[Kittyms]

Instantly, Antonius was once more uncomfortable. He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. "Err.. err..," he stuttered, trying to think of something intimidating to say, but failing miserably. This is going to be a piece of cake, Shade thought.

"So," he began, pacing back and forth. "Where are the other monks? And what have you been using this passageway for?" The Albie noted that Tiffany seemed to have drawn back into herself once more, and sat watching him silently.

"N-nothing," Antonius said, glancing worriedly at the Garudors. He still held his knife, but his fingers seemed rather limp, and Shade seriously doubted that he would actually be able to use it. "We come out to pick berries," he said, but it was so obviously a lie, that even Tiffany could not suppress a snort of disbelief.

[Kelica]

Okoto could hardly keep his laughter in.Berries?Honestly,who would he fool,the densest garudors ever?He saw Cruo struggling to keep it in as well,and he could hear some garudors in the back row laughing.

Giggling for a moment,the leader immedietly snapped out of it."Awnser truthfully monk,or we'll get them to show us the passageway in,and have our way of pickings in there."This evidently excited some of the garudors,as they started whispering amongst themselves."Lets hope he doesn't awnser huh?"He could here nearby."And we will not spare you.Under any circumstances."

[Kittyms]

"Just tell us, and get it over with. I'm sure you've been wanting to spill your secrets forever. Besides, once your dead, what's it matter?" Shade stared Antonius down, trying to frighten and intimidate him. It worked rather well.

The monk took a deep breath, then spilled everything in one big rush, as if he hoped that by talking fast, they wouldn't be able to understand him. "Several months ago, one of our member discovered the passageway. It did not take us long to realize that it created the ideal hidden shortcut to get to the sacrificial grounds, which are hidden in a cave further down the slope. So, we decided that the best way to continue worshiping our master, was to sacrifice one pet every day. We adopt or kidnap pets and lock them away in the cave until the full moon, when their blood is spilled in tribute to the great Triumvirate." Looking grim, his hand steadied on the knife, and he prepared to die, hoping that he would be rewarded for his hard work, in the after-life.

"Spare him," Tiffany said suddenly, to the monk's surprise. "He has told us what we have needed to know. Why bother with him, when there is more of his kind inside?"

[Kelica]

"I think I agree."Okoto said."There is more inside."

Their leader suddenly realised.They were the ones taking their young.They were the ones taking the elders.They were the ones who took the leader before him,his father...."No."He spoke firmly and loudly."They have been taking from our numbers.They took our young,our elders,and our previous leader.He has been helping them.He must die."

[Kittyms]

"N-no," Antonius stuttered, his fingers going limp. With a small thud, the knife fell and landed on the grass. "It wasn't just me!" His eyes were darting around, as if looking for an escape route. Like you could escape from a flock of Garudors.

Shade shrugged, unconcerned. "If he dies, then he dies. I personally believe that we should go check out the sacrificial grounds. If what he said was true, then there may be other pets imprisoned down there." He began to limp down the slope, digging his claws in to keep from falling.

"Perhaps we should all go," Tiffany said, giving the monk a meaningful look. Clearly she meant that he should lead the way there.

[Kelica]

"I'm coming!"Okoto said and he darted off after Shade,down the hill.Turning back for just a second he said to the garudors:"You can come if you like.There is most likely some garudors there still.."

The leader snorted."I will spare him,I guess.But if he crosses our path again..."He shot the monk a nasty look."He's food."Looking at Shade continue down the slope,he motioned to his team to follow.

[Kittyms]

Antonius breathed a sigh of relief, and hurried down the slope, fleeing down the misty mountainside from the fearsome Garudors.

Meanwhile, Shade had discovered the sacrificial grounds. It was a flat cliff, with a cave in one end. Inside the cave, several pets were chained to the walls, lying limply on the cold rock floor. Their eyes showed no hope, and they seemed to have accepted their fate.

"Take heart, we have come to free you," Tiffany cried boldly, racing into the cave. Some of them looked at her, and hope glimmered in their eyes. Others simply ignored her, clearly too far gone in their depressed state to see the light and hope. "This is terrible," the Candy Albie whispered to Shade. He nodded in agreement. To imprison these creatures thus was unthinkable.

[Kelica]

Okoto heeard many crys of joy as the Garudors came in,as there were still some young and old there.However,he could see the leader going over to the dead bodies and picking out the Garudors...It was quite the bittersweet moment.The others were starting to unchain the pets and Okoto immedietly ran over to help.After he had unchained a rather violent Chaos Tali,he went around looking for Shade...

((After he finds Shade I'm leaving the rp.Alright?))

[Kittyms]

(Okay.. If no one else comes by the time Tiffany and Shade level up, I'll probably leave, too.)

Shade was watching as the newly freed pets wandered around. Many of them didn't seem to understand what had happened, and just sat where they were, staring around with bewilderment. Walking over to a dazed Gyrophant, he said, "You're free to go." The Gyrophant just looked back at him blankly. Sighing, he moved on, walking over to Tiffany's side. The Candy Albie turned and gave him a smile, and he smiled wanly in return.

[Kelica]

After mistaking another Glacial Albie for Shade,he finally found him.Running there,he quickly said:"Well,I've got to go.My owner will be worrying by now,if she hadn't been worrying on her own Cruo ought to have worried her.See ya 'round,and if you ever find any other secret passageways,just tell me."As he turned around to leave,he remembered something."My name's Okoto,by the way."He said as he turned out of the grounds and into the mountains once again...

[Kittyms]

"Goodbye, Okoto," Shade said, staring after the Torken with regret that he couldn't have stayed. Then, he turned to Tiffany. "I think we should return to the Shrine." She nodded her head and followed him.

As her paws stepped into the Glacial Albie's pawprints, she thought about him. He was everything to her, yet he did not know it. And she didn't have the courage to tell him, for fear that he would certainly reject her. Why would Shade bother with her, a shy, little Candy Albie?

[Kittyms]

A single tear slid down Tiffany's face as she thought about her hidden love. Hoping that Shade wouldn't notice, she quickly rubbed it off on her leg. But he had noticed. "What's wrong?" he asked gently, stopping to look at her.

"N-nothing," she said, stuttering again. At the look of disappointment in his face as he turned back to the path, she instantly hated herself for it. Why did she always turn shy whenever she least wanted to? The Shrine was getting closer, and as the two Albies stepped up onto the steps she decided that now was the time.

"Wait," she said, and waited as Shade stopped again and turned around. Taking a deep breath, Tiffany spoke, her heart in her mouth. "I love you, Shade... and.. I just have to know... do you love me?"

[Kittyms]

For a moment, the Glacial Albie was silent, his expression unreadable. Then, his voice filled with emotion, he said, "Yes..."

Her eyes welling with tears of happiness, Tiffany stepped over and licked his snout. "Then I must ask you if you would be my lifemate.. forever?" Her eyes stared into his, looking for the faintest flicker of emotion within them.

Turning away, Shade was silent for a long while. When he finally broke the silence, his voice was cracking with something akin to joy, "Yes. I accept." As he swung his snout back to her, she saw the love in his eyes, and her heart beat faster.

"Kitty will be missing us," she said, snuggling up against him. "We'd better go back." Giving his face a last lick, Tiffany started down the path to the base of the mountain, with Shade following, his eyes glazed with happiness and love - the most emotion he'd ever shown.

[Tiffany and Shade have now left the roleplay...]