Alexander is even more pissed off. Bailey was the Jaguar. Porter a white poppy- and there was Alexander.

  A blind snake. An owl's pet. Almiyan be damned- he wanted to kill that racoon.

  Beside him was Porter, looking at the marking before him. Porter the poppy. It fit him, though.

  What really pissed Alexander off though was what they were left with. Leashes in a room, with a blond, and a grumpy teenage girl. Fiona.

  Of course she had to be picked as one of their main guards. It was pretty clear of the cycle now. Zorche is the muscle, Fiona the heart and steel, and isolde the bone and tea.

  Pathetically done. Alexander had been raised on strategy. If you're going to make a plan of guard for people you don't know, you use muscle, strategist, and manipulator.

  ¨We have a plan for you three.¨ The thick voice says softly, his words dragging out like the honey his voice is as sweet as. ¨or a deal if you mind.¨

  The Scintor′s deep oceanic blue cloak sways in the wind, his eyes drifting over them just the same. It was clear the outbounders didn't have a choice in this deal. They were going to be played as pawns under the control of a chess-master. Mind as well hear them out, if only to play for a while.

  ¨what? You're gonna feed us to the wolves and in turn go visit Almiyan?¨ Alexander grumbles. This earns a pinch on his palm by a very cowed sheep. ¨What is it?¨

  The monster smiles softly, ¨First, my name is Quenral. Mt raccoon, raphael, is the one who has shown you your roles or how the village is likely to view you as of current.¨ he explains, ¨I am a scrintor, as i'm sure you have guessed, and I am also this village's Zeladian, or keeper of knowledge and history. It's quite easy for me, with my… special abilities.¨

  Alexander's fingers twitch as porter grabs his wrist, making Alexander realise how tight he was clenching his fists, and loosens them to return the favor to porter.

  ¨We decided to make you three, Zorche, and our lovely Fiona as a group to patrol the outskirts of town. Think of it as a detective group, you'll be solving the cases of mystery along the borders and in turn, you'll earn trust and after a while get your own home and rooms. ¨

  ¨What a deal of a lifetime,¨ Bailey huffs under her breath. Alexander nods along with her in agreement, and bites his own lip. They don't have a choice anyways.

  ¨Mysteries?¨ porter asks from behind him, ¨what kinds?¨

  ¨Monsters.¨ quenral replies, a little too calm about their life stakes for Alexander's liking.

  ¨Why can't you do it? You're a Scrinter, right? You are a monster.¨ Alexander growls

  ¨but also a Zeladian. I haven't been made to fight, I'm to be played like a piece to a puzzle. Everything has a place and I found mine. You'll find yours here too, just give it time. ¨

  Brrrr.

  It's cold in the mornings of this small, wretched town. However, everyone seems to be doing just fine with themselves. Alimiyan be damned, they truly are animals.

  ¨So, what's your brand?¨ Alexander tries on fiona, his lips curving in a purposefully mocking way, ¨mouse? Camel? Oh I know, a gorilla.¨

  ¨none, only sacrifices are to be marked. You're nothing but cattle in our eyes, so in all reality you're the animal. ¨

  Alexander scoffs, mind racing with new thoughts and ideas until he realises he has no come back, and bites his lip. If you called me an animal before, I'd have your head.

  ¨I smell it. ¨ Bailey murmurs from behind him, her blonde hair swaying in the morning breeze.

  ¨Probably the morning dew again, Schello.¨Porter whispers back, reaching out to pat her shoulder comfortingly. ¨You say that every morning. ¨

  ¨no, I smell it.¨ Bailey snaps back, stepping out of reach. ¨ It's sour and sweet. Like lemon and honeysuckle. I smell the monster. ¨

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  You smell them? You outbounders truly are odd. ¨ Zorche adds from the back of the group. His armor shining in the morning sunrise. The boy has redone his hair to be pulled back behind his head-peice.its a useless accessory, shiny and small. It's like he wants to be calling the monster they were given to.

  ¨ you're the human disco ball.¨ Alexander grumbles.

  ¨Do you people have no natural guard?¨

  ¨of course we do. Every major country or village has its own. You're just obnoxious. ¨

  ?lexander glances at the blond boy in the corner of his eye. Instead of the scowl he expected, Zorche seems beaming, almost as if he wishes to be part of a nationals natural armour. His lips pressed into a thin, suppressing line, eyes widened and curious like a child's.

  Behind them a crackle whips behind them, followed by a thick woosh of wind.

  This snaps Zorche out of his gawking, and the moment he does the light of his armour seems to dim, and the beast of a boy they met when Zorche trapped them returns. His eyes narrowed and muscles clenched into a coiled spring-like state.

  What a change. Alexander thinks of himself, eyes skimming the ground and trees softly. Fast, large, and smells of sour honeysuckle.

  ¨ It's not a Deceptus fractus, too fast, not a Fequnta. Too big. Other smells…I see. ¨ Alexander then turns and grabs porter and Bailey, only to see Fiona was already squatting against the brush of a nearby tree, porter and bailey beside her.

  ¨ Woodwender.¨ Alexander and Fiona say in unison, Zorche nodding as his eyes gleam turns empty. The eyes of somebody not afraid to kill. Now that's something truly terrifying. Somebody ready to kill is somebody ready to lose all humanity.

  ¨You're all being a bit dramatic, don't you agree?¨ Porter asks, ¨Woodwenders aren't dangerous unless hungary.¨

  ¨they also don't come near people unless Hungery. ¨ Fiona explains. ¨you 3 are useless. It's clear you can't fight well either. ¨

  ¨ Well if you forgot we aren't exactly gorillas like you three.¨ Alexander snaps back.

  ¨If you let me finish,¨ Fiona growls, ¨thats why we brought one of our villages flamers.¨

  ¨flamers…¨ Zorche twists in his mouth, ¨you mean gifted guards?¨

  ¨Zorche was chosen as a guard for us for a reason. He's gonna be known as the flaming lion of ravenwood. Well the next one after his father.¨

  ¨You're telling us that he is a natural guard- not a wannabe?¨ Alexander′s gravel voice grumbles like the stone beneath his feet as he turns to the blond.

  ¨I already told you- yes. ¨ Fiona grumbles back.

  ¨ Can you be quiet? It's not like I control fire, you Shizens.¨ Zorche barks at both of them, fists turning white as he turns to the treeline. ¨I bet you didn't even notice the Woodwender pass again, too busy bickering like the children at children's hall. ¨

  The two stop, shifting positions to look around more clearly.

  ¨ There's fur on that bush.¨ Fiona points out, staring at the bush a mere few feet ahead of them to the side. cher

  ¨8.2 feet. Brown fur, dull in the light, stuck in a thornburry bush. Based on that, it's younger, probably around 8 years based on the ability to make mistakes and be sensed. ¨ Alexander reports., walking over to pick it up for inspection.¨Thick texture, feels like pine needles, thick, covered in mud.¨

  ¨We don't need every detail, snowflake. We need to figure out how to…redirect it.¨ Fiona grumbles. ¨and if your paying attention, zorche is getting tired.¨

  Alexander looks over and sees he is indeed beginning to get tired. Flamers are known to be able to set up barriers against enemies; by creating directed heat pressure that burns that of the enemy if close enough. A wall of fire made by nothing but spite and resolution. But if raised correctly, they can become the trained pet of a monster their fire destroys.

  ¨Woodwenders weakness- connection. Fallen people whose loneliness destroyed them. Often anxious- best way is to find a Sogmen cherende.¨

  ¨a sogmen cherende? A dream seeker?¨ Fiona asks, ¨only one we have currently is sickly right now.¨

  ¨I see. They'd be the most efficient but I guess we could figure out other views.¨ Alexander murmurs, blinking slowly as he looks around.

  ¨I have some information on that of a sogman cherende,¨ porter adds, ¨but I don't have the direct ability to understand.¨

  ¨abiity? Was that art of the upper-mans test, the one I hadn't yet gotten to when…¨ Bailey asks, trailing off as she glances around.

  ¨Yes, it's the ability to see into somebody's life through a simple touch. Not only that but to sympathize and interact with their past in order to stop it from happening- changing their future in a way. ¨ Porter explains.

  ¨what they wanted to make you, right, brello?¨ Bailey asks Porter.

  ¨yes.¨

  ¨can you guys figure it out? I'm getting hella tired.¨ Zorche interrupts. ¨This illusion cant last much longer.¨

  ¨oh, a flaming lion cant keep up its flame? Then it must be useless. Weak steam.¨ Alexander snarks, ¨but yes, we know, now everyone shut up so we can think. ¨

  Alexander sighs, looking at the group who seem to grow exhausted in the few minutes they've been standing there. Like mimosa pudica′s when a breeze floats past. Then it hits.

  ¨I know what to do. ¨