The Forgotten Zodiac

Diana followed him. As much as she wanted to stay near Forin, Luen needed the comfort more, in her mind. She laid down between his legs, smiling slightly up at the deer she so loved. "Thank you for looking for me...I was worried that no one would ever find me in those caves..." She twined her fingers into his long fur, snuggling up with him for a nap.

He sighed, saying "I'm not the one that found you, though. Even though I looked, I...still wasn't strong enough." He sighed, tucking his nose down against her neck in order to sleep quietly. It was true, he was in need of comfort. He didn't want to trouble her with his newest problem; lycanthropy was quite a serious threat, and he didn't want her worrying.

Diana wrapped her arms around his head, gently hugging him. "I don't care. You still looked, which means I have nothing to worry about, even when I'm lost. Because you'll come looking for me again, won't you?" She giggled, then started to doze off. It had been a long, tiring day, and it was already halfway into the night. Might as well sleep while she felt like it. Most everyone else was sleeping, anyways...

He sighed, then dozed off, feeling safe...for now.

*

When morning dawned, it showed that Naybrin was the first awake. He yawned, stretching like a large cat, then cast his celestial gaze over the sleeping beings in the cave and the area around him. Most of the animals had moved on already, except for Ronan and the buck that had come with him. They were busy grazing on the grass that had sprang up around Cyprus.

Cyprus was sleeping just outside the cave, curled up quite comfortably in the grass he had grown. Allie's concoction had worked well; his aura hadn't been nearly as potent before. The timid little Demigod looked happier than ever, curled up in the grass where he was. It was heart-warming to see him smiling in his sleep like that.

Well, it was more of a big, doofy grin, but heartwarming nevertheless.

Naybrin smiled at him, then looked over towards Werr and sighed. Suddenly curious, the great dragon slowly lifted his claws and, very, very carefully, drew a thin line across his own skin, on his wrist.

Immediately, a thin scratch appeared on Werr's wrist, bleeding ever so slightly, like Naybrin's was.

Horrified, Naybrin quickly bent his head forward and gently pressed the tip of his tongue to Werr's wrist, healing the spot.

Naybrin dipped his head sorrowfully, then bathed his own wrist with his tongue. The cut sealed, and Werr's did too, as it had already recieved the healing treatment. "Such a problem..." Naybrin murmured, shaking his head slowly. "Yes, this is quite dangerous, Dark-Eyes. For both of our sakes."

Welk yawned, shifting a bit in his sleep to curl closer to Werr, spreading a golden wing and draping it over the boy's back.

Naybrin sighed, saying "This doesn't effect just you and me, either..."

Naybrin sighed, saying "Just make sure to stay very close to your dear knights. Welk and Cynyr both. They'll protect you with their lives in this time where I cannot do so. For if I took a hit for you, it would be like it still hit you, only I would be injured as well." He sighed, then looked over where Luen and Diana were sleeping, nestled up together. "The lycanthropy has affected him further," he said. "If it continues much longer, he will transform. Already his hooves have become inhuman and inanimal."

It was true. Luen's hooves had split further during the night, revealing that they had shaped into crude, thick claws. Blood coated them, as his delicate little hooves weren't mean to break like that.

Naybrin sighed, then looked over as someone coughed lightly to let them know he was listening.

Cynyr flicked his tail calmly, having been awake for most of the night.

Werr inched around as much as he could manage without disturbing Welk, settling down between his two knights. He scratched Cynyr behind the ears, smiling a little. "Good morning. You heard, then? You were with Seria when Naybrin first explained it...I didn't get a chance to tell you before I fell asleep. It's...trouble. But there's nothing we can do about it, really...as for Luen, that's...that's one thing we need to...to take care of."

"'Take care of' as in take him to the woman who can fix him. You do mean that, right?" Forin hissed from his seat, just inside the door of the carriage. Luna had moved back into there for the night. She was still sleeping now.

"What?" Werr blinked, absentmindedly wrapping his arms around Cynyr.

"There's a woman in Herrace. She can fix him. She's fixed things like this before. Vamprism and the like. We can take Luen to her, she can fix him." Forin insisted. "You're not going to just kill him. I won't let you."

"I wasn't planning on it. Not while there's a chance that he might be okay." Werr shook his head.

"Good." Forin fell quiet again, trying to let Luna sleep as long as she could.

Cynyr listened quietly to their talking, giving his rusty, gurgled growl-purr as Werr hugged him. He flinched when Luen suddenly jerked his head up, eyes wide as he panted heavily. He shook his head, then yawned, showing off a startling fact.

His teeth were sharp and pointed, like Welk or Cynyr's teeth.

He shook his head, then very carefully wiggled away from Diana without waking her, giving her a soft nudge and pushing her to Lexi, who was laying quietly nearby. Then he took human form and Forin noticed another detail that had changed.

He was muscular.

Not in a bad way, but in a natural way considering his body size. It looked both normal and not, as they knew he was naturally skinny and slender.

Luen sighed, saying "I know. I trust you." He pressed close to his friend, closing his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Forin. He whimpered a very soft, sad note, then pulled back and noticed his new shape. After staring for a solid minute at himself, he slowly flexed the strong, powerful new muscles in one arm, gaping at pretty much everything.

Forin saw the new gleam that entered his eyes. A gleam that was not, under any circumstances, 'Luen'.

"Forin, stop it. That hurts," Luen said, wincing as Forin dragged him out. He pulled his arm away, rubbing the spot where Forin had been holding him. "What's wrong?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. He immediately realized that his antlers were heavier than before. They had sprouted more and more tines, some of which had splintered and were stuck out at sharp, twisted angles, not like his natural tines.

"Nothing. Let's just walk." Forin shrugged, smiling slightly at his friend. "I just..." He shook it off, then turned and started walking. "Come on, let's just go." He sighed. To be honest, he...didn't want Diana to see. He didn't want any of them to see. Luen...would be tranforming soon. Forin knew that to be a fact. And he might have to subdue his friend. He wanted to do it alone, and he didn't want them to watch...

Luen frowned, but hesitantly followed after his friend, walking quietly by his side. "Forin...what is this about?" he said. "You...you know something, don't you? And you aren't telling me." He tilted his head, closing his eyes as an odd expression took over his face. Like a smirk mixed with an annoyed expression. He picked up a stick from the ground, fiddling with it and turning it between the sharp claws that had grown on his fingers.

Forin walked a little further, his eyes locked on the ground. When he broke away from that stare, he turned his gaze up to the sky. It was obscured by clouds, thick and ready to drop their load of drops any second. "I'm sorry, Luen. Ophile was right, I shouldn't have told you. I was foolish and didn't want to listen." He absentmindedly tapped his thumb against Vorpal's hilt. The blade had been quiet since he had pulled it from the ground, but he was asleep now, Forin knew.

Forin stopped, his gaze still affixed on the sky. "Have you ever wished that you could fly? Just to soar above the storm, without any cares anymore?" He questioned no one in particular, flinching a bit when a drop of rain hit his cheek. He sighed and turned his face down again.

Luen glanced up at the sky, watching as a few more drops fell to the ground. When he spoke, however, his voice had changed.

"Fly? Why bother? Anyone who wants to fly clearly can't see reality. They're worthless dreamers. And for your information, I'm not sorry at all for this."

He chuckled, then suddenly blinked, rubbing his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, they were pitch black. "Just look at me, Forin!" he said, spreading his arms wide. "I'm so much more powerful now! I can actually do things! I don't have to sit at the back of the group anymore! I can help more than I ever was able to! I am strong now!" His eyes narrowed darkly, then he growled "Perhaps moreso than you ever were."

He suddenly made a choking sound and gasped, his eyes flickering back to green. "F-Forin..." he gurgled, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth as he whimpered.