The Forgotten Zodiac

Isslia took the piece with a tiny smile, watching Werr serve out piece after piece, careful to make sure that everyone got as much as they wanted. He made sure to ask Zelana and Carlyle as well. Cyprus waited until everyone else had some, though. And yes, the Demigod had indeed seen Cynyr's little fall. He felt sorry for the panther; he wanted to help, but...Cynyr had to be willing to let him.

Cyprus sighed, then eyed Isslia curiously. She was so tortured...just like all of the people here. They all had their own miserable stories to tell. They had all been through a lot. Isslia's story, though...well, it was just short of bonechilling. Now they knew a little more of it, too. Werr had already put that together. She had said it had been three times with one man; but no, there was no way to know how many times she had been abused like that. It was awfully sad, but there was nothing they could do now but protect poor Isslia, and hope she didn't think that they would try to do the same.

Welk watched Isslia eat, wanting to make sure everything was perfect for her. He wanted to erase her past, take out the terrible abuse. He remembered a conversation between Nate and Tasia once. Welk hadn't meant to hear it, he had been stalking a mouse through the hallways of Alastor Castle. But the married couple had been talking, and Nate asked Tasia how she felt about her tragic past, now that her current life was so much...better?

Her only reply had been "What past?" before falling on her husband with kisses and hugs.

Now, that was what Welk wanted. He wanted to give Isslia a life that was so good and so perfect that it was like nothing had ever happened to her. He wanted to return her flower to her and let her keep it until she was ready to give it away of her own occord.

Isslia finished her slice of cake, then slowly stood. She walked up the stairs and to the room she was sharing with Lexi and Spy, deciding that she should go to bed early. She paused and looked back at Welk, sparing a small smile in his direction before walking up the stairs.

To be perfectly honest, she did kind of want to have his comforting warmth next to her as she slept, but...the untrusting part of her denied even asking if he would sleep next to her. It was just too close for comfort, but at the same time...not. It was odd, and Isslia felt awfully conflicted as she curled up under her cold blankets.

Diana was the next person to turn in, exhausted from a long day of play with Spy, Forin, and Luna. Honestly, they were all trying to keep her distracted from the fact that Luen was still missing, but...no matter. She enjoyed playing with them, either way. Of course, she didn't go to sleep alone; she was always curled up in Forin's grip one way or another. So of course, he followed her up the stairs and into their room. Isslia watched their feet pass her door, and she sighed in annoyance and rolled over, trying to ignore them.

A moment later, Welk and Werr's voices passed by, along with Lexi and Spy, who said their goodnights and turned into Isslia's room. Lexi brushed her long black hair and settled Spy in the cat bed that had been provided for him, making sure he was covered in the blankets so he wouldn't be cold. Then she slid into her own bed and fell asleep.

A moment later, however, the door opened to emit Welk.

He glanced around, then slowly tiptoed over to Isslia's bed and watched her for a moment. He thought she was asleep, so he didn't say or do anything for a long moment. Then, when he spotted her shivers from the cold blankets, he touched his nose to the sheets.

Immediately, warmth flooded through the cold fabric as he exhaled, sending a wave of fireless heat through the bed.

Then he turned and trotted out of the room, moving off to Werr's room.

Isslia held very still, the untrusting part of her believing that Welk would drag her out and into his room; but when he left without a word, she relaxed visibly. The warmth of the blankets was soothing and allowed Isslia to uncurl and stretch a bit before falling asleep. She slept dreamlessly, fully relaxed and calm.

But not everything was calm and quiet. After most everyone was asleep, bare feet slid silently over the polished wooden floors, the light step waking not even Cynyr. They left just as swiftly as they came, and no one was any the wiser until morning. And the moment Forin woke up, it was as though someone had pushed a button.

"Where is she?!" He demanded, tearing into Isslia and Lexi's room, checking under beds and in the closet. He left again, screaming, "DIANA?!" He suddenly turned again, seizing Spy and shaking him awake. "Wake up! Find her, find her now!" He snarled. Spy just burst into tears, trying to break free.

Luna tackled Forin from behind, prying Spy from his hands. "Forin, please!" she cried, placing her hands gently on his cheeks. "We'll find her! I promise, please." She pressed close, then turned to Spy and said "Please, find her. Quickly, I beg of you."

Welk ran in next, glancing around to see what the heck was going on. "What is going on in here?" he asked, his crimson eyes wide as he moved over to Isslia's bed.

Isslia was there, huddled up fearfully under the blankets in dog form. She poked her nose out to looked at Welk, then ducked back under. Forin was growling and pacing while Spy just sat there and cried.

"Diana is gone! Just up and gone!" Forin raged, storming around like...well, like a storm. A Forin storm of anger and rage. To make matters worse, Naybrin (and others sensitive to magic within their group) could sense the magic flooding off of him. It was all he could do not to shift into his newer form and destroy everything, at this point...

Welk moved up onto the bed in one fluid motion, curling up around the lump that was Isslia. "It's okay, it's okay," he soothed, flicking his stumped tail.

"Forin..." Luna whimpered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Please, calm down...we'll find her. ...You're scaring me..." Tears filled her eyes, but she didn't let them fall yet.

Cynyr stalked in next, saying "I can track her scent too, you know. Not as well as Spy, but it's doable. I mean, I am a panther."

"No, really?" Welk said sarcastically. "I thought you were a mouse."

"I-I'm sorry..." Forin murmured, pulling Luna's arms apart and giving her a tight hug before turning away again, pacing once more. "If you can do it, do it." He growled. "I...I've already lost Luen...I'm not going to lose Diana, too..." He narrowed his eyes, frowning viciously. He turned his glare on Cynyr. "The sooner the better. Who knows how long she's been missing..."

"Since about midnight," Allie spoke up. "A woman in dark robes came and stole away with her. She went off towards the woods."

"Th-the woods? The witch's house is there!" Isslia whimpered. "We can't go there..."

"Why didn't you stop her?!" Forin demanded, rounding on Allie. The legless girl just blinked at him unhappily.

"Don't talk to her like that," Cynyr said, stepping neatly in front of the girl. "Come on, let's just get down to business and find her. I'm not waiting for anyone."

"Hey Werr, ask him to wait for you," Welk said, looking smug when Cynyr glared. "Shut up," the panther hissed, flicking his tail, then turned and walked out, saying "Come on, let's go." He sniffed the ground lightly, then said "There we go. Diana and a strange woman." He cantered off, hardly waiting at all.

Werr followed him, as did Forin (dragging Luna after him). Allie watched them leave, deciding that she would wait here. She peeked into another room, spotting Nate lying there. He was definitely awake...Allie felt a little nervous about being left here with him, but there were others who were staying. Isslia didn't seem very willing to move, so neither did Welk...

"Wait!" Allie called after them, remembering something. She called after Werr, frowning. "Don't take the back door to the house!"

Forin slid to a stop, wrenching open the door to the inn. "What did she say?"

"I think she said to take the back door. Of the house, whatever that means." Werr blinked. "Let's just hurry."

"You know, we could just go out a window like a normal person," Cynyr said sarcasitcally, but he turned to the door right as Welk tumbled down the stairs. He wanted to stay with Isslia, yes, but Werr was his dear, dear brother. Practically his life force. He refused to let him out of his sight, and the boy seemed relieved when the lion slid under him and let him on his back.

Upon passing through the back door, they were alarmed at once.

The 'Witch's house' was just an abandoned old (albeit small) house tucked away into the forest. It hadn't taken long to get there, and the scents were clear enough. But the room that the back door led to...oddly enough, the bedroom. The door itself had been boarded up and had a warning sign placed on it, but it didn't matter to them. The bedroom...well, it was a bloody mess. It caked the walls, splashed all over the floor in bucketfuls. The sheets on the bed were crimson, and handprints were on the door, as though someone had been trying to get free.

Forin, ever the calm one, immediately started screaming bloody murder. Werr, on the other hand, walked in calmly. "This blood is old..." He murmured, scuffing his foot against the floor. He spied a boot under the bed and instincively pulled the sheets away. He immediately backreeled with a yelp of shock. "Legs! What the heck...th-they're old, but...someone definitely had their legs cut off here. What the heck happened here..." He wrenched the door open, blinking in surprise when he caught sight of Diana. She looked...fine. She was sitting on the couch, not crying or anything of the sort. She was definitely alive. There was a figure next to her, lifeless and cold.

"Heehee...glad to see you." A ghostly figure, smoke making up its body, materialized. Yemara. "You took too long! Dummies. Stop screaming, Tartaran, or I'll take your voice away." He stopped the second he spotted Diana; he ran to her, covering her in his hugs and protection. She whimpered and held onto him tightly, trembling. Yemara turned to Welk. "You...you'll do. Listen well, half-cat lion-boy," She practically purred. She spoke quickly, not letting anything interrupt her. "That girl has three days before her untimely death. You can avoid that, though. Not the Tartaran, it would be too easy for him. But you...you have three days. One, two, three. Find my home temple to the north and sacrifice a young woman on the altar there, so that I may return to this world of yours in full glory. Otherwise...she dies. And you will have a very unhappy Tartaran to deal with, won't you?" She smirked, then faded. "Three days~!"

Welk looked horrified at the words directed to him. He shivered and backed up a step, then another, a faint mewling sound escaping his throat. "No..." he said softly. "What...what do I do? What do we do now? What now?!" He turned and slammed into Cynyr, who was standing right behind him. "Don't run off," he said quietly. "Go over to Werr right now, okay?"

Welk hesitated, then turned and ran over to Werr, pressing close in fear.

Luna hugged Diana tightly from the other side, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. "That burn can't be permanent," she said, brushing her fingers gently over it. "I won't let it be. I refuse!" She held Diana's hand, trying not to show any tears for the little girl's sake.

Welk paced circles around Werr, mumbling things to himself, trying to plan. He wasn't the planning type, however, so he just ended up confused. He took human form and sat down on his knees, rubbing his eyes sadly.

"Shh, we'll get Seria to heal it," she said, kissing her forehead over and over, her mothering instincts completely in power. She rocked the little girl from side to side, comforting her and loving on her.

Welk shook his head, huffing loudly, then said "Well, that's that. Let's go talk to Naybrin and about ending a demigod. He stayed with the girls." He stood up and walked over to Werr, hugging him hard all of the sudden. Werr could feel him shaking ever so slightly, and it was clear that Yemara's words, having been directed so bluntly at him, had scared him. He pulled away, rubbing a hand over his face, then said "I'm going to look around outside."

Werr sighed and watched him go, shaking his head. He looked up at Forin, who appeared to be...well, just barely keeping himself from falling apart. "Jeez, man, you don't look so good..." Werr muttered. Forn just snarled viciously at him. The Tartaran scooped Diana up into his arms, nodding for Luna to follow. They headed into the forest, marching right back to town without delay.

Werr, in the meantime, took a moment to investigate. The legs...unlikely as it seemed, there wasn't any other explanation of all this. Allie had told them to take the back door, because it had led straight into this mess. Had she wanted them to know? How else had she known, if she hadn't taken some part in this...? Werr frowned, deciding to try and take the front door. He opened said door, yelling in shock as a blade came out of nowhere. Werr barely managed to get his staff up in time, blocking the blade. It was...just a statue. Not moving on it's own; it had been set up to slice downwards when the door was opened. Werr moved out of the way and let the blade fall to the floor, letting out a sigh. Maybe that was why she had told them to take the back door.

((Oh dear. ono That sounds serious. At least it's fixed naow~))

Cynyr sniffed around at the bloody mess for a moment before bristling and moving towards Werr, pressing against the back of his legs and looking extremely ruffled. He didn't like this house at all. He wanted out. It reminded him too much of...of...

With a sharp panther yowl, he turned and shoved Werr out of the house, saying quickly "We're leaving right now! No arguments, n-no nothing! We're leaving!" His long tail twitched erratically and his fur stuck out on end as he glanced around for Welk, who was busying himself with sniffing at trees and the edge of the house. When he spread his wings and flew up onto the roof, Cynyr snapped at him to get down.