"Bant..." Claw muttered to himself.

He knew that name all to well. If he wasn't playing babysitter he would've followed the old coyote.

"I came across it after your little group left, just as the authorities arrived. You know, you should be thanking me." Julius' smirk went perfect with the hatred for the feline showing in his eyes. "It wouldn't be right to shoot you here with innocents nearby. You really should go looking for the boy, though. It's not very safe for children to go wandering about here by themselves, you know."

Ryn cursed under her breath as she knelt down and grasped the knife in one paw. By the time she looked up, Julius had disappeared.

Dammit. If that kid really did go out looking for me...

The feline put the weapon away and bolted from the alleyway. As far as she was concerned, there was no time to lose.

---

He wasn't too sure what direction he was headed. Everywhere he looked, he saw the same thing; people huddled together wrapped in blankets and lined up to get food. There didn't seem to be any sign of Henry around this area.

He was starting to have second thoughts about leaving, it was starting to get dark. Just as he turned to head back, he spotted the other boy just a short distance away.

"Hey, I thought you were going out to kill somebody?"

OOC: With your permition Rico could I change Niki's actions in the last fight so that she dosn't end up half dead. I was going to bring sasha in but its impractical given the amount of time it would take her, and I'd like to do some interaction with niki anyway.

OOC: Fine with me.

I'll fire off something outta corkbutt this weekend, Kaze.

Steady footsteps echoed in the dark alleyways of the ravaged city. Voices of law enforcement and rescue workers sounded distant and frantic as they continued searching for survivors and guiding refugees to safety. The light brown feline's eyes remained closed as if he were attempting to shut out the world around him.

He suddenly came to a stop, opened his eyes and stared straight ahead; he was face to face with another figure in the darkness.

"You're back empty handed. I thought you were finally getting the kid?"

"No. Not just yet. I delivered the message at least. I tried to get in her head a little, too, but I didn't stick around to see her reaction. Judging from the loud swearing I heard after I left, I think I succeeded with that one."

"All that would do is make her panic. You know that."

Julius smirked. "I know. It'll make it just that much easier to break her when the time comes."

"And when will that be? You-Know-Who's gettin' impatient."

"That's no concern of yours or his. It'll get done when it gets done. Tell him that, you miserable oaf."

The other figure grumbled something under his breath as the footsteps resumed. Within moments, the dark alley was silent once more.

OOC: Sorry, RL attacked me.

"I'm a stupid kid, how can I kill someone?" Henry muttered, not revealing his face. "I'm freaking useless, I don't know why Toby stays around."

The kitten's brow furrowed. "You shouldn't say that about yourself. Sis says it's bad for you."

There remained an agitated feeling in the back of his mind; it felt like someone else was lurking in the shadows, watching the boys' every move.

"Besides, what happened to the tough guy act? You look downright pathetic sulking like that."

From the blind panic of the last few hours the cityscape had emerged as a morbid field of concrete pillars, pitted with the occasional black oak tree rising steadily from both rubble and burning warehouse district.

With the current danger past the army was finally getting around to cautiously searching for survivors and tackling the numerous fires that still smouldered idly in the rubble. Towards the outer limits the citys former denizened lingered, makeshift camps appearing all over the landscape to house the homeless and treat the wounded.

Through the chaos stalked a ghost, blending with the stricken peoples as one of their own kin. Cargo pants held up with cord and thick modified blanket over a badly stretched t-shirt it looked like many who had to make do with whatever they could get on charity. Blood was clotted on its fur and seeped through the heavy bandaging over its right arm and torso. From a distance it was difficult to discern their gender or species. Closer too the lanky ringed tail held its Racoon heritage but under so much loose clothing its form was impossible to distinguish and the stone set face betrayed no secrets to the eye of the commoner. More importantly they could have been hiding a barge poll under all the folded clothing and no one would notice.

As it neared the edge of the camp it glanced about cautiously at the guards at the perimeter, timing its steps to the moment when none were looking to safely pass through into the city again without hindrance.

But no sooner had it left did it sight something worthy of attention. Pulling up its hood and checking for anyone unfortunate enough to be following, it changed course and started down the street where the feline was walking up towards the sulking hybrid. Some distance away, as the cubs began to speak, it once again altered cause and became suddenly very interested in the contence of the display in a broken shop window.

The reflections in the glass told all that needed to be known. The child moved the same and had the same fur patterning across his head. That was all the information needed. There was no one else on the street.

They were totally alone.

Turning from the window, the blanket hooded figure turned around and stalked towards the otherwise occupied cubs, fixing them with a basilisks stare as it approached.

"Dammit. Not around here, either, the little punk."

Ryn had been steadily on the move, heading back while surveying the area for her brother.

The building where she and the others arrived in was just ahead now.

When she reached the front door, she nearly burst in. She must have looked really desperate as her eyes shifted back and forth about the front room...

"There's only one kid here," she murmured. "Where are the other two?"

OOC: Sorry, RL again. In fact is mainly due to corky doing in RL with he's doing here. Damn dramaqueens.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Things suck okay? Have you seen the people I'm with? The guy that adopted me is like some super-mega wizard. My 'Little' brother is some kinda all power prodigy. The only halfway normal one was Uncle Toby and he got all messed up because Rico is a coward! I hate EVERYONE! OK!?" By this time he was on his feet, hands balled into fists and panting.

Realizing what he was doing to tried to settle himself down and talk instead of yelling. "Probably be better if I try to kill him. Cuz he'd off me in a second and everyone would be happier."

Ken looked grim. Never before had he met someone who could just say something like that. He wasn't really sure how to reply.

"You must've gone through some pretty messed up things, huh?" he spoke up after an uneasy silence. His eyes shifted to the side and he started kicking up dust with one foot.

A heavy hand landed on the cubs shoulder. Between Henry's moping and Ken's attempts to foster a glimmer of hope in a world of lunacy, neither had noticed the stranger's approach.
With an acute feeling of dread rising through his veins, Ken looked to the battered paw that was decisively resting upon his shoulder.
In a deliberately slow calculative movement Kens eyes traced the arm up the heavily clothed body to the shrouded face, almost totally hidden beneath the folds of its hood and cloth mask.

The muffled voice that followed sounded vaguely feminine and somewhat familiar.

I take it that the others escaped aswell?

**OoC**
Have also altred LAB scene on last page to match new idea.

"Doesn't matter. Tobe says only you can let the past mess with you, or somethin' like that." Henry muttered staring at the ground, "Hey, you think..."

The sudden appearance of the strange adult silenced him, his sad expression turning to defiance and distrust. The sight of someone accosting the person trying to help him frustrating him enough that him to quietly slip the folding knife off his waistband and conceal it the best he could in his small hand.

He'd lost the attention of someone that acknowledged him to an filthy adult, that alone was enough to make the boy hate this newcomer even before he was aware of their identity.

Ken turned to the hooded stranger and stepped back a few paces until he was standing next to Henry. He didn't recognize who--or what-- he was seeing right now. Unlike the hybrid, his expression was one of curiosity and caution.

"Um... do I know you from somewhere?"

Depends how much attention you were paying during the attack. The stranger said in a level tone.

With a brief glance up the street to check for surveillance, the stranger reached up to tugged back both hood and mask, revealing the shrapnel torn face of Niki to the two younglings whom shed only briefly met once before. The raccoon looked as though shed been in a fight with a fragmentation grenade, bruises and gashes tracked across her features in long crimson streaks completed by bandages around her neck.
As she looked back to the cubs for any signs of recognition there seemed to be a flash of red from her right pupil, as though something where concealed within and reflected the ambient light at that particular angle.

Now, She said in a clear unimpeded voice that seemed to work well with her stone set expression Would you kindly tell me where the others are?

Henry just snarled, assuming it was some attempt to either shock or intimidate him into talking. Whichever, he wasn't talking, even if he DID feel like puking.

"You... you're that lady from before." Kenneth looked relieved for a moment. "Looks like a lot happened to you. The others... the others are..."

The boy's voice trailed off suddenly. He took another step back, keeping the scarred raccoon in his sights. Something didn't seem right here...

Had he... seen something just now? Or was he going crazy?

OOC: Still keeping up with this, just haven't had time to post anything substantial.

IC:

Claw ducked back into the shadows. The little one, Ken, was either very perceptive or Claw was getting sloppy. Hewould watch over them for a while longer.

Nikis mildly quizzical gaze shifted between the two cubs in some failing attempt at discern reason from their reactions. She even glanced behind to check the shadows, thinking they might have spotted something, but the street was as silent and empty as the newly dug grave.

Accepting that it was herself causing the kits anxiety, the raccoon let out a suppressed sigh and briefly pinched the bridge of her mussel, a minute blink of refracted light echoing as she closed her eyes (Though barely bright enough to notice unless one happened to be paying close attention.). She could feel the headache building behind her sinuses like an over burdened floodgate. Maybe shed approached this in the wrong way.

What was your name again?

No reply. Niki lifted her palm away from her face, eyeing the youngster. He seemed even more weary now, totaly fixated on her... or more specifically the right side of her face.

A midget of sensitivity playfully tugged on a ropey nerve and the womans tone levelled out significantly, as though it were being kept on a very short leash.

Look... kit. Just over an hour ago I was thrown through several brick walls, I woke up to find some medic musing over me and to the revelation that my one solid withdraw point had gone up in smoke thanks to those creatures. Now, if you want to be left alone thats fine. But Id like to have a safe place to lay low and since you havent been taken into the camps I assume your guardians have found one. So, She continued, lighter as her frustration subside again - could you at least point me in the right direction?

"Um... well..." Ken wasn't sure how to answer, given this ruined city was largely unfamiliar to him. He tentatively scanned the area again, then pointed to his right.

"...that way, I think... if you see my sis, can you tell her I'm okay?"

"Stupid adults, always trying to intimidate us instead of just asking like normal people." Henry muttered lowly, unsure what all the nervousness was in the air. They were acting like someone was in the shadows, buncha paranoid idiots.

"My sister told me never to turn away someone truly in need," Ken whispered to him. "If it weren't for her-- and my sister and a couple others-- I'd be dead."

He briefly remembered the gray hare from before, balling his hands into fists as that particularly horrid memory of his last moments resurfaced.

He never knew the rabbit's name, he realized. He probably he never--

...Wait a minute...

OoC: Apologies. My internet's been down for a while.

IC:

Niki's indifferent stare graced Henry's utterances before straying off in the direction the boy had pointed, assuming this was the most information she could hope for.

"Thankyou." She said genuinely, reseating her hood "I will pass on your message if I see your sister."

Though at present she couldn't put her finger on it something was bothering the woman about the feline's last comment. Why was she trying to find this band of desperate individuals? she would be far more successful on her own.

But her worries were quickly quelled by a logical argument that rocketed from the depths of her brain.

Yes. This was the best, ney, the only logical cause of action.

"Then go help her. Doesn't give me a reason to give a crap." The boy muttered indignantly.

The kitten ignored him, he had other things on his mind at the moment. "That coyote guy," he whispered aloud to himself. "He knows something..."

It was probably risky wandering further into the ruined city like this, but the questions were beginning to arise.

---

Ryn was standing outside the shop, a look of distress clearly etched on her features. There had to be some place she overlooked. There had to be.

Damn it. I shouldn't have even left here. And now...

She suddenly looked up; she thought she heard some footsteps. She quickly drew her knife, ready for a fight.

"Who's there?" she called out, her voice unnaturally high.

The girl was standing like a beacon outside the door, her startled yelp exposing how nervous she was after the attack. Niki could hardly blame her.

Lowering her hood once more the raccoon approached, showing no attempt at hiding her approach. She started with the message lest she forget.

Your brother is down the street about a block from here, if your looking for him.

"Knows something? Coyote guy? What are talking about?" Henry said, as if something had suddenly peaked his interest.

The feline lowered her weapon, recognizing the raccoon despite the scars. "It's you... I'm sorry about that..."

She put away the dagger, adding, "Thank you. I thought I actually lost him, I'm so relieved..."

Without another moment of hesitation, she took a few steps forward, the broke into a run. It felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

---

"You sure you wanna know? You already think I'm a liar, what makes you think you'd actually believe me this time?" Kenneth turned his back to him; he wasn't going to let the other boy off easy for that one.

Henry let out a frustrated growl and beat on the wall, "DAMMIT! You told me that piece of crap is not only here, but talking to Rico, the guy that's SUPPOSED to be taking CARE of me. You know what that means?" His voice had gone from belligerent rage to almost a cracking, pleading voice, tears streaming down his face. He panted, glaring back at Ken from the wall with a face scrunched up in frustrated. The other boy didn't respond.

"It means theres noone left! Noone I can trust to do ANYTHING! All a buncha stupid adults with their own #$%@ing agendas! The only people around here that acknowledge me at ALL are those dumb rabbits." He quieted back down finally. His voice was finally something other than hysteric irrationality, though borderline crying wasn't much better, "Tobe is all weird after... that, and John, that stupid grey rabbit, is still on the ship. *Sniff* Maybe if that coyote was... 'That Guy' he could get us back to the ship and off this hell hole."

Ken stared at him with widened eyes, as though he'd just heard the worst news in existence. "His name was John?"

It was the first thing that came to mind. The boy looked down at the ground, feeling devastated. Nevertheless, he kept on speaking, Henry deserved an explanation.

"He showed up when those monsters were running around attacking." He was still staring at the youth, looking increasingly helpless. "A really big one, I think it was their leader, was going to kill me first. He stopped it, but..."

There was a short pause. Kenneth stared at the ground as he concluded.

"... it... it killed him... in cold blood. It's... all my fault... I couldn't do anything, 'cause I'm just a stupid kid."

He was half-expecting to be grabbed by his shirt and slugged, he probably deserved it.

"What... but... John was the strongest. He couldn't be killed... Even Rico..." Through his weaken muttering a few of the recent events began to take shape in his mind. Especially the fox's increasingly erratic behavior.

"Can... can we go back? I, I really need to see need my.. I mean I need da- see Toby. Can we go ho-I mean back." It was rather surreal, the indignant, belligerent, rude little brat in front of him was falling apart at the seems, even he could tell what the slips the boy was making were. It was almost like he was recoiling into a shell, almost using words no tough kid worth his salt would be caught dead using.

In the course of the last few minutes the other boy's aura of pride and independance had been completely shattered. It was like the appearance of who Ken now knew was they guy's dad, and the death of the rabbit had completely devastated his universe.

"Intriguing"

The strong male voice sounded normal enough, albeit the small factor of the owners sudden appearance behind the two children. Sitting on the pavement a good three feet away was a large dark furred dog. Just a normal dog, about the size of a retriever, sitting on its rump with a look of nobility about its features. Who knows how long it had been there, the children had been so engrossed that they would have never noticed its casual approach.

At the sight of it, Ken distinctly felt something in the back of his head Yelp and run behind the nearest solid object for cover.

The animal stared for a moment and then took a shallow breath and 'Hmmm'ed thoughtfully to itself.

In and off itself the creature was most peculiar. But the grater surprise came when it opened its mouth and spoke to them in a fluent almost elegant voice. It sounded like everybodys grandfather should, commanding respect in the most unthreatening way possible.

"I don't really know. I somehow imagined you'd be taller."

(ooc: picture G'mork from the never ending story, without the green eyes and extra teath..)

--IC--

Niki walked into the building, eyes tracing and memorising the layout of the entrance way and every face within. Eventually locating the man who looked to be the owner, she wandered up and asked:

Room for one more?

Never had the resilience of a child shone so strongly as it did at that moment. Everyone has at one time been confounded the ability of a kid to go from weeping and sobbing one moment to laughing the next is something that has bewildered parents from every corner of the universe since the dawn of time.

Henry's ears perked. As if the man was addressing him.

"Old man..."

The look vengeance flaring is his eyes could was brighter than the summer solistic.

"DON'T CALL ME A SHRIMP!" The youth suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs and charged toward the old man, fists balled and ready to pummel the old cout into a pile of mush.

OOC: Old man? Muh, okay I can run with that.
IC:

Any other adult should have at least looked surprised at the boys reaction, but the elder simply razed a graceful hand, pointed at the charging youth and said in a clear commanding voice:

Stop.

To the rest street the old man simply spoke this word, but to Henry the voice came from everywhere. It seemed to reverberate through his soul and cascade along his nerves, rapping around his limbs like the stings of a puppet. The boy stopped dead, his forehead barely touching the elders outstretched finger.

Ken wasnt entirely sure what he had just witnessed. It was as though the animal vanished and was simultaneously replaced with an old man of similar species and aged nobility an old man that had apparently stopped Henrys furious advance with a single word. In fact, now that he thought about it, the boy wasnt sure whether the dog had been there at all, rather it had been the old man all along. Yes, he had to be mistaken.

Henry was even more bewildered. Every shred of his wakening mind wanted to rip the old guy apart, yet the unyielding ropes forged from that word held him in mid-stride like a statue.

With an unchanged look of appeasement, the stranger retracted his finger a little from the boys forehead and traced a little circle in the air. Henrys posture relaxed, his eyes still burning with fury as his body turned a full one eighty to face away from the stranger. A serried of hand movements later, the boy found himself sitting back on the steeped porch way of the near by building, looking back at the man with a pure unadulterated hate.

A slight smile graced the old mans features as he lowered his arm and looked back to Ken.

My pardons, your friend seems to have mistaken me for someone else. But no matter. I was surveying the damage wrought by my disobedient brood, and thought I may as well see the one my son is so obsessed about.

Henry, meanwhile, found that his features and voice were once again his own, but everything from the chest down was still held in place.

OOC: This okay rico, will change if not.

OOC: I figured you catch it Astral with your experience with this universe. Remember some warden have exhibited the ability to appear to turn into normal animals, generally canines. Corky's aware of it.

It's up to you though, I won't reply right away in case you want to go what you originally had. I read it, shouldn't doubt me that much.

"What did you just do to him?!" Ken demanded angrily as he took a step back, both paws balled into fists. "And what do you want with me?!"

Silence. A look of pure fury crossed the child's features. "Those black monsters must answer to you, then, huh? You here to try and kill me, too?!"

---

The sight of three figures ahead was already in Ryn's view. Two she recognized immediately as her brother and the other was the other boy she carried to the gym earlier. The third... where had he come from?

That didn't matter now. Besides, there was something pretty creepy about him anyway. She had to get there before something happened to those kids.

The old man chuckled.
"Oh, my dear boy. If I was here to inhume you, I would not have shown my face. As for the 'monsters' of which you speak,"

He looked over his sholdure, presumedly towards the direction in which he had entered, his eyes narrowing in distain "Belive me when I say that Envy and his unruley croud of mongrals are being suvearly punnished for their blatant disregard for the code."

Ken could feel the entity at the back of his mind whimper silently as the man's gaze returned too them "None but those un-contract should be harmed. And yet more then a hundred were slaughtered today. Disgraceful."

"Who knows," He continued after a light maunful sigh "Maybe, upon his return the master will see fit to 'right my son's wrongs' as it were."

"Where I come from we introduce ourselves before we start givin' advice, preacher man."

Henry's demeanor turned to utter excitement when the words reached his ears. That rugged yet mellow, almost cowboy-like tone rang in his head like the glow of a night light to a frightened child. "MISTER BANT!" Henry yelped out, still unable to move.

The old coyote appeared nearby, casually leaning against a wall, "Been a while, sunshine, looks like you're holding up ok." He looked at the other two, "Sorry to pop in all rude and all, but I'm a little lost on this place. When you're done with the little'un, reckon you can spot me a answer er two?"

"Um, Mister Bant?" The youth whined, "My nose itches."

The coyote smirked and smoothly flicked two finger up casually. After which Henry hurriedly itched every patch of skin he could find.

The coyote shook his head bemusedly, "Don't bother the man again, kid. Next time you can just sit there an' itch."

An amused smirk once again graced the features of the old man, as though he were recalling a happy memory from an ancient past.

"Children can be such.. impulsive things. Can they not?"

His ears pricked up as the girl came running up the streat towards them, chuckling lightly to himself.

"My my, quite the crowd we seem to be amassing."

ooc: It is worth mentioning that though this guy looks to have changed like a warden, his appearance seems to mirror people's 'Expectations'. To some he is older, to others he's horribly familiar, others just see an old guy and will never be able to actually recall his face etc etc.

Ryn stopped a few feet short of the group, looking from the old man to the coyote, then finally to Ken. The child had only just noticed her.

"Sis," he murmured softly, completely forgetting his anger.

"Who else were you expecting?" the young woman responded irritably. "I leave for one minute and I can't even expect you to stay put..."

Ryn glanced back at the elder, unconsciously placing one hand on her hip. "You mind telling me exactly what's going on around here?"

"That dirty old man there called me a shrimp! Thats what!" Henry spouted out belligerently.

The coyote said nothing, crossing his arms.

Unfazed by the young boy's language, the stranger simply stood with that same thin smile on his features. Content simply to watch and listen for the moment while never truely taking his gaze off Ken. Even when he was looking away at adress another, the boy still felt asthough the eyes were still upon him.

OOC: Why do I suddenly get the impression Ast's character is really MJ in disguise?

Claw fought back the sudden urge to break his cover and meet the mysterious yet oddly familiar stranger who seemed to be causing a commotion. For some reason it reminded him of his old master, his old sensei. The one that had saved from being the monster he was created to be. But it wasn't him, and Claw's gut was sending up more red flags than a referee at a Colorian Bulgeball Tournament.

And then there was Bant. Claw could recognize that familiar yet coolly subdued energy signature anywhere. He should've expected to see him here, as he always seemed to be a postfix to the Underwood family tragedy.

Claw held his peace for a moment longer.

The elder's bizarre conduct hadn't gone unnoticed. Ryn's hand drew closer to the knife in her belt.

"Kenneth, get over here behind me," she instructed.

The child looked a bit surprised at first, but silently obeyed. In the back of his mind, the old man's eyes still seemed to follow him, something he didn't like.

"You still never answered my question, geezer!" Ken angrily called out at him when he almost reached her. "What do you want with me? And why does that thing 'Envy' so interested in me or whatever?!"

"Ken," Ryn spoke up. "What happened?"

"He just came outta nowhere," the kit told her furiously. "He said he was lookin' at the damage in the town when he just happened to come 'cross me an' Henry. He's the 'father' or something of that big dark thing that tried to kill me!" He finally noticed the coyote standing arms crossed near Henry. He stayed quiet, however, though he was still seething.

OOC: lol the cosmetic sergury was taken to a whole new level that day. P.S. found a piky of darknatshr's that fits envy perfectly. Will post up link if we see him again.

IC:

"Yes, I am," Replied the oldman, nodding at Ryn's quisicle look "though I can't say I'm too proud of my children at this moment. Such disregard for the code. But then again, few would act any difrently after millienia trapped in shadow-fold. Its enough to drive most insaine."

"Well KICK HIS ASS then!" Corky squawked from his perch. "BANT! That guy's some relation of the jerk that killed John! Kill him!"

The coyote didn't move, replying simply with, "Nope."

"That still doesn't explain why," Ryn answered back, "you've been staring at my younger brother this whole time, Kosa. Or do you have no other purpose here?"

Ken was still looking at the old man, paws shoved in his pockets and silently pouting. He wondered for a moment if that entity he only knew as Cyan was also related to this old geezer, which would probably explain the yelp he heard in his head.

The old man shrugged lightly, his large eyebrows following suit "Curiosity I suppose." Ken felt the stranger's gaze relinquish entirely, a strange sense of relief flooding though him "My Son usually gets fixated on those he is most jealous of, so I was expecting something a little more... unique. As it turns out it may just be another one of his childish whims after all."

The boy grumbled, "He's just mad that I shot him. It was a lucky shot, nothin' more. There's nothin' 'unique' about me 'less you count my eyes bein' two different colors."