Little Cabin In The Woods

[Kiko]

The stone hearth had seen thousands of flames come and go. Those currently burning merrily inside were no different, smokier perhaps; due to the wet winter wood. But, the chimney was well structured and drew them upright. Kiko blew air out of her nose and shook all over. The melted snow showered the wooden floor around her with tiny splashes of water.

She looked back over her shoulder. The wooden door was busted in with most of the debris scattered in a circular area in front of the place. The hinges were still attached to the threshold and the few scraps remaining beat sharply against the jam. Whoever had been here left in a hurry. And, from the looks of it under duress.

Kiko paced back around the wreckage in the clearing with her muzzle stuffed into the snow. The banging of the broken door was what had captured her attention. The trees in this area were dense consequently the small cabin nestled in this tiny clearing had been a surprise. It was quickly followed up by the missing occupants and the pieces of the door, too. She dashed a paw over her ear. Whatever or whoever had lived here left few clues, too.

There was a scent, though. A scent that told Kiko werewolves had invaded this out of the way spot. As recently as an hour ago.

[Kiga]

A hurried flapping and the creak of age old evergreen wood broke the silence behind Kiko and whilst the commotion itself was not loud, it was enough to indicate Kiga's presence a moment before he landed upon the snow beside her.

His one eye looked at her with a smiling regard and he nodded in welcome. His eyes then returned to investigating the area, his posture low and ready. The cold did not appear to be bothering him, though his chest were still completely bear as was the norm. He spoke in hushed tones.

Greetings Miss Kiko. What do you make of all this?

[Kiko]

Kiko's ears flattened to her head, nose tossed up and over one shoulder. She was not happy about his silent arrival. Still, he had been helpful before and the Wolf trusted him. Kiko shook off the newly gathered snow on her winter coat of fur and changed. She stood upright as a human before saying anything at all.

Werewolves. Six or seven at least. As to the occupants of the house. I do not know. It *looks* like a family home. But, looks are deceiving. I do not smell blood, either.

Kiko stepped back up on the porch of the home and glanced back at Kiga.

What brings you out here?

[Kiga]

Kiga raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips, an expression that was decidedly boyish. He navigated the snow under feet with ease and make next to no noise upon it, his scarf stirring in the chilled breeze. He followed her, though not too closely; his eyes still searching their surroundings.

His head turned to look to her as he replied though and he smiled politely.

Birds. They change with the seasons, which to me; is very exciting. I wasn't expecting to find this - or you.

Kiga chuckled then, another decidedly boyish mannerism.

One surprise far better than the other then.

[Kiko]

Kiko wrinkled up her nose. The scent in the house was strangely flat. She had to think about that, too. Flat seemed a very odd word but it was the first one to come to mind. Nothing about it held volume, even the merry blaze of flames, which should fill the home were... flat.

Yes. I suppose so. Have you spent a lot of time out here, Kiga? I have recently and I have never seen this place before.

Kiko was fiddling with one of the hinges of the broken door. The pin device that kept it swinging was ground down to rusty shards. Still, the hinge banged back and forth. She had stooped down to examine the other, too, head half turned to keep an eye on the opening between the trees.

[Kiga]

I get around. I would have thought I'd have spotted the smoke, but... well. No, this place is new to me.

Something puzzled Kiga as well but he did not have the acute senses Kiko possessed. Still, a master thief; it was hard wired into him to be cautious in all such situations because he knew to well the deadly potential of a trap. Were these werewolves so cunning? He spoke his concern.

I don't like this. Something is not right. Not right at all. And we are very vulnerable about now.

[Kiko]

Kiko's mouth peeled back. Every sense she had was telling her the same thing. Kiga just put a voice to it. This cabin did not belong here. This clearing and stand of trees did not belong here. They had as much life as painted backdrop in a puppet show.

Her eyes narrowed to wolfish slits. That fire was a beacon. A trap. A lure to bring them closer. Kiko raised her hand and made a quick gesture.

Get bac...

She never got the words out. Darkness descended on them both. A foul darkness that was born of magic.

[Kiga]

The...?

He'd though it but the trap itself was not something he anticipated. No rush of tooth and claw and fur, no sudden burst of arrows, no false footing - just a sudden blackness that stole all senses from him in an instant. Still, forewarned is forearmed and hardly new to such trickery, Kiga acted defensively.

HANABUSA FUTEN!

He used this skill rarely. It was disorienting to many, the wind torn about faster than sound, the noise that of a thousand flapping wings, the power of the wall so terrible that it almost defied the nature of the air element. But if successful, he would cocoon both Kiko and himself in a ever spinning sphere of fierce wind, a defensive measure all but impossible to pierce by normal means.

[Kiko]

Kiga's tornado cocooned them, certainly, for all the good it did. They were not being attacked physically. No, whatever had set up this trap had baited it specifically to catch a werewolf.

Davros did not care to have his plans interrupted this time. Marik's death had been a bitter blow. But, even worse than the death was the loss of the werewolf. He needed another. Unfortunately his hirelings had been slaughtered by that... wildman everyone kept spouting about.

When the delivery of the werewolf never occurred he assumed it was just delayed. Then a week went by, and another, and still another, the more Davros investigated the incident the more his anger grew. Eventually, he managed to come across the clearing where Grayell had battled his hired wizard. It was not easy. But, he had money, and friends. His investigation took him into Wistvale whose citizenry were more than happy to share tales of a certain white haired individual.

Grayell. Davros called in a few favors. He knew the cabin would attract. He did not expect to catch the female, though. And the male did not match the description he had been given. Davros snarled. That trap had taken him a month to procure. No one should have noticed it but that intolerable do-gooder.

Kiko and Kiga were unaware of their watcher. Nothing had gotten past Kiga's wall of air but he could not keep it up forever and Davros had plenty of time

[Kiga]

That was the truth of the matter, the defensive sphere was a costly spell and whether he wanted to be cautious or not, Kiga knew he had to drop it pay a heavy price. He stumbled a little with the strain, then let it drop. He sucked in air, chest fluttering like a scared bird and looked about immediately. His arms were wide, blades at the ready, his back to Kiko.

He was protecting her, pacing in a quick circle; looking for a sign, an enemy. In no way would he let harm befall her, not if it cost him his life. He had only started on his path of darkness magic and as such had little to go on and less he could do. He simply knew they were set upon.

The very moment you see something, say the word and I will see it torn in half.