The Forgotten Zodiac

"Yes, I suppose so." Sooth shrugged, licking his shoulders as he prepared to be carried again.

"C'mon, Spy," Isslia giggled, pulling the Chimera out of the water. He shook himself off and grinned, puffing out his fur so it would dry faster. She picked him up and carried him to Zephyr, still smiling. "I missed you, little guy," Said she as she climbed onto Zephyr's back to make carrying Sooth easier for him.

"I missed you too," Spy smiled happily.

"So..." Diana looked around. "There's no one here. Do the advisors and guards leave when Werr does?"

"When your king isn't there, there's no one to serve or protect. This usually happens. They have other homes, and the guards likely fall back to protect the advisors. Considering what usually happens when Werr goes missing, it's rather smart of them." Forin smiled a bit, plopping down on the throne. "No one to stop me from sitting here."

"I guess...how long do you think it'll be before the Storaph guy gets here?"

"You forget, dear, they don't have dragons to carry them. Or, in our case, an ice-mage Kirin."

Luen, who was in deer form and munching on a fern nearby, looked up and blinked at mention of himself, turning his head to give them a smile, a long fern leaf hanging from the corner of his muzzle. He turned back to his meal, knowing that Werr didn't care when he ate the palace plants. Actually, they had only appeared in the halls after Werr had allowed them to stay so close.

He looked up again when a guard wearing Storaph's colors ran in, panting. "K-King Samuel has arrived, your maje-...you aren't Werr," he said, stopping short at the sight of Forin. He didn't have time to say much else, however, due to the fact that Sam limped in after him, looking more dead than alive. His blond hair was still streaked with red and one arm hung at his side, wrapped in bandages that were soaked with blood. He had more wrappings around his legs and abdomen, and looked in sad shape. But his head was held high and his maroon eyes were bright as he limped in, and when he nearly stumbled and a guard offered assistance, he refused it.

"I am not, in fact, Werr. Very astute observation." Forin stood, allowing Diana to do her usual shift behind him when. "Werr is...away. There've been complications with the dealings regarding Gossain. He was forced to retreat to our usual fallback point. A...safehouse, so to speak. Samuel, it would be wise if you were to retreat there as well, but I'm far from forcing anything. Diana, would you pass me the staff?" He smiled as she handed it to her, and he approached Samuel with the utmost confidence.

"It's a healing staff, you nitwit," He snapped when the guard attempted to cut off his approach. "I'm trying to fix the damage we caused." He looked at Samuel and sighed. "Only if you want it, of course. I express the utmost of apologies; what happened in your castle a few days ago was...not intended to happen. The perpetrator is dead and your would-be assassin is back to her normal self."

Sam clutched his side, panting and looking Forin up and down once before consenting to have his wounds cared for. He didn't really have that much of a choice, after all, seeings how a moment later, he collapsed, his wounded leg unable to support his weight any longer.

Forin tutted and crouched, getting to work immediately. The staff was powerful; it mended the breaks in Sam's bones, first. Then it moved onto the scrapes and bruises, and finally, extracted some odd white liquid that Forin guessed was an infection that had been setting in.

"There you are. I can't give you any blood, so you'll still be tired for awhile. But that's beside the point." Forin smiled slightly, but that was gone all too quickly. "Sam, we're fighting something...dangerous. A titan. I think Werr said his name was Veros. We've fought titans before; just a few months ago, we killed a huge beast of a Titan named Neathor, who could have potentially destroyed the entire world if he had gotten away. This titan...he's planning something. He's smarter than a common beast, which means he's infinitely more dangerous. He knows everything about us, and...about you. I hate to say it, but I fear for your safety if you get caught up in this. Werr...has already been poisoned. With a venom that we can't extract. We'd...like it very much if you came with us to the...eh...safehouse."

Sam, now being supported by a guard, listened quietly to Forin's words. After a moment, he sighed and rubbed his forehead. Despite his youth, he, like Werr, was no fool. He understood at once the danger he was in and decided it was best to trust Forin's words. "Alright," he said, rubbing his eyes. "But on one condition. ...I'd like you to keep my trusted companion with you, if you don't mind. He can relay information to me so I can be of tactical help to you. Will you do this?"

"Whatever you say." Forin shrugged. "Back to the carriage with you. We'll lead the way."

"Forin," Diana tugged on her guardian's shirt. "What about the trial?"

The Tartaran sighed heavily. "I will scapegoat. For both of them, if I must." He took Diana's hand and walked back to Luen, setting her on his back before climbing on himself. "Come on then. We lead the way to the safe place. That must come first, after all."

Sam nodded, then turned to one of his guards and said "Bring him to me. The man nodded and walked away at once, leaving Sam to be supported by his remaining guards.

Luen turned and trotted out of the room, slowing in order to keep pace with Sam and the young man's protectors. He glanced sideways at them as they walked nearby, then looked up at Forin and said "I can scapegoat too, if I need to. I'm stronger than I was before."

"I know. I'll need your help with that." Forin nodded.

Diana stared at Sam for a long moment, until he glanced over at her and met her gaze. She smiled a tiny bit and said ever so quietly, "I'm sorry. About what happened at your castle."

"It's okay, Diana," Forin pressed her against his chest, hiding her from Sam's view. "It wasn't your fault."

Sam had met Diana's gaze evenly, and now he answered her, even with Forin blocking her from sight. "I forgive you. You were not under your own control. I understand." He turned his dusty-blonde head as his guard approached again, this time leading something with him.

It was a cheetah.

The beautifully-spotted animal had wise green eyes and a shock of white fur that ran along its neck, and on its left cheek were three red claw-shaped tattoo marks. It's long, lanky body flowed gracefully as it walked.

Forin didn't look twice at the creature. After all, Sam's choices in companions were his own. It was no different from their group, anyway. They carried around a wolf and a rabbit-like creature. And half of them were Lerlochs, anyway. Diana, however, had never seen a cheetah before. She had read about them, but seeing one was a different story. And she was absolutely fascinated. It was like a cat, but a lot skinnier, and such pretty short fur...she wanted a closer look, but didn't want to leave the safety of Forin's grip. Was it just a cat, or a lerloch, too?

Sam sighed and shook his head, saying "Stop teasing them, Corban."

The cheetah snorted and its outline shimmered, then shifted. It elongated and stretched upwards, turning into a tall young man with bright white hair. With the fluffy white hair and green eyes, he could've passed for Luen, if the kirin didn't have antlers or long ears. The red tattoo on his cheek remained in human form, along with the long, spotted tail and quivering ears. His white hair fell lightly over his eyes, and as they watched him, they saw him straighten the long red and blue tunic he was wear.

Diana watched in fascination, peeking over Forin's arm. "I've never seen a cheetah before. I didn't know there were Lerlochs for them..."

"There's likely a lerloch for every creature on this world," Forin shrugged. "Do you remember the owl that lives in Alastor? Puffy little boy he is..."

"I remember. He wears the really thick glasses." She giggled, making Forin smile.

"Yes, it definitely gives him an owlish look, even without the animal soul attached." He chortled. "Corban, then? I wish I could say 'nice to meet you', but under the current circumstances..."

"You could say it, but I wouldn't care at all and probably tell you to shove it," Corban answered bluntly, smiling in a way that clearly showed that he thought he had said nothing wrong. "So we have Captain Dark n' Depression and Lady Clingy, coupled with their pet albino goat. What a wonderful picture this makes." He grinned in a smug sort of way, only to look his entire haughty air when Sam snapped "Corban! Enough already! I thought I told you to curb that snark of yours, honestly..."

"Captain 'Dark and Depression'?" Forin snorted. "More like Captain 'I'm going to tear out your throat if you don't watch it, kitty'." Diana, in the meantime, pulled Forin's cloak up to hide herself from Corban. She didn't like him as much anymore. Not only had he angered Forin, but he had called Luen a goat, too...although the clingy comment was entirely true. It was just...a habit.

Corban met Forin's gaze and his lips began to pull into a smug smile, but he stopped at a sharp look from Sam. He rolled his emerald eyes and took cheetah form again, stalking along by the young man's side.

Luen stepped back as they passed, watching the cheetah with his large emerald eyes. He looked up at Forin, giving him a significant look that said I don't like him.

Forin just nodded, understanding Luen's dislike. But he chose to set it aside for now and lead them along anyway.

But one thing was for sure, he had no intentions of making Luen scapegoat for the cheetah.

Kaislun was quiet. So were the healing springs. Welk had been put in a guest room for now, as he was still sleeping. Werr had chosen to visit the springs to help sooth his aches. They weren't...normal. The heat was doing a good job of keeping them at bay, but something still felt off. In the back of his mind, he worried; for Luen and Forin and Diana. For Cynyr, Airlia, Spy, Ophile, Zephyr...Isslia. He was worried. He'd never really felt this kind of worry before, over them.

Imagine Werr's surprise when he was dragged out of the hot springs by a large black owl. "King Werr, you must return to the palace immediately." He hooted, shoving Werr's clothes into his hands.

"Wha...what?"

"There's been...a stirring up within the Tartaran ranks. They've been mounting a rebellion and a campaign against Forin and all those associated with him. That includes you. If you're seen out of the castle for long, they'll be after you. Now stop gawking at me and go." The owl practically shoved him towards the door, and immediately dragged him back when a familiar, bat-faced, foul-smelling figure appeared in said doorway.

"Hey Cynyr?" Airlia peeked up at the half-cat. "Why's your necklace glowing? I haven't seen it do that before." She tilted her head to the side curiously as she looked at it. "It's pretty."

Cynyr, who had been lounging against Zephyr's belly with Isslia curled against his side (she was in dog form, and they had landed to rest), sat up abruptly, grabbing the charm around his neck. His expression was one of utmost horror as he stared at the flashing red pendant. One thought arched through his mind, one that made his head feel as though it were going to explode; Werr. He quickly stood up, pushing his voice into all of their minds. We're leaving. Get up and be ready to jump.

Jump?

"Jump? I can jump. Can't fly well, but I can jump." Sooth said with confidence. He lashed his tail through the sand, sounding excited.

"That means Werr's in trouble...doesn't it? I remember those necklaces..." She blinked at them, frowning. "They used to belong to Werr and Welk..."

"Welk gave it to Cynyr. I didn't know it was a distress signal, too." Airlia blinked. "But how could he be in trouble? He's in Kaislun. Unless the poison is starting to take effect..."

No, Cynyr snarled, pacing back and forth. It's not the poison. It's...something else. He set off into a stream of thought that flew past so rapidly that none of them could hardly sort through it. Once they were all standing, he weaved through them all, pausing at each person to tap their chest lightly. On each spot, it left a bright green glowing mark that pulsed in time with its owner's heart beat.