[kabuto_rocks]

1

Yuri gasped as the hot air hit his face. They hadn't even reached the top yet and it was already starting to heat up. His paws were aching slightly from the hard earth, and his stomach felt like it was doing backflips. It didn't help that his bag was looped carefully around his wings, the 'How two live in Nature' book banging against his back everytime he went over a certain bump. He blinked nervously ahead before glancing back at his friends.
"You both doing okay?" He asked, trying to sound confident and pretending to ignore the ominous hiss from a nearby rock

[SpringsSong]

"I'm doing fine..." Mya said quietly, her own ears perked as she looked around cautiosly.  She thought for sure that she heard someone familiar on the rocks, but she could not be certain.  Looking around again, she quickly fluttered over to Yuri.  "I sense someone here... I'm not certain, but... I think I might know him..." She warned.

{7}

[SweetDisaster]

"I'm okay." Rae squirmed. Something in his pack was digging uncomfortably into his ribs - probably the top of a water bottle. He glanced around at the hard rock underfoot, and the oozing slides of something that resembled tar. Carefully skirting a puddle of it, the Common Kuhna swallowed. "So, um, what do we do here?"

[kabuto_rocks]

2

"What do you mean?" Yuri frowned curiously at Mya. Why would someone she knew be hanging around here? Unless they'd followed her..."You don't think it's someone from your family do you?" He turned to Rae, wincing when he too noticed the strange liquid, "I guess we just travel on through, maybe ask a few pets if we see any and try to find clues?" He tried to sound like he knew what he was doing, but the truth was he had as much of an idea as anyone

[SpringsSong]

"Unfortunately I think it is someone I know..." Myan?? said, her ears flattening as she looked around again.  She knew she heard mechanical whirring, but she passed it off as being from Yuri.  Little did she know that, just over the rocks...

"Hm.  She never learns." A thoughtful voice commented to himself, looking at the little group.  Of course, Mya had run off to aid Yuri in his quest.  How sickeningly sweet of her.  Well, he'd have to teach her a lesson or two about the Clockwork side of things.

{8}{1}

[SweetDisaster]

An inquisitive little noise burst involuntarily from Rae; he looked miffed by it and scowled, pawing nervously at a stone. Without meaning to sound petulant, he said, "There's nobody here..." His nose twitched, his whiskers twinging at the sudden change in the air. The Kuhna glanced up...nothing...hm. He could've sworn he'd felt something...maybe not a pet. But...oh well.
"So." Rae glanced sideways at his friends. "What've we got to loose, eh? What say we try to get to the top and then decide where to look? We'll be able to see better," he added reasonably.

{35}

[kabuto_rocks]

3

"Sounds good," Nodded Yuri. He flicked his ears forwards at Mya's comment, listening very carefully. Nothing much...was there? He'd never been much of a good listener. His own ticking meant he was never in silence. Trust him to have a mechanical piece so near to his ear. It was quiet ticking, so perhaps no one else could hear it. But to Yuri it was always there, tucked away. Most of the time he could barely hear it, but occasionally, at times like this all he could notice was
Tick Tick Tick Tick
Shaking his head, he concentrated harder, ignoring the high-pitched sound. Still nothi-wait, what was that? Probably nothing. Or maybe not...

[SweetDisaster]

"Hear something?" Rae asked, watching Yuri in confusion. The Kuhna sighed, twitching a tail. "Well, let's go then." He shifted under the uncomfortable weight of the backpack and took a jumping leap onto the nearest tall rock uphill, squinting warily around. "There's nothing here but ash...imagine trying to live here," he said, sounding awed and dismayed. "I hate to say it, Yuri, but I doubt anyone'll be here. Unless..." He tilted his head, whiskers twitching. "Do you smell something?" he asked oddly. "I mean...it smells...familiar. And yet...different...know what I mean?"

{36}

[SpringsSong]

Mya shuddered.  "You... think it smells familiar?" She asked, her voice shaking.  "I know it smells familiar... mechanical, yes... oh, Zu'hai..." She said, shaking her head.  "I am a fool... a complete and utter fool..." She sighed as a form leapt above them and landed in front of them, a snarl on his maw.

"I figured you three would be out here." Re'elmorin said curtly, walking up to Myan??.  "Someone here talks too often of her friend's plan to find out his past... so, it is but natural that her caretaker would want to follow and protect her from harm, no?" He said, his voice pure ice.

{9}{2}

[kabuto_rocks]

4

Okay, this was unexpected. Yuri instantly felt his stomach crunch up with worry. What if Re'elmorin made Mya leave? Rae may have been his best friend too, but he knew he needed both of them to help him on his journey. If he could reason with him...They were both clockwork after all. Still, he couldn't help being scared of him.
"Urm..." He muttered quietly as he stepped forward, his tail swishing nervously, "With all due respect, we weren't exactly planning to do anything that dangerous. I'm sure Mya would be perfectly safe." As soon as the words were out of his mouth he realized he sounded stupid. Safe? They were on a volcano for goodness sake! How safe could it be?

[SweetDisaster]

Rae jumped backwards, his tails bristling at the sight of the Yonyuu. His eyes were glittering with anger. "What was the point in following us?" he spat, flattening his ears. Then he forced himself to relax, twitching his whiskers...although he did shoot a rather annoyed look at Yuri. He couldn't think of anything better than, "I'm sure she'll be safe"? Oh well.

Taking a deep breath, the Kuhna glanced around. They were pretty much trappied if the other Yonyuu decided to attack them and grab Mya and leave...Re'elmorin, after all, was larger, had the advantage...and all around them, unstable footing and hot coals. Well, they...

Stop thinking about fighting. Why was he thinking about fighting? Of course it was natural, seeing how cold Re'elmorin's voice was..."Please, sir," he said, struggling to keep calm. "We will protect Mya. We're able." You're not needed, he thought fiercely, but didn't say.

{37}

[SpringsSong]

"Ah, but you seriously think you'd get away without some explanation or... assistance?" Re'elmorin said, smiling as he walked around the group.  "I know you guys may think you can protect her, but you are dealing with a girl whose caretaker had his real body stripped from him and was given this--" here, he scraped a claw along his artificial skin "--to replace that, and they thought they could make me without pain."

Mya was slowly inching behind Yuri, her ears flattened and her maw growling.  "Re!  I can care for myself!" She protested.

{10}{3}

[kabuto_rocks]

5

Yuri blushed, realizing he'd let his friends down. He felt a rush of gratefulness towards Rae. At least he can keep his head in a conflict... He thought miserably. Then he straightened himself out, determined not to disappoint his friends anymore. He took a deep breath and gazed Re'elmorin firmly in the eyes.
"In case you hadn't noticed, you're not the only one made out of metal," He didn't say it angrily, more calmly, "I think me and Rae could probably fight off any danger, and Mya herself isn't exactly helpless." He threw an almost amused glance at her, hoping he hadn't offended anyone

[SpringsSong]

"Thank you.  Can we just go now...?  Without you, preferably?" She asked, directing the latter part at Re'elmorin.  The Clockwork Yonyuu glared as he said, "Continue, yes.  But only with me." His voice was firm and cold like ice.  Myan?? sighed as she said, "Look, Re... I can take care of myself... and I'm in more than suitable hands to care for me..."

"I want to come along," Re growled threateningly, "because I, too, am an experiment somewhat similar to Yuri.  And I am dead set on finding out what else was done to those poor pets taken with me." He said.

{11}{4}

[SweetDisaster]

Rae bit back a groan. Great. So now, they had an overbearing parent on their tails. The Kuhna looked away, glaring at a splotch of strangely bubbling liquid. "We're NOT helpless, you know," he growled, his tails lashing before he wrapped them tightly around his haunches to keep them from giving away his anger. Although his ears, flattened, already probably did that for him.

"Let's go," he mumbled. "If Re'elmorin wants to tag along, let him. We'll prove that we can take care of our friends." The Kuhna stared defiantly at Re'elmorin, daring him to disagree.

{38}