((Ok, I lied. THIS is my last post))

"You might not always lose, Krinn, but you don't have the information you want either. Isn't that the same as losing?" Kenji raises Krinn's head, forcing the wolf/man to look him in the eyes. "As you can tell, we aren't staying in one place either. Merisa and I are on a quest, true, but a pack comes before any stone. You have friends you can rely on. You just have to realize that." He starts back toward the stream and stops. "Uh, I got here by following you, can you lead us back out? I didn't take the time to memorize landmarks."

Also having followed behind Kenji, at a much slower pace, more of a jog through the trees than a sprint, Adamina stepped from the trees. She smiled at Kenji, her eyes not once wandering to Krinn. At least not yet. "You're a wolf. You should be able to get out the same way you got in." She made an exaggerated sniffing sound and raised her head, moving it back and forth a bit to symbolize smell. "You traced his scent here, you could probably trace it back if you wanted. If not, Krinn or I could lead you." She shrugged at the last part.

Finally she turned her attention to the humanoid Krinn. "I knew you weren't just a wolf." She let her eyes rake over his whole body, from face to feet. Finally, eyes resting once more on his, she grinned and raised her eyebrows once before letting them settle over her eyes once more. "Nice. Very nice." She snickered once and leaned against a tree. Her tail raised and wrapped itself around her waist.

[Very VERY depressing :cry: All our posts for today got wiped out :gonk:]

"Hey wait!" the young man called out after Merisa but she was already closing the distance between her and the stream. He followed after her quickly and soon found himself at the unpopulated area. It seems the confrontation had moved to the forests and while Yuzo was relieved the danger was elsewhere, he couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. He also wanted to find out what was going on but Kenji told him to keep his fellow elf safe. The other strange girl (for Merisa was quite strange herself) had gone on ahead to get up close to the action. Yuzo had to be content with just listening to the sounds of the battle, though his hearing wasn't as sharp as his companions'. At least the tiger-girl didn't look like she would be running off again any time soon.

Krinn shuddered a bit when Adamina looked him over, turning his head slightly so he didn't meet her gaze. A light smile on his lips. "She's right though, you should follow the scent back." He had chuckled a bit, looking at Kenji. His hand came up to cover his side, resting lightly on the outside of the makeshift bandage. He bit down on his bottom lip for a moment and watched Kenji expectantly.

"Meaning that you don't remember how you came this way, and she won't tell us because she wants to see me act 'wolf'." Kenji sighs, adding a small groan into the end. He did refrain from rolling his eyes, but it took a lot of effort. Clearing his thoughts, he focuses on the scents in the air. This was easier before, when I was worried the tiger would kill Krinn. He picks up on the scents of the strange female, and Krinn beside him, the trees around them, and slowly, like a path unfolding in his mind, the not-so-old scent of his tearing through the woods while following Krinn's scent.

He opens his eyes, trying to imagine the scents as colors to mark the path back. The cobalt trail leads the way through the woods. "Okay, I got it. This would be easier if I was a full wolf, I'm sure..."

~X~

She knew Yuzo was with her, but she was more intently focused on Kenji than anything else. She'd lost him once, after all, the thought of losing him again, so soon after getting him back, made her want to do anything to keep that from happening. "The fight is done. I think I hear them talking, but I'm not so sure. They'll be coming back now. Oh, I hope Kenji and Krinn are alright." Merisa's eyes opened wider for a moment. "Wait, I sound like my mother... Of course they're alright. Kenji is strong enough to survive anything!"

~X~

In the trees above the heads of the two wolves, a small critter flits around. It flies silently and quickly from one concealing branch to the other. All the while, it follows Kenji, close enough to not lose sight of him, but far enough to not be detected by him either. It thinks the only way it will survive is to follow Kenji, and only Kenji. It doesn't know how it knows the name, given that it doesn't even know if itself has a name, but it knows deep down that survival will come from he who is called Kenji.



((I'll put the bio up for the 'critter' in a little while. Only on long enough to make this post. ^_^ ))

"I'm sure they're ok." Yuzo replied, though he wasn't sure if it was enough to calm the worried woman down. He looked to the forest that the three had entered after Merisa had said they were done fighting. It was true that the area had suddenly become quieter. "Hey, you want to go find them? If the fight is really over then I'm sure there's no reason for us to stay away." he suggested. Yuzo began walking through the tall grass towards where the now silent battle cries had originated from, making sure to wait for the black and red haired elf before moving any further.

Krinn blinked at Kenji's words. "I know the way we came, I'm very good at picking up scents, and taking note of my surroundings, even during a fight." That nose wrinkled slightly with disdain, and then he shrugged. Though once Kenji announced that he had scent, Krinn began moving. At Kenji's remark about it being easier, Krinn shook his head. "Doubt it. If you can't do it now with minimal effort, then being a full wolf wouldn't make much difference....Practice makes perfect."

Kenji swallows his pride, knowing that he was a wolf for only three years, while Krinn has been a wolf for obviously longer, but the statement still stung. "I made no effort at all earlier and followed the scents easily, but now it seems to take some doing. I merely thought that maybe thinking more 'wolf' was needed to be able to do things that wolves do so simply." He leads them out of the trees, on the other side of the stream where Merisa and Yuzo wait for them. "Merisa? Yuzo, this isn't keeping her safe, the fight might have led back here again."

Merisa stood up when Kenji led the others out of the woods, but she bowed her head in expectation of admonishment. "But Kenji, I was worried for you and Krinn. I know I couldn't do anything, but I hoped that if I was waiting for you when you got back, it might be a nice surprise. Who's that? Where's Krinn?"

She was, of course, looking at the man to Kenji's side, to Krinn in his human form. She, unlike Kenji, didn't really think that Krinn was more than an odd wolf that could possibly have been cursed, or been a man that was turned to wolf and couldn't change back. It never occurred to her that Krinn could be human too. "Kenji, your shirt's missing." She sighs, shaking her head sadly. "I haven't got one to give you. Now we'll have to go to town. Have we got something to trade for a shirt?"

~X~

Over Kenji's head, a green critter continues to flit about unseen. When Kenji leaves the forest, it follows without hesitation, and dives down to the stream. Taking a few dips, it drinks from the stream without losing it's momentum that carries it back to the sky again. It's not ready for the others to know that Kenji is it's savior. It's not ready to officially join their party yet. It will hang back and observe for now.



((Yes, I know, I could have had Kenji and Merisa talking together, but I wasn't sure if Krinn wouldn't want to answer for himself or what. And I know, I should have had Merisa/Kenji notice the 'critter', but I wondered if Yuzo might not have something to say about it... Call me nuts, but it would suck to have two characters making a huge post talking and not letting the other characters explain it for themselves. That, and already it took me 4 hours to think up this post... >.<))

The young dragon didn't have to wait long before the others finally came out of the forest but he was surprised to see an injured man accompanying Kenji. He seemed familiar somehow. And where had Krinn gone to? "Sorry." was the short apologetic reply he gave to the wolf-elf as he rubbed the back of his head. The question for who the man was had already been asked by Merisa so all he had to do was wait for the answer. But his attention at the moment would be diverted to the stream. The sounds of the water have told him there was something quenching its thirst and turned just in time to see something green race to the sky. He wondered if anybody else had noticed it but apparently not since they continued to talk. Well, whatever it was, he would give it the same courtesy he gave the fluffy tailed girl. If a stranger doesn't do anything to harm you or others, that person is a friend.

Krinn had followed Kenji silently back to the others. Though staying a few steps behind him. Those bright blue eyes were on Merisa when she spoke, though rather quickly and rather suddenly his attention had jumped elsewhere. His head turned and he looked at the same spot that Yuzo had looked at it...A slight frown tugging at his lips for a moment, and then the critter drinking from the stream was gone..and Krinn was sure Kenji and Merisa hadn't seen it..His eyes cut to Yuzo for a moment to confirm his suspicion that the dragon had noticed it as well before his attention went to Merisa.

He stepped up beside Kenji and smiled softly at Merisa. That hand still rested gingerly over his bandaged side. Those lips parted and the voice that came from them were unmistakably Krinn's. "I wasn't ready for any of you to know that I could change, but I am Krinn and this is my other form.." His other hand had moved, pulling that long cobalt braided rope of hair over one shoulder. His body had tensed just slightly.

Mina followed Kenji and Krinn. She never liked leading and fell into following much easier. As they walked her feet made no prints on the ground and her tail was curled just slightly so that it didn't drag the ground. A small smile played over her face as she watched the males in front of her. She spoke not a word.

Back with the others she stood once again slightly behind. The others payed little attention to her and she didn't mind at all.

Kenji rolls his eyes, almost knowing what would come next from Merisa. He wasn't surprised when she expressed her amazement at Krinn's ability to shift. "Krinn, you've been able to shift all along? Wow, that's so cool! See? That's why we want to find the stone, so we can shift like that too."

"You know, there's something that I've been thinking about. What if the stone only allows us to shift one way, but not back again? I mean, what if we have to choose to be one or the other?" Kenji kneels beside the stream, dipping his hands into the running water and takes a drink. "Would we be able to make that choice? Would we want to make that choice?"

Merisa continues to watch Krinn, as though he were the personification of their dilemma. "I don't know, the old man said the stone would change us. He didn't say anything about forcing us to choose a side."

Over their heads, a little green dragon swoops down, and rests on the ground next to Kenji, nearly in the water. "Kreeee!" He hops a little closer to Kenji, his little diamond-like head looking up into the elf's eyes. "Korai-eeeeeee!" His wings were folded along his back, the brown skin between the bones folded against the small armor plates along his spine, and his tail wagged slowly in excitement.

"What in the world...? Yuzo, you're a dragon, what kind of dragon is this?" Kenji was looking down at the little creature, who couldn't have been more than a foot in length from nose tip to tail tip. "And can you figure out how to ask it what it wants?"

You could just ask. I can talk, you know. And you're the only one that can save me, Kenji. The dragon was still looking up to Kenji, his gold eyes glittering, even though the sun wasn't shining in them. He also 'spoke' for all to hear him, so there was no worry about anyone not knowing what he said.

[Cool! Another dragon :D I'll say it's a fire type but if you planned it on being part of a different family then I'll edit my post]

Now that Yuzo took a good look at the human form of Krinn, he noticed that his hairstyle now reminded him of Merisa's braided hair. They had different colors of course but he still wondered if Kenji and Merisa got married and had kids, wouldn't one of them look like Krinn. He shook the strange thought off. Maybe the mushrooms weren't as safe as he thought they were. He was about to ask Adamina something but Kenji called him.

"Looks to me like a dragon from the Fire family." he said, approaching the two and bowing low before the small one in greeting. "May we ask for your name?"

Krinn had bit his bottom lip and stepped back a bit from Merisa's exclamation about his form shifting. "There are limits..though...I can't stay in this form for more than a few days.." He shifted a bit uncomfortably on his feet from Merisa's scrutiny of him, as if he were the answer to their problems or something.

He was slightly relieved for the small diversion that had made itself known. A dragon, it seemed. A light smile on Krinn's lips and he slowly lowered himself to sit at the edge of the stream..From the sitting position he easily moved to a laying down position. One hand rested under his head, to pillow it..and the other rested over his injured side. He healed quickly though, already the bruises he had suffered were gone, and now the gashes in his side were a bit smaller but still hours away from being completely healed.

He was silent now, as it seemed his companions had something else to pay attention to and he was glad for a moments rest. Those bright blue eyes fluttered for a moment before slipping only half closed. He was awake..just very relaxed.

((That ruins the fun though))

I'm not a fire dragon. I'm a Forest Dragon. My kind live amongst the trees and protect it from harm. At least, I think we do. I don't know, really. I just hatched from my egg and knew that I had to find an elf named Kenji to survive until I grow up. The little dragon was looking around himself as he spoke. He was looking for something to stand on, but the only things nearby were Kenji, Krinn and the stream. Since Krinn didn't seem to be doing much other than laying there, the little dragon lightly jumped onto an undamaged part of the human and sat down. I... I don't think I have a name. I've never been told one. Do I pick out my own name, or is it given to me?

"You said the word 'Korai' earlier when you were speaking out loud. That sounded like a name to me." Kenji was watching the dragon that had named him it's keeper. "What do you think, Merisa? Does 'Korai' suit the little dragon?"

Risa nods, hopping across the stream to look more closely at the dragon on Krinn. "Yes, he seems to look like 'Korai' to me."

Korai. I like that. I am Korai, then. The little green dragon looks up at the proudly, his head up and back, and his little chest puffed out just slightly, as he continues to sit on Krinn. I'm hungry.



((By the way, his bio is up on the first page of the OOC thread. I'm still drawing the pic though.))

"Well then, forgive me for my mistake Korai. You really look like a Fire Dragon friend of mine" Yuzo said with a light laugh. "What would you like to eat?" The emerald eyed teen tried to remember what it was Forest Dragons ate. He had learned about them in his classes at the palace but fell asleep during a few of the lectures. "Do you eat bugs or plants? Or maybe you just soak up the sunlight. Sorry, I really can't remember what Forest Dragons are supposed to eat." he said, once again laughing in embarrassment. He looked up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly so he wondered if maybe sunlight wasn't what he needed.

Krinn's eyes opened wide when the little dragon perched itself on his abdomen. Blinking a few times as he raised his head to look at the creature. A gentle smile on his lips and very slowly he moved his hand to pet the dragon softly. "Is it really necessary that you perch on me, little one?" His tone seemed a bit amused. Then Korai remarked that he was hungry, and Yuzo made some suggestions as to what it might eat. Krinn found himself chuckling, it seemed ridiculous to him that a dragon would eat plants or absorb sunlight. "Aren't dragons carnivores? Wouldn't he rather some nice, juicy meat instead of sunlight or bugs?"


][my last post for the night, I'm starting to get a headache.][

Before when I was hungry, I'd just eat a mouse or small snake. But I don't see any of them here. I could try to catch one of those things flying through the water. Korai was watching the stream, or rather, watching the fish in the stream. What are they?

"They're called fish, or more accurately, minnows." Kenji stands up, his foot having fallen asleep from being stooped down for so long. "After you eat, we should be off again if we're to make it to the town before dark."

Merisa stands up too, looking in all her pockets. "Kenji, what can we trade for a shirt? The only thing I have is this old sword, but it's really worthless, isn't it? It's been in Marcus' closet for years."

"Maybe it'll get a simple shirt. It doesn't have to be fancy anyway." Kenji shrugs his shoulders in a way that says he doesn't really care, so long as his back is bare beneath the sun. The elves didn't really burn easily, but it was the principle of the matter. Men weren't supposed to bare their backs in public unless they were working in the field or in the river swimming.

Yuzo bent down over the stream and with a swift scooping motion caught a small fish swimming away. He held it to the hatchling for him to take. "I hope you like the taste. I think it's really good."

Then, turning to Krinn, he said "Most dragons are, but some actually prefer other things. I myself don't eat meat from the land but I do eat fish and plants. Some of my family members prefer to eat just seaweed, though I don't know how they can manage eating the same old thing everyday. I've heard Earth Dragons eat minerals from the mountains from time to time."

Korai accepts the fish timidly, not sure if he should eat it in one bite like he did the mouse, or eat it slowly like he had to do with the snake. He settled on eating it quickly, and munched through it in a couple of bites.. His eyes widened at the delectable flavors as the little fish bites slid down his own tiny throat. That's good. It tasted a little like the snake, but not as hard to get a hold of. The snake kept trying to bite back. How did you catch it? Can you show me?

"Oh..." began Yuzo, unsure of what to tell the gold eyed dragon. "Umm...do you know how the snake moved when it tried to bite you?" He looked down at the water and scanned it for another minnow. "Well, try grabbing the fish in the same way." With another fell swoop, his hand caught another small fish and he handed it to his young kinsman. "You gotta be patient though. Wait until you see it slowing down or staying still for a while before striking at it. Then you have to be swift when you grab it."
The dark blue haired teen took a quick glance at the sky before looking back to Korai. "Practice makes perfect but I think you'll get the hang of it in no time."

"Unfortunately, we don't have the time for him to learn right now." Kenji looks right at Korai as he's speaking. "You can learn at another stream along the way. I'd like to get to the town before nightfall. If they're anything like our home, then the town's people won't want strangers wandering in at night."

"We still don't have any thing to trade, Kenji. Maybe we can find an apple or something along the way." Merisa starts back the way she'd come down the little 'path'. "We could trade the sword still. It's not that good of a tool anyway."

Kenji stands up. "Come on Korai, if you want to stick with me, then keep up." He shakes his tail, getting loose grass and sticks out of the fur. "Krinn, we're going now. Can you move, or do you want me to carry you?"

I can keep up easily enough. Korai leaps off of Krinn and flaps his wings to get lift. Once up, he circles around to gain height, and levels off a few feet above their heads.

He had laid there, watching the dragon on his abdomen until the little creature had leaped from him and into the air. Slowly he stood, a hand going up to rub at his chest a little bit where the bandage was. A smile on his lips as he glanced at Yuzo then looked to Kenji. "I can walk...I heal fast, I should be completely fine in another few hours or so. Sore, but mostly healed, and...I'll buy you a new shirt." He watched the expectantly, almost eager to be moving again.

Placing his wooden staff back on his back, the Water Dragon got up as well and followed the group. He took his time to enjoy the scenery as he walked even though it was almost the same for the past couple of days that he had traveled. There were little quirks here and there and it also helped if he memorized the landscape in case he would pass this way again. Since the topic of buying things came up, Yuzo wondered how Krinn would pay for the new shirt. Yuzo himself had only a few coins left from what he had saved for his journey to the ocean. Some he had given away while most he had lost to the shady people he was currently avoiding. "Hey Krinn, do you work when you turn into a human?" he asked, dismissing the thought that Krinn got paid as a wolf or even worked in his feral form.

Kenji and Merisa stop walking within a step of each other as Krinn and Yuzo are talking. "What do you mean 'work', Yuzo?" To Kenji, 'work' was always referred to as 'playing in the field'. Sure, it was hard work, but the elves always enjoyed it. When Kenji left to live in the forest, he didn't have to work for anything, as he could find everything he needed within the trees.

"Forget about 'work', I want to know what 'buy' is. Krinn said he'd 'buy' you a shirt. How do you 'buy' something?" Merisa was looking at the cobalt-haired human with a quixotic expression, one eyebrow quirked up, and one of her ears tilted back, flat against her hair. "What is this 'buy' thing?"

The elves never had to set up a monetary system to get something. They would always trade something for something else.

Korai swoops down and lands gently on Kenji's shoulder, laying down across the back of his neck. I'm sorry, I've been flying forever trying to catch up to you. My wings hurt.



((Omg! I'm sorry! I should have sent y'all a PM or something... I was over at a friend's house for the past few days... I didn't mean to vanish like that. I have a twitter that I can text to if I'm offline for a period of time again, if y'all would like to follow it... Chryssta (Chryssta) on Twitter ))