy had installed in him. Those who could detect magic (and that was only Blitz) could see that a strange reddish-pink aura whirled around Zet, as the Dark Elf charged a spell. The Goddess herself hadn't reacted much. There were very few things in the Universe that stood a chance against her.
Outside the ship, nearly lost in the whirling sands, a burly figure loomed. He pulled on a thick black chain in his hands, and the ship jilted again as he dislodged a large hooked blade from the hull. A whirring sound was heard then, over the wind, like a propeller spinning.
Kayley's ears suddenly stopped, pointed forward. Her jaw dropped open a fraction of a second. "...DUCK AND COVER!!!" Throwing herself to the ground, taking Guppy and Tannik down with her, she covered them with her body. The others did the same, as a sword tore through the pagoda ship, taking off the roof in a splinter of wood and the sreech of metal on metal. Exposed to the force of the storm, eyes were squinted to keep out the sand.
Shaking off debris, Kayley lifted a forepaw to check on the two who were trapped in the cage made by her legs. "You guys okay?"
"Fine... but I'd appreciate an advance warning before you tackle me next time. You nearly snapped my spine." Guppy huffed, trying to stand. Ibix was processing something, red and blue flashing on his surface. Tannik, ever-graceful, was on her feet, beside Faren, who had drawn a large, severe-looking broadsword from his back. "Tell me something, Ibix."
The supercomputer hummed. "Enemy scan complete. Believed to be a sub-species of Orc."
"Orc?! There are no such things in my people's kingdom!" Faren snapped at the computer, offended that he'd even mention such a thing.
"There is now, Faren ol' boy." Blitz grumbled. She was in a half-crouch, her tail thrashing behind her. The heavy blade that had sheared off the roof had whizzed backwards, to its owner. "I can smell him.... Kayley?"
"Yeah.. I can see 'im."
"You would. Not everyone can see practically into the infra-red spectrum." Blitz grinned over her shoulder at the Were-Tiger. The grin slid from her face a moment later. "Behind us!"
Something ...large... and furry... leapt into the now-equipped-with-a-skylight ship. As large as Kayley, and as dark as she was light, it appeared to be a huge, salivating, growling wolf. Kayley whirled immediately, showing off her impressive dental work. She was also dissapointed with herself, as she hadn't heard the thing coming. Bounding out of the pagoda, she led the wolf away. Soon all that gave away their presence were loud growls, snarls, and the occasional thud of a body hitting the sand.
The Orc moved forward, hefting his heavy weapon. As big as he was, a foot and a half long at the base of the blade, the...harpoon-sword... was attatched to a long length of black chain, that led to a basketball-sized iron sphere. He couldn't be seen yet, but his shadow was as big as Riki's, and twice as burly. "I see ye've met me friend, there." His words were thick with a strange accent. "I'm sure he'll take care of that oversized housecat of yers. As for the rest of ye'z... well... that's my job." He took a step forward, now only 10 feet from the ship, and still shadowed by the storm. But Blitz was getting tired of all the blowing sand. Her fists clenched, and the wind froze abruptly, like someone had just hit 'pause'. Sand fell where it had been stopped.
No one was really surprised by the clear appearance of the Orc. He was as tall as Riki, his skin a darker green than Blitz' fur. It was covered in whirling black tattoos and scars. His right arm was missing at the mid-forearm, the stump capped with a thick studded plate that was covered in long spikes of varying lengths. He wore a strange fur kilt, over a strange belt studded with sharp yellowed teeth. His mouth was broad, two sharp teeth thrust from his lower lip, and his nose was broad and flat, almost as wide as his mouth. A long scar curved around his right eye, and the eyes themselves were cold and black. Grey hair, sparsely intermixed with black, was long, the braids wild and mussed. "I be Tare'nag Wargrider. And I'm s'pose' to stop ye all from interferin' where ye shouldn't be interferin'." He hefted the harpoon-blade, a corner of his mouth twisted into a cruel smile.
Faren's grip tightened on his sword. "Who hired you?!"
"No one ...hired me, Princelin'. I was summone' here by magic." He took another step forward, and which Faren swung the sword threateningly.
"Stay back!" His eyes were slowly being infused with a crimson color, a sign of his anger. "No one of the Kulaine may use that sort of magic! Evil sorcery is forbidden!" As if he'd given the word to prepare for attack, everyone tensed.
"Perhaps it was forbidden, whelp... but someone had to do it... else I be home, tenden' to me armies." His cruel smile widened. "And since I no be there, I be here. And that havin' been said..." His words were cut off as Kayley charged between them. Her fur was edged with blood, the thick undermane on her belly nearly red. Close behind her the wolf ran, favoring his right front leg. Bloody froth dripped from his jaws. When they'd passed, Tare'nag snorted. "Like I was sayin'... A strange lad by the name of Tobyn wants me to bring ye to 'im, whole or in severa' peices. An' when I do that, I do be goin' back where I belon'."
Tannik and Faren's jaws dropped open. '...our brother summoned you?!' Tannik looked at Faren, horror-stricken.
"Aahh... I understan' now. Havin' a bit of a siblin' rivalr', are we now?" Tare'nag clipped off the ends of what seemed to be any word longer than three or four syllables, which made understanding him even more difficult.
Neither Faren nor Tannik made like they had heard. "...he's given himself over to the dark magics..." Despite his apparent hatred for his traitorous brother, Faren was shaken enough to set the sword rattling in his grasp. "...what has he done?"
"Blech... Now I know why I hate visiting this place..." Blitz fanned herself rapidly with 4 hands. "It's frikkin' HOT." Above, in a pale-pink sky, a huge sun beat down, sending the temperature well over the boiling mark. "How do you guys put up with it?"
Zet shrugged. "I'm used to the heat."
"What she's not telling you is that she was a High Elf before she started living here." Kayley grumbled, shading her eyes. "She's a High Elf with sunburn." High Elves were fair, paler than their brown-skinned counterparts, the Dark Elves. Grinning somewhat sardonically, Kayley winked at Zet, as a loud laugh rippled through the group.
Faren and Tannik, unlike the rest of them, had not sweated a drop. Blitz and Riki were already damp, sweat turning their fur a darker shade than normal. Guppy was cursing silently under his breath, the collar of his shirt pulled up over his mouth and nose, to prevent the blowing sands from further aggravating his asthma. Ibix floated over his head, large enough to keep most of the sun off his face. "This way, please." Faren led the way, towards a strange pagoda not far in the distance. The siblings moved lightly over the sand, barely leaving footprints on the scalding ground. Riki's broad feet kept him from sinking somewhat, thankful for the thick tabi, the pads on the bottoms of his feet, and his fur. Otherwise, his feet were sure to melt off.
"Okay... no sand in Blitz' shoes, thank you..." she murmured. A slight gust of air swirled around her, lifting her sneakered feet about 4 inches off the ground. She drifted forward this way, behind Faren and Tannik. Zet had no problem with the heat, either, as she moved gracefully, like any Elf. That left Kayley and Guppy. As she had no desire to do the hotfoot dance to the shade, Kayley shifted. Her skin sprouted thick fur, bones bending and growing, as Kayley went from a human to a huge white tiger. Nearly 6 feet at the shoulder, and 8 feet long, the beast shook vigorously, her paws now more than protected from the heat.
"Climb on, Gups. No reason either of us should suffer with the long walk." Crouching down, she waited patiently while he scrambled on, clutching fistfuls of silver and black fur, bent over her like a jockey. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be, Kayley." Ibix settled in the hollow between his body and Kayley's back. He wouldn't be able to move fast enough to keep up with the Were-Tiger.
"Then heeeree wee goooooo!" Tensing like a spring, Kayley launched herself forward, kicking up great clouds of sand as she raced forward, passing everyone in seconds. Guppy held on for dear life, his head lowered, eyes squeezed shut, sand plinking off the lenses of his glasses.
"You think you're so fast, eh? Well, check this out!" Blitz called, before vanishing out of sight. She flashed into sight, neck and neck with Kayley, before dissapearing again. The moment Kayley's front paws touched the cool, black tiles of the pagoda, Blitz appeared again, leaning against one of the ornately done red, gold, and black railings. "What took ya?"
"No one said this was a race, Blitz. You gotta remember, I don't have any powers." Kayley heaved, coughing up a mouthful of sand.
"And you gotta remember to stop running with your mouth open."
"Blah." Bending again, she cocked her huge head over her shoulder. "Third floor. Shoes, robes, and women's underwear."
Guppy slid off, as Faren led the others into the shade. Ibix beeped. "Estimated speed, 85 miles per hour. ...hardly your fastest time, Kayley. ...Warning! Sensors confirm change in weather patterns! Severe sandstorm approaching quickly!"
The sand that was always blowing about in the Kulaini wastelands increased from a light mist, to an almost blinding curtain of sharp glittering flecks. The winds howled like a tortured beast, leaving Guppy to stare in something that looked like amazement. Usually his face was expressionless. The sudden fury of the J'irin storm had caught most people by surprise. Well, not most. Faren, Tannik, Darwin and Zet didn't notice one way or another. Kayley merely chuffed, her furry head shaking as she sneezed up a cloud of dust and sand. The wind blew millions of tons of sand and rock about like nothing, yet not a single speck of it penetrated the gazebo itself, save for what Kayley tracked in.
Faren moved to the far side of the pagoda, . The baulistrade was one lengthy black-scaled dragon, that looped and curled around the 8 deep red columns that held up the peaked roof. Floor, railings, and roof all lined up, forming a near perfect octagon, that was spoiled by the strange half-moons that were balanced atop the support columns. Faren stood at the northernmost railing, the one that faced the dull, curving towers in the distance. Here, on the railing he laid his hands on, the dragon came full-circle. Curled head-to-tail like it was sleeping, it rested on its bed of circles and curves. Tracing a finger carelessly over the head of the dragon, from the blunt muzzle to the tree-stump-like horns sprouting from the wild stone mane, Faren uttered a single word.
"Sukuro."
Without a noise to betray its movements, the whole pagoda lifted from the sand, now hovering lightly over the shifting sand. Even the terrible storm didn't budge the transport ship, as Faren somehow directed it forward. Kayley, who was laying in the center of the floor, gave a feline grin. She hadn't yet given up her tiger form, given that they had another walk from the docking port to the entrance of the citadel, and shifting forms took a great deal of energy (without the aid of the full moon). She was always impressed with the technology that the Kulaine posessed. Laying her head on her paws, her ears twitched idly, as her friends stared out the large windows, lost in their own thoughts.
"I hope we get a warm welcome..." Blitz snickered after a bit, turning away from the window, leaning back on the railing. Six fingers drummed against the metal, while her other two hands rested on her hips. Blitz was forever thinking of things to do with her arms... as having an extra set was frustrating at times. Her smile hinted at the kind of 'welcome' she was expecting. Riki, standing tall beside her, snorted.
"I would expect it." Scratching his chin thoughtfully, the sabertooth was the only one not surprised when the whole ship suddenly shuddered violently, heaving to a stop. Riki was never surprised ...well.. usually. Most were pitched forward, Kayley sliding along the floor until she managed to sink her claws into the floor deep enough. Guppy landed roughly in her side, clutching Ibix. Blitz had both arms on one side of her body wrapped around one of the support columns. The other two were locked firmly around Zet's waist. The Dark Elf would have been thrown out the window, had Blitz not reacted quickly. Darwin was still on his feet, wobbling to and fro like a sort of drunken surfer, shifting his weight rapidly to keep balance and not drop his books. Faren, too, would have been ejected from the ship, had he not caught hold of the two pillars he was standing between. They were dented by his grip, evidence of how strong the Kulani Prince was, and how fiercely the ship had stopped. His sister had also been caught by the Were-Tiger sprawled in the center of the floor, and she looked around with her wide pearlescent eyes, trying to maneuver out from under the massive front paw of Kayley, who had it over her thighs like a seatbelt. Her right arm was thrown around Kayley's neck, and it looked like she had the Lycanthrope's shaggy head in a secure headlock.
'What in the name of....! Faren, what happened?' she was the first to speak.
"Good question... you okay, girly?" Blitz released Zet and her grip on the column. "I didn't grab you too hard, did I?" Zetavius was rubbing her midsection, where perhaps the over-zealous Blitz had dug in her clawed fingers. The Dark Elf shook her head in response, always cheerful, except when in a fight.
Riki, who hadn't lost his balance nor been thrown about, suddenly had his hand on one of the katana at his hip. The sword, which was proportionate in size for a man of his height, made a sharp sound as the safety was unlatched, and a 4-inch long span of gleaming steel was revealed as Riki popped it from the sheath with his thumb. Meanwhile, the swordmaster's eyes were trained on something outside. "We have company."
Darwin, who didn't react to being surprised or threatened very well, extended his wings. Unlike the rest of them, he didn't have special powers at his disposal. Just flight, and a nasty habit of dropping large, heavy books on the heads of those below him. And getting hit on the head with a 30-pound leather-bound book that had been dropped from a few stories in the air was a real headache. Of course, it was bad for the book... but when you had a hundred or so extra copies lying around, it never hurt. Kayley had clawed to her feet, growling softly. Her ears swivled on her head. If anyone was outside, she would hear it. If anyone was coming towards them, she'd hear it. If a mouse farted behind a baseboard in the city itself... she'd hear it. Everyone else was rather calm about it, although Ibix was humming louder than usual, a clue that he was using his satellite or sonar or whatever odd gadgets Guppy had installed in him. Those who could detect magic (and that was only Blitz) could see that a strange reddish-pink aura whirled around Zet, as the Dark Elf charged a spell. The Goddess herself hadn't reacted much. There were very few things in the Universe that stood a chance against her.
Outside the ship, nearly lost in the whirling sands, a burly figure loomed. He pulled on a thick black chain in his hands, and the ship jilted again as he dislodged a large hooked blade from the hull. A whirring sound was heard then, over the wind, like a propeller spinning.
Kayley's ears suddenly stopped, pointed forward. Her jaw dropped open a fraction of a second. "...DUCK AND COVER!!!" Throwing herself to the ground, taking Guppy and Tannik down with her, she covered them with her body. The others did the same, as a sword tore through the pagoda ship, taking off the roof in a splinter of wood and the sreech of metal on metal. Exposed to the force of the storm, eyes were squinted to keep out the sand.
Shaking off debris, Kayley lifted a forepaw to check on the two who were trapped in the cage made by her legs. "You guys okay?"
"Fine... but I'd appreciate an advance warning before you tackle me next time. You nearly snapped my spine." Guppy huffed, trying to stand. Ibix was processing something, red and blue flashing on his surface. Tannik, ever-graceful, was on her feet, beside Faren, who had drawn a large, severe-looking broadsword from his back. "Tell me something, Ibix."
The supercomputer hummed. "Enemy scan complete. Believed to be a sub-species of Orc."
"Orc?! There are no such things in my people's kingdom!" Faren snapped at the computer, offended that he'd even mention such a thing.
"There is now, Faren ol' boy." Blitz grumbled. She was in a half-crouch, her tail thrashing behind her. The heavy blade that had sheared off the roof had whizzed backwards, to its owner. "I can smell him.... Kayley?"
"Yeah.. I can see 'im."
"You would. Not everyone can see practically into the infra-red spectrum." Blitz grinned over her shoulder at the Were-Tiger. The grin slid from her face a moment later. "Behind us!"
Something ...large... and furry... leapt into the now-equipped-with-a-skylight ship. As large as Kayley, and as dark as she was light, it appeared to be a huge, salivating, growling wolf. Kayley whirled immediately, showing off her impressive dental work. She was also dissapointed with herself, as she hadn't heard the thing coming. Bounding out of the pagoda, she led the wolf away. Soon all that gave away their presence were loud growls, snarls, and the occasional thud of a body hitting the sand.
The Orc moved forward, hefting his heavy weapon. As big as he was, a foot and a half long at the base of the blade, the...harpoon-sword... was attatched to a long length of black chain, that led to a basketball-sized iron sphere. He couldn't be seen yet, but his shadow was as big as Riki's, and twice as burly. "I see ye've met me friend, there." His words were thick with a strange accent. "I'm sure he'll take care of that oversized housecat of yers. As for the rest of ye'z... well... that's my job." He took a step forward, now only 10 feet from the ship, and still shadowed by the storm. But Blitz was getting tired of all the blowing sand. Her fists clenched, and the wind froze abruptly, like someone had just hit 'pause'. Sand fell where it had been stopped.
No one was really surprised by the clear appearance of the Orc. He was as tall as Riki, his skin a darker green than Blitz' fur. It was covered in whirling black tattoos and scars. His right arm was missing at the mid-forearm, the stump capped with a thick studded plate that was covered in long spikes of varying lengths. He wore a strange fur kilt, over a strange belt studded with sharp yellowed teeth. His mouth was broad, two sharp teeth thrust from his lower lip, and his nose was broad and flat, almost as wide as his mouth. A long scar curved around his right eye, and the eyes themselves were cold and black. Grey hair, sparsely intermixed with black, was long, the braids wild and mussed. "I be Tare'nag Wargrider. And I'm s'pose' to stop ye all from interferin' where ye shouldn't be interferin'." He hefted the harpoon-blade, a corner of his mouth twisted into a cruel smile.
Faren's grip tightened on his sword. "Who hired you?!"
"No one ...hired me, Princelin'. I was summone' here by magic." He took another step forward, and which Faren swung the sword threateningly.
"Stay back!" His eyes were slowly being infused with a crimson color, a sign of his anger. "No one of the Kulaine may use that sort of magic! Evil sorcery is forbidden!" As if he'd given the word to prepare for attack, everyone tensed.
"Perhaps it was forbidden, whelp... but someone had to do it... else I be home, tenden' to me armies." His cruel smile widened. "And since I no be there, I be here. And that havin' been said..." His words were cut off as Kayley charged between them. Her fur was edged with blood, the thick undermane on her belly nearly red. Close behind her the wolf ran, favoring his right front leg. Bloody froth dripped from his jaws. When they'd passed, Tare'nag snorted. "Like I was sayin'... A strange lad by the name of Tobyn wants me to bring ye to 'im, whole or in severa' peices. An' when I do that, I do be goin' back where I belon'."
Tannik and Faren's jaws dropped open. '...our brother summoned you?!' Tannik looked at Faren, horror-stricken.
"Aahh... I understan' now. Havin' a bit of a siblin' rivalr', are we now?" Tare'nag clipped off the ends of what seemed to be any word longer than three or four syllables, which made understanding him even more difficult.
Neither Faren nor Tannik made like they had heard. "...he's given himself over to the dark magics..." Despite his apparent hatred for his traitorous brother, Faren was shaken enough to set the sword rattling in his grasp. "...what has he done?"