What have I forgotten?... Part 2- Dark Secrets

[Asa]

((Short post, just wanted to move the story on to Sandew))

Pryll lay down and relaxed. He sighed and pulled out his diary and flicked through it. He stopped and started to read.

[wolfenchantress]

Ayria jumped off the boat onto the shore, remembering to tip the captain a fair amount to keep his mouth shut. She took a few steps and knelt by the surf, letting it wash in and swirl around her knees. He'd said he wasn't normal. She could believe it. He had changes from a huge sea serpent to a human, which definentally fell into a whole different category in her mind, and he had just...well, gotten up after the fight with the monster. She was fairly certain she would be dead.

She offered no explanation on how she'd made the serpent go away. He's likely find out sooner or later, but she didn't like the explaining process, it made people uneasy with her. Maybe because Pryll wasn't 'normal,' as he put it, he'd understand, but she kept her mouth closed.

He spoke about how he forgot things, like coming to Sandew, but how they were in the diary she held. She frowned, thinking about how horrible it would be to not have all of your memory.

"I'm Ayria," She said finally. "No, I've never been here before. I wanted to come because I'm always told it's such a peaceful island." Birds were good for such information. "So I guess it's a new experience for both of us, in a way."

[Asa]

"Nice to meet you, Ayira," Pryll said to her, "Wow, this thing is amazing," He was referring to his diary, "I can't believe what I've done in my lifetime. Have you ever done anything exceptional? I mean, I haven't even read through my entire diary, but everything in here's amazing. Anyway, I feel like some fruit. I'm sure there'll be plenty in the jungle," He put his diary away and headed off into the forest, making sure Ayira came too, and started to run far ahead, until he was gone. He was going to have some fun.

Across Ayira's line of sight, a figure exactly like herself came walking across, until they disappeared behind a tree. Then, a mysterious figure darted through the treetops. A few seconds later, Pryll returned carrying a handful of fruit, "Hey!" He cried, "I've got plenty of fruit here, so let's get tucked in!" And he took a bite out of a large orangey-yellow fruit and handed one to Ayira.

[wolfenchantress]

She frowned, making a thoughtful face. Had she ever done anything really exceptional??
"Not that I can think of," She said. "I guess I lead a pretty boring life," She said with a small grin.

Ayria followed him into the jungle, watching as he ran out of sight. Vaguely, she wondered how he could run without taking time to look at everything. Above her, brightly colored birds alighted, watching her curiously. (Animals had always had an attraction to her) She grinned and greeted them, causing many gleeful twitters.

Then, directly in front of her, a figure passed. And it was one that looked exactly like her. She froze, watching until it...she...passed from her sight, then ran a few paces after whoever it was. She stopped when a rustle made her look up, catching another person dart through the trees and out of sight. She took a step backward. How could..? Who was...? She shook her head.

Pryll returned only a moment later, offering fruit, which she accepted.
"Did you happen to see anyone else here?" She asked hesitantly, remembering his transformation from sea serpent to human. Maybe it was him?? She toyed with the thought, still a bit uneasy, eying the heavily wooded area. She jumped when one of the birds that had flown above her landed on her shoulder, nibbling at the fruit she held and eying Pryll with cold suspicion. She laughed and fed it a piece of fruit, watching it glide to a different branch to eat it in peace, then scaning the forest behind it for anything.

[Asa]

"Anyone else? I heard something, didn't see anything though," Pryll said, biting into a juicy, plump fruit, "Nice fruit, very ni--" He grabbed his throat, dropping to his knees. He started to choke and his face went purple, then his hands started to elongate and grow claws. His skin started to turn armoured and blue, horns sprouted from his now animal-esque face. He gave a growl and turned around, leaping away into the trees, leaving the half-eaten fruit.

Soon, Pryll made for the trees and turned back, keeping out of sight. He wondered if Ayira recognised the animal he had turned into, a kr'yana. He leapt down, shifting back into Pryll. He landed hard in front of her, laughing. "Like my trick? These fruit can change you, into one of those. I'd be careful with the fruit you're eating, and the bird you gave a bit to. Don't worry, the affects don't tend to last long. As long as you know how to reverse them," He chuckled to himself, loving the jokes and pranks. Ah, the simple joys of life.

[wolfenchantress]

Ayria jumped when Pryll seemed to choke, then change into something she didn't recognize. She stared wide eyed as he dashed off into the trees, leaving a half eaten fruit, the same one she was eating.

When he returned, perfectly normal, she breathed a sigh of relief. She listened to his warning and glanced at the bird, who was preening his silky feathers, completely unchanged. Nonetheless, she dropped the fruit.
"I won't risk it," She said. "I'm not very hungry, anyways." She grinned, only half-lying. She'd eaten before getting onto the boat, so she'd be good for a while.

"Anyways, I'm going to explore a bit. You're welcome to come or stay, I'll return soon enough," She said, turning towards the woods. With only a second of hesitation, she started down a way that held the least branches and overgrowth to block her path. She had absolutely no idea what was on this island, and was curious to find out. Absently, she wondered if Pryll remembered anything at all about this island.

[Asa]

"I'll come," He said, "I've been wanting to explore this place. There's something about it, I guess deja vu, except something bad. It might sound strange coming from me, but I'm scared," And he meant it. His jokes were over, and he felt a strange presence, "Follow me," He said, "I know a really nice place that I read about in my diary," He took Ayira's hand and lead her through the jungle, twisting and turning, knowing exactly where he was going.

Eventually, he came to a flowery bush. Pryll reached in and parted the foliage, revealing an underground passage. "In here," He said and went in. Glowing mushrooms grew along the passage, lighting their way, Until it opened up into a huge cave.

The cave was green, full of foliage. The roof was painted to reality, looking like a bright blue skies with a few clouds, and it changed as the perspective changed. The cave was lit by a large cluster of yellow mushrooms; the sun. A waterfall poured out of the side of the rock into a small pool. The whole thing resembled a large crater, filled with nature and beauty, "Magic paints," Pryll commented about the roof, "Apparently, I built the place. The whole thing. My diary says 'Finally, it's finished. The whole thing, built for someone I haven't met yet' I don't know who I built it for. Can't remember. Come on, let's have a look round," He ran into some tree, then stopped, "Ayira! Get here!" He cried out. He was staring at the grass. There, spelt out in flowers, was 'Ayira'.

[wolfenchantress]

She followed his lead through the twisting jungle. He seemed to know exactly where to go, though he didn't remember any of it from before. Eventually, they came to a large, beautiful flowered bush, which he moved aside to reveal a cavern.

The inside was breathtaking. As she walked, the ceiling seemed to change, the wonderfully 'painted' ceiling. Waterfalls, flowers, a sun of glowing mushrooms. All in all, it made her stare, wide eyes in fascination.

"Pryll, this is amazing. And..You made this?" She followed him when he called for her, and stared in even more amazement at her name, written out in flowers. "How? What are maic paints?"

"That's...my name," She said. Her reading skills were not so great, but her name was obviously there. "Did you just do this now? Or was it here?" She asked. She knelt and ran her hands through the soft foliage. It seemed as though it had been there for ages.

"This place...what is it? Did you write down what it is? Or...why my name is here?" Maye it was coincidence, but her name was rather uncommon. She'd never met anyone with the same name as her.

[Asa]

"No," Said Pryll, "I'm as shocked as you. Listen it's time I told you the truth about me," He sat down and motioned for Ayira to do the same. "Where to start? Well, I'm very old. I'm not sure how old exactly, because I started my diary some time after my beginning, at least 150 years after. My first entry is from...seven hundred and fifty years ago. I've lived and seen everything, but I cannot remember past 150 years ago. Every day, I wake up with another part of my memory missing. The only thing that stays are the mental scars that I have been struck with. Or the mental...trophies, I guess. Now, the next part. Well, I'll start with that I love practical jokes. Not normal ones, special ones. You see, I have the ability to shapeshift. I became that sea-monster, I became that other version of you that you saw, I became the thing that ran through the trees, the fruit wan't really poisonous. I just changed, just as a little joke. But now, I'm not joking. No jokes. I don't know how this happened, all I said in my diary was that I built it for someone I hadn't met yet. I said I left a sign, so I guess this is it...I wonder why I built it for you..." Pryll shook his head, "That, I can't answer. Or how I knew that I would meet you. Maybe I had a glimpse into the future and...I don't know. Well, feel free to come here any time you want. Afterall, it is yours," Pryll smiled.

[wolfenchantress]

Ayria was rather surprised at Pryll's age. For a fleeting moment she wondered if he was lying,but knew better when she saw hiss expression.

"So you can shape-shift," She said. He was being rather open, which was new to her but she was glad she could be trusted. He gad been the one who was...well, her, and the fruit was in fact fine. She grinned in relief that she wasn't going mad.

A Cautra, which was a jungle cat; moderately large in size, and usually vicious stalked up behind her and purred, curling next to her.

"Hello, Cautra," She spoke to it in it's own tongue. "Did you follow me here?"
"Yes, I did," It said back happily.

"I suppose I should tell you more about myself than," She said to Pryll. She hadn't been going to, but saw no reason to not to tell him and figured he was going to realize eventually anyways.
"Animals love me. I can speak to them, all of them. Any animal at all, and I know their language. I don't really know how, but that's what I'm trying to find out. That's how I got that sea-dragon to go away, he told me he thought I was some sort of diving being and left." She grinned. "He was way off the mark, but then again, most sea creatures are a bit . . .odd."

She looked around n wonder again at the room. How had he built it for her, when he hadn't known her?
"I wonder how you knew you would meet me," She said absently. And why he would build her, someone he had never met, something so...amazing.

[Asa]

"Wow, talk to animals. That's...new. Not in 150 years, nor the billions of other years in my diary, have I met someone with the ability to talk to animals. Yes, I've met people who can read animals faces, but not talk, and certainly not to sea-dragons. Maybe you are a divine being...or not," Pryll smiled, "Maybe, I had a glimpse into the future from a fortune-teller and they told me that I would meet you, and that you were a divine being, and that you were very powerful or something. I dunno...it's possible. Or maybe it was...hmmm. Also, I put quite a few animals near the waterfall. I guess you like them. Come on, let's go there now,"

Around the pool was many animals, wild-cats, Lithra'anas, all sorts. They approached Ayira, making their friendly noises. "Well, they like you. Ooh, I've got an idea!" Pryll morphed into a Catura, and joined the rest of the friendly animals he purred to the animals, trying to tell them that he was friendly. The other Catura purred back, but he couldn't understand it. Morphing back into Pryll, he asked Ayira if she could understand them.

[wolfenchantress]

She shrugged and smiled. "I don't think I'm any sort of divine being. Then again, it's not like my parents ever told me about my family's history," She said thoughtfully.

She followed Pryll to the waterfall and was delighted to see the animals. She knelt down, laughing, as Pryll turned himself into a Cautra, speaking to the others. They meowled and purred in return, only a bit hesitant once they realizd he wouldn't hurt them.

"Well, this one here said she thinks you are strange," She answered his question, petting one's head. "And this one wants to know how you can do that. They are mostly curious. The little one over there wants to be just like you," She said, pointing to the cub trying to walk on two legs and laughing.

((Wasn't sure if you wanted Ayria to be able to understand Pryll or not when he's an animal- I was going to add something about it, but didn't quite know lol))

[Asa]

((Umm...I wasn't sure either. I was going to leave it up to you. It's your choice, since it is you're power))

Pryll shifted back into his ordinary form and laughed. "Wow, I feel like such an inspiration. And tell the one who asked how I could do it...tell them that even I don't know how. And the one who said I'm strange-tell them that I think they're strange," He laughed, "But these animals...I think that I put them here because I knew that you like animals," He stopped and looked up at the painted ceiling. The painted sun was moving down and away, making the sky go slightly orange, "Sun's setting. This thing is aligned to real time, so when I say it's setting, I mean it. Come on, let's settle down and get our beds set up," He took Ayira to a small clearing with two soft mattresses laid out with blankets and pillows, "You can have the one on the left, I'll have the one on the right. G'night," and he settled down in bed as the sky got darker. Soon he had drifted off into a deep sleep...

Pryll sat up quickly. Sweat dripped from his brow. Where was he? He looked around, and realised that he was in a rock tunnel. Behind him was a dead end, and forward was dark. There was no sign of Ayira. He stood up and walked off into the dark. To his suprise, as he walked along, his way stayed lighted. He continued until he came to a large cavern with a lone figure sitting on the floor with his head in his hands, "Hello?" Pryll called out. The figure did not respond. Pryll walked cautiously towards him. When he reached him, he spoke softly, "Are you okay? Hello? Anyone home?" Nothing. He reached out and lifted his head up, only to come face to face with...himself!

Pryll woke up in cold sweat. "What a weird dream," He muttered to himself. It was still night time. He sighed and started to update his diary.

[wolfenchantress]

Ayria laughed, relaying the requested messages to the curious animals. Then she followed him to the mattresses and lay down in the one designated for her.

However, she found that she couldn't sleep. No matter, she thought. This place is plenty big. I'll go look around. Rising silently, she wandered over to the waterfall, watching the cautras play, despite the late hour. She gazed at the painted ceiling in awe - it really was something out of a fairy tale, almost.

"Who are you?" She heard, and spun around. The oldest of the Cautras, the elder probably, sat looking at her quizzically.

"Who am I? I'm Ayria, I -"
"No, no. I mean, who are you that you can speak our language? And who is that one who can turn into our form?" It stood, inspecting her.
"I..I don't really know. I'm sorry, I can't really answer that..."
"A shame. You might be the one that . . .Never mind." It cut itself off abruptly. "Either way, I welcome you Ayria. Now if I may be excused, goodnight." It stalked off into the dark.

Somewhat confused, she walked back to where Pryll was and found him writing.
"Hello,"She said. "Did I Wake you?" She wondered how loud she had been when she departed.

(( leaving bright and early tomorrow morning...I'll post as soon as I return though ;D ))

[Asa]

"Hmm? No you didn't wake me. I had this really odd dream...I dreamt that I was in these caves and then I went into this cavern, and there was someone sat in the middle. I went to them and looked at their face, and it was me! I don't usually remember my dreams. Anyway, I've just been updating my diary," Pryll told Ayira. He scrawled away for a little longer and when he was finished, he dropped straight to sleep.

[wolfenchantress]

Ayria nodded, glad she hadn't woken him, but found that she still couldn't sleep. Her mind raced with so many thoughts, so many questions that she didn't quite know how to ask. So she sat up, looking around, the room still amazing her with everything she looked at. She didn't know quite how long she stayed sitting, looking at everything, but eventually the room started to get lighter, and she looked at the...what had he called it? The painted ceiling? to notice that it must be almost daytime. Birds began to sing, songs she recognized, which brought some comfort.

She thought about the dream Pryll had. It seemed to her that it should have some significance, but none that she could quite place. Shaking her head, she lay back, watching the sky..ceiling...with interest.

(yay I'm back!! Sorry for the absence lol))

[Asa]

Pryll ran away from the thing that was persuing him. He raced through the trees and foliage, trying to escape...escape what? He was tying to escape his nightmare.

He sat up in his bed, eyes wide, looking round frantically. He sighed and noticed Ayira awake in her bed. "Ah, you're awake. I just had another weird dream. It was a short one, but I was being chased by something, something that I most feared, but I don't know what," He shook his head, "Something's been bugging me. 150 years ago, I was told something important. Something really important. However, I did not have my diary with me and I never wrote down what it was. And now, I can't remember. Anyway, I'm going to get up, take a stoll around outside. He stood up, stretched, and wandered to the exit

Outside, he strolled around the trees, looking at the green trees and brightly coloured fruit. He shifted into a g'nark- a long necked animal- picked a plump purlple fruit off a tree, then shifted into a Ramnia- an animal with sensitive taste buds- so he would enjoy the taste even more. Changing back into Pryll, he continued walking. He came to some incredibly dense trees- even denser than those on Drano Island- and looked through the tiny gaps. inside was a large, misty swamp. Pryll was filled with curiosity, so he shifted into an ant and crawled through a tiny gap. Then he morphed into a marsh runner, a bird-like creature with wide webbed feet- perfect for running on marshes. After a few minutes, he came to a small island with the entrance to what looked like a temple. Changing back into Pryll, he walked toward the stone steps leading down, then followed them down. Except, about half-way down, the step disapeared. Pryll fell down and landed unconcious on the cold stone floor below.

[wolfenchantress]

Ayria, after a few moments, got up and followed, having nothing better to do. She was just in time to see him change into something small and disappear into a copse of incredibly thick overgrowth.

She followed to the edge of it. The trees were fairly spaced apart, but the vines and shrubbery made even thinking about fighting through there impossible. She frowned.

After a few moments, she hailed a bird, who dropped down and perched indignantly on her arm, irritated that she had disturbed it's hunting.
"Will you fly overhead ans see if you can spy any other people in the forest here?" she asked. Pryll would probably not be in his human form, but if he was she was mostly just curious where he was going. Nodding, the bird launched into the air, soaring for about three minuted before returning and reporting it's findings. there was another person, lying unconscious by the shrine. Before she could ask anything else, the bird flew off, after a new meal.

She thought hard. If it was Pryll, he was in trouble. Even if it wasn't, she had to go investigate.
She summoned a Wolryg, a massively powerful animal about the size of a large wolf, similar to a rhino in build but with soft downy fur and the face more of a dog.
"Can you clear a path through here for me?" She asked it sweetly. It grinned and nodded, as she expected. Wolrygs were always eager to please.

The animal threw itself against the underbrush, viciously tearing and clawing a path through the jungle. She crawled after it on hands and knees, thorns smacking her face and arms. It got to be annoying, but just as she thought she was lost, the Wolryg broke through to a clearing of stone steps. She looked down and, sure enough, Pryll lay facedown. She thanked the Wolryg and carefully jumped down beside him, landing hard and falling backwards. Scrambling to a crouch, she gently shook Pryll.
"Pryll, wake up!" She said urgently. "Please be okay!!"

(Is pryll a human or is he still a Marsh Runner? If that's the case I'll change my post )

[Asa]

((Yeah, he's Human. I changed mine to make it clear that he'd changed))

Pryll groaned and looked around. Ayira was beside him, shaking him gently. "Oh-oh-oh...my head..." He moaned, "Oooh...hey, thanks for coming. I don't know how long it would've took me to wake up..." He lifted himself onto his feet and looked around. The pit was small, with stone walls all around. Looking up, he noticed that the booby-trapped step hadn't closed. He leaned against a wall...only for it to give way and topple over. "Ooh...my back," Pryll grumbled as he stood back up. He turned around to see a tunnel leading off, torches set against the walls.

"Huh," said Pryll, "I wonder how the torches have kept going?" He hobbled over to the wall, looking at some markings. He flipped out his diary and flicked through to a page early on. He studied the wall and his diary intently, occasionally muttering to himself. "This writing," he said, "It's an ancient language used thousands of years ago. I've got a translation page for it in here," He tapped his diary, "It hasn't been spoken for a very long time, and I never bothered to learn it off by heart- it's incredibly complicated. I think this says...something about a...a desert...something lost...umm...rit...ritual...err...there's a symbol I don't recognize..." It was an odd one, þ○, and he had never seen it before, "Hmm...this place must be pretty old. I want to look further. You can come if you want," And with that he set off down the tunnel and round the corner. After venturing a little further, an arrow nearly shot through his head, so his shifted into a rock golem to protect himself from the arrows that simply snapped or bounced off his hard, rocky shell, although there wasn't many more arrows.

He soon arrived at a large rocky clearing, a huge temple situated in the middle. Steps led up to a platform with a pedestal in the centre. Shifting back into himself, he walked, in a trance, towards the temple. He heard many voices whispering to him, coaxing him in. He felt dizzy, "I am the one," he whispered to himself. He was cut out of the trance by a strange growl. Looking down, he saw a creature with the head of a crocodile and the body of some sort of large wolf. It pounced on him, screeching wildly. Knocking Pryll to the floor. The jaws of the creature locked around his right arm and started to mutilate his flesh. Pryll screamed and shifted his left into a stone golem's arm. He smashed it into the crocodile face and it rolled off him. Then, something occurred to him. He shifted into his friend, Ayira, then tried talking to it. Do not kill me, please! I am simply a humble traveller who has wandered accidentally into your den. Please let me leave! The creature seemed to listen, but when it replied, all that he could hear was a deathly screech in his head. Pryll screamed and shifted back into himself, and the screaming stopped. He moaned and fell back as the creature moved in for the kill.

((Press Alt+0254 and Alt+9 for the symbol Pryll doesn't recognise))

[wolfenchantress]

Ayria let out a sigh of relief as Pryll awoke. He seemed allright, a bit sore maybe, but for the most part relatively unharmed.

She followed him down the corridor, hanging back a bit. She couldn't change into anything to prevent getting stuck with an arrow. She placed a hand on the Wolryg's fur. He'd followed after her, Wolrygs being more curious than cats, and stayed by her side per her request. She didn't want it to get lost or speared.

Then they came to the temple like building. Pryll began walking towards it, almost as if in a trance, whispering to himself. She hung back a bit, holding the ruff or the Wolryg's neck so i wouldn't follow. That was when she notice the massive creature that was just a few steps ahead of Pryll. It jumped at him and latched into his arm, but he easily got it off. Then, to her surprise, he shifted into herself and spoke to it. The words were easily understood - they were screechy and clicky. She was shocked - not that he could shift into her, but that he could speak to it - even shifted into her, the words were hard to form for one who has never done it. Then again, maybe as her he had her skill too? She'd no idea.

Then the answer. It came as what would be a terrifying, ear-splitting scream to most, but she heard the words clear as day: "GET OUT" and it moved in for the kill.

With a savage snarl, the Wolryg broke her grip easily and in three long strides was upon it. The creature fought back, delivering a wicked gash to its head, but it hardly noticed, using deadly jaws to tear at it's throat. But it had far superior strength, and with ease it picked up the Wolryg in it's maw and, with a toss of it's powerful head, sen it flying into a wall of the temple. The great animal let out a yelp and lay still. It then turned back to Pryll, and she stepped between them. It began to slowly close the distance between them, a murderous gleam in it's eye

"Please stop," She said, the clicks and shreiks coming as easily as breathing. "We are lost and need to find our way out." The creature didn't slow it's walk. She tried a different approach.
"Stop." She growled to it. "You will let us pass without any further incident." Again, it didn't slow. From the corner of her eye, she saw the Wolryg rise to it's feet, covered in blood. She coulod tell it was badly hurt - it didn't put wight on its hind left leg, and a gash blinded it in its right eye. Multiple cuts covered its body. She lifted a hand, telling it to stay put, but it stubbornly crawled to her side.

whatever it was was only a few feet away now, and it let out a screech that had no meaning other than to let out anger. It opened it's crocodilian jaws, and as a last resort bent down and wrote in the dirt on the ground.

(insert symbol here - my computer won't put it in, it keeps making it all funky)

Upon seeing the writing in the dirt, it stopped, a suspicious hiss escaping between its teeth. It eyes her, then Pryll.

"the one?" It hissed, its gaze flicking between them. "Which of you is it?"
She relayed its question to Pryll, hoping he has something about that in his diary.

[Asa]

Pryll stared at Ayira, then the creature. "The one?" He said, "That's what the whispers said to me. I am the one...I think. It must be me. But--" The creature screeched shortly then started scratching symbols into the dust. Pryll looked closer. It looked like a map.
..................╔═════╗
○═════════╬══¤ þ○║
..................╚═════╝
It looked like a map of where they were. The creature pointed at the little circle with the cross and pointed at the temple, the it pointed at the symbol that he didn't recognise, but now knew it meant 'chosen one' and then at Pryll. "You want me to go up onto the temple?" Pryll asked. The creature, who didn't understand Pryll, simply pointed at the symbol, then at Pryll. He sighed, stood up, then headed for the temple. As he did, he started to hear the whisperings, and he fell into a trance. He vaguely noticed the crocodile-headed creature following beside him. As he ascended the temple steps, the whispers grew louder, more urgent and frantic. When he reached the top, he leaned against the pedestal. It was covered in markings. He began reading the scripture with ease.

"When The One arrives, the land shall rise and the waters break.
Dark secrets shall be uncovered, and The Other shall be awakened from their deep slumber"

He continued forward to a plinth. The creature rested one of it's paws on the empty top, then scratched into a wall a message: The K'hadryn crystal is missing, stolen many years ago. It must be returned. There is a secluded place on Drano island, guarded by a Ghaki, a snake-like creature with seven heads. Your animal-talking friend will be incredibly helpful, as she will be able to answer it's riddle. Without her, it would be impossible to gain.
Pryll nodded and descended down the steps, the whispers getting quieter until they were gone. He told Ayira about what had happened. "So, I need to go to Drano and find the crystal, then return and do whatever needs doing, and I need you to come with me," He concluded.

[wolfenchantress]

Ayria watched as the thing scratched a map into the dust, telling Pryll to go into the temple. He followed the order, the thing beside her. She knelt down, inspecting the Wolryg's wounds. They were bad, but unless infection set in they weren't life threatening.

"Thank you" She said to it. "You saved our lives, and for that I am grateful, but right now you need to rest. Go to a body of water and wash off, the go back to your family. They will take care of you." The Wolryg, ever - trusting, nodded and set off the way they had come just as Pryll returned.

"Drano Island?" She said. "Alright. We can go get this crystal thing. I wonder why it's so important? No matter. We can get there before dark if we start now, maybe, if not tomorrow morning."

[Asa]

"Right, okay, let's go. Hey, thanks for coming with me," He smiled then set off out of the temple. When he came to the pit, he shifted into a crackta monkey and hopped up. He then found a vine, cut through it with one of his shurikens. He ran back to the pit and threw down the end for Ayira to climb up. When she got to the top, he said to her, "I'm going to shift into a marsh runner, so I want you to climb on my back," He shifted into a marsh runner and pelted across the swamp until he reached the edge and found the hole Ayira's wolryg had made and shifted back into himself. He crawled through and continued through the woods. After a while, they reached the sandy shore.

Pryll waded out into the sea. "If you think the jungles here are dense, just wait till you see the ones at Drano Island," And he started shifting into an amphimbian creature, when he remembered Ayira. "Hmm..." He thought, still half fish-man, "How will we get you there? Hmm...you can talk to animals? Hmm...I just need for you to be able to breathe underwater...I know!" Pryll rushed off into the jungle and came back holding a bent bamboo tube, "Put this in your mouth and climb on my back. I'll stay near the surface, so you can use it like a snorkel! Then I can swim to Drano, and you'll be able to breathe! What do you think?"

[wolfenchantress]

((sorry for the late reply - I've been sick, so I didn't do anything for a few days))

Ayria followed him, watching in a kind of awe as he easily shifted into different animals to suit what he was doing. She struggled to keep up until finally they reached the shore.

She thought for a moment how she would get across without a boat until Pryll arrived with a piece of hollow bamboo and told her to put it in her mouth so she could breathe. She wondered if it wouldn't be easier to just call on a sea creature to carry her, or maybe something that could fly, but she followed the directions with a shrug.

"Right," She said. "Ready." She hoped everything would go okay once they got there, with the seven headed snake serpent thing. The riddle was another thing alltogether - she wasn't exactly the best at them. But they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

[Asa]

"Good," Pryll smiled, shifting the rest of the way into a sea-man," Just climb on my back and breathe through your bamboo," When she had, he strode out into the sea, then dived in and started swimming very close to the water top. Ayira was actually out of the water, "Keep the bamboo in your mouth!" Pryll came to the surface and shouted, "It's there for in case I dip down," and then went under again.

Pryll had been swimming for hours. Before, he had occasionally dipped down, but now it was getting more often. He wondered if Ayira was asleep up there, Wait! If she is asleep, then has she still got the straw in her mouth? he thought, suddenly. He surfaced and quickly glanced behind him, before dipping back under. He could tell she still had the straw, but not whether she was asleep. He also noticed Drano coming up rather close.

He was tired, tired and, um, tired, but he had made it. He was on the small beaches of Drano, the huge, threatening-yet-enchanting rainforests before him. He lay Ayira down and shifted back into himself. He watched his hands as they turned from scaly blue to pink, as the webs between his fingers grew back in. He sighed and lied on the sand, exhausted.

[wolfenchantress]

they set off after a minute towards Drano Island. It was a rather amusing experience, really, to be carried across the ocean. Ence they arrived, she hopped into the sand and lay down next to Pryll.

"Thank you," She said. "That was easier than finding a boat, or another animal to carry me. Well, maybe not easier, but definentally faster." She watched few puffy clouds drift by lazily, twisting their shapes with the wind.

"Where do you think this seven headed snake thing is?" She asked. "And are we sure it won't just eat us, that it will ask a riddle first?" If they needed to know where to find it, she coud ask around. Animals knew a lot of things. She didn't think people gave them enough credit for that; that most people thought of them as just dumb beasts. The truth was far from that - some animals were far smarter than humans.

"I hope we can answer its riddle. If it asks us one first. I'm not very good with that kind of stuff. Did that other thing back on Sandew tell you that we would get the Crystal back if we answered it correctly?"

[Asa]

"Hmm..." Said Pryll, shifting back into himself, "I'm not sure where this seven headed thing is, but I'm sure it'll ask us the riddle. It must be pretty smart to ask people riddles, and I reckon that it'll only eat us if we get it wrong. But other people who try to find it, they can't understand him--or her, or it, so it must be animals that try and get the crystal- I think that he can talk to most animals, since he won't be able to talk to people, otherwise I wouldn't need you. Anyway, let's set off," He stood up and looked at the jungle that awaited them, then walked towards it.

It was hot, humid and dense, although, with this being the place where adventurers came from Sandew Island to explore the rainforests, it wasn't too dense. He searched for a tree with bright red fruit that grew in clusters. He picked a couple off and threw one to Ayira, "DON'T! Eat it. Rub it over your body- Drano Island is filled with disease. These will protect you from most of them. He rubbed his over himself, so looked slightly red, then carried on.

They travelled across streams via fallen trees, natural bridges formed years ago. Ah, the history of the place Pryll thought. Pryll envied times when history was everywhere, due to his lack of memory (Well, 150 years is more than most people get, but compared to his age it is a lack).

After a while of wandering, Pryll stopped dead in his tracks. "Ayira," Pryll whispered, "Quiet. I heard something," Ayira wouldn't have heard it though, as Pryll had excellent hearing etc. A dart came flying through the air towards Pryll, but he managed to fall to the ground in time. Another dart whizzed past his ear, then another hit him in his left arm. "Ngrh!" Pryll gasped as his arm started to burn and sting. Several tribal men stepped out from the trees grasping blow-pipes. Pryll looked at them, then at his arm. A green trickle dripped down from the dart in his arm. Pryll grunted and shifted into a Yao Guai, a large bear-like creature. He jumped up and roared at the tribals, slashing one of their stomachs open. They fell dead to the ground. The others ran off, but one fired another dart that stuck into Prylls stomach, then dashed off. Pryll shifted back into himself, then fell to the green foliage on the ground.

He groaned and pulled the darts out. He examined the poison on the tip of the dart, but he didn't recognise it. "Ayira," He called out, "I've been poisoned. I don't know how lethal it is, but by the looks of the tribals, it's probably quite dangerous. We need help. If I'm right, there's a group of druids that live nearby. They'll be able to help us," He stood up, but his legs turned to jelly and he collapsed. "Urgh...I think you'll have to carry me. If you head westwards, umm...that way," He pointed, "You'll come to the druids grove. I know them, but not in this form," He shifted into a druid wearing white tattered robes, "Urgh...t-t-tell them that...an old friend needs a f-f-f-favour...oooh..." His head went dizzy and his vision blurred, "G-g-g-ge-get me th-there k-k-k-quick..."

[wolfenchantress]

Ayria followed him into the jungle with some fascination. It was warm and very humid, but nothing that couldn't be deal with. Sensing her presence, animals were not in short supply, always there were many who stayed within sight but still far enough away that they weren't intrusive. Birds flew above them twittering happily, and overall it was a nice place.

At least, that was what she originally thought. Pryll suddenly dropped to the ground, avoiding a small dart. Another flew from the same direction and stuck in his arm. He easily dispatched with some, but the rest ran off, and one managed to fire another dart that buried itself into his stomach. She looked on in horror, not quite sure what to do.

"Carry you?" She said quietly. She was small, and not exactly the strongest person ever.

"We will help." She turned to see five Urusai, which were things resembling jaguars but they were much bigger, and had stronger muscles and a thick set body with black stripes that ran the length of their bodies. She knew that they were probably the fastest things in this entire jungle. "We saw what happened. Ushi and Karr will carry you both to the Druids your friend speaks of."

Immediately, she was filled with relief, fairly certain that if she didn't have this ability Pryll would be dead.

Karr helped Ayria situate Pryll carefully onto Ushi's back.
"You need not worry about him falling," the big cat said. "We are smooth runners. He will not even be jarred." And once Ayria climbed onto Karr's back, they were off like lightning, trees whizzing past like blurs. Ushi was right - she felt like she was floating, not like she was on the back of a charging animal. It was not long t all before they arrived to the group Pryll had spoken of. After only a few seconds, three of them came out to meet them, at first terrified of the Urusai but calmed once they saw that the animals would not do them any harm. Quickly, she explained their situation, and again as Pryll had said, they recognized him.

"Follow me," one of them said, and turned, starting back into a small village. Still atop the big cats, which seemed quite curious, she followed and stopped outside of a small house.

"We will bring him inside to treat him," said the first Druid. "Wait out here, we will fetch you when there is a change in his condition." Nodding she slid off of Karr and sat down, the two cats curling up next to her.
"You two don't have to stay, you know," She said.
"We know. We would like to see if he is okay," Karr said. She grinned and stroked his head. "I'm sure he will be glad to hear you are concerned," She said, and leaned against the animal to wait, eventually falling asleep (long after the two Urusai had) using Karr as a pillow.

[Asa]

Pryll groaned and opened his eyes. He was in a small hut and he was lying on a hammock. Ah thought Pryll Ayira got me here. Thats brilliant...ah, a druid, he'll be able to help. A druid wearing similar tattered white robes stepped in through the curtain door. "Kuk, you have returned, as you said you would one day. However, we are saddened to see you in such a state. We have identified your poison as deadly, although there is a cure. It is very rare and only available from our brothers on the other side of the Island. Fortunately, we are in possession of a small dose. We were going to give it to Druid Haiman, who has suffered the same poison as you, but he is on the verge of death and it is not certain it will save him rather than prolong his death from the poison. On the other hand, you are definately going to recover from it and we are greatly in your debt," The druid explained, "Here," He said, protuding a vial of a glowing sickly yellow-green liquid, "Drink this. It will heal your wounds..." He gave it to Kuk who weakly placed the vial to his lips and drank. It tasted foul but he didn't mind, "Thank you," Kuk said quietly.
"Rest, o great one, and you will feel better late tomorrow afternoon. Your friend is fine. We shall sort arrangements out for tomorrow. She may help or enjoy our lesiurely activities. Sleep well, Kuk,"

[wolfenchantress]

Later that day, Ayria was approached by the same one who had taken Pryll earlier.
"He is doing fine," She was told. "He was given a cure, and he will recover. Of that there is no question." She nodded, relieved, and Karr purred a question: "He is well, then?" She nodded, avoiding answering aloud, not really sure how the man might react. "May we go explore the rest of the town, then?" Ushi piped in with a meow that might have belonged to a regular old cat. The were on their best behavior.

"Would it be okay if I took a look around?" She asked for the two Urusai.
"Of course. If you need anything, feel free to just ask." She nodded.

On the back of Karr, they wandered through the small place, recieving many stares and fearful looks. Despite the two animals being good and not acting out, or even letting out so much as a growl, people couldn't help but give them sideways glances. She could see why - standing on all fours, they were easily as tall as a person. Nonetheless, she smiled and greeted those she passed.

After a bit, she returned to where they had been before, kind of across from Pryll's quarters. Ushi and Karr sat on either side of her, dwarfing her considerably, and she sat in the middle. She talked to the Urusai for a while before she began to sing a song, one in the language of wolves, about three children that were raised by wolves and grew up to be gods. She got the audience of a brave dog, who sat and listened to her, despite the presence of the Urusai. A few people glanced over, but since the song was in wolves' speak, no one could remember the words, at most they would have a lingering sense of the melody. Grinning, she leaned against Ushi and waited for some sort of direction, not quite sure what to do.