Nexus
Arn Rustwing
I did my job, sort of. Actually I looked for those billowing thermals which bear your weight and give you a great ride and you don't get to do anything but spread your wings. And I know that's not good grammer. I should, I'm a poet. But I'm also a scout and that's why I flew that day. Basically, I had my attention elsewhere that fateful day, but all the same, I did catch a glimpse of ruddy vermillion as I took my final rounds and I didn't remember any foxes in the area last time I looked. So I landed on a branch near where I had seen the flash of color to get a better look. It was indeed a fox, a vixen. A stunning vixen for that matter. She wore a simple, but attractive blue dress and gold earrings, which was fair normal vixen attire. Her most interesting clothing feature was the amulet hanging about her neck, but even that wasn't so unusual. Amulets were kind of a fad among vixens, the sort you'd get at a dime-worth-vermin store, pardon the expression. In fact, a vixen that we apprehended once tried to sell me one. "All natural, power's not made from concentrate." So anyway, I wasn't too worried about that. What struck me most about this vixen was that she was gorgeous, even to a hawk. That was weird. I didn't generally find beasts attractive. I looked her over for weapons. None. All the same, I decided to make a report. It was the most intellegent thing I ever did.
Bren Sprackenwulf
Arn made his report. Being an experienced scout, despite his preference for poetry, he told everything about the vixen, even the fact she was pretty, even to him. I don't like vixens much, even now. They're always so cute and demure. Don't get me wrong, I'm not necassarly prejudiced against all vixens. It's just every time I've met a Mossflower vixen who hasn't joined, she would pull a face that would make a badger put his guard down and try to sell me something. I hadn't yet met one that was truly dangerous. So I was just a little uneasy about this one as our little group made our way to the vixen under Arn's direction. I was generally the spokesbeast when it came to foxes and wolves, having blood of each, but this time, as I spotted her, I hesitated. Arn had been right, she was beautiful. Now me, I can be kind of pretty in my way, but I have too much wolf blood to ever be pretty like THAT. All the same, it was my job. I stepped out of the shadows, brandishing my saber and said in my most threatening voice (which wasn't hard), "State your business, vixen."
The vixen wasn't fazed. "My name is Nexus, not vixen and I wish to join your group, canid freak."
I'll say right out I was more than a little surprised. No beast, vixen or no, had answered in such a manner. Now normally, I can keep my temper under control. I have to, otherwise I slip back into my old state of insanity. And I was coming perilously close to losing my temper. I still don't know what riled me so, but my reply came out in a frightening tone, even to me. "Do you, Nexus? And what use would we have for you? A dancer, a waitress, perhaps!" I shocked myself at the cruelity of the words. What did I have against the vixen? Yeah, she was rude, but that was OK. I dont' mind being called a freak. In fact, she was a change for the better from most vixens I'd met. She was tough-minded and didn't cower and whimper at my presence. Why then did I feel like pounding the little beast.
Lilac Blacktip
Bren's diplomacy stunk! What on earth did she think she was doing? It was time for me to step in, before it really broke loose. Besides, I was suspicious of the vixen. See, I had picked up something that Bren in her anger hadn't. Somehow, Nexus knew who we were and that just plain made me uneasy. I emerged just to the right of Bren, bow slack, and let my presence sink in for a second before I spoke. "Silence both of you! I lead the Sentinels, Nexus, and I understand you wish to become one. But I wish to know how you knew about us."
The vixen got down on her knees and with a mocking light in her green eyes, clasped her hands and said, "Oh mighty ruler of Mossflower, do not strike me down with your fury. Please do not set your jackal beast at my neck. I am but a poor healer and illusionist who happened to hear of your might from a lowly stoat. I apologize for bing of a foul species that you had no choice but to set the dogs on, so that goodbeasts," she spat at this, "may not be contaminated by my species filth. Please, mighty ruler, allow me to join you and become as a mouse or hedgehog, or hare..." Nexus straightened up, paws falled into fists, "You wouldn't have apprehended me if I was a mouse, huh. You're every bit as bigoted as every other goodbeast. Sure, you've got your dog there which you likely raised and trained from a pup, but when it comes to real vermin, you'd like them cleaned out of Mossflower just like every other goodbeast."
Maybe I was kinda getting why Bren didn't like the vixen. All the same, she was pretty sharp, even if she WAS wrong, and needed an explanation. "Look, Nexus. You've got us all wrong. If you'd been alone or a pair of hedgehogs or mice or whatever without whelps, we would've stopped you all the same. And Bren here isn't our only vermin. Come out, Quiksilver."
The short grey fox nearly fell on his face as he came out of the bushes, grinning stupidly. Nexus was not impressed, but she was mollified. Bren spoke suddenly, apparently not finished with the vixen. "Well, Nexus. You've said your part. Now, what can you do for the Sentinels." I didn't like the smoldering look in Bren's lupine gaze. I was afraid if Nexus insulted her again, she would snap. But for once, Nexus submitted.
"As I mentioned before, I am a herbalist, meaning I am a healer. One of the best in fact. And this amulet," she fingered it, "gives me power of illusion. Watch."
Holding the amulet outward in her paw, she muttered something and abruptly vanished in an impressive explosion, the letters of "Nexus" flying out. The she appeared once again, smiling slightly. Bren shook her head briefly, but I saw no reason not to let her be a Sentinel and was still ticked at Bren for being such a jerk so beckoned Nexus to follow. Bren was probably just jealous of the vixen's beauty anyway.
Quiksilver
I'll say it right now. Man, that was one cute vixen! At the time, I was only in the Sentinels to meet girls and also, although I wouldn't admit it, for protection from my former vermin horde and all other hordes. When I met Nexus, only the first reason came to mind. As I walked in the rear, I thought of asking her out. But then again, where would I take her. "Hey Nexus. There's a nice tree I'd like to take you to." Nah...That's what I missed about the horde. You could take a cute fox to the mess tent and get her whatever with your booty share. But, y'know, no booty for the Sentinels. Oh well, there was always Snaggletooth's fire pit. After all the registration finished, I approached her. "Uh, Nexus. Would you...well...y'know, uh, like, do ya wanna have, um, dinner with me?"
Nexus gave me a sly look. "Sure. It should be interesting...for me."
"Huh??" But she was already gone.
Dinner was OK. I must say I was the life of the conversation. Alright, that's a lie. But, anyway, I was really starting to like Nexus and after we had eaten, I asked her if she wished to watch the sun set with me and she agreed readily. I decided maybe she liked me too, at least a little. The sunset was stunning and afterwards, I turned to her, holding her paw. "Y'know, Nexus, I really like you a lot and well..."
"You'll do just fine," she said grinning.
Man, I was on a roll! "Really! I mean, this is kinda sudden, but I guess I'd be a good mate an' all..."
"No...I mean a good first victim."
"Huh?"
And as I looked, she wasn't so cute anymore and those eyes, suddenly flat and metallic...they held me. I tried to get away, but my joints stiffened and I helplessly gazed into her, it's, eyes as I steadily, slowly, no...
Nexus
I released Quiksilver's stone paw and reformed myself from baskilisk to vixen. It was almost a shame to have used the fox as my guinea pig. He was kinda cute, even if he was an idiot. But domination of Mossflower at least was my first priority, not finding a mate. Besides, if I wasted my time on sentiment for my victims, I was as good as dead. I looked back over at the statue and decided it had to be hidden. The last thing I needed was Bren Sprackenwulf or someone of the sort to come upon it and, well, they'd probably blame the new beast. Becoming a griffin, I easily moved it into the bushes, positioning the leaves to conceal it. Once again myself, I left the clearing, hoping there wouldn't be to many questions about Quiksilver. There weren't many Sentinels, but I still didn't wish to take them all on at once. However, if the need came, I could use my transforming powers for more than making myself into other beasts...
Of course there were some questions about my date. I simply snapped that Quiksilver had ditched me in the woods and how was I supposed to know where he was. Then I left, became the baskilisk
again, and hid near some trees adjoining the main grove, just waiting for some unfortunate to pass by. Around an hour later, I got my desire. A young squirrel, I think his name was Darkfur, was walking briskly from the main area, whistling jovially, his bow unstrung. Holding the amulet in my talons, I created the image of a snake across his path. He must have jumped three feet in the air in surprise. As he hurriedly attempted to string his bow, I brought the snake in striking position, it's eyes level with the baskilisk's. The squirrel, bow now ready, aimed the arrow directly between my eyes, daring me to strike. Sadly for him, he also had to look into my eyes. Poor beast, I thought, as I dragged his cold, heavy form to the shrubbery with my claws. Then, using the amulet, I created the image of him over my baskilisk form and strutted towards Lilac's tree. If you want something to die quickly, go for the head.
Arn Rustwing
I had been assisting Bren with her latest poem and as we had just finished it, had come to show it to Lilac for her opinion. But before she could get it, Darkfur, one of our archer officers, came in and asked to see Lilac, so Bren sat down to look over the poem again and I watched to see what was going on. Apparently not much. They just stood there and stared at each other. It wasn't until Lilac began to look really grey that I realized what was going on. Something I'd read in a manuscript about stone eyes. Anyway, I lifted up and dove straight for the squirrel's eyes and unfortunately for me, he looked up and made eye contact at the last minute. But it was too late for him. I slashed and he or it screamed and the image flickered. I could see the scaly chest and more importantly, an amulet. It was an old poetic cliche. Take the amulet and the foe falls. Well, it was worth a try. Dropping to the left of the scaled snout, my talons reached and felt the hard object, then closed, I knew, for the last time.
Bren Sprackenwulf
I came alert at the scream and dove just in time to catch a falling hawk. He was dead weight in my paws, but he was slightly mobile yet. "Not fair. Took it. Ought to shrivel up and die or at least lose..." That was all he could say. After briefly looking at the amulet in his talons, I glared fiercely, not quite making eye contact, at the now laughing baskilisk, fully revealed. "Fool, that amulet was my power of illusion. This power is natural!"
Then it dawned on me who I was up against. Placing Arn on the ground, I rushed, head down at the creature, crying in furious anguish, "Nexus, traitor!!" My head collided with its belly and it fell out of the tree screeching. Then rose up again as a beast I'd only heard of in old lore. A dragon. Even as it rose, it was shot repeatedly with miniscule black arrows. Mattia, the Squirrel Brothers and their people were on the job. But it was not enough. The dragon reared back and blew, not fire, but flickering power in the direction of the assault.
There were no more arrows. It was too much. I lept from the tree onto its neck, using my teeth to do as much damage as I could. I was not prepared for the backlash. Only the shrubbery's cusioning saved me. The dragon belched power contiually in my direction, enveloping me. But I was somehow absorbing the power so that I was outlined with concentrated azure flame. And even before I really knew what was going on, my body reached its ultimate capacity and it all spurted out in an incredibly powerful blue beam and struck the dragon in the middle. Howling in pain and despair it vanished, leaving only Nexus, lying prostrate on her back. Instinctively, strange as it may be, I went to her side. She was fading. She managed to smile some. "Y'know, maybe you goodie-goodies were right all along. Perhaps evil never triumphs." Laughing bitterly, she then continued in a wistful tone. "Wonder what you used back there. I guess it does run in the family."
"What? Huh?"
Despite her transparency, I could still see her neer in reply. "Poor ignorant dog. Lupinfang had a mate that died before he took another one, your mother. Yes, Bren, we're half sisters. Isn't that a funny though! I, beaten by a half sister dog!" Then she was gone, but her bitter, mocking laughter lingered for a few seconds before it too, disappeared.
Epilougue
"Will she never stop howling? No beast can get any sleep with that racket. And we're all understandibly tired."
"Show some gratitude, Lilac. She did release us from Nexus' power. By the way, how are the other victims?"
"Very shaken up, but they'll live. Poor Quiksilver still can't believe Nexus wasn't madly in love with him and Mattia's group won't even talk about their experience, but that's the worst of it. Man, won't Bren shut up! What's she saying anyway, Arn? You studied wolf launguage."
"Only a bit of it. All I can tell you is that she's broadcasting her life and deeds. I can tell by the repeated phrase. 'This I, Bren Sprackenwulf, did.' Otherwise, I don't understand a thing she's saying. But I'm not supposed to know. You see it's a custom for canids to broadcast themselves after their first victory or major accomplishment. It's a form of challenge to any other canids in the area and only for their ears, not other creatures."
"Oh, that's great. She'll tell every fox or wolf within a 100 miles of the great battle, but it's too private to tell us."
"Maybe we don't want to know..."
* * * * *
Bren Sprackenwulf was beginning to get towards the end of her challenge when it happened. Blue fire flickered down her arms, her legs, her tail, leaving in it's wake, not a fox-wolf, but a vixen, tall for her species and in her way, as beautiful as Nexus, glinting silver-red in the moonlight. The howling became the wailing yelps of the fox. As the yelps reached its zenith, azure flashed through her body, transforming her into a slaty pelted wolf, her challenge finishing in the low, steady voice of a true lupine. As the last deep notes were swept away by the wind, Bren suddenly cried out to seemingly empty air, "Are you seeing, Nexus?! I am both, I am both!" She flashed vixen and she-wolf constantly, her voice alternately deep and light, as she continued, "This is why I defeated you, don't you see! My power is increased by my freakish state, proud pureblood! I am both, and I am better for it!" The flashing stopped and Bren became the fox-wolf once again, the 7 foot 2 mean between the 5 foot 6 vixen and the 8 foot 8 she-wolf. She sighed as she heard, very faintly, the sound of mocking laughter.
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