15 The Mark of the Spider Part Two (2/2)

However, a strange six legged beast-kin fiend was observing from the treetops. ”Hmph. I should inform the mistress, soon everything shall fall into place. Keeheehee!” The feline fiend snickered, leaping off the branch with great speed, vanishing off in a blink of an eye.

Elsewhere, around Feirela woods. Within the large tree trunk, Solitaire was sitting not far off from Zyron, as he still rested. A small camp fire was burning, as she stared into it. Miles was sitting like a feral cat, as he watched her from the other side of the fire. His stomach growled a bit, as his ears went back in embarrassment.

Solitaire's eyes panned up to him. ”Ey, you hungry, mate?”

”Heh heh, kinda.” Miles's sweated a bit, nervously.

”It's so dark, I don't think we'd be able to find anything to eat out there.” Solitaire shrugged, with a slight grimace.

”Well, we're stuck here til morning. I'm a cat, I should be able to hunt in the dark just fine. I'm sure you're gonna be hungry too soon. You watch the mutt, and I'll handle the grub. Sound good?” Miles got up from his squatting position.

”Blimey, if you think you can manage, mate.” Solitaire replied.

”I'll be fine, chances are that witch got taken out by those templar by now. So everything should be clear. I'll be back in a flash.” Miles chuckled, heading outside of the safety from the tree trunk.

Solitaire sighed a bit. She rested her chin to her knees, looking back to the resting canine leashed. ”I hope he'll be alright. Poor bloke.”

Miles had already wandered off into the forest, looking around for anything that resembled food. He squatted down to look at a mushroom, tilting his head. He closed his eyes with a grimace. ”Maybe this was a bad idea, for all I know it could be poisonous...” He groaned a bit, but his ears perked up to listen. ”Hm?”

He quickly jumped up onto some tree branches, leaping across them on all fours. The leashed was on the prowl, creeping along the branches as he spotted a mouse on the ground. His eyes slit, observing like a wild animal stalking his prey. He waited as it ate a blade of grass from the ground, and then he pounced. Shortly after, Miles was on the ground, standing on all fours, with a dead mouse hanging from his mouth.

However a strange light illuminated behind him, hovering above. His hair stood on edge, fear crawling up his spine as his gaze rose.

”A barren sea of stone and sand, lost within a nightmare land. Fearing a night without a day, when the monsters shall come out to play. As black tree branches shake and sigh, there is no chance to fortify.” Chanted the flame witch from before. Inferna, was grinning down upon him. ”You're trapped here within my spell. There's no where to run, little pussy cat. Hmhmhm.”

Miles trembled a bit, dropping the mouse to the ground. ”Shit... I thought she was dead...”

”Flames eternal, twist and churn. Ignite now, and watch him burn.” Inferna casted, the surrounding brush catching flame.

Miles was in a panic,getting to a distance, as the fire began to engulf around him.

”If you want to live, you'll tell me where my dog is. Or maybe you won't, I haven't decided yet.” Inferna walked through the flames, staring down the leashed.

”Keep back, witch!” Miles drew his sword.

”I told you already, kitty cat. I can melt the metal of your blade.” Inferna chuckled, watching as Miles' sword already began to drip from the intense heat around him.

He swung it at her, falling back to his rear. The fire was beginning to suffocate him.

”HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!! There's no escape now!!” Inferna cackled.

Miles was overheating already from the fire, he couldn't handle it. However, there was a faint galloping approaching his location. From the brush, leapt out a form of a centaur. ”Hath at me, foul demon! Enguard!” She barged in the way, rearing with her front legs. Miles saw her standing amidst the burning embers. Sally Night of the templar, with her lance aimed at Inferna.

”A centaur, how quaint. You wish to die, with the leashed? I'll burn this forest to the ground to get what I came for. Do not test me.” Inferna's flames began to burn more wildly on her head.

”Hark now, maiden! Abandon thee fray, or perish!” Sally demanded, digging her front hoof into the ground, as if she was about to charge.

”Consider the reverse, knight. DIE!!” Inferna made the fire spiral around them like a cyclone.

”Forsooth!? THOU ARTE A FOOL!” Sally proclaimed, as she charged at the witch. Wind began to entice around her, blowing out the surrounding flames.The gust blew Inferna back, tossing her across the way.

The fire had all gone out, including the ones on top of Inferna's head. She reached for her hair, appearing horrified. ”Wind... How DARE YOU!” She rose to her feet, shadows casting over her eyes, as she elevated her hands like she was holding a marionette. ”Hear me now, and lend thy ear, soon your dreams will disappear. Deep within the one unburned, your deepest yearning will not go unspurned.”

”Thine tongue, twas it magic? Nay, a curse. Thou beith a witch!” Sally shouted.

”Very good, then you can see that your future does not bode well for your deepest desires. Faire thee well, Knight. I shall return. Hmhmhmhmh!” Inferna chuckled, as she formed her broom, before ascending sky bound.

”Blasted. Alack, the past is paralogue. Is thou alright?” Sally turned to Miles.

”Uh... Thanks for the rescue.” Miles timidly got up, to brush off his pants.

”Sally!” Hige caught up to the centaur, wheezing a bit, to catch his breath. ”You ran off so fast, I couldn't keep up. That's saying something, for a hare like me. Eh? Another leashed?” Hige glanced to Miles.

Miles's ears shot back, ”(Great, this is bad. If she thinks I'm feral, there's no way to get back to Sol or Nye.)”

”No moment for greetings, dear companion. I needeth thou to send warning to the rest of the order. A witch of the wilds lies near. I fear she may beith what brought forth the fate of our forces. Make haste!” Sally instructed.

”Uhh, yeah sure. On my way.” Hige nodded hesitantly, before dashing off from where he came.

”Twas thou lost?” Sally inquired, placing aside her lance.

”You see. Um.. (Think Miles... THINK!) I-I was hunting for food for my master. We took shelter not far from here, to hide from that witch. We were trying to escape the woods, but we can't find our way out.” Miles tried to explain, with some partial lies.

”Say no more, this knight shall assist thou and thine companion. Hither, before day breaks.” Sally smiled to him, in a knightly fashion.

Miles timidly nodded, blushing slightly. ”It's this way.” He said before proceeding to the tree trunk.

They returned to the place in the woods where Solitaire and Zyron rested. Once they reached it, Miles entered first. ”Sol! I got us a way out of this forest!” Miles exclaimed.

”Shh! You'll wake him.” Solitaire shushed.

”Oops, sorry. Seriously though.” Miles turned, as Sally entered the tree.

”Greetings, this noble steed had offered her aid to assist thou and thine companions from this treacherous wood. Thine feline hath spoken the tale of what has occurred here with thee witch. Allow mine lance to aid thou's journey to the nearest village.” Sally greeted.

”Bloody hell, it's a bleeding centaur. Well, if you are offering, we could truly use the help. Thanks, it means a lot.” Solitaire seemed overjoyed.

”Tally hoe then. The trek to Feirela is a long one, so let us be on our way to Possebiggo instead.” Sally smiled.

”Talk about jammy. We will need help with Zyron though. He got wounded pretty bad back there.” Solitaire peered down to the dog.

”Aye, allow me.” Sally trotted over to Zyron, crouching down. ”Thou may place him on mine back.”

Miles and Solitaire did as directed, and they were soon off to Possebiggo. The scene panned, as the group traveled from the woods. It zoomed into view of Zyron, while a dream state came to his mind.

Within the dream, he was but a young pup, locked alone in a cage. Many shady folks were walking around, what appeared to be a district for black market crooks. Zyron was whimpering, as heels approached his cage. A fair skinned woman, whose face was out of view turned to the crook running the stand.

”I'd like to buy the pup. How much?” She asked.

”For you, doll face? Fifty Zircon.” The crook replied, smirking to her, his face also out of view.

”Very good. I'll take him.” She smiled, handing a coin purse to the man, as he opened the cage.

”Get a move on mutt, she's your master now.” The crook kicked the cage.

Zyron whimpered, leaping out, fearfully. However the woman crouched down to his level, placing her hand to hisface. ”You need not fret, little one. Come, I'll teach you magic.”

Zyron's face lit up happily, as his little tail wagged. ”Okay, master.”

The dream swerved oddly, as Zyron chased after his master, playfully. ”Master, master, wait for me!”

”Follow me Zyron.” His master giggled, running behind a tree, as she played a game with him.

It sped forward, with Zyron at his present age. He was entering a hut, as he approached his master, her view was far easier to see now. It was Inferna, and he could feel his heart racing. He hid a flower behind his back, as he approached her. ”Master, I'm back.” He smiled to her.

Her gaze came his way. ”Good boy, I so hate when we have unwanted visitors. It's far better like this. Stir the cauldron if you would, my little watch dog.” She asked.

Zyron looked bashful, blushing to her, as he kept the flower hidden. ”Sure thing.” He nodded, and did as she asked, taking the bone to stir the concoction. His eyes kept dancing her way. ”Master... There's something I wanted to tell you.”

”What is it? You didn't bring home anything, did you?” Inferna looked to him, almost accusingly.

Zyron shook his head. ”No-no. I like the solitude as much as you do, master. It's my job to keep the spirits at bay, I wouldn't dare bring them here.”

”Then what is it?” Inferna placed her hand to her hip.

Zyron approached her, holding out the flower. ”I brought this for you.”

”A gift, how nice.” She took it, not seeming to care either way.

Zyron hesitated, before hugging her. She was taken off guard. ”Inferna... I know I'm you're pet, but I want to be so much more than that. I can't stop feeling this way, I-I love you.” Zyron admitted, nervously.

Without warning, Zyron was slammed back hard into the wood flooring of the hut. Zyron gawked up at her, appearing horrified. Inferna looked infuriated however, ”Who could ever love something like you? You make me laugh! A leashed like you, is nothing more than a pet!”She snapped, taking her broom, to strike at him.

Zyron defended himself, taking the blows. He was terrified.

”I would never risk the death penalty, to reciprocate the feelings of some MUTT! YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN FODDER TO MY FLAME!” Inferna shouted, swatting him more and more.

Zyron was whimpering, scrambling to his feet, and he urgently fled for his life. He was scared, and heartbroken, even a bit angry. The dream faded as Zyron sat up fast, in cold sweats, frantically gasping for air.