[S]tranger then [F]iction +-Shadow-+

[Shadow]

>Human<

>Wolf<

Shadow didn't think much of the prince's ability to find another door to get out, and he doubted there was one anyway, so he left the boy alone. He stood at the store's entrance way, looking out into the street, keeping watch. He definitely didn't want to watch the miserable man strip. He seriously thought about leaving the prince there...but no...he had already wasted so much time getting this far, might as well go through with it. Besides, he was still a little pissed that Levi hadn't answered his questions yet.

Those damn questions...they had cost him what could have been an easy meal and a restful sleep. He had thought helping this man would get him something eventually...but as of yet, it gave him nothing but trouble.

And then it got worse. Guards. 3 of them... Armed to the teeth as well. Well, he knew there would eventually be some fighting going down today... He had thought at the beginning of this that it would have been the prince's blood he would have tasted first...but oh well.

He called back over his shoulder, "You've got about 15 seconds 'no name'. I suggest you hurry."

He didn't bother to check to see if the prince answered. He quickly dodged into the shadows before the guards looked over and saw the door...or rather, what was left of it.

He quickly shifted in the side alley and came out a moment later after waiting for the guards to get closer to the shop.

Shadow quickly jumped, turning his body and muzzle slightly as he jumped. His teeth latched around the unsuspecting guards neck an instant later. He clamped down with a crunch as he fell to the ground with the guard. He doubted very much that the guard would ever get up again after that, what with the strong metallic taste of blood wetting the wolves own throat now. Shadow let go and looked over and up at the other two guards, his black muzzle stained red and his teeth bared. They had just realized, after their comrade was already dead, that someone else was among the two.

[/center]

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

swaying to my own sound
Flashes in my face now

Levi quietly let out a sigh of relief, seeing as the stranger wasn't even looking at him. Maybe the Gods were on his side for once? He sure hoped so. When the stranger ducked away from the building into deep shadows, the prince quickly saw his opening. But first, he had to see what the man had freaked out about so badly as to hide. As he slowly stuck his head out of the empty door frame, he fought the urge to yell out to the guards. But he did think that the man had run away, about to take another breath of relief, until he saw a large black wolf quickly deal with one guard. The body fell to the ground, forgotten, neck bent at one of the most unnatural angles. Levi felt sickened as the thick scent of blood wafted over to him. He almost gagged, though held it back with a clenched jaw and scrunched up face that would probably look funny, if not for the situation. He ducked back into the store for a moment, shallowing his breathe before holding it, relaxing so he could easily pass by without alerting the werewolf. He stepped out of the broken door frame, invisible to anyone without the Sight. He moved quickly, though his eyes stared at the scene slightly further down the street. The other guards noticed the wolf, both giving different reactions. One unsheathed a blade at his side, either conditioned well or put into this position many times before. This guard slashed at the werewolf, though Levi didn't see what happened next because his gaze was quickly changing to the other guard. The other had the opposite reaction, freaking out as he saw blood pool from the body of the third guard. He dropped the bow he held, arrows scattering as he dumped them as well. The second guard then took off, obviously scared out of his wits. Levi ran over, hoping the commotion between the guards and the stranger would cover his footfalls, and snatched up the bow and arrows. They disappeared as soon as he touched them and he ran toward the shadows just as the man had, letting out his held breathe as quietly as he could. Why must his powers be with such drawbacks? He grimaced, headache coming on from the nauseating smell of fresh blood and death. His held his breath, releasing it a second later after realizing he was breathing through his nose, not helping him ignore the current situation. Sure, he could charge out there and try to help the guards. But if they couldn't handle the rogue werewolf, how was the sixteen year old? He held his breathe once again, taking off in the direction of what he hoped to be the Palace. He hadn't been running that long until he came to the outskirts of the city, too afraid to look behind him to see if the werewolf was following. Instead he slung the sheathe of arrows and the bow over his shoulder, skillfully climbing the tree before stopping at one of the higher branches, covered with foliage even in the late summer. He quietly released his breathe again, lungs aching from the run while barely taking breathes, flickering his appearance every once in a while as he had run. He sat back against the thick trunk of the tree, bow and arrow in hand though he doubted he would use it. After all, all the leaf coverage meant he couldn't see well without moving them as well. Wait, why had he even climbed a tree? Instinct? Either way, he thought as he huddled close to the trunk, he hoped he wouldn't be found. Especially with the werewolf's temper.

Make you say

Oh My!

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[Shadow]

>Wolf<

Shadow was frustrated, but he didn't let it show. He was happy enough that one guard ran, but he was confused. The scent of blood bled out all others, and thats why he was frustrated, he couldn't scent Levi, not at the moment. And the boy hadn't left yet... It made him wonder if the boy had found another exit...something to check after he dealt with this guard and his sword.

His feet moved quickly, dodging to the side and moving by the guards feet and to his back as fast as he could. It was in the process of watching his own paws as he was about leap back toward the guard that he noticed something strange. He had watched the nervous guard drop arrows and a bow. They weren't there any more. Shadow jumped, pushing over the guard.

He landed and looked back up the street. The guard was long gone, there was no way anyone else could have grabbed it...he would have seen them. Shadow snarled and shook his head, taking a step toward the guard who was in the process of getting back up even as he turned. Shadow paused a moment longer as a scent came to him. The boy's... It was outside of the shop...

Shadow was furious. As the guard slowly started turning, shadow lept on the quickly fading target of the man's back, knocking the man back to the ground. He then pressed down with his claws, holding the man face down while his teeth found the back of the man's neck, severing his life once and for all. Shadow glared back up the street, looking more feral than he ever had before, blood staining his fur and dripping from his teeth, his mouth a gape, his eyes fierce. Where did the boy go.

Shadow swallowed quickly and cleared his nose and maw of blood, swallowing a few more times. He needed his nose for this. He left behind the other two. They wouldn't be missed. He moved forward, his nose to the air as he stopped first at the store entrance and then, after catching the scent again, followed it forward.

He would be slower, but he'd find Levi, one way or another. He quickly picked up the trail down a back alley and then it went toward the main city. This boy was leading him on a chase...one that Shadow didn't want to be on. He had already hunted, and not for food. Perhaps the boy would do. It was the least the man could do for leaving him out to dry like that. Shadow's muzzle drew back as he bared his teeth and snarled, running along the path after Levi.

The scent stayed the same as Shadow went, growing stronger to make up for the scent Shadow lost due to him running. Probably sweat more than anything that caught his nose. It meant the prince was running too.

It didn't take long after that to lock down on the prince's scent and his position quickly after that. He hadn't noticed the prince going up the tree, he hadn't come in time to witness that, but the scent was still in the air, and it led directly to the tree.

The werewolf stood a few yards down the way from it for a few moments, looking side to side, making sure he wasn't mistaken. No..there could be no doubt. The scent pooled here. The prince hadn't gone any further.

But he had to be careful...if his suspicions were right about the prince..he had a bow and arrows in hand. And while Shadow could fight hand to hand... He was no good at range...not when he couldn't reach his target. Perhaps he should unnerve the prince first...

Shadow threw his head back and let out a loud blood curdling howl.

[/center]

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

swaying to my own sound
Flashes in my face now

Levi sat there for moments, heart throbbing painfully as he tried to breathe quietly and without moving around. He was stuck in a tree, with no real way to get down once the werewolf had caught up to him. Why had he been so stupid? Though he had to have some time before the werewolf appeared. He crawled out onto the thick branch that he had been sitting on, careful to listen for any sign of the man. The prince hesitated before parting the leaves, reaching out for the strangely long branch he had seen while running. But he had waited too long, hearing the sound of something quickly approaching. Half of his body was in midair, one part of him stretching out from one tree while the other was pulling him across. He panicked, not knowing which to do, and sat there for precious moments before trying to scramble backwards. It worked for a few moments, his head disappearing from view just as the stranger appeared, still in wolf form from when he had killed the guards. His hands quickly fumbled to get the bow from across his torso without snapping the string. He did after a few moments, loading an arrow into the bow and calming considerably at the simple and familiar action. He sat like that, motionless and holding his breathe, for a few moments before he could almost pretend he had imagined the sounds that had came to the base of the tree and then stopped all together. He was about to put the arrow away as well when a howl ran out, from seemingly right under him. The blue blood froze as the chilling noise continued, orbs opened unnaturally wide. One reason for this was, as guessed, the fact that man would probably kill him when the prince was captured. But that wasn't the main reason, not at the moment at least. He had gone too far backwards, losing his usually cat-like balance. Next thing Levi knew, he was slipping from the branch, his hands full before he could drop the weapon and unable to grab onto something. The bow and strung arrow fell from his hands as he released them, trying too late to grab onto something to stop the free fall. He couldn't grasp anything but the air and wondered why he had even had gone up a tree when he couldn't have possible escaped. Wait, why had he even gone with Reno? Oh yeah, because she had more or less grabbed him and excitedly taken him to Loki, her horse, and then onto the city. It was around the time that those thoughts floated in his head that he fell through the leaf cover, somehow not having hit any branches down. He actually had his eyes wide open this time, hair whizzing around his face.

((Sorry for the very short post x-x))

Make you say

Oh My!

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[Shadow]

>Wolf<

Shadow finished his howl expectantly. He knew that Levi was there, just out of sight, and with the howl, he had fully expected the prince to reveal himself in one form or another, his nervousness and panic getting the better of him. The wolf gazed up at the tree at the noise. Leaves rustled, and an object could be seen through the green veil; the one he had been chasing. The hunt ended here, Levi would pay for running and leaving Shadow by himself, fighting off guards.

Any thoughts that the prince was harmed were dropped when the bow and arrows fell through the tree cover and hit the ground, both ending up a distance away due to the branches separating them out. Shadow walked forward, Levi's drop near an end.

If Shadow were a little more human and cared a little more for human life...or really any other life than his own, he would have flinched at the impact that Levi had with the ground. Anger made him heartless. He still had a debt to settle, and no sympathy for Levi would stop him.

The black wolf stopped at Levi's side and placed his forepaws on the prince's chest, pushing him down and holding him there, pinning him.

His lips drew back around his teeth and his muzzle lowered toward the prince's own face. Revenge...at last. He went to bite and-

Shadow stopped, his eyes confused, his paws suddenly losing all the pressure he had put on the boy's chest. He got off, slow to place his paws back on the ground, almost stumbling as he did so. He looked back the way he came just as the second dart hit him in the shoulder. Even with all his strength, Shadow could put up enough of a fight to even snarl. The werewolf collapsed on the ground beside Levi, unconscious.

[/center]

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

swaying to my own sound
Flashes in my face now

Levi's vision went black for a moment, his brain itself feeling jarred. His vision was still dark and blurry as he blinked, chest heavy. A wolf stood by him and Levi couldn't tell if he couldn't breathe from the paw or from the fact all his air had been driven from his lungs. He blinked a few more times, dazed as the wolf lowered its head until it was close -- too close -- to the blue blood's own face, breathing almost heavily as its lips drew back into some sort of twisted smile. Or, at least, it seemed to the prince. His back ached and he continued to be dazed, wondering why there was a large wolf pinning him. He struggled half heartedly, wondering why he was even laying under a tree at this point. Levi watched almost as if he was a bystander as the wolf went to bite down when suddenly it stopped. The dark wolf's eyes blinked in confusion, almost mirroring the smaller male he was pinning. The prince's mind began to clear as the wolf moved off of him, air rushing into his weakened lungs. He coughed quietly for a few collective seconds, back throbbing sorely. The memories of that night didn't really rush up in the way Levi thought they did. Instead they steadily trickled in from wherever they had gone, leaving the prince sitting up slowly as another dart fired from somewhere and the werewolf fell to the ground, unconscious. The brown haired male sat up straighter, blinking at the out cold stranger before looking in the direction he thought the darts had come from. The brush from his front moved instead before the sound of running footsteps before someone burst into the small clearing. The cowardly guard from before appeared, shaking slightly and with a strange weapon in his hands. At the sight of Levi he bowed deeply, in an almost comical way. The prince didn't laugh, instead wondering why the man had even helped him. He was reminded of who he was a moment later as the man knelt on one knee in front of both the prince and werewolf "My Liege, I'm so glad I found you before you were harmed by the wolf. The same dark beast killed the other two guards that had come with me on patrol." he spoke formally, stuttering at some points while somehow speaking clearly as well. The nervous man drew out a dagger, looking at the wolf with dark eyes. Levi wasn't really sure why he did what he did next. Maybe because he wasn't like the stranger. He didn't have the heartlessness, though it would have been smarter to look away and let the guard kill the man that had caused him so much fright and harm. Instead, at one of the last moments, the blue blood stopped the guard with a hand over his own and determined eyes. "Go return to the Palace and report that a rabid wolf attacked your squad. Don't mention me or the fact I was here. Say the wolf got away." the sixteen year old said hurriedly. The guard gave him a surprised look but slowly returned his dagger to his side and got up, bowing and going to leave before stopping. The man took out a collar from one of his pockets, turning to the prince before handing it to him. "Take this, then, for when the beast wakes. It's a prisoner's collar and you'll be able to command the wolf." the guard said while the blue blood carefully put the collar on the stranger. The nervous man bowed once more before disappearing once again, on his way back to the Palace. He knew he should have either let the man kill the werewolf or, at the very least, gone back to the Palace. But something was interesting about this man and Levi knew he would regret if he didn't find out what.

Make you say

Oh My!

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[Shadow]

>Wolf<

Shadow was swimming in darkness, thoughts eluding him, his mind empty. It was madness in its own way, forcing him under, driving him away from awareness, away from conscious thoughts. He wanted to wake, to find out what it was that shot him, but he forgot even that with time. He forgot everything, drugged under until they started to wear off.

His body was numb, his mind barely awake. His first impulse was to open his eyes, so he did so, slowly, the forced sleep and numbness still keeping him from moving at a normal speed. The first thing his eyes rested upon was the path he had taken up to the tree. He didn't understand it, but he tried to. Why couldn't he remember? There was something here...he had done something...what was he doing?

He pushed his feet underneath him, fighting the drugs with all of his might, coming to his feet a moment later, but still a bit wobbly. He didn't notice the collar yet, he still wasn't fully aware of his own body yet. He looked over his shoulder and saw the tree. Thats where his memory sparked.

The prince.

Shadow clenched his jaws and his muscles tensed. Adrenalin replaced the drugs as he wildly looked around him. Where was he?! Where was the bastard that shot him and where was the traitorous fleeing mongr--...

He stopped halfway in his turn. Sitting a way off was the prey he had come here for. There was no sign of the one that shot him, but the prince was still here, and that was all that mattered. He started for the man, regardless of the fact that Levi was looking right at him. Shadow was pissed as ever, and he had worked himself back up into a fighting mood.

It was only 3/4s of the way there that he noticed that the prince wasn't panicking. In fact, the show that Levi had put on earlier was gone. He was relatively calm now. It made no sense, and thats when Shadow stopped in his tracks. He had just noticed that there was something wrong about the weight and feel of his body. He tried moving his head and neck. There it was. A collar.

His eyes went wide and he turned, his paws already moving to give him full running power as soon as possible, as he attempted to flee directly away from the prince as fast as possible.

[/center]

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

swaying to my own sound
Flashes in my face now

The prince stood from his sitting position once he was sure the collar was on tightly, though not tight enough to cause harm. He stretched slowly and wincing as his body protested. The fall hadn't been terrible, but it left him sore and with a large headache. He rubbed his eyes, blinking to totally clear them. He relaxed before walking over to the other side of the clearing, recalling what the collars could do. Stop, Pain, and Sleep. They were simple commands that the collar recognized, though very efficient. Stop would simply freeze the body of the collared person, perhaps causing them to fall over at times. It wouldn't wear off though, only releasing the person once the person in charge said so. Pain was an electric shock that ranged from warning to very painful. The tone of the command effected how large the volt would be, though any shock wouldn't be pleasant. Sleep was like Stop, pausing the victim into a dreamless sleep until said otherwise or eight hours later. The collar wasn't breakable by normal means, only being able to be removed by the one who put it on or by magic. Levi sat propped against a tree's thick trunk as he looked across the small clearing to the fast asleep wolf. It wouldn't be long until the stranger woke up seeing as the darts he had pulled from the werewolf hadn't been that powerful. Said used darts were on the ground next to the man, who had already begun to stir. Raspberry orbs watched on calmly as the wolf rose and began to anger. He turned before stopping, seeing the prince. The blue blood did nothing, watching as the wolf ran at him. His lips parted slowly, ready to use the collar if needed. But what he wasn't expecting was the fact that the stranger stopped, moving his head and neck. Dark eyes widened as the stranger understood what had happened and turned tail, legs scrambling to get away from the prince who now held power over him. Levi rose as well, lips moving quickly as the wolf barely made it anywhere. "Stop. I think you have some explaining to do." he said, the werewolf freezing in mid step. The Daikan prince walked over to the stranger, looking down at him before crouching. The command wouldn't freeze his mouth, though the dark haired male doubted he could talk in his current state. "I'm going to release the collar in a few seconds. I expect you to return to your human form. I'm not going to hurt you even though I should. he said, moving a few feet back before muttering the Release to the command.

Make you say

Oh My!

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[Shadow]

>Wolf<

Shadow wanted to scream. What had this man done to him?! HE COULDN'T MOVE!!! Stuck mid-stride, the black wolf had no choice but to let the prince gloat in his face, telling him about the collar, commanding him to shift and the implied threat that he could hurt Shadow if he wanted to. The pansy would pay. God damn cross-dressing...

Shadow moved as soon as the collar's command was lifted. Again toward the prince he went, his eyes murderous, his intent clear. What did he care about a magical collar? What had he done to get himself in this mess? If the prince hadn't betrayed him from the start and had just told him what he wanted to know...

The black furred wolf expected another freeze and jumped early, his jaws wide, doing his best to get at least a piece of the prince on the way down. He would have his revenge....this was inhumane...he was not a dog for some asshole to command. He was a deadly fighting machine and he would be treated like one.

There would be no compromise... No explaining. No rationalizing. No surrender.

And this fool would die.

[/center]

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

swaying to my own sound
Flashes in my face now

Levi knew that releasing the werewolf wasn't one of the smartest ideas, though he didn't have time to come up with any others. The prince wasn't very surprised when the wolf quickly moved once again at the blue blood, angered. The prince sidestepped smoothly out of harm's way as the wolf jumped to get to him. The move was almost cat like as he muttered the Stop command as the wolf landed his jump. Levi was back to normal, mostly, now that he wasn't in such a situation as earlier. Not only was he back into normal clothing, but he had a weapon and power over the stranger. Sure, he didn't have any guards flanking him. But the Daikan prince hated when they did that anyway, blocking his range until it was barely anything. He scooped up the fallen bow and sheath of arrows, slinging the collection of arrows over his shoulder before withdrawing one. He knelt, arrow level with the stranger's body in his wolf form. The prince was determined to get answers out of the stranger, whether he wanted to give them up or not. The real reason he was so interested was stupid, being curious like the stranger had in the beginning. "All I want are answers. I'll answer any questions you have." he said, still knelt on the soon to be dewed grass. It must have been later then the prince first thought, because very early morning sounds could be heard even into the forest near the city. Some lights were going out and the overall bar noise and such seemed quieted. The moon had long since began downwards and Levi was sure in only a couple hours the sun would rise. He had half a mind to simply put the stranger to Sleep, take the collar off, and then leave to try and find Reno because the stranger woke up. But something rooted him to the spot in that clearing, looking at the dark pelt of a werewolf who was beyond pissed with him. "I'll even take the collar off once you stop trying to attack me." he said, unsure as to if the stranger would do so. Probably not, though. He had seen enough to know that he would end up having to leave the man behind along with the answers to the simple questions he wanted to ask. Levi wasn't even sure why he wanted to know the answers to such simple questions. He Released the command on the collar, ready to either say the command again or to, in worse case scenario, let the arrow he had notched earlier fly. The prince was only a handful of feet from the werewolf, after all.

Make you say

Oh My!

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[Shadow]

>Wolf<

>Human<

Shadow knew his anger and frustration was getting nowhere, so he tried coming up with a new plan. He didn't like what he came up with, but it was either that or continue this masquerade. He had to trick the prince into thinking that everything was perfectly fine. And if he could, the prince would take his collar off and he'd be free to do what he liked. He doubted very much that the prince would actually do it...but it was worth a shot.

The black werewolf growled at Levi momentarily before shifting forms, as if showing the prince he had no other choice but to listen. Shadow knew better though. He could have kept fighting until he got past Levi's defenses, but this way took much less time...and if the collar was off...well... He'd have unrestricted movement to work with. One way or the other, the prince would pay for what he did to Shadow.

Shadow glared at the other man, "What do you want to know?"

He didn't think much of the prince's ability with the bow and arrows. If it came down to it, he'd grab and break the bow. Then the prince would be out of weapons, and out of hope. By the time Shadow destroyed the bow, the collar would be gone, and the prince would soon follow.

[/center]

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

swaying to my own sound
Flashes in my face now

The prince didn't lower his bow when the werewolf didn't charge at him. The blue blood tensed as he growled, not relaxing as the low rumbling stopped and the stranger shifted into his human form. He stood carefully, bow still aimed and notched at the werewolf if something happened. He couldn't just relax, especially after what had happened that night. The man would take advantage of him if he got the chance. Levi back stepped a foot to make room for his archery, keeping an eye on the werewolf. What did he even really want to know? Simple things came to his mind at first, such as who the man was. Yes, that would be the first question. But why had he even stuck around to talk with an angered werewolf? To know who wanted to kill him? No, there had to be something that he wanted to ask. With one eye still on the stranger, he looked up to see where the moon was. He felt like he should have sworn, which rarely happened, but kept his mouth closed. It wouldn't be the best to alert the older male that he had to be back in the Palace in a mere matter of hours, before Riatha and his parents awoke. What he didn't know was the fact the thought mostly showed on his face from the combination of checking the moon and then chewing on his lip in a worried manner. Somehow, though, throughout this he hadn't relaxed in the least, probably tensing more at the thoughts of getting to the Palace. He couldn't even remember where they had left Loki, let alone where his sister had said where she was going. The walk would be too long to make it before the early rising youngest sister awoke and he wouldn't be able to get onto the royal grounds without sneaking with his sister's shadows covering him. He snapped from it, realizing he hadn't asked a single question yet. "Well, let's start with the basics. You already know who I am, but I don't know who you are." he said more then asked, though the question was obvious. He stood straighter then he had at first by this point, raspberry eyes unnaturally clear from lack of sleep. His stolen clothes were dirty, mostly from the climb and then fall, and a stray leaf had woven itself into his dark and organized yet messy hair. Still, one could see that he was royalty, or at the least a noble.

Make you say

Oh My!

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[Shadow]

>Human<

The wait for the response had the werewolf watching the prince's movements, from looking to the moon to the chewing on the lip that Shadow had come to associate with the worried prince. Worried about the time...so why did he stop to ask questions if he wasn't going to ask any anyway? Frustrated, Shadow thought about saying something more, but he cut himself off before making a sound. Why use the collar? Why not run? Shadow would never find him again, the guards would kill him on sight.

And then the prince spoke, asking a question that didn't matter at all. Another waste of time, the werewolf clenched his teeth together. "You already know what I am," The werewolf spat back, "Pissed."

He didn't move, even though he wanted to. Why should he say anything to the one that he was going to end up killing anyway? His past didn't matter, neither did his future. What would the prince do with the information anyway? He was born under the unforgiving sun, lived a life that he hardly remembered, and then was attacked by a werewolf. He didn't know who the werewolf was, nor where he was now. Could be dead for all he cared. Shadow held grudges and revenge like no other.

Memories were enemies, just out of his reach and warped to where he couldn't tell which side was which. They weren't reliable, half of them weren't even real.

Shadow shook his head and continued, "I hardly know anything about where I'm from, or really who I am. Names...well. I forgot mine a long time ago. The name's Shadow now. A Shadow of a life lived in the Shadows, constantly fighting off people who can't leave well enough alone." Shadow emphasized the last line pointedly, directing it right to the prince.

[/center]

[{{Roxï-kun-+]

swaying to my own sound
Flashes in my face now

The prince stood his ground as the werewold spat at him. He couldn't show the fact he felt a bad feeling in his core or that he needed to get to the Palace before the sun rose. A grimace appeared on the prince's face, though one could tell it wasn't from the first part of the werewolf's response. A large part of his mind seemed to be mocking him for his earlier dress, dragging up a fairytale he had heard once about a girl who needed to leave a ball before midnight, because the magic would disappear. But nothing in this situation really had to do with it. Except for the dateline and the fact that bad things would happen if he wasn't reported to be fine. His parents could be kind of twitchy at times, especially with the Kingdoms at such an uneasy peace. If he wasn't found to be there and no one knew where he was, his parents were sure to take some sort of rash action. The werewold seemed to have daydreamed for a few collective moments like Levi did often before shaking his head to clear it. Somehow during this the bow was no longer threateningly notched and drawn at the stranger. It was at his side though, still ready for use if needed with only a moment's need to draw the arrow in his other hand. His wrist still hurt from the earlier action of violence outside of the closed shops, though it hadn't been apparent until now. It throbbed dully along with the rest of Daikan's body, making him relax it almost unconisously by unnotching the arrow. Levi did, however, cringe slightly at the last part of the man's -- Shadow's -- answer and tone. He opened his mouth to argue though, though stopped as the hairs onthe back of his neck stood on end. His bow came back up, arrow ready to fire as he was distracted by someone appearing out of the nearby bush. Short carmel brown hair hung into dark pink eyes that fell first on Shadow and then settled on the prince. The male had tanned skin, though a deeper shade then Levi, and was older. Probably around the age of Shadow instead of the prince. Levi was surprised, eyes wide and mouth closed loosely, as the person moved towards the two. "Why, if it isn't my favorite little cousin~ Why might the young King-to-be be out here with such a dangerous mutt? Don't tell me you're taking after your tragic sister, Princess Akia, now, though it would make my job much easier~" said the person as they strolled closer. Levi had recovered, now appearing more confused then anything. The person in front of them was none other then the family's other black sheep (Akia, or Reno as she wished to be called, was the first), Kenji Carlington. Levi opened his mouth to ask a million questions, like why his cousin was out here as well or -- His mind numbed as Kenji unsheathed a long sword, twirling it easily. The prince knew that in the past people had been killed so others could get onto the throne. But never had he thought that one of his own blood would do it was well. And with that thought Kenji charged forward, Levi defenseless because in his confusion he had dropped the arrow he held and because he was frozen to the spot, staring at his cousin.

((It wasn't as long as I thought... ;-)

Make you say

Oh My!

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[Shadow]

>Human<

>Wolf<

Shadow's eyes and attention followed the arrowhead. What his eyes finally rested on sparked his anger back up again. Cousin? Damn it all. He had this situation right where he wanted it and someone else had barge in. He was getting sick and tired of these interruptions. He didn't care what relation the person had to the prince, they were dead to him as well.

King-to-be, dangerous mutt, make my job much easier, all of these pointed to this newcomers intent. To kill the one he had hunted all this time. That wasn't going to happen. This was his 'job' and his alone.

As Kenji charged forward, so did Shadow, disregarding the collar and Levi for the moment being. Once again he was saving Levi's ass...and again he was doing it only for his purposes...which were often time never carried out the way he planned them to. He outpaced the cousin easily, not weighed down by a heavy chunk of metal, and built for power anyway. Not to mention he was pissed as hell, and that alone gave Shadow a power that he didn't understand.

As he got to within a foot or so of Kenji, he jumped, shifting once again as he collided with the man's back. He didn't know what would happen after that, nor did he want to think about it. It was just him and his anger.

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