Animation Source Forums

Zorro tossed his head cautiously as they entered into a forest, he was unsure about being in here. What Racheal couldn't feel, he could. He knew something wasn't right and he was getting a little scared, to the point where he stopped and refused to move. Racheal rolled her eyes and leaned forward, whispering about a harsh punishment with wolves and something about whips. Zorro quickly got his act together, beginning to walk reluctantly through the forest again. Racheal kept her eyes open, hearing rustling in the bushes all around her. She didn't care. Simply she shrugged everything off, a fearless leader indeed. Racheal took a glance at Rikkes and simply smirked, looking forward again as the trail got a bit more narrow, trees over head hanging.

Rikkes walked behind, easily keeping pace, he was tired, but all the time spend running and walking and hiking at home had paid off, as he was in shape and this wasn't too hard. It hurt, but he was fine. Walking also gave him time to think, he was alert and wondered what kept setting the horse off, he glanced around, curious.

OOC:// I got to go for now, night.

OOC::// Same here, night
-
Racheal kept her head high and her eye on Rikke, she didn't believe how well he was acting. She knew that she was going to be in for a fight when she got to the village and the merchants. She could imagine it now. The people in rags walking around with the weight of the world on their shoulders, the almost even cobblestones layed carefully down to form the road, the sounds of carriges clattering and the horses hooves clacking against the smooth stones. She could almost already smell the smoke from the chimney, the fire from the black smith, the horses, the uncleaned and filthy people, the thin cool air in front of houses. She wasn't looking forward to seeing her boss though, she knew he would be in a bad mood as always.

Rikkes knew they were approaching the village and his heart filled with dread. He had taken great care in developing a low and friend to the people status there. Now, he was going to be drug in in chains. The people wouldn't much like that. They were too prideful and loyal. He stood straight and lifted his head, if he was going there, he was going there with dignity, not shame.

Racheal took a deep breath, seeing and hearing the children playing a ways ahead. Suddenly a thin elderly woman with matted grey hair and dull blue eyes walked out from the brush, Zorro snorted. "Don't go through this way. Abandon all hope thee who enters there." She said and pointed with a bony and crooked finger. Racheal rolled her eyes simply, "Woman leave me be and get on your way." She aid stiffly. When the woman approached Rikkes Racheal took her sword out of it's sheath, she had the tip against the woman's neck. Her eyes challenging. The elderly woman shot her a poisonous look before slipping off into the shadows. Racheal put her sword away and kicked Zorro's sides, mumbling to herself.

Rikkes watched the woman as he was forced to follow his captor. He bit his lip, curious how things would play out. Evidently, his friendship with the common folk had helped. He started to move his hands in his buying his time. He glanced around, slightly unsure. He glanced back at the woman one last time, she gave him a reassuring smile.

Racheal kept riding, silently and and alert. About 20 minutes dragged slowly on before she finally made it to the small village. Old rusty iron gates swung open as guards unlocked them. The gates were usually always open but after the events of a newly ended fued with the commoners, it seemed as though they were too afraid to keep the gates unlocked. The chatter in the crods stopped as Racheal rode through. Everyone had heard of her. They called her the 'Shadow'. They called her many names, given the fact only a few people knew her name. She took a deep breath as she rode through the crowd, the people moving out of her way. Zorro tossed his head, keeping it held up high.

OOC::// Are we still going to continue 'The Rogue and the princess' or no?

OOC:// sure if you'd like.

Rikkes had to jog to keep up as they entered the city. He jarred his shoulder as he stumbled, but kept his feet. He grimaced, knowing that he most likely didn't look too good, in tattered clothes stained with his own blood, the shackles and chains around his hands and neck. He didn't mind so much what they thought, he just thought it a shame that they did have to see him like this.

Slow the talkin and laughter began again as Racheal rode deeper into the village. She didn't stop nor slow Zorro to yield for the people, they knew to get out of her way or get trampled. Racheal coughed into the bend of her arm, feeling a slght sickness as she rode past a graveyard, the grass seemed stained with the souless bodies that lay in the chestnut boxes. She kept her pace, going straight to her boss, who was awaiting her in his office by the jail. She dismountedZorro and tied him up. Taking the chaines off Rikkes' neck and keeping them on his wrists. She walked into the building as if she owned it, going straight to the office. Her boss waiting.

Rikkes felt his change coming. It wouldn't be easy, but if she got distracted, he could shift and slip away and hide umongst the crowd of people outside. Of course, that would mean getting out of this place, and avoiding getting shot or trampled. If he shifted into a mouse, he could get stomped on. If he changed into a dog, he could get shot. He decided to try and be a house cat, he would be small, but not too small to be killed by the boot of a person.

Racheal looked at her boss as he tossed a cloth full of coins down in front of her. She nodded once before pushing Rikke into her boss's grasp and grabbing her pay. She slipped it into her pocket before walking outside, mounting Zorro, and ridding back out. She didn't stay in one place for too long. Zorro tossed his head, glad to be out of the wretched town again and back into the forest where he loved to graze and be free. Stopping only 45 feet away from the gate Racheal dismounted and stopped by a small stream, cupping her hands and getting an icy drink of water. She took a deep breath, standing up and leading Zorro over to a nice lush open field. He began to graze as she began to carve more arrows.

Rikkes narrowed his eyes. He met the man's eyes. He recognized him, vaguely, as a coward he encountered several years earlier. Of course, the retch hadn't the courage to come and got Rikkes himself. He gave a slight smile, making the man look at him with confusion before saying the first words he had in several weeks. "Good day." he purred in a cat's lisp and shifted swiftly, sliding from his shackles and slipping out the door. He favored his leg as he trotted into the crowd, but his eyes gleamed in a deep satisfaction. 'Played your cards almost perfectly, death, but once again, you have lost to the wit of a shifter.' he thought, smugly. The man's cries followed him, but naturally, everyone thought the man was a fool, yelling for them to catch a house cat. He trotted towards the gate and went unnoticed, back to the freedom of the world.

Noticing the cat Racheal smirked and shook her head, "Such an ugly and ungreatful animal." She said aloud, looking over at Zorro as he lifted his head up from his grassy meal. Racheal focused back on her arrows and put them in their holster, pleased with the work she had done. Zorro walked casually and slowly up to Racheal, nuzzling his master's shoulder before nickering sofly. Racheal patted his nose, standing up before walking back over to a big lake. She grabbed her knife and stalked through the tall grass. Standing stil for a few seconds before diving down into the grass, stabing down into the grass. Pulling up a dead snake. Racheal skinned the dead animal and got a small fire going. She began cooking. Zorro snorted and lay down, shaking his mane out.

Rikkes walked into the grass, considering leaving the hunter far behind him, but instead, he walked towards her fire, sitting on a rock, twitching his tail. He was amused by the fact that she didn't seem to like cats. A chance to annoy her would be marvelous after what she had done to him. He started to clean the wound on his shoulder, not trying to attract much attention, just trying to by like an annoying fly, not too close to be swatted, not too far away to not be annoying.

Zorro noticed the cat and snorted. He got up and charged the cat, snorting and neighing angrily at the creature. He didn't seem to like cats ether. Racheal flashed a grin and looked over at Zorro, "It's okay Zorro." She said and looked at the cat. "You are a funny looking thing but you've got guts, I admire that in anything." She said, looking at the snake that was done. She cut a piece off and ate it slowly, it still steaming as it hit her tounge, though it wasn't hot. She took a small piece of the snake and handed it to the cat. Seeing if he had guts enough to eat the snake. Zorro snorted and bit at the cat, purposely walking over and trying to step on his tail or paw.