Dmitri's eye widened. Enemies don't help enemies. And they especially don't ask each other for help. He wanted to say he couldn't. He wanted to say no. He glanced around the room, searching for help. The barmaid stood by the counter, staring and giggling. Dmitri groaned and sat down on the stairs, looking up at Itari. Quickly, he looked back at the barmaid. "Do you mind?" he growled. Then, he looked back up at Itari and put two fingers to his brow and leaned his elbow on his knee. "I'm gonna regret doing this," he whispered. "Itari, I would love to help you." Then, grinning he added, "Just don't think I wont chase you if we're ever in our animal forms."

She felt a shiver run up her spine, "I thank you." she said turning away. The barmaid had turned blushing furiously and continued in her work. "Fine with me, the whole fighting thing, I'm a cat, you're a dog, it's just the natural order of things." she smiled and began to walk back up the stairs, wondering if he was staring at her on her way up.

Dmitri stared at Itari without shame as she started up the stares. If she turned around to look, he would smile at her. He took a deep breath and sighed. This was going to be one...strange adventure. He picked up his bag and headed up to his own room. When he made it to his room, a thought occured to him. WHat if she double crossed him?

Itari lay stretched out on her bed, wondering what she had just done. "I wonder if this is a mistake." she said aloud wondering if an answer would actually come to her. "The king would surely know how to deal with something like this, he would have valiantly told him to stay out of his way and continued with his mission." she sighed and pressed her face into her hands. "Or would he have?" she sat straight up and crossed her legs, bringing out the scroll and looking it over.

Dmitri pounded his head on the wall. He hoped he didn't just make the biggest mistake of his life. But wait, he was going ot help her. There was no need for her to double cross him. Except when she had her way with him. When she had no need for him, she woudl dispose of him. He groaned. This was horrible. He had started out to stop her, and now he was helping her. He just couldn't bring himself to kill a female, enemy or not.

He stopped hitting himself for a second and took a deep breath. Okay, he thought, I'll just wing it. That was his answer for everything when it got hard. Wing it. He slid down the wall and sat with his back to it. He put his head on his knees in frustration.

((Time Skip ^_^ It's morning now if you don't mind ))
Itari sat up from her sleep, "I don't even remember falling asleep she said with a yawn. Then she looked outside and saw the sun was just barely over the horizon, perfect time to start out to wherever it was that she was going to. A little packing and food and she would be ready to go. "I wonder if..." then she rememered all that had happened the night before, and she groaned. "Today must be the big day."

[[That's fine.]]

Dmitri lifted his head from his knees and shielded his eyes from the blinding light that was streaming through his room. He groaned, mornign was never a good time to get him up. A bit stiffly, he stood up and gathered his bag. He used the restroom and splashed his face to wake himself up before leaving his room.

Out in the hall, he followed the scent of a cat. He wasn't quite sure if it was Itari's or not, he hadn't gotten used to her scent just quite yet, but it was feline all the same. he knocked on the door, and a hideous woman answered, hissing at him when she smelled him. She slammed the door in his face and left him there, his hand still held up from knocking. He dropped his hand and shook his head. Strange.

Itari quickly showered and got her things together, slinging the bag over her shoulder. After straightening her whiskers and assuring herself that her tail was still firmly set behind her, she opened her door, just in time to see Dmitri being hissed at by an old lady cat. She giggled and waved at him, ""Some cats are a bit more ... firce than others, don't you think?" she said with a smile. It was odd that before this morning she had dreaded seeing him, but now she felt quite content that he was really there. "Maybe I should have told you my room number." She said slowly walking towards him.

Dmitri turned around at the sound of her voice. Red creeped into his face. "Yeah, I guess you should have." She seemed pleasant enough today. He wasn't sure if he still wanted to do this. If he wasn't killed for doing this, he would be banned. But would Itari's kingdom accept her? He would have nowhere else to go if they didn't, and then he would be good as dead. Smiling, he held out an arm for her. "Shall we?" he asked. After a moment's thought, he leaned in and whispered, "You have your own horse, right?"

"I left him in the care of my neighbors. Why do you ask?" she said looping her arm through his, a chill running down the arm he touched. Am I really going to do this? Oh I do hope this does not turn out wrong on my part... I mustn't fail the king.

Dmitri could feel Itari's uncomfortablness in the way she held her arm. It was almost as if she didn't want to touch him. And he coudl forgive her for that. They were enemies, and either one of them could betray the other.

"Well, uh, I only have one horse. I guess you could sit behind me. Adrian won't mind. But I wold like to get there fast. Maybe if we got there before they were expecting me, then it would be harder for them to spot me, because they weren't looking for me."

"I don't believe I would mind that at all, it's a good plan." She smiled, but inside she wondered if he would turn her in at the gates, and that would be the end of it. She wondered if he was lying to her, never trust a dog it seemed like such an odd and almost offensive statement now, but why? They had only just met and were already linking arms in a hotel hallway. "How do I know you won't turn me in?"she said looking away.

Dmitri let out a breath of air. So she had been thinking along the same lines as him. They both were still expecting the other to betray them. He thought a moment about how to make her believe that he wasn't her enemy. That he wanted to help her.

"You don't," he finally said. After a moment's pause, he added, "But I can tell you that I won't turn you in. You'll have to trust me on this one. I may be the king's son in my kingdom, but I'm not exactly what you'd call welcome there. The king himself hates me and only calls on me when he has something he wants me to do because he wont do it." Seeing her skeptical look, he raised his right hand. "I swear on the grave of my father you will make it home alive."

Itari thought for a moment seeing no way to know for sure, she decided to trust him, until she saw reason not to. "Fine fine... I'll make an attempt at trusting you, but don't double cross me okay." she said giving him an unsteady smile. When they made it to the bottom of the stairs, the barsmaid from last night saw them and quickly walked up bowing before she spoke. "Are you taking your leave this morning?" "Yes we are." Itari said kindly looking out the open window across from her.

Dmitri saw the doubt in her eyes. The best way to get ehr to trust him would be to trust her. But he wasn't sure if he could do that. Sighing, he tugged the amulet over his head. "Here," he said, holding it out to her. "Could you hold on to this for me? My mother gave it to me before she died. It's the last thing I received from either of my parents, and I don't want it to get lost." He pulled it over Itari's head, not telling her that he'd worn it for several years without ever losing it. He hoped this would get ehr to trust him.

Itari raised an eyebrow at his offer, then when he placed the amulet over her head she felt a sudden warmth take over her. Then without much thought to it she held the amulet, which hung loosely at her neck, and said "I'll guard it with my life." It seemed a little odd to say that to someone who was her opposite, someone whom she had just met. "Don't worry, I'll keep it safe is what I mean." she said handing the barmaid her key and walking towards the door. "We should get going soon though, I don't know how much time I have to do this. It was always a time limit thing with my king." she said touching the door and smiling to herself, feeling the warmth of the amulet around her neck.

Dmitri nodded and handed his own key to the barmaid. "Then let's get going," he said, feeling naked and cold without his amulet. He led her out the door to his horse. Climbing on, he reached down and held out his hand for her to take. He pulled her up onto the horse behind him and lightly kicked Adrian's sides.

He was aware of Itari's hands around his waist. All throughout the ride, all he could think about was her hands on his waist. They were so small and warm. He sneezed, remembering she was a cat.

[Er, is it okay if I do things like I did in the post, where I just kinda skipped you saying she took his hand and had her arms around him and such? That's not god-moding too bad, is it? If it is, just tell me, and I will try not to do it anymore.]

((No that is just fine with me, it gives us more to write about ^_^))
The horse rode much faster than Itari's had ridden. Her horse seemed much older than the one she was riding. She found herself holding onto him tightly and settling her face into his back. Continuously, she thought of how nice he smelled. Almost like roses it seemed, but she had to shake the thoughts from herself. So many things were wrong with what she was contemplating. I am on a mission, I mustn't distract myself. she thought stubbornly, "When will we reach the hiding place of the staff?"

[[Ok, good.]]

Dmitri bit his tongue to keep himself from smiling when she put her head against his back. Dammit! She's a cat. The enemy. There is nothing for you in that relationship. He kicked Adrian faster.

"We should be coming in to the city pretty soon and then the staff is just--" he cut off. He probably shouldn't tell her. She might take off, and then he wouldn't be able to keep an eye on her. She wouldn't need him anymore and he would just be a liability. It was better to keep the status quo. As long as he had somethign she wanted, she wouldn't screw him over.

She was glad that he couldn't see her face, she was practically beaming, when the horse went faster she held onto him tighter and pushed her face deeper into his fur. "Just as long as we make it there, I have no concern." she said purring. Then she coughed trying to mask this and said "Do you know what the staff does exactly?"

[[Er, fur? I guess I can go with that. He always has his ears out and has little fangs showing and I guess he can have fur.]]


Dmitri's ear's pricked. He thought he heard a low rumble, almost like purring. But It was hard to tell. Itari coughed and the noise was gone.

He shook his head. "I have no idea why the staff is so important, just that it's really powerful," he said.

The city gates were in sight. He slowed the horse and pulled off the road, into the trees. They needed to get into the city without being seen together.

((Oh sorry I forgot lol... how about we think of it as a light sort of fur, almost like body hair? Hmm guess I didn't think that one through too well lol. ))

"I have no idea why he wanted me to get that staff, seems like mor trouble than it's worth if you ask me." she said still holding onto him tightly despite the fact that they were slowing down. When she saw the city gates, and the trees surrounding them flash by, she hoped that he was just trying not to be seen by the authorities. Just in case, she decided to ask, "So... where are we going?"

[[Yeah, I was never fond of the idea of when someone is always in half animal form, they have fur. But oh well, we can forget that little tidbit.]]

The horse pulled to a stop far from the road. Dmitri dismounted and reached out to help Itari off. He held her gently around the waist and pulled her off. When she landed, she landed close to Dmitri, and he had felt urged to kiss her. He pulled back before it was too late. Mentally, he kicked himself. He should never have let that happen. He cleared his throat and turned away from her. He busied himself to tying Adrian to a tree and told her, "We need to get into the city, but I can't be seen with you. People recognize me here, and they will know I should not be with you. After all, I am wolf, and you are cat. Plus, I'm not supposed to be back until I have caught and killed the person who was trying to steal the staff." He looked timidly up at her. "Uh, you. And if I'm with some girl, they'll get suspicious. After we get the staff, we'll have to get out of there pretty quick, so we'll just run here, I'll untie Adrian, we jump on him, and ride away."

((I've already forgotten ^_^))

As he lifted her from the horse she felt sensitive to his hands, she forced herself to look to the ground when he set her there. Don't look at him... Itari thought to herself, wondering if he was looking at her. When Dmitri finally moved away from her she let out a sigh of relief and crossed her arms. "I understand, of course. I mean it's a sound plan, but..." Itari wondered to herself in silence for a few moments, "do you really think it is so odd for a cat and a wolf to be companions? It's not odd at all that I am partailly a cat... what about my human side, she's a girl you know." Itari felt as though she were holding her breath, what kind of message would he get from that little tid bit of information?

[[Good. *grin*]]

Dmitri sucked in air before answering. He didn't look at her. "I am aware that you are a girl. But I, myself, have a reputation for not being so...kind to cats." He gulped, not wanting to tell her, or even make her wonder about his past. It wouldn't be that good of a relationship builder, and she might end up thinking he was going to betray her. "Let's just go get the staff." He wanted to have her stay here while he went to get it, but he knew she would never go for that. "Would you mind, uh, staying here?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "It would be much faster for me to just go get it and be back." It couldn't hurt to ask her.