The Awakening

In the year 2010, a devistating event takes place. At the hight of war between America and the Middle East, just as the President goes to push the dreaded red button, the earth begins to quake globally. Electricity all but stops and choas breaks free. Mother Earth has awakened, deciding she has had quiet enough. She releases magic into the already choatic air, awakening nature which begins taking back everything we've taken. People are touched by the magic, changing into different mythical creatures of all sorts, causing world wide panic. Many lives were lost.

The years is now 10 A.A. ( 10 years after the Awakening) The ruins of the old ways are easily found within the dense forests and jungles that over took what were once thriving cities. Though people are becoming accustom to the new world, the new races, and new magics... choas still reeks havock across the world. However, it has always been known that the harder the times, the more brightly a certain special few will shine out, and become heros. This is their tale.

The sun was just setting as Taeli pulled her blanket from her pack. Her son, Kristopher was collecting rocks to form a fire pit while Micheal wandered off to look for something meal worthy.
Looking around Taeli pondered their location. She'd tried to stay near Twin Falls while in her search for her missing family members, but quite honestly, she was lost. She knew they had to be in southern Idaho still, the smell or the old dairies couldn't be covered up, even after ten years. She mentally kicked herself. After all these years they hadn't even made it to Jerome, a town that was once a thirty minute drive, where one of her brothers lived. She let out a deep sigh, absently spinning the wedding set on her left hand, her heart heavy.
"Mom?" Kristopher gave her a look of consern, the firepit formed and now softly bruning flames flickered behind him as he knelt before his mother. Taeli forced a gentle smile, reaching up to run her fingers through his medium length light hair. Looking into his eyes only made her heart drop further, as it always did, for he had his fathers eyes.
"Where's your brother?" She asked as she looked around. The tall grass across the field would make it impossible to see Micheal if he were in cat form. Frustration crossed Kristopher's face, but only briefly. Smiling brightly at his mother he turned in the direction his brother had headed.
"I'll go get him." The words flew avoer his shoulder as he took off into a sprint, chnging to wolf form as he moved. With a smirk Taeli softly shook her head.
Their father myst be some sort of wolf, she thought, he surely doesn't get it from me. Her tail flickered and sh returned to redying the camp.

Kyler untangled himself from the young woman's arms and legs and stood up. It was early in the morning, still predawn, but he could already hear the rustling of birds in the trees. He lit a lamp, and crossed the room to a clay pot underneath a long tube. He collected some liquid from the clay pot, and turned and mixed it with some powders and other liquids stored on a shelf over a black counter.

"What are you muttering?" A groan asked from the pallet he used as a bed. "Oh my head."

Kyler paused for a moment, he had forgotten to not mutter. At least he had been able to shave. 'I was just mixing us a beverage." He replied. "Something to help fortify you." He carried the drink to the bedside and poured it into two smaller vessels.

She sipped. "What is this? I can't drink already, we have to head back..." She stopped and looked at Kyler.

"You will need it, drink. you are looking a bit pale this morning." He said, swallowing all of his own drink with a smack. The woman, Cindy, smiled and swallowed all of the beverage.

"That wasn't so bad, now was it." Kyler smiled, wrapping his hand around the woman's head and retangling himself against her.

Later, Kyler watched with a smile as the small group left with their medicines. It was the first group of travelers, so he had given them the medicines at a discounted price. Despite earning the village the medicines they needed to survive, Kyler could tell that Doc wasn't pleased with her for "betraying" him. He had hoped to buy the medicines with some useless relics from the past, all Kyler needed was the straight razor which wasn't enough for the medicines. Cindy's payment still wasn't enough, but the advertisement would bring more desperate people to him. They would also bring trinkets, maybe even some useful supplies. But, now they would all be bringing women.

Kyler cackled to himself, a laugh that was echoed by the trees around him. He turned and headed back towards his tree, almost tripping on a large black panther that had materialized behind him. The cat growled at him.

"I know the next won't be nearly as good, but beggars can't be choosers." Kyler replied,

The cat growled again, then turned and walked towards the tree in front of Kyler. "ha, you are more than welcome to stay next time. And no, I don't plan on settling down any time soon."

There was a deeper growl. Kyler cocked his head for a moment before answering. "I'm not selling my medicines for a night of fun, I'm trading something that is important for something that is important. Cindy was Doc's child, and I took some of that from him in way. He won't waste the drugs now, even after the sickness has passed." Kyler shrugged and began to climb back though the tree after the panther.

As the first rays of the sun caressed his face, Orap awoke and stretched out. Subconsiously, he shifted to half-fox form, which was much better for stretching.
Flipping to his feet, he shifted back to man form, and looked down upon the city. He had spent the night atop the ruins of some skyscraper or another, though it was much shorter now then before the Awakening.
His stomach growled. He looked harder, until he saw a deer below, grazing. Orap smiled.
"Too easy." he said to no one. Without a thought, he launched himself from the building, shifting to half-bat form and plummeting down to the poor creature. The doe didn't even realize the threat until Orap had shifted, last second, to half-lion form. By then, it was far too late.


Several ours later, still in half-lion form, Orap licked clean his claws. Little was left of the doe, but she had been well fed, and a great meal. Shifting took a lot of energy, so Orap was constantly eating large amount, since shifting was an addiction to him after ten years of it's gift.
He heard a loud roar shake the trees near him, and without a thought in was in half-fox form, quickly dashing into the shadows. These thick urban areas seemed to always have the worst beasties, and while they kept him on his toes, at that moment he wasn't in the mood to play with some horrible monstrosity.
"Plains are always nice." he said to himself. He then shifted to man form.
"I concur." he said. This was a silly game he played with himself. He shifted then to half-bat form.
"The flight will be hell on my eyes, but lets do it." he said, then with a great leap he was off, flying out for the more lightly populated plains. No plains specifically, just the first ones he got to.

Kristopher seemed to be acting a bit sheepish since hed returned with his brother. He wouldn't stop smiling, which really wasn't unusual for him, but the strange joy in his eyes can't pulling an odd sense of wonder to Taeli's mind. what had he seen out there she asked herself. Tossing the thought aside for the moment she fed her children what little bread and jerkey they had left, since the boys had had no luck finding game this night. Her stomach lightly growled but she ignored it, curling up in her blanket next to the fire to try and catcha quick nap while they ate so she could stand watch while they slept.

It was a quiet night, for which she was thankful. As the suns first light peeked through the trees Krsitopher awoke.

"Mom, why don't you rest a while? We can stay her a bit. You need your sleep." He gently told his mother. Taeli shook her head.

"I'm fine. Besides, I think we're getting close..." she trailed off as Kristopher frowned at her briefly. He gave her a soft hug as his smile returned. She'd been saying they were getting close for a few years now. Kristopher knew they were lost, but he didn't worry. It didn't matter where they were as far as he was concerned.

"Then I'll wake Micheal..." as he turned towards his brother, Taeli pounced him, flattening him down. Her hand was instantly over his mouth, silencing him. She sniffed next to his ear, a que for him to use his keen sense of smell. Shifting to wolf form, with a bit of difficuly caused by his mother's protective pounce, he inhaled deeply. Some sort of predator was cllose by, though he wasn't sure what. Perhaps a group even for he could smell man, fox, bat and lion. He squirmmed out from beneath his mother and crawled on his belly over to his brother, ready to defend him as well as keep him quiet.
Taeli slowly looked up, greatful now for the tall grass to hide in. She could hear something approaching. Something with large leathery wings. gaving against the morning light she searched the skies. Something about the sent was farmiliar, but she could not place it.

It had been a long flight, and the half-bat was tired. it's eyes were sore of too much time spent in the light of day, for he had travelled nonstop.

He had stopped to rest once, but that horrible roar he had heard in the city came again, many miles away from where he had last heard it. Orap had no idea why, but that thing was following him.

He didn't really need to sleep, not more then every several days at least, so he decided to just keep flying. Surely the thing coulnd't keep up with him this far for this long.

He had reached rolling plains the previous day, felt safer with how much farther he could see now that he was out of the dense city/jungle. He also felt very exposed.

Suddenly, he could smell a predator, canine of some sort. Then he could smell a bit of feline. Not a nice combination.

With a dive he brought himself down to the tall grass, turning to half-fox form as he landed. He quickly darted through the grass, trying to stay on the move. Suddenly, the smell grew very strong, and he stopped.

Great, he thought to himself. In your haste you ran right up on them. He was too hungry to think straight. His body ached from the long flight and lack of food. All he could think to do was lie very, very low.

The gently thud of the creature landing came from behind them. Every inch of Taeli's hair and stood a little higher. The scent had someow changed, no longer bat like, but fox like. Leaving taeli rather confussed. Though she did relax a bit on the inside at the thought of it just being a fox. Even if it were some kind of werefox, from what she knew of those kinds, she and her boys could handle themselves. Looking over to her boys once more her heart stopped. Her breath froze in her throat as she saw the spot where they had been empty. She had taught them to well the lessons of stealth. Now it seemed they could creep off without even her noticing. But had they creeped away to safety? Or strait to whatever threat lay behind them? The lack of such knowledge is what plagued Taeli's heart with fear at this moment.
From a long night camping in this area, her surroundings all smelt like her boys, so she couls tell not which way they'd gone simply by following her nose. after a brief moment, she made a decision. Extending her claws, she stood up. The grass was tall and if she were to find anyone, she'd need to be standing. She looked around for a moment, standing very quiet. Then there he was. She spotted
Micheal poking his head up ever so sneakily, to look around. Barely visable through the length on the grass.
In and instant she darted in his direction, running in a zig zag as to confuss any foe that might strike, as to not give away her sons possion.
Then suddenly... Whack! Slam!
Her foot hit something and she fell strait forward, barely catching herself with her hands. With her feline grace she yanked her feet under her, balancing on her toes, then spinning on them to face the thing that groaned slightly when she tripped upon it. She know looked into the grey eyes of a half-fox man.
Those Eyes.... Taeli thought, her heart pounding. It can't be...

Orap could hear whatever was near him move. Barely, but a foxes ears were not to be fooled. they were moving past him, he realized happily. As they continued to move, he suddenly realized the were circling him.

They're flanking you, idiot, get out!

He turned from those who had circled him and barely took a step when something hit him at a full dash. He tumbled back, but quickly regained control, and turned on the thing. It stared into his eyes. A woman, with some very feline traits. Without a thought, he was in half-lion form, ready for a fight.

Then he saw the softness that had crossed her features, the look of recognition in her eyes. He looked closer.

"Sis..."

Then a small wolf beast pounced him.

The shock that grasped Taeli's heart was quite suddenly interuppted as Kristopher came to save the day, not knowing the true identity of the "threat".
"Wait! Kristopher, stop!" She shouted. The little wolf froze mid swipe, his claws inches away from the half-lions eye. Without moving he looked questioningly to his mother with just his eyes. "Is it really you?" Tears swarmed the overly emotional woman's eyes. At this point Kristopher vaguely understood and shifted back to human form, backing off from his attacking mount upon the stranger and moving to kneel next to his mother.
"Mom?" He asked hesitantly, looking back and forth between the two.
"Trevor?" She used all her might to fight back the tears, but it was all for naught and they slowly seeped their way from her eyes and down her cheeks.

Orap almost laughed when his sister's spoke his old name. It became almost impossible to hold in when she started crying.

He wasn't cruel. Her tears didn't bring her joy, that wasn't it at all. His sister just liked to cry. She got carried away sometimes. He, on the other hand, tended to laugh, though it wasn't always exactly appreciated.

"Your not gonna hug me, are you?" he asked, turning back to man-form. He didn't like his natural form, it made him feel naked. This seemed an appropriate time, however. She leapt at him, going for that hug. He could have escaped, but he let it slide. He patted her on her head.

"Okay, okay, let's not get crazy with it."

"Oh my God, Trevor... what's wrong with you? Its been ten YEARS and yet you act like we say each other a week ago..." Taeli shook her head. She knew she was a bit overly emotional at times, but she couldn't believe her brother seemed to care so little. SHe looked around for her sons. Kristopher stood there smiling at the sight of his uncle alive. Micheal stood a little ways off, leaning against one of the few trees in the area, his arms crossed over his chest. Orap light heartedly messed up Kristophers hair, ignoring his sisters comment. She reached over and punched him square in the chest.

"Didn't you miss us at all?"She said softly, kristopher Frowned and nodded.
"Uncle?"

OOS: Sorry for not posting sooner, I am so horrible at procrastinating. :/

I was thinking your recent posts took place during the night, but... please correct me if I'm wrong. I can adjust my post, easily enough.


----
IS:

The cave was dim but for the soft glow of candle-light. Wooden boards had been braced against the walls, and a makeshift door placed near the cave entrance. Rot sat on log, in fornt of a table he had dragged into his abode. It was small and cramped, but it suited him just fine.

His thin and bony fingers worked tirelessly scribing across a piece of paper. When his time came, the people would need the laws he forged this day. He reched for a tinon the table, and from it pulled a strand of jerky, that he began to chew on while writing. When he had finished, he rolled the paper up and placed it into a satchel that lay against the log he sat upon.

He stood, and extinguished the candles, and readied himself. Pulling up his hood, he opened the door to his cramped home and, taking up his walking stick, strode out in the Nighttime air.

"A nice jaunt is just what I need to get the mind working." He rasped in a low scratchy voice.

---

He had walked for hours through forest, and no longer recognised where he was. He stopped for a moment to rest by a whithered old tree, and take another bite of jerky. Surely the sun would soon rise. At the thought he drew his hood tighter. As he did so, a noise filtered to his ears. It sounded like talking, but he was too far away to hear what was being said.

Casting about suspiciously, he looked out from behind the tree. He saw shapes in motion. Curiosity got the better of him, and he slowly began to approach as quietly as he could (Which is not really all that quiet).

Off a ways from the plains where the newly renited family had they're emotion differances thrown out into the open, a darkness lurked. Staying to the shadiest parts at all times, even travelling at double speed at night when the terrain called for it. The Shadow mastiff dispised light, being weakened by it.
The Beast had been tracking what it decided would make quite a lovely meal. A shapeshifter of sorts. Since its meal had made its way to the plains, tracking his scent had slowed, for there was far too much light around. As it lay low within the shade of tall Russian Olive tree, its pale red eyes glowed hungrily... waiting for its time to pounce. He saw the added humanoids as a challange, but also as a completion to his meal.