Mist's Origin -- Gar stood proudly, watching his troops train in the square before him. They were hard working young furs, dedicated to the cause of defending their home. The kingdom of Anwolek was home to many species, deer trained next to tigers, next to bears. There were even a couple of avians, although they normally did not train on the ground with the others. Their skill in flight was more important than ground-based combat. Gar himself was a tall, strong lion, his fur as dark as the richest chocolate, his mane and fur tufts a rich midnight black, gleaming in the sun. He wore little for clothing, as was normal, today wearing only the silver shoulder guards and crimson cape that distinguished himself as commander. A golden rope tied the cape around his neck, and a large broadsword hung sheathed by his side. He was strong from a life of training, having worked hard to reach his position as Commander of the Guards. And yet, life was peaceful and quiet. Although they trained hard, it was always with some lightness. There was no strife in neighboring lands, and all got along well. It was hard to put serious effort into training for war when the biggest fights were usually sibling rivalries between very young cubs, calmed quickly by their mothers. Gar smiled as his allowed his mind to wander into the area of cubs. It was nearly time for him to take a mate. He had devoted his life to his work, yet now felt ready for the added responsibility of family. Ready? Perhaps he also felt it was necessary. Regardless of the cause, he had been looking around, and there was a young lioness that he had his eye on, whom he was sure had stolen a glance or two back at him. He returned to the present and looked over the square again. Captain Pricket, a stern young buck who had risen quickly through the ranks, was still barking melee orders. The troops dutifully carried out the commands in almost perfect synchronization. Gar looked, not too hard, for something wrong to mention. A commander must always see what needs improvement. He watched the Captain himself for a few moments, then his eyes caught movement behind the Captain. He chuckled. Tommy, a young fox cub whom he'd often seen shadowing patrols, was standing near the wall, using a stick to mirror the troops movements, quietly training himself. Gar watched the cub, amused, intrigued, as he thrust and parried with the small stick, on his face the grimace of a child's intense concentration. He uttered a small bark with every movement, completely drowned out by the shouts of the squad. "He's not bad, for one so young," thought Gar. "Perhaps in another ten years, he will join us, and make us proud." Finally, the practice was ending. Captain Pricket called the troops to attention, thanked them for their work, and dismissed them to their duties. Gar nodded and smiled, approaching the young buck as the others dispersed. "Captain Pricket!" he called. "Yes, Sir!" responded the Captain, coming to attention. Gar chuckled as he saw Tommy come to attention behind the Captain, back against the wall. "At ease, Captain," smiled Gar. "Good training today." "Thank you, Sir," responded the buck, relaxing and smiling. "I have a suggestion," continued Gar, "for you and the other deer." He lifted his eyes and smiled, then looked back to Pricket's face. "Use your natural weapons. Encourage the troops to do so, as well. You have antlers, the felines claws. The troops have the standard drill down pat, but in a battle, every advantage counts." Pricket stiffened again, nodding curtly. "Yes, Sir." Gar smiled again. "You have not done anything wrong, Captain. Just a suggestion to prevent the training from becoming too monotonous." He peered over the buck's shoulder, noticing the fox cub still watching quietly. "Go now, and see to your duties. I have one more thing to take care of here." Pricket nodded, and smiled, coming to a smart attention and giving Gar a sharp salute. Gar straightened and returned the salute, and Pricket marched off. Gar watched him for a moment then stepped towards the cub. Tommy's eyes widened, and he looked left and right as Gar approached. "Ten-SHUN!" ordered Gar, smiling. The cub looked very small and somewhat frightened now, but came to a quick attention, his wide eyes gazing up at Gar as his stick fell to the ground. Gar saluted the cub, and held it for a few moments until the cub remembered to return the salute, then sharply cut his arm to his side. The cub did the same, his eyes never leaving Gar's face. "At EASE!" continued Gar, then speaking in a softer voice. "Tommy, isn't it?" Tommy just nodded dryly, not looking the least bit relaxed. After a few seconds he managed to squeak out, "Yes, sir." Gar nodded, having been fairly sure. "You're Tabatha's child, aren't you? How is your sister?" Tommy made a face. "She's icky! She tries to follow me around." Gar chuckled softly. "But she IS your sister." Tommy shrugged. "She's okay." "Did they recruit you for the guard already, Tommy? You seem a bit young?" Gar kneeled down to be closer to the cub's level. Tommy shook his head, nervous again. "N-no.. sir. I was.. just.. practicing." Gar smiled. "You're very good for someone your age, did you know that?" Tommy's eyes lit up at the compliment. "But, you're not supposed to be in here if you aren't part of the guard." The cub's gaze fell to the ground, as had his practice stick earlier. "I know," he said softly. Gar frowned, not intending to hurt the child's feelings. He smiled as an idea came to mind. He reached for the stick and picked it back up, handing it to the fox. "Tommy, a city guard never drops his weapon." Tommy looked at the stick, then up at Gar's face, looking a bit confused. Gar smiled warmly, standing again as Tommy took the stick. "If you are willing to accept the responsibilities, I will make you an honorary guardsman, and you can practice here all you like." Tommy's eyes opened wide again, and his tail swished with excitement. "Really? What do I have to do?" Gar's smile grew at the child's enthusiasm, and he thought for a moment. "As an honorary guardsman, you are responsible for your own actions. You must always be fair and you must never hurt anyone except in defense of the kingdom or it's peoples." Gar looked the cub in the eye and smiled. "I especially charge you with the defense of your younger sister." Tommy's ears flicked once in surprise, but his enthusiasm never seemed to waver. He stood erect and smiled broadly. Gar nodded, and stood more erect, officially. "Do you accept these responsibilities as I've given them to you, Tommy?" Tommy nodded rapidly. Gar smiled. "You have to say it, Tommy." Tommy swallowed and nodded again, standing taller. "I accept." He paused, then added, "Sir!" Gar nodded and smiled, drawing his sword. "Kneel then." The fox did so, and he lightly placed the flat of his sword on each shoulder, speaking ceremoniously. "I charge thee, Tommy, with defense of the King, this kingdom and it's peoples, and especially your little sister. That you will follow a code of honor for all your days, and that you will respond to any who need your aid. Rise now." Gar smiled and winked at the cub as he stood. "That's all. Come, and we will find you a staff." -- With a couple of cuts a staff had been sized to fit Tommy's height, and he had been given an official sash to wear. Gar saw Tommy even more often now, training as if it were the most important thing in the world. Tommy's mother had apparently sized the sash to fit him more snugly, and except for his height, he was beginning to look as much a guardsman as any of the others. Pricket had approached Gar upon seeing Tommy in official uniform for the first time. "Where did he get that?" Gar chuckled. "Let the boy enjoy himself, he is doing no harm and may well do good." Pricket nodded and marched off, but seemed to do his best to ignore the cub. -- Gar was approached that night by one of the young lieutenants, a smart canine named Berkley. He snapped to attention and gave a smart salute. "Sir! You have been summoned to report before the King." Gar returned the salute. "Thank you, Lieutenant. Continue with your duties." "Yes, Sir." The canine turned and moved rather quickly back the way he came. Gar frowned to himself... it was unusual to be summoned directly by the King. He paused a moment to adjust his cape and armor, then strode quickly to the castle. Gar was admitted directly to the throne room with little delay. Though he had been here before, he still paused to look around. The chamber, though large, was sparsely decorated, with only a few tapestries and ornamental items around. The throne itself was large and impressive, but not overbearing, as the King was not prone to self-indulgence. King Nestaf himself was a large, older tiger, his fur still a sharp orange raked by black stripes. He wore a simple yet beautiful crown of gold, and flowing red robes of royalty, though open at the front. He was a kind ruler, and it normally showed on his face. This time, he showed some concern, though he greeted Gar amiably. Gar knelt before him on one knee, lowering his face to the ground. "Your Majesty," he greeted. "Rise, Gar," replied Nestaf. "Thank you for coming." "It is my honor," replied Gar, standing again, and waiting for the King to continue. Nestaf continued, slowly. "I wanted to speak to you directly, rather than simply send a message. It is... not too serious, but I wanted to be sure that you will take appropriate measures." Gar nodded, uncertain as to what was coming next, but not showing concern. "What has happened, my Lord?" Nestaf nodded. "I have received strange reports from nearby lands, reports of nightmares come to life, entire towns being destroyed. Know you anything of this?" Gar frowned, and shook his head. "It sounds like strong sorcery, or perhaps over-indulgence of wine. Where has this happened?" Nestaf nodded again, smiling a bit. "I had thought it such, as well. None of our neighbors report any knowledge of these events. Still, I heard no less than five reports. All from distant lands, but in different directions. I would rest easier, Gar, knowing that you had it on your mind, and perhaps trained the guards towards defending the town just a little harder - for a while, at least." Gar nodded, allowing a smile on his own muzzle. "Our guards work daily, and are strong and capable. But times of peace lead to complacency. I will focus efforts on more specific training, and send scouts to see if we can learn more of this "nightmare"." Gar knelt to bow again, as the meeting seemed to be over. Nestaf stood up, smiling broadly, and offered a paw towards Gar. "Rise, Gar, and come! I would take a drink of wine with the Commander of the Guard, now that you have eased my fears. A taste of fine wine, then you may attend to your duties. It is time I got to know you better." -- Days passed, and the troops trained harder, practicing paw-to-paw combat and close range weapons combat, using stuffed sacks as targets. Archers worked on speed and accuracy, while the avians were led in practicing aerial attacks. But although Gar had not told the troops of the Nightmares, rumors were beginning to circulate. The scouts brought back more stories, but all affected towns were so far as to be impossible to verify. Gar was concerned, but for the moment his town seemed safe enough. As such, he continued to let Tommy train with the guards, and would often pause to watch the kit try to keep up with the practices, although he was far too small to practice close combat. Gar approached Tommy at the end of one such session, as the young fox panted to catch his breath. He spoke softly, smiling. "Things are getting tough, huh, Tommy?" The fox straightened up at attention and snapped a salute, which Gar returned with a smile. "No, Sir!" he barked. "I'm fine!" "You're doing a fine job, Tommy, becoming a strong young pup. Are you still taking care of your sister as promised?" Tommy straightened proudly. "Yes, Sir! She's safe with me." He took a fighting stance with his staff, and looked around. "Nobody can hurt her with me around." Gar chuckled softly and nodded. "That's excellent... go, then, and see to your duties." Tommy smiled and snapped to attention again, saluted, and ran off. Gar watched him go, a soft smile on his face. The fox cub was cute, and so determined to please. It touched him. "It is a kind thing you do there, Sire." A feminine voice spoke softly, almost shyly, from behind him. He turned and saw an adult vixen standing there, her red fur neatly groomed, with a flash of white at the top of her plain, but pretty, dress. "Thank you, M'Lady," responded Gar, bowing a bit. "You are... his mother?" he guessed. Tabatha nodded. "Yes, M'Lord. My name is Tabatha." She turned to look in the direction that Tommy had disappeared. "Tommy thinks the world of you." She looked back to him. "At first, I was so afraid, Tommy wanting to be a guard, and when he came home with the sash and staff, I was horrified." She paused, meeting Gar's gaze. "But... ever since you gave that to him, all he talks about is honor, and his duty to protect his sister, Samatha." She smiled. "She's so young, she wants to follow Tommy everywhere. He used to hate that, but now. now... he loves her, and he lets it show. You've done a wonderful thing." Gar smiled warmly. "Your son has always carried this love, he only needed a way to express it. I deserve none of the credit for bringing it to be." Tabatha stepped closer, lifting a paw to Gar's chest. "You are wrong," she answered. "Tommy has needed someone to look up to... his father died several years ago while traveling... thieves, we believe. You've given him everything he needs to be complete." She paused for several moments, studying Gar's face. "I need someone, too." She finished, her voice almost a whisper. Gar almost pulled away, but he felt himself drawn into her soft eyes, feeling her paw gently caress his chest. He felt a deep, strong longing, and reached down to take her paw. "M'Lady," he responded quietly, his voice almost a purr, "Allow me to help you." -- Gar woke the next morning at his customary early hour, to find Tabatha had slipped away in the night. Nevertheless, he felt a new sense of completion, and stretched out, enjoying the new feelings. He even caught himself humming a tune as he prepared his armor and cape for the day. Finally dressed and ready, he stepped outside and strode towards the training grounds. Usually at this time, there were a few guards there, training alone, or talking in small groups. Today there was a single large group, and Gar could hear the buzz of their conversation from across the square. He frowned with some concern. "Here! What goes on?" he called as he approached the group. The buzz ceased instantly as the guards snapped to attention, most of them facing him. Lieutenant Berkley was there, and took a step forward. "Sir!" he barked, snapping a salute. Gar responded quickly, looking briefly at the other guards. Nearly all looked concerned. "Sir, the Nightmares struck Abihsot last night, it's totally destroyed!" Abihsot was just three towns away, to the North. Gar looked at the nervous faces again and spoke up, his voice strong and determined to control fear. "'Nightmares', Lieutenant? I'm aware of no such group." Berkley blinked once in confusion, and stammered. "S-sir... surely you know... of the rumors?" "They are nothing MORE than rumors, Lieutenant, please remember that before you assign them names. Has Abihsot been confirmed?" "We have sent a scout. We should know by noon, Sir." Gar nodded. "Fall in, Lieutenant." He raised his voice as Berkley moved back to the troops. "Pay attention! There are a lot of rumors circulating about `Nightmares'. Fears of supernatural attackers. They are not fact... they are not confirmed. We don't know yet about Abihsot, but you all know the stories. Listen to me." He began to pace slowly before the guards, meeting the gaze of each and every one with his own. "Even IF Abihsot fell, they fell to normal beings, like you and I. We are the biggest kingdom in this area, and YOU..." he paused to emphasize, "...are the best trained soldiers this kingdom has ever known! In the unlikely event of attack... I have no doubt that each of you will do your absolute best duty to defend this town and repel attackers." He stopped and allowed a smirk to cross his lips. "But I don't think there's any brave enough to try." Someone, he couldn't see who, spoke up, nervously. "But they say these creatures are magical." Gar turned towards the voice. "You've been trained to block magic, you all have the needed skills to battle a sorcerer. The only thing you need to remember is that a sorcerer's power is limited, and that the beings he can summon are of two types - illusion and puppet. Illusion can do no harm - if you determine it is an illusion then ignore it and fight on. Puppet beings divide the sorcerer's concentration - and can be destroyed. If you can get to the sorcerer, stopping him will end the attack, and this can be made easier if he is attempting to manage many summons." Gar stepped back and looked over the troops again. "You all know this already. As I said, you have the best training, and together you are one of the strongest forces in the known world. I know there is nothing that can get past you." He noticed Captain Pricket standing behind the troops, apparently having arrived during the speech. He called him forward, and spoke quietly to him. "Increase the training, Captain, work especially hard at defending the walls and entrances. We need to keep the guard's morale and confidence high during this time." Pricket nodded, and took a step back. Gar saluted him, giving him official command over the troops, and strode off to gather what information he could, and await the scout. Tabatha arrived while he was studying some reports from the distant towns, shyly standing at the entrance, her arms folded behind her back. Gar looked up, and smiled. "Good Sir," she smiled. Gar looked up, and smiled back, standing and moving to her. He bowed softly, "M'Lady," then embraced her in a gentle hug. "Is it true, what I've heard? About Abihsot?" Gar nodded, frowning a bit for a moment, then smiling again. "I believe it is, but I do not believe that we have anything to fear at the moment. We may be called upon to assist a nearby town, but I think we are too large to be a target ourselves." Tabatha nodded softly, her eyes still wide. "What about Tommy?" Gar frowned a bit, and nodded. "He should stay out of the guard's way today. tell him," he paused, thinking, "Tell him that with the current state he should spend the next few days on full guard duty for his sister, those are my orders to him." Tabatha smiled, and nuzzled him gently. "Is it serious?" she asked, after a moment. Gar smiled back gently, letting his paw caress her cheek. "I must work now. but I will see you tonight." She smiled and turned to walk out, pausing to throw him a light grin before disappearing from sight. -- Gar was leading a squad of guards on rounds as dusk fell. The guard, and he himself, were wearing their battle armor, which protected their chests, backs, legs and arms. He had ordered extra shifts be on duty to quell the growing nervousness of the townspeople, especially after the scout had confirmed Abihsot not only taken, but utterly demolished, with no sign of the attackers. Gar was concerned, a little less confident than he showed the troops that they were not a target. Anwolek was a powerful town and a likely target for any force that felt itself strong enough to take them. Gar began to have doubts that they were big enough to avoid being a target. And still... there was no word from the advance scouts, no problems from the neighboring towns. A young leopard in Gar's patrol dared to speak to him as they marched. "Sir? Do you really believe we're safe?" Gar didn't look at him, remaining professional. "Attend to your duties, Soldier. None shall harm our town." They stopped at the town gate, and Gar instructed them to remain in place as he climbed to the tower for a report. As he reached the top he paused to survey the lands around the town. A full moon was rising to supplement the last fading beams of sunlight, and still the lands showed no signs of movement, nothing out of the ordinary. His keen eyes pierced the growing darkness in all directions, and yet still no cause for unease could be discerned. Why, then, did the air feel so still? He checked with the watchman, and upon receiving the customary update, descended from the wall to rejoin his squad. The gates were opened, and they exited the city to perform a patrol around it. That's when the sound began. A deep, bass pounding that seemed to penetrate everything. Gar felt it deep in his chest before actually hearing it. The squad froze as a unit, as did Gar, and all turned towards the apparent source. A quarter-mile lay between the city and the beginning of the dense woods, and all stared intently into those trees, seeking a clue. For a few moments, there was only the noise, and the tension built. Then, unexpectedly, a distant tree toppled. Then another, and another - spreading from a central point into a distant line. The forest seemed to darken further, until the nearest layer toppled, and the shadows leapt from the fallen trees. The shock drove Gar into immediate action. "Close the gates!" he shouted up to the tower. "Defenses to the South wall! Keep them back!" To his own patrol, only twenty-five guards - far too small to repel even this first line alone. "Back inside the wall! Prepare to defend the town! Archers to your posts! Avians to the air, we need to know how many there are!" Even as he shouted his orders, he was turning back inside. Most of the guard moved quickly, following their orders without question, save a young wolf, who stared at the distant shadows - covering the distance with remarkable endurance. Gar drew back, slapping him across the muzzle. "I said MOVE!" The alarm bells were ringing by this time, and none who saw the advance doubted for a second that the attack was on. Gar found himself concerned - Why hadn't the scouts seen the approach? Why hadn't HE seen the approach? But there were only minutes before the wave reached the town, and he needed everyone in place. Even now the remainder of the guard was answering the call, and he directed the soldiers here and there. Gar climbed to the wall to prepare, even as Tegler, an eagle from his squad, landed to report. "I see no more than 75-80 creatures from the air, Sir. Horrible things such as I've never seen! Light falls into them and there is no reflection, except from their claws - I don't know what to make of them." Gar nodded, unhappy with the eagle's concern or description of the creatures. "You know your duties," he announced, and turned to watch the approach. The arrows flew out as the creatures drew near, and now Gar could see the things that so disturbed the avian. They moved so smoothly that they seemed to flow as liquid more than walk as creatures. And though most of the arrows found their marks, only two or three of the creatures fell, vanishing into the dark night. The remainder didn't even slow, until they hit the wall with such force that Gar was nearly knocked from his feet. He looked down, and was stunned to see the creatures drawing back unusually long arms, and slamming their evil claws into the wood and stone of the wall - taking large pieces of it. "Prepare for breach!" he shouted, leaping from the wall and landing with a neat roll. It was no time for being pleased with himself, as he drew his sword, simultaneously turning to watch a large hole appear in the wall, the thick logs splintering like kindling. The face that protruded through the hole drove his heart into his throat - large eyes, and ears, and the creature's skin seemed to draw the light in towards it. It turned its head, seeing him, and hissed terribly, impossibly long teeth glowing in the rising moonlight. Gar's sword seemed to work more effectively than the arrows had, the creature falling back as he withdrew it from the hideous beast. A dark oily fluid coated his sword, but even before he had time to clean it, the wood splintered again, and another beast tried to push it's way inside. Even as he disposed of the second one, a shadow crossed him in the moonlight. Startled, he looked up to see Tegler flying over the wall, followed by the nearly dozen other eagles, each skilled in using various weapons from the air. At first pleased, his satisfaction quickly turned to horror as another shadow leapt from beyond the wall, pulling the lead avian down with it out of sight. There was little time for shock, as the battle burst in around him, simultaneously breaking through in several other locations. He focused on the creatures filing in, while several other guardsmen joined him. A quick glance showed the other avians participating in the battle effectively, using slings, spears and small crossbows. The creatures were terrible and seemed unending, and yet, Gar knew this was a battle they had to win. The guard outnumbered the creatures at least three to one, and now with several breaks in the wall, they seemed to have focused on pushing through the holes as quickly as possible - making them easy targets. Gar's confidence rose, so that when he withdrew his sword from the killing blow and the hole was not immediately refilled, he dared to look through it. Nothing... and then... a panicked shout. "Breach on the east wall! Defenses to the East!" Gar's ears pricked upwards. East wall? How?! Why was there no warning? "Two of you stay on each opening! All other troops to the East wall to repel the intruders!" Even as he spoke, he ran into the town, cutting across to the east. Abruptly he found himself battling upstream against panicked citizens. He moved as quickly as he could, shouting instructions again. "To the west! Take refuge towards the West wall!" And then, right before his eyes, a building appeared to slice in two, crumbling before him and leaving a Shadow in it's place. This shadow was larger, and seemed to move more deliberately than the ones he had just destroyed. Still, it seemed distracted, looking around for a new target, and he charged into it. Again his sword sliced through the air, and again the shadow fell, seeming to melt into the ground. As he advanced - the situation was clearly worse. There were numerous shadows already inside, and they attacked anything within range without cause - homes, trees, carts. Although the guards on the wall battled them, already some had fallen. A Shadow turned from it's path some distance ahead, it's eyes locked, and began to stalk directly towards him. His eyes narrowed, and he charged towards it. Yet the Shadow turned from a direct confrontation, and he turned his head to see what was in that direction. For the second time that night his heart leapt to his throat. A very young fox kit was curled up tight, crying on the ground. Next to her, facing the approaching Shadow, a slightly older pup, wearing a sash, holding a staff, and shaking terribly even as he tried to hold a strong stance. "For the Love of the King, No!" cried Gar, immediately breaking into a run. "Tommy, run!" Each moment became an eternity for the lion. Each powerful stride brought him such an immeasurably small distance closer. He took in every detail - how the pup's footclaws gripped the earth as he leaned into his stance, how the breeze moved each hair on the young fox's face as he compressed his features in determination, how his hands gripped the staff tightly, preparing to swing, how his eyes showed terror unlike most men face in their lifetime. Something slammed into his chestplate, knocking him backwards with such force that he slid along the ground. He didn't see the distant blow, but he heard the yelp - and the crying ceased. Tears of rage and indignation sprang to his eyes, and he roared long and loud as he rolled to his paws. He tore forward with such ferocity that the Shadow who has struck him down wasn't even ready for his swing, and he'd reached the one who's struck down the pup by the time his counter- swing came around. But even this was not enough to cover the shock that struck the entire town when the wall simply shattered inward, spraying debris. Gar shielded his face from the fragments, even as he watched a larger one strike a tiger guardsman, sending him crashing to the ground. Even as the debris settled - a huge shadow - taller even than the shattered wall, strode through the opening, paying no mind to those it passed. And behind it - a robed being followed, his head obscured by a hood. The Sorcerer responsible? Gar had new purpose to his charge, merely deflecting the shadows in his way. `Kill the Sorcerer, and the Magic ends,' he reminded himself. `This one has made an error in being so confident.' He drew near, his sword raised, roaring for all he was worth. The creature in the robe looked to him, and gestured, whispering a single word that only he could hear, "Fool." Then everything faded away. -- Time passed. or did it? Vague recollections of lands passing underneath, of the breeze carrying. Days passed in seconds and yet lasted an eternity. His own thoughts grew distant, barely heard, hardly missed. And then. a voice. Heard. or merely felt? "Who are you?" It meant nothing, at first, and he struggled. Recognition of language returned to his mind. "Gar," he replied, though he heard no sound. A feeling of relief, and a filling sensation like a first drink of water after a long thirst, and time slipped from his grasp again. -- "Where am I?" Recognition returned to him, and yet, nothing seemed right. It was as though he'd awakened from a strange and distant dream - and yet he found himself still in it. Fields of bright green lay ahead of him, and yet, he could not feel the ground beneath his feet. Indeed, he found he could not feel his feet. "What's going on?" he cried out - and no sound was made. And images came into his mind, as if another was speaking to him, but he heard no words. He saw a battle ongoing - and he recognized the nightmares tearing apart a settlement. But this was not Anwolek, furious bursts of fire were being returned at the creatures. And then he saw the most amazing sight of his life - a young green dragon took to the air from behind the city walls, his body sleek and strong, his face determined. Gar had never seen a dragon before - they generally lived across the Great Sea, and even there were somewhat uncommon, and so he was captivated as others took to the sky behind the first. They were all slightly larger than even the powerful tigers of his own guard, with well-formed arms and legs, giving them a sleek, powerful appearance. Their wings spread from their backs, giving them easy mobility in the air. Gar watched as the leader soared forward across the Shadows, and suddenly realized that he was not imagining this event - it had truly happened, and, somehow, he was seeing it in his mind. The dragon dove abruptly, and Gar looked ahead, seeing the giant Shadow and the cloaked figure behind it. A raised hand, and the lead dragon vanished abruptly, leaving only a cloud of vapor to disperse on the wind. The vision faded, and thoughts flooded Gar's mind. A curse, cast by the evil one, had reduced that dragon into vapor, to disperse on the wind and be no more. Most likely, he realized, that is what had happened to him as well. Panic began to rise in his mind as he realized that he couldn't feel his body, and yet, some force compelled him to stay calm. Why hadn't he dispersed yet? Thoughts played through his mind again, and he began to listen. -- A great deal of time passed, and that Gar was aware of it was the first thing he recognized as change - he was growing stronger. From listening to the thoughts that crossed his mind, and from some thinking on his own, he believed that he understood what had happened. It was a curse, the evil being had cursed him not with death, but rather to reduce his form to a vapor on the wind - something that would soon disperse and be torn apart in the breeze, to exist no more. By some fortune that should never have been possible, he'd met with another of the same fate - the dragon he had seen in his vision. The other was much weaker than he, he had been on the wind longer, but somehow as they merged their combined life energy brought consistency to their form, stopping the loss and bringing coherence back to their thinking. He could never hear the other as more than thoughts and feelings, but there was clearly wisdom and intelligence - and strength, in those feelings. Gar no longer required sleep, nor did he seem to require food or water. He drew his energy from the very forces of nature that once threatened to tear him apart. Over the days that followed, he learned to manipulate those forces enough to move at will, no longer drifting without purpose. Indeed, there was a definite purpose to his efforts. Days became weeks, and weeks became months, and Gar and his Other learned to focus together, using the elements around them, condensing their form, gaining more and more substance. Until at last, late one night, a solidly clawed foot struck the soft earth once more, and white eyes glowed faintly from behind a lion's face. "Now, let justice and vengeance be served through Mist!" ============================================== harmlesslion.com - Not for commercial use