[SkyWolf11]

+ Madoc Stellan +

The constantly low rolling fog crept over the mossy ground of this place endlessly, only wavering when a brave soul dared to venture out into the dark unknown.  On this day, that brave soul that walked about through the forest shrouded in mystery was but a single man.  There was no real strength to him; body lean and tall.  No muscles well trained and no weapons to guard him.  Just merely himself, save for a rather worn satchel that he carried over his shoulder.  

The man, Madoc as he was known, stopped for a moment to gather his senses about him.  Poorly marked trails had mananged to lead him this far, but now it seemed as though he'd become a bit disoriented.  It had been quite a while since he'd passed the last wooden arrow that pointed towards the town he seaked.  His golden eyes burned curiously as they slowly swept over the land in front of him.  Even though it was well into the morning, the many trees that made the forest loomed darkly overhead, casting eerie shadows that danced along the ground and across the trees.  It certainly was a trippy place; you couldn't trust your eyes as well as you would think.  The shadows could be from the trees... or perhaps they belonged to some other living thing.  Perhaps one that wasn't so mellow and calm as the crooked ol' weeping willows and the ancient great oaks.  It was no wonder that people went missing in this place.  Finding yourself lost was dangerously easy.  Madoc, however, did not intend to become one of the statistics claimed by whatever lay hidden within this fog.  

He was quick to choose a direction, following his gut instinct in the faith that it would not fail him, as it usually didn't.  One shouldn't dwell in such a place for too long anyhow ...

[Lvl. 1 -- 1]

-Just going to be safe and put an E tag in the title for Everything.  This RP is plot based and probably going to be big/spanning to many pages so I've no idea what all will be included in it, so better to be safe than sorry.  You've been warned.  xD  *shot*-

[SkyWolf11]

It was clear that, in the following half hour, Madoc had chosen wisely.  For up ahead, wrapped in a cloak of fog, was a silhouette of what looked to be a fort of some sort.  Stepping cautiously closer, the Rejection Kuhna was able to gaze upon the obstacle with a better look.  Large wooden posts with sharpened ends stood high (at least 15 ft. high) in a tightly bound formation, guarding whatever lay inside from the dangers of the feral forest no doubt.  

"Who goes there?", a loud voice rang out into the silence.  Madoc's eyes quickly snapped up to a large watchtower looking foundation perched only slightly higher above the fence.  A rather burly looking man peered over the edge of his tower and down at Madoc.  Madoc stepped back a few feet to lessen the strain on his neck then threw up a hand in greeting to the man.  "Hello there.  I am Madoc and I've come seeking a town by the name of Bircrow.  Is this that town by chance?"

[Lvl. 1 -- 2]

[SkyWolf11]

"Aye lad, this be Bircrow.", the man confirmed much to Madoc's pleasure.  The man turned and seemed to motion to someone on the inside before turning back around.  "Now come in before you fall prey to Whisper Forest."  At that, a section of the fence began to tremble then slowly lift up with loud creaks and groans to reveal a rather desolate looking town hidden safely within.  "Thank you."

Madoc slipped in quickly, giving the outside forest one last look before the gate was lowered and shut behind him.  Inside, he wasn't sure where to go first.  Cobblestone streets snaked through the surprisingly large village.  From the looks of things, it seemed that Bircrow was a bit behind the times, especially in the technological sense.  Then again, that was probably to be expected for a settlement so far out into the wilderness.  Whatever the case, Madoc was just glad to have found a population of some sort.  Maybe now he could get some answers to his questions.  

[Lvl. 1 -- 3]

[SkyWolf11]

Beginning down a street, Madoc noticed something a bit odd.  For such a large village, there weren't many people.  Or at least out and about.  Not that he particularly wanted a lot of people, seeing as he prefered the sweet silence of solitude, but it was a bit ... unnerving.  The rumors must be true then.  Rumors of these Lykuhna, were they called?  Terrifying creatures that harbored a curse; Kuhna that could become werewolves.  It was an interesting thought.  A dark grin spread to his lips.  You would think most people would tend to shy away from such a place that held such rumors.  However, Madoc wasn't like most people.  He indulged in such lore.  The dark and dangerous fueled his ambitions and is what made his dreadfully dull life just a little less dull.  

Finding a building that he could only guess was an Inn, Madoc strolled through the rotting doors and into the lobby where he was greeted with a few surprised stares from the workers.  A man seated behind a makeshift counter quickly stood and smiled in greeting with a wave of his arm.  "Good morning, stranger!  Welcome to the Bircrow Inn!  Were you looking to check in for the night?"  The man's reaction to his arrival told Madoc that they didn't get many visitors.  He chuckled softly.  

"Uh, yessir, I was.  Actually, sign me up for a few days at that.  I may be in the area for a while."  Grabbing a chair from a nearby table and dragging it up next to the desk, the male let his satchel fall to the ground and plopped down in the chair backwards, leaning restfully on the back with his forearms.  Golden eyes studied the man as he signed the Rejection into a tattered old log book then looked up at him.  "Your name, sir?"

"Madoc.", he stated simply, not bothering to reveal his last name.  Apparently it was enough as the man didn't ask for it.  Instead he slumped back down into his own chair with a sigh.  "So, Mr. Madoc.  What brings you to Bircrow?"

[Lvl. 1 -- 4]

[SkyWolf11]

Madoc's eyes glinted with a hint of secrecy then drifted off to look at nothing off to the side as he gave a slight shrug.  "Oh just a little of this and a little of that."  At his answer the Inn keeper shot him a curious look.  "Oh?  Would a little of this and a little of that have anything to do with the recent rumors?"  Madoc's eyes shot back onto the man at the mention and he shifted around with a smile.  "Well, uh, yes actually.  How did you know?"

The man leaned forward with a chuckle and rested his arms on the counter.  "Oh just a hunch.  I don't think many people would come to such a place for anything else these days.  We're not exactly a booming metropolis, I gather you've noticed."  The Rejection nodded with an audible laugh.  "Yes, I suppose you're right."  Eyes falling to the floor then slowly focused back on the man.  "So ... are they true?"

[Lvl. 2 -- 5]

[SkyWolf11]

The man's face twisted into a grim sight as he nodded reluctantly.  "Aye...I'm afraid so."  He paused to shake his head mournfully at the recent horrors that had befallen his village.  "Terrible, terrible things have happened as of recently.  As you've no doubt noticed, there aren't many people here..."  Madoc nodded in understanding, thouroughly interested to hear what the man had to say.  

"Well, it wasn't always so ghostly around here.  As secluded as we are out here, we had a pretty fair community.  Mostly older, elderly people who prefered the nice quiet scene instead of that of a noisy city.  But a community none the less."  A solemn look appeared on his face as he recalled the tragic events that followed...

[Lvl. 2 -- 6]

[SkyWolf11]

"Well ..."  The man paused, reluctant to tell this newcomer of the horrors.  "I have no doubt you do, but does the name of Lykuhna ring a bell for you?"  Madoc's eyes narrowed a bit as it indeed rang familiar to him.  "Why yes I have."  "I had thought so...", the man sighed, grimmly shaking his head before tossing up a hand in dramatization.  "Well you can blame those beasts for all of the misfortune that has befallen this town."  Could small creatures really have tossed Bircrow towards the end of their reign in Whisper?  Madoc found the thought interesting.

"Really?  But they are such small creatures.  Or so I've come to learn.  They say they aren't much larger than the normal Kuhna."  "Yes but do keep in mind they can transform.", he warned.  Clearly they too were foolish enough to have underestimated the Lykuhna.  "Sometimes the facts go unnoticed.  Dangerous mistake.  When this town was first founded, people knew of them.  Fool well.  People knew of many creatures that lurked about in these woods.  However, many were skittish and wary of their new presence and steared clear of the settlers so people gave no real thought to the danger they posed."  Shifting again, Madoc couldn't help but to think that, by the way the man was telling it, that Lykuhna must have been around long long before.  Perhaps they have been.  Just how long did this breed live?  So many questions rushed his brain as he desired to learn more about them.

"So when did things start getting dangerous?", he asked with anticipation.

[Lvl. 2 -- 7]

[SkyWolf11]

"Ha ha, you mean when they became noticably dangerous?"  The keeper joked darkly.  Madoc cracked a smile at his humor but nodded slightly.  "Personally, I'd say times were never safe; don't even know why people considered moving out here or at least to this particular location..."  "Location?", Madoc echoed curiously.  "Er, well it seems that this part of the forest actually houses most of the Lykuhna population as it would seem.  Not sure why really.  Of what other settlements throughout the Whisper they are, many haven't had trouble with the beasts as we have."  The man shrugged helplessly.  Madoc's aurora became serious.  "So why not move?  Get out.  Better late then never."  The man's eyes flicked over to Madoc and he gave a sad smile.  "Oh, when you've stayed in a place as long as I have and put all you had into your business just to get by ... it's harder to just give up and leave as you would think."

By now, these two were the only left in the Inn's lobby.  The silence that followed was even more depressing.  Madoc was a complicated man; he wasn't the type to feel empathy towards others.  So for him to try and relate to how the man was feeling was far from his reach.  Luckily for him, the man himself broke the silence with a gruff cough and sigh.  "But yes, I would have to say things really took a turn for the worst just about half a year ago."

[Lvl. 2 -- 8]

[SkyWolf11]

"We started to expand the town a bit to make room for farming land and apparently we caught their attention.  Suddenly, more and more people who left the town were being attacked.  And soon we were unable to leave the town altogether.  We had to rely solely on those who braved the trails and made it here safely to acquire the supplies we needed for a long time.  Luckily, we came into weapons from trading and were able to stave off the attacks for a while."  

"Hmm ... makes me wonder."  The man looked at the male.  "About what, lad?"  "Oh, just why they started attacking your town after you started to expand."  "They need no reason.  They're bloodthirsty beasts!  It was only a matter of time, I suppose."  The Rejection's expression went a bit soft at the comment.  It seemed the man hadn't realized that Madoc himself was of the Kuhna breed.  Perhaps not a Lykuhna but his own breed caught bad attention all the time as well.  Maybe it was his attempt at sympathizing for once.  Though he paraded as a human most of the time, he seemed to find more relation and peace in the presence of his own kind.  "Well ... perhaps you invaded their territory?  Maybe that's what brought on their anger."

[Lvl. 2 -- 9]

[SkyWolf11]

The Inn Keeper stared hard at Madoc but let out a rough sigh with a shake of his head.  Tossing his hand upwards, he continued on.  "Oh, lad, there's no telling.  Now you may be one o' them people who try to see the good in everything but I just don't trust the beast."  Madoc smiled with a chuckle at the comment of him being good.  'If only the man knew...', he thought.

Offering a shrug, the Rejection looked to the man with a strange peaceful expression about him.  "To each their own I suppose.  But go on~"  "Yes...  Well, I won't bore you with the whole story but eventually we had no choice but to constuct that large barricade you see around the town.  It proved helpful in detering them from bothering us very much anymore.  Though we do still get the occasional one come a crawling over those walls and causing havoc and all sorts of more mayhem around here.  Ah!"  The man growled at the end, growing frustrated at the thought of his town's predicament.  "Ugh ... If I had a fraction of brain left I'd done already left this god-forsaken place...", he added with a groan.

[Lvl. 3 -- 10]

[SkyWolf11]

Standing and scooting the chair backwards, Madoc snatched up his satchel swiftly and tossed it over his shoulder.  He walked over to the man and laid a hand on his shoulder with a chuckle.  "Oh come now, it can't all that bad here.  People are still here and still coming here so maybe there's still hope."  At his words, the keeper gave a tired smile and stretched, also standing.  "Thanks for telling me about this place a bit.", Madoc nodded, heading towards the stairs that led up to the rooms.  "I'm gonna turn in for the night."

"Ay.  'Tis late."  He looked to a window to see nothing but pitch black darkness.  As if the thickness of the fog here didn't darken the lands enough, streetlights were too far a stretch for the tiny town.  Only the faint glow of candles in windows could be seen in the night.  "See ya in the mornin' lad."  And with that the man went about closing up the Inn for the night while Madoc steadily made his way up to the second floor.

[Lvl. 3 -- 11]

[SkyWolf11]

Up on the second story, the room was easily found.  Upon entering the dusty room, one could see it definitely wasn't a suite by any means.  But then again he hadn't been expecting it to be.  A simple bed, candle on the bedstand, and a dresser with a few other knick-knacks scattered around for that homey appeal.  With a toss he threw his satchel onto the bed and stretched the stiffness away from his limbs.  It would have to do.  Especially if he was going to be staying here for ... well, who knew how long.  There was research to be done.  It all depended on how well things went.  But, again, it was fine.  Of all the places he'd travelled, this town, this ... Bircrow, had a soothing feel for the Kuhna.

Clothing tossed aside, one layer at a time, he striped down into a thin undershirt and boxer shorts.  Now, you'd think he'd revert back to his Kuhna form by now, but surprisingly no.  As silly as it sounded, he'd grown accustomed to the ways of a regular human.  Dressing in their clothes (even those annoyingly stuffy ones), eatting their oddly prepared foods, and even going so far as to making certain friendly ties with some.  Yes, it was certainly a change considering his past.  But that was another story for another day...

[Lvl. 3 -- 12]

[SkyWolf11]

Rubbing his face tiredly, Madoc made his way to the small bathroom off to the side.  Turning the faucet on and dipping his hands under the cool water, his face held a somber expression.  As much as he loved his research, the processes of obtaining it wasn't always so fun.  If what the Inn Keeper had said was true and these creatures were as violent as he said they were then this might be a little more risky than the Rejection had originally planned.  He had no desire to meet his end in such a place and in such a way.  

He wiped his face with a wet hand and let out a sigh.  It had to be done.  Otherwise he would have wasted a trip and his tight research funds for nothing.  But he didn't look forward to it.  Getting back to the bed, he let himself collapse into it.  The ceiling held his stare for a few moments before he finally turned and curled into a ball under his covers.  Might as well get a head start on his rest.

[Lvl. 3 -- 13]

[SkyWolf11]

Nighttime in the Whisper was both dangerous but beautiful.  New life teemed within the foggy forests and sounds filled the night air.  One particular area, well away yet still within range of the small town Bircrow, held one of the most dangerous beasts the forests had to offer.  Well, just as beauty was in the eye of the beholder, perhaps the same was for what was dangerous...

+ Bazira +

A small cat-like creature, a Lykuhna, sat perched on a large crooked stump out in a small opening.  Even the bright moonlight could reach the forest floor in this spot - one of the reasons she loved it so much.  Golden eyes transfixed on the big bright orb in the sky, the auroa was a peaceful one.  Her two tails swayed gently behind her as she sat enjoying the serenity of this particular night.  

At the foot of her stump, there were a pile of fresh bones.  Clearly, she had had a successful hunt tonight.  It was good news as hunting was only a weekly hassle.  She was now set for another week on just her one meal alone.  And she would need it, apparently.  The pack leader, an elderly male, had wanted to call a meeting later on tonight for some reason.  It was a very unusual occurance these days.  Now whether it was good or bad, she had no idea yet.  Hopefully it was good news though ...

[Lvl. 8 -- 37]

[SkyWolf11]

A small rustling from behind made the female tense though she didn't turn.  Ears pricked up and shifted back to listen.  But it was well; a familiar scent reached her nose and she went back at ease.  "Moon.~  How are you, tonight?", she mewed sweetly.

From the fog approached another female Lykuhna.  This one, not much smaller but fairly scrawny looking than the one perched upon the stump, seemed to be injured as she limped softly.  Over her right front shoulder was an old healed but clear scar.  And when she walked, too much pressure made her wince, but she managed to get around just fine.  "Oh, I'm well, thanks.~", she answered with a soft smile.  Reaching her friend, Moon quickly noticed the pile of bones at her feet.  "Oh?  You've already hunted, Bazira?"  The female curiously looked at her friend.

"Yes.  I thought I would need it as the elder was calling for a get together tonight."  "Ah, yes.  What ... do you suppose he wants to talk about?"  "..'M not sure ... but I hope it isn't bad news."  Her tone betrayed her calm demeanor.  Moon could tell her friend was troubled by this sudden event.  And, in all honesty, she was too.  The elder wouldn't just waste everyone's time unless it was important...

[Lvl. 8 -- 38]