The Forgotten Zodiac

((Okay. :3))

"Cy-Cynyr, yo-you were gone for too long...I-I think I'm losing it..." It was pretty obvious so far that his mind wasn't in the best shape. "I've forgotten what your voice sounds like...you've gotta say something, Cynyr, I'm tired of reading the wind writing. It would be easier if you just talked..." He looked up at his dear friend, struggling not to cry more. All his hard work on bottling up his emotions...all of that had shattered completely when Lexi had left.

Cynyr hesitated, his single eye retracting down to a thin slit, then cast a look at Seria, who seemed puzzled. She too had no idea why Cynyr hadn't spoken; he hadn't told her anything privately. The panther fidgeted, looking nervous, then, very slowly, lifted a hand to the high collar of his long-sleeved shirt, putting a finger over the edge and stopping there. Words formed hesitantly over his head.

Don't...don't freak out, okay? I swear I'm fine. It's all fine. Just...don't freak out.

He pulled the edge of his collar down and Seria's hands shot to her mouth, a stunned gasp escaping her lips.

A fresh scar was ripped over the panther's throat, one of his worst ones yet. They didn't have to look close to see that it was deep and painful.

And that it had clearly damaged his ability to speak.

Werr stared at the scar for a long moment. Then he looked down again, releasing a heavy sigh. "You're going to have to tell me what all happened...and I guess I have to tell you what happened to me, too..." He shivered again, feeling cold. And rather...alone.

And then the shrieking started again, so very loud in spite of how hard he was holding his ears shut, so very loud that his ears bled again, and this time, he passed out.

Cynyr caught him quickly, staring up and down the boy in concern, wondering what had happened. He looked at Seria, who shrugged helplessly, then the panther sighed and lifted Werr, carrying him off to his room. He tucked the boy gently under the covers, watching him for a moment before shaking his head and curling up on the bed in panther form.

Seria followed suit, running her tongue once through Werr's hair in passing.

((TIIIIIMEskip.))

Diana, who had hardly slept a wink, was up at dawn. Naturally, her summoner was up with her, dutifully making her breakfast while she waited at the table in the kitchen. She kept glancing out the window, at the doors, as though expecting something to happen.

"Forin...?" She said hesitantly, wondering if she should say. She was terrified, Forin could sense that much. He had tried questioning her last night, but she had refused to answer.

"Yes?" Forin sat down across from her, setting pancakes and bacon on her plate. She didn't look twice at it.

"Something...something happened," She murmured, looking down.

"Like what?"

"Someone took--" She was cut short as Luen opened the door to the kitchen.

"Luen! There you are," Forin smiled. "Come on, I made breakfast. Egg salad for you. C'mon, eat up."

The kirin, who was in deer form, thanked the Tartaran and trotted to the table. Allie was sitting on his back, and he bent his head around to offer his antlers to her. She grabbed two tines and he lifted her from his back, settling her into a chair. Forin set the kirin's food in front of him and he started eating happily, keeping to deer form as he nibbled. He looked over at Diana and smiled at her, then blinked. "Are you alright, Diana?" he asked, flicking his ears at her. "You look so tired..."

Diana rubbed her eyes, letting out a sigh. "I'm okay," She shook her head. "Just hungry," She smiled and dug into her breakfast, though she really didn't feel like eating. She finished about half her pancake and one slice of bacon before feeling like she might throw up. She pushed the food away and went back to looking out the window glumly.

Luen noticed this unwillingness to eat and meandered over to her, nuzzling her gently with the side of his muzzle. "Diana," he said softly, licking the side of her head with his narrow tongue. "What's wrong? You're never usually so unwilling to eat..." He flicked his short tail, looking over worriedly at Forin and Allie.

"Nothing...nothing's wrong..." Diana shook her head, shifting away from Luen.

"She's been terrified ever since she wandered away last evening." Forin commented quietly.

"I'm not scared!"

"You are, Diana. I can hear the pulse of emotions flowing off of you in waves. It is my duty as a summons to know what my master feels, so I can do my master's bidding, even without their command. If you have a need, I will fufill it. Hunger, thirst, comfort, I have always been prepared and able to provide. But I can also sense when you are afraid, when you feel pain, when your heart calls out for help..." Forin sighed. "Diana, there is very few I wouldn't do for you, and that list only involves actions that would lead to your pain or death. You have to trust me. I'll take care of you." He knelt next to her chair, and she immediately moved to hug him.

"But Nate said I shouldn't tell..." Diana whimpered.

"Nate? What did Nate have to do with--" Forin stopped as the kitchen door opened again. It was...well, Nate himself. Holding baby Ariana.

"Morning," The Dragonian greeted, fetching a bowl of mashed fruit from the icebox to feed her. He quickly noticed that everyone was staring at him. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

Luen's brow immediately furrowed. He stared at Nate for a moment, then said "Nothing. Diana was just talking about you, but...I guess you're okay." He eyed the dragonian for a moment longer before turning to finish his breakfast. Once he was done, he switched forms, stroking Diana's hair back with his single hand. He reached his metal hand out and stroked her shoulder gently, trying to comfort her.

Nate dutifully went about feeding Ariana. "Talking about me? Well, I did see her last night, but she ran off in quite a hurry. Come on, sweety, don't spit it out," Nate chuckled, turning his attention back to his daughter. "Tasia is doing better today. Do you want to go see mommy? Of course you do," He picked up the baby and held her close as she cooed. He picked up the bowl of fruit and carried it with. "Oh, Forin, Luna said she wanted to talk to you." The Dragonian said in passing.

"Alright." Forin sighed, standing up. Diana...was still very much afraid. Confused now, too. "Well, if you're done with breakfast, we should go talk to Luna."

Luen glanced up at them, saying "Oh, Forin? Do something for me first. Will you take Allie down to the gardens? I promised her I would sit next to her and show her the flowers. I was going to finish eating and head down there once I was done, but I'd appreciate you taking her." He bent his head with a smile and nuzzled Allie's cheek, saying "I love you," softly.

"Sure," Forin nodded. After a moment of awkward manuevering, Forin managed to get Allie onto his back. He carried her that way, but hesitated by the door. "See you around, Nate," He smiled, then turned. "Come on, Diana. Let's go." She practically ran to the door, not looking at Nate.

The 'Dragonian' shut the door behind them. "Honestly, you people are too perceptive..." He grumbled. When Luen next blinked, it was not Nate standing there, but Snider. He dropped the 'baby', which shattered on the floor. Nothing more than a porcelin doll. At least Luen could relax about that much. Snider ran his fingers through his hair, sighing. "Jagat wouldn't even fall for it. I had to lock Lily up to get him to keep quiet about it. Can't I just meddle in piece? But no, first it's Nate, then I already had my plans for Lexi, but then everything falls apart when Jag and you start to second-guess your own eyesight...does nothing get past you freaks?" He growled. "Don't bother using your magic, stupid deer. I'm done playing games. Alastor will be weakened by me, and it will fall by another! And if you don't want me going after your precious Diana, you'll take my hand and come along quietly." He held his hand out expectantly, eyes narrowed. His foolish and loopy air was just...gone. Replaced with a furious determination that hadn't been there before.

Not even when he had been plotting the release of the Titan Neathor.

((Also, Trin, harming babies and infants is reserved for when I want my OWN skin to crawl with hatred at a bad guy. I just can't do that unless it's a special occasion.))

((o3o))

Luen growled in a wolf-like way, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "So that's it?" he asked, his lips curling back to show teeth that, while not being extremely sharp, were still unnaturally pointed. Few things remained from his time as a werewolf, but these were one of them. "I just take your hand and let you destroy everything I hold near and dear, huh? You'll go after Diana regardless of what I do, I already know it. So long as one person stands in your way, you won't just leave them alone."

"No, you idiot. I'm not going after that girl unless I have to. I'm not stupid; Forin is the only real threat to me. Everyone else sits on their hands when their loved ones are in danger. Forin turns into a freakish beast with a vendetta. I'm not even taking you away, don't be stupid. I'm wiping your memory of me. That's the only way I can work around that stupid Tartaran." Snider spat at the floor in mingled disgust and anger. "Don't make me force you, stupid Kirin. I'm sick and tired of dealing with your pack."

Luen snarled and slid neatly into a half-crouch, his slightly-clawed fingers spread at his sides. "I won't give up my mind without a fight," he growled, shifted to deer form and pawing the ground. He flicked his ears back, a wolfish rumble working into his throat.

He fully expected to go down. But he would do so fighting.

If he could only get to the door and warn his friends...

"It would be so much easier for the both of us if you just...ugh," Snider sighed, shaking his head. He vanished, one second there, the next, gone. When he reappeared, he was landing on Luen's back. This would be annoying; he couldn't leave physical damage on Luen, or the others would question what he had been fighting. They couldn't break something that couldn't easily be repaired, either.

"I don't want to hurt you, you stupid Kirin! Why do you have to make everything so difficult!" Snider hissed, putting his hand firmly on Luen's head.

Luen bucked, throwing his head from side to side, squealing and kicking out with his hind legs. He plunged crazily in circles, frantically trying to get the insane man off of his back. If he could just knock him sideways, he could get his antlers better involved. Even now, he threw his head back, straining to get the sharp tines to pierce something, anything, that would help him get free.

With a sound that could only be recognized as a stab, and the splatter of blood on the floor, Snider found his shoulder peirced by one of Luen's thickest, sharpest tine. He didn't even recoil in pain. In fact, he pushed himself forward and dug the tine deeper into his shoulder, peircing his arm with other tines. Now, he was firmly stuck in place, and Luen's skull was still within reach. "Yo-you can't st...stop me..." Snider growled, a fury to match any storm built up in his voice.

Luen let out a high-pitched deer shriek, frantically jerking his head about in effort to be let go of. He reared onto his hind legs, his forelegs flailing as he came crashing back down, still bucking as though his life depended on it. Which it faintly did, it seemed.

He turned sharply, knocking over a chair in his struggling. He slammed into the wall, trying to scrape Snider against the wall as hard as he could.