[Fallen_Snow]

What the...?

Was the shadow... talking to him?

"Uhhhh... was that you talking?" he asked, swinging the arrow around to point at the distinct shadow Gyrraptor. "Because I'm not sure I should be talking to indistinct... things." he said, trying to poke the shadow with his arrow, not sure what else to do.

Snowy walked up to Taboo, nuzzling his side. "C'mon, Taboo. It isn't that bad. Napoleon seems like a strong Lakuhndra. He... he'll get through it. Malizian and Raden... they were back there with him, weren't they? Oh dear." Now she wanted to cry with Taboo, but she knew that if she broke down, that wouldn't make him feel better. "Wait, yes! They're back there. They'll help him. Don't worry, Taboo. You still have me here. It'll be alright."

She smiled at him bravely, not wanting to cry. But her big blue eyes said it all.

[robopup24]

Taboo didn't react at first, but when he felt Snowy nuzzle him, he looked up, surprised. He saw her giving a smile that didn't match her eyes and almost broke down again. He wasn't used to so much stress and danger and all that crap. Taboo took a quivering breath and said slowly, "I-I think so... I-I hope so..." The Bubblegum Kuhna looked up at Snowy. "Thanks..."

Something rustled in the bushes. Taboo suddenly froze, his eyes growing wide. "Did you hear that?"


"Yes," the Gyrraptor shadow said. "I am talking to you, blue one." The arrow went through it with no resistance whatsoever. The action did not seem to have any effect on the Gyrraptor. The shadow glanced at Napoleon who tried to lunge forward. The other shadows held the Lakundra down with seemingly no effort. Instead of repeating the previous question, the Gyrraptor shadow asked a very peculiar question: "Are you the Mage?"

[Fallen_Snow]

"What the heck are you talking about?! Get away from me!" he waggled the arrow around like a rapier, scared of the questioning shadows. "Why won't you let go of Napoleon?"

Snowy's head jerked up. "Who's there? Come out now!" she shouted, bristling and standing up quickly, her tails lashing. "If you don't come out, I'm coming in!" For some reason, it felt good to react like that, and if she'd had more time to think and less to get mad then she probably wouldn't of reacted the same.

[robopup24]

Taboo stiffened from fear, his eyes darting around. There was a soft slithering sound from their left and, whatever it was, rustled the bushes some more. "Come in then, little Kuhna," a low voice answered. "But don't be ssso rasssh. I will only harm you if you harm me."

"Who are you?" Taboo managed to shout. He stood up, his head spinning as he shouted, "What are you doing here?"

Another pause. The voice came from the tree tops now. "Hiding." An odd wheezing noise. "Now we have something in common..."


The Gyrraptor shadow looked down at the Rollaby, then suddenly materialized, his vague form turning into solid flesh. Napoleon roared, "Get out of the way!" The shadow hissed as it went for Malizian's throat...

[Fallen_Snow]

Malizian ducked. From all he'd learned from a good joke gone bad, was listen to what the ally said and hope you aren't to late. So he did as he was told, ducking and rolling forward, hoping to catch the Gyrraptor in the chest.

Snowy pressed her side against Taboo's, wanting to make sure he was okay. "We don't want any trouble, but if you want to fight..." she hissed, her claws unsheathing from her soft furry paws. Her eyes flashed with anger. The last thing she wanted was to defend herself against more enemies. Running away from them was one thing, but coming face to face with them was another entirely. She glanced at Taboo, whispering, "Do you know how to fight?"

Raden watched as Napoleon and Malizian dealt with the mysterious and shadowy figures. They didn't seem to like Malizian much, because the Gyrraptor just snapped at him. But who didn't dislike Mal? He was rude and obnoxious and played too many pranks. But, he wanted to help too, although because he stumbled so much, he wasn't sure it was possible. He knew he had to do something, though...

[robopup24]

Fight? Oh no, no. Taboo had no idea how to fight. The Kuhna ears flattened against his skull. "Sorry... I'm not much of a help..." Taboo whispered back. He unseathed his claws instinctivly when he heard more rustling from the trees.

"I don't want to fight. Do you? You are sssscared... losssst... and your friendsss are misssing... wouldn't is be better if we worked together? Take me for insssstance..." The mysterious speaker finally stepped out of the bushes. It was one of the shadow creatures, but this one was shaped like a Hollowheart, albiet a small one. He hissed, "I am hunted... wanted dead by my kin... and my friendsss have died bringing me here. If you wisssh to attack me," His white eyes narrowed. "Then do ssso!"


The Gyrraptor was half-way dematerializing when Malizian hit him. The shadow creature dropped to the ground, hissing in pain. "You are ssstrong... aren't you?" The shadow said. He didn't expect an answer as he slid back to the safety of his soldiers. Immediantly, arrows began to rain down once again on them. Suddenly, a screech went up from the ranks of the shadows. Napoleon had finally managed to break out and was attacking as many shadow soldiers as he could.

[Fallen_Snow]

As soon as the small Hollowheart stepped out of the bushes, Snowy felt a bit safer. She let out a long breath, sheathing her claws. She kept her guard up, but she felt that he was okay to be around. "I'm sorry you're wanted dead..." she said warily, looking at his white eyes. He seemed to be like them... chased away, afraid but not afraid, having friends fighting for you... Malizian! Napoleon! Raden... she wondered what was happening to them now. "I'm Snowy." she said carefully. She nudged Taboo, wordlessly telling him to tell the shadow his name.

Malizian covered his head as arrows flew all around him, a couple grazing his fur, and taking some away in tufts. At one point an arrow caught his side and nicked it, letting blood well freely. Malizian ran for the safety of the hills, not looking back for Napoleon. If that crazy Lakuhndra wanted to stay back, let him. Malizian was going to save himself while he could. Running up the hill, he spotted Radenisk, who had been watching from a distance. "Out of the way! Oaf," Malizian hissed, pushing past Raden and into the forest in the direction of Snowy and Taboo.

[robopup24]

The shadow hesitated before coming closer. "A pleasssure to meet you," the shadow hissed. "I am Umbra..."

"T-Taboo," Taboo muttered. Umbra tilted his head at him.

"Ssspeak up, little one."

"My name is Taboo."

"Ahh." Umbra looked at Snowy, then at Taboo again. "You two do not look like nativesss here. What bringsss you to this realm? How did you get here?"


(Hah, brain dead-ness XD)

[Fallen_Snow]

Snowy wasn't exactly sure what to think of Umbra. He sounded comforting enough, but she wasn't sure she could still trust him.

She smiled at his natives comment. "Well, if all the natives are shadow figures, then I suppose it'd be pretty obvious we don't belong here. We came through a large gate a Lakundra lead us too, sort of." she said, thinking back to how they'd gone through the portal. It felt like ages since they'd seen anything other than forest. But only a few hours ago she'd been prancing about the Vast Plains without a care...

Malizian charged into the clearing, pulling an arrow out of his shoulder quickly and almost effortlessly. He kept going on his momentum though, skidded to a stop, just inches before Umbra. He glanced back, saw Snowy and Taboo...

and ran for it. Dashing through the trees, only a few feet away he tripped over his long feet in his mad dash. "Stay back!" he called, at the edge of the clearing, waving about the bloody arrow. Snowy glowered at him. "Mal! It's alright, Umbra... he's not them. At least, I think he isn't..."

[robopup24]

Umbra gave a hiss when he saw Malizian and drew back, ready to strike. "How many of you Outworldersss are there?" the shadow hissed. He circled around them, his form fading in and out of the shadows.

"Five," Taboo said, gaining some courage to speak. "There's... five of us. Do you know how to get back?"

"Five?" Umbra looked at them in surprise. "That'sss quite a lot... it'sss no wonder that the armiesss here feel provoked." He glared at Malizian and snapped, "Put that arrow down. I mean you no harm..."

[Fallen_Snow]

Snowy rushed over and knocked the arrow out of Malizian's trembling paws, scowling. "Get up, you little faker! C'mon, he's a shadow, not a Battleheart." she teased, butting his hip with her head.

Malizian managed to narrow his eyes, pulling himself up slowly and shooing Snowy away. She loped off back to Taboo's side, sitting down and staring at Umbra. "So... Umbra. Can you tell us about this place? We're not exactly sure how or why we're here... or what this place is. Can you explain it?" she asked politely.

Radenisk knew he had to make a decision. Run down the hill to help Napoleon, or stay up here, safe on his own little hill, and wait for them to go away(and he was sure they would take Napoleon with them, which would not hurt nor help him)? He finally decided, rushing down the hill, half stumbling.

[robopup24]

Taboo gave a small smile at Malizian and felt a little more at ease now, hearing Snowy make a joke. Taboo sat next to the Kuhna, feeling a bit safer being next to her. He looked around him and laid down, head cradled in his paws.

"Thisss isss a crude sssketch of a world that the godsss had meant to be paradissse," Umbra began quietly. "We ssshades were not meant to be alive. We were sssupposssed to be the lifelesss guardians of thisss world. We were raisssed from dussst and earth, and our earsss only heard the command of the mighty godsss at firssst. We did our duty well. And then an accident happened." Umbra tilted his head. "We began to think. Develop our own thoughtsss. We began to realize what was right and what was wrong. We felt emotionsss we were never sssupposssed to feel.

"There were sssome of usss, like Ilor, usssed those feelingsss to his advantage. He maniuplated the new emotionsss of most of the ssshadesss to hisss ssside, and he claimed that the godsss had no right to continue their 'tyranny' over usss. Ilor rallied many of the ssshadesss to hisss ssside and they attempted to reach the dwelling of the godsss."

Taboo's ears pricked up. "What happened?" the Bubblegum Kuhna asked fretfully.

"We ssstopped him," Umbra answered. "There wasss a sssmall group of usss ssshadesss who recognized the greed of Ilor, who only wissshed to become a god himself. We ssstood againssst him though our numbersss were far inferior to hisss mighty army. We lossst battle after battle and Ilor'sss goal seemed unbelievably clossse. Asss a lassst desperate chance, we called out to the Outworldersss for help. They came and turned the tide of war. We drove back Ilor'sss army... for now." The shadow Hollowheart growled. "But he hasss been growing ssstrength over the past centuriesss. Our numbersss are dwindling. We called upon the Outwoldersss'sss descendentsss to help usss, but only a few came. Many of their family linesss have already been wiped out."

Umbra sighed. "Thisss wasss once a peaceful place, before all this madnessss broke out. We will ssstill fight to the bitter end, asss we are the only thing ssstanding between Ilor and hisss goal. If he assumesss the posssition of god..." Umbra's voice became bitter. "We are all asss good as dead..."

~*~

Napoleon was becoming desperately tired. For every soldier he managed to take down, five more were there to take its place. The Lakundra growled and swiped a giant paw at a shadow. It squealed and fell down before disappaiting. The Gyrraptor commander stood a good distance away, a smirk on his face.

Napoleon knew how these cowardly shadows fought. If their leader was taken down, they would all flee in panic. But Napoleon saw no way to reach him as long as these shdaows kept coming at him...

And then he saw a Lucain running down the hill. Was he coming to help? Napoleon hoped so, as he didn't have much time left...

[Fallen_Snow]

Radenisk wasn't totally running, per se, more like a coordinated stumble, yes, that's sounds more appropriate. While he coordinatedly stumbled down the hill towards Napoleon, he noticed a shadow that was a bit farther back from the action that seemed to watch the rest squeal as they fell to Napoleon. They were easy enough to kill, that's for sure, since you just had to swipe a paw through them to get it done. But swinging your paws a lot can, well, get tiring. He could see from his vantage point that Napoleon was getting worn down by the many shadows massing around him. He slowed only a little, to give him a little more room think. He had vantage point on his side, but speed and stamina were a lack, though if he just charged through them... no, that wouldn't work. He would have to take out whomever was their leader. He assumed that the leader would hang back, seeing as to lead, you have to stay alive, and that's mostly what they're concerned out. He looked around and again spotted the same shadowy figure, hanging back and watching it all.

Radenisk got lower. This was the task he would take on.

[robopup24]

The shadow Gyrraptor hissed in pleasure as he watched his soldiers slowly take down the big Lakundra. "Yesss... thisss isss all going very well..." He suddenly heard something behind him and turned back, but saw nothing in the dim light. His eyes narrowed. "You two," he snapped at two shadows. "Sssee if anyone isss hiding out there..."

[Fallen_Snow]

Radenisk watched as the one that watched called two shadows to attention. They seemed to be gettting orders. He watched, hoping they hadn't heard or seen him, else his fate could be the same as Napoleon's.

"I would've loved to see this place when it was peaceful. Now I'm scared of my own shadow." she said, looking at it warily. "So... Umbra, right? Can Ilor take us all down? I mean... how could a shadow take all of us? Can't we do anything to help?" she asked.

Malizian watched the spectacle, his lips twitching with words of disgust, malice, anger, and a plan...