"Or what? Are you going to fight all of us?" the male with the head cover sneered, his usual floral scent muddled now with smoke, moss, and... concern.

  "If I have to."

  "After you left the city guards, I took you for a more reasonable man, Deckard. If what you’re saying is true, shouldn’t we be working together to get out of here? These beasts…," he said, nodding to the young mossbears roaming the edge of the burning clearing, two fighting the brainwashed Shadowbrakers, one licking my leg, another under the control of the bitch sneaking around. "They’re easy enough to handle. But those in the woods - those are a different story. Together, though, we might stand a chance…."

  "I would think that as a mage, you wouldn't underestimate them so much, Ward," the strong male, Deckard, cut him off. "Do I need to spell it out? This is their forest."

  "How’re you holding up, girl?" Deckard's voice rang out in my head.

  "All is great. I'm just hanging out here, you know... anyway, what do you mean by that this is their forest? What does this have to do with mages?"

  "I know the Lost ones can be odd, but I'd still think you'd be more concerned about your leg."

  "Been numb a while now."

  "I like you, girl. Still,” he said, pausing for a moment, wary of the movements of the others. “Well, if you want to know, what I meant was that this is a place tied to their magic, actually created by their magic. In a sense, they're nature mages. Just like fire mages thrive in lava fields or on a blazing summer day, or shadow mages like Ward at this time of the day, and mind mages in a frightened crowd. A mossy forest is about the worst place you’d want to go up against mossbears. That's a free lesson for you, girl."

  That actually made a lot of sense. Except I hadn't seen the mossbear do anything magical so far.

  "You sure talk big for someone who's as trapped as we are, seeker," the mind-twisting bitch hissed from atop the back of her controlled mossbear. Then her voice softened, smooth as honey. "But we could use someone with your skills... and knowledge. Name your price and I’ll make you a deal."

  Deckard laughed, hands deep in his pockets. "Mind mages, masters of minds, my ass. Thick as bricks, the lot of you."

  "YOU brain rotten half-wit!" she spat, sending her mossbear, the other one controlled by her, charging straight for Deckard from the thickets of the forest.

  While I held my breath, he barely blinked. In fact, he seemed more wary of Ward and his two packmates joining the fray. Rightly so. When the beast lunged, he simply sidestepped, smooth as anything. It looked easy, but I knew better - there was so much to it that I shuddered all over.

  "Rhea, Draven!" shouted the no-longer flower-scented male, and, just as I had feared, the three of them attacked him. The sword-wielding female, quite bravely took him on directly, the shadow-thieving male disappeared into the darkness of the trees, while the smell of shadow surrounded Ward. Yes, even the shadows had a smell. His shadows, anyway.

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  "Watch out!" I yelled through the ring. He was dodging every strike with his hands in his pockets, barely even noticing the shadows rippling beneath him - too focused on the female swordwielder, the shadow-thieving male and the mossbear. My warning, however, I realized immediately, only seemed to break his focus, an unwanted distraction. Fortunately, not fatal. Right as the shadows wielded by the no-longer-flower-smelling male were to rise, a heavy stomp from Deckard broke the spell's hold, scattering the shadows before it could fully take shape.

  Of course, that didn’t stop the shadow-wielding mage; he just shifted his tactics. A shadowy crescent, like a slice of the moon, flew from his hand, then a second one. Neither, however, hit their target. If anything, they gave more trouble to those trying to kill Deckard. One crescent even struck the controlled mossbear. Didn’t kill it, but it cut deep. Unfortunately, not deep enough to break the mossbear out of that bitch's control. The beast just let out a low growl before attacking again.

  Frustratingly, focused as she was, the bitch sat too far from the reach of my claws - claws that seemed utterly useless against the mossbear. There was no way I could make it move and distract her to help Deckard. Or... was there?

  Spurred on by the idea, I took a breath and did what I was good at.

  ?ROAR!!!?

  Everyone flinched - everyone but Deckard, who flashed me a grin.

  "You're growing on me, girl. Smart call."

  "You brainless mutt! When will you learn to shut your maw!" spat the bitch, wrestling the two mossbears back under her control. Naturally, my roar bare of my might wasn’t enough to break her hold. That would be too much to wish. But it did stir up a spark of ferocity in their hearts - and in mine. Pity the surprise didn’t last even a heartbeat.

  Actually, much to my horror, it seemed that both beast and human had joined the battle with even greater ferocity. My meddling had stripped Deckard of his laid-back attitude. Pressed on all sides by three humans, one mossbear, and the minds-twisting bitch trying to worm into his mind, it was only a matter of time before he would make a mistake. And then...

  Barely a moment after my roar, a pressure wave surged through the air. Deckard, unable to dodge the sword-wielding woman’s strikes any longer, was forced to meet her blade - using nothing but his foot. Balanced on a single leg, a stance that would’ve sent me sprawling and likely pulling a muscle, he spun on his heel with a speed I couldn’t even track. The next moment, the female crashed into a tree, flung like a rag-doll.

  His fighting style was certainly unique... just kicks. Simple, yet... he had honed them to levels I had never imagined. Strong, very strong. A fine prospect for a mate.

  'What? Mate? NO, no, no, no, no!'

  However, before I could reprimand my inner lustful beast any further, a loud roar split the air. A young mossbear, its mind free of any meddling, had joined the battle, rushing toward the shadow-wielding male. The mage reacted swiftly, sending a barrage of shadow blades. Though a few missed, the rest found their mark, tearing into the mossbear’s flesh. The beast, a young hunter, howled in pain, its body crumpling to the ground before it could reach its prey.

  ?Bold try.?

  "Traiana's tits! Are you trying to kill it?!" The shadow-thieving male’s voice came from the dark of the forest, sharp with anger and fright.

  "You think I meant to," his pack leader sputtered.

  "The ones Deckard took down look alive, but..."

  "I know!"

  "We must be careful not to kill more than..."

  "I fucking know, Draven!"

  "│Kill one mossbear, and you can call it a success.

  │After killing two, you should be distressed.

  │Killing three might as well be the end for you,

  │as the next beast you will face will be Esu."

  Deckard’s voice rose in a nursery rhyme of sorts, though one far too grisly for young ears. He sang on, indifferent, unlike the rest. Well, save for the bitch and myself.

  "Who is Esu?"